‘Look to the Past’: Ronkonkoma Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony
By Matt Meduri
As Suffolk County’s communities dotted the landscape with parades and solemn remembrance ceremonies, Lake Ronkonkoma did just the same on Monday morning.
The 10:00a.m. parade was operated by the local posts of AMVETS, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and the American Legion. Beginning at Church Street, the parade rolled down Hawkins Avenue, taking Portion Road to Ronkonkoma Avenue to end at Raynor Park. Continued on page 4
Central Islip Juniors Recognized for Water Quality Research
By Matt Meduri
Two Central Islip High School juniors were recognized last week for their water quality research on the school’s property.
The research is part of the Long Island Water Quality Challenge, an opportunity for students to play a role in improving the Island’s overall water quality and reducing nitrogen pollution on school grounds by creating green infrastructure solutions.
on page 12
C.I. H.S. Juniors Heisel Fuentes Delgado and Allyson Saravia (Credit - Matt Meduri)
Wreaths laid at the Raynor Park monument (Credit - Matt Meduri)
South Shore Mall Carnival
Mother's Day Brunch at Long Island Aquarium
May 29-June 8
May 11, 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM
Lavender Festival at Waterdrinker Farm
June 7-8, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Bird and Breakfast at Connetquot State Park
Grooves on the Green in Ronkonkoma
May 11, 8:00 AM to 11 :00 PM
Farmingville Street Fair
Fleece and Fiber Festival at Hallockville Museum Farm
Every other Wednesday until September 24, 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM
June 8, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
May 17, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Sounds on the Sound:
Nesconset Spring Fling
Town of Islip Music Festival
May 18, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
June 1, 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Port Jefferson Sunset Cruise
June 12, 6:45 PM to 9:45 PM
Jones Beach Air Show
May 24-25, 10:00 to 4:00 PM
Riverhead Mosaic Street
St. John’s Greek Festival
PUBLISHER
Diane Caudullo
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Matt Meduri
STAFF REPORTERS
Cait Crudden
Raheem Soto
ART PRODUCTION
MANAGER
Sergio A. Fabbri
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Colin Herr
CONTRIBUTORS
PJ Balzer
Tim Walz
DELIVERY PERSONNEL
PJ Balzer
Joe Cuminale
Colin Newman
Ashley Pavlakis
Madison Warren
OFFICE MANAGER & ACCOUNTS
RECEIVABLE
Kim Revere
PROOFREADER
Giavanna Rudilosso
SOCIAL MEDIA
Madison Warren
Around Town
Islip & SCPD Take Action Against Illegal Cannabis Sales in Smoke and Vape Shops
In a continued effort to prioritize public safety, the Town of Islip has partnered with the Suffolk County Police Department to conduct joint inspections at smoke and vape shops across Islip. These inspections aim to eliminate the illegal sale of cannabis and protect residents, especially youth, from unregulated and potentially dangerous substances. In the last week alone, officers have inspected nearly ten shops in Islip and issued several violations.
Selling marijuana without a New York State issued license is a criminal offense and repeated offenses could lead from tens of thousands of dollars in fines to misdemeanor charges and potential jail time.
“With cannabis being one of the most widely used illicit substances among adolescents, and the alarming rise in products laced with fentanyl and other harmful substances, the Town is taking decisive action to ensure that our community remains safe,” said Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter (R-West Islip).
Recent Inspections Include:
• Mr. Smoke: 876-11 Connetquot Avenue, Islip Terrace – 1 violation issued
• Bay Smoke Shop: 1544 Union Boulevard, Bay Shore – 5 violations issued
• DMS Tobacco Convenience: 4580 Sunrise Highway, Oakdale – 8 violations issued; store placarded
• Vape Escape: 108 Suffolk Avenue, Central Islip – 4 violations issued
• Cloud 9 II Smoke Shop: 189 Calebs Path, Central Islip – 9 violations, 9 appearance tickets issued; store placarded
• Vape Guru Smoke Shop: 26 Bay Shore Road, Bay Shore – 15 violations issued; fireworks confiscated by police
• House of Glass: 777 Udall Road, West Islip – No violations found
The Town of Islip reminds all business owners that compliance with State and local regulations is not optional and that selling cannabis without a New York State license is subject to strict enforcement. Resident safety is the top priority. If you are aware of any shop illegally selling cannabis products within the Town of Islip, please report it to the Islip Public Safety Department.
Islip Public Safety and the Suffolk County Police Department remain committed to protecting the health and safety of the community. Joint inspections of smoke and vape shops will continue as part of a coordinated effort to ensure compliance with state laws and prevent the illegal sale of cannabis and other dangerous substances. These efforts are all about keeping our communities safe and giving residents peace of mind.
Continued from front cover
‘Look to the Past’: Ronkonkoma Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony
The parade and ceremony were also facilitated and sponsored by the Ronkonkoma Chamber of Commerce.
There, a ceremony and wreath-laying memorial was held in honor of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. On the pavilion grounds, a 1946 jeep was on display. Its driver, Josephine Molinari of the Women’s Auxiliary, got the vehicle roadworthy and drove it up from Blue Point herself. The vehicle was set to deploy in World War II, but remained in the homeland at the war’s end. A memorial for Molinari’s husband was just across the pavilion pavers from the vehicle.
“Today is not a day of the future. Today, we look back to the past and honor those men and women who died while serving in defense of this great nation,” said Commander Frank Pearl, of the AMVETS Post #48.
Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy (R-Nesconset) (pictured right), delivered the invocation.
“For them we would not be able to be here today. We wouldn’t have Boy Scouts, we wouldn’t have Girl Scouts, We wouldn’t have children in the playground. Because the world knows that democracy is what is the opposition to oppression and tyranny. And throughout history, oppression and tyranny have attempted to eliminate our great way of life,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy mentioned a Civil War Veteran, Edward J. Carman, who died on April 1, 1865. He was buried in Clarksburg, Virginia. Carman’s mother sent a letter to the colonel discussing the devotion and love required to remain unified as a nation. Originally called Decoration Day, the letter birthed the modern Memorial Day, the name it assumed after World War I.
“Today, when you go to the picnic or you go to something else, remember a Veteran who died so that we can gather today. And we will all be a better country, and we will all go on to be a better county,” closed Kennedy.
“To the Gold Star families, our hearts are with you today and every day,” said Pearl.
Representing the William Francis Taylor VFW Post #9486 was Commander Alex DeFrancis, and the American Legion Post #155, Fred Tartaglione.
Wreaths were laid at the monument at Raynor Park, including by the participating posts, Paws of War, Ladies Auxiliary, the Ronkonkoma Chamber of Commerce, the Ronkonkoma Rotary Club, and local Boy and Girl Scout troops.
for
“We celebrate many holidays in this nation, none as important or as humbling as this day. As you may know, all of our posts are named for a veteran who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Tartaglione, mentioning William Merritt (Post #155), Donald F. Pugliese (Post #48), and William Francis Taylor (Post #9486).
“But of course there are many others that deserve the same recognition. These names are of many others that deserve the same recognition. As all of us feel the loss when we lose someone who bravely sacrificed themselves for our nation,” said Tartaglione (pictured above right)
“I think about my brothers and sisters that have already entered that grave and Veterans fighting that battle every day. Twenty-two Veterans take their lives a day. In Suffolk County, we have 66,000 Veterans. Nassau County, we have 44,000 veterans. That’s 112,000 Veterans within Nassau and Suffolk County. The population is strong, the population is proud, but the population is in need,” said Prego. “And when those heroes sacrifice everything, they sacrifice a piece of their family, a piece of themselves. But we don’t look at the families as well who are also sacrificing a piece of themselves.”
Musical stylings were provided by Lee Ann and John Prussen.
Kevin Prego, Director of Development
Paws of War, (pictured above left) an Army Veteran himself, gave a heartfelt speech in honor of his fallen brothers and sisters.
By Raheem Soto
Local Fundraiser Responds to Budget Cuts for Suffolk Domestic Violence Services
A significant reduction in Suffolk County’s 2025 operating budget has led to an $800,000 cut in funding allocated for domestic violence services. Approved by the Suffolk County Legislature earlier this year, the reduction coincides with a broader funding crisis caused by the nationwide shortfall in the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant program. Combined, these developments have placed increased pressure on community-based organizations to provide resources and assistance without relying on public funding.
In response, Angels of Long Island, Inc., is organizing a grassroots fundraiser to support its Stand-Up and Voice Empowerment (S.A.V.E.) initiative. The event, set for June 1 at the 89 North Music Venue in Patchogue, offers brunch, televised horse racing, raffles, and a cash bar. The $40 admission includes a buffet with breakfast and lunch items such as French toast, sausage, penne ala vodka, muffins, and chicken cutlets. The event runs from 12:00p.m. to 4:00p.m.
The fundraiser is designed to raise private dollars in light of ongoing funding gaps. VOCA funds, historically distributed to states and passed on to local victim service providers, have seen a decline due to reduced deposits into the federal Crime Victims Fund. This has impacted nonprofits throughout New York State, including Brighter Tomorrows, Long Island Against Domestic Violence (LIADV), and ECLI-VIBES. Many of these organizations rely on VOCA to finance counseling, emergency shelter, legal advocacy, and case management. With both federal and county revenue sources constricting, these services are being scaled back.
Some providers report staffing reductions, elimination of key roles, and temporary pauses on intake for housing and legal support programs. Suffolk County’s budget cut, while one line item among many, arrives at a time when demand for support
services remains high. Reports from state agencies suggest that calls to domestic violence hotlines and requests for shelter beds have not decreased.
In Albany, state officials have attempted to mitigate the crisis through programs such as the Survivors Access Financial Empowerment (SAFE) initiative, which provides flexible financial support to victims in need of transportation, housing assistance, or legal services. A separate $35 million statewide public safety initiative was announced earlier this year to support domestic violence prevention efforts, including law enforcement training and systemwide improvements. However, these programs are not intended to fully replace lost VOCA dollars and do not directly restore the countylevel funds removed in Suffolk.
In the meantime, local efforts such as the S.A.V.E. fundraiser are becoming increasingly essential. Angels of Long Island, founded on the principle of “neighbors helping neighbors,” continues to provide emergency food, clothing, and resource navigation to vulnerable populations, including those affected by domestic violence. The June 1 event is one of several fundraising efforts planned in 2025 to ensure continuity of service.
Event Details:
• What: S.A.V.E. – Stand-Up and Voice Empowerment Fundraiser
• When: Sunday, June 1, 2025 | 12:00p.m. – 4:00p.m.
• Where: 89 North Music Venue, 89 North Ocean Avenue, Patchogue
• Admission: $40 per person (includes brunch, entertainment, and raffles)
• Contact: 631-803-6775 | angelsoflongisland@outlook.com
In the absence of public reinvestment, the burden of support continues to shift toward private individuals and nonprofit groups. Whether such efforts can sustain long-term operations remains to be seen.
LaLota Asked, Trump Passes the SALT
When Congressman Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) (pictured right with Suffolk County Republican Committee Chairman Garcia) hit the campaign trail in 2022, one of his key campaign promises was to restore the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap.
When the country became “unburdened by what had been” in the defeat of then-Vice President Kamala Harris (D-CA) and in doing so, handing the keys to the White House to Donald Trump (R-FL) (pictured right), yet again, LaLota had a much better bite at the apple.
Now, just about six months into President Trump’s second term, both Trump and LaLota have been able to deliver on a cornerstone campaign theme.
Many correctly note that Trump is the initial reason for the need for LaLota, Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport), and former Congressman Anthony D’Esposito (R-Island Park) to heavily campaign on restoring the cap. His 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) instituted the $10,000 per year cap for tax years 2018 to 2025. It limited the amount of state and local taxes - including property, income, and sales taxes - that taxpayers could deduct from their annual number crunch.
We can fault Trump for having signed the TCJA that included such a dismal SALT provision - much to the chagrin of thenCongressmen Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) and Peter King (R-Seaford), both of whom voted against the bill since it did not benefit their constituents. (Retroactive kudos to Zeldin and King for bucking their party when their constituents’ wallets were on the line).
But we can also throw Trump a bone - perhaps with a pinch of SALT - for having recognized the problem and running on restoring the cap. He said so at his Nassau Coliseum rally in September 2024, with LaLota and D’Esposito in tow to tout the same message.
The TCJA imposed an expiration date of 2025, meaning that with or without the Big Beautiful Bill (BBB), the SALT cap would have been lifted.
However, that doesn’t mean that inaction was the right choice. LaLota and company were right to stake their campaigns massively on restoring the cap, which, pursuant to the current form of the BBB that is now in the hands of the U.S. Senate, now rests at $40,000. The significantly larger sum is not only an added bonus for Americans who live in realistically-priced states, but it is nothing short of a godsend to those who live in more expensive places - California, New Jersey, parts of Pennsylvania, and certainly New York. All stood to face considerable property tax bills - especially Long Island - had legislation been enacted to keep the cap low.
For some, legislatively restoring the SALT cap was the unthinkable. We contend it was difficult, but certainly not impossible. LaLota made sure to be the ringleader of what is now a semi-national conversation about the importance of SALT deductions, making it more of an encompassing issue than a regional problem. What, to some, might have been a massive lift became much easier thanks to LaLota’s diplomacy.
And we know that it wasn’t necessarily a “rally-around-the-flag” effect among congressional Republicans kowtowing to Trump - LaLota had made this an issue before the 2024 campaign cycle really kicked off.
One could argue that the final bill’s passage might have been that “rallyaround-the-flag” effect, but would the SALT cap have been included without LaLota’s leadership on the issue?
To be careful, let’s not celebrate too early. The bill still needs to advance through the Senate. A couple of eerie parallels we’re observing between the landmark economic package of Trump 2.0 and the one of Joe Biden (D-DE) include mostly party-line support with a couple of holdouts; near-passage in the House only for it to die in the Senate; and both were initialed “BBB” - “Big Beautiful Bill” and “Build Back Better.”
We’ll have to wait and see where this exact iteration of the Big Beautiful Bill goes, but given that raising the SALT cap isn’t much of a partisan issue, we’re okay with giving the initiative’s survival in subsequent drafts the benefit of the doubt.
We also have to throw a bone to Garbarino for having been a founding member and co-chair of the congressional SALT caucus, which includes Josh Gottheimer (D, NJ-05), Young Kim (R, CA40), and Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove).
Since we’re in the interest of calling balls and strikes, Suozzi was actually an architect of the SALT cap removal in the Build Back Better package, which would have increased the cap to $80,000. The plan would have set an expiration of 2030. Jared Golden (D, ME-02) was the lone Democrat to vote against the bill, mainly due to his opposition of benefitting highincome taxpayers.
