Islip Messenger Archive Apr. 17, 2025

Tierney Brings 109-Count Indictment in Drug Trafficking Ring

By Matt Meduri

In a bombshell report, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney (R) has announced a massive indictment against twenty-one defendants charged with narcotics trafficking with members of a violent criminal organization involved.

On Friday, Tierney outlined the results of a long-term investigation in the large-scale narcotics trafficking within Suffolk County, which includes over 2.5 kilograms of heroin and fentanyl. Larell Campbell, 32, of Copiague, and Carolyn Tolin, 46, of Centereach, were charged with Operating as Major Traffickers. Tolin allegedly operated a narcotics business, not just within the county, but across the nation through the Dark Web right from her Centereach home. She allegedly shipped narcotics, including the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl, through the United States Postal Service (USPS) and UPS to customers around the country. She allegedly received payments in cryptocurrency.

Continued on page 4

Case Dismissed: Judge Tosses Pride Flag Case Against Connetquot

By Matt Meduri

In September 2022, the Connetquot School District, namely Connetquot High School, gained national notoriety over debate of perhaps one of the most contentious hotbutton issues of the current political zeitgeist: pride flags.

A symbol of the LGBT community, outrage was sparked when Connetquot senior staff and the School Board asked a math teacher to remove a “progress pride” flag from her classroom. The progress pride flag differs from the conventional rainbow-styled pride flag, in that it includes symbols and colors to represent the transgender community as well as “communities of color.”

Continued on page 12

The October 2022 Connetquot Board meeting regarding the pride flag (Credit - Matt Meduri)

‘Overdose Cards’ found at a Centereach residence involved in a nationwide narcotics rings (Credit - Office of Suffolk County District Attorney)

Connetquot Varsity Baseball: Legendary Status Achieved in 950th Win

By Ashley Pavlakis

America’s favorite pastime is back, baseball is underway at high schools on Long Island this Spring. The Connetquot varsity boys’ baseball team started their season last week and already produced history.

The Thunderbirds are members of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) and compete in League II.

Take a look at this stat line: Two-time New York State champions, fourtime Long Island champions, eight-time County champions, and thirty-time League champions.

It’s all true and the term “dynasty” doesn’t do them justice.

The boys are led by sixth head coach Rob Burger, also in his twenty-sixth year in the district. Burger is joined by assistant coach Tom Strazza and Nick Ungar. Ungar graduated from the program in 2018 and was coached by Burger during his time at Connetquot. The Thunderbirds are 6-1-0 to start the season.

“We have a big group of seniors [15], a lot of guys that played and started last year. They’ve been through that ‘whole season mentality’ where you have the regular season and then you have the second season, which is

the playoffs,” Coach Burger told The Messenger. We’re tested; we’ve been through it. It’s a real grind on the guys because it’s three and a half months of just nonstop baseball, on top of what they do all year long to prepare for the season.”

For context, the school was established in 1963. How many wins does the baseball team have? 950.

Yes, you read that correctly. Their story just keeps getting better. The T-Birds recorded the historic win on April first versus Lindenhurst. They secured the ‘W’ with a strong outing, scoring 11 runs over the Bulldogs.

“I didn’t really want to tell the guys, I knew we were stuck at 949 at the end of last year and I didn’t want to make it a big deal. We don’t really look at the number of wins because it’s a culmination of every single player and coach that’s been in the program since it was established in 1963. But when I told the guys, I think they look at 950 different now, they said, ‘Wow, 950’s a lot of wins’. To be part of it is something special for these guys,” said Burger.

Prior to the season, two players were named Preseason All-Long Island, Michael Empaynado and Dylan Wilkinson. Empaynado is a junior who resides on first base for the T-Birds. Wilkinson, a senior pitcher, is committed to St. Thomas Aquinas College where he’ll play Division II baseball.

The popular keyword of conversation was leadership, Burger stressed how important leadership is in his team’s success.

“I love our senior leadership, and I think in the end we should have a very successful year. How far we go will depend on some of the breaks that go through. We’re one of the most competitive teams in the county by far. We don’t really look at the regular season as much as we do the post-season. It’s all what seed you get and who you’re playing,” said Burger.

With an abundance of returners to the team this season, there’s no shortage of competition.

The Thunderbirds look to continue their success on the diamond, adding to the legacy of the program.

“There’s a great sense of competition, there’s no complacency, guys know they’re being pushed each and every day. Practices have been upbeat, I’m very excited to see what this group of guys could do,” said Burger.

Photo creditKevin Nitzsche

Continued from front cover

Tierney Brings 109-Count Indictment in Drug Trafficking Ring

“This case is notable because of the online dark web sale of deadly drugs all over the United States,” said Tierney in a statement. “We are asking for the public’s help. We believe that these deadly drugs were sent all over the country. If you have seen this warning flyer that was shipped out with these drugs, please contact the District Attorney’s office via our webpage. We want to track down each of these deadly shipments and get them off the streets to prevent overdose deaths.”

