Islip Messenger Archive Feb. 22, 2024

Ronkonkoma Holds Community Forum

By Matt Meduri

The community of Ronkonkoma is one of the busiest and most well-known parts of Suffolk County. Heavy mass transit, a bustling business hub, and thousands of residents make it a pure working-class community through and through. While the hamlet of Ronkonkoma is split between the townships of Brookhaven and Islip, the hamlet of Lake Ronkonkoma is split between three: the former two and Smithtown. This requires elected officials from the Town and County levels across the three townships to be on the same page in checking in with the community and collecting reports on what the residents would like to see.

Ronkonkoma elected officials did just that last Thursday evening at the Ronkonkoma Fire House on Portion Road.

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Budget Cut Repercussions:

By

Kaitlyn Foley

New York’s citizens, educators, and lawmakers are up in arms about Governor Kathy Hochul’s (D) plans to cut the budgets of 337 school districts in New York, over forty of them on Long Island. The repercussions of this major loss in funding will affect every student and every staff member at each school. To find out exactly what these cuts mean for our local students, The Messenger sat down with former high school educator Assemblyman Doug Smith (R-Holbrook).

“It’s never been this bad,” says Assemblyman Smith. “Andrew Cuomo (D) always proposed less school aid, but never a cut. This literally cuts millions of dollars from 337 school districts across the state, both rural and suburban. So, this is devastating.”

Assemblyman Smith goes on to explain how a cut such as dramatic as this has not been seen in decades, if at all.

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Assemblyman Doug Smith (Credit - Doug Smith Facebook)

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Ronkonkoma Holds Community Forum

Headlined by Suffolk County Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset), the forum was joined by County Legislator Anthony Piccirillo (R-Holtsville), Brookhaven Deputy Town Supervisor and Councilman Neil Foley (R-Blue Point), New York State Senator Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue), and representatives for County Legislator Trish Bergin (R-East Islip), State Senator Alexis Weik (R-Sayville), and Assemblyman Doug Smith (R-Holbrook).

The event was attended by several dozen members of the community who voiced their questions, concerns, and requests to elected officials regarding road maintenance, homelessness, and Ronkonkoma matters.

Senator Murray kicked off the forum, giving an update on legislative matters in Albany, starting by discussing the state’s school lunch program. “We passed legislation, and I was embarrassed by the fact that we didn’t pass all of it. We passed most of it,” said Murray. “So, 81% of the kids could get fed, but there’s still a couple hundred thousand New York children going hungry because we didn’t fund that program. We needed $90 million more to completely fund it, and as part of that program, there was also an incentive to use fresh food from our New York farmers. So, we also help the farmers out, get some produce in it, and make the meals healthy.”

Murray explained that with one-party rule in Albany, it’s difficult to get certain bills and provisions through the legislature, especially as the budget continues to be one the largest in state history at $233 billion.

“All of March, I and all my assembly colleagues will be up in Albany as we try to get an equal first budget,” said Murray. “Unfortunately, like I said, right now it doesn’t look like the spending is slowing down.”

Murray also said that spending more money in child services would not be spending, but rather “investing.” He said that the Long Island region is the second-most expensive part of the state in terms of childcare, just behind New York City.

“We’ve got to be smart when we put together our budget right now and think of how it’s going to help us rather than just handing out money,” said Murray. “I’m sorry, I can’t see how spending $2.4 billion to feed, house, clothe, hand out phones, and everything else to someone who just got here and may not even speak the language and we know nothing about their background, their work history, and family history.”

Residents asked questions about the migrant crisis affecting New York, to which Murray replied that Albany Republicans have requested National Guard troops to be sent to the northern New York border and the southern Mexican border.

Murray then took questions from community members, many of whom expressed frustration with the state of disrepair for the Long Island Expressway service roads.

“The corners are so blocked [by overgrown brush] that we have constant accidents with pedestrians,” said one attendee. Residents said that brush, litter, and garbage have made the corners hazardous and an eyesore. Senator Murray asked for pictures to be sent to his government email in order to refer the cleanup to the correct highway department.

Brookhaven Deputy Supervisor Neil Foley took the floor next to address questions from residents about vacant properties being usurped by criminals.

“There’s a whole cult of criminals who find these empty houses, break into them, and they have squatter’s rights,” said Foley. “The courts won’t evict anyone from October until April.” Foley also responded to complaints that the buildings are in violation of Town code and that the properties in question will be handled by the Town.

Foley also responded to blighted properties, namely a gas station in Ronkonkoma known as the Newton’s Property, where he said the Town is in the process of appraising the property to try to buy it to turn it into a pocket park. “It is private property, and they did not accept the first appraisal,” said Foley. “We’re doing a second appraisal to try to increase it, but the goal is to turn it into a pocket park.”

Foley also addressed residents’ concerns regarding maintenance of crosswalks and the high rate of smoke shops popping up in the community. Foley said he can’t legally stop the opening of certain types of businesses as long as they are zoned correctly. Residents also expressed frustrations of marijuana commerce in the area, to which Foley said he shares the frustrations of the community. While it’s difficult to get rid of certain businesses, such as cannabis stores, Foley said that the community can continue to be vocal and with the help of the police department, unlicensed vendors can be shut down.

“Here’s what we can do as a community: you let me know,” said Foley. “Some of these places have licenses [to sell cannabis], some do not. The police can go into where they don’t have licenses.”

Foley also addressed the need for increased police presence and speed clocks at the Union Avenue Hub, the homeless occupying Town property in the woods behind the 76 gas station on Hawkins Avenue, as well as the rumors of a migrant settling location in the old King Kullen on Ronkonkoma Avenue. Foley said that Lidl is looking to occupy the space.

Legislator Anthony Piccirillo then spoke of his role in the County Legislature, working alongside Legislators Kennedy and Bergin to ensure fiscal responsibility and sensible clean water solutions. He said that with Republican control of Suffolk County, he is intent on putting pressure on Albany to give back more of Suffolk’s tax dollars.

“They make us grovel at the altar of the governor and the Democratic State Assembly and the Senate to get our own tax dollars back, to do the public works projects that enhance our quality of life,” said Piccirillo. “So, that’s my biggest issue with the state of New York. But now that we have the majority, I think we need to put more pressure on the state to make sure that we get more of those dollars back, whether it’s at the town or county level, that you expect as a taxpayer to be done.”

One resident asked about the progress on the position of Lake Keeper, a new county role announced in August to task someone with studying and maintaining Lake Ronkonkoma. The Lake Keeper would be tasked with seeking grants not only for the maintenance of the lake, but as well as his or her salary.

“We have had eleven people apply, none of whom meet the civil service qualifications,” said Legislator Kennedy. “When that position was created, we had a lot of people who were not in the civil service qualifications. The only thing I asked was that it be somebody with experience with fresh water. They can have all the saltwater experience that they want, but fresh water is completely different. The algae, plants, birds, fish, and species that we get are completely different. We have had one person that had the criteria of working with freshwater, but she didn’t speak to the other qualifications.”

Piccirillo mentioned a plan of his and Kennedy’s, along with County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches), to write a letter to Governor Hochul (D) to “pressure our state representatives to bring home some of the $250 million [from the Bond Act] to clean up Lake Ronkonkoma.”

“We can at least try to get it restored to what it was twenty years ago,” said Piccirillo. “I know it won’t be Lake Ronkonkoma circa-1935, but even if we can get it to Lake Ronkonkoma in the 1990s, we can still swim on the beach without worrying about a bacterial infection.”

Piccirillo also addressed questions on Amtrak service regarding the Midway Crossing, for which many residents did not understand the need. Residents also asked about the “curve” at Ocean-Rosevale Avenue, County Route-93. A representative for Legislator Bergin said that the traffic study is still being conducted to determine if a roundabout is a practical solution for the intersection.

The elected officials urge all residents to reach out to their offices with questions, concerns, and complaints as applicable to the level of government in question.

NEW MEMBERS NEEDED AMERICAN LEGION VETERANS STILL SERVING AMERICA

The William Merritt Hallock American Legion Post No. 155 115 Church Street Lake Ronkonkoma, NY Is

looking for New Members

We meet at the Post twice a month1st Tuesday of the month at 1:00 pm and the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm.

We have a social hour with snack one hour prior to the meeting. Our meetings generally run about one hour. We take part in our local community parades and street fairs. We usually have three social functions with family and friends each year. We participate in a number of patriotic ceremonies. If interested in joining our Post and meeting some fellow veterans, stop by on a meeting day with a copy of your DD214.

You can visit our website at: AmericanLegionWilliamHallockPost155.org

NY Dems Need to Adopt the Latest House Map

The redistricting saga continues in an unlikely national battleground: New York. Here’s the rundown on how we’ve ended up here:

In 2021, all states that are not at-large districts underwent their once-in-a-decade redistricting processes in response to changes found by the U.S. Census. Redistricting is a different process in each state, with varying levels of control, fallbacks, and delegations of political power making the tradition follow a different set of events each time. Few states saw clean processes, with pure independent commissions producing less-than-controversial maps in Arizona, California, and Michigan. Gerrymanders gave Democrats boosts in Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oregon, while Republicans got bumps in Arkansas, Indiana, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. All maps received some forms of legal scrutiny and some are still under ambiguous futures as plaintiffs look to sue based on precedents of partisan and racial gerrymandering to redraw the maps.

Republicans had gerrymanders in Ohio and North Carolina overturned, and since the GOP now has the North Carolina Supreme Court, an aggressive redraw has prompted several Democrats to not seek re-election under the new lines. Democrats got greedy in Maryland but the final map does little to undo their 7-1 majority in the House delegation.

New York proved to be the boldest attempt for Democrats nationwide, and this is in part because of the fantasy-league Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) we have in the Empire State.

