Child Protective Services Unveiled
By Hank Russell
The day before a conference on the changes to the Suffolk County Child Protective Services (CPS) system, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) and District Attorney Ray Tierney (R) held a press conference at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge on November 7 to announce some of the major changes to CPS. These changes took place after the district attorney’s report on the agency’s handling of the case of Thomas Valva, who died in 2020.
Town Launches Plan ‘TOI-360’ to Guide Growth, Public Surveys Now
The Town of Islip is proud to announce the launch of TOI-360, a comprehensive plan designed to guide the community’s growth and development over the next 20 years and beyond. This initiative marks the first update to the Town’s comprehensive plan since 1979, aiming to address key areas such as land use, housing, transportation, economic development, environmental sustainability, and quality of life.
The TOI-360 plan derives its name from the Town’s rich history. In two decades, it will be just over 360 years since William Nicoll purchased land from the Secatogue Nation in 1683.
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The number 360 also represents this full-circle opportunity to reflect on Islip’s past, thoroughly examine growth patterns and land use trends, and develop a shared vision for the future. This comprehensive plan will address issues like sprawl and congestion while promoting coordinated development and informed infrastructure investment.
The adoption of a Comprehensive Plan is essential for several reasons. First, it provides a clear vision for Islip’s future and offers a framework for decision-making. This ensures that the community’s needs and aspirations guide all policies and actions by the local government. By accommodating diverse views, values, and interests, the plan fosters collaboration and builds consensus among stakeholders with varying perspectives.
The public engagement process will be one of the key challenges in a Town of this size – Islip is the third most populated municipality in New York State. The Town is committed to ensuring there is broad public input from the diverse population within the Town of Islip, which is home to over 330,000 residents spread across multiple hamlets, each with its own unique character, historical land use patterns, and strong community ties. Engaging a wide range of voices is critical to understanding the needs and priorities across different communities, neighborhoods and hamlets. While the plan will primarily address issues at a townwide level, it will also provide an opportunity to identify specific community concerns and local priorities.
The TOI-360 planning process is driven by public
Islip Matters
Thursday, November 14, 2024
Town Launches Comprehensive Plan ‘TOI-360’ to Guide Future Growth, Public Surveys Now Live Drill Teams Take First, Second, Third Place in State Championship
Three Town of Islip fire departments recently displayed skill and remarkable talent at the 2024 New York State Drill Team Championship, hosted by the Central Islip Fire Department.
“Our heartfelt congratulations to the three outstanding teams that took home the top honors this year, the Central Islip Hoboes, the West Sayville Flying Dutchmen and the Islip Wolves,” said Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter (R-West Islip).
Each team demonstrated not only technical proficiency across various challenging events, such as the Three-Man Ladder and the B & C hose drills, but also the spirit of camaraderie that defines the firefighting community.
“Their achievements reflect years of hard work and dedication, and we honor them for their commitment to excellence and their enduring contributions to public safety and our communities,” said Supervisor Carpenter.
On hand for recognition were Lt. Steven McCarroll, and members of the First Place Central Islip Hoboes; Captain Dan Perrey, and the Second Place West Sayville Flying Dutchmen, and Captain Mike Welton, and the Third Place Islip Wolves.
“Congratulations to each team for their impressive performances and thank you for your continued support and service to our community,” concluded Supervisor Carpenter.
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engagement, with input from local government representatives, community organizations, businesses, and residents playing a critical role in shaping the plan. There are several opportunities for public participation, including both in-person meetings and online activities, with dates and locations for public workshops to be announced this fall.
Three online surveys are now live at TOI360.com to gather input on key issues and priorities for both the Town and individual hamlets. The first is a traditional online survey, inviting residents to share their thoughts on topics such as housing, economic development, and parks. The other two are interactive tools which encourage collaboration, allowing users to engage with and build upon others’ comments. The “Ideas Wall” lets participants post suggestions in a format similar to sticky notes, while the “Interactive Map” allows users to pinpoint specific locations, such as parks or intersections that need attention. All three online surveys will remain open through the end of the year.
For more information on the planning process, please visit TOI360.com. The website will be regularly updated with event details, draft documents, and other essential information. Residents are also encouraged to sign up for email updates on TOI360.com to stay informed about this transformative initiative.
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Trump Chooses Zeldin to Run EPA
By Hank Russell
In preparing to start his second term, President-elect Donald Trump (R-FL) has announced that he has named Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) as the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He would replace Michael Regan, who was sworn in as administrator in 2021.
“I have known Lee Zeldin for a long time, and have watched him handle, brilliantly, some extremely difficult and complex situations,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
He said Zeldin will “ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Zeldin will be responsible for “[setting] new standards on environmental review and maintenance, that will allow the United States to grow in a healthy and well-structured way,” stated Trump.
This is the second time Zeldin will have served in Washington, D.C. He previously served as a U.S. Representative from 2015 to 2023, representing NY-01. During that time, he served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Financial Services Committee. In addition, he cochaired the House Republican Israel Caucus, which boasts more than 100 members. He also championed infrastructure and research projects back home, including the preservation of Plum Island, Army Corps of Engineers initiatives and
Suffolk Legislature Amends, Approves Budget
By Hank Russell
The Suffolk County Legislature recently approved an amended version of the County Executive’s 2025 Operating Budget. The legislature noted that there will be an additional $8.3 million in spending that will be offset by net revenue from Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025.
“County Executive [Ed] Romaine’s (R-Center Moriches) budget was fair, responsible and well-crafted, said Deputy Presiding Officer Steve Flotteron (R-Brightwaters), chairman of the Legislative Operating Budget Working Group and Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee.
“My colleagues and I agreed that the budget took into account our needs and bipartisan priorities, without some of the budgetary gimmicks employed in previous years.”
to various agencies. According to the Legislature’s Budget Review Office, the 2024 estimate for sales tax is increased and the 2025 recommended revenue for interest and earnings is increased to offset the net cost of all of these actions.
Flotteron noted for example that monies will account for the hiring of new police officers, an investment in cybersecurity (following the devastating ransomware attack in 2022), and investments in personnel and employee compensation.
a $2 billion Electron-ion collider for Brookhaven National Laboratory.
At the age of twenty-three, Zeldin became the youngest attorney in New York State at the time. He also served four years on active duty in the U.S. Army, where he had roles as a military intelligence officer, prosecutor and military magistrate. In 2006, he deployed to Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He continues to serve a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Before serving in Congress, he was in the New York State Senate from 2010 to 2014. In 2022, he ran for governor against incumbent Kathy Hochul (D). Despite losing the race, he collected more votes for a Republican candidate since Nelson Rockefeller (R) over fifty years ago. Because of his strong performance, according to Trump’s post, the GOP was able to flip many “blue” Congressional seats in the suburban areas, resulting in the Republicans taking back the House of Representatives.
“It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator,” Zeldin posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI. We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.”
This article originally appeared in Long Island Life and Politics. For more from LILP, visit them online at lilifepolitics.com.
Flotteron noted that other county budgets in the past have relied on “one-shots” that he described as “temporary, unsustainable, or unreliable.” He also said the budget has done away with “unrealistic revenue projections.” With no legislator voting against the budget amendments, the omnibus legislation corrects overstated revenue and understated expenses, fixes technical errors, adds funding associated with the issuance of Tax Anticipation Notes, provides additional funding for Legal Aid, maintenance of Health facilities, recreational opportunities, contracted agencies, and computers for the Legislature.
Further, the measures add revenue from the Vanderbilt endowment for capital projects pursuant to local law and distributes Hotel/Motel funding
“Our legislative priorities for public safety, enhancing employee recruitment and retention, and aid to contract agencies providing vital services, were taken into account in a solid, fair and responsible budget,” he said. “On the heels of two bond rating increases for the County, we’re moving in the right direction.”
Flotteron also praised County Executive Ed Romaine for his fiscal responsibility which he said resulted in two bond upgrades in the first nine months of Romaine’s administration.
“Our fiscal improvements –including staying under New York State’s 2% property tax cap – are all the more impressive considering dramatic cost increases in critical areas, such as mandated pension costs, health insurance and prescription drug costs, and the loss of approximately $8 million in expected revenue from red light cameras,” he said.
This article originally appeared in Long Island Life and Politics. For more from LILP, visit them online at lilifepolitics.com.
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Key Changes Announced for Suffolk County Child Protective Services
As previously reported in Long Island Life & Politics, Tierney released a grand jury report that showed that CPS staffers did not perform their due diligence when investigating the abuse Valva suffered at the hands of his father and his father’s girlfriend. Of the eleven reports sent to CPS, the agency found ten of them to be “unfounded;” those reports were later sealed, which meant they could not be accessed by law enforcement.
“We worked tirelessly with our partners to make sure these recommendations were not just that — recommendations — but turned to action and real change,” Tierney said.
Since Romaine took office, “there has been a sea change” in the CPS system, Tierney said. “The amount of collaboration has been very gratifying. … This collaboration … is to make sure that something that happened with Thomas Valva and his brothers never occurs again.”
Valva’s death was very personal to Romaine. “He lived in my community, he sat next to my grandson in elementary school,” he recalled. “We had to tell my grandson that [Valva] was not coming back.”
The List of Changes
Major Quality Improvements of Suffolk’s Family and Children’s Administration Recognized by New York State: The New York State’s Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) recently published its 2024 Program Quality Improvement Review for Suffolk County in the areas of Child Protective Services, Preventative/Protective Services and Foster Care.
The report indicates that Suffolk County Family and Children Services demonstrated a substantial improvement in all areas, with many categories reaching the 100% compliance rate. The review of Suffolk’s Family and Children’s Services Administrator is a key indicator that Suffolk’s efforts to improve case practice has been impactful and has further renewed the County’s commitment to provide Suffolk DSS with the immediate tools needed to best serve Suffolk County’s families.
“There has to be transparency in the way we conduct our work,” Imhof said, “and there has to be accountability.”
Using Blind Removals from the Child Removal Process: Suffolk County implemented the Blind Removal policy on all CPS removals of children from their families.
“There is no identifying information about the subjects in the investigation,” said the new social services commissioner, Dr. John Imhof, said. “We don’t know [the children’s] names, where they are, where they go to school, what their parents do for a living.
Blind removal meetings were created to facilitate an unbiased decision-making process in which a caseworker does not disclose any personal and demographic information about a child/family when information about the case is being presented to directors, assistant directors, and others before a removal of a child from their family is initiated. The goal is to reduce bias in the decision-making process.
“We all have unconscious stereotypes in our minds,” said the new social services commissioner, Dr. John Imhof. “They have to be eliminated … Without that objectivity, stereotypes jump in, stereotypes sway the decision-making process.”
Co-Location of CPS Abuse Teams to the Child Advocacy Center: Next month, Child Protection Services (CPS) will relocate caseworkers assigned to the CPS Teams investigating allegations of child abuse to the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) in Central Islip. CPS Caseworkers will be able to work in tandem with Law Enforcement and attorneys from the District Attorney and County Attorney’s office while investigating a case involving child abuse. This, according to the county, will reduce victim trauma.
Interagency Collaboration through Joint Trainings: Since March 2024, DSS has organized numerous interagency training courses on a range of crucial topics, including child protection, trauma-informed care, forensic interviewing, and the multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach to child abuse investigations. These training courses have been attended by DSS Child Protective Services employees, the Suffolk County Police Department, and attorneys from both the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and County Attorney’s Office.
Tierney said the county started its own training program after he found the state’s training program was “woefully inadequate.”
Legal Training with the Suffolk County Attorney’s Office: In 2024, the County Attorney’s Office Family Court/DSS Bureau, in collaboration with the DSS’ Family and Children Services Administration (FCSA), worked diligently to enhance the attorneyclient relationship by implementing a training program among professionals so that both sides could learn from each other as they handle sensitive abuse and neglect matters as a comprehensive and collaborative team.