We can understand that logic, only if Suffolk County wasn’t full of people making six figures annually and still, somehow, living paycheck-to-paycheck.
That BBB failed in the Senate, but we have to give Suozzi credit for having been on the issue with Garbarino.
Some conservative critics of the SALT cap contend that the higher cap encourages “wasteful spending” by state governments because it essentially protects the governments from the negative consequences of inefficiently spending taxpayer dollars.
Not an unfair point, especially when citizens vote for politicians who impose higher taxes and an overall higher cost of living. Why should they be able to claim a deduction when they voted for the high taxes?
However, on Long Island, it’s a different beast. Again, it’s one of the most expensive areas in the country with some of the most middle-class suburban lifestyles around - except the value isn’t reflective of that. We often hear how a two-story, four-bedroom home in Texas costs a fraction of what a comparable Long Island home would, considering tag value and yearly property taxes.
Furthermore, when Bill deBlasio (D) was mayor of New York City, he had an agenda to effectively chase the rich out of the city on a moral crusade against the nebulous “one-percent.” The rich either went to Miami, or they bought homes above book value with cash offers right under middle-class Suffolk residents. It’s not all deBlasio’s fault; it’s just an example of how one really can’t win in a state like New York with politicians like those in New York.
New York politicians also seem more intent about wasting our money anyway. Governor Kathy Hochul (D) seems to believe that her inflation rebate checks is an FDR-level economic-populist proposal, even though it would hardly make up a fraction of a drop in the bucket. We’d rather see that sales tax surplus money reinvested in infrastructure, things that were neglected by Andrew Cuomo (D) when he was governor - and now, of course, he wants to be NYC Mayor.
Another concept of the federal-to-state-to-localities monetary pipeline: Suffolk hasn’t seen a penny of the NYS Environmental Bond Act, nor has it seen a penny of the Biden Infrastructure bill money. These two bills were publicly supported by now-County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches), who, at a recent press conference, expressed his disappointment that his localities haven’t seen the dividends.
It seems that no matter which symptom we choose to analyze, it all leads to the same disease: fiscal mismanagement and tax-and-spend policies.
Moreover, if some are worried about runaway state spending fueled by SALT caps ad infinitum, the SALT cap before the TCJA was nonexistent. The Big Beautiful Bill at least imposes a hard cap of $40,000 set to increase by 1% each year from 2026 to 2033 and then remain at the 2033 level for subsequent tax years.
We find that to be a reasonable compromise. While we do see that much wealthier Americans would stand to benefit from it, we also understand how our Island works. We know the people who live and work here. While the Hamptons and the Gold Coast are certainly iconic features of Long Island, they’re more the exception than the rule.
We give kudos to LaLota for sticking to his guns and, so far, delivering on a promise to his constituents, as well as Garbarino and other agents who have pushed this issue so close to the finish line.
CreditMatt Meduri
Progressive ‘Reform’ Bills Will Result in Release of Thousands of Violent Criminals, Put All New Yorkers in Danger
By District Attorney Ray Tierney
With the budget fight over, New York’s progressive legislators are now pushing a trio of bills—the Second Look Act, Elder Parole, and the Earned Time Act—that will fling open prison doors, putting thousands of violent criminals back on our streets.
These measures, cloaked as compassionate reforms, prioritize criminals over the security of lawabiding New Yorkers and, in the process, once again drag grieving families and victims into a never-ending cycle of parole hearings and reconsideration of previously imposed sentences, for the sole purpose of drastically reducing sentences for violent, dangerous offenders. If passed, the sentences of violent offenders will be cut in half. These reduced sentences will result in more violent crime, and strip judges of tools to protect communities, all while forcing victims and their families to relive their worst nightmares again and again.
The Second Look Act allows any convicted criminal who has served ten years or half of their sentence, whichever is less, to petition a court for a reduction of their sentence. This bill, as written, does not limit how often or how many petitions may be filed. If a petition is denied, the inmate can immediately re-file and start the process over again, an infinite number of times. Excessive filings will inevitably overwhelm already strained judicial resources and the resources of prosecutors’ offices, already stretched to the point of breaking by discovery and other so-called criminal justice reforms. We will once again have to devote non-existent resources to fight a never-ending onslaught of frivolous resentencing petitions. Courts will also be required to appoint counsel to represent the inmates on each petition, which will be funded by New York taxpayers.
Although Second Look proponents focus on a very few nonviolent offenses, in reality, the bill sweeps in all of New York’s most violent and dangerous offenders. Even serial killers, cop killers, and racist mass shooters (like the Buffalo Tops Supermarket Shooter) will be eligible to petition for a lower sentence reduction after serving just ten years. Victims and their families, already scarred by violence, will have to attend resentencing hearings, which, even if unsuccessful, will re-open old wounds. No serious sentence will ever be final and, consequentially, no crime victim will have closure.
Any inmate who is unsuccessful in having their sentence reduced due to the Second Chance Act should not fear because New York’s progressive legislators have their back with Elder Parole. This bill grants automatic parole hearings every two years to inmates who are 55 and older, and who have served fifteen years in prison, regardless of the crime they were convicted of. Murderers, rapists, even cop-killers would get a shot at freedom just for aging behind bars. This bill eliminates life without parole for serial and mass murderers. Worse, victims’ families—like those of the Buffalo Tops Supermarket racist mass murderer—would be dragged into these parole hearings and forced to relive the horror of losing loved ones every other year.
Imagine the agony of a rape victim, pleading with the parole board to keep her rapist behind bars, only to be forced to face this ordeal every other year. Supporters of this bill say that it is necessary, while once again pointing to nonviolent drug and financial crimes and deliberately ignoring the fact that most offenders incarcerated in New York state prisons past age 55 and serving fifteen-year plus sentences are almost exclusively violent offenders.
Again, if these legislators were concerned about non-violent offenders they would have drafted legislation to specifically address the sentences of such offenders, which they have not done. Instead, they attempt to use these relatively few offenders as a smoke screen, to achieve their true goal of releasing thousands of violent offenders early and en masse, public safety be damned.
The Earned Time Act is the final gutpunch to justice, effectively lowering sentences across the board for nearly all crimes in New York, by changing automatic credits to time served while in custody, as well as time earned from programs while in custody. Every inmate incarcerated for a violent crime who previously received a oneseventh reduction under existing law, will now receive one-half of their sentence off. Moreover, the bill seeks to limit correctional authorities from withholding credit for bad behavior, broken prison rules, or even the failure to fulfill the duties of a program.
If that is not bad enough, once earned, good time credit cannot be revoked, no matter what egregious conduct is committed. A year spent in jail earns a six-month reduction, regardless of the possibility if that same inmate subsequently assaults prison personnel, stabs another inmate, or traffics narcotics while incarcerated.
Standing alone, this measure will completely eviscerate our correctional system’s ability to maintain order and discipline and will severely endanger the lives of both corrections officers and inmates. Perhaps most egregiously, the Earned Time Act is open to all inmates unless they are serving a sentence which has a life sentence as the maximum. This will cut sentences in half for violent offenders convicted of raping or sex trafficking children, aggravated assault on a police officer, hate crime assaults, and a myriad of other crimes committed by the most violent offenders.
What will happen once word reaches the street that all crimes in New York are now half-priced?
Finally, this monstrosity of a bill is retroactive, meaning the prison gates will literally be opened for a flood of violent criminals to hit the street all at once.
These three bills are a slap in the face to victims, their families, law enforcement, prosecutors, and the judiciary. Opponents of these bills hit the nail on the head when they ask which constituent group is screaming out for early release of such dangerous offenders?
Not the cops risking their lives or the families mourning loved ones.
New York is still reeling from the spike in crime from the last round of “reforms.” We can’t afford another progressive experiment that emboldens criminals and retraumatizes victims. Public safety and compassion for victims must come first.
Governor Hochul (D) and the Legislature must reject this dangerous trio of bills. New Yorkers deserve safe streets and peace of mind, not the further dismantling of our public safety system so that criminals get a free pass and victims’ families are forced to relive their pain. Grieving families and victims deserve to not be dragged into a never-ending cycle of reconsideration of sentences and parole hearings.
I urge every New Yorker – if you care about law and order, if you care about victims, if you care about public safety – please contact your legislators and ask them to oppose these dangerous bills.
Ray Tierney (R) has served as Suffolk County District Attorney since 2022. He has been a prosecutor for over thirty years.
CreditMatt Meduri
Letters to the Editor
Legal ADUs Strengthen Property Rights and Community Safety in Islip
By Pilar Moya-Mancera
As the Town of Islip evaluates its Consolidated Plan, we can reinforce our common conservative values: safeguarding private property rights, ensuring public safety, and assisting homeowners, particularly elderly and working families. This is an opportunity to work together as a community without extending government bureaucracy and make a difference. One innovative approach to accomplish this is to promote lawful Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).
Protecting Property Rights While Reducing Illegal Housing
Right now, many families live in illegal or overcrowded housing because of the high cost of living and limited housing options. These unregulated units often bypass fire codes and safety inspections, putting tenants and neighborhoods at risk. Legalizing and regulating ADUs is a practical, limited-government solution. It complies with these units through a permit renewal process, allowing the town to enforce safety standards without adding red tape. Most importantly, it respects property owners’ rights by giving them more flexibility within a clear and enforceable framework. At Housing Help Inc., we strongly support only owner-occupied ADUs. When property owners live onsite, it deters absentee landlords and speculative investors. That means more stable neighborhoods, safer communities, and responsible stewardship, which are values we share.
Helping Seniors Stay in Their Homes
Nearly 19% of Islip residents are over the age of 65. Many want to stay in the homes they’ve worked hard to build, but rising property taxes and maintenance costs make that harder every year. ADUs offer a solution that doesn’t rely on government handouts. For seniors, it’s a way to stay in the homes they love, maintain their independence, and even generate additional income. They can rent out a small unit for supplemental income, house a caregiver, or live near family, preserving independence and dignity. It’s a commonsense way to help older adults age in place, while keeping families together and maintaining traditional community values.
Keeping Homeowners Afloat, Preventing Foreclosures
Suffolk County leads New York State in pre-foreclosures, with communities like
On Trespass, Truth, and Civic Responsibility
I am writing in response to an increasingly troubling pattern of behavior emerging in our town — one that should concern every citizen who values transparency, lawful conduct, and genuine civic engagement.
Recently, in response to my public inquiry about ongoing harassment and intimidation tactics, I was met not with answers or accountability, but with silence and deflection. Specifically, Joann Varello questioned why “we” are afraid to talk about the issues — while failing to acknowledge that she and others, including Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) and Bob Semprini (R-Commack), were allegedly caught on camera trespassing on my private, statepermitted facility without consent.
This is not conjecture. This is a violation of New York Penal Law § 140, which clearly outlines that entering private property without permission — especially a federally approved rail site not zoned for residential use — is criminal trespass. No “No Trespassing” sign is required under the law. Intent and knowledge are what matter.
So why, instead of seeking dialogue or attending public forums, are elected officials and their close affiliates resorting
to unauthorized surveillance, photo ops, and smear campaigns? Why is a permitted business — one that employs over 100 local families — being targeted under false pretenses?
I have invited honest conversation at zoning board meetings, at public hearings, and even at a recent fundraiser where Ms. Varello was present. I received no outreach. Instead, I now face public vilification from individuals who may be politically connected. If this is how dissenting citizens are treated in Suffolk County, then we have a much deeper issue at hand than land use policy.
This isn’t about politics. It’s about principle. If you stand for the rule of law, then it must apply to everyone — not just to those without titles or influence.
It’s time we asked: who benefits from distortion, and who is harmed when truth is silenced?
I invite full accountability and transparent discussion. But it must begin with answering this simple question: Was that you on my property, and if so, why did you feel entitled to be there without permission?
Toby A. Carlson Kings Park
Brentwood, Central Islip, and Bay Shore hit especially hard. We saw the devastation of the 2008 foreclosure crisis, and we shouldn’t let history repeat itself. A legal, incomeproducing ADU can provide families with the financial cushion to stay afloat. It’s not a bailout, it’s a hand-up for homeowners trying to pay their mortgage and hold on to the American Dream. By providing a source of additional income, ADUs can be a crucial tool in preventing foreclosures and keeping families in their homes without sacrificing the principles of self-reliance and hard work.
Planning for Local Control and Community Strength
Islip has already taken a step in the right direction by participating in the New York State Plus One ADU Program, which offers grants to homeowners who want to build or legalize ADUs. But the next step should come from within our community, not Albany. By incorporating ADUs into Islip’s Comprehensive Plan, we can ensure that future zoning decisions reflect the priorities of our residents: local control, public safety, and personal responsibility. Towns like Riverhead have already done this, and we should follow their lead, not because we’re copying them, but because it makes sense for Islip for pro-property rights planning.
Let’s Lead with Common Sense
ADUs are not about expanding government. They aim to empower responsible homeowners, ensure public safety, and build the fabric of our communities. This is a conservative approach to a rising issue. At Housing Help Inc., we’re proud to stand with homeowners and residents who want to preserve what’s best about Islip—while planning wisely for the future. Together, we can support seniors, prevent foreclosures, and uphold the rights of responsible property owners.
Let’s make room the right way—with freedom, safety, and common sense.
Pilar Moya-Mancera is the Executive Director for Housing Help, Inc. Housing Help, Inc., is located at 225 Eastview Drive, Suite 109, in Central Islip, and can be reached at 631-754-0373. Moya-Mancera can be reached at pilar@housinghelpinc.org.
Looking Forward to Surgeon General Appointment
Since my last MAHA letter, I see that the author of Good Energy, Dr. Casey Means, has been nominated by President Trump to serve as Surgeon General. I was not amused to see her referred to as just an influencer. She was after all the author of a NYTimes bestseller, that made me healthy again.
She is a medical doctor who left her practice to get to the root cause of what was causing so many of us Americans need to be treated for chronic diseases. She examined the health of the patients from the cellular level. Her health diet tips are the reason I am feeling energized and lighter than I have in years.
On February 12, when Robert Kennedy, Jr., was sworn in under the portrait of Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office, I was hopeful change was coming. We would not operate as a government as we
had before. Our disruptor-in-chief was handing over our health to someone who would go after the causes of our ailments and help Make America Health Again. Weeks followed and even though I had requested to be on the HHS website e-mail list of updates, I received none. When I checked back at the website, I saw empty boxes where staff pictures should have been smiling back at me. He has been slow to assemble a team.
Well, all that changed with the nomination of Dr. Casey Means. If I can lose weight just by following her book’s methods and instructions for healthy living, then so can the rest of America. I, therefore, look forward to hearing more of what programs she will initiate and roll out once confirmed.