The Commission is composed of party-selected delegates who draft a map for approval by the state legislature. The problem is the state legislature can veto the map and simply draw their own. When the IRC was created by then-Governor Andrew Cuomo (D), Republicans held the State Senate, giving them significant bargaining power in ensuring partisan gerrymandering would not grip New York. However, when Democrats took control of the Senate in 2018, that failsafe went out the window.

And in 2021, Democrats threw out the IRC map and passed their own, signed by Governor Kathy Hochul (D). The map was by far the most egregious Democratic gerrymander in the country, only to be thrown out by the State Court of Appeals. The map was then drawn by a special master and used for the 2022 midterm elections.

What Cuomo and company could not call from last decade is just how consequential New York would be in determining balance of power in the U.S. House. On the coattails of then-Congressman Lee Zeldin’s (R-Shirley) bid for governor in 2022, the GOP flipped four Democratic-held seats and came close in two others, giving them a razor-thin majority in the lower federal chamber.

Senate Democrats then denied Hochul’s first pick for Chief Justice in moderate Hector LaSalle, knowing that a more liberal-leaning court would allow the map to be overturned. With a liberal Court, Democrats overturned the map drawn by the special master and the IRC has now drafted another map.

What has entailed is essentially a political zero-sum game. Republicans in Albany have no bargaining power when it comes to redrawing the maps, and since the IRC has no real bearing on redistricting if the legislature can act as they wish, this basically leaves Albany Democrats to try their hand at another gerrymander.

Not only could such a gerrymander dilute votes in New York, but it could very well toss control of the House to Democrats if Republicans can run the table in other states, assuming other maps are not overturned as well. Democrats are already poised to pick up one seat each in Alabama and Louisiana due to the Supreme Court requiring a second majority-black district to be drawn in each state. Assuming the GOP can’t pick up seats elsewhere on the coattails of Donald Trump (R-FL), Democrats would just need four or five seats to pad their majority.

Those seats run squarely through New York, and one of them - NY-03 - just flipped to for the Democrats.

The map that the IRC put out actually changes little from the special master’s map. It does not change the Long Island delegation, leaving three competitive seats for incumbents Nick LaLota (R, NY-01), Tom Suozzi (D, NY-03), and Anthony D’Esposito (R,

NY-04). All have decent shots for re-election but face good amounts of danger in wave years for their opposing parties.

Most of the Upstate seats have not changed either, with decently blue-leaning seats around Albany and Rochester and three safe Republican seats in the Mohawk Valley and the Northern Tier.

However, the biggest changes come in Syracuse and the Hudson Valley. Congressman Brandon Williams’ (R, NY-22) Syracuse-based seat becomes slightly more Democratic. An already blue-leaning seat that drifts slightly more to the left might be too much for Williams to hold in a neutral environment. Maverick Congressman John Katko (R) held this seat for years and weathered many Democratic environments, but Williams does not have the longevity Katko had with voters. It’s still a toss up, but Williams should be on notice if this map sticks.

Otherwise, the map does little to endanger incumbents. Mike Lawler (R, NY-17) scored an upset in this Westchester-based seat in 2022 and his district does not seem fundamentally changed under the new lines. Pat Ryan (D, NY-18) sheds some Republican areas of Orange County in exchange for bluer Ulster County and Hudson Valley regions. Zeldin’s 2022 running mate Allison Esposito (R) is running for this seat. While she’s arguably the best candidate for the job, her race does get markedly more difficult if Ryan’s seat is shored up.

Just north, Marc Molinaro (R, NY-19) also finds some safety in a slightly more Republican seat. His district stretches from the Hudson River and now grabs the college town Ithaca.

Both Ryan and Molinaro will face competitive races in the fall but both have a slightly more padded margin for error in light of favorable shifts for them.

The map was approved by the IRC in a 9-1 vote and is now slated to be approved or rejected by the legislature at the end of the month.

But predictably, Democrats are already sounding off against one of the most objectively fair congressional maps in the country.

“The IRC map breaks apart six additional counties in New York state, including one that appears gratuitously designed to benefit an incumbent in the 19th congressional district. That would be a clear violation of the New York state constitution,” said Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D, NY-08). “There is reason to be concerned with the failure of the IRC to address many of the flaws in the current map drawn by an unelected, out-of-town special master in 2022.”

Jeffries seems to not understand that with a slight boost to a Republican [Molinaro] comes a slight boost to a Democrat [Ryan]. Wouldn’t both of those facets of this map make it in violation of the state constitution, or would it get a pass if just Ryan had the help?

Jefferies is understandably frustrated not only because he is essentially tasked with righting the ship in New York - as Democrats seem to be floundering in one of the most notoriously blue states - but also because his path to the Speakership runs directly through his home state. If the party cannot net four or five seats in New York, then it’s unlikely that their luck has taken them far elsewhere in the country. Jeffries is simply grandstanding, hoping that the legislature will bail him out of a tough campaign for his state party and essentially make his Speakership a coronation.

The question now is: how aggressive will the state legislature be with their second gerrymander attempt? Last time, it was struck down quickly and they paid dearly for it by costing their party the House in a better-than-expected year for their party. If they want to have their cake and eat it too, they’ll leave an outside chance Republicans could run the table, but in a way that the state courts view acceptable enough.

The legislature is tasked with fairly and accurately representing its constituents, and that includes matters of other district lines. Rejecting the IRC’s proposal and passing another gerrymander will only lengthen the process of fielding candidates, screening, running primaries - or delaying them, like in 2022 because of their gerrymander - and the inevitable legal ramifications of another aggressive push.

Remember Individual Contributions This Presidents’ Week

It’s difficult for us to remember how and why we celebrate Presidents’ Week. Initially intended to recognize George Washington’s birthday, the holidays quickly became a move to create more three-day holiday weekends for American workers.

It’s fine to have some extra days off, especially in February, arguably the bleakest month of the year. But we encourage our readers to remember the purpose of the holiday, even just a little.

In today’s political world, it can be difficult to view the presidency without overarching cynicism and frustration. The reality is: there was never a time in history where we had an “ideal” government or a “perfect” president. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t respect the office itself and the figurehead sitting in it. Our perception of our country’s strength amongst ourselves and to the rest of the world are displayed in how we publicly treat and discuss our elected officials, including the president.

That said, it’s important to remember the contributions of all of our presidents, the good, the bad, and the indifferent. Some remain obscure and probably will

forever, such as Rutherford B. Hayes (R-OH) or James Buchanan (D-PA). Although these two are considered controversial, and Buchanan one of the objectively worst presidents, they still served in the office and led our country through tumultuous times. To reimagine history is moot because even the worst times in our history were caused more by public opinion and desire and to assume anyone else could have done better is a fool’s errand.

And without the dark times, the problems, and the chaos, we wouldn’t have something to strive for. We wouldn’t have an end goal of improvement in sight. So, in a way, we can somewhat attribute Presidents’ Week to some of our less-than-stellar alumni

Difficult decisions are always respected by hindsight, which makes prognosticating today’s political troubles something of a jump ball. This isn’t to say we can’t or shouldn’t criticize our acting administrations, but it just means that maybe we’re more to blame for our problems than we let on.

Preserving New York’s Farmland is the Right Thing to Do for Our Economy and Our Legacy

By Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay

New York’s agriculture industry is in the midst of a total upheaval, and a recent report from the United States Department of Agriculture highlighted some major concerns coming out of this new normal. According to the report, New York lost 2,788 farms and 363,885 acres of land between 2017 and 2022. Statistics like these prompted U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack (D-IA) to sound the alarm as he expressed concerns about food production in the U.S.

There are several reasons for this sharp decline. The consolidation of farms and other financial hardships that have driven some out of the industry are key culprits, said agricultural economist Christopher Wolf of Cornell University. Thankfully, for now, output and production have remained stable through the downsizing, but the Assembly Minority Conference has grave concerns about this disturbing trend.

One major concern we have repeatedly expressed pertains to the difficult regulatory environment New York farmers are asked to endure. For example, recently, the number of hours farm workers are required to work before earning overtime has been reduced from 60 to 56, and by 2032 that number will drop all the way down to 40. New York is already well-documented as one of the least business-friendly states in the nation, and our farming policies have done nothing but illustrate why we are at the bottom of the regulatory barrel.

As these farms close, consolidate, and repurpose, we are not only risking irreversible damage to our supply chain, we are also losing a huge piece of the history and fabric of New York. Generational family farms were once a staple of New York’s economy, but they are fast becoming forgotten relics. Production levels may be afloat for the time being, but at some point, the system will not be able to handle any more fiscal and regulatory strain. We can see the crisis looming, and now is the time to do something about it—rather than wait until all the farmland has evaporated. In 2022, our Conference expressed concerns after another report, this one from Farm Credit East, indicated rising labor costs and food prices would begin to threaten the supply chain. Well, consider it threatened.

Next week is National Future Farmers of America Week. I can’t think of a better time to push for greater agriculture policies in New York. We have a rich history of production here, and it is socially and economically irresponsible to ignore that legacy. Like most problems, this impending farmland crisis will be much easier to mitigate before it grows. We have that opportunity now, and I call on my colleagues in the Legislature and Governor’s office to do something immediately before it is too late.

If you have any questions or comments on this or any other state issue, or if you would like to be added to my mailing list or receive my newsletter, please contact my office. My office can be reached by mail at 19 Canalview Mall, Fulton, NY 13069 and by email at barclayw@nyassembly. gov. You may also find me, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, on Facebook or Twitter at @WillABarclay.

Assemblyman DeStefano Condemns $60 Million Cut to Local Road Maintenance

By Assemblyman Joe Destefano

Local roads play a crucial role in our daily lives, serving as vital connections to work, school, health care and our loved ones. As we all know, New York state is notorious for its poorly maintained, pot-hole-riddled roads and appropriately ranks 49th in the nation according to Reason’s 27th Annual Highway Report.

the case of an emergency. It also directly impacts the flow of traffic to local businesses, influencing the economic vitality of our communities.