The investigation included over one hundred search warrants into vehicles, cell phones, residences, computers, and other digital devices and data sources. It also consisted of thousands of hours of physical, video, and electronic surveillance.

Larell Campbell is charged with Operating as a Major Trafficker for his possession of over $75,000 worth of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin from June to December 2024. Her operation was mostly run by his immediate family members, including brothers Donail, Raheem, and Malachi Campbell, his mother Monica, girlfriend Diamond, and sister-in-law Tersherra Green. The family allegedly worked to transport products to customers, supplied payments, and engaged in transactions, all to the behest of Larell Campbell

A December 2024 search warrant of several residences and vehicles recovered about two kilograms of cocaine, 1.5 kilograms of heroin mixed with fentanyl, and a separate 250 grams of fentanyl.

Carolyn Tollin was also charged with Operating as a Major Trafficker for her possession and sale of over $75,000 worth of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin from September 2024 to March 2025. She allegedly ran her business through her Dark Web vendor site MamaKnowsBrown, which was run out of her garage in Centereach. Apart from direct sales of the narcotics, Tolin also gave customers the option of ordering additional fentanyl and cocaine from what Tolin referred to as the “Tip Jar”. She would allegedly offer customers multiple shipping options and the opportunities to give feedback and reviews of the products.

Tolin allegedly shipped more than 1,000 orders to forty different states since September 2024 via the USPS and UPS. She also allegedly utilized Uber to deliver products within Suffolk. She received over $93,000 in untraceable cryptocurrency payments for two-and-a-half months until her arrest last month.

Interestingly, Tolin would also allegedly include overdose warning cards (pictured right) to customers with details of potency and dangers of the narcotics within. The cards also cautioned customers to have naloxone, or NARCAN, on deck, and through the cards, Tolin also advised customers to not ingest the products alone. She also stipulated that the products were intended for experienced, long-term customers only.

Tolin’s Centereach home and garage were searched by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department on March 14, in which hundreds of grams of narcotics were recovered. The garage also contained multiple computers, cell phones, packages being prepared for shipment, and a stockpile of the overdose cards, as well as envelopes, packaging, and shipping materials, Xylazine test strips, and a digital scale.

“Today’s indictments are a testament to the collaboration of our law enforcement partners. Thank you to the Fentanyl Taskforce for putting these narcotics traffickers and gang members out of business across our communities,” said Sheriff Errol Toulon, Jr. (D). “Fentanyl has taken a devastating toll on residents of our county, and we will continue to do everything we can to get this deadly weapon off our streets and these bad actors behind bars where they belong.”

“The success of the SCDA Fentanyl Task Force is evident with the takedown of this major narcotics operation that was spreading poison across the country and undoubtedly these arrests are saving lives,” said SCPD Commissioner Kevin Catalina. “We remain committed and will continue to allot the necessary resources to target dangerous traffickers like Larell Cambell and Carolyn Tolin who peddle dangerous narcotics for their own financial gain.”

“Winning the battle against illicit drugs is a top priority for the Postal Service and the Inspection Service,” said USPIS New York Division Acting Inspector in Charge Ed Gallashaw. “Postal Inspectors

protect postal employees and the American public by leading the effort to eliminate drugs and contraband in the U.S. mail. This goal is achieved by prohibiting mail containing illegal items and dismantling Drug Trafficking Organizations on and off the dark web. I would also like to thank our partners with the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office Fentanyl Task Force in sharing this mission and protecting our communities from illegal and deadly narcotics.”

Twenty of the twenty-one defendants have been arrested and twelve have been arraigned before Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz. Arraignment is pending for several defendants, while eight of the indicted defendants are charged with bail-eligible offenses. Of the bail-eligible defendants, eight remain in custody, while thirteen are not bail-eligible under New York State Law. Neither a prosecutor can request bail, nor can a judge set bail.

Carlos Torres, 42, of Bay Shore, faces a top count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree. He faces up to twenty-five years to life in prison if convicted. He is being held on a $1 million cash bond, a $2 million bond, or a $10 million partially secured bond. His arraignment is set for April 15.