The Return of Adult Protective Services to Family and Children’s Services Division: In September 2024, the County’s Adult Protective Services (APS) division was returned under the umbrella of the Family and Children’s Services Administration of DSS so that APS could shift their focus as a casework and a needs assessmentbased program offering not only entitlement to benefits – but also support services. As a result, APS and CPS will work in greater collaboration regarding cases so that Developmentally Disabled youths nearing the age of majority will be provided appropriate and ongoing adult services.
Specialized Training by Daemen College Regarding Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental; Disabilities: In 2024, more than 170 DSS employees attended courses hosted by Daemen College, which is considered one of the top health sciences educators in New York, where case workers received heightened training in relation to working with individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD).
Employees were further educated about the characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of disabilities such as Autism, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy, Fragile X, Down Syndrome, Prader Willi, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Language and Learning Disorders. Training also focused on understanding challenging behavior in children and youth.
Countywide Multidisciplinary Training to Serve, Protect and Advocate for Vulnerable Populations: DSS, in collaboration with New York State Children’s Alliance, the Suffolk County Executive, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and Suffolk’s EAC/Child Advocacy Center, will provide specialized training for Suffolk County’s frontline workers on how to serve, protect, and advocate for vulnerable populations including children and adults with disabilities, mental health disorders, and older adults through trainings, expert consultation, peer review and behavioral analysis. This training focuses on the skills necessary to interview, prosecute, investigate and protect these vulnerable populations.
Supervisor Training for FCSA Employees: The Department of Social Services will increase training for its Supervisory Staff to develop a Child Welfare Family Centered Clinical Model of Supervision within the Family and Children’s Services Division. This newly developed model focuses on providing middle management with advanced training on the actions, responses and decision-making of each case worker in ensuring a child’s safety and providing the necessary services for the children and their families. The model includes increased support for caseworkers in decisionmaking, handling crisis and to build worker competence.
Safety and Security of DSS Caseworkers and Staff: DSS, in collaboration with Suffolk County Fire and Rescue Emergency Services, has contracted with Motorola Solutions to provide more than 600 DSS employees with the RAVE/Guardian Panic Button mobile app. With the push of a button, the app instantly communicates any type of emergency to 911, while simultaneously connecting to Suffolk Fire and Rescue and DSS Leadership personnel.
Emotional and Psychological Wellbeing of DSS Caseworkers and Staff: Child welfare system employees can experience burnout and compassion fatigue due to the high-stress and traumatic situations they encounter. To safeguard the overall wellness of its workers, DSS is providing additional support services of its employees so they can manage the high stress and emotional trauma they may encounter as a result of their work helping children and families.
In addition, Romaine said he will work with CPS to aggressively recruit new caseworkers, reduce the caseloads of current caseworkers and implement pay raises. Dr. Sylvia Diaz, Deputy County Executive for Health, Human Services and Education, said the starting salary is $61,000 a year, but she said that is not enough. Suffolk County Legislator Trish Bergin (R-East Islip) agreed.
“We need to provide a lifestyle for those who work so desperately to save and help the children of these counties. Some of these folks at DSS who hand out food stamps for a living, qualify for food stamps themselves.”
In addition to implementing key policy changes, Romaine spoke of a recent conference, “Creating Transformational Change for Families Involved with the Child Protective System.” The conference took place on November 8 at the Van Nostrand Theatre at Suffolk Community College, located at 1001 Crooked Hill Road in Brentwood. The keynote speaker was Katie Beers, who was part of the Child Protective Services (CPS) system for years and was kidnapped and kept captive in an underground space in a Bay Shore garage before being freed. She was joined by Carolyn Gusoff, author of Buried Memories, which tells Katie’s story.
“We took significant and swift action to reform the Suffolk County Department of Social Services to ensure that our children who are in Child Protective Services are truly protected,” said Romaine. “In addition to allocating funds to fill vacant positions, provide more efficient services, reform processes and ensure better training, we will continue to work with all levels of government to ensure proper procedures and oversight is in place so that another child does not suffer the same trauma and hardship that Thomas Valva did.”
“We must ensure that we never again have a tragedy like the one that befell Thomas Valva and his brothers,” Tierney said. “I am proud of the work of the Task Force, with the new administration of County Executive Romaine and our Legislature, to make sure that the recommendations of the Grand Jury Report are enacted rather than forgotten.”
“It was important that the grand jury report not sit on the shelf and the true changes be made. We put together a committee to drill down on that report and make the necessary changes to make sure a Thomas Valva case would never happen again,” Bergin said.
This article originally appeared in Long Island Life and Politics. For more from LILP, visit them online at lilifepolitics.com.
The Thomas Valva Case is One We’ll Never Forget
Perhaps Suffolk County’s most spectacular ball-drop in recent memory, perhaps tied with the embarrassing 2022 cyber attack, was that of Thomas Valva. Valva, a boy with autism, was forced to sleep in a freezing garage and died of hypothermia. His father and the father’s fiance were co-conspirators in the chronic abuse of the boy, whom teachers had suspected to have been abused eleven times. Thomas was said to have come to school hungry in urine-soaked clothing, sporting suspicious bruises.
These claims were deemed unfounded by Child Protective Services (CPS). The findings of the investigation were shielded from law enforcement, including the county’s top prosecutor, District Attorney Ray Tierney (R). The lack of transparency is considered the top, or even sole, reason that the investigation took as long as it did. Had CPS been more forthright, Valva might still be alive.
It stands to reason that Suffolk County is now looking at overhauling the department. County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches), apart from seeing the obvious incompetence during the Bellone Administration, has personal skin in the game. His grandson sat next to Valva in elementary school; Romaine emotionally told the press that he had to tell his grandson that Valva would not be coming back.
The County is right to increase transparency, and they should increase it as much as permissible. It’s one problem that CPS completely bungled the case, but it’s another that law enforcement and Suffolk’s top prosecutor couldn’t
access the information. It almost makes it seem as if they were intentionally keeping the disturbing secret, perhaps barring an administration that would force accountability.
The County is now stressing better, more stringent training for case workers, as well as more case workers in general. The County is also heralding more than 170 Department of Social Services (DSS) employees who have received specialized training in dealing with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities this year alone. These are both steps in the right direction, but it’s sad that a government agency’s only course of action is to grow simply because of the disaster that was the Steve Bellone (D-West Babylon) Administration.
We’d normally take the default position of shrinking departments, but the opposite is true in this case. This department and the cohort that filled the desks within it made Suffolk County a laughing stock of the country, with the 2022 cyber attack acting only as a squeeze of lemon juice over the paper cut. It’s almost unprecedented just how many “rookie mistakes” were made between these two cases, and we’re thankful we have competent leadership correcting the course, even if they were thrown an unforgivingly dirty bomb.
The Thomas Valva case is one that Suffolk is unlikely to forget, and for good reason. We hope that from the darkest depths of humanity, a new guard can arise and do right by the children who hopefully will never have to face the fate that Thomas Valva did.
Dems Point Fingers While Forgetting Their Own Missteps
The historic comeback of Donald Trump (R-FL) is certainly one for the history books, but just as Republicans are autopsying the election to see what went right for them, Democrats should be eager to get under the hood and figure out how to stave off a landslide defeat in four years.
Unfortunately for them, they seem more intent on placing blame on one another, rather than speaking directly to the voters and asking them what they want.
First, while they practically all blame each other for the dismal performance in this election, at least on the presidential level, none of them are quick to ascribe the loss to Kamala Harris (D-CA). Instead, they insist she ran a “historic” campaign, while Trump had virtually no ground game and made mistake after mistake. They also praise the fact that she “only” had 107 days to get a nationwide presidential campaign off the ground, and given the time she had, she did fairly well.
This thesis ignores that Democrats and Democrats only created the environment in which they now live. In fact, this thesis probably does more to prove the point that Democrats are victims of their own “success.”
The party had plenty of opportunities to primary Joe Biden (D-DE) when they could. Midterm polling often polls the next presidential race, just as a handicap, and many 2022 polls had Harris as a candidate, while Biden was also being polled against Trump. The Harris polls went away until late June, after Biden’s disastrous debate performance, which we can only surmise was a bait-and-switch for Trump.
It was common knowledge that Biden was not mentally up to the task even as early as the pre-COVID portion of his 2020 campaign, but even throughout his administration, the American public has been relentlessly gaslit about just how bad Biden’s faculties were.
Again, as we’ve written before, we believe that what the party did to him is inexcusable, embarrassing, and completely usurped Biden’s ability to write his own legacy. We wish him well and hope he can enjoy the rest of his years unbothered by the modern political arena.
But it doesn’t excuse the fact that Democrats insisted on doing their own rendition of “Weekend at Bernie’s.” In fact, many are now wishing that Bernie Sanders (I-VT) had been the nominee, not just this time, but in 2016. We’ll serve as the casual reminder that rank-and-file Democrats are still incensed about the DNC’s essential rigging of the primary away from him to go with the more establishment pick in Hillary Clinton (D-NY).
This also gives way to another thesis of this election: progressive politics didn’t take down Harris. The rank-and-file on the left are pointing to evidence that Harris had openly walked back more of the progressive tenets of the Democrats’ wish list, and they insist that Sanders would have been the change that they’re looking for.
They miss, however, that Sanders is undeniably progressive in his views, and while he poses perhaps the best foil to Trump out of any other politician who’s galvanized a significant portion of the population with populist overtones, he’s still progressive. Sanders being on the ticket might have helped Democrats, but there was a grassroots shift within the parties towards Trump. Should Trump not deliver on his promises, namely his taxation plans, then that would keep much of the electorate in the balance.
The reason Harris lost this election is not because she shied away from progressive views. It’s because some hot-button progressive takes are simply deemed too far to the left for this country to stomach, with or without Harris’ vocal support on the campaign trail. It’s the same logic they tried to use to discredit a significant Trump coalition. The mere ghost of Donald Trump was seemingly enough to tank the electoral prospects of any generic Republican.
And that reason brings us full circle to our editorial message this week: Democrats defied the midterm curse in 2022, just barely losing control of the House and actually flipping a seat in the Senate in what was supposed to be a wipeout and a referendum on Biden’s policies. The Democrats knew that they had captured lightning in a bottle with the abortion issue and played their hand all the way to the finish line. They were certain they were dealing with not only a much more auspicious floor for the 2024 election, but they also seemed certain that the Trump Era was more or less over. Trump-endorsed candidates, or at least those with a Trump-esque style of politics, lost badly in winnable races. This was all the evidence the left needed to celebrate early ahead of 2024, ensuring that abortion would be the topic that engaged the most single-issue voters and that Trump’s movement was embarrassingly over.
Those assumptions are what lost Harris the White House. We also think that had Biden been the nominee, Trump would have absolutely won in a landslide. Since our presidential forecast was 100% accurate, we believe we’re more equipped than most prognosticators to make that call. In short, electoral defeat was certain for Democrats. They overplayed their hands where it ultimately didn’t make much of a difference and prioritized those strategies over winning issues. It doesn’t take a historian or electoral genius to know that the candidate who wins on the economy, barring extenuating circumstances like a pandemic, is the one who wins the election. Trump had those numbers on Harris in spades, but the political savants across the country seemed to buy into Democrats’ optimism, however accurate it was for a short period of time.
Since electoral defeat was near-certain for the Democrats, they had to pick a candidate to galvanize as much of their base and stem their losses as best as possible. In this regard, Kamala Harris was the utilitarian pick. Her candidacy produced the best net happiness or comfort over the greatest net disadvantages. She turned out women and stemmed losses with them, although suburban white women appear to have been won by Trump, and she was able to stem losses among minority voters who prioritized identity politics over actual policies.