Jamie Hanja Lake Grove
National, State, and Local Temperature Checks
By Matt Meduri
National
History has been made in a pollster’s never-before-reached threshold for national confidence.
Rasmussen Reports has been conducting their famous right-track-wrong-track weekly polls since they started their operations in 2003. The idea of the poll is to simply gauge the percentage of Americans who think the country is on the right track or the wrong track.
The right-track entry hit an all-time high in the week of February 16-20, 2025, when 48% viewed the country as on the right track and 47% viewed the country on the wrong track, with 5% not sure.
That was the first time in the poll’s history that the right track ledger ever exceeded the wrong track ledger.
Since February, the right track ledger has been tantalizingly close to breaking the 50% point. Now, in the latest week of polling, the right track ledger has hit 50% for the first time.
The pollster called it “uncharted territory” on X on Tuesday morning.
“Never thought I would see it. I don’t think the Republican Party understands the gravity of the gift which Trump has given them. Unprecedented presidency,” said Rasmussen pollster Mark Mitchell.
Mitchell also wrote on X, “Holy crap - it happened! For the first time in our polling history A MAJORITY says the country is on the right track. Don’t F it up, Republicans.”
The same poll also found that while 75% of Republicans believe the country is on the right track, as do 31% of Democrats and 45% of Independents. Despite the historical gravity of the poll, the gap between the two major parties’ registrants displays the national division that continues.
The poll also found President Donald Trump (R-FL) with a 52% approval rating.
Rasmussen’s credibility as a pollster has been questioned over the years, with some believing it skews its results in favor of Republicans. Former polling aggregate FiveThirtyEight dropped Rasmussen from their list of trusted pollsters ahead of the 2024 cycle, before the latter site would shut down in early 2025. Rasmussen also gained national notoriety for receiving pushback from the George W. Bush (R-TX) Administration over the pollster’s findings of lack of public support for the Iraq War.
Regardless, the 50% threshold is historic and the righttrack-wrong-track polls will likely be watched intently over the coming weeks to see where the needle intends to rest or if the 50% poll was more of a fluke.
In other national news, the president’s “Big Beautiful Bill” passed the U.S. House in what was nearly a party-line vote: 215-214 with one member voting “present” and two members not voting.
The bill received no Democratic support and two Republicans - Thomas Massie (R, KY-04) and Warren Davidson (R, OH-08) - voted against it.
Notably, Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) has caught considerable flack for having fallen asleep and missed the vote. Speaker Mike Johnson (R, LA-04) said candidly, “Andrew Garbarino did not make it in time. He fell asleep in the back, no kidding,” adding jokingly that he would “strangle him”, but calling him a “dear friend.”
Johnson said that the House GOP Conference had 217 votes to pass the bill, inclusive of Garbarino’s.
Interestingly, had Congressman Gerry Connolly (D, VA11) not passed away on May 21, his highly likely “no” vote would have kept the bill at a tie, all other circumstances consistent.
Another Republican lawmaker, Congressman David Schweikert (R, AZ-01) also missed the vote due to arriving late to the chamber and the vote having been gaveled closed before he could cast his vote.
Garbarino has been credited with having worked tirelessly on the bill, particularly throughout the night ahead of the morning vote. Johnson said that Garbarino “is highly regarded by me and all our Members as one of the most
trusted, reliable, and talented colleagues in the House, and if it were not for his unique contributions and tireless efforts, we simply would not have achieved what we have in this Congress.”
“I am proud to have been the leading voice on Long Island during negotiations on this key reconciliation bill,” said Garbarino in a statement. “I fought to lift the cap on SALT and ensure hardworking Long Island families see the benefits of this important legislation. I was moments away from the House floor, to vote ‘yes’, when the vote was closed. While I am frustrated that the vote was closed before I was able to cast my vote, I am proud of the work we accomplished to deliver huge results for Long Island.” “He was present throughout the lead-up to the legislation’s consideration and fully intended to support it,” said Garbarino’s office in a statement. “This is one of the many reasons why governing should happen in the light of day - not in the dead of night.”
In an interesting extension of a political olive branch, fellow Long Islander and Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) gave Garbarino a mulligan, saying, “I feel bad for him. We were all tired.”
Former Suffolk County Executive Pat Halpin (D-Oak Beach), who is reportedly mulling a run against Garbarino in 2026, called his missing of the vote “an extraordinary dereliction of duty,” adding that “while Garbarino slept, health care took a huge hit.”
State
A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump Administration’s plans to force New York City to end its congestion pricing program.
Judge Lewis Liman granted the restraining order on Tuesday, which bars the Trump Administration from withholding “federal funds, approvals, or authorizations from New York State or local agencies to enforce compliance.” The order remains in effect until June 9.
The move comes off the heels of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) move to obtain a preliminary injunction to prevent the administration from withholding funds, while the federal government examines its position on the issue. The U.S. Department of Transportation pulled federal approval of the congestion pricing program earlier this year.
The MTA serves as the operator of the congestion pricing program, which taxes drivers traveling south of 60th Street a $9 fee during peak hours (5:00a.m. to 9:00p.m. on weekdays, and 9:00a.m. to 9:00p.m. on weekends, with 75% of that fare during off-peak hours). During peak hours, passenger vehicles are charged $9, motorcycles are charged $4.50, small trucks and non-commuter buses are charged $14.40, and large trucks and sightseeing buses
are charged $21.60.
Drivers can only be charged once per day. The move also creates a temporary reprieve in the back-and-forth between Albany and Washington, as Trump and DoT Secretary Sean Duffy (R-WI) vowed to remove the program when they came into office. Duffy said that the “scope of the pilot project as approved exceeds the authority authorized by Congress” under the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Value Pricing Pilot Program.
Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) met with President Trump in February to pitch him the positive side of the statistics to hopefully change his mind.
“Judge Liman’s temporary restraining order is a massive victory for New York commuters, vindicating our right as a State to make decisions regarding what’s best for our streets,” said Hochul in a statement Tuesday. “New Yorkers deserve to control our own traffic patterns, keep gridlock off our streets and protect our clean air. We need to make the massive investments necessary to support our transit system and prevent it from falling into disarray and disrepair. Congestion pricing is the right solution to get us there. Congestion pricing is legal, it’s working and we’re keeping the cameras on.”
Secretary Duffy’s counsel has argued that the request for preliminary injunction be denied because New York cannot show irreparable harm, often a legal baseline for obtaining a preliminary injunction, because of the “premature nature of this entire dispute”, mainly because the FHWA hasn’t decided to impose any potential compliance measures.
The MTA has said that the toll generated almost $50 million in revenue in its first month and is on track to generate $500 million by the end of this year.
Local
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) has announced the launch of the Small Business Sewer Infrastructure Financial Assistance Pilot Program (SIFA), the start of which coincides with National Small Business Month.
The pilot program is funded through Suffolk’s QuarterPercent Drinking Water Protection Program. SIFA will provide up to $15,000 of financial assistance to small business owners with twenty-five employees or less who own the property or are a qualified tenant at the location where the business operates.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns data in 2022, 89% - or 44,914 - of Suffolk businesses had fewer than twenty employees, meaning the lion’s share of Suffolk’s small businesses can possibly qualify for this program.
The business must be located within an existing Suffolk County Sewer District. The program is reimbursementbased and will assist in offsetting costs related to design, purchase, and/or installation.
Completed applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received and are subject to grant funding availability.
“Sewer installation and infrastructure continue to pose a significant challenge to our small business owners and Suffolk County’s regional economy,” said Romaine. “This pilot program will not only assist our small businesses with the financial support they need to connect to sewers, but will also help us in our fight to protect our ground and surface waters from pollution.”
“Our water quality, like our small businesses, plays a vital part in making Suffolk a thriving and desirable place to live. Assisting businesses with sewer installation and connection is good for the environment and for our economy,” said Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst).
For more information and application, email sifa@ suffolkcountyny.gov or call 631-853-4800.
Rasmussen’s post on X
House Passes Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” in Major Legislative Win
By Raheem Soto
In a narrow but consequential 215–214 vote last week, the House of Representatives approved President Donald Trump’s (R-FL) signature legislative package, dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill. The sweeping measure, which now advances to the Senate, is designed to cement major elements of the Trump administration’s domestic agenda, including permanent tax relief, increased defense funding, and expanded border security.
The bill’s passage marks a rare instance of sweeping legislation advancing in a deeply divided Congress. Supporters hailed it as a long-overdue effort to realign federal priorities with working-class needs. Critics, including some fiscal conservatives in the Senate, have voiced concern over the bill’s projected cost.
A significant feature of the bill is the extension and expansion of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was set to expire at the end of 2025. The legislation makes those provisions permanent and introduces new tax exemptions for tip income, overtime pay, and auto loan interest—items that affect hourly and middle-income workers the most.
The bill also raises the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000 for households under $500,000, with the cap and income threshold indexed to inflation. That provision, championed by lawmakers from high-tax states such as New York and New Jersey, is expected to bring targeted relief to middle-income homeowners disproportionately impacted by the 2017 SALT cap.
According to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, these reforms could benefit tens of millions of filers, especially in suburban districts with high property taxes.
The legislation allocates $150 billion toward defense, including significant investments in naval shipbuilding, missile defense, and readiness modernization. It also commits $46.5 billion to border enforcement measures, such as increased deportation capacity, construction of physical bar-
riers, and hiring of additional Border Patrol and ICE agents.
Republicans argue the bill prioritizes the government’s core functions—national defense and border protection—over expanded entitlement spending. Proponents describe the border investments as urgently needed, given the continued strain from illegal crossings at the southern border.
To offset part of the bill’s cost, the legislation introduces stricter work requirements for non-disabled adults without dependents who receive Medicaid or food assistance. Recipients would be required to participate in work or job training programs to qualify for continued support. Supporters say the measure will help address labor shortages and restore accountability to social welfare programs.
Opponents argue that the requirements may reduce access to care and benefits for vulnerable populations. Still, supporters maintain the change is focused on individuals who are otherwise capable of entering or re-entering the workforce.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill would increase the federal deficit by roughly $3.8 trillion over ten years if passed without offsets. That has drawn pushback from several Senate Republicans, including Senators Ron Johnson (R-WI), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Mike Lee (R-UT), who have demanded additional spending cuts or fiscal safeguards before supporting the measure.
The Senate is scheduled to begin debate on the bill the week of June 2, following the Memorial Day recess. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has indicated a desire to finalize the bill by July 4 to meet the administration’s goal of passing legislation before the summer borrowing deadline.
Whether the final version resembles the House-passed package remains to be seen. But with its mix of tax relief, targeted investment, and accountability-focused reforms, the One Big Beautiful Bill has already reshaped the legislative conversation heading into the year’s second half.
Garbarino Reintroduces Legislation to Protect Qualified Immunity for Local Law Enforcement
By Cait Crudden
partnership with Congresswoman Claudia Tenney
NY-24), has reintroduced the Local Law Enforcement Protection Act, a federal bill aimed at safeguarding qualified immunity protections for police officers at the state and local levels across the country.
The legislation reasserts the legal precedent established in the 2001 Supreme Court case Saucier v. Katz, which ruled that police officers are only liable for civil damages if they violate an individual’s “clearly established” constitutional rights. By codifying this standard, the Local Law Enforcement Protection Act seeks to ensure that law enforcement personnel acting within the bounds of the law are not subject to unwarranted legal action.
The bill includes a provision to withhold certain federal grants from state and local governments that choose to strip qualified immunity protections from their officers. This move is designed to discourage jurisdictions from implementing policies that proponents of the bill say could undermine law enforcement and public safety.
Congressman Garbarino emphasized that the measure is not about excusing misconduct but about maintaining a necessary legal shield for officers performing their duties in complex and often dangerous situations.
“Qualified immunity has long protected law enforcement officers from being sued for doing their jobs when acting lawfully in the line of duty. Police protect and serve our communities every day—we have a responsibility to stand with them, not tie their hands. I’m proud to co-lead the Local Law Enforcement Protection Act, which discourages state and local governments from adopting harmful policies that undermine our law enforcement community,” stated Garbarino.
The reintroduction of the bill comes at a time when debates around police reform, accountability, and public safety continue to shape national policy discourse. In the wake of several high-profile incidents in recent years, some state and local governments have considered or implemented reforms that include eliminating or narrowing qualified immunity, arguing that it provides too broad a shield for misconduct.
Supporters of the Local Law Enforcement Protection Act counter that removing qualified immunity could subject police officers to excessive and frivolous lawsuits, thereby deterring individ-
uals from entering or remaining in the profession. They argue that such a shift could exacerbate staffing shortages and negatively impact community policing efforts.
Congresswoman Tenney underscored these concerns.
“As assaults on police officers continue to increase and the radical Left’s ‘Defund the Police’ movement gains traction, some local and state-level governments are cutting police budgets and working to strip away qualified immunity. Police officers who put their lives on the line every day should be able to do their jobs without the constant threat of senseless lawsuits. The Local Law Enforcement Protection Act safeguards qualified immunity for these courageous police officers who risk their lives to serve our community. I will continue to stand with our men and women in blue to ensure they are treated like the heroes they are,” said Tenney.
The bill also responds to national trends tied to the “Defund the Police” movement and broader law enforcement reform initiatives that gained momentum after 2020. Garbarino and Tenney’s legislation aims to push back against these movements by reinforcing protections for officers, which they argue are essential for maintaining order and safety in communities.
While the bill is likely to receive strong support among Republicans and some moderate Democrats, it may face stiff opposition from progressive lawmakers and civil rights advocates who argue that qualified immunity has become a legal barrier to justice for victims of police misconduct. Critics of the doctrine claim it can shield bad actors from accountability, especially in cases involving excessive use of force or civil rights violations.
Nonetheless, the reintroduction of the Local Law Enforcement Protection Act signals a continued commitment among its supporters to prioritize police protections and reinforce a traditional framework of law enforcement operations. As the bill proceeds through committee and potentially reaches the floor for a vote, the broader debate around qualified immunity and policing reform is expected to remain a focal point in the 2025 legislative session. Meanwhile, Garbarino and Tenney remain resolute in their message: protecting law enforcement officers is essential to ensuring public safety and upholding the rule of law.
Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport), in
(R,
Continued from front cover
Central Islip Juniors Recognized for Water Quality Research
The challenge was developed by the Long Island Regional Planning Council in collaboration with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), as a part of the Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan (LINAP), a multi-year initiative to reduce nitrogen pollution.
Central Islip juniors Heisel Fuentes Delgado and Allyson Saravia, under their advisor Michael Soldano, have proposed implementing bioswales around the edges of the school’s parking lot - where ground elevation is the lowest - to efficiently filter pollutants carried by rainwater and to prevent flooding.