Conspiracy in the Second Degree - 8.75-to-25-Year Sentence

The following defendants have been charged with the aforementioned crime and face the same sentence if convicted on the top count: Marc Felice, 25, of Bay Shore; bail-eligible, held on bond; Anthony Muniz, 33, of Amarillo, Texas; non-bail-eligible; Diamond Pernell, 24, of Amityville; non-bail-eligible; Berine Francois-Torres, 33, of Wyandanch; non-bail-eligible; Donail Campbell, 33, of Ronkonkoma; bail-eligible, held on bond; Tersherra Green, 35, of Smithtown; non-bail-eligible; Raheem Campbell, 30, of Wheatley Heights; non-bail-eligible; Malachi Campbell, 22, of Amityville; non-bail-eligible; Malik McClinton, 35, of Amityville; held on bond; Messiah Floyd-Gordon, 24, of West Hempstead; non-bail-eligible; Gerard Pico, 62, of Bay Shore; non-bail eligible; Taahziah Brown, 28, of Sayville; in custody awaiting arraignment; Kayla Brown, 26, of Dix Hills; non-bail-eligible; Lucy Torres, 41, of Oakdale; non-bail-eligible; Christopher Eisenhut, 44, of Selden; non-bail-eligible; Christina Sarelakos, 39, of Selden; non-bail-eligible; and Monica Jones, 49, of Commack; non-bail-eligible.

Conspiracy in the Second Degree25-to-Life Sentence

Justin Stroman, 37, of Hempstead; held on bond

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

The Romaine Report

Building a Safer, Stronger, and More Affordable Suffolk County

By County Executive Ed Romaine

Earlier this month, I delivered my second State of the County Address to my partners in government at the Suffolk County Legislature. I can say with confidence that Suffolk County is doing well. We continue to make this great county safer and more affordable, and our efforts have moved this forward.

In 2024, through strong collaboration with my colleagues, we’ve made tremendous strides toward creating a safer and more affordable Suffolk County.

We received four bond upgrades, unlocking millions of dollars in savings for our taxpayers. These upgrades could not have come at a more critical time, as my administration undertakes the essential task of rebuilding longneglected infrastructure like the Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays and the Millers Pond Dam in Blydenburgh County Park, along with critical safety improvements to our county roads.

We bolstered public safety by adding 225 police officers and detectives to our force, resulting in a net gain of 95 personnel. In partnership with our district attorney, we strengthened penalties against illegal street takeovers and dangerous speed contests, ensuring swift and decisive action on qualityof-life concerns.

We’ve also transformed our Department of Social Services. Suffolk County’s DSS, once ranked last in the state for processing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications, now proudly stands at number one. This means food gets to those in need promptly—not months down the line. Our commitment to protecting the environment remains unwavering. From

preserving parcels like Huntington’s Stanhope Stables to safeguarding acres of the Pine Barrens, we’re ensuring these vital green spaces remain untouched by development.

At the same time, we’re making historic progress on our $1 billion sewer infrastructure pledge. Projects are already underway in Deer Park, Kings Park, Smithtown, St. James, and Mastic, with many more feasibility studies in progress. Last year, we also launched an innovative water reuse program at the Bergen Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, which will repurpose treated wastewater for golf course irrigation and plant operations.

Importantly, we achieved all this without piercing the tax cap—and let me be clear: I will never propose a budget that does.

The investments we are making today will position Suffolk County to retain and attract young professionals, offer options for empty nesters looking to downsize, and support residents on fixed incomes.

While challenges lie ahead, with steady leadership and a clear focus on the future, I am confident that we will continue making great strides in 2025 and beyond.

Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) has served as Suffolk County Executive since 2024. He previously served as a Suffolk County Legislator representing the North Fork from 1986 to 1989 and again from 2005 to 2012. He served as Suffolk County Clerk from 1989 to 2005 and as Brookhaven Town Supervisor from 2012 to 2023.

NYS Budget 2025: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

It’s our favorite time of year: the inevitable New York State Executive Budget showdown.

Due annually on April 1, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that Albany is still crunching the numbers and duking it out on the chamber floors until well into April, with a two-week hiatus due to the holidays. Last year, we caught a break with an earlier-than-usual budget, despite the record-breaking spending package blowing past the deadline. 2023’s Executive Budget wasn’t finalized until May.

But we’re not interested in rehashing knowledge that’s already incredibly common. Instead, we’ll talk about some provisions in the budget and give our opinions on them.

The Good

We’re rarely in agreement with Governor Kathy Hochul (D), but in the interest of calling balls and strikes, we’ll throw her a couple of bones.

First, the ban on cellphones in schools is an excellent initiative. It’s not one that’s gotten many negative reactions from the State Legislature, and rightly so. We’d typically err on the side of personal responsibilities and freedom, but we’ve also seen just how pervasive and addicting modern technology and devices can be. Places of education should not be distracting, either by virtue of what’s hanging on the walls, or what’s directly in front of the kids.

If anything, the initiative might need some ironing out as far as appropriations. There is potential for an unfunded mandate for some schools, should they be unable to afford any proper storage system for the devices during instructional periods. That would be an important detail to ascertain, although the legislation, if passed, would allow school districts until November to come up with their individual plans. The plan would cost $13.5 million to help school districts with implementation.

New York is also not the leader in this issue. Nine states - Arkansas, California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia - have already enacted similar bans, with legislation pending in sixteen other states. If that’s not a response to a clear and present issue, we’re not quite sure what is.