The once-impenetrable Democratic coalition of women, minorities, and laborers has mostly fallen apart, but will only remain intact if Trump cannot deliver on his gargantuan fiscal policies.
Nancy Pelosi (D, CA-11) now says that she wished that there was an open primary to allow a better candidate and perhaps live up to the name of their party instead of letting filthy-rich power brokers decide Harris was their best bet. We agree with the former Speaker, but we can’t help but quote her own words back that Biden was a “perfect president.” Pelosi didn’t see the need to disrupt power until Democrats had gotten everything they wanted from Biden, but Pelosi also didn’t balk at a Harris candidacy either.
Their own hubris lost them this election in a stunning fashion and their own hubris will lose them the next one in a landslide if they can’t help themselves from casting blame on each other.
But no one has received a bigger glob of spit in their faces than the voters. Democrats instantly turned on their base, claiming that the turnout wasn’t there, women didn’t value their “rights” that are supposed to evaporate the second Trump takes the oath of office, and minorities bought into a snake oil campaign. They can’t stop for just one moment to see why their candidate lost and why their platform just isn’t palatable to a majority of the country.
At this rate, they seem to be hedging all of their bets on Trump not delivering on his promises. That way, they don’t actually have to change the fabric of their party and keep the country in the eternal throes of reactionary politics instead of delivering substantial change.
Peanut the Squirrel Debacle Tells You Everything You Need to Know About NY’s Priorities
By Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay
Earlier this month, news that Peanut the Squirrel was euthanized shocked millions of Americans and fans of the rescue pet. Peanut was captured along with a raccoon named Fred and both were put down by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) shortly after his caretaker’s Pine City home was raided. The entire operation, including the substantial use of resources involved in the ordeal, highlights the state’s stunning lack of awareness of how public money and resources should be used.
There are so many things wrong with how this all played out. The DEC had no issue raiding the home of a man who runs an animal sanctuary to confiscate and kill his pet squirrel at a time when real crime and public safety issues continue to destroy communities. Rightfully, questions about the use of state resources to conduct a raid considering New York’s existing fiscal challenges abound.
There were countless ways this situation could have been addressed differently, and the reality is the matter was handled with no regard for compassion and nuance. While the DEC’s official explanation comes down to a rabies test, it’s unclear if there was any evidence the pet was sick. Regulations calling for a quarantine period
to observe the pet for symptoms seemed to have been ignored.
In response to the ordeal, Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz (R,C-Oyster Bay) has authored “Peanut’s Law: Humane Animal Protection Act” to prevent something like this from happening again. Some of the key provisions of the proposal are as follows:
• 72-hour waiting period: A mandatory minimum 72-hour pause before euthanizing any sanctuary animal, giving sanctuary operators time to respond, arrange veterinary care and appeal.
• Emergency appeal rights: A dedicated DEC review board of experts will evaluate appeals within 48 hours, ensuring each case receives immediate attention.
• Clear ‘Immediate Risk’ criteria: Euthanization can only bypass the waiting period if a licensed veterinarian confirms a direct, immediate risk to public safety.
• Transparent reporting: DEC would be required to publish quarterly reports on animal seizures and release testing results within seven days if euthanization occurs.
• Sanctuary recognition: Peanut’s Law defines animal sanctuaries as registered, tax-identified entities, upholding their rights.
Rules and regulations regarding pets and wildlife are important and exist for a reason. However, this was a brazen and baffling incident that quickly gained international attention – for all the wrong reasons. We can do much better than this going forward, and I sincerely hope the lessons learned from this unfortunate situation resonate with those making decisions about rescue animal care.
If you have any questions or comments on this or any other state issue, or if you would like to be added to my mailing list or receive my newsletter, please contact my office. My office can be reached by mail at 19 Canalview Mall, Fulton, NY 13069 and by email at barclayw@nyassembly.gov. You may also find me, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, on Facebook or Twitter at @WillABarclay.
Assemblyman Will Barclay (R-Pulaski) is the Assembly Minority Leader and has represented the 120th Assembly District since 2003. The 120th District contains most of Oswego County and parts of Jefferson and Onondaga counties.
The AP’s Leftward Bias Confirmed in Post-Election Coverage
By Steve Levy
The Associated Press’ coverage of Donald Trump’s election illustrates that this once-proud and prestigious institution of the fourth estate is now just another left-wing rag refusing to hear the message that emanated from the American public in this most recent election.
Their post-election article gave the appearance that Trump miraculously was able to win an election despite his insurmountable flaws. The article focused only on Trump‘s negatives, including statements that he had, according to the AP, engaged in racist attacks against his opponent, while demonizing immigrants.
Here’s a tidbit:
“The victory validates his bare-knuckles approach to politics. He attacked his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, in deeply personal — often misogynistic and racist — terms as he pushed an apocalyptic picture of a country overrun by violent migrants. The coarse rhetoric, paired with an image of hypermasculinity, resonated with angry voters — particularly men — in a polarized nation.” (“Trump Topples ‘Blue Wall,’ Reclaims Office,” as seen on Page A2 of Newsday’s November 7 paper)
Nowhere in the article was a reference made to Trump overcoming charges by Democrats that he was a Nazi. The AP belittled Trump’s criticism of Harris’ open- border policies by claiming it was Trump and his rhetoric that was the problem.
Nothing in the article pointed to the horrific decisions made by the Biden-Harris administration that pushed so many Hispanics, young people, new voters and non-traditional Republicans to vote against the Harris-Walz ticket.
The lesson to be learned from this most recent election is that, if either party leans too much to either extreme, the American public will selfcorrect. In this case, we had a Biden-Harris administration that set the world on fire with its appeasing, risk-avoidance strategy employed for tyrants around the world — from Russia’s Putin to the Iranian mullahs to Xi in China.
Extravagant spending by the Democrats pushed interest rates north of 7% and made our trip to the grocery store 20% more expensive. And they purposely let in 10 to 20 million illegal immigrants for the purpose of creating a new pool of
Letter to the Editor
loyal voters.
Additionally, the general weakness of Democratic prosecutors around the nation allowing violent offenders to walk the streets solidified the perspective of the silent majority that things were getting out of control. Just like Richard Nixon’s election was a message to the 60s radicals, Trump’s election in 2024 is a counter to the woke elements in today’s culture.
The lefties at the Associated Press just don’t get it. They think their job is to be advocates rather than just telling us the news. Media outlets around the nation should think twice about publishing their garbage without noting that they are merely opinion pieces that belong on the editorial pages.
This op-ed originally appeared in Long Island Life and Politics. For more from LILP, visit them online at lilifepolitics.com.
Dear Editor,
Why not celebrate Sunday, November 17, National Baklava Day all year long? Top off your lunch or dinner with something sweet for dessert. Order a piece of Baklava at the end of the meal at your favorite Greek Restaurant or order it in if you feel like dining with family rather than strangers. Baklava is always our go-to dish for dessert all year round. Baklava consists of thirty or more sheets of phyllo dough brushed with lots of butter, and layered with finely chopped
pistachios, walnuts, and/or almonds. Who better than the Greeks to make this tasty treat? A slice of Baklava will put a smile on your face. Just don’t get up and start dancing to block the aisle! Opa!
Sincerely, Larry & Wendy Penner Great Neck
Suffolk County Leaders Honor Veterans at Long Island State Veterans Home Celebration
By Cait Crudden
This past week, community members, Veterans, and public officials commemorated Veterans Day at the Long Island State Veterans Home in Stony Brook. The event, which attracted attendees from across Suffolk County, including, but not limited to, Assemblyman Doug Smith (R-Holbrook), Suffolk County Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset), Comptroller John Kennedy (R-Nesconset), Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa (C-Selden), and State Senator Mario Mattera (R-St. James), was held as a tribute to Veterans and their dedicated service to the nation. This year’s keynote speaker, Legislator Chad Lennon (C-Rocky Point), a U.S. Marine Veteran, delivered an impactful address on the importance of honoring the sacrifices made by all Veterans.
Legislator Lennon (pictured in middle photo), known for his service both in the military and in public office, reflected on the enduring spirit of service shared by the nation’s Veterans. His remarks underscored the significance of Veterans Day and encouraged the community to recognize and support Veterans who continue to enrich the community through their experiences and leadership. Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) also addressed attendees, echoing the message of gratitude and respect for Veterans who have selflessly protected the freedoms Americans hold dear.
The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the Long Island State Veterans Home Distinguished Service Award, an honor bestowed annually on an individual who demonstrates exceptional dedication to Veterans. This year’s award went to John LaSpina, President of Maple Family Bowling Centers, recognized for his significant contributions to Veterans’ causes. LaSpina’s commitment to the Veteran community was celebrated as an example of the power of community support in honoring and uplifting Veterans. His work
has helped strengthen Veterans’ resources in Suffolk County, making him a well-deserved recipient of this year’s Distinguished Service Award.
The event was steeped in patriotic spirit, beginning with an invocation and benediction led by multiple religious leaders, symbolizing the unity of faith in honoring those who served. The color guard, composed of members from the Suffolk County Chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America, proudly displayed the colors, adding to the solemnity of the occasion. Their participation was a reminder of the rich history and traditions upheld by Veterans from all branches of service.
Musician John Ciotta contributed to the event’s atmosphere, performing a selection of patriotic songs that resonated deeply with the audience. Ciotta’s music served as a heartfelt tribute to those in attendance, honoring Veterans through melodies that captured the pride and resilience of the American spirit.
Robert Smith, U.S. Navy Veteran and Chairman of the Long Island State Veterans Home governing body, also spoke, paying homage to the Veterans in the audience. Smith emphasized the importance of facilities like the Long Island State Veterans Home in providing not only care but also a supportive community for those who served. The Veterans Home, known for its dedication to resident well-being, annually hosts this event as part of its commitment to honor Veterans throughout the year.
The Veterans Day celebration was a moving tribute for all who attended, blending ceremony, music, and community to pay homage to those who served in the armed forces. The Long Island State Veterans Home’s dedication to preserving and honoring the legacy of Veterans was evident in every aspect of the event, from the opening invocation to the closing benediction.
As Suffolk County continues to honor its Veterans, events like this serve as a reminder of the deep appreciation the community holds for those who served. Suffolk County stands united in its commitment to honoring Veterans and ensuring their sacrifices are remembered and respected.
Kerry J. Maher Lic. Manager & Director
Kenneth Maher, Jr. Lic. Director
This Week Today
National, State and Local Temperature Checks
By Matt Meduri National
Republicans are projected to retain control of the U.S. House of Representatives, albeit by a razor-thin margin and one slightly less than the 227 seats The Messenger had forecasted.
The deciding seat appears to have come from CO-08, a district that was formed after the results of the 2020 Census, giving Colorado another congressional district and electoral vote. Yadira Caraveo (D, CO-08) had narrowly won the seat in 2022, despite polling headwinds, but failed to win a second term.
Congressman-elect Gabe Evans (R) is finishing his first term in the Colorado House of Representatives. Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ) has projected Evans to oust Caraveo by just over one point, or about 2,500 votes out of over 300,000 ballots cast.
Colorado will now have a split House delegation, with four seats each controlled by either party, but Evans starts as an underdog in the 2026 midterms, where Democrats are, based on conventional political wisdom, favorites to retake the lower chamber.
The GOP has also held important battleground districts, such as AZ-06, CA-41, and CA-22. Republicans have flipped seven seats, NC-06, NC-13, NC-14, PA-07, PA-08, MI-07, and CO-08, while Democrats have also flipped seven seats, NY07, NY-19, NY-22, AL-02, LA-06, OR-05, and CA-27. As of now, no party is experiencing a net gain, but the GOP appears favored to have a net gain of just one seat after all votes are counted.
Currently, DDHQ has the GOP at 219 seats to 211 for the Democrats. DDHQ has not called CA-13 and AK-AL, where Republicans are leading, as well as CA-09 and CA-21, where Democrats are narrowly leading.