Additionally, the recent surge in natural disasters and heavy flooding has taken a substantial toll on our Suffolk County roads. We need to make sure Long Islanders can get from point-A to point-B safely, and we can do so by properly investing in the maintenance of our roads.

I stand with my Assembly colleagues in opposing Governor Kathy Hochul’s (D) proposed cuts in critical state funding for local roads and bridges in the 2024-25 state budget. CHIPS serves as the primary funding source for local roads and bridges, making it essential to restore the proposed $60 million cut and increase CHIPS base funding by $200 million to bring it to a total of $798.1 million.

While this may seem like a substantial investment, it pales in comparison to the long-term costs incurred by New Yorkers. Deficient roads and bridges in the state are already costing motorists an extra $36.7 billion annually, averaging up to $3,697 per driver in certain areas. These costs stem from increased vehicle operating expenses, traffic accidents and congestion-related delays, as reported by TRIP, a national transportation advocacy group. Investing now in our infrastructure is an investment in the safety, well-being, and financial stability of our communities.”

Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R-Medford) represents the Third Assembly District, which consists of Bellport, Brookhaven hamlet, Mastic, Mastic Beach, Medford, North Bellport, Shirley, Yaphank, and parts of Farmingville, Holtsville, Middle Island, North Patchogue, Ridge, and Upton. For more information, please visit Assemblyman DeStefano’s Official Website: https:// nyassembly.gov/mem/Joe-DeStefano/

The proposed $60 million cut to the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) will directly impact the safety and functionality of our local roads and bridges, which connect us to every vital part of our daily lives—work, school, doctors, family, and friends. The condition of our roads means the difference between getting to our appointments or meetings on time and how fast a police officer or firefighter can reach you or your home in

By Louis Civello

The scales of Lady Justice are skewed and it doesn’t seem like anyone cares to balance them.

Thanks to our politicians’ extreme changes to our criminal justice laws under the guise of “Bail Reform,” the work of police officers and district attorneys to keep our communities and citizens safe has never been so difficult.

Here in New York, hardened criminals are released after committing a crime, only to commit more crimes just hours later. “Raise the Age” legislation now prohibits the justice system from holding teenagers accountable for their criminal acts. Discovery law reforms have made it nearly impossible for district attorneys to prosecute cases. Police unions such as the Suffolk County PBA and representatives from law enforcement organizations across the state warned politicians that their policies would be too extreme and create barriers for law enforcement to maintain public safety. When there are no consequences for violating the law, there’s no deterrent to prevent bad people from engaging in criminality.

Bail has been a staple in the United States criminal justice system since 1789 and the inception of the 8th Amendment in the Bill of Rights. In 2019, NYS politicians hid criminal justice reforms in the state budget in a package of changes that placed a prohibition on judges issuing bail for more than 200 offenses.

Bail Reform’s Effect on Policing

The elected officials said these were low level non-violent crimes in nature, but the reality is that crimes extremely violent in nature such as manslaughter in the second degree, assault in the third degree, making a terroristic threat, criminal possession of a firearm, and resisting arrest, also became non-bail eligible.

Unfathomably, offenses against children such as promoting or possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child, and failure to register as a sex offender were also included as no longer being bail eligible, resulting in suspected violators of these crimes immediately released back into our communities.

Just a few weeks ago, NYPD officers were attacked near Times Square. Police initially made several arrests for the brutal attack. The defendants, who committed a felony gang assault against the police officers, were released without bail. Some of those defendants, who are migrants, are believed to have left the state, which leaves doubt that they will return for court and be held accountable for their crimes. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) made headlines for failing to prosecute criminal cases and being in dereliction of his duties for his failure to enforce laws after police officers risked their lives to make arrests. Based on the felony assault charges that the defendants were facing, they could have been held on bail. One of the defendants was arrested again just a few days ago after he committed a robbery at a Macy’s store and attacked a security guard.

The “Catch and Release” system that we’ve been tossed into is like a dystopian nightmare that repeats itself every night shift. Police officers have found themselves on long nights at the precinct, doing paper work hours after an arrest, hours after the criminal had been released, only to see the same criminal walking in in handcuffs again, arrested by one of their co-workers for the same crime.

It would be laughable if it wasn’t so terrifying

“Raise the age” legislation raised the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18 in NYS under then-Governor Andrew Cuomo (D). It sends 16 and 17 year old criminals to Family Court where the penalties are much lighter than Criminal Court, resulting in less of a deterrence to recommit the crimes. Cases heard in Family Court immediately get sealed after adjudication, therefore they are not available to be considered in future sentencing if the individual becomes a repeat offender when

they turn 18.

Advocates for this policy argue that teenage brains are not fully developed and should not be treated the same as adults. But we know that we learn right from wrong at an earlier age, and these young criminals are old enough to know that the crimes they are committing are wrong.

“Raise the Age” actu-ally gave violent gangs a new weapon in their criminal enterprise, as they are able to strategically utilize younger members to carry and peddle firearms. If the younger member is arrested on a gun possession charge there are no long-term legal consequences, as opposed to if an adult member of the gang was in possession of a firearm.

This gang trend has also sparked a spike in teenage shootings and murders, as the young gun carriers have taken on the role of “hit man” or “target.” From 2018 through 2022, the rate of teenage murder cases in NYC nearly doubled. In Suffolk County, we have seen shooting incidents that result in injuries rising at a similar rate. When 16 and 17 year olds get involved with these lifestyles with no consequences from the court system, the greater the chances they become career criminals and menaces to society.

The 2020 reforms to discovery laws in NYS have proven to be another burden on law enforcement. New court administrative laws have created more obstacles for prosecutors to bring a case to trial. Tighter timelines require prosecutors to hand over every piece of evidence to defense attorneys. These deadlines have led to fewer defendants taking plea deals, instead deciding to bet against a prosecutor being able to put their case together fast enough, taking chances that their case will be dismissed.

If a prosecutor is not ready for trial, the case gets dismissed. A defendant going to trial used to indicate that the defendant felt they would be found not guilty for their accused crimes by a jury of their peers, but now it has become a strategy to reach a dismissal and avoid serving time.

There has been a rise in recidivism, the act of repeating offenses, by criminals throughout NYS since the implementation of these reforms. NYC Mayor Eric Adams (D) has pointed to recidivism rates and the correlation to an overall increase in crimes in recent years. Without a criminal justice system that is willing to handle repeat offenders appropriately, criminals will likely continue to victimize our citizens.

Police officers take pride in keeping our neighborhoods and citizens safe, and we believe our politicians should be partners in this endeavor, yet it seems they would rather use their pulpit to prioritize criminal rights over victims’ pain. We believe in the concept of giving people a second chance, but oppose a society where career criminals are not held accountable.

We need a profound change in NYS leadership, and it needs to happen now before we slip further into peril. After PBA warnings were proven right, NYS elected leaders did rollback some of the original reforms, but they have not gone far enough to correct the underlying issues. The advice of law enforcement professionals on public safety matters should be given more weight in Albany. The longer NYS waits to get tough on crime and listen to the cops on the street, the more our communities will suffer.

Louis Civello is the president of the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Assoiation.

This Week Today

National, State and Local Temperature Checks

National

The U.S. House landscape continues to be shaken up, especially as uncertainty looms over the latest proposal for New York’s map.

So far, twenty Republicans are not returning to the House next year, as well as twenty-three Democrats, making this one of the most active retirement seasons in decades.

The lion’s share of seats are not viewed as competitive, but the list of names can offer some clues as to what strains on Capitol Hill are causing veteran representatives to throw in the towel and defer to new leadership within the parties during a politically tumultuous time.

The most recent retirement is that of Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R, WA-05). She has represented Washington’s Fifth District since 2005. She has never won an election by a margin of less than ten points, although the blue years of 2006 and 2018 gave her her closest margins on record.

Her eastern Washington district is safe at the top of the ticket, but can be an interesting down ballot contest. The district’s only major urban area is Spokane, a red-leaning city whose county - Spokane County - has not voted Democratic at the presidential level since 1996. Each margin since 2000, except 2004, has been within the single-digits, however.

The district is also home to Whitman County, just south of Spokane. It includes the cities of Colfax and Pullman and is a crucial swing county in an otherwise blue state. Whitman County is perhaps one of the best examples of Mountain West politics. The county backed every Republican from 1940 to 1988, then began swinging between the parties in 1992. Joe Biden won Whitman County by just over ten points, the best margin for Democrats since 1936.

By Matt Meduri CreditMatt Meduri

district in 2002. The shakeup ends yet another long career in Maryland politics, with Ruppersberger, 78, vacating the 26% black seat to possibly hand off to a younger representative for the party.

A safely blue state, Maryland is where many notable Democrats, including Steny Hoyer and Paul Sarbanes, have found national acclaim. While MD-02 got less Democratic after redistricting, the seat still went to Ruppersberger by a comfortable twenty-point margin. An open seat could give a generic Republican a better-than-usual showing, especially with the nowanimated Senate race with the entrance of former moderate Governor Larry Hogan (R). However, Biden is likely to cruise to at least 60% of the vote statewide here, putting MD-02 at the farthest edge of the table possible.

In short, veteran House members continue to hedge their bets on retirement instead of weathering the storm for another two years. While these retirements in particular haven’t fundamentally shaped the electoral landscape, it does create vacuums for power and clout on Capitol Hill.

State

Governor Kathy Hochul (D) (pictured right) has seen her favorability dip from last month, according to the latest round of polls from Siena College.

With 806 registered voters interviewed, Siena College found that the Governor’s favorability rating sits at 41%-46%, down from a barely-above-water 45%-42% last month. Her job approval rating sits at 48%-47%, down from 52%-43% last month as well.