We have seen just how much chronic phone use contributes to heightened anxiety and decreased attention spans, among other problems. The ramifications were almost impossible to call from the beginning, but we’re glad to see New York try to combat this issue.

We also find ourselves in the rare position of agreeing with Hochul on amending Discovery Reform, and our sources say this proposal is the prime culprit in delaying the process.

Hochul has proposed a change to Discovery Reform, implemented in 2020, which altered how evidence is shared in criminal cases. It allowed prosecutors the ability to access certain law enforcement systems directly to obtain evidence and information. The intention was to make trials speedier and to alleviate law enforcement of the often time-consuming and laborious work of handing over evidence. The crux of the issue comes down to the constitutional right to a speedy trial. If evidence takes too long to be transferred, a case can be jeopardized.

“The discovery reforms we passed in 2019 were meant to improve defendants’ access to evidence and other materials that could be used against them,” said Senator Zellnor Myrie (D-Prospect Lefferts Gardens) in a statement. Myrie is running in the Democratic Primary for New York City Mayor. He contends, however, that “we can achieve that goal while ensuring prosecutors are able to try cases on the merits, rather than seeing charges dismissed on procedural grounds.”

However, criminal cases in New York City have increased from 41% before Discovery Reform to 62%.

This is something we’ve heard many electeds on both sides of the aisle - with District Attorney Ray Tierney (R) perhaps being one of the most vociferous officials on this issue - voice support for. Hochul’s proposal would allow judges to impose less severe penalties for prosecutors who do not turn over evidence in a timely fashion. It would also allow prosecutors to turn over materials to the defense that deem “relevant” to the case, rather than all materials “related” to the case.

We’re not legal experts, and while the woes of Bail Reform are far from over, at least this is a start. We’ll take what we can get.

The Governor has also proposed a tax cut of 0.2% for all New Yorkers making up to $323,200 for joint filers, $215,400 for single filers. In their separate one-house budgets, the Senate agreed, and the Assembly went further by proposing a 1% cut for all but the highest and lowest brackets.

In the same vein, it’s not much, but in a state where taxes rarely decrease, we’ll take what we can get. Although, we wouldn’t go quite as far as to say Hochul “cut taxes” during her tenure. Technically, yes. Substantially, most likely not. We laud the

effort, nonetheless.

The Bad While the Governor’s proposed “inflation rebate” seems well-intentioned, it doesn’t seem like it will barely scratch the surface. Her idea is to mail checks of up to $500 to joint filers making no more than $300,000 annually, $300 for filers making no more than $150,000.

This is a one-time benefit that will hardly make a dent in what families need to get by. Depending on the situation, $500 might not even cover one week’s grocery bill. The Senate took a more methodical approach by proposing the benefit only apply to senior citizens and that it would last for three years, instead of just one year.

We’ll be frank: it’s a dumb idea. We’re not sure what catalyst to the economy this is expected to be, but with billions in sales tax surplus, we would rather just see that money reinvested than doled out in ways that will barely make an impact.

The State’s rainy day fund is also higher than it was previously at $37 billion in cash on hand. The problem is, under Hochul’s proposal, the reserves would shrink to $32 billion by the end of FY2026. We’ll actually call this one more of a wash. When Hochul took the reins, reserves were in even worse shape. It would be prudent to grow reserves, especially in light of a federal administration keen on being reformative and unpredictable.

We also think that of all issues gumming up the works, Bail Reform should be at the forefront, as well as discovery laws regarding unidentifiable substances when a person is visibly impaired. Officers need to be able to make roadside arrests in cases of obvious impairment, and judges should have their discretion returned to them when adjudicating the safety and/or flight risk of an accused person. Hochul held up the budget until May in 2023 over Bail Reform. She didn’t get what she wanted - we called this a byproduct of her inability to control the Legislature as an executive - but she fought valiantly anyway. We think with more sensibility rising in New York, this should have taken center-stage this year. Wishful thinking, we’re afraid.

The Ugly

Two problem bills: the Elder Parole Bill and the Fair and Timely Parole Act.

The Elder Parole Bill would allow inmates over fifty-five years old who have served fifteen years to be able to plead for parole.

On paper, it seems like a way to decrease incarceration rates in favor of rehabilitation. However, the problem is that many people who fall under that umbrella, we think, belong in prison.

District Attorney Tierney in his op-ed this week (Page 7) cites Colin Ferugson as an example. The 1993 LIRR murderer of six is now sixty-seven years old. Tierney raises a good point: should Ferguson be released just because of an arbitrary number that does not at all correlate to actual rehabilitation standards?

We agree with Tierney. This would open the doors for such releases, but even if an inmate is denied parole, they will be allowed to re-plead every two years.