As it pertains to our forecast, we’re off by six seats in the raw count, but the GOP has won the majority, in line, more or less, with our forecast. We missed several races, but no seats have flipped that weren’t on our “Upset Alert” list.
The map above shows dark red/blue seats as having been held by the respective party, with medium red/blue seats showing flips for the respective party, and the light red/blue seats (just three in California and the sole seat in Alaska) show where the respective party currently leads the vote count.
Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump (R-FL) is assembling his Cabinet, choosing Long Island’s favorite son Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (more on this on Page 4).
In addition, Trump announced his first pick on election night: Susie Wiles for Chief of Staff. Wiles, one of his two campaign managers, will be the first female White House Chief of Staff.
Trump has selected Tom Homan as his “border czar,” who promises sweeping deportations of illegal immigrants and will serve as Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R, NY-21) has been selected as the Ambassador to the United Nations. Stefanik took the post of House Republican Conference Chair in 2021, when then-Congresswoman Liz Cheney (R, WY-AL) was ousted in her primary.
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has been tapped as Trump’s Secretary of State. Should he be confirmed by the Senate, Rubio will be the first Latino to serve in the role. He will be the de facto leader of Trump’s foreign policy.
Pete Hegseth, a Fox News commentator and Veteran, if confirmed by the Senate, will serve as Secretary of Defense.
Congressman Mike Waltz (R, FL-06) is Trump’s pick for National Security Advisor. Waltz is a retired Army Green Beret who was elected to Congress in 2018.
In perhaps the most historic of the picks, Trump has selected 2022 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy (ROH) and CEO of SpaceX and X, the latter formerly known as Twitter, Elon Musk to lead the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and
restructure Federal Agencies,” according to Trump in a statement.
The Department’s acronym is a reference to a popular Internet meme and a dark-horse cryptocurrency that ballooned in value in 2021.
As his Ambassador to Israel, Trump is picking former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (R), who briefly ran for president in 2016.
Governor Kristi Noem (R-SD) is set to serve as Homeland Security Secretary, while John Ratcliffe (R-TX) is set to make a comeback as CIA Director, after previously serving as the Director of National Intelligence during the latter half of Trump’s first term.
However, Trump is petitioning a former Democrat to enter the Cabinet as his Director of National Intelligence: former Congresswoman and 2020 presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard (R-HI). After representing Hawaii in Congress from 2013 to 2021 and after serving as Vice Chair of the Democratic National Conference from 2013 to 2016, Gabbard ran for president as a Democrat in 2020. She famously sat out the impeachment vote of Trump in 2019 and became perhaps one of his most startling surrogates on the campaign trail. The American Samoa-born Gabbard earned the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Army and is still active in the branch.
Trump has also nominated Congressman Matt Gaetz (R, FL-01) as his Attorney General, a move that will likely see a contentious Senate hearing and nominating process. Trump has also flirted with the idea of Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) serving in that position as well.
Kash Patel is also on Trump’s shortlist for a national security post, while Linda McMahon (R-CT) is on deck as his Commerce Secretary. McMahon is the co-founder and former CEO of WWE, who, along with her husband, Vince, have been longtime friends of Trump. McMahon served in his Cabinet as the Director of the Small Business Administration and ran twice for U.S. Senate in Connecticut in 2010 and 2012.
State
Election results are still coming in, but two Long Island seats have changed party hands, while two still hang in the balance.
The two seats that have changed hands are in Nassau County. In the Twenty-First Assembly District, Assemblyman Brian Curran (R-Lynbrook) has lost his seat in yet another rematch with former Assemblywoman Judy Griffin (D-Rockville Centre). Griffin ousted Curran in 2018, only for Curran to oust her in 2022. Now, Griffin has won another rematch, taking 52% of the vote to Curran’s 48%.
Also in Nassau County, Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti (D-Manorhaven) has lost to Daniel Norber (R-Great Neck), a dual citizen of the U.S. and Israel, becoming the first Republican to represent this district in over fifty years. The seat was once represented by now-State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli (D-Great Neck Plaza). Trump carried the historicallyblue district by 2,000 votes, sweeping Norber into office. The district includes a large Jewish population, concentrated in areas like Manhasset, Merrick, Port Washington, Roslyn, Searingtown, Williston Park, New Hyde Park, and Garden City.
Meanwhile, residents of the two Suffolk seats, the Fourth and Eleventh Assembly districts, are still awaiting returns.
In the Fourth District, one-term Assemblyman Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson) is narrowly trailing former Port Jefferson Trustee and Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay (D-Port Jefferson). Kassay leads by just 50.2% to Flood’s 49.8%. The race has not yet been called. The district includes the Three Village area, as well as Poquott, Port Jefferson, Port Jefferson Station, Terryville, Belle Terre, and parts of Centereach, Selden, Coram, and Gordon Heights.
In the Eleventh District, a razor-thin margin of just one vote continues to separate Joe Cardinale (R-Amityville) and Kwani O’Pharrow (D-West Babylon) in the race to succeed retiring Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre (D-Wheatley Heights). However, O’Pharrow leads by about two hundred votes in the few neighborhoods of Massapequa Park the district contains.
Cardinale’s campaign team told The Messenger that no call has been made.
Local
Suffolk County and New York State have requested a moratorium on burning until the end of the month, citing dry conditions and a near-forty-five-day-absence of rain, only interrupted by a half-inch of rain on Sunday night.
The dry conditions have sparked fires in Orange County, to which Suffolk County has lent the services and equipment of ten fire departments to aid in controlling the blaze. The first round of firefighters returned Tuesday night and there might be another round going Upstate late this week and over the weekend, according to our conversations with Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services (FRES) and the Office of Emergency Management (OEM).
Firefighters and trucks from Central Islip, Eastport, Amagansett, Dix Hills, Huntington, West Islip, East Marion, and Orient have all aided in the Orange County fires.
Meanwhile, back home in Suffolk, officials are investigating an alleged arson case started by none other than a firefighter.
Jonathan Quiles, 20, was arrested on Tuesday night after camera footage linked him to a brush fire that broke out in Medford. It took firefighters six hours to put out the fires near Mount Vernon Avenue. The fires damaged a 2004 Chevrolet parked nearby, but no injuries or extensive property damage were reported.
“It’s unfortunate that this turned out to be a volunteer firefighter, but no one is above the law and his regrettable actions imperiled his brother and sister firefighters,” said Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico (R-Center Moriches). “I hope that this arrest will serve as a warning and a cautionary tale against those who may want to repeat these regrettable actions.”
Quiles is charged with five misdemeanor counts of arson and one felony count of arson, according to Suffolk County Police Commissioner Robert Waring. No motive has been identified; the investigation is still active.
New York continues to see its driest period in nearly 160 years.
Town
Sayville Community Comes Together to Fundraise for the Rebuilding of Main Street Businesses
By Ashley Pavlakis
Main Street is the heart of every town, people frequent Main Street to dine, shop, and enjoy the outdoors. That changed for Sayville residents on October 25, when a fire broke out at the former location of Cafe Joelle and spread to multiple businesses in the vicinity. The small businesses that were affected now have to start over and rebuild.
The fire was said to have occurred around 5:30 that Friday. The businesses that were affected were the vacant Cafe Joelle building that is under construction, Paper Doll Vintage Boutique, Boris Barber Shop, Running Company, Hammer and Shin, Crushed Olive, and the Counseling Office of Adrian Fields and Associates.
The Sayville Chamber of Commerce got to work immediately, posting a link to a relief fund that has accumulated over $90,000 toward its $150,000 goal. 100% of the proceeds will go directly toward helping those who were affected.
The community came together again, this time for a fundraiser held at Cafe Joelle’s on Thursday evening. The event sold all their tickets, people who purchased a ticket for $100 were treated to drinks, food, live music, and raffles. The line to get into the building was out the door and almost into the street. The Sayville community showed up for their beloved main street businesses.
A wide assortment of baskets were put together by the local community to be raffled off. An estimated 126 baskets were on display for people to win. Guests could purchase two types of tickets, blue for regular baskets, and orange for higher-end baskets. The items within the baskets ranged from non-perishables and clothing to golf apparel and bicycles. No matter what the baskets contained, it was for a good cause.
Sayville Native, Melissa Joan Hart, widely known for her
role as Sabrina Spelling in Sabrina the Teenage Witch, took to social media [Instagram] to show support for the town she grew up in.
“The town I grew up in, Sayville, New York, had a devastating fire yesterday [25th] and many small businesses suffered big losses. I’m donating to the Chamber of Commerce to help them get back on their feet, hopefully in time for the busy holiday season,” said Hart.
The Chamber of Commerce held a Main Street Fire Relief Fund on Wednesday night, with the same offerings of food, raffles, and music. Entry to the event was made by way of a donation. The buffet on hand was donated by Wayward Kitchen & Cocktails.
Main Street in Sayville was built in 1927 with Sayville being founded in 1738 by John Edwards. Main Street provides a close-knit feeling amongst town residents as the small businesses have their regular frequent shoppers. Without a main street in town, there is no feeling of home. Sayville is on the road to recovery after its main street suffered a tragedy. With the help of the Chamber of Commerce and the town citizens, they’ll overcome it and restore life to those small businesses.
Senator Weik Honors 130 Years of the Sayville Ferry JFK Elementary Students Sing National Anthem at Legislature
The story of German immigrant Charles Stein and the Sayville Ferry is a familiar one—a man on a mission willing to take risks to be successful in the Land of the Free. In 1894, Mr. Stein began taking passengers across Great South Bay, via charter, in a gaff-rigged sailboat, transporting church groups, duck hunters, picnickers, and holly gatherers (likely in today’s Sunken Forest, part of Fire Island National Seashore) for the day.
Charles’s son Fred would be ambitious with the project his father started and took over operation of the ferry in 1921. He motorized the sailing fleet of one and charged 40 cents (roughly $7.09 in today’s currency) for a round trip. The current boatyard was purchased by Fred in 1926, and in 1937, Sayville built its first seacraft specifically for the ferry business. In a few short months, however, disaster struck in the form of the great hurricane of 1938, depleting a significant part of Fire Island and consequently devastating the business. When Fred could not meet payments for the new motorized boat, he sold her to His Majesty’s government for use as a hospital ship.
Amidst a new generation of aspiring Stein’s, Fred’s son Kenneth attempted to get back to running the business in 1939. As World War II bogged the Western World down with travel restrictions, mainlanders rediscovered their picturesque neighbor, Fire Island, in addition to the U.S. military contingents who patrolled the beaches against the fearsome German U-boat wolf packs and potential enemy landings.
After the war, development spread rapidly as Levittown rose to suburban prominence on the mainland, as did building on Fire Island. Mr. Stein, now known as “Ken Senior,” the third generation, prudently purchased surplus war crafts and turned them into ferries. By the 1960’s, Ken Stein Junior (fourth generation), who had worked in the family business since he was a boy, took over the firm and shepherded it through its present-day growth until his unfortunate passing in 2000. Since 2000, Ken III has carried on the family tradition, serving the communities of Fire Island Pines, Cherry Grove, and Water Island, as well as the National Seashore at Sailors Haven. In 1994, Sayville Ferry celebrated its centennial anniversary and looks forward to their bicentennial anniversary and beyond! Finally, this year of 2024 marks 130 years of the Sayville Ferry, and that is worth celebrating!
Legislator Bergin invited students from John F. Kennedy Elementary School to sing the national anthem at the November General Meeting of the Legislature. Under the leadership of music teacher Mr. Michael Fernandez, a select group of fifth graders beautifully opened the meeting. Thank you for coming!
Hauppauge HS Presents ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’
Science National Honor Society Teams Up with Idle Hour to Restore Local Wetlands
Connetquot High School’s Science National Honor Society has been working to restore wetlands on the Connetquot River in Oakdale. On October 18, the honor society invited fifth graders from Mrs. Cerulli’s class at Idle Hour Elementary School to join them at the wetlands in planting flowers and plants native to Long Island.