McMorris Rodgers’ retirement can almost be paralleled to the trajectory of Whitman County: a once strongly-Republican, intrinsically libertarian area pulled leftward in the modern era by social politics and political hypersensationalism. Rodgers served as Chair of the House Republican Conference from 2013 to 2019 and was Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee from 2021 to 2023. She now serves as Chair of that committee.

Her decision to retire sparks yet another scramble for the GOP to define itself in an increasingly tense political era. Moderate House leadership in bluetrending red areas is just one of the facets of the House battleground coming up. While an open seat in WA-05 would certainly engage some competition, in a presidential year, the seat is expected to be at the edge of the battleground. Washington’s open governor’s seat is already drawing attention as a possible competitive race, meaning Republicans would be pressed to push voter turnout for their statewide races, all but ensuring WA-05 stays healthily Republican this year.

On the Democratic side, a recent retirement announcement came from Charles “Dutch” Ruppersberger (D, MD-02). The Maryland Democrat has represented the Second District since 2003, after serving eight years as Baltimore County Executive. Ruppersberger is one of the more venerable House Democrats, having served as Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee from 2011 to 2015, and is seen as one of the “old guard” members of the Democratic caucus.

His densely-populated suburban-Baltimore seat has been in Democratic hands since he flipped the

Siena College asked respondents to rate their views of Governor Hochul. While her job approval and favorability ratings are paltry for a Democrat in a blue state, most respondents view her as “hard-working,” at least among 56% of voters overall, 65% Democrats, 40% of Republicans, and 51% of Blanks, a negative downturn in all of these categories since May 2023.

“Someone Else” option won with 41% of the vote, with the remainders split 28% each for Biden and Trump.

The poll shows a trend of high-single-digit and low-double-digit leads for Biden in the immensely blue state, causing speculation of the possibility of New York being on the edge of the competitive table for the first time in decades.

Local

Congressman Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) has announced two large rounds of federal funding directly benefiting Suffolk County.

The first is a set of federal research grants for Stony Brook University, and the other is a set of grants for Gabreski and Fishers Island Airports.

First, Congressman LaLota has secured federal research grants for Stony Brook University totalling $1,473,339. This brings the total federal funding for the university since January 2023 to $16,480,585.

“Stony Brook University provides education and jobs to many Long Islanders. I am always happy to see the federal government recognize the impact they have on our community,” said LaLota. “I’ve been fortunate to meet with the incredible team at Stony Brook several times since I was sworn in and always walk away impressed. Communities across Long Island benefit when federal dollars make it home. You can count on me to fight to ensure Long Islanders receive our fair share of the federal budget.”

The poll also shows that voters - 49% overall, 59% of Democrats, 34% of Republicans, 43% of Blanks - do not think the Governor is corrupt.

The marks become more divergent when it comes to honesty and effectiveness. 42% of voters overall believe Hochul is honest and 40% find her to be effective. This accounts for 54% and 52% of Democrats, respectively. However, only 43% of Republicans and 40% of Blanks view her as honest, while 61% of Republicans and 41% of Blanks view her as effective.

47% of Democrats interviewed said she is a “strong leader,” with 40% of voters overall disagreeing - 67% of Republicans and 43% of Blanks.

A plurality - 43% overall - view her as “out of touch” with New Yorkers, with Democrats nearly split 36%-35% in this category.

The College also polled voters ahead of this year’s presidential contest. President Joe Biden (D-DE) leads Donald Trump (R-FL) by twelve points - 48%-36% - in a head-to-head matchup. Biden’s lead shrinks to ten points - 42%-32% - when Independent Robert F. Kennedy is factored in, along with Kanye West.

Separately, Siena College asked voters their preferences if someone else was on the ballot. The

The breakdown of the budget includes funding for various projects and programs through the university.

First, about $500,000 will go to open-source GPU-accelerated “computational infrastructure for coastal fluid-structure interaction in extreme hydrodynamic conditions.”

Nearly $650,000 is dedicated to “Reverse and Submarine Weathering in Glacially influenced Arctic fjords.” More than $17,000 will go to “doctoral dissertation research on obstetric constraints on neurocranial shape in nonhuman primates.” Finally, about $300,000 will go to the airborne investigation of the “chlorine mediated mineral dust sea spray aerosol (MDSA) mechanism in the Western Atlantic.

Separately, LaLota also announced grants for two East End airports: Francis Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach and Elizabeth Field on Fishers Island. Both airports will receive federal funding as part of the FAA’s Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program.

Gabreski Airport will receive $294,000 and Elizabeth Field will receive $113,000. Additionally, Gabreski Airport will see $4,900,000 through the Airport Terminals Program (ATP) to fund a portion of a new air traffic control tower to replace the existing tower first built in the 1940s.

Francis S. Gabreski Airport is a county-owned, joint civil-military airport located in Westhampton Beach. The airport is home to the 106th Rescue Wing (RQW) of the Air National Guard (ANG) and hosts private and corporate cargo aviation.

Elizabeth Field is located on Fishers Island in the northeastern corner of the Long Island Sound. Just seven miles off the coast of Connecticut, Fishers Island is home to about 250 people year-round. It belongs to the Town of Southold.

Budget Cut Repercussions: A Chat with Assemblyman Doug Smith

“The schools are always going to look [to cut] programs that are not mandated. So, right away, this would have to be arts programs, music programs, sports, and student clubs,” says Smith.

Programs where students can explore alternative interests and pursue creative endeavors outside of curricular academia are all at risk of diminishing. In addition to these possible cuts, Assemblyman Smith also mentions that academic programs can be cut as well.

“They can cut some of the college prep classes and Advanced Placement (AP) courses which are not mandated by New York State. A school district might have AP Biology, AP Chem, AP Physics, they might have multiple AP physics classes so they might reduce them. Like the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, these types of programs are not mandatory and those would be the programs that would unfortunately get cut, as well as career and technical education.”

Programs like AP, IB, and college prep courses allow accelerated high school students to pursue the next level of learning that they are ready for while still being in high school. These classes can be transferred to college or higher education for credits so that students aren’t forced to slow down their learning just because they haven’t graduated yet. Career and technical studies help students explore more specific areas of interests so they can get a better idea of what they may be interested in as a college major, trade, or career.

“Some school districts also have sports at the middle school level that could be reduced or diminished completely, which would be a shame. They could cut teams,” Smith continues.

Being on a team at a young age enhances confidence, responsibility, and sportsmanship for children. School-sanctioned sports, even at the middle school level, allows for students to be active, disciplined and dedicated in an area that they may excel in outside of academics.

“This is all in addition to mental health services that some schools provide. After COVID, a lot of districts hired on additional mental health resources to help students; those jobs could also be cut,” says Smith. “I am hoping we can continue to allow our schools to deliver these programs. I want my daughter to have options. If she wants to go into a career with technical education,

I want that to be an option. If she wants to go to college, I would love for her to have AP classes available. If she wants to go into the military, I hope we have those programs available. If she wants to play sports, I hope she has the opportunity to pursue that. A lot of students across the state only get an opportunity to go to higher education through a sports scholarship, but you can’t get a sports scholarship if there are no sports at your high school. We have the best schools on Long Island, so if the Governor is looking for how to do education well, she should be looking at what we are doing, not cutting back funding.”

Governor Hochul was able to propose these cuts because she proposed to eliminate the “Hold Harmless” provision to the yearly executive budget.

“The Hold Harmless provision guaranteed that every year, school districts would get, at minimum, the same level of state aid as the previous year,” explains Smith.

This provision was in place so that schools can budget for and keep in place the basis of their programs that students depend on and progress in. If these programs are diminished, students will be left with empty time and “Study Hall” periods. Under the provision, budgets could be lowballed, but never actually cut.

“She also changed the inflation factor of the provision, which means instead of using the 3.18% that this year would have been, she used a rolling average of the last ten years. This includes 2014-2018 when inflation wasn’t nearly as bad as it is now. This also comes at a time where federal money from COVIDrelated learning loss is withdrawn,” says Smith.

After COVID drove schools on Long Island, and much of the country, to remote learning, students have struggled to keep up with their curricula. Multiple studies have seen students consistently testing lower in areas like math, reading, and science. Now that federal money has officially run out, learning loss will continue to rear its ugly head.

“It’s a bad situation. In my Assembly District alone, there are probably over one hundred teachers who would lose their jobs if these proposed budget cuts were to go through,” says Smith.

Assemblyman Smith serves as the top Republican on the Assembly Education Committee. Working opposite the Chairman in the majority party, Smith serves as the top member of the minority party.

“I am proud to serve in this role, but education is not a political topic. We all work very closely together to push forward education policy to make sure every student gets every opportunity they can have,” says Assemblyman Smith.

In this role, Smith plays a part in various aspects of education such as interviewing prospects for the New York Board of Regents which sets education policy and curriculum.

“Being a former educator and parent, it’s important to me. I want to make sure our kids have the best opportunities. We want to take politics out of the class whenever possible.”

Unlike in other states where the state legislature would be responsible for state spending, New York’s Governor takes on this role, making it a very powerful position, according to Smith. The state budget is due April 1, and in the time between the governor’s proposal and the

due date, each house is allowed to present their One-House Budgets proposing how they would spend their money. Assemblyman Smith is using his position as the leading Republican of the State Assembly’s Education Committee to propose a $291 million increase.

“This would ensure full restoration of every cut plus a minimum 3% increase for every school in education funding for foundation aid. Our property taxpayers are paying a lot for schools, not just here but around the state, and we have to give them some relief. This is how we should be funding education, more from the taxes that our people contribute to the State government,” explains Assemblyman Smith.

“While the defense for these cuts is that a lot of school districts have money in reserve funds or have lost population is true in some cases, it’s not true in all,” says Smith. “However, the tricky part is as we are still recovering from the pandemic and also as the federal funds dry up for learning loss, there are so many new expenditures between inflation going up under President Biden and school districts taking in a lot of new students with the migrant crisis. New York City is taking on 35,000 new students just related to the migrant crisis. Teachers need to be trained in special education, in multiple languages, etc.”