Meanwhile, the Fair and Timely Parole Act would alter how parole boards made their judgements. It would be mostly based on current risk rather than past actions. Again, in the case of Colin Ferguson, why should someone convicted of a horrendous crime be judged for their most recent few years of good behavior? If anything, the bill might likely encourage good behavior within prison walls, only for the significantly increased likelihood of release.

Finally, nobody in Albany - the Governor, the Senate, and the Assembly - knows what to do with the MTA. Their five-year maintenance and repair plan comes with a $68 billion price tag, while still coming up short by more than $2 billion annually.

Senator Dean Murray’s (R-East Patchogue) bill to create an independent MTA fiscal control board seems like the most logical solution at this point. The MTA is busy spending like drunken sailors, while at the same time, they complain they don’t have any money. It’s like a mother with a ham under each arm complaining how she doesn’t have any bread.

This year, Albany continues to shrug shoulders about the MTA. Eventually, that bubble will burst and it will have a reckoning across the region.

Overall, Hochul has some decent proposals that aren’t particularly controversial, but she still finds herself in an uphill battle against the unrelenting progressives in the legislature. While some, like Senator Myrie, have contended that their brain children require work - as in Discovery Reform - it doesn’t seem there’s enough common sense to bring about substantial change.

Albany’s Getting Set to Sock New York with Yet MORE Pro-Criminal Laws That’ll Make Us Even LESS Safe

By District Attorney Ray Tierney

Parents put their children on the school bus each morning, trusting they’ll return home.

Seniors walk their dogs, assuming their neighborhoods are safe.

These are not luxuries; they’re the most basic expectations of a functioning society.

Yet dangerous legislation in Albany again threatens that safety

Two radical bills — the Elder Parole Bill and the Fair and Timely Parole Act — will open prison doors and allow convicted murderers and violent criminals to walk free.

As Suffolk County’s district attorney, I cannot remain silent while public safety is sacrificed for ideology.

Thousands of cases illustrate the insanity of these two bills, though I need only two from the Long Island’s recent past to prove my point: Colin Ferguson’s commuter-train massacre and the murder of 8-year-old Thomas Valva.

The Elder Parole bill is peddled as a mercy mission: it would let inmates over 55 who’ve served 15 years plead for parole.

It sounds compassionate — until you realize who’s in line.

Colin Ferguson, the monster who murdered six innocent Long Island Rail Road commuters in 1993, leaving 19 others injured, in a cold-blooded shooting rampage, is 67 now, well past the bill’s age threshold.

Do we want to put him in front of New York’s notoriously lenient parole board every two years? Fifteen years doesn’t erase the blood on his hands.

Even if parole is denied, why would we want to drag the families of the victims — people just trying to get home from work who were sitting in a train car — to a parole board hearing every two years to relive the worst day of their lives?

The parole process is notoriously antagonistic to victims, their families and prosecutors, and it’s only getting worse, with most victims reporting that they seldom, if ever, receive timely notification of parole hearings.

That’s not compassionate, and it is not just. Reaching middle age does not undo evil.

Then there’s the Fair and Timely Parole Act, an ironic name for a dangerous game. It rigs the parole hearing, changing the rules by mandating that parole decisions be based primarily on current risk rather than past actions, virtually giving a pass to violent offenders.

Consider Michael Valva, the ex-NYPD cop convicted in Suffolk County for the 2020 murder of his own son, Thomas.

This wasn’t a one-off lapse in judgment — Valva and his fiancé, Angela Pollina, starved and beat 8-year-old Thomas and forced him to sleep in a freezing garage until he died of hypothermia.

The case had multiple examples of this child’s tortured existence in this house of horrors.

Valva’s 25-years-to-life sentence reflects the depravity of his actions.

Should his “good behavior” in prison someday outweigh the tragic horror of Thomas’ life?

This bill says yes, prioritizing a convict’s progress over a child’s stolen life.

That’s not fairness; it’s insanity.

Let me be clear: I believe in rehabilitation and second chances.

But I also believe that some acts are so heinous, so depraved, that those who commit them forfeit the right to walk freely among us.

I also believe powerful, durable sentencing deters crime.

There is a line — and Albany is trying to erase it.

New York has already suffered enough from the effects of misguided criminaljustice reforms.

“Bail reform” ties the hands of prosecutors and judges, flooding our streets with repeat offenders.

The result?

Spikes in violent crime, overwhelmed law enforcement and a growing sense of fear in our communities.

We cannot allow these parole bills to be the next wave of reckless policy.

What’s most infuriating is the disconnect between Albany’s legislative chambers and the real-world impact these bills will have: A mother’s fear of running into her attacker at the store, the pain of a family that must relive a loved one’s murder at recurring parole hearings.

These bills will retraumatize victims, upend hard-won peace and make neighborhoods less safe — all to satisfy a political agenda that prioritizes criminals over communities.