The elementary students worked in tandem with the high schoolers to beautify the area, learning about the various plants they were working with, moving soil and mulch to areas that needed it and labeling the plants with signs made by the high school students.
Idle Hour’s fifth grade student government club decorated shells that were then placed around the plant beds to create borders. During the trip, students continued to color shells that will be placed around more beds in the future.
Through this cross-age mentoring opportunity, Connetquot’s students are not only contributing to their community, but are also learning from one another. For the younger students, this is a great opportunity to see what awaits them at the high school. The Idle Hour students hope to return once more with the Science National Honor Society in the spring.
On October 18 and 19, students from Hauppauge High School’s fine and performing arts department proudly presented their production of William Shakespeare’s, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
“The cast and crew both worked professionally to bring this more than 400-year-old play to exuberant life,” said Hauppauge High School Theater Director Jordan Hue. “I’ve rarely had the pleasure to work with such a dedicated group of young people. What stood out most to me was the pride they took in their own work and with justifiable cause. It was a great success.”
West Islip Student-Musicians Get a Taste of College Music Classes
The music department at West Islip High School recently hosted the Ithaca College faculty woodwind quintet. Composed of five college professors, they presented a recital featuring music from various cultures for West Islip Music Department students. Following the performance, a questionand-answer session focused on topics such as college admissions, preparing for auditions and various career paths. The final activity included five master class lessons, where students were grouped by specific instruments and engaged in performance practices and pedagogy.
Passing Down Sachem School Spirit
A generation of Sachem students passed down their school spirit to the next at the first-ever Sachem kindergarten-senior walk on October 24. The kindergarten class from each of Sachem’s 10 elementary schools visited the high school on their side of the district. They lined up at one end of the football field while members of the senior class who went to their elementary school lined up at the opposite endzone. The seniors met the kindergartners at the 50-yard line to “pass on the torch” and welcome the youngest students into the Sachem family. The seniors gifted them bracelets and pins and spent time talking to the kindergartners.
The event took place ahead of the Sachem East vs. North football game on October 26 and helped instill Sachem spirit across the entire school community. All who took part recognized the importance of the legacy each Sachem graduating class leaves behind.
Oakdale-Bohemia MS Welcomes 28 New Members into the National Junior Honor Society
On November 7, Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School in the Connetquot Central School District inducted 28 new members into their chapter of the National Junior Honor Society.
To kick off the ceremony, Principal Joseph Piombo warmly welcomed the inductees and their families before the school’s show choir beautifully performed their rendition of the national anthem. Adviser Lori Senia then congratulated the students and recognized their hard work leading up to the ceremony.
Connetquot High School senior and former member of the Oakdale-Bohemia chapter of the National Junior Honor Society Minal Ahmed reflected on her time at the middle school and how being a member of the National Junior Honor Society positively impacted her. “Being in the honor society isn’t just about keeping your grades up,” said Minal. “It is an opportunity to have leadership, character and be involved in your community.”
‘Deadliest Catch’s’ Nick Tokman Inspires
Bayport-Blue Point Students
Best known for his role on Discovery Channel’s Emmy winning show “Deadliest Catch,” speaker Nick “Sunshine” Tokman (pictured right) visited Academy Street Elementary and Bayport-Blue Point High School to deliver his motivational message, “Become your captain: catch your future.”
Nick’s message empowers students to overcome obstacles and negative distractions that prevent them from connecting with who they are so they can achieve their definition of success. During his presentation, Nick talked to students about dealing with peer pressure, remaining focused to achieve their goals, overcoming adversity, leveraging failure for success and how students can make the best decisions for themselves.
Thursday, November 14, 2024
The Necessary Standard for American Education
By Matt Meduri
Until this past election, Grover Cleveland (D-NY) was the only president to serve two non-consecutive presidential terms. President-elect Donald Trump (R-FL) recently met with President Joe Biden (D-DE) to formally take the keys back to the White House, becoming the first president since 1892 to win a second non-consecutive term and the first Republican ever to do so.
This week, we’ll look at the history of both campaigns and how both men were catapulted back into Washington after a four year absence.
Grover Cleveland - 1885-1889, 1893-1897
Cleveland came from modest upbringings. Born in Caldwell, New Jersey, in 1837, he would leave school in 1853 after his father’s death and later clerked at a law firm in Buffalo before being admitted to the New York bar in 1859. After serving as an assistant district attorney in Erie County, his first elected position would come in the form of Erie County Sheriff from 1871 to 1873, followed by a short term as Mayor of Buffalo during most of 1882. His reputation earned him the nickname of the “veto mayor,” as he was a fiscal stalwart and worked against “waste, fraud, and abuse” before the phrase was “coined” into a sound bite by Trump.
His mayoralty would thrust him into the national spotlight, winning the New York governor’s race in 1882. The election was a landslide for Cleveland, who took all but eight of New York’s sixty-two counties, winning with 58% of the vote.
Cleveland would serve just one term as governor before successfully winning the presidency in 1884.
Cleveland narrowly defeated Congressman James G. Blaine (R-ME) by just 0.5% in the popular vote and 219 electoral votes. At the time, just 201 were needed for victory, as twelve current states had not yet been formed.
Despite his popularity in New York, Cleveland only narrowly won his home state by a razor-thin margin - just 0.10% - but his narrow edge allowed him to flip the White House from Republican control, with then-President Chester A. Arthur (R-NY) unsuccessful in receiving the nomination for a full term. Arthur had never been elected president in his own right, but had ascended to the White House following the assassination of James Garfield (R-OH).
Cleveland’s tough, anti-corruption stances hurt him with perhaps the machine he most needed behind him: Tammany Hall. Then the cornerstone of politics in New York City, Tammany Hall has become synonymous with corruption and machine-like politics. Its foul reputation towards the end of the 1800s virtually guaranteed Cleveland a complicated path to the White House, so long as Cleveland wasn’t willing to play ball.
Cleveland was the first Democrat to win the presidency
since James Buchanan (D-PA) in 1856 and was the first Democrat to be president since Andrew Johnson (D-TN) left office in 1869. Following his victory in 1892, no other Democrat would win the presidency until Woodrow Wilson (D-NJ) in 1912. For this reason, 1884 is seen as a landmark election that interrupted decades of Republican control of the presidency between Reconstruction and the Great Depression.
But Cleveland, like Trump, staged his own comeback, then considered unthinkable based on the circumstances.
As president, Cleveland continued his anti-corruption and anti-wasteful spending scourge, especially during the Gilded Age, a time of rapid wealth increase, industrialization, and rampant corruption. One hallmark of Cleveland’s pennycounting agenda was his veto against private pension bills to Civil War Veterans who fraudulently claimed service during the war. Cleveland took his “veto mayor” pin to Washington, vetoing more bills than all prior presidents combined.
In 1888, however, Cleveland would narrowly lose the election to Benjamin Harrison (R-IN), taking 168 electoral votes to Harrison’s 233, again, with 201 needed to win. Of note, the 1888 election is one of just five instances in which the winner of the popular vote did not win the presidency. Cleveland won the popular vote by almost a full percentage point over Harrison.
Like this election cycle, tariff policy was one of the key issues. Cleveland had taken the position of reducing high tariffs that he argued were unfair to consumers, while Harrison sided with industrialists and factory workers who wanted tariffs to remain in place. His opposition to the aforementioned Civil War pensions, along with inflation, made him a pariah among Veterans and farmers, but kept him viewed favorably for his reformist stance in an era that was badly in need of reform.
Cleveland’s 1888 loss marks the first and only time in which an incumbent president of any party lost a re-election bid despite winning the popular vote. Harrison narrowly flipped New York (and Suffolk County) that year, as well as his home state of Indiana.
Like Trump, Cleveland faced his own onslaught of personal attacks. One allegation is that Cleveland fathered a child out of wedlock while still a bachelor, and another was of his marriage to Frances Folsom, a woman twenty-seven years his junior. To date, Cleveland is the only president to have been married while in the White House.
Cleveland would muster an unthinkable comeback in 1892, defeating Harrison with 277 electoral votes - this time 223 were needed to win, as six states were added to the Union since the last election - and by three points in the popular vote. Cleveland flipped back New York, winning this time by threeand-a-half points, as well as California, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Further complicating the 1892 elections was Populist James B. Weaver of Iowa, who won five states, twentytwo electoral votes, and 8.6% of the popular vote. North Dakota participated in its first election, going for Weaver in the raw count, but had chosen its electors individually, rather than a slate. As a result, Cleveland took one vote from the Peace Garden State. This remains the last time that a state awarded non-faithless electoral votes to more than two candidates.
Interestingly, California is just one of three states that Cleveland won in his third campaign but lost in his prior two. Trump only has one state that fits a similar column: California’s next-door neighbor, Nevada.
Cleveland campaigned hard on fiscal measures, remaining a proponent of the gold standard, while Populists were interested in bimetallism, which would have included silver in the country’s currency metrics, purposefully inflating the currency to help farmers pay off their debts due to overfarming of the land after the Homestead boom.
His second term of the presidency marked the end cap of his career. Cleveland declined to run a fourth time in 1896, which saw the open seat handily won by William McKinley (ROH).
Cleveland died on June 24, 1908, in Princeton, New Jersey, at the age of 71.
This column will seek to address the long-forgotten concept of civics and how it relates to American government in general, from the federal level to the local level. This column will explore Constitutional rights, the inner workings of government, the electoral process, and the obligations and privileges of citizens.
Donald Trump - 2017-2021, 2025-2029
Marking a significant political comeback, Donald Trump joins the ranks of Grover Cleveland in a spot that has been squared off by history for the last 130 years.
Trump, like Cleveland, ran as a reformist in a time when such a platform was deemed necessary by the public. Trump’s promises to stem “waste, fraud, and abuse,” and to “drain the swamp” of government in Washington resonated with voters in 2016.
He left Washington in 2021, surrounded by few apart from his family, with no political future seemingly in store for him. In his off years, Trump would face legal challenges from New York, alleging campaign finance violations, as well as scrutiny and possible legal ramifications for his role in the January 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol. Trump’s personal life was also expected to have kneecapped his electability, while Democrats defied the historic curse of the incumbent party facing massive losses during their president’s first midterm year. This had caused many on both sides to believe the Trump Era was, in part, over, and that a majority of Americans had viewed him, his policies, and his surrogates as unelectable.
But Trump’s comeback was astonishing as it was decisive. While not a landslide, he becomes the first Republican since 2004 to win the popular vote, the first since 2004 to win Nevada, and at 78 years old, is the oldest person to have ever been elected president.
Meanwhile, J.D. Vance (R-OH), 40, is set to be the thirdyoungest vice president in history, and the first millennial ever to be elected to the position.
Trump is also the eighth presidential nominee to win nonfaithless electors in at least three elections, and he and Richard Nixon (R-CA) are the only presidential candidates to win a significant number of electoral votes in three elections since term limits were enacted in 1957. Across his three elections, Trump has amassed 850 electoral votes.
Are Non-Consecutive Terms the New Norm?
We would say that this is not the new norm, but clearly, anything is possible in this day and age. We liken the comeback to a similar political time when Grover Cleveland was able to perform the same feat. It’s possible that divisions could continue, allowing non-consecutive terms to become more common than they once were, but as periods of history are cyclical, we assume this is one facet of our republic that will turn back to the norm once the dust settles.
In any case, it is a remarkable streak of history that has been broken and one that many had likely not thought they be alive to see.
Islip Town Recognizes Italian Heritage
This month, Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter (R-West Islip) and the members of the Islip Town Board were proud to recognize those members of the Town of Italian Heritage during the October Town Board meeting. The following residents were celebrated for their contributions to their communities:
John is a beloved member of the West Islip community whose journey began in Mola di Bari, Italy, before his family migrated to the United States in 1974.