Assemblyman Smith goes on to explain that the cost of teaching each individual student has gone up, which will make the cost of education fall on the shoulders of Long Island’s property taxpayers.

“How high do you want our taxes to be Kathy Hochul?” concludes Smith.

“The schools are always going to look [to cut] programs that are not mandated. So, right away, this would have to be arts programs, music programs, sports, and student clubs,”

- Assemblyman Doug Smith

Hauppauge HS Junior Achievers Teach Elementary Students

Hauppauge High School students visited Bretton Woods Elementary School as part of the Junior Achievement High School Heroes program. Junior Achievement is the nation’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge

and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures and make smart academic and economic choices.

The program provides high school students with the opportunity to become role models by teaching and inspiring elementary students.

Oquenock Love on Display Thanks to New Mural

In honor of P.S. I Love You Day, a new mural now adorns the hall at Oquenock Elementary School in the West Islip Union Free School District to spread love and kindness every day.

Daria Mirabella is a former Oquenock Elementary School student and Class of 2013 graduate. Mirabella, who is a full-time artist and founder of Mira Bella Designs, has always had a passion for art. After graduating college with a degree in business management, and receiving her certification in graphic design, she became her own boss and started working exclusively as an artist. Pictured are West Islip Union Free School District Superintendent of Schools Dr. Paul Romanelli, teacher Kristine Greene, Oquenock Elementary School Principal Amanda Harvey, and Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources James Cameron. The John Thomas Gaffney Memorial Fund commissioned the mural.

Each Bretton Wood’s classroom was visited by three high school students at a time, teaching grade level curriculum on the topics of workforce readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship to their young counterparts. As teachers for the day, the high schoolers taught a series of interactive and hands-on lessons.

East Islip Girls’ Winter Track Team Captures FirstEver County Championship

The East Islip High School girls winter track team won the Suffolk County girls indoor track and field small school championships on February 4 for the first time in school history. The competition took place at Suffolk Credit Union Arena at Suffolk Community College’s Brentwood campus.

Grace Micali opened up the scoring by winning the triple jump with a jump of over 36 feet. Brianna Tucci won the 1,500-meter racewalk in only her third time competing in the event, with senior captain Jaclyn Scandale earning sixth place to round out the scoring, Chloe Garatina won the long jump with a jump of more than 17 feet, with Micali right behind her to help secure 18 massive points for East Islip.

Danielle Simonetti impressively ran in three events in 45 minutes, winning the 600-meter race and taking third in the 300-meter. Her times were the fastest in school history outside of her own previous times.

In the relays, the 4x200-meter relay team of Carly Amato, Maya Brown, Chloe Garatina, and Kaylee Garatina earned a valuable fourth place finish, while East Islip’s 4x400-meter relay team of Danielle Birner, Micali, Simonetti and, Danika Tidridge beat the top-ranked team in the state, setting a new county meet record time of 4:04.64.

“Congrats to the entire team on an unbelievable season,” coach John Reynolds said.

Bayport-Blue Point Unveils Student Wellness Center

On February 9, Bayport-Blue Point High School unveiled their new wellness center with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony. The district purposefully held the ceremony on P.S. I Love You Day to highlight the center’s purpose of supporting students’ social, emotional, and mental health needs.

P.S. I Love You Day is a day of spreading love and positive messages to stand up against bullying, help end depression and prevent suicide. The district recognized the growing mental health needs of their students and implemented various mental health initiatives throughout the past couple of years; this space is the physical culmination of these efforts and will act as a haven for students.

“We know that when we reduce stress, we allow room for other feelings such as acceptance, openness and belonging,” said Superintendent of School Dr. Timothy Hearney as he addressed the ceremony’s guests. “This dedicated space is for everyone to enjoy. The center is for open conversations, connections, and empathy. Mental health struggles don’t define a person, they’re just one part of their journey. By fostering understanding and compassion, we create a community where seeking help provides our strength.”

Junior Katie Edwards spoke at the podium on behalf of her fellow students, expressing her gratitude and excitement to use the space. Interim Bayport-Blue Point Principal James Nolan, Assemblyman Jarett Gandolfo (R-Sayville), Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter (R-West Islip), Councilman John Lorenzo (C-West Sayville), Legislator Dominick Thorne (R-Patchogue), Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport), and Maureen Menella, on behalf of donor M&T Bank, also spoke, recognizing the importance and great need for this kind of space.

After the ceremony, guests, including a handful of Bayport-Blue Point students, had the opportunity to visit inside the center for the first time. The center includes comfortable seating areas, rooms for the school’s psychologist and social worker, a plant/nature section, coloring books, board games, soft music and more.

The district also announced an outdoor portion of the center that will be completed in the fall.

America the Beautiful: How History Shapes our Electorate Arizona - The Copper State

By Matt Meduri

Once one of the nation’s most Republican states, Arizona has now developed a profile as a crucial swing state, or even a blue-leaning battleground, depending on who you ask.

Early History - The Five ‘Cs’ of Arizona

The Spanish were the first to explore Arizona in 1539, with expeditions started in search of fabled golden cities. Coronado’s 1540 exploration would also start in search of golden cities, but he would be the first European to view the Grand Canyon. A few Spanish missions were started in southern Arizona and northern Sonora. Most of Arizona was governed by the Province of Las California until 1804, when those parts of Arizona became Alta California under Mexican control. After the end of the Mexican-American War in 1848, the U.S. now controlled most of Arizona, then lumped in with the New Mexico Territory. President James Buchanan (D-PA) then secured the rest of the territory with the 1854 Gadsden Purchase. The Territory of Arizona was established in 1863.

Much of Arizona’s population began to grow in 1849 due to the California Gold Rush, as miners passing through were attracted to the area for gold, and later, silver and copper. Cattle ranchers and farmers were among others who populated the state early on, but were usually met with many clashes from the natives. Arizona also played a small role in the Civil War, hosting a few battles that helped the Confederacy gain control of the Southwest for a short period of time.

Mormons were also a catalyst for growth in Arizona, as many flocked to the desert west in search of isolation for their belief system.

Arizona would then become defined by the so-called “Five ‘Cs:’” copper, cattle, cotton, citrus, and climate. Arizona has the largest amounts of copper deposits in the United States and second in the world, just behind deposits in the central Andes Mountains of South America. Arizona regularly accounts for about 60% of total U.S. copper mining.

Cattle ranching became a big industry after the Civil War. Texans brought their cattle across the desert, allowing millions of Americans to be fed from Arizona alone. However, overstocking, homesteading, and drought led to cattle ranching parching the land and seeing a minimized role in Arizona’s fledgling economy.

Cotton, namely Pima Cotton, became a cash crop for Arizonans around the turn of the century. Citrus farming was made possible with irrigation, bringing oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes to the region. Finally, climate became a huge boon to the state’s economy, especially with ranching and citrus farming in mind. Arizona’s climate is unique in that about three hundred days of the year are sunny, with just about eight inches of rainfall per year for the entire state.

Railroads and tourism tied the entire state together by the turn of the century. Republicans tried to enter Arizona into the Union as part of New Mexico in order to retain control of the Senate. Arizona Progressives favored their own state constitution with provisions for direct election of U.S. Senators, women’s suffrage, and other initiatives. Arizona was admitted as the forty-eighth state on February 14, 1912, making it the final state to be admitted to the contiguous lower-48.

Twentieth Century Politics -

Arizona’s economy became revolutionized by World War II. Along with various New Deal programs, Arizona became the prime location for military bases. Clear skies, good weather, unoccupied land, railroad connections, cheap labor, and low taxes made it a perfect place for the military to set up shop. Its close proximity to aviation industries of nearby California and the Great Plains allowed the state to retain its profile among military and private firms after the war.

The Hoover Dam also became a landmark project for the state. Situated on the ArizonaNevada border, the Hoover Dam was constructed between 1931 and 1936, allowing an economic booster shot into the state during the Great Depression. The dam sits on the Colorado River and scheduled water usage for the arid desert regions of the Southwest.

Air conditioning is what turned the tide for Arizona’s population. What was once an attractive stopover for miners set on California, Arizona quickly became a destination itself. Warm winters and low cost of living made the state particularly attractive to older residents, a demographic that would insulate Arizona’s political status as Republican-leaning for most of the Twentieth Century. Real estate entrepreneurs descended on the unoccupied land to build gated retirement communities.

With urban areas sprouting up Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona saw its citrus and cotton industries dwindle. Not only did land become in demand for development, but water became more expensive.

Arizona first participated in the 1912 election and voted for Woodrow Wilson (D-NJ) over a fractious Republican Party. Warren Harding (ROH) would become the first Republican to carry Arizona in 1920, due to inflation and souring on Wilson’s foreign policy regarding WWI. Republicans would carry Arizona in all elections of the 1920s until Franklin Roosevelt (D-NY) would win landslide victories in the state in all four of his elections, with 1936 being the best showing for any presidential candidate in the state’s history.

Harry Truman (D-MO) would win Arizona in 1948 and until 2020, would be the last Democratic presidential candidate to carry Phoenix’s Maricopa County.

The 1952 election of Dwight Eisenhower (R-KS) would kickstart the state’s long flirtation with the GOP. An older, rural state built on Spanish-Mexican family values, Democrats would have trouble coming within ten points of Arizona for decades.

In 1964, Arizona was one of just six states to back native-son Senator Barry Goldwater (R) over Lyndon Johnson (D-TX), with the other five being Deep Southern states. Goldwater’s iconic status in the state, along with his unique amalgam of political views at the time, allowed him to narrowly

This is the fifty-second of a series column that will look at the history of all 50 States, all 5 territories, and the Capital and the influence history has on our current political environments. The aim of this column is to capture that our country is not just red or blue, but rather many shades in between. Each Lower 48 state’s current political landscape can be traced back to its early settlement and geography and its particular involvement in the Civil War, the Industrial Revolution, and the Civil Rights Era.

retain this state. Arizona would then develop one of the longest Republican voting streaks in the nation, backing the GOP in every election from 1952 until 1992, and then again from 2000 to 2016.