And there is a very real threat that these bills will be garner enough Democratic and Working Families Party votes to pass this year.

New Yorkers must speak out.

Contact your state senator and assembly member.

Demand that they oppose Elder Parole and the Fair and Timely Parole Act.

Demand that they remember the victims.

Demand that they remember their duty to public safety.

Ray Tierney (R) has served as Suffolk County District Attorney since 2022. He has over thirty years of experience as a prosecutor.

April Is Donate Life Month

By Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay

There are lots of great ways to contribute to the well-being of our communities and our state, but perhaps the most impactful way to do so is through life-saving organ and tissue donations. April is National Donate Life Month, and it represents an important opportunity to raise awareness of the critical shortage of donors needed to support the thousands of New Yorkers waiting for transplants. Becoming an organ and tissue donor is easy, and doing so affords you the chance to affirmatively and directly save the lives of your fellow New Yorkers.

For several members of the Assembly Minority Conference, Donate Life Month has especially meaningful significance. At a press conference highlighting the importance of organ and tissue donation earlier this week, Assemblyman Robert Smullen (R,C-Mohawk Valley and the Adirondacks) shared the heartbreaking journey he and his wife, Megan, endured after the unimaginable loss of their son, AJ, last year. To honor his memory, they helped save the lives of five individuals in need by donating AJ’s organs.

Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R-Corning) recalled the details of his experience giving his sister, Teresa, his kidney in 2006. Assemblyman Ari Brown (R-Cedarhurst) shared his living-donor experience of donating a kidney to a Purple Heart recipient, and further, Assemblyman Brian Maher (R-Walden) spoke passionately about his wife’s donation to a local teacher and coach whose family reached out on social media for a match. All of these incredible stories are an inspiration, and hopefully, they help move others to boost New York’s lagging donor pool.

The statistics highlighting the need for more donors are staggering. For example, every 10 minutes, another person is added to the national transplant waiting list. In New York, there are 7,917 patients on the transplant waitlist, and more than 1,000 individuals have been waiting for an organ transplant for more than five years. Sadly, last year, 377 New Yorkers died while waiting for a transplant. With greater

participation in New York’s donor program, we can help reduce this tragic number. Each new donor can save as many as eight lives, and their donation can help heal 75 others. Anyone older than 16 can register for the state’s Donate Life Registry, and no one is too sick or too old to register. There are no costs to donors or their families, as associated expenses are paid through the recipient or their insurer. The decision to donate will never impact the medical care of a potential donor, and donation is only considered after one has died.

In addition to becoming a donor, Donate Life New York State also encourages individuals and organizations to consider raising awareness of Donate Life Month through social media and by sharing inspirational stories highlighting the value of the program. Each successful donation is miraculous, and sharing those stories is a great way to provide hope to those waiting for a match.

It is easy to overlook the importance of eye, tissue and organ donation. It is not something that gets as much attention as it should, but the impact it has—directly saving the lives of thousands of individuals—is unparalleled. This April, please join me in making a push to bolster our organ donation list, and if you are so inclined, registering as a donor; doing so could be one of the most impactful things you ever do.

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

Assemblyman Will Barclay (R-Pulaski) is the Assembly Minority Leader and has represented the 120th Assembly District since 2003. The 120th District contains most of Oswego County and parts of Jefferson and Onondaga counties.

Letters to the Editor

Give Your ‘Garbage’ a Second Life: Donate, Don’t Dump

Dear Editor,

As the seasons change and households across Smithtown begin the yearly ritual of spring cleaning, we are presented with a valuable opportunity. Instead of sending gently used items to the curb, residents can make a conscious choice to reduce waste, support neighbors in need, and lessen our collective impact on the environment by donating usable goods to thrift stores or sharing them on community “Freecycle” pages on Facebook.

Putting items to the curb means they ultimately end up in landfills, where many of our items don’t break down at all. Plastic toys can take up to 450 years to decompose. Car seats, often made with mixed plastics and foam, can last as long as 1,000 years if not properly recycled. Even furniture made with

synthetic materials can remain in the environment for up to a century. Every item we throw away has a cost that outlives us—and that burden is being passed down to future generations.

But the problem isn’t just about what we throw away—it’s also about what we choose not to give. In our community, there are families who can’t afford new furniture, who need clothing for growing children, or who are looking for basic necessities like cribs or kitchenware. That baby stroller gathering dust in the garage, those old toys taking up space in the attic, or that chair that no longer matches your décor—these items could make a real difference in someone else’s life.

Donating is simple. Local thrift stores, including small shops that benefit local churches and non-profits, and larger commercial thrift stores like Savers in Commack, all welcome

gently used goods. These stores not only give your items a second life but often support important charitable work in our community. And for those looking to give things away quickly and conveniently, social media platforms offer an easy solution. Facebook groups like “Smithtown Buy Nothing” or “Long Island Freecycle” allow neighbors to share unwanted items with people who need them—no money exchanged, just community helping community.