After settling in West Babylon and graduating from West Babylon Senior High School in 1989, John pursued his passion for food service at SUNY Farmingdale College.
His commitment to the community flourished when he opened Café Europa in West Islip in 1995, marking the beginning of a successful culinary career that includes several beloved local establishments.
Beyond his business success, John has been a dedicated volunteer, coaching for over a decade in the West Islip Little League Baseball and Soccer Club.
His contribution to the community extends beyond sports, supporting also local events and charities, including the West Islip Breast Cancer Coalition and S.E.P.T.A.
Together with his wife Michele, John is the proud parent of 3 children: Gianna, Joseph and Mia.
The Town is grateful for his spirit of generosity, and his enduring commitment to West Islip.
Frank Giaquinto is a testament to the power of hard work and perseverance. His journey began with a passion for printing discovered in high school, which propelled him into the industry where he built his career from the ground up.
Over the past twenty-eight years, he has successfully established Doodle Dog Graphics, a thriving business known for its quality and innovation.
Frank’s commitment to excellence is mirrored in his dedication to his family. He and his wife Mary have raised two accomplished daughters, Skye and Gianna, both serving as registered nurses.
Their success reflects the strong values Frank instilled in them—values rooted in determination and community service.
Through his entrepreneurial spirit and active involvement in local initiatives, Frank continues to make a lasting impact, honoring the legacy of his heritage while forging a bright future for his family and the Islip community.
Rich D’Andrea is a dedicated leader whose commitment to both his profession and community has left a profound impact on those around him.
A proud graduate of Sayville High School and Providence College, Rich furthered his education at the American Academy McAllister Institute of Mortuary Science, eventually becoming the owner and operator of Raynor & D’Andrea Funeral Homes. His professional excellence is matched by his community involvement, where he serves as a board member for multiple organizations, including the Nassau-Suffolk Funeral Directors Association, the Patchogue Family YMCA, and the Kenneth F. Stein Scholarship Foundation.
As co-founder and chairman of The Neighborhood House of Long Island, Rich has played a pivotal role in supporting local families. His leadership extends to the Friends of Sayville Educational Foundation and the Kiwanis Club of Sayville, where he previously served as president. A finance committee member and former trustee at St. Lawrence the Martyr RC Church, he remains actively engaged in his faith community. Rich’s dedication to service is complemented by his role as an active member of Southward Ho Country Club and his commitment to nurturing the next generation through various scholarship initiatives.
Alongside his spouse Sharon and their three children—Brendan, Jack, and Kate— Rich exemplifies the values of leadership, compassion, and community spirit, making him a cherished figure in the community.
Frank Salvaggio’s journey from Sicily to becoming a cherished community leader in Bay Shore, exemplifies his dedication and entrepreneurial spirit.
Having moved to the United States at the age of eight, his passion for technology led him to the Academy of Aeronautics in Queens, where he earned an associate’s degree in 1987, launching his career as an aircraft technician with United Airlines.
In June 2006, Frank and his wife Maria took a bold step and opened Frank and Maria’s Italian Supermarket, bringing a taste of their heritage to the community.
Together, they have raised three children: Grace, Giovanna, and Christina, instilling in them the same values of hard work and service that served them so well.
Frank is actively involved in the Bay Shore Restaurant Committee and is known for his commitment to community service, hosting pre-Thanksgiving events for local veterans, and generously donating gift certificates to various organizations.
Frank Salvaggio is a testament to the impact of community spirit and the importance of giving back, making him a beloved figure in the Bay Shore community.
“Congratulations to all the honorees of this year’s Italian Heritage awards, and a sincere thank you for all you have done and continue to do for our community,” said Supervisor Carpenter.
John Raimondi
Frank Giaquinto
Rich D’Andrea
Frank Salvaggio
Veterans Day
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
‘The
Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month’
By Ellyn Okvist, B.Sc.
County of Suffolk Honors...
Armistice Day. The universal recognition to the celebrated end of the fighting of World War I was at exactly 11 o’clock in the morning on November 11, 1918. It marked the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I (WWI) and Germany at Compiègne, France, at 5:45a.m., that marked the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of WWI at the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.” A formal peace agreement was reached only when the Treaty of Versailles was signed the following year in 1919.
Many countries continue to observe Armistice Day, and the first Armistice Day celebration was held at Buckingham Palace, England, commencing with King George V on November 10, 1919. The Patriotic village of Lake Ronkonkoma dedicated their World War I Memorial on the Lake Ronkonkoma School grounds on Armistice Day, November 11, 1923.
Armistice day steadily held its place well, serving the WWI Veterans until President Dwight D. Eisenhower (R-KS) signed Public Law 380 into law, amending it to VETERANS DAY on June 1, 1954. Therefore, the holiday was expanded to include and honor ALL American Veterans, not just those from WWI. At that time President Eisenhower issued the first “Veterans Day Proclamation” which guaranteed a common purpose and established many ways for observance and national committees to assist our Veterans as needed.
Veterans Day is distinct from Memorial Day, a U.S. public holiday in May: Veterans Day commemorates the service of all U.S. Veterans, while Memorial Day specifically honors those who have died (KIA) while in military service. Another military holiday that also occurs in May, Armed Forces Day, honors those currently serving in the U.S. military. Additionally, Women Veterans Day is recognized by a growing number of U.S. states that specifically honor women who have served in the U.S. military.
Every year Veterans Day comes and goes, but wait a minute! - this is Lake Ronkonkoma, and here, it is Veterans Day every day. Our Military Tribute Banners currently honoring over five hundred Veterans are living proof of not only their service and reality, but the service of our community as a whole. You can easily WALK- READ & THANK each and every veteran with a stroll through our town. There are still additional Veterans to be honored, so think of them as you visit with all others and reach out to us to honor those who are still missing. You will see them in May 2025.
You will benefit from learning the stories of those honored throughout our town, and our past and present community members that made the greatest sacrifice. They depict different wars, eras, battles and peace keeping eras such as: the Indian wars, Rough Riders, three Generals, fighter pilots; Hamburger Hill, the Battle of Saratoga, the Liberation of Dachau. ALL from Lake
Ronkonkoma, and ultimately run into the same category-- heroes.
A group of Veterans in town represent the American Legion William Merritt Hallock Post #155; AMVETS Post #48 and William Francis Taylor #9486 VFW, and you can find their banners right near their posts. Don’t be surprised when you find the banners of the original group founders not far from their doors.
We encourage you to ask questions. Our research is impeccable and is not beyond our means to gather true and historical information that has been carefully recorded by “the group that holds the highest esteem in our town.” One must start from the top to learn and appreciate our roots, with the Veterans at the top. Each Veteran has a unique and honored story to be heard.
You may just run into one of our local heroes while visiting the town. Maybe even their children, grandchildren, other family and friends. Their pictures are priceless. Lake Ronkonkoma does not forget their military.
The Purple Heart, a military decoration for those wounded or killed in action, was established in 1782 by George Washington, then the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and on January 7, 1931, General Douglas MacArthur confidentially reopened work on a new design to re-establish the Award in 1932. Lake Ronkonkoma has a lot of Purple Hearts and should be a reminder to the community where the Veterans came from. In a symbiotic gesture the Lake Ronkonkoma Homemakers, founded in 1941 under the direction of the NYS Cornell extension, had twenty-nine members who were basically stay at home homemakers. The current local women in town, handmade crochet purple hearts that will identify our Veterans on the poles. This is a great group of women with over 85 members, who share a common goal and mission of helping others - a very generous and active bunch participating in crafting, community service, council projects, charity work, and lots of friendship.
George Cristino, local author and resident of Lake Ronkonkoma, has been studying the Killed In Action (KIA) Veterans of our town. His interest in sharing the circumstances of each instance and complete story of those KIA has led to his advanced perseverance to document our fallen soldiers. Keep your eye out for his book, which in currently completing the publishing process.
Look to the future, as the Lake Ronkonkoma Veteran’s Park is underway. Contact us to volunteer or for more information. (thelakeheritage@aol. com or notify the Messenger Papers.)
After knowing many of our Veterans and meeting many more, I can assure you, you will never have the acquaintance of a better human being. They kept their ultimate pledge to support and defend the United States of America. We must keep our undying faith in them.
Long Island Life & Politics
Committee Provides Updates on Jake’s 58 Expansion
By Hank Russell
The Long Island Association (LIA) recently held an event to learn more about the $210 million expansion at Jake’s 58 Hotel and Casino at an Economic Development & Infrastructure Committee meeting hosted by the venue. As part of the expansion, the facility will be adding 300,000 square feet to accommodate 1,000 video lottery terminals and amenities, including an event/convention space, a lounge with outdoor terrace, a boutique gift shop, a sports bar and grill, and a multilevel parking garage.
The project, which broke ground in April of this year, will employ more than 800 union construction workers and create 125 permanent jobs when the expansion is completed, which is anticipated to be in 2026. There are also opportunities for small businesses to become part of the procurement pipeline at Jake’s 58. Additionally, once completed, the project will enable Jake’s 58 to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in additional funding to the New York State Department of Education and revenue to the local community.
“It was exciting for the LIA members to visit Jake’s 58 to get a real-time update on a project under construction, which will give an immediate economic jolt to our region,” LIA President/CEO Matt Cohen.
Phil Boyle, President & CEO of Jake’s 58 Hotel & Casino and Suffolk OTB, said, “As a new LIA Board Member, it was truly a privilege to host our Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee at Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel to discuss our ongoing expansion project. There are myriad opportunities for Long Islandbased businesses to partner with Suffolk OTB and Jake’s 58, so we urge folks to contact us to discuss the possibilities.”
“It is important for the business community to know how our economy is growing and how they can engage with transformative projects, and understand the positive impacts they will have,” added Michael Maturo, chair of the Economic Development & Infrastructure Committee and president at RXR.
a
of economic
Allan Dorman, the mayor of the Village of Islandia, also spoke at the event about the positive impact the project will have on the municipality, and, in 2025, the village plans to eliminate property taxes.
This article originally appeared in Long Island Life and Politics. For more from LILP, visit them online at lilifepolitics.com.
Daniel Deegan, co-vice chair of the Economic Development & Infrastructure Committee and partner at Forchelli Deegan Terrana, said, “The expansion of Jake’s 58 is a great example of how
large-scale project can partner with the local municipality to ensure that residents see the benefits
development in their community.”
Police Investigating Manorville Hate Crime
By Matt Meduri
A Rockville Center police detective is facing charges for allegedly harassing a man due to his race.
Police say that a subcontractor for a cell company was performing maintenance on a 5G tower in a GMC Terrain around 7:00p.m. on November 3 at the corner of Sylvan Court and Weeks Avenue in Manorville. John Murphy, 40, of Manorville, allegedly identified himself to the subcontractor, who is black, as a police officer, who is also alleged to have used a racial slur, kicked the vehicle’s door, and torn a work lift off the vehicle and smashed it on the ground.
The victim drove around the corner and called the police. Following an investigation by the Hate Crime Bureau, John Murphy was charged with two counts of criminal misdemeanor of theft and one degree of a hate crime and aggravated harassment.
Murphy had been with the Rockville Center Police Department for fifteen years and apparently turned himself into police.
“This year, we’ve had seventeen hate crimes and sixty-eight hate incidents,” said County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches). “There is no place for hate in this county. I don’t care what your status is in life; this gentleman [Murphy] happened to be a detective in another police department, but that doesn’t excuse hate.”
Hate crimes are different from hate incidents, wherein hate crimes typically have a
MacArthur Airport Receives New Patrol Pup from Canine Companions
By Matt Meduri
As Islip MacArthur Airport (ISP) continues to be a regional economic boom, increased safety is an inevitable concern.