The 1980s saw the beginning of Arizona’s political alignment to what it is today. Northeastern Apache County, which is heavily Navajo, would begin voting Democratic in 1984, while heavily-unionized Greenlee County would start to see slips in its margins by the 1990s. Indicative of union households shifting to the GOP, Greenlee County backed Democrats in every election from 1912 until 1996. Since 2000, it has backed every Republican nominee.

Geography - The Copper State

1. Grand Canyon Region - The northern third of the state. Includes the Grand Canyon and the cities of Flagstaff, Kayenta, Page, and Kingman. Mostly tourist mountain towns, the Navajo Nation, Las Vegas exurbs. Democratic-leaning.

2. Sky Island Region - Mountainous southeastern corner of the state, home to unionized Greenlee County, the heavilytransient city of Tucson, and the border county of Cochise County. This area has been home to prime swing districts in the U.S. House. Republican at face value, more competitive down ballot.

3. Sonoran Region - The central mountains of the state extending from the Mexico border north towards Prescott. Includes Sedona, Phoenix, and the Phoenix suburbs. Tucson’s Pima County is heavily Democratic, while Phoenix’s Maricopa County was once Republican territory. As the area becomes more populated, younger, and more diverse, it continues to drift leftward.

4. Western Desert Region - The western third of the state from the Mexico border extending to the Las Vegas exurbs. Contains Yuma and small rural towns. Staunchly Republican.

Current Political Leanings - A Quick Turnover

Arizona last voted for a Democrat in 1996, when Baby Boomer Bill Clinton (D-AR) was able to win over voters of his own generation in the laid-back state of Arizona. Joe Biden (DDE) ended the GOP winning streak with a surprise win in 2020.

However, Democrats’ recent success in Arizona has been as quick as it has been solid. In 2018, Democrats won a Senate seat for the first time in thirty years with Kyrsten Sinema, now an Independent. They also flipped several statewide offices, one House district, and several seats in the state legislature. In 2020, they won the presidential race and the other Senate seat, making it the first time Democrats have simultaneously held both Arizona Senate seats since 1953. In 2022, Democrats won the governor’s mansion for the first time since 2006.

The problem for Republicans: Maricopa County went Democratic in all of those elections.

On top of that, Arizona has one of the closest divided legislatures in the country. Republicans hold both chambers, but with a narrow 16-14 majority in the State Senate and a 31-29 majority in the State House, they barely have any sway against a Democratic governor.

Part of the GOP’s recent string of failures in Arizona has to do with demographics. The state is becoming younger, more populated, more educated, and more diverse. As the suburbs continue to lean leftward, Republicans need to get back in the driver’s seat in Phoenix if they want to remain relevant in the state going forward.

The other problem for the GOP is the state party. Fractious and ambiguous in their vision for the future, they’ve left many voters with no better choices than a party that has consistently lost in the state for decades. And these are voters who are just now learning what it’s like to live in a swing state.

With a marquee Senate race, competitive House districts, and eleven crucial electoral votes on the line in 2024, Arizona will be squarely in the eye of the hurricane this November.

Constantino Brumidi Lodge #2211 Celebrates

Its 55th Anniversary

Legislator Steven J. Flotteron (R-Brightwaters) congratulates the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America Constantino Brumidi Lodge #2211 President Sabrina Savino on celebrating its 55th Anniversary at their General Membership Meeting. For the past 55 years, contributions have been given to Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America, St. Francis Hospital Heart Fund, North Babylon Scholarship Fund, Deer Park Fire Department, Bishop’s Annual Appeal, Cleary School for the Deaf, Boy’s Town of Italy, and Garibaldi’s Meucci Museum.

Cupid Strikes at Town Hall!

Twenty couples said ‘I Do’ at Town Hall Wednesday in celebration of Valentine’s Day. Islip Town Clerk Linda Vavricka (R-West Islip) and her staff offered extended hours to accommodate the demand for a Valentine’s Day wedding.

By

Putin Is Pushing Where

This week, Vladimir Putin finally — allegedly — murdered his chief political rival and critic Alexei Navalny. Navalny’s death followed an attempt by Putin’s operatives in 2020 to kill him by poisoning; Navalny survived the attempt, worked with online specialists to unmask the actual agents responsible for the poisoning and then returned to Russia, where he was promptly arrested on trumped-up charges and sent to a Gulag in the far north.

Now, Navalny is dead.

And Putin isn’t stopping there. This week, the Russian government announced an arrest warrant for Navalny’s brother, Oleg, on unspecified charges; Putin’s agents likely murdered a Russia defector to the Ukrainian side, who was found riddled with bullets in Spain; Putin’s government arrested a Russian-American dual citizen on treason charges for giving some $50 to a group called Razom for Ukraine, which sends medical and hospital equipment to the beleaguered country.

Meanwhile, Putin is stepping up his international outreach efforts. This week, Putin invited the terror group Hamas to Moscow to talk, along with fellow terrorist leaders from Islamic Jihad and the Palestinian Authority. He also received plaudits from far-left corrupt Brazilian president Lula Da Silva, who refused to condemn Russia for Navalny’s death but found time to accuse Israel of perpetrating a new Holocaust in the Gaza Strip. And, of course, last week he hosted Tucker Carlson for an interview, in which he laid out his historic grievances against NATO and Ukraine; Carlson then followed suit by issuing a series of videos praising Russian metro stations and supermarkets, claiming that Russian food prices should “radicalize” Americans into despising their leaders.

Putin feels unbound.

And he should.

Joe Biden is a weak leader with no centralizing principles. He has slow-walked aid to Ukraine since the beginning of the war; he has insisted on continued funding for the war while refusing to articulate what an end to the war would look like; he has refused to even justify the war to Americans beyond simply repeating the word “democracy” over and over — empty rhetoric that no longer tugs at the heartstrings in a complex world where the U.S. has non-democratic allies of its own. Biden refuses to take serious action on the southern border in order to achieve the Ukraine aid package he insists he desires; he even refuses to negotiate with the speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, on the issue. He seems to prefer tearing into Republicans for their insufficient zeal in funding Ukraine. All of this focus on Republicans allows Biden to elide the split in his own party — a split between Wilsonian interventionists and Noam Chomsky anti-Americans, who believe the United States to be a malevolent force in the world.

Meanwhile, Republicans are split, too. There are essentially four camps into which the Republican Party has split: neo-conservative interventionists, a remaining rump from the Bush years, who have historically supported nation-building efforts in far-flung regions with the goal of cultivating democratic allies even in inhospitable places; realpolitik devotees, who seek to assess each foreign conflict and all foreign aid with an eye toward hard American interests, ranging from the economic to the military; isolationists, who oppose all American interventions, both economic and military, on principle, believing that foreign policy generally represents a betrayal of priorities closer to home; and anti-Americans, who meet with the Chomsky-ite left in a perfect example of horseshoe theory made real.

Putin sees all of these splits. He sees the fact that Americans are distracted by domestic concerns, pried apart by competing narratives of the country, at each others’ throats over everything from the definition of sex to the role of the government in everyday life — and split even on the question of whether America is a force for good or ill in the world.

Vladimir Lenin once supposedly said, “Probe with bayonets. If you find mush, you push. If you find steel, you withdraw.”

Putin is probing. And he’s finding nothing but mush.

Ben Shapiro, 39, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+. He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author; his latest book is “The Authoritarian Moment: How The Left Weaponized America’s Institutions Against Dissent.” To find out more about Ben Shapiro and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website.

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Biden Abandons Christians Abroad As His DOJ Persecutes Them At Home

By Ben Solis | AMAC Exclusive

Despite purporting to be a devout Catholic, President Joe Biden has said virtually nothing about the rising persecution of Christians around the world – even as his own administration’s harassment of Christians reaches new depths of cruelty at home.

Last November, Biden announced a new “national strategy” to counter Islamophobia, citing a “disproportionate number of hate-fueled attacks.” But the president has expressed no such concern for Christians who are the targets of similar attacks in the United States.

Following the Dobbs Supreme Court decision in 2022, for instance, dozens of churches and pro-life pregnancy centers were attacked and vandalized in a clear campaign of anti-Christian violence. One radical pro-abortion group called Jane’s Revenge claimed credit for at least 18 of these attacks – yet Biden’s Department of Justice failed to prosecute even one member of the group.

Instead, the DOJ under Biden has directed its efforts toward harassing and imprisoning Christians. Last year, an FBI field office infamously produced a widely distributed internal memo describing traditionalist Catholics (defined as those who partake in the Latin Mass) as an “extremist threat.”

While ignoring violent attacks on churches, the Biden administration has also prosecuted Christian pro-life activists for praying and singing hymns outside abortion clinics. Some now face prison sentences of up to 11 years.

In decades gone by, the United States was seen as the world’s foremost defender of Christians. Unsurprisingly, however, as Biden targets people of faith at home, Christians are also facing increasing persecution around the world.

Take, for instance, the story of Father Genrich Okolotovych, a parish priest in Belarus who was arrested last November just before dawn.

Okolotovych, who preached Christ’s call that whoever tries to save their life in the circumstances of omnipresent iniquity and injustice will lose it, but whoever loses his life will save it, was 70 years old and recovering from a serious illness. Two days after his mysterious disappearance, concerned believers finally received confirmation from authorities that he had been arrested and charged with treason. No further details were given.

Okolotovych, it should be noted, is no stranger to prisons and persecutions. He was fined 30 times and arrested in the 1980s for “illegal prayers, catechesis, and pilgrimages.” He was also deemed a “Vatican spy” for saying mass at a cemetery where victims of the Katyn massacre (a mass execution of 22,000 Polish military officers and intelligentsia perpetrated by the Soviet Union) are buried.