Bioswales are gently sloped, shallow land depressions, usually planted with vegetation. They’re designed to collect and filter stormwater before it reaches storm drains, sumps, or waterways. They’re typically used to help reduce pollution, prevent erosion, and improve water filtration. Bioswales are similar to rain gardens, but they’re designed specifically to capture more runoff coming from impervious surfaces, such as streets and parking lots.
The bioswales proposed by Delgado and Saravia will focus on plants and mosses native to Long Island that will retain water and adapt to various conditions. The plan also calls for monthly nitrate level monitoring to gauge the effectiveness of the bioswales.
“As educators, we’re always trying to provide opportunities for students, and this year was my first year taking over our science research course,” said advisor Soldano. “Sometimes, it felt like we were going nowhere; sometimes, things were going well.”
Soldano added that most of the juniors’ time spent was outside taking pictures of the school grounds and researching their project.
For the first time ever, the Central Islip Union Free School District entered into the challenge this year - clearly a worthy venture, as their entrance produced two winners.
“As Jane Goodall once said, ‘what you do makes a difference.’ Heisel and Allyson, we are so very proud of you,” said Soldano. “I commend both of you for your vision, your dedication, and making
history as our first students to receive this honor.”
Central Islip High School Principal Eric Haruthunian (pictured left) recalled receiving the pitch for the project.
“I remember Allyson and Heisel coming to me when they were in the developmental stages of this project asking about nitrogen levels within the waterways and cesspools and how that equates to the Suffolk County and Town of Islip averages,” said Haruthunian, adding that the juniors consulted with the school’s building and grounds director for more information.
“But they really took the proverbial bull by the horns and ran with it, did the research, the lead work, and took pictures. That’s just the type of students Allyson and Heisel are,” said Haruthunian. “We hope you continue to wow us with future research and future submissions,” adding his praise for Soldano.
Town of Islip Councilman Jorge Guadrón (D-Central Islip) called the recognition a “great deal for our community.” He lamented the near-constant negativity in the newscycle, and wishes that these types of positive messages are “amplified.”
“I congratulate both of you, the Central Islip School District, the high school, and the principal for making such a great labor,” said Guadrón, adding that the district’s administration “gets better every year, just like wine.”
A representative for Senator Monica Martinez (D-Brentwood) was also on hand to recognize Delgado and Saravia.
“As Long Islanders, water isn’t just a part of who we are as living beings, but it’s a part of our shared heritage. And to see young students like you working so hard to protect this most precious of natural resources, it lets us know that future generations are tackling this challenge with every bit of the dedication that previous generations have and that our future is in good hands with you.”
Delgado and Saravia then took the podium.
“We would like to say thank you to the Long Island Regional Planning Council for the opportunity,” said the juniors, adding their thanks to the administration for being supportive of the STEM program. “We would also like to thank our wonderful science research teacher, Mr. Soldano (pictured left) and Mr. Harthunian for presenting this challenge to us and giving us the opportunity to present our project.”
Councilman Guadrón
LaLota Secures Major SALT Deduction Victory in House-Passed Bill
By Raheem Soto
Long Island families struggling under the weight of high property taxes may soon see long-awaited relief thanks to a provision championed by Congressman Nick LaLota (R-Amityville).
On May 22, 2025, LaLota announced that his proposal to significantly expand the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap was successfully included in the Housepassed version of the One Big Beautiful Bill. The measure now awaits action in the Senate and, if enacted, could deliver substantial federal tax savings to most Suffolk County residents.
Under LaLota’s negotiated provision, the SALT deduction cap would rise from $10,000 to $40,000 for households under $500,000. Both the cap and income threshold would be indexed to inflation annually—reaching approximately $44,000 and $552,000 within ten years. The expansion is projected to benefit 92% of LaLota’s constituents, many of whom have faced disproportionate tax burdens due to New York’s high property taxes and the rigid federal SALT cap established in 2017.
“For too long, Suffolk County’s middle class has been punished by double taxation,” LaLota said. “That ends now.”
The original $10,000 cap, enacted as part of the 2017 federal tax reform law, was intended to limit federal subsidies for high-tax states. However, in counties like Suffolk and Nassau—where median property tax bills often exceed $12,000—it penalized middle-class families who were neither wealthy nor living lavishly but simply residing in high-cost areas.
According to the Tax Foundation, only 16.3% of taxpayers in New York’s First Congressional District currently claim a SALT deduction, a figure that reflects the inadequacy of the $10,000 cap and the high average tax burden in the region. LaLota’s provision would broaden eligibility significantly, covering households with property tax bills as high as $40,000, provided their income falls within the adjusted threshold.
The new SALT language is expected to deliver up to $8,000 in annual savings for qualifying families starting with the 2026 tax year.
What makes this moment especially notable is how LaLota arrived at this outcome. Over the past two years, he consistently pushed back against proposals he viewed as insufficient—including a $30,000 cap floated earlier in 2025 that lacked indexing and would have reset to $10,000 after a decade. That plan was projected to cost $225 billion over ten years. In contrast, LaLota’s version totals $344 billion but covers more
people and ensures the relief grows with inflation.
“This wasn’t about slogans. It was about getting it right,” LaLota said. “I stood firm. I refused to settle.”
LaLota also pointed out that Democrats—who controlled Congress and the White House in 2021 and 2022—had the opportunity to fix the SALT cap and failed to act.
“In 2021 and 2022, Democrats broke their promise to fix SALT. In 2024, when the Smith/Wyden tax plan ignored it again, I voted no.”
His record reflects that position. Since joining Congress in 2023, LaLota has cosponsored multiple SALT reform bills, met with President Trump and House leadership, and forced floor votes to restore or expand the deduction. He also introduced the SALT Fairness and Deficit Reduction Act and the SALT Marriage Penalty Elimination Act, both aimed at expanding the benefit while improving equity.
The most recent success is the culmination of over two dozen meetings with key stakeholders—including Speaker Mike Johnson, House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, and members of the SALT Caucus—since the start of 2025. According to LaLota, Speaker Johnson and Conference Chair Elise Stefanik were instrumental in finalizing the deal.
Now, all eyes turn to the Senate, where the provision will be debated and potentially amended. If passed without changes and signed by the president, the new SALT cap would take effect for the 2026 tax year, giving families time to plan and adjust.
While LaLota acknowledges that the reform won’t fix New York’s underlying tax problem—driven by a state budget that outpaces inflation and drives residents to lower-tax states—he maintains that the federal tax code shouldn’t add insult to injury.
“This is a major win for Long Island,” LaLota said. “But we’re not done. I’ll keep fighting until this becomes law. I came to Washington to fight for Suffolk County families—not to play politics.”
For those wondering whether federal lawmakers can still deliver results for ordinary taxpayers, this latest development suggests that, at least in LaLota’s case, the answer is yes.
East Islip Board of Education Recognizes 2025 Valedictorian and Salutatorian
East Islip High School 2025 valedictorian Ryan Flad (who was unable to attend in person) and salutatorian Meeghan Mahon were officially recognized at the Board of Education’s May 6 meeting. Their academic dedication and remarkable accomplishment were lauded by Principal Mark Bernard and Superintendent Paul Manzo.
Connetquot High School Announces Top of Class of 2025
Connetquot High School is proud to announce the Class of 2025 valedictorian, Alexander DeVita, and salutatorian, Valentina Gutierrez, for their exceptional academic achievements.
Throughout his time in Connetquot, valedictorian Alexander DeVita stood out for his strong academic performance and leadership both in and out of the classroom. Alexander is an Eagle Scout, a National Merit Scholar Finalist and was also a U.S. Department of Education Presidential Scholar Candidate. He served as president of both the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society. He was also the vice president of the Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society. Throughout his high school career, Alexander was also a member of the school’s chamber orchestra. Alexander will attend Stony Brook University in the fall, where he plans to major in pre-medicine.
Salutatorian Valentina Gutierrez demonstrated remarkable dedication across a wide range of academic and extracurricular pursuits. She served as the public relations officer for the Science National Honor Society and was a member of the National Honor Society, World Language Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society and English Honor Society. Valentina will attend St. Joseph’s University in the fall to pursue a degree in nursing
The Connetquot Central School District extends its heartfelt congratulations to Alexander and Valentina for their hard work, commitment and achievements and looks forward to all they will accomplish in the future.
West Islip Swears in Student Representative
At the May 8 Board of Education meeting, West Islip Union Free School District officially swore in its student Board of Education representative. Noah Butler was sworn in by the district’s attorney, Thomas Volz. Additionally, Veronica Ramos was sworn in as an alternate. West Islip High School conducted the student Board of Education interviews in March to select a representative.
The interview committee consisted of five students, including the class president from each grade and the student representative of the West Islip High School PTSA. Additionally, five veteran staff members from various disciplines participated in the process. Using the rubric created by the district, which was aligned with the Profile of a Graduate, Noah Butler was chosen as the successful candidate.
Bayport-Blue Point Phantom Athletes Commit to Colleges
The Bayport-Blue Point School District congratulates the following Bayport-Blue Point High School student-athletes who have committed to competing at the NCAA Division III level upon graduation.
Photo caption: Standing, from left, Dylan Craig, lacrosse, SUNY Cortland; Cormac Love, basketball, United States Coast Guard Academy; Brady Gelling, baseball, St. Olaf College; Mike Messina, baseball, Johnson & Wales University; Ryan Bachmore, football, Colby College; Evan Waldbauer, basketball, St. John Fisher University; Guy Kiesel, baseball, SUNY Maritime College; Andrew Snyder, ice hockey, St. John’s University; and Ryan Athearn, lacrosse, SUNY Cortland. Seated, from left, Declan Cameron, lacrosse, SUNY Maritime College; Kelly Graf, softball, SUNY Geneseo; Kaelyn Walsh, soccer, Suffolk County Community College; Lola Kiesel, gymnastics, Utica University; Sophia Constantino, soccer, Marymount University; Kenny Vatalaro, lacrosse, SUNY Maritime College; and Eamonn Ford, lacrosse, SUNY Maritime College.
Sachem Seniors Honored with Suffolk Zone Award
The Sachem Central School District is proud to announce that four outstanding seniors have been selected as 2025 Suffolk Zone Award recipients by the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.
Sachem High School East seniors Jaiden Mignone and Addison Romanowski, along with Sachem High School North seniors Zach DeMilt and Lea Rowett, were recognized for their exceptional leadership, commitment to physical education and dedication to healthy, active lifestyles.
Presented annually, the Suffolk Zone Award honors one male and one female student from each Suffolk County high school who exemplify excellence in physical education while demonstrating strong character, sportsmanship and citizenship.
“These students embody the qualities of confidence, character, civility, collaboration and citizenship,” said Suffolk Zone President Jared Rago, a Sachem East graduate from the Class of 2020. “They extend their impact beyond the classroom, actively participating in leadership roles within health and physical education organizations and clubs, while engaging both in and outside of school.”
The Sachem community congratulates Mignone, Romanowski, DeMilt and Rowett for serving as role models and leaders among their peers, and for promoting the values of wellness, teamwork and integrity.
U.S. Army Golden Knights Headline Hauppauge H.S.’s Memorial Day Assembly
Hauppauge High School honored America’s fallen heroes in a powerful and unforgettable Memorial Day assembly headlined by the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team. The elite team captivated students and staff with a breathtaking parachute jump from 13,000 feet, landing with precision in the school’s stadium as part of a moving tribute to our nation’s service members.
The first parachutist, U.S. Army Specialist Sloan Kanat, descended carrying the American flag, drawing cheers and applause from the crowd as the Hauppauge High School chamber choir performed “God Bless America.”
Adding to the significance of the event, a congressional aide from Congressman Nick LaLota’s (R-Amityville) office presented proclamations to the Hauppauge students entering military service, including Brandon Dolce, Reagan Henselder, Matt Miscignia, Connor Sheridan and Brady Wahl,
in recognition of their commitment.
Students Gabriel Diaz and Naeem Gillespie, who were unable to attend, were also honored.
Retired U.S. Air Force veteran and guest speaker Kevin Hertell delivered an emotional address, urging students to reflect on the sacrifices made by those in the military over Memorial Day Weekend. As the founder of the Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Flag, Hertell emphasized the importance of mental health and the courage it takes to speak up about invisible wounds.
Following the assembly, students had a chance to enjoy a variety of activities, including food trucks, interactive exhibits, fitness challenges, lawn games and the opportunity to explore military vehicles up close.
The day served not only as a tribute to fallen heroes but also as an inspirational experience for all in attendance, underscoring the true meaning of Memorial Day.
Civics 101
The Necessary Standard for American Education
The Twenty-Fourth Amendment
By Matt Meduri
Nearly a century after the end of the Civil War, civil rights violations still occurred, predominantly in the post-Reconstruction South. The exceptionally dark time in American history gave way to the Ku Klux Klan, forms of voter intimidation and disenfranchisement, and segregation. The Twenty-Fourth Amendment addresses one of those, by prohibiting both Congress and the states from levying poll taxes.
History and Origin
This column will seek to address the long-forgotten concept of civics and how it relates to American government in general, from the federal level to the local level. This column will explore Constitutional rights, the inner workings of government, the electoral process, and the obligations and privileges of citizens.
The period immediately following the end of the Civil War was Reconstruction (1865-1877), during which the Union North would by martial law enforce racial integration, equal rights for freedmen, blacks, and Union-supporting whites, as well as the readmission of the eleven former Confederate states.
Reconstruction saw the rise of the Radical Republicans, who not only fought for rights for black Americans, but also punitive measures against the former Confederacy and its members. They especially rose to prominence when President Andrew Johnson (D-TN) succeeded President Abraham Lincoln (R-IL) after his assassination. Johnson is often viewed as having been far too lenient in Reconstruction efforts and he is regarded as one of the worst presidents in American history due to his actions, or lack thereof, that affected black Americans for about a century after the war.
As a historical sidenote, Lincoln had selected Johnson as his 1864 running mate when the GOP switched their branding that year to the National Union Party, a means of uniting all anti-war voters and politicians to keep the hope alive that the North would prevail. Johnson, a Southern Democrat who had represented Tennessee in the U.S. Senate, was an instrumental part of that unity message. However, his election of Johnson as his running mate would go down, in some opinions, as his greatest mistake while in office, as Johnson never lived up to the “unity” expectations.
The Radical Republicans called for further and greater military occupation of the South. The faction of the new Republican Party was made up mostly of black men, the first black people in general to be elected to Congress. It was through Reconstruction that blacks and especially freedmen were able to cast ballots and even run for office.
However, the 1876 election would be the nail in the coffin for Reconstruction. In that election, Rutherford B. Hayes (R-OH) won 164 electoral votes to Samuel Tilden’s (D-NJ) 184, with 185 being needed to win. Four statesFlorida, Louisiana, Oregon, and South Carolinareturned disputed slates of presidential electors, collectively worth twenty electoral votes. Any one of those disputes in Tilden’s favor would have made him the nineteenth president.