Elected officials, airport leaders, and law enforcement personnel convened at ISP’s baggage claim terminal to introduce the public to a new bomb-sniffing companion, Trisko II.
Trisko II is a two-year-old golden retriever-labrador mix who has completed three months of training, specializing in explosives detection.
Trisko II was donated by Canine Companions, a national nonprofit organization that provides service dogs to adults, children, and Veterans with disabilities. Trisko II was determined to have too high of a drive for the Canine Companions program, making him a perfect companion for ISP security personnel to ensure the safety of travelers in and out of Islip.
“Police canines have a critically important role in law enforcement. Our most recent canine for the airport retired in January,” said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Robert Waring. “After three months of training, Trisko, and his handler, Officer Eric DePrima, are now exclusively assigned to Long Island MacArthur Airport, and will spend their time at the passenger terminal and other sections of the airport checking for the presence of explosives.”
Waring thanked Canine Companions for their donation of Trisko II, which was echoed by Deputy Presiding Officer and Legislator Steve Flotteron (R-Brightwaters), who first served on Islip’s Town Council before being elected to the Legislature.
“We’ve had a lot of exciting announcements here at MacArthur Airport recently, including new airlines and destinations. However, with these wonderful developments, it’s crucial that we prioritize the safety of our travelers and residents,” said Islip Town Councilman John Lorenzo (C-West Sayville), whose Fourth Council District includes ISP. “My brotherin-law, a retired Suffolk County K-9 police officer, demonstrated the invaluable work that both the dog and the handler do to keep our community safe.”
Debbie Dougherty, Executive Director for the Northeast Training Center of Canine Companions, said that while dogs are “born
with a purpose,” the group often looks for “new, innovative” tasks for the animals.
“We have dogs that are working with border patrol in search-and-rescue operations and many other government positions,” said Dougherty. “The Netflix documentary, Inside the Mind of a Dog, talks about the incredible scent that dogs can pick up because of how their noses are constructed. Each nose has a unique imprint, just like all of our fingerprints.”
Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association (PBA) President Lou Civello said that while travelers can enjoy the convenience of flying through ISP, as opposed to JFK or LaGuardia, the aspect of safety is no different.
“We are a terrorist target here. We are a target for those who would do harm to you, to your family, to Long Islanders looking to travel, to leave for the holidays,” said Civello.
victim to whom the attack was directed, whereas hate incidents are more or less victimless, at least directly. Hate incidents can range from slurs or offensive graffiti in public spaces.
“The victim here was just trying to do his job, when the defendant allegedly harassed him and damaged his vehicle. To make matters worse, the defendant is a sworn law enforcement officer, responsible for protecting the rights of citizens, rather than violating them, as is alleged here,” said District Attorney Ray Tierney (R). “I thank the Suffolk County Police Department’s Hate Crimes Unit for taking this crime seriously and following the evidence no matter where it led. Such conduct will not be tolerated in Suffolk County.”
Murphy has reportedly been relieved of duty, but it is not clear if he has been suspended without pay. The Village of Rockville Centre said that they do not “comment on personal matters.”
“That’s why it is critically important that we invest in the safety of this airport. Trisko will keep Long Islanders safe, search for bombs, and keep those at bay who would do us harm.”
County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) (pictured right) also echoed the thanks to Canine Companions, and took time to give Trisko II plenty of pets and attention. Officials were also joined by Deputy Police Commissioners Belinda Alvarez-Groneman and Kevin Catalina, as well as Islip Town Councilman Mike McElwee (R-West Islip).
Councilman Lorenzo (Credit - Matt Meduri)
Commissioner Robert Waring (Credit - Matt Meduri)
Credit: Matt Meduri)
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Trump’s Promising Health Agenda
By Betsy McCaughey | AMAC Contributor
The Left is hysterical over the prospect of a Trump administration in charge of the nation’s health policy.
But life expectancy in the U.S. peaked in 2014 and has been shrinking nearly every year since then, an indicator that Americans’ health is declining. This is despite the trillions spent covering the uninsured. Expanding insurance is not the panacea it was promised to be.
A shakeup is needed.
Here’s what should be on the Trump agenda:
1. Focus on Healthy Eating to Combat Chronic Diseases
President-elect Donald Trump’s controversial health advisor, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is targeting unhealthy eating, particularly processed foods.
He’s on to something. Findings in the journal Nature/Food suggest that switching from an unhealthy diet to a healthy one can add 8.9 years to a 40-yearold man’s life expectancy, and 8.6 years to a 40-year-old woman’s.
Anti-smoking campaigns reduced smoking from 40% of the adult population in 1969 to 11% today. The same can probably be done for eating.
2. End Mission Confusion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
That’s the advice of Trump’s inner health circle, including Drs. Scott Gottlieb and Joel Zinberg.
The agency now focuses on woke issues. Meanwhile, it flubbed its response to the biggest disease threat of our lifetimes, COVID-19, as I documented in my book “The Next Pandemic.”
The CDC’s unscientific guidelines on masking, social distancing, and vaccines were the basis for draconian assaults on people’s right to assemble and to keep their businesses open. Americans should be relieved to hear RFK Jr. swear it will never happen again.
A CDC shakeup is also needed to reduce hospital infections, which kill more people (75,000 a year) than breast cancer.
If a previous occupant of a hospital bed had an infection, the risk that the next patient gets it soars 583% per Columbia School of Nursing research. Inadequate cleaning is the reason.
Yet instead of imposing rigorous cleaning standards, the CDC helps hospitals hide outbreaks from the public. You don’t want to be in a hospital overrun with a deadly germ, but the CDC calls it “hospital A,” preventing you from knowing.
It’s an example of the cozy relationship between health companies and the government that RFK Jr. claims he wants to clean up.
3. Make Insurance Affordable
The price of health coverage — $25,500 for a family of four — is one of the public’s top worries, according to Pew Research.
The expansion of Medicaid to 80 million during the last decade is partly to blame.
Medicaid shortchanges hospitals, paying them 88 cents for every dollar of care delivered.
Hospitals keep profits up by shifting unpaid Medicaid costs onto patients who get coverage through a job or buy it themselves. The bigger Medicaid gets, the higher premiums go.
Republicans intend to rein in Medicaid enrollment, which will help anyone who pays for insurance.
Affordable Care Act rules require individuals to buy a long list of “essential” benefits. It’s like telling car buyers their only choice is a fully loaded SUV. Some car buyers just want wheels.
Trump will allow more affordable plans, as he did in his first term — before President Joe Biden barred them.
4. Close the Border and Tighten Security
This health policy will yield the fastest results, halting the influx of contagious diseases, alleviating the
crush of migrants in ERs, and interrupting the flow of fentanyl. Drug deaths alone are cutting U.S. life expectancy by twothirds of a year.
When a young addict is arrested or overdoses, desperate family members often fork over life savings to unscrupulous addiction “recovery” outfits.
RFK Jr. is proposing a network of public “healing farms” where people struggling with addiction can go, try to heal themselves, and obtain skills for a sober life. Any parent who’s gone through this with a child will say, “What have we got to lose?”
Also, the public’s worries about RFK Jr.’s vaccine views are likely overblown. Mandated vaccinations have enabled the U.S. to defeat polio, measles, and other diseases.
Overview - AMAC -
The Association of Mature American Citizens
The Association of Mature American Citizens represents Americans 50 plus. AMAC is centered on American values, freedom of the individual, free speech, and exercise of religion, equality of opportunity, sanctity of life, rule of law, and love of family, with benefits at all levels.
AMAC plays a vital role in helping build the services that will enrich the lives of America’s seniors. AMAC Action, a 501 (C)(4) advocates for issues important to AMAC’s membership on Capitol Hill and locally through grassroots activism. To Learn more, visit amac.us
RFK Jr. said this week, “We’re not going to take vaccines away from anybody.”
But you don’t have to take his word. Neither RFK Jr. nor Trump will have the power to eliminate childhood vaccinations. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1905 that states have the authority to require vaccinations or not. Each state has its own vaccine mandates. During COVID-19, the court affirmed that, striking down Biden’s proposed national vaccine mandate on employees of large companies.
All in all, the Left is frantically defending a public health status quo that offers $25,000 premiums for family health coverage, declining lifespans, junk food, coverups of hospital dangers, and unpreparedness for the next germ threat.
Trump’s health advisors insist we can do better. I agree.
NOV 14– DEC 29
November 14, 2024
WORD OF THE Week AUGUR
Etymology:
late Middle English (as a noun): from Latin, ‘diviner;’ in ancient Rome, an augur was a religious official who observed natural signs, especially the behavior of birds, interpreting these as an indication of divine approval or disapproval of a proposed action.
Verb
Pronounced: aa·gr
Definition: (of an event or circumstance) portend a good or bad outcome.
Example: “The increased sales tax revenue augured well for the town’s budgeting process.”
Synonyms: bode, herald, foreshadow Antonyms: misunderstand, doubt, guess
Source: Oxford Languages
E L F H O S
See how many words you can create. Must have center letter in word and can use letters more than once. 4 letter word minimum.
See bottom left for the answers (please don’t cheat!)
This Week in History
November 18, 1928: Walt Disney’s “Steamboat Willie” released, first Mickey Mouse sound cartoon
November 15, 1904:
November 20, 1986:
World Health Organization announces first global effort to combat AIDS
November 14, 1994
First public trains run through the Channel Tunnel linking England and France under the English Channel
November 19, 1805: Lewis and Clark expedition, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, reaches the Pacific Ocean, first European Americans to cross the west
November 16, 1959: “The
NYC; runs for 1443 performances
November 17, 1800: Congress holds its first session in Washington, D.C., in an incomplete Capitol Building
Sound of Music” musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, opens at Lunt Fontanne Theater,
King C. Gillette patents the Gillette razor blade
Reflecting on the Past Fifteen Years
By PJ Balzer
Last month marked the fifteenth year of my middle brother’s tragic passing. My brother was only twenty-two years old when he lost a relatively short battle with drug addiction, specifically opiates, and ultimately heroin. His death in 2009 was one of the first on the East End in middle class suburbia that let people know that heroin was here, it was real and could kill. Before that, heroin was a taboo drug, seemingly only found behind the barbed wire fences of the inner-city alley.
As I’ve written in prior articles, my own life took a drastic turn after his untimely death. I had a lot of personal regret, questions and heart break that made me even try walking into a church in the very center of the hustle and bustle of midtown Manhattan. I knew I needed something other than myself for help. I’ve never been the same person since that Tuesday evening service.
That evening ultimately started a new journey of life with faith as a Christian. Writing that even a decade and a half later is still odd to me. I used to think “Jesus people” were weird, obnoxious, and way out of touch with reality.
I’ve learned and experienced much on this journey. Much about God, about myself, about others, and about life. It’s been a long, rolling classroom that still hasn’t ended. I’ve passed some of the
tests, others I had to take over. Some of them I’m still currently struggling through, still unsure what God is trying to both teach me and change in my heart. Nevertheless, here’s just a few random things I’ve learned since October 29, 2009.
God can bring good things out of a really hard life blow. It won’t be immediate, nor will it be the easy way we’d like, but He will. Out of a sudden death, He brought a new life, a new purpose, and a new heart and set of willing hands to go out to help others. After fifteen years in hindsight, I can honestly say, “He brings beauty out of ashes and out of death, a real-life Resurrection.”
The people who began with you on life’s journey won’t necessarily be there the whole way. I’ve lost friends and family along the journey, especially when my priorities started to change. My life prior to my brother’s passing was only focused on vain things, tangible things, and completely centered on myself. When I started taking on new priorities, my phone stopped ringing. I was the “extremely religious” guy who ended up losing his mind. Many of my relationships and approval from the people in my life were based on outer circumstances rather than inner. When I started to look inward, people started exiting the train.