In one of his last homilies before his arrest, Okolotovych implored his congregation to “tell the truth in every circumstance. You have to honor this profound desire of every person, especially a young person. The truth for a young conscience is like milk for a child. The truth for a mature person is like a meat for muscles.”

This resounding and authoritative call was apparently a threat to the Belarus dictatorship which, despite Okolotovych’s frail health, jailed him in a Minsk prison dubbed “America” during the Cold War since so many dissidents accused of spying for the CIA were held there.

According to the Pontifical Foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Father Okolotovych was one of 86 members of the clergy and 44 Catholic priests who were imprisoned in 2023. While ACN counted 10 clergy who were arrested in Belarus last year, other sources put that number at closer to 30 – it is difficult to know for sure in countries with such repressive governments.

The nation which led the world in jailed clergy according to ACN was Nicaragua, with 46 arrests in 2023, including two bishops who were later forcibly exiled to the Vatican.

Nigerian Christians have also suffered from an increasing tide of terrorist attacks perpetrated by alQaeda and ISIS-affiliated groups which are targeting church buildings, parishes, religious schools, and even medical centers managed by Christian missionaries. Last year, Muslim terrorists killed 14 clergy in the African nation, including 11 priests and a bishop. The renowned organization Open Doors has reported that attackers assaulted churches 750 times nationwide,

saying even this was “a very conservative estimate.”

Father Simeon Fajoluwafemi, a senior Franciscan priest from the diocese of Shendam in the central Plateau State, told me that terrorist groups appeared more active today than in the past in targeting Christians. He specifically noted that he felt prior American presidential administrations were “authentically interested” in religious freedom in his region, and that this “kept the Islamist terrorist cells in check.”

“America has abandoned Christians,” he concluded.

To make matters worse, the Nigerian government also persecutes Christians. In 2023, a total of 28 clergy were arrested by the government, including three nuns.

In Algeria, just four Protestant churches remain open out of 46 just a few years ago, and the government has begun imprisoning church leaders.

Among the chief persecutors of bishops, priests, and nuns

is communist China, where ACN investigators confirmed at least twenty cases of religious persecution resulting in imprisonment last year. Open Doors also reported that churches are “under unprecedented attack” in China. Many Christian churches have gone underground and begun meeting in secret.

Even in India, the world’s largest democracy, Christians face immense persecution. As of last September, there had already been 525 attacks on Christians in 2023 according to the United Christian Forum – already making it one of the most violent years for India’s Christian community. Ethnic violence in certain parts of the country has also led to hundreds of churches being destroyed.

Although Biden cannot be blamed for all of this persecution, his silence is nonetheless stunning for a self-professed devout Catholic. With the largest platform in the world, he has chosen to ignore the plight of Christians, and the enemies of the church have taken notice.

WORD OF THE Week egregious

Origin:

mid 16th century (in egregious (sense 2)): from Latin egregius ‘illustrious’, literally ‘standing out from the flock’, from ex‘out’ + grex, greg- ‘flock’. Sense 1 (late 16th century) probably arose as an ironic use.

Source: Oxford Languages

Synonyms:

appalling, horrific, abhorrent

Adjective

Pronounced: uh·gree·juhs

Definition: outstandingly bad, shocking

Example: “The chamber was thrown into chaos after the egregious policy was passed.”

Antonyms: marvelous, inconspicuous, trivial

Word Ladder 2/22

The aim of the game is to get from the given initial word to the given final word by changing only one letter per line. Note that every line must be a valid word. Sometimes there are several possibilities.

Initial word: DESK

Final word: BOOK

Goal: 6 words

This Week in History

February 23, 1540

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado’s expedition sets off from Mexico in search of the seven cities of Cibola

February 28, 1708

A slave revolt in Newton, now Elmont, Queens, led to eleven deaths.

February 25, 1862

First Legal Tender Act 1862 is passed by the US Congress, authorizing the United States note (greenback) into circulation, the first fiat paper money that was legal tender in America.

February 24, 1868

US House of Representatives vote 126 to 47 to impeach President Andrew Johnson.

February 23, 1904

United States acquires control of the Panama Canal Zone for $10 million.

February 22, 1967

25,000 U.S. and South Vietnamese troops launch Operation Junction City against the Viet Cong. Largest US airborne assault since WWII.

February 27, 2012:

Check our Instagram @MessengerPapers and our Facebook for the answers to this week’s games.

Wikileaks begins disclosing five million emails from private intelligence company Stratfor.

By PJ Balzer

This is an exciting and much-anticipated time of year here in Suffolk County for basketball lovers. The energy in every gym is absolutely electric and the stands seem to be packed everywhere you go. This week begins the first round of the varsity basketball playoffs!

The Playoffs Are Here!

Late last week, Section XI released the playoff brackets for both boys and girls high school basketball. This includes the ranking of each team matched up with their first opponent, branched up with their possible next opponent if they win. There are some great matchups starting this week that definitely won’t disappoint. The playoffs here in Suffolk are followed by a winner of each bracket competing against the winner of the same bracket in Nassau County. The winner of that game then travels to Glens Falls civic Center in upstate New York to compete in the State finals.

Games to Watch this Week

There is good basketball being played at Commack high school right now, both by the boys and girls. The Commack boy team (4) will host Patchogue (5) this Friday at 5:00p.m. This is a game worth getting out to. Commack will bring their known style of sound, fundamental basketball.

They move the ball well and are patient to find good shots. This Patchogue team is coming to run the ball and score off a quick outlet pass with fast break after fast break. This will be a fun game, as will Northport (6) at Brentwood (3) on the same evening at 5:00p.m. Brentwood beat Northport earlier in the season but don’t expect Northport to go down easily. They never do. They are well coached and tough.

Rocky Point (11) is barreling into the playoffs after an upset win over a higher seeded Westhampton team. Rocky Point is playing at Deer Park (6) on Thursday evening at 5:00p.m. Expect them to show up with much momentum and ready to win, only to possibly face Westhampton again in round two. Deer Park is a solid program that has had a tough league schedule. They certainly won’t let Rocky

Point roll over them in their own gym. Expect a good first round game here!

Bellport (8) versus East Islip (9) will be a fun game to watch, as will Sayville (6) versus Wyandanch (3). Sayville and Wyandanch have faced off twice already this year with Wyandanch winning both games. The margin of victory diminished much between the first and second meeting. Expect this one to be a good one, possibly closer than the last. Both Bellport and Wyandanch will host these games as they are the higher seeded teams this round.

There are some much anticipated, second round games looming in the near future. We could possibly see a third face-off between William Floyd and Brentwood, with Amityville and Hills East also staring at each other from opposing sides of a bracket.

Below is a link to go fan ticket purchases, as Section XI Athletics does charge an admission to get into each game. Enjoy whichever games you chose to attend and check back next week for some second-round games to watch.

Scan QR-Code to purchase tickets.

County Executive Ed Romaine Announces Credit Rating Upgrade from Standard & Poor’s

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) announced S&P Global Ratings upgraded its long-term rating and underlying rating (SPUR) on Suffolk County’s general obligation (GO) bonds outstanding to ‘AA-’ from ‘A+’ with a stable outlook.

“This is great news and the first of what we hope to be several upgrades as we work to make Suffolk a safer and more affordable place to live,” said Romaine. “We will continue to work with our colleagues in the Suffolk Legislature and the Suffolk County Comptroller to streamline government and improve services while continuing this forward momentum.”

“The upgrade reflects ongoing improvement to the county’s financial position. Despite economic headwinds to the county’s financial profile, Suffolk County is in a much stronger financial position to maintain higher reserves and structural balance,” said S&P. “The combination of stronger financial management and financial performance, the historic level of reserves and budgetary flexibility, a sizable affluent economy that is more resilient than in years past, and a manageable debt burden

are factors that align with a high-investment-grade rating.”

“This latest credit upgrade for Suffolk County highlights the conservative budgeting practices of the Republican majority over the last two years,” said Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst). “Through conservative budgeting and making prudent use of one-time federal ARPA funds has put Suffolk County on a firm financial footing for the first time in 15 years. The SC Legislature will continue to work

with County Executive Romaine to insure the long-term financial future of Suffolk County.”

“Over the past 2 years the legislature has made a concerted effort to help strengthen the county’s financial stability, and today’s announcement is a big step in the right direction,” said Suffolk County Legislature Minority Leader Jason Richberg (D-West Babylon). “I look forward to continuing our bipartisan push to keep on the fiscally sustainable path we’ve laid.”

“The rating further reflects our opinion of the county’s robust local economy, characterized by very strong per capita taxable market values, very high residential incomes, and new developments supporting economic growth prospects,” said S&P. “Better budget policies and practices that have reduced reliance on revenue growth and onetime measures to balance budgets, and ample budgetary flexibility to provide officials headroom to make timely revenue and expenditure adjustments when economically sensitive revenues underperform.”

“We will continue to be fiscally conservative and build more efficiency into Suffolk County government,” said Romaine. “The taxpayers put their faith in us to budget wisely and protect their dollars. That is what we are doing.”

Hauppauge Middle School Presents

Junior

A Whimsical TheatricalDelight!

This January 26th and 27th, the stage at Hauppauge Middle School came alive with enchantment and creativity as talented students brought to life the beloved characters from Dr. Seuss in the spectacular production of “Seussical Junior.”

Under the direction of Elise Siegel, the musical direction of Anthony Hayes and choreography by Amy Dolce, the young performers showcased their acting, singing, and dancing talents, delivering a captivating performance that delighted audiences of all ages. The whimsical world of Dr. Seuss was vividly brought to the stage, creating a magical experience for both the young cast and the enthusiastic audience.