Even leaving items curbside with a clearly marked “FREE” sign can be a great way to pass things along (just remember to bring them back in if they’re not taken). What matters most is the intention behind the act: to avoid waste and extend kindness.

Choosing to donate instead of dumping is a small act with lasting consequences. It keeps reusable items out of our already overburdened

22 Years Later…

landfills. It reduces the demand for new products and the resources needed to make them. And perhaps most importantly, it meets real needs in our community.

Imagine a Smithtown where we all do our part—where we take the extra few minutes to drive to a donation center or snap a photo for a Freecycle post. Where instead of overflowing landfills overflowing, we have neighbors helping neighbors. That’s a future worth working toward, one car seat, toy, or couch at a time.

So, before you throw something out, ask yourself: Could someone else use this? The answer may surprise you. And your small action could make a big difference.

The Heartland Project Disgraces Pilgrim Psychiatric Center

Dear Editor,

I am a mental health professional and historic preservation advocate looking to report the atrocities that have followed the failed development of the Heartland Town Square project which was proposed for 452 acres of former Pilgrim Psychiatric Center property.

Following the Newsday story published on May 1, 2002, entitled “Dead, Buried, and Sold”, the situation has only gotten worse.

For background, a permit was issued on April 30, 2002, to demolish twentytwo former hospital buildings on the property bought and owned by Jerry Wolkoff. Along with the buildings listed on the permit, he also demolished buildings 8, 13, and 29 outside of the permit’s special conditions. Following the 2003 demolitions and the later demolitions from 2011 and 2012, piles of rubble were left to lie on their original foundations in the shape of the former buildings, leaving the grounds which surround the current hospital

property in shambles.

Sadly, this is where the rubble remains today… in the same piles, 22 years later… This neglect of the property has encouraged illegal dumping, emergence of environmental hazards, and possible insurance fraud (related to the dumping of cars, boats, and other vehicles on the property). The patients and staff of the Pilgrim Psychiatric Center are negatively affected by the surrounding garbage pile, as it takes away from the therapeutic and safe environment staff try to create as a facility. The grounds are unsafe, as many unidentified individuals and vehicles trespass on the campus to take part in illegal dumping, complete drug deals, and interact negatively with the clients.

While the state of the property is a disgrace, the superior concern is the former hospital cemetery that is located on the campus. When the property was purchased by Jerry

Wolkoff, the developer had the obligation to preserve the historic cemetery on the grounds which is now owned by David Wolkoff. This cemetery is neglected, with 8,000+ deceased Pilgrim patients becoming increasingly forgotten as their headstone markers are overtaken by nature and the plot locations become unclear. Although the grass is mowed by Pilgrim

Psychiatric Center, many of the headstones have sunken into the ground and can only be recovered by removing layers of dirt and foliage. In addition, there are no signs on the site indicating the presence of a cemetery, further erasing these individuals from thought. There is no memorial, or bench, or a single bouquet of flowers recognizing the many past lives that lie in the ground.

The Town and the developer are silent, as they have been reached out to for information several times and have been offered suggestions. The Wolkoff property needs to be cleaned, the old building rubble needs to be

disposed of, and the cemetery needs to be revitalized.

Images show the garbage filling the Wolkoff Property just a few steps from where patients receive care. I also encourage anyone to drive through the grounds to get the full scope of just how bad the campus has gotten. I received demolition permits through a FOIL request in addition to property aerials from 2001 (before the demolition), 2004 (after the first round of demolition), and 2022 (which reflects the campus today after all demolition phases). These aerials demonstrate the deterioration of the campus over time with the remaining building rubble, accumulating garbage, and overwhelming foliage.

I am really hoping to make an impact on this matter, as the clients deserve to live on clean, healthy, and beautiful grounds. The deceased patients also deserve the dignity and respect, which has been stripped away from them.

Sincerely, J.T.

Sincerely, Allison McCann Smithtown

National, State, and Local Temperature Checks

By Matt Meduri

National

The GOP’s quorum in the House of Representatives recently returned to full power with the swearing-ins of Congressmen Jimmy Patronis (R, FL-01) and Randy Fine (R, FL-06) after their April 1 special election wins. Two vacancies are attributed to the passings of Congressmen Sylvester Turner (D, TX-18) and Raúl Grijalva (D, AZ-07). In the TX-18 vacancy, Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) has called a special election date for November 4, coinciding with general elections across the country that day. The move is similar to that of New York Democrats hoping to lampoon the GOP’s efforts to maintain control of NY-21 and deprive Speaker Mike Johnson (R, LA-04) of a full caucus.

The House quorum rests at 220-213 with a Republican majority. Neither of the two seats vacated by Democrats offer a real chance at competition.