Leave plenty of room for the faults of other people. Forgiveness is not only a beautiful attribute to have and to spread around, it’s healing as well. People are going to say and do things that will hurt you. You’ll be betrayed at times, abandoned, and talked about with ill intentions; not once, but often. That’s all part of the journey too. Believe it or not, it’s needed for us to learn and for our hearts to grow in grace. It is more blessed to give than to receive. While being on the receiving end of a set of generous hands is wonderful, there’s something about giving that moves the heart at the core. Don’t forget that people have upbringings, experiences, stories, and lives that we truly don’t know much about. We just see the stranger ringing up our groceries with tired eyes and shaking anxious hands. Opening your heart and hand to them can be a monumental part of their journey, even though we don’t realize it at that moment.
was strained at the time unfortunately, yet I’m grateful that I had that last opportunity to see him regardless. He helped move a few large pieces of furniture in and we said goodbye. Who knew that fifteen years that I’d be wishing that one goodbye lasted for hours?
Slow down a little. Your life will change over the years whether you want it to or not. Friends, jobs, seasons of life will change. Sometimes drastically and other times very gradually. Many times, I find myself wanting the next season of life to come without fully appreciating the one I’m in right now. If you’re constantly living always wanting the next big thing, you’ll miss out on truly appreciating and enjoying all of the small, wonderful blessings you have right now.
Every individual person grieves differently after a loss. Many times, we put a plan and a timeline on other people’s grieving process. I’m guilty of that myself. My siblings grieved differently than I did and still do fifteen years later. It’s been a process, and every day, year, and anniversary date feel very different. In my case, God has used reaching out to other children and young people in my community as a part of my own healing process but that’s not everyone’s journey. I see my brother in many of the kids in my community. Getting to do for them what an older brother should have done for him has been a joy.
You never know when the last time you’ll see someone will be. I know this saying is cliche and with cliche sayings, we often repeat them without believing them. I saw my brother for the last time at my apartment in Astoria. He was helping move our mutual friend into the apartment. Our relationship
Love was always meant to be an action word. Every person desires to be loved and to know that their existence matters to someone else. Sometimes that’s just stopping for a one-minute conversation or taking a few minutes to check in on someone without asking them for anything afterwards. Love can be big and grandeur in expression but doesn’t have to be. Sometimes it’s simply, “Hey how did that doctor’s appointment you were worried about go?”
Make time to pray each day. Jesus is recorded departing off to a solitary place before the sun came up to spend alone time in prayer. This is one of the best habits that He’s helped me to form. We never know what a day can hold or what challenges we may face or decision we may have to make. Pray alone, pray together pray often, praying sincerely, and pray transparently. Pray knowing that you were never supposed to navigate this journey completely alone.
Travel light. This world and journey are a temporary. You and I are just briefly passing through.
Image by Freepik
22 Theatre & the Arts
There’s No Yuletide Without Theatre Three’s
“A Christmas Carol.”
By Cindi Sansone-Braff
Christmastime is about tradition and sharing time-tested holiday rituals with family and friends, like shopping for a tree, making a gingerbread house, hanging decorations, and visiting Santa. For Long Islanders, to miss Theatre Three’s annual production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is pure humbug and gosh-darn sacrilegious.
“A Christmas Carol, in Prose: Being a Ghost Story of Christmas,” published on December 19, 1843, was the first Yuletide story written by the legendary English author. In the twenty-five years following its publication, Dickens wrote dozens more, including, “The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain: A Fancy for Christmas Time,” and “The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In.”
A yearly pilgrimage to Theatre Three’s “A Christmas Carol” reminds us of the two-fold message inherent in this beloved tale of redemption. Firstly, anyone can experience a miraculous change of heart. Secondly, all of us must give ourselves a yearly “life review,” where we take a good, hard look at our words, deeds, and actions to see what we learned and what we can do better in the upcoming year.
Theatre Three’s Executive Artistic Director Jeffrey Sanzel’s brilliant adaptation, precision-perfect direction, and unforgettable portrayal of Scrooge are the heart and soul of this stellar production. Each year, Sanzel brings an additional layer of depth to his remarkable performance. One of the show’s high points is watching Sanzel’s intense body language and facial expressions as he brings the misanthropic, miserable, and miserly character of Ebenezer Scrooge to life and then witnessing his entire demeanor morph as he reveals the kind, generous, and grateful soul Scrooge becomes.
The production opens on an eerily dark note, with the somber echoes of the lines, “Marley was dead … There is no doubt about that.” With that thought solidly planted in our heads, Stephen T. Wangner delivers a bloodcurdling performance as the ghost of Jacob Marley, chained and
remorseful as he returns from the depths of hell. This Christmas classic teems with ghosts, including the Ghost of Christmas Past, angelically portrayed by the talented Cassidy Rose O’Brien. The role of the Ghost of Christmas Present demands an actor who can deliver his clever and wellcrafted lines with perfect comedic timing, and Scott Hofer rocked this role. The most terrifying specter of all is the humongous Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Expertly maneuvering this larger-than-life costume was Steven Uihlein.
Throughout the show, Dickens offers much-needed comedic relief in this otherwise dark portrait of the hardship of life in London during the Victorian era. Two
of his most endearingly witty characters are the lovable Mr. Fezziwig, Scrooge’s first employer, and his jovial wife, Mrs. Fezziwig. Scott Hofer and Ginger Dalton’s charismatic portrayal of this happily married couple was one of the show’s highlights. Dalton was also outstanding as Scrooge’s hilarious housekeeper, Mrs. Dilber.
Other notable performers were Julia Albino as Belle, Fezziwig’s dutiful daughter, who reluctantly breaks off her engagement to Scrooge; Kyle Breitenbach as Dick Wilkins, Fezziwig’s apprentice; Steven Uihlein as Fred Halliwell, Scrooge’s kind nephew, and Cassidy Rose O’Brien as Janet Halliwell.
Ray Gobes, Jr. brought great warmth and kindness to the role of Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s long-suffering employee. Linda May delivered an award-worthy performance as Cratchit’s loving wife and mother of his children. May has a beautiful singing voice, which she showcased during
as a lonely schoolboy, and Zachery Kanakaris was charming as the elated child on Christmas morning. Ash Stalker delivered a memorable performance as Fan, Scrooge’s older sister, and Amelia Theodorakis commanded the stage as Margaret and the Charwoman. Alternating performances feature another talented group of child actors known as “The Ivy Cast,” which includes Vivian Leigh Rumble, Giovanni Ladd, Olivia Davis, Christina Gobes, Kelsie Curran, Jennifer Salvia, Roy Fleischer, Skye Greenberg, and James Bressler.
A great deal of the success of this production goes to the top-notch creative team. Special mention goes out to Sari Feldman for her expert choreography, Ellen Michelmore for her original music and sound effects design, Tim Haggerty for his exceptional sound design, and Robert W. Henderson, Jr. for his spectacular lighting and sound design. The breathtaking set by Randall Parsons, the authentic Victorianperiod costumes by Jason Allyn and Randall Parsons, and Brad Frey’s astute musical direction all came together to make “A Christmas Carol” a resounding success. This magical, musical, mystical show is a visceral experience. You will laugh. You will cry, and you will gasp in abject horror. Ultimately, you will leave Theatre Three vowing to keep the Christmas spirit always in your heart.
Arrive early to enjoy the cast caroling on the Second Stage and stay afterward to take an onstage picture with Ebenezer Scrooge. Surprising your friends and family with tickets to Theatre Three’s superb
her moving solo. Much of this allegorical tale’s emotional appeal comes from the heartwarming scenes featuring the tightknit Cratchit clan. The young actors who portrayed their children were outstanding, including Mia Rofrano as Martha, Aidan Sharkey as Peter, and Angelina Eybs as Belinda. Stanley Zinger delivered a heartrending portrayal of one of Dickens’ most beloved characters—Tiny Tim.
Saturday night’s opening performance featured the children from “The Holly Cast.” Kathleen Anabelle Han gave a captivating performance as The Girl, whose muted presence haunts Scrooge. Patrick Hutchison aced the role of Scrooge
production of “A Christmas Carol” is the perfect holiday gift! The show runs through December 28, 2024. For tickets, call the box office at 631-928-9100 or visit www. theatrethree.com.
Cindi Sansone-Braff is an awardwinning playwright. She has a BFA in Theatre from UCONN and is a member of the Dramatists Guild. She is the author of “Grant Me a Higher Love,” “Why Good People Can’t Leave Bad Relationships,” and “Confessions of a Reluctant Long Island Psychic.” Her full-length Music Drama, “Beethoven, The Man, The Myth, The Music,” is published by Next Stage Press. www.Grantmeahigherlove.com.
Photos courtesy of Steve Ayle,
By Ashley Pavlakis
High School Sports: Fall Season Roundup
It feels like yesterday we were just starting a new school year and fall sports were back in session. But now, the leaves are changing color, and most fall sports are winding down or have ended already. Long Island High School Sports are a member of Section XI, which is part of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA).
Section XI was formed in 1938 to provide a formal organization for high school athletics in Suffolk County. At least 60 high schools and 77 middle schools are part of Section XI. The not-for-profit organization is led by Executive Director Thomas Combs, who is accompanied by a 15-member board team.
Let’s look back at the 2024 season amongst fall sports happening around the eastern parts of Long Island. The Messenger spoke with various high school coaches this season, and we’re happy to report a majority of those teams went on to take home a title in their respective sports.
On the girls’ side, we’re kicking it off with soccer. The girls at Shoreham-Wading River capped off their 10-2-2 season with a 1-0 win over Sayville in the Class A Suffolk County championship. In the Class AAA championship, the title was taken home by Ward Melville who defeated Commack with a score of 3-1. Class AA was won by West Islip, who claimed the title with a 1-0 victory over Eastport-South Manor.
Volleyball served up some quality matches this season. Of note, Port Jefferson took the title home in the Class C championship and Ava Rielly notched her 1,000th career assist. Ward Melville had a season for the record books, going undefeated on their way to the Class AAA title with a win over Commack. And finally, Sayville took home the prize in the Class A championship after beating West Hampton.
On the turf, Sachem East secured the Long Island championship in field hockey with a win over Ward Melville in Class A. Sachem finished the season undefeated en route to the title win. The Arrows will move on to the New York State
CreditFreepik
tournament where they’ll face Harborfields.
Swimming was a no-brainer as Hauppauge-Smithtown’s swim and dive are simply unmatched. The girls took home their fourth-straight Suffolk County title in an undefeated season. They also earned their fifth straight League I championship.
Beam, bars, vault, or floor, the Smithtown varsity gymnastics team conquered them all on their way to a Suffolk County Championship title. In addition, they’ll be sending Bayla Goldberg, Amanda Burns, Brooke Dunn, and Mary Saul to States in March.
On the tennis courts, Bayport-Blue Point girls tennis took home a County Championship after defeating Ross, and a Long Island Championship with a win against Cold Spring Harbor. There was plenty to cheer for this season, and cheerleading does it best. Ward Melville scored the Class A title and Shoreham Wading River took home the Class B title.
The boy’s fall sports are still wrapping up with football games still left to be played. Let’s take a look at the championships that have been won at those eastern Long Island high schools.
In boys’ cross country, Port Jefferson took home the county championship for the eighth straight season. The boys will advance to the Class C championships that take place on Saturday at Queensbury High School.
In volleyball, Ward Melville took home the Division I title with a victory over Sachem North. Kyle Fagan notched his 1000th career kill this season for the Patriots. Eastport-South Manor followed up with a win of their own over East Islip in the Division II championship.
Finally, boys’ soccer saw Comsewogue win the Class AA championship after beating West Islip.
All in all, the 2024 season of fall high school sports was competitive and entertaining, to say the least. Teams put together quality seasons and were rewarded for their hard work with a championship win.