The election also did not fall under the rules of the Twelfth Amendment, creating a national crisis. The Senate was controlled by Republicans, and the House by Democrats. Both parties felt their own right to count the disputed slates of electoral votes. To resolve the dispute, Congress passed the Electoral Commission Act, which created a temporary, fifteen-member panelconsisting of eight Republicans and seven Democratsto review the contested results.
The panel ruled in a party-line vote in favor of Hayes, prompting Democrats to claim fraud and theft, with some suggesting forming marching units on
Washington. President Ulysses S. Grant (R-OH) tightened security to prevent this, but Democrats felt they were cheated. The 1876 election is also the second five presidential elections in which the winner of the popular vote was defeated. Hayes beat Tilden 185-184 in the Electoral College, but Tilden beat Hayes in the popular vote by a three-point margin - 50.9%-47.9%.
The Compromise of 1877, however, stipulated that with Hayes as president, the North would remove their troops from the South, thus ending Reconstruction. This led to many calling Hayes “Ruther-fraud” due to his “theft” of the 1876 election.
Point of reference: Consider the hotly-contested 2020 election. Imagine the controversy around the 1876 election during the growing pains the U.S. was experiencing at the time. 1876 is widely considered one of the most contentious elections in American history.
However, Tilden, a Democrat, vowed to end Reconstruction if elected. Likewise, President Grant’s second term was riddled with a declining lack of public support in the North for the occupation. Reconstruction was effectively doomed after this election, regardless of the winner.
Unfortunately, that was the lynchpin for the start of a dark time in the South. Southern Democrats would begin ramping up voter intimidation and disenfranchisement efforts, including poll taxes, literacy tests, and ownership requirements. Violence would also begin ramping up as segregation would be swiftly implemented. The elected Republicans in and from the South, many of whom were black, were defeated, some in fraudulent elections.
Despite the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment, which prohibits the denial of suffrage based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude, some states, particularly those in the South, used poll taxes, primarily, as a loophole. All voters were required to pay the poll tax, but it mostly affected the poor, who were mostly freedmen and poor whites and blacks. The Populist movement towards the end of the 1800s also helped buoy Republican electoral success in the South through fusion tickets, meaning, for Southern Democrats, the poll tax was effectively the final move to reconstruct their own political dominance.
By 1902, all former Confederate states had implemented a poll tax. Some state constitutions included provisions that required literacy and comprehension tests, which were administered subjectively by white poll workers. The grandfather clauses and “white primaries” were also used to specifically exclude black voters.
Poll taxes were abhorred by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (D-NY), but he laid off the issue when liberal Democrats lost Southern races in the 1938 midterms. FDR backed off so as to keep the Southern Democrats satisfied enough to work with him to pass the New Deal
legislation.
In 1946, a bill passed the Senate 39-33, but failed to capture enough votes to invoke cloture. Senator Theodore Bilbo (D-MS) said, “If the poll tax bill passes, the next step will be an effort to remove the registration qualification, the educational qualification of Negroes. If that is done we will have no way of preventing the Negroes from voting.”
This quote speaks to the genuine vitriol felt by some at the time, certainly making it an issue of race, at least in part, as other objections were held due to constitutionality.
Ratification
Congress proposed the Twenty-Fourth Amendment on August 27, 1962, with craftsmanship from Southern Democratic Senator Spessard Holland (D-FL), who had worked to ban the poll tax earlier in his Senate career.
President Lyndon B. Johnson (D-TX) called it a “triumph of liberty over restriction.”
The final House vote was 295-86 - 132-15 in the GOP Conference and 163-71 in the Democratic Caucus - with 54 abstentions.
The Final Senate vote was 77-16 - 30-1 in the GOP Conference and 47-15 in the Democratic Caucus - with seven abstentions.
Illinois became the first state to ratify, doing so on November 14, 1962, followed by New Jersey, Oregon, Montana, and West Virginia. New York was sixth to ratify, doing so on February 4, 1963.
South Dakota became the tipping-point state for ratification in early 1964, with Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, and Texas subsequently amending. Mississippi is the only state to have rejected the amendment.
Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wyoming took no action and to date have not ratified the amendment - five of those states were at least culturally aligned with the Old South.
Text
“The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.”
Effects
Arkansas would repeal its poll taxes with an amendment to its state constitution in 1964, but the poll-tax language was not completely removed from their constitution until 2008. Of the five states that were immediately affected by the amendment, Arkansas was the only state to repeal its poll tax; the others retained theirs. The remaining poll taxes would be struck down by the Supreme Court in 1966 in the landmark case Harper Vs. Virginia Board of Elections. The ruling held that poll taxes, even for state elections, were unconstitutional. Federal district courts in Alabama and Texas would have their poll taxes struck down just months after the Harper ruling.
Virginia concocted an “escape clause” to the poll tax, in which voters, instead of paying the tax, would file paperwork to gain recognition of residence in Virginia. The 1965 Supreme Court decision Harman Vs. Forssenius would find this practice unconstitutional.
Poll Tax Receipt from Jefferson Parish, Louisiana (1917) (Credit - Jefferson Parish, Louisiana)
Around Town 17
Bayport Blue Point Boys Tennis: Putting in the Work on The Court
By Ashley Pavlakis
Boys’ varsity tennis has wrapped up the regular season and has just about finished the post-season for 2025. The Bayport Blue-Point boys’ tennis team has finished the season with a trip to the Suffolk County Championship game under their belt.
The Phantoms are members of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) and compete in Division III. The boys are led by head coach John Selvaggio. He’s no stranger to the tennis courts, or to The Messenger, as we spoke with him in November about the girls’ varsity tennis team. The winning culture is in full effect on the girls’ side, and Selvaggio is looking to build upon the boys’ side.
The tennis team finished the regular season 12-2-0 in DIV III. Boys’ varsity tennis in Suffolk County is divided into four leagues with approximately fortynine teams total. The Phantoms maintained their spot at the top of the DIV III rankings in second place. Ward Melville finished first due to having more games played over the Phantoms.
As discussed previously this season, tennis matches are a best-two-out-ofthree. Four points are needed to declare the winner. The Phantoms played a bit more this season, having needed to play more matches against the opponent to get the ‘W.’ They often earned five or seven points, indicating two or three games were not enough to seal the deal. Fortunately for them, more matches meant more practice. Practicing against teammates is fun, but facing new opponents is a welcome challenge for most athletes.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Phantoms made the trek to Smithtown High School East for the Suffolk County Championship matchup. Their opponent was Ross High School, a non-conference opponent who finished first in DIV IV with a 14-1-0 record. The teams did not play each other during the regular season, rather they had a conference-heavy schedule. They played eleven opponents in their division and faced three non-conference opponents in East Islip, Half Hollow Hills East, and Shoreham-Wading River.
There are two playoff brackets for boys’ tennis, a large school, and a small school. Bayport-Blue Point competed in the small school bracket where they faced Mattituck and Elwood-JG before meeting Ross in the final. Ross entered the final matchup as the reigning champions, having captured the title the previous two seasons. Doubles and singles matches were played Sunday
afternoon for all the marbles.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Ross was declared the winner of the match with a 4-3 score over the Phantoms. Some controversy arose amidst the matches and Bayport chose to appeal the contest.
Ross won three singles matches, and Bayport won two doubles matches. Ross also appeared to win in a fourth doubles match which is said to have secured them their third straight county title. Moments after that, on the other court the Phantoms won in a second doubles match. There’s controversy surrounding the possibility of an ineligible player competing for the Ravens. If such prevails and it’s found to be true, the Phantoms would claim the victory.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the appeal from Bayport was reviewed and denied by sports coordinator Mark Mensch. Ross has officially been declared the winner.
Regardless of falling short in the title game, the Phantoms played their hearts out and left it all out on the court. The loss will be a fiery source of motivation to win it all next season.
Avelo Airlines Begins Nonstop Flights from ISP to Charlotte/Concord, NC
The first Avelo Airlines customers traveling to the Charlotte, North Carolina, area from Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP) departed this morning onboard a Boeing Next-Generation (NG) 737- (700) aircraft. Avelo Airlines will fly to Charlotte via Concord-Padgett Regional Airport twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays with special introductory fares as low as $49* at aveloair.com.
“We’re pleased to welcome our fifth air carrier and officially say ‘Hello, Avelo,’ to Long Island MacArthur Airport customers onboard the inaugural flight,” said Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter (R-West Islip). “Avelo understands the benefits of smaller, hassle-free airports like Islip, and we know local Long Islanders will enjoy Avelo’s ‘Every Day Low Fares’ and ultra convenient airports.”
As a major financial hub with a thriving cultural scene, Charlotte boasts attractions like the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the U.S. National Whitewater Center, and a bustling downtown. Concord-Padgett Regional Airport (USA) provides easy access to the Charlotte area along with a hassle-free and convenient travel experience with fewer crowds and shorter lines compared to larger airports like Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). Just like at ISP, travelers can enjoy a smoother, stress-free journey from check-in to boarding.
“We’ve been in discussions for several years now with Avelo on air service development at Long Island MacArthur Airport. Charlotte/Concord is the fourth largest destination that was not served nonstop from ISP, and Avelo Airlines recognized the opportunity to meet customer demand for the flights,” said Long Island MacArthur Commissioner of Aviation Rob Schneider.
In addition to Charlotte/Concord, Avelo Airlines will begin nonstop flights to Orlando/Lakeland, Florida, and Wilmington, North Carolina, on June 12. Avelo customers will enjoy the same long weekend getaway flight offerings with twice weekly nonstop flights on Thursdays and Sundays.
Avelo Airlines Founder and CEO Andrew Levy said, “We’re excited to
inaugurate our affordable, convenient and reliable service from Long Island to Charlotte. Traveling to the Queen City has never been easier. Additionally, we’re excited for North Carolinians to experience all that Long Island and New York have to offer.”
Avelo Airlines first took flight in 2021. Since that time, Avelo has flown nearly 7 million customers, expanded to 53 destinations and has rapidly grown its aircraft fleet.
“Long Island MacArthur Airport just keeps getting better. Today with Avelo Airlines, in recognizing the economic importance of the new air service and welcoming the visitors and the spending potential they bring to Nassau and Suffolk County businesses, it’s even better,” said Mitch Pally, Discover Long Island Board Chair and Airport Advisory Board Chairman.
About Long Island Macarthur Airport
MacArthur Airport is on Long Island approximately 50 miles from New York City. It is the closest airport to 2.8 million Long Island residents, and to world-renowned attractions including the famous Hamptons, Wine Country, lighthouses, Fire Island, excellent theatre, award-winning restaurants, and Gatsby-era mansions. The Town of Islip owns and operates the airport, served by Avelo Airlines, Breeze Airways, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and Southwest Airlines.
Access to the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) makes getting around Nassau and Suffolk counties convenient. Train service from the Ronkonkoma / MacArthur Airport LIRR to New York City provides frequent transport. Long Island MacArthur Airport employs 6000 people directly and indirectly, with a $16M annual operating budget and an economic impact of $600M to the region and local economy. In 2024, ISP was voted the #3 Best Small Airport in the country in USAToday’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards and earned the 2024 Tourism Trailblazer Award from Discover Long Island.
Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom
By Joe Cuminale
On Sunday, May 25, 2025, the members of Rolling Thunder NY6, the Long Island Chapter of Rolling Thunder, Inc., gathered at the Nassau County Courthouse in Mineola for the start of this year’s Ride for Freedom to honor and remember America’s fallen Veterans.
This year’s ride destination was the Lt. Michael P. Murphy Navy Seal Museum in West Sayville. Rolling Thunder NY6 Members, along with
more than seventy other motorcyclists, rolled into the flag-lined road into the Museum for a remembrance ceremony for our Veterans who have paid the ultimate price for the freedoms that we all enjoy and many take for granted.
With the Help of the Museum’s Sea Cadet Color Guard, the ceremony got underway with the Presentation of the Colors and a Beautiful Performance of our National Anthem performed by Miss Navada Yip, followed by a P.O.W./M.I.A.-Missing Man Table Ceremony and Wreath Presentation. Medal of Honor recipient Navy Seal Lt. Michael P. Murphy’s mother and father
were on sight at the Museum to participate in the service and answer any questions asked by visitors. The Mission of Rolling Thunder NY6 and all Rolling Thunder Chapters nationwide is to educate and bring awareness to the P.O.W./M.I.A.’s still unaccounted for from all conflicts.
All the event’s riders and participants toured the museum, and many walked away from the service with some new knowledge of the U.S. Navy Seals and the things this special group does to help maintain America’s freedom. Thank You to all that were a part of this year’s ceremony.
Never forget the fallen!
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, May 29, 2025
Trump Fulfills Reagan’s Vision With ‘Golden Dome’ Missile Defense Shield
By Ben Solis | AMAC Contributor
A generation ago, President Ronald Reagan envisioned a futuristic, state-of-the-art nuclear umbrella for the United States known as the “Strategic Defense Initiative” (SDI) – a program that critics would mockingly refer to as “Star Wars.” But 40 years later, President Donald Trump is building on the foundation Reagan laid with his “Golden Dome” plan that will revolutionize America’s missile defense infrastructure to counter new and emerging threats.
During his commencement speech at the U.S. Military Academy over the weekend, Trump stressed the importance of the Golden Dome. “We’re building the Golden Dome missile defense shield to protect our homeland and to protect West Point from attack, and it will be completed before I leave office,” Trump said.
Trump has talked about the Golden Dome since the early days of his 2024 campaign, but passage of his “Big Beautiful Bill” through the House of Representatives last week has brought the bold proposal one step closer to fruition. Although it still has to pass the Senate, that legislation includes $150 billion in additional military funding, including $25 billion specifically for the Golden Dome.
Engineers have referred to the Golden Dome as a “system of systems,” which will track, target, intercept, and destroy incoming missiles – including the most advanced hypersonic weapons in the arsenals of the Chinese and Russian militaries. It also serves as a crucial response to the threat of spacebased weapons, which Beijing and Moscow have indicated they plan to build in the coming decades.
While Golden Dome is modeled after Israel’s Iron Dome, it would be a significantly more complex and powerful system. As one expert described it to NPR, “It’s the difference between a kayak and a battleship.”
Iron Dome is composed of ground-based computers, radars, and interceptors, but Golden Dome will also be focused on the high ground – outer space. Early proposals have described a network of satellites that spot missiles as they leave the ground and then destroy them at the beginning of their flight.