“Seussical Junior” is a heartwarming and entertaining musical that celebrates the imagination and messages of Dr. Seuss, weaving together beloved stories and characters into a colorful tapestry of joy and laughter.

Parents, friends, and community members gathered to support the talented students, and the two-day event was a resounding success. The Hauppauge Middle School drama department extends their gratitude to the community for the overwhelming support and encourages everyone to continue embracing the arts in education.

Historic Day for Connetquot Senior

By James Haupt

As Connetquot’s high school basketball season comes to an end, there is much to look back on. They finished with a 4-12 conference record (5-15 overall) to place 6 in Section XI League II for boys basketball.

It wasn’t the success they were hoping for, but the Thunderbirds had an exciting and competitive season. One game in particular left a mark on Connetquot’s season proving to be a historic performance.

On Saturday, February

1, senior Peter Pinero scored 47 points against North Babylon. Not only was this his personal best, but it broke the Connetquot school history for points in a single game.

“It meant everything to do it in front of all my friends, teammates, coaches, and family,” Pinero said about his 47-point performance.

This topped off an impressive season and career from Pinero who has been on the Varsity basketball team since his sophomore year. The season is officially over, which means he has played his last game as a Thunderbird.

“We weren’t really a winning team, but it was still an amazing career. The coaches were amazing and I made a brotherhood with my teammates, “ said Pinero.

New York Stars Shine in All-Star Weekend

By James Haupt

The long awaited NBA all-star weekend finally arrived, and it did not disappoint. The weekend was hosted in Indiana and was filled with fun festivities and elite basketball. New York Knicks star point guard Jalen Brunson competed in the game this year in what was his first all-star appearance in his career. He played 17 minutes and scored 12 points with 2 three-pointers and 5 assists.

It was a fantastic debut for Brunson as he also competed in the three-point contest. He scored 24 which was just short of the mark to reach the final round. It was an all-around fun and successful weekend for the Knicks star.

judges penalized him for missing his first try on this dunk. The judges aren’t supposed to let missed dunks influence their scores, but they gave him a 47.2 and he failed to make the final round.

It was still a great performance for the young G-leaguer who made a name for himself and is looking to make it onto the New York Knicks official roster.

Steph Vs. Sabrina

Everything was working for Pinero who scored from all over the floor. He displayed his elite three-point shooting, making 7 on the night. He also hit a bunch of mid-range shots and showed his ability to drive to the rim with ease.

Unfortunately, the Thunderbirds couldn’t secure the win, losing 76-70, but it was still an amazing night for Pinero who was able to make history on his home court.

Connetquot will be losing key seniors like Pinero for their next season. It will be tough for them to handle, but it’ll make way for young players to shine on the court. As for Pinero, he looks to continue his basketball career in college.

“I’m hoping to play D-3 ball somewhere on Long Island,” Pinero said.

It would be great to see a Long Island hooper stick around and compete at the next level. Good luck to Peter in his future endeavors and go Thunderbirds!

This weekend was more than just star players, however, as the many challenges give opportunities to new and younger players to make their mark on the league and impress players, coaches, and fans.

Dunk Contest

The dunk contest is the most exciting and anticipated event of every all-star weekend. Four of the best dunkers in the league compete to shock the world and impress the judges to win as dunk contest champion.

This is a contest that the New York Knicks have experience with. Former Knicks Obi Toppin and Nate Robinson have won in recent memory. Toppin won only two years ago in 2022. Robinson was a three-time dunk contest champion, the only player to ever do so.

This year’s contestants included Jaime Jaquez, Jr. of the Miami Heat, Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics, and the reigning champion Mac McClung who plays in the G-league for the Osceola Magic.

It’s important to recognize G-league players who compete in this contest as it’s an opportunity for young and developing players to make a name for themselves. McClung received all the hype from winning last year and was a clear favorite for this contest.

The last competitor is also on a G-league roster that hits close to home. Jacob Toppin, brother of former dunk contest champion Obi Toppin, plays for the Westchester Knicks and was given the opportunity to compete this year.

Toppin had a creative dunk package to display for the fans leaving everyone impressed. In his first attempt he jumped over his brother on a reverse baseline dunk. He received a 47.8 for this dunk giving him high hopes to make the finals. His next dunk was mesmerizing as he did a reverse 360 and went between the legs. Unfortunately, the

The newest challenge added to all-star weekend marked a historic point in the history of professional basketball. The Steph Vs. Sabrina three-point challenge was a crossover between the NBA and WNBA as two of the best shooters in all of professional basketball competed against each other.

Stephen Curry is a household name for the NBA who has changed the game forever. He is simply the greatest three-point shooter to ever do it, reaching unbelievable marks throughout his career. He leads in practically every shooting statistic there is and had a total of 3,642 three-pointers made heading into this all-star weekend. This is nearly 700 more than the next player on the list.

Curry faced off against WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu in a three-point challenge breaking gender boundaries that have been in place for years.

Ionescu plays for another team close to home, the New York Liberty. This past Summer she competed in the WNBA three-point contest and broke a record. She made 25/27 shots to score 37 points and win the contest. This performance stunned the world and put Ionescu and the WNBA on the map. What started as a humorous Twitter exchange between the two sharpshooters resulted in the Steph Vs. Sabrina challenge.

It was an exciting competition and it shaped the future of the NBA. Ionescu shot first and immediately showed off her skills, draining the first 5 in a row. She finished with 26 points, tied with the highest point total in the actual three-point contest this year.

As impressive as this was, Stephen Curry is still the best shooter on the planet. He finished with 29 points and took the victory.

Despite her defeat, Ionescu changed the world of basketball. She proved that women can compete in basketball and are deserving of more praise. The two players hinted at continuing this challenge for years to come and potentially bringing different players from their respective leagues into the mix.

CreditTwitterMichael A. Moran@CHSPrincipal_

Theater Three’s “tick, tick BOOM!” Packs a Punch!

By Cindi Sansone-Braff

Jonathan Larson’s “tick, tick… BOOM!” originated as a “rock monologue” entitled “Boho Days.” In early September 1990, he premiered this semi-autobiographical one-man musical at Second Stage Theater. He continued to hone it for the next few years while simultaneously working on the iconic musical “Rent.” Sadly, he passed away on January 25, 1996, the day before the opening of the Off-Broadway preview of “Rent.” Posthumously, Larson received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and three Tony Awards.

Michael has given up the ghost of the theatre world and has taken a job at a marketing firm, where he is enjoying the perks of a big salary—a BMW and a luxury apartment. The opening song, “30/90,” reflects how scary it is to turn 30 in the 1990s, as all three characters lament, “What can I do?”

Robbie Torres gave an award-worthy performance as Jon, a man bursting with talent yet plagued with anxiety and self-doubt. Torres aced his moving solo, “Why,” reminiscing about

Theatre Three’s outstanding production features the “tick, tick BOOM” version revised by David Auburn, a playwright brought in as a Script Consultant. Auburn turned the original one-man show into a three-character musical that opened in 2001 at the Jane Street Theatre in New York City, directed by Scott Schwartz.

The themes explored in this rock musical are universal. Who hasn’t wondered if following their passion was leading them down the path to ruin, or who hasn’t watched the pursuit of their dreams turn into real-life nightmares?

This provocative musical takes place in New York City a week before Jon, an aspiring composer, turns 30. Pressured by the haunting sensation that time is running out, Jon confronts the harsh reality that his goal of writing a successful musical has yet to come to fruition. His girlfriend, Susan, a dancer, longs to get out of the rat race of the Big Apple. His best friend

his long-term friendship with Michael and their dream of making it big in the theatre world.

Jason Furnari was exceptional as Michael, a gay man and former actor, who sings his liberation anthem “No More,” discovering with money there is “No more walking thirteen blocks with thirty pounds of laundry in the freezing dead of winter…” Jon joins in this upbeat, comical duet, taking an inward leap of faith that someday he, too, will have all this and more, not by selling out to the corporate world but by utilizing his Godgiven creative gifts. Furnari’s moving rendition of “Real Life” was one of the show’s highlights.

Veronica Fox as Susan stole the show with her powerhouse vocals, charismatic stage presence, and versatility. Fox has a flair for comedy and had the audience in stitches with her spot-on portrayal of Rosa, Jon’s painfully honest, hard-hitting agent. As Karessa, a performer in Jon’s musical “Superbia,” Fox

showed off her sassy, sexy side, and her pitchperfect rendition of “Come to Your Senses” was an audience favorite. Fox and Torres rocked the outrageously funny song “Therapy,” where Jon and Susan hash it out, singing bitingly witty lyrics such as, “I feel bad, that you feel bad, about me feeling bad, about you feeling bad.”

Another hilarious moment in the show happened during the song “Sunday,” a nod to Larson’s mentor and idol Stephen Sondheim. In this scene, Jon works in a diner and is driven nuts by an array of annoying and demanding patrons, brilliantly played by Furnari and Fox.

Jeffrey Sanzel’s precision-perfect direction kept this high-energy, emotion-driven musical

entertaining and engaging from curtain rise to curtain fall. Randall Parsons’s innovative set consisted of large screens where the fabulous live band was always visible and readily heard. The well-chosen set pieces: Jon’s desk, which was nothing more than a large slab of wood on milk cartons, an overflowing trash can, a couch, and a keyboard, speak volumes about the spartan life of a creative. Jason Allyn’s ‘90s costumes added a touch of realism to the show. If Theatre Three ever auctions off Susan’s showstopping green velvet dress with its divine touch of bling, I will place the highest bid!

The audience showed their appreciation for this electrifying production by giving it a well-deserved standing ovation. This mustsee musical runs through March 16, 2024. To purchase tickets or for additional information, please visit www.Theatrethree.com or call the Box Office at 631-928-9100

Cindi Sansone-Braff is an award-winning 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 fulllength Music Drama, “Beethoven, The Man, The Myth, The Music,” is published by Next Stage Press. www.Grantmeahigherlove.com.