That will likely sound familiar to those acquainted with Reagan’s SDI. All the way back in 1984, Reagan called for space-based technology, including lasers and particle-beam weapons, to end the doctrine of mutually assured destruction and once again make the United States the preeminent nuclear power in the world.
In 2006, I interviewed Thomas C. Reed, a Reagan national security official, about SDI. Nearly 20 years ago, while Trump was still building his real estate empire, Reed stressed the need for a program like Golden Dome and predicted that SDI, which fizzled out in the late 1980s, would be the foundation for it.
“President Reagan understood that if a spaceship could land on the moon, a weapon could be installed there,” Reed said. “The scientists also told the president that humanity would soon be exploring space for resources and energy, which would be a factor in future U.S. prosperity and growth.”
Trump recognized this as well during his first term when he established the Space Force as the sixth branch of the U.S. military. “Our adversaries are weaponizing Earth’s orbits with new technology targeting American satellites that are critical to both battlefield operations and our way of life at home,” Trump said in 2019. “Our freedom to operate in space is also essential to detecting and destroying any missile launched against the United States.”
China’s space program presents a particularly acute threat to U.S. national security. Last year, China’s Chang’e-6 lunar module collected and returned to Earth the first-ever samples from the far side of the Moon, and Beijing has said it wants to send astronauts to the Moon by 2030. Last year, China and Russia also agreed to consider installing a nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2035, along with a robotic base, unmanned vehicles, and a high-speed lunar communication network.
While Beijing has insisted that it has only commercial interests in space, the military implications of Chinese bases in near-Earth orbit or on the Moon are impossible to ignore. U.S. and Western strategists believe that Russia and China, in tandem, have been working to turn space into another battleground to threaten the United States and its allies.
“We observe China conducting tests on orbiters, rovers, and landers to outpace competitors and to inflict potential harm if needed,” stated a high-ranking official involved in space policy for a European country. The official spoke on the
condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to discuss sensitive issues. “Describing these missions as peaceful is misleading,” he asserted. “Most of these space vehicles are dual-use and will present a significant military threat since they can already target U.S. satellites and spacecraft.”
His remarks align with the conclusion of the U.S. Space Force, which observed “near-peer” adversaries simulating orbital combat designed to disrupt and destroy American satellites and other space objects. U.S. officials have also testified to Congress that Beijing has developed satellites with robotic arms and directed energy weapons that could be used to damage other satellites.
Lt. Col. Quán Chāngpǔ, who was involved in war planning against the United States and its allies under the order of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and defected to the West in the early 1990s, told me that Beijing does not differentiate between military and civilian missions in space. “From the first space launch, the CCP treated these missions as war preparations,” he said.
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Ronald Reagan dreamed of a day when American skies would no longer be a vulnerability, but a frontier of defense. Trump is turning that vision into reality. As China and Russia escalate their space ambitions and develop weapons designed to neutralize the United States’ technological edge, America cannot afford to lag behind.
The threats of tomorrow – hypersonic missiles, orbital lasers, satellite killers – are no longer science fiction. They are taking shape in enemy laboratories and being tested in orbit. The Golden Dome answers this challenge not with fear, but with resolve. It embodies a distinctly American approach by combining innovation, strength, and foresight to protect peace through superiority.
If the 20th century was defined by the arms race on Earth, the 21st will be defined by dominance in space. Reagan saw that. Trump understands it. And now, with Golden Dome, the United States is preparing not just to defend its homeland, but to shape the strategic balance of the future.
WHERE BROADWAY MEETS MAIN STREET
May 15–
Jun 29, 2025
Jul 10–Aug 24, 2025
WORD OF THE
Week
Etymology: late Middle English; from French fomenter, from late Latin fomentare, from Latin fomentum ‘poultice, lotion’, from fovere ‘to heat, cherish’.
FOMENT
verb
Pronounced: /foh·ment/
Definition: instigate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sentiment or course of action).
Example: “The accusations fomented angry reactions across the country.”
Synonyms: incite, provoke, agitate
Antonyms: regulate, restrain, subdue
Source: Oxford Languages
May 29, 1922: U.S. Supreme Court rules organized baseball is a sport and not a business and thus not
in History
May 30, 1848: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo between the U.S. and Mexico comes into force, giving California, Nevada, Utah, and most of Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona to the U.S. for $15M.
Robert E.
takes
May 31, 1976: The Who sets the record for the loudest concert of all time, 120 decibels at 50 meters, at The Valley in Charlton, London.
His Eyes Are Fixed on You
By PJ Balzer
When we pull out our scale to measure each other, it’s usually by the weight of our productivity - or lack thereof.
When we meet new or familiar travelers along the journey of life, we often ask each other the very common questions such as, “What do you do for a living?”, “What are you up to these days?”, “Where did you get your degree from?”, Where are you living now?”
The common denominator in all these questions is, are you someone who is producing something that society deems as worthwhile and of value?
It wasn’t any different back in the time when the Bible was written. In every area of society, including religious, there were the heavy producers who were invited to sit up front next to the powerful and prestigious.
There were the poor who were working out in the fields to produce barely enough to live life with some dignity.
At the very bottom of society was the blind, the crippled, diseased, and helpless. They were despised and even considered not worthy of being touched or looked at. People would hurry past them without considering them worthy of even a quick glance. Most would probably say a “prayer” while hurrying past them in hopes that they would disappear out of sight. The common label given to this part of society in those days was the “invalids.”
In other words, your life isn’t completely valid to the rest of us - a label given based on the measuring scale that they not only weren’t producing anything or contributing to society. They were the weakest of the weak, dependent on society to help them.
In John 5:1-15, there is an account of Jesus walking by the pool at Bethesda. This public pool was known to have healing properties when the water would begin to move in a stirring motion. Every so often, the waters of this pool would miraculously start to move, believed by most people to be the work of an angelic being. When the Pool at Bethesda started to stir, the crippled, paralyzed, blind, and diseased people who would lie in wait all around this pool would rush towards the water as fast as they could hoping to be healed. It is said that most of them would have family or friends around to help them get into the pool since they weren’t able to alone. The first one in the water would be healed, so time was of importance and help was definitely necessary.
As Jesus walks up to this pool, there are most likely dozens of people laying on the floor waiting. While He sees each person, there is a specific individual that catches His eye. He was laying there for some time now, possibly even a decade or two. This is probably what this man’s life consisted of daily - laying there and waiting upon mercy.
As said prior, when the water of this healing pool was stirred, it was often the sick person’s friends or relatives who would hurry to pick up their loved one and place them into the pool. The man that Jesus’ attention was fixed on had neither family nor friends. When Jesus asked him, “Do you want to be healed?”, his reply to Jesus was, “I have no one to help me get to the water. The other people here do, and they beat me to the water.”
Jesus’ focus, as it often is, was set upon the most helpless one at the pool and of the most outcasted, lonely one laying there. He could have stopped for any of the dozens of people present, but His hearts compassion was set up on one person in this moment. This man didn’t know what it was to be loved or valued as a human or cared for by anyone.
That’s who’s Jesus’ entire focus was on. That’s the exact person He stopped for because the delight of His heart was to give mercy out to the most helpless person He could find - the person who held no weight at all on our scale of productivity; the person who was completely trapped with no way out.
“At the end of himself” would be a vast understatement for this paralyzed man. This man couldn’t produce anything; he couldn’t even lift himself off the ground. He most likely begged for coins by the roadside where most wouldn’t even look his way. He was a helpless member of society lying by the roadside and definitely treated as such.
Nevertheless, Jesus didn’t view or weigh him by what he was producing. He simply loved Him because He was a human that He had created with love and a purpose in mind. Everything Jesus did and still does today is often undeserved by the receiver yet still gift wrapped in compassion.
“Pick up your mat (possessions) and walk, you are healed,” said Jesus.
While God’s arms are undoubtedly open to all people and the ground at the foot of the cross is completely level for all to come, His heart is especially bent towards the weakest and most helpless. Those who have no strength left to live and the world would view as useless. Those who have been crushed and broken by the circumstances of life have a special place that is nearest to His heart. He desires to renew your strength and hope, even if it’s just to carry on for one more day.
I’m so grateful that He has decided to watch over and care for the smallest and seemingly insignificant of creatures. As the old song says, “His eyes are on the sparrow and I know He watches me.”
“He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.” -Psalm 147:10-11
22 Theater & the Arts
Thursday, May 22, 2025
‘Follow
Me to the Party’ at Theatre Three’s ‘Half Time’
By Cindi Sansone-Braff
Broadway missed the boat by bypassing “Half Time,” a well-crafted musical gem bursting with heart and soul. Luckily for Long Island, Theatre Three closes its noteworthy 54th Mainstage Season on a high note by producing the New York premiere of this hip-hop extravaganza. From the creators of the smash hits “A Chorus Line,” “Legally Blonde,” “The Wedding Singer,” “The Drowsy Chaperone,” and “The Prom,” this megawatt musical took Saturday’s opening night audience on a non-stop, riotous roller coaster ride from the moment the house lights dimmed right up to the dance-your-socks-off finale, “Gotta Get Up.”
Based on Dori Berinstein’s 2008 documentary “Gotta Dance,” the eponymous 2015 stage adaptation had its world premiere at Chicago’s Bank of America Theatre. In 2018, a revamped, revised, and retitled “Half Time” had its East Coast premiere at the prestigious Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey. This upbeat two-act musical, with a book by Chad Begeulin and Bob Martin, music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Nell Benjamin, and additional music by Marvin Hamlisch, is one of the most delightful, life-confirming shows you’ll ever see.
Although this is a Twenty-FirstCentury musical, with its “show within a show” conceptualization, it plays like those classic Broadway musicals and Hollywood movies we all know and love, such as “42nd Street” and “White Christmas.” The show is based on the true story of a New Jersey basketball team’s marketing efforts to assemble a senior dance team to perform during halftime. Only after making the cut does “The Nifty Shades of Grey” team realize they won’t be performing routines based on tap, salsa, ballroom, or swing dancing; instead, they must master hiphop, an energetic and rhythmic dance style that originated in the early 1970s on the streets of the South Bronx.
Pulling off a show with an enormous, multigenerational cast calls for a powerhouse director who is one-part artistic genius, ensuring the performers and the multiple theatrical moving parts mesh with each other, and two-parts traffic cop just to keep the onstage traffic flowing. The gifted Jeffrey Sanzel fits the bill, and under his astute direction, every aspect of this production was sheer perfection.
To accommodate the large cast, Randall Parsons wisely designed a wideopen set, artfully framed by magnificent towering lights, allowing Lighting Designer Robert Henderson, Jr., and Associate Lighting Designer Emmanuel Delgado to accentuate the play’s ever-changing moods by their precise choice of colors. Indigo Shea’s onstage projections of the senior’s TV interviews added a touch of realism to the production, and the colorful costume designs by Jason Allyn, along with the highvoltage choreography by the talented Josie McSwane, came together to make this show a visually stunning treat.
The older cast members all performed outstandingly in their respective roles. Nikki Sislian stole the show with her fiery depiction of the hot tamale Camilla. During the Latin-infused, anti-aging anthem “¿Como No?,” Sislian, all decked out in a skin-tight red dress, provocatively danced
the salsa, while singing the praises of having a lover half her age.
Candace McCready rocked the role of Dorothy, a shy, quiet Kindergarten teacher who morphs into a hip-hop aficionado when her alter ego, Dottie, takes over. McCready thrilled the audience with her energetic delivery of “Dorothy/Dottie.
Linda May received some of the biggest laughs of the evening with her depiction of Bea, a grandmother with spunk and attitude, who drives her granddaughter crazy during their car rides together. May also showcased her stellar vocals during the three versions of the hilarious song, “Princess.”
As the strong-willed, boundary-violating Joanne, Lisa Greene had the audience in the palm of her hands with her spoton delivery of “Too Old for This.” Three other standout performers were Mary Ellin Kurtz as Estelle, Marci Bing as Muriel, and Denise Lardi as Fran.
The show has several heartrending scenes, including Phyllis March’s riveting performance as
Mae, a kind woman with a terminally ill husband. March’s moving delivery of the poignant song “The Waters Rise” was one of the show’s high points.
Jack Seabury was believable as Ron, a widower and the only male dancer on the team. Seabury captivated the audience with his spirited rendition of “The Prince of Swing,” and there was a beautiful onstage moment when Ron, desperately missing his deceased wife, imagines himself passionately dancing with her one last time.
The young cast members were equally impressive, including Colleen Brit as Alison Prager, the former dancer turned uptight marketing director, and Cassidy Rose O’Brien as Jenny. Tina Ann Aurora commanded the stage as Tara, a former dance team member who now coaches the senior dance team. Aurora is a first-class singer and dancer, and she displayed those talents with her solo, “They All Get to See That.”
Anna Moceri delivered an award-worthy performance as Bea’s entitled granddaughter, Kendra. Moceri is a multitalented performer who can act, sing, and dance up a storm. Yashaun Harris brought his A-game to the role of Anthony, Kendra’s love interest, who
happens to be married, but reassures Kendra that he plans to divorce his wife sometime in the nebulous future.
The phenomenal ensemble includes Julia Albino, Will Logan, Melina Piervencenti, Isabella Scarpa, Michelle Shapiro, Katy Snair, and Ryan Van Nostrand.
Since “Half Time” never reached the Great White Way, this musical could fall into obscurity. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Theatre Three’s creative efforts inspired other regional and community theatres to produce this musical, giving it a second chance to develop a dedicated fan base? Then we can all shout, “Theatre Three really is ‘Broadway on Main Street!’”
With timeless themes like “age is only a number,” “follow your dreams,” “the importance of teamwork and loyalty,” and “how hard work, determination, and grit pay off big time,” it’s no wonder why at curtain call, the audience jumped to their feet to give a long, heartfelt standing ovation.
This funny, fast-paced, fantastic show runs through June 22, 2025. To purchase tickets, please call the box office at 631928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
Cindi Sansone-Braff is an awardwinning playwright. She has a BFA in Theatre from UCONN and is a member of the Dramatists Guild. She is the author of “Grant Me a Higher Love,” “Why Good People Can’t Leave Bad Relationships,” and “Confessions of a Reluctant Long Island Psychic.” Her full-length Music Drama, “Beethoven, The Man, The Myth, The Music,” is published by Next Stage Press. www.Grantmeahigherlove. com.
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
May 29,
Section XI Unified Basketball: Hoops are for Everyone
By Ashley Pavlakis
The unique thing about sports is that they were invented for the purpose of having fun.
Every child deserves the opportunity to get involved in sports if that’s a path they wish to pursue. Sports are adaptable; rules can be changed to fit those who are playing. The introduction of Unified Sports to high schools on Long Island has made this a possibility for students with and without special needs.
The Unified Basketball League is a member of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA). The Sports Chair is Mark Mensch, who has served in the role of sports coordinator for Section XI for nineteen years. In partnership with the Special Olympics Committee (SOC), Section XI introduced Unified Sports to their athletic offerings. Basketball and bowling are the two sports offered for students with intellectual disabilities to compete in. The Youth Activation Committee (YAC) serves as a platform for students with disabilities to be seen and treated equally in sports. In 2013, Unified Sports were introduced to NYSPHSAA member schools.
kickline teams who are there performing. So, it has the look, feel, and touch of a real basketball game. The kids are super motivated to have that experience representing the school colors,” said Mensch.
The goal is to have the student with intellectual disabilities display their unique athletic skills and make a meaningful impact in the game. The sport is there for them to participate in, their partners are there to guide them and teach them how to play the sport so they can enjoy it. Additionally, rather than referring to them as special needs, they are known as a Unified Sport Athlete.
“If there’s any input, it’s very positive. Everybody is very happy that their kids are playing a sport and representing the school and the community. So, there’s smiles all the way around,” Mensch told The Messenger
The NYSPHSAA is comprised of thirty-one teams across Suffolk County which are divided into five leagues. Each team played roughly six games during the 2025 season. Most teams played well, winning about half of their games. Wyandanch and Kings Park were the only two teams to go undefeated with a 6-0-0 record.
“We doubled the first year, and in every year, we’ve grown by four to five schools. We’re significantly larger than when we started, and we are the largest by participation in New York State,” said Mensch.
In Unified basketball, the program combines students with disabilities to those without. By doing this, it provides the student with a partner to help them train and compete during matches. Sports are an outlet for growth, socialization, and physical activity. The unified basketball program was designed to ensure all participants are given equal opportunity to play the sport.
“They’re wearing a school uniform, many of the schools have cheerleaders and
The rules for unified basketball are relatively similar to standard basketball. On the court, there will be three athletes and two partners for each team. All standard rules apply unless a Special Olympics rule adaptation is made. One difference is that there is no shot clock, so the player handling the ball is not being forced to get the shot off quickly. Unified basketball is co-ed, so there is a mix of boys and girls on teams around the league.
Unified Sports don’t want to just make an impact on the court; they want to inspire the whole school. School-wide campaigns are set up to promote and support Unified Sports. Some of the whole-school engagement activities are “Fans in the Stands”, “Spread the Word”, “Cool School Challenge”, and “Fit 5”. The campaigns are designed to promote inclusion and spread the word about the sport and those taking part in it.
On June 10, Patchogue-Medford high school is hosting their annual Unified Sports All-Star event with one game slated for 3:00p.m. The athletes will have the opportunity to compete in a game and get the All-Star treatment for the day.
“It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding,” reads the core mission statement of Special Olympics Unified Sports.
Sachem Alumni Association Announces 2025 Induction Class for Sachem Hall of Honor
By Ashley Pavlakis
The Sachem Alumni Association is proud to announce the 2025 class of inductees for the Sachem Hall of Honor. This prestigious recognition celebrates Sachem alumni who have made significant contributions in their fields and left a lasting impact on society.
Now in its eighth year, the Sachem Hall of Honor continues to spotlight distinguished alumni whose achievements reflect the values and excellence instilled by the Sachem Central School District. The 2025 induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in the Sachem Board of Education Annex, where honorees will be recognized during a celebratory event at 10:00a.m.
“The Sachem Hall of Honor represents the best of what our school district has produced,” said Chris R. Vaccaro ‘04, founder and president of the Sachem Alumni Association. “This year’s class, which has representatives from graduating classes spanning 50-plus years, includes inspiring leaders, pioneers in their industries, and dedicated public servants whose stories will uplift and motivate future generations of Sachem students.”
Since its establishment in 2017, the Hall of Honor has inducted more than 60 alumni, each with a unique story of perseverance, leadership, and service. The initiative serves as a recognition platform for the influence Sachem alumni continue to have worldwide. This is the highest honor a Sachem alum can receive from the home school district.
Class of 2025 Inductees
• Chris Baur, Class of ‘79: CEO Hughes Aerospace; Military Veteran & Aviator
• Michele M. Chetuck Bishop, Class of ‘00: Deputy Sheriff Investigator, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office & Chief Master Sergeant, U.S. Air Force
• Dayna Ghiraldi, Class of ‘98: Founder/CEO, Big Picture Media
• Dr. Jason Hanley, Class of ‘88: VP, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
• Jonathan S. Kuttin, Class of ‘90: CEO, Kuttin Wealth Management
• Christopher Macchio, Class of ‘96: America’s Presidential Tenor & International Classical Cross-Over Vocalist
• Anthony Piccirillo, Class of ‘01: Suffolk County Legislator
• Dr. Diane Reidy-Lagunes, Class of ‘90: Chief of Medical Oncology, Duke University School of Medicine
• Denise Lindsay-Sullivan, Class of ‘88: Superintendent of Schools
• Michael Villalta, Class of ‘93: Labor Organizer and Leader
Sachem Alumni Association is dedicated to upholding the tradition of excellence instilled in students in the
Central School District. We hope that our alumni will continue to carry these values and principles, enriching relationships and fostering educational support within the Sachem community. For more, visit SachemAlumni.org.
Unified Sports (Credit - Mark Mensch)
About Sachem Alumni Association
The
Sachem
(Credit - Sachem Alumni Association)
Local History
Thursday, May 29, 2025
The First Mercantile (1740) & the Lake Grove General Store (c.1880)
By Ellyn Okvist, B.Sc.
This column will take us back to the very first General Store in our area, then called The Mercantile and the two Lake Grove General Stores owned and operated by Charles L. Smith followed by Samuel Newton Hawkins. It was important to add the three locations, as they predate the Willis Hallock family store (1899) and will put our history in final order that needs to be shared.
In approximately 1972, the journal from the Mercantile was gifted to a resident of Lake Ronkonkoma. The book was put in the attic and was finally rediscovered in 2007. The wealth of information and history that it contains is priceless. It has been studied, and it revealed patterns and business practices, who was local and who may have traveled or just passed through and made a stop at the store.
Overall, it gives us an opportunity to know so much about the people, places, and lifestyles of the community. The lists of goods purchased, all carefully kept in the ledger, have many similarities. A customer may have purchased eggs, molasses, a farming tool, and then one yard of fine ribbon, obviously a gift for a loved one’s hair. The names of the customers are kept in two distinct styles - a known local would only show their first name, whereas a nonfrequent customer would be shown with first and last names.
The Mercantile was on the main road and basically halfway between the modern locations of Lake Grove Post office and Agnew & Taylor. Deeds and maps have proven to be correct and are still under study. This project is ongoing and has been interesting and fulfilling. The Lake Ronkonkoma Study Club will continue their analysis.
For many years, the popular spot in Lake Grove was the general store which was built by Charles L. Smith around 1880. It carried everything which was needed by the farmers and their families. The early Lake Grove buildings - Post Office, general store, and blacksmith shop - were the social center of the area. Charles L. Smith was the proprietor, and in 1880 he was 58 years old. Although we are not sure of their presence at the daily workings of the store, his wife Anne E. Smith was 57, and his two nephews- John M. Smith aged 15, and Charles E. Smith, aged 12, lived with them. Charles was a grocer living in Brooklyn in 1855, and he and his extended family moved to Sayville in 1870. At that time, he was a boot and shoemaker. The C.L. Smith store had recently burned down.
Charles L. Smith (1821 – December 25, 1893): interred at The Lake Ronkonkoma Cemetery.
In 1892, Samuel Newton Hawkins built his store very near where the C.L. Smith store had stood, on the corner of Hawkins Avenue and Moriches Road, bringing the store back after the C.L. Smith store fire. Samuel Hawkins had a teaching post in East Marion, and since teaching school was not the easiest job in the world, had decided to give up teaching and open a general store in Lake Grove.
At the time, the location seemed ideal, there was the Lake Grove Post Office, and down the street on Moriches Road, the black smith shop owned
by Charles Thorne. George Gould was running a thriving business repairing wagons as the local wheelwright was directly across from the blacksmith shop. Unfortunately, money was tight in area, and Samuel had to supplement his income from the store by other means, so he carted sand and gravel and worked gathering ice in the winter. It was during this period of time when the population center shifted from Lake Grove and went southward to Lake Ronkonkoma, and eight years later in 1899, Willis Hallock opened his family store.
Interesting points are noted, such as this notice dated September 9, 1898: “Brookhaven Polling Places. The Town Board of Brookhaven town would meet at the clerk’s office in Yaphank on Wednesday and selected polling places for the upcoming election. There are two extra districts in the town this year, making the total number sixteen. The polling places are: Sixth District, Samuel N. Hawkins Store, Lake Grove.” (others omitted for space).
Another from The Town of Brookhaven: “The Brookhaven Town Tax Collector, Mr. T.N. Bayles, will be at S.N. Hawkins store, Lake Grove, to receive taxes, January 18, 1901.”
After WWI, the surface of Lake Grove began to change, the general store was closed and the post office was moved to the home of James Gould. The Gould building served as the first village hall until the late 1970s when the present village hall was erected.
Samuel Newton Hawkins (October 3, 1865 – November 21, 1955) – Obituary: Samuel N. Hawkins, one of Ronkonkoma’s famous baseball-playing Hawkins brothers and the oldest native resident of that village, died on Monday in the Hauppauge Nursing Home, to which he was confined for about two weeks. He was born in 1865, the son of Charles W. and Mary E. Hawkins. Mr. Hawkins, who was a retired landscape contractor, was first a schoolteacher and then owner of a general store in Lake Grove, of which village he was postmaster. After that he did some road building and land clearing, and later farming.
Wife Katherine Elizabeth “Kate” Derry Hawkins (May 29, 1865 – May 22, 1964), aged 98. Both interred in Lake Ronkonkoma Cemetery.
Thank you to our friend Samuel Hawkins Vollgraff, Jr. and his entire family who continue to add happiness to our lives and to keep our history real. Three of the family, LeRoy Vollgraff, Samuel Hawkins Vollgraff, Sr., and Samuel Hawkins Vollgraff, Jr., hold Military Tribute Banners for their military service to the U.S. and can be seen on Hawkins Avenue.
Pages from the Mercantile Ledger
Post Office and General Store, Lake Grove (1910)
Are Long Island Businesses Prepared for the AI Reality?
By Mollie Barnett
The white-collar recession is here. The question isn’t whether A.I. will reshape your business—it’s whether you’ll lead that transformation or become its casualty.
The A.I Era is moving at quantum speed. We need to get right to the essential realities of reshaping our economic landscape.
This phenomenon isn’t confined to Silicon Valley or major metropolitan centers— it’s worldwide, fundamentally altering how work gets done across every industry and geography. What follows is a comprehensive examination of artificial intelligence’s sweeping global impact, exploring what it’s disrupting across continents, how major governments are positioning their economies for advantage, and why Long Island businesses must engage strategically rather than simply react.
The data tells a stark story. Professional services job openings have collapsed 20% year-over-year, reaching the lowest levels since 2013, according to recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Meanwhile, the American Staffing Association reports that 40% of white-collar job seekers in 2024 failed to secure a single interview.
Long Island is no exception. While our island’s private sector added 3,100 jobs in April 2025, the New York State Department of Labor reveals troubling context: the region’s growth rate of just 0.3% lagged behind the state’s 1.0% and the nation’s 1.2%. Even more telling, the professional and business services gains were concentrated in “administrative and support services”—not the high-value knowledge work that has traditionally driven Long Island’s economic prosperity.
“AI job displacement is following a ‘gradually then suddenly’ pattern, with 40% of employers anticipating workforce reductions between 2025 and 2030 wherever AI can automate tasks,” according to VentureBeat’s analysis of World Economic Forum data.
The Global Response: A Race for Competitive Advantage
While American businesses debate AI’s impact, international competitors have moved beyond discussion to action. Singapore’s SkillsFuture Initiative trained 520,000 individuals in 2023 alone, making its workforce “the world’s fastest in adopting AI skills,” according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Google.org has committed $25 million across Asia-Pacific to train 720,000 workers and 100,000 small enterprises in AI skills, while South Korea has launched nationwide AI skilling centers.
The contrast with American preparedness is sobering. McKinsey’s research reveals that only 2% of firms are prepared for large-scale AI adoption. The competitive gap isn’t narrowing—it’s accelerating.
The
Numbers Define Winners and Losers
The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report offers the following projections: 92 million jobs will be displaced by technological advancement by 2030, 170 million new roles will be created. The net increase of 78 million jobs sounds encouraging until you examine the distribution.
Entry-level roles face the severest impact. Youth employment in South Korea has seen its most significant decline in over a decade, with workers aged 25 to 29 falling by 98,000 in the first quarter of 2025.
So, where are the AI wins? Early adopters are seeing remarkable returns, like Ford’s Livonia Transmission Plant in Michigan. They achieved a 15% improvement in cycle time using AI-controlled robotics systems. More broadly, LinkedIn research indicates 51% of small and medium businesses that adopted Generative AI reported revenue increases of 10% or more.
Long Island’s Strategic Position: Where Policy Meets Opportunity
Long Island finds itself uniquely positioned at the intersection of federal trade policy, technological advancement, and geographic advantage. The recent shift toward protective tariffs isn’t just trade policy—it’s an economic strategy designed to make domestic production competitive again. The real magic happens when tariff protection combines with AI-powered manufacturing capabilities.
Consider the strategic equation: Tariffs create cost advantages for domestic producers while AI makes domestic production remarkably efficient. This isn’t traditional manufacturing—reshored facilities leverage artificial intelligence to achieve productivity levels that make them cost-competitive with offshore operations.
For Long Island, this convergence creates multiple opportunities. The region hosts critical infrastructure spanning aerospace manufacturing in Bethpage, technology development in Hauppauge, and research capabilities at Stony Brook University. It sits within what McKinsey identifies as the American AI infrastructure corridor—where significant R&D concentrates alongside advanced manufacturing capabilities.
The strategic value goes deeper than geography. AI-powered manufacturing doesn’t just create factory jobs—it generates entire ecosystems of white-collar employment. Every smart factory requires teams of data scientists, process engineers, quality analysts, and
supply chain optimizers. These are precisely the knowledge work roles that traditional offshore manufacturing eliminated.
This domestic production creates real-world data streams that fuel AI learning and improvement. AI systems trained on actual production data become increasingly sophisticated, creating competitive advantages that compound over time. This represents a fundamental shift from competing on labor costs to competing on technological capability and integrated intelligence.
The Human-AI Integration: Where Competitive Advantage Lives
The most successful organizations aren’t replacing humans with AI—they’re creating powerful partnerships that amplify human capabilities. PwC’s 2025 AI Business Predictions report indicates that AI agents could easily double knowledge workforce capacity in roles like sales and field support, but the real gains are in how humans orchestrate these capabilities.
Organizations need what researchers term an “AI skill pyramid”: 100% of the workforce becomes “AI Aware,” a smaller group develops as “AI Builders” who deploy solutions at scale, and an expert cohort serves as “AI Masters” solving complex business challenges.
“People instruct and oversee AI agents as they automate simpler tasks. People iterate with agents on more complex challenges, such as innovation and design,” PwC’s analysis explains. This partnership model creates competitive advantages that go far beyond efficiency gains—it enables new forms of value creation.
The Emerging AI Strategist Role
Perhaps no position illustrates this transformation more clearly than the emergence of the AI Strategist—a role that didn’t exist three years ago but is now becoming essential for organizations serious about AI integration. These professionals bridge the gap between technical AI capabilities and business strategy, serving as the architects of human-AI collaboration.
AI Strategists don’t just implement technology; they redesign workflows, identify optimization opportunities, and ensure AI initiatives align with broader business objectives. For Long Island businesses, developing or recruiting AI Strategists represents one of the most critical investments in navigating this transformation successfully.
Strategic Imperatives for Long Island Businesses
Comprehensive Workforce Assessment: Begin with reality-based skills auditing. The World Economic Forum reports that 70% of the skills used in most jobs will change by 2030. With 74% of workers preferring to learn through their employer, companies that invest in employee development strengthen business performance while building loyalty. Strategic Technology Partnerships: The global AI ecosystem offers immediate access to capabilities that would require years to develop internally. Connect with Long Island’s technology infrastructure—from university research partnerships to manufacturing consultants who understand both AI capabilities and regional business requirements.
Operational Integration Planning: Move beyond pilot projects toward systematic integration. Top performing companies are moving from chasing AI use cases to using AI to fulfill business strategy. The approach requires thinking more like an investor: develop quick wins through automation while investing in complex strategic applications that create lasting competitive advantages.
The Competitive Reality
LinkedIn research shows that 88% of C-suite executives globally say helping their business speed up adoption of AI will be important over the next year. Companies that establish AI capabilities now gain multiple advantages: they attract talent seeking growth opportunities, they develop operational efficiencies before competitive pressure intensifies, and they position for the emerging economy rather than defending the declining one.
For Long Island businesses, multiple factors create urgency: federal policies supporting domestic manufacturing, AI technologies reaching practical maturity, and skilled regional workforce availability. The convergence won’t repeat.
The window for strategic positioning is narrowing. As international markets accelerate their AI workforce development and domestic competitors recognize the imperative, Long Island businesses that delay face increasingly difficult catch-up scenarios.
If 2023 was about experimenting with AI, and 2024 was about adopting it, then 2025 is the year companies rise to meet the challenge—transforming not just tools, but the way they think, work, and grow.
While local resources are still developing, Long Island businesses can begin by connecting with existing technology networks and consider engaging with specialized AI consultants who understand both the technology and regional business needs.
The shift is real. The opportunity is enormous. The future is being built—it is your choice to lead it.
Lynda Moran Recognized as Suffolk County Senior Citizen of the Year for the 11th LD
Legislator Steven J. Flotteron (R-Brightwaters) recognized Lynda Moran as the 2025 Suffolk County Senior Citizen of the Year nominee for the 11th LD at a ceremony held at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge, for the contributions for her commitment to the Arts and the community. For many years, Ms. Moran has made high-quality cultural arts programs available for a diverse population in varied artistic disciplines (many free of charge) to seniors in the community.
In addition, she has served on boards of local community organizations such as; a Board of Trustee for the East Islip Library from 1991 to 1995; is a member of the Rotary Club of Islip from 1993 to present; serves on the Citizen Arts Advisory Board for Suffolk County from 2007 to present; served on the Splashes of Hope Board of Directors for 10 years; member of the East Islip Historical Society from 2008 to present and is a member of the Philanthropic Educational Organization from 2015 to present.
Councilman McElwee Honors
Eagle Scout of Troop 153
On Saturday, May 17, Councilman Mike McElwee (R-West Islip) proudly recognized and honored John Brownyard of Boy Scout Troop 153 for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest honor in Scouting!
John earned this distinction through his exceptional leadership and commitment to community service, most notably through his Eagle Scout project: the design and construction of a community garden. This garden not only beautifies the area but also serves as a sustainable space for education and reflection. Johns’ dedication to planning, organizing and executing the project showcases the values of service, responsibility, and initiative that define scouting at its best.
Wishing John continued success on his journey through college!
Councilman Mike McElwee (R-West Islip) has represented the Third Council District in the Town of Islip since 2024. The Third District contains West Islip, Baywood, Brightwaters, Ocean Beach, Saltaire, Robbins Rest, Atlantique, Lonelyville, Kismet, and parts of Bay Shore and Islip hamlet.
Councilman McElwee’s office is located on the First Floor of the West Wing of Town Hall at 655 Main Street in Islip. The office can be reached at 631-224-5559.
John was presented with a citation recognizing his achievements, congratulating him alongside proud family, friends and fellow scouts.
Sayville Hosts More Than 1,000 Suffolk County Students in Fitness Challenge
On Saturday, May 17, Councilman Mike McElwee (R-West Islip) proudly recognized and honored John Brownyard of Boy Scout Troop 153 for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest honor in Scouting!
John earned this distinction through his exceptional leadership and commitment to community service, most notably through his Eagle Scout project: the design and construction of a community garden. This garden not only beautifies the area but also serves as a sustainable space for education and reflection. Johns’ dedication to planning, organizing and executing the project showcases the values of service, responsibility, and initiative that define scouting at its best.
John was presented with a citation recognizing his achievements, congratulating him alongside proud family, friends and fellow scouts.
Wishing John continued success on his journey through college!
Councilman Mike McElwee (R-West Islip) has represented the Third Council District in the Town of Islip since 2024. The Third District contains West Islip, Baywood, Brightwaters, Ocean Beach, Saltaire, Robbins Rest, Atlantique, Lonelyville, Kismet, and parts of Bay Shore and Islip hamlet.
Councilman McElwee’s office is located on the First Floor of the West Wing of Town Hall at 655 Main Street in Islip. The office can be reached at 631-2245559.
Long Island Ducks
Tribute to L.I. Ducks Hockey Night – Friday, August 15
The Long Island Ducks, in conjunction with the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame, today announced it will host a Tribute to LI Ducks Hockey Night on Friday, August 15.
During the team’s 6:35p.m. game against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars, the Ducks will recognize the Long Island Ducks hockey franchise that played in the Eastern Hockey League from 1959 to 1973. Players and coaches will wear special jerseys designed to replicate those worn by the Ducks hockey team. These jerseys will be auctioned off during the game via the LiveSource mobile app, with net proceeds from the auction benefiting the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame.
In addition, the Ducks will welcome Buzz Deschamps to the ballpark to take part in the festivities and throw out a ceremonial first pitch prior to game time. Deschamps played with the Long Island Ducks hockey club from 196264, combining to score 97 goals and total 181 points. He went on to serve as a scout for the New York Rangers and Calgary Flames, the varsity coach of the St. John’s University hockey team and the Head Coach of the Men’s Ice Hockey team at Stony Brook University, among other roles. The Ontario, Canada, native was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame as part of its 2010 class.
The Long Island Ducks played their home games at the Long Island Arena in Commack. The Ducks won the Eastern Hockey League North Division twice (1964-65 and 1965-66). Additionally, they were the Eastern Hockey League playoff champions and won the Walker Cup Trophy on April 7, 1965. Former
Ducks player/coach John Brophy was the role model for the character of Reggie Dunlop, played by Paul Newman, in the famous 1977 sports comedy Slap Shot.
Tickets to the game are available online, any time, at LIDucks.com. Fans can also purchase tickets by visiting the Fairfield Properties Ballpark box office or by calling (631) 940-TIXX.
The Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame will be inducting Long Island Ducks President/Chief Business Officer Michael Pfaff and Field Manager Lew Ford as part of their Class of 2025. Pfaff and Ford join Owner/Founder/CEO Frank Boulton (Class of 2003), late co-Owner and co-Founder Bud Harrelson (Class of 1992) and former outfielder Justin Davies (Class of 2007) in the Hall of Fame. Additionally, former Long Island Ducks hockey players John Brophy and John Muckler will be inducted as part of this year’s class. The Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame will hold their induction ceremony on May 29 at 6:00p.m. at Flowerfield in St. James. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available by visiting SuffolkSportsHOF.com.
The Long Island Ducks are entering their 25th Anniversary season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip. They are the alltime leader in wins and attendance in Atlantic League history, have led all MLB Partner Leagues in total attendance for four consecutive seasons, and have sold out a record 713 games all-time. For further information, visit LIDucks.com or call 631-940-DUCK (3825).
By Cait Crudden
Ronkonkoma Street Fair: Another Huge Success
The streets of Ronkonkoma came alive this weekend with the annual Ronkonkoma Street Fair, a community tradition that once again drew large crowds, showcased local talent, and celebrated the vibrant spirit of Long Island.
Stretching across Hawkins Avenue, the fair featured well over a hundred vendors, offering everything from handmade crafts and artisanal goods to boutique clothing and home décor. The event was well attended by residents of all ages, families, and visitors from across Suffolk County, turning downtown Ronkonkoma into a bustling hub of activity.
that once again drew large crowds, showcased local talent, and celebrated the vibrant spirit of Long Island.
The atmosphere throughout the day was energized by live music that was played on stage in a performance area. Local bands and solo artists provided a lively soundtrack for fairgoers as they browsed vendor booths and sampled the wide variety of food options available. From savory dishes to sweet treats, the fair boasted an impressive selection of cuisine that catered to all tastes. Popular items included barbecue, empanadas, Italian specialties like sausage and peppers, ice cream, and fresh lemonade, all served by local eateries and mobile food vendors.
Community engagement played a central role in the success of the event. Local leaders and elected officials were on site throughout the day, mingling with residents, answering questions, and hearing concerns. Their presence was a reminder of the fair’s deeper purpose, to foster a connection between the government and the people it serves. Many constituents stopped to chat, ask questions, or simply share in the festivities with their representatives.
In addition to the political and commercial presence, the fair also emphasized health and service. The New York Blood Center set up a donation station, encouraging fairgoers to give blood in support of regional hospitals and emergency needs. Their participation added a meaningful dimension to the event, highlighting the importance of community-driven initiatives that extend beyond entertainment.
Artisans and local businesses took the opportunity to introduce their products to new customers. Handcrafted jewelry, scented candles, custom artwork, and natural skin care products were just a few of the offerings available. Booths featured creative displays that drew steady streams of visitors, many of whom left carrying bags filled with unique purchases.
The fair also provided entertainment for children, with activities such as face painting, art, and interactive games scattered throughout the grounds. These attractions gave families plenty of reasons to linger and explore every corner of the event. The relaxed, festive environment allowed both children and adults to enjoy a full day in the heart of their community.
Throughout the event, the streets of Ronkonkoma were alive not only with music and conversation but also with the sounds of community connection. Friends ran into neighbors, strangers struck up conversations, and the shared joy of the experience created a strong sense of belonging. The fair served as a reminder of how important local events are in building and sustaining communal ties.
Public safety and traffic flow were managed smoothly by local law enforcement and event volunteers, who helped direct attendees and ensured the day proceeded without incident.
As the sun began to set, the crowd slowly thinned, but the energy remained strong. Vendors began to pack up their wares, musicians played their final sets, and families departed with full stomachs, shopping bags, and happy memories. The 2025 Ronkonkoma Street Fair was once again a resounding success, leaving attendees looking forward to next year’s event and reinforcing the hamlet’s reputation as a vibrant and engaged community hub.
In every booth, every performance, and every handshake, the fair served as a powerful celebration of local culture, small business, and the enduring value of coming together in the public square.
The streets of Ronkonkoma came alive this weekend with the annual Ronkonkoma Street Fair, a community tradition
Stretching across Hawkins Avenue, the fair featured well over a hundred vendors, offering everything from handmade crafts and artisanal goods to boutique clothing and home décor. The event was well attended by residents of all ages, families, and visitors from across Suffolk County, turning downtown Ronkonkoma into a bustling hub of activity.
The atmosphere throughout the day was energized by live music that was played on stage in a performance area. Local bands and solo artists provided a lively soundtrack for fairgoers as they browsed vendor booths and sampled the wide variety of food options available. From savory dishes to sweet treats, the fair boasted an impressive selection of cuisine that catered to all tastes. Popular items included barbecue, empanadas, Italian specialties like sausage and peppers, ice cream, and fresh lemonade, all served by local eateries and mobile food vendors.
Community engagement played a central role in the success of the event. Local leaders and elected officials were on site throughout the day, mingling with residents, answering questions, and hearing concerns. Their presence was a reminder of the fair’s deeper purpose, to foster a connection between the government and the people it serves. Many constituents stopped to chat, ask questions, or simply share in the festivities with their representatives.
In addition to the political and commercial presence, the fair also emphasized health and service. The New York Blood Center set up a donation station, encouraging fairgoers to give blood in support of regional hospitals and emergency needs. Their participation added a meaningful dimension to the event, highlighting the importance of community-driven initiatives that extend beyond entertainment.
Artisans and local businesses took the opportunity to introduce their products to new customers. Handcrafted jewelry, scented candles, custom artwork, and natural skin care products were just a few of the offerings available. Booths featured creative displays that drew steady streams of visitors, many of whom left carrying bags filled with unique purchases.
The fair also provided entertainment for children, with activities such as face painting, art, and interactive games scattered throughout the grounds. These attractions gave families plenty of reasons to linger and explore every corner of the event. The relaxed, festive environment allowed both children and adults to enjoy a full day in the heart of their community. Throughout the event, the streets of Ronkonkoma were alive not only with music and conversation but also with the sounds of community connection. Friends ran into neighbors, strangers struck up conversations, and the shared joy of the experience created a strong sense of belonging. The fair served as a reminder of how important local events are in building and sustaining communal ties.
Public safety and traffic flow were managed smoothly by local law enforcement and event volunteers, who helped direct attendees and ensured the day proceeded without incident.
As the sun began to set, the crowd slowly thinned, but the energy remained strong. Vendors began to pack up their wares, musicians played their final sets, and families departed with full stomachs, shopping bags, and happy memories. The 2025 Ronkonkoma Street Fair was once again a resounding success, leaving attendees looking forward to next year’s event and reinforcing the village’s reputation as a vibrant and engaged community hub.
In every booth, every performance, and every handshake, the fair served as a powerful celebration of local culture, small business, and the enduring value of coming together in the public square.