While no official vacancies have occurred, the 2026 landscape is shaping up, with Congressman Chris Pappas (D, NH-01) foregoing re-election to run for New Hampshire’s open U.S. Senate seat. The 2026 Senate map is shaping up to be yet another brutal runaround for Democrats again, but the party got some reprieve when immensely popular former Governor Chris Sununu (R-NH) passed on running.

Now, Congressman John James (R, MI-10) is throwing his hat in the ring for Governor of Michigan in 2026, an open seat currently occupied by twoterm Gretchen Whitmer (D), a prospect of the 2028 Democratic presidential shortlist.

However, mayoral elections in two of the nation’s largest and most prominent cities delivered some interesting results that could point to core urban areas resisting modern progressivism, at least in some ways.

Last Tuesday, St. Louis, Missouri, sent their incumbent mayor Tishuara Jones packing with the landslide win of Cara Spencer. The race gained notable national attention for the St. Louis Democratic Party’s lack of endorsement of Jones. While the mayoral races in St. Louis are technically nonpartisan, both Spencer and Jones are Democrats. Spencer served as a St. Louis alderwoman since 2015 before assuming the post.

As of press time, Taylor led the large field with 48.2% of the vote, with former Congresswoman and failed 2024 U.S. Senate candidate Barbara Lee (D) coming up close with 45.7%. The race was effectively between the top-two candidates, with no other nominee receiving more than 2% of the vote.

In the ranked-choice voting tabulations, Taylor receives a lead of 50.2%. In ranked-choice voting, a candidate must notch a majority of total votes cast in order to be declared the winner. The worst-performing candidates are eliminated and their votes are redistributed based on the voters’ second choices, pursuant to each ballot. Votes are redistributed and candidates are eliminated until one has reached 50%-plus-one.

As of now, Taylor has clinched that majority, but California officials expect the final results to be confirmed later this week.

Even if the centrist Taylor loses, it’s a worthwhile display in showing how some of the most progressive cores are opting for a more centrist, boots-on-the-ground approach to local government.

State

Governor Stefanik (R-NY)?

“But this campaign was about so much more than potholes and trash. It was built on the idea that we can build a downtown that we can all be proud of while making neighborhoods south and north safer and more prosperous,” Spencer said.

Jones contrasted with her own concession speech, owing to the fact that St. Louis has never had a “black mayor serve more than one term.”

The nationalized race earned that recognition over Spencer’s points on the city’s failures of basic services, such as trash pickup, with Jones seemingly unable to walk back the point. Spencer also ran on public safety and community revitalization.

Progressives earnestly backed Jones, but the 64%36% win for Spencer makes for yet another rebuke of progressive politics in some of the country’s most liberal areas.

Indeed, Tuesday night’s mayoral race in Oakland, California, was also predicated upon prior progressive administrations. The Bay Area has seen a shift among the electorate’s preferences, having recalled or defeated progressive district attorneys and other local elected officials for the last few cycles, effectively culminating in 2024. Mayor Sheng Thao (D) was recalled in November, although her problems stemmed from an FBI home raid and a January indictment in a federal public corruption probe.

The crowded field of Democrats looking to run the city appears to have been overtaken by centrist and former City Councilman Loren Taylor, who lost to Thao for the same seat in 2022.

The North Country congresswoman is reportedly mulling a bid for the Empire State’s top job in November 2026.

Stefanik flipped NY-21 red in 2015, securing re-election each time thereafter by convincing margins. President Donald Trump (R-FL) produced one of his first Cabinet-level nominations with Stefanik for Ambassador to the United Nations. As we’ve discussed over the last several weeks, Stefanik likely would have sailed through the full Senate vote, but her vote was slow-walked by congressional Republican leadership, hoping to retain her seat for a valuable vote on key legislation.

Stefanik’s nomination was withdrawn by Trump last month, necessitating a new nominee. Dorothy Shea continues to serve in an acting capacity.

But the sharp change of course might have been a course correction for Stefanik as sources say she is considering throwing her hat in the ring to take on Governor Kathy Hochul (D) next year.

Stefanik (pictured above left) also lost her position of House GOP Conference Chair, the number-four rank in leadership.

“In Kathy Hochul’s New York, small businesses are closing, they are fleeing the state,” said Stefanik at the New York GOP’s annual gala on Tuesday night, adding that crime, outmigration, and antisemitism are “engulfing New York streets and our college campuses across the state. Our Empire State, once a beacon of opportunity, innovation, and strength, is fading fast before our very eyes. It feels like someone is asking, ‘Will the last one out of New York please turn the lights off?’ And I’m here to say not on our watch. It is time to save New York.”

Stefanik fell short of an announcement, but many have attributed the speech to that of someone looking to apply for the job.

President Trump also praised Stefanik on Truth Social after her speech, “Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is GREAT!!!”

The race is now reportedly creating some tension between Stefanik and her House colleague, Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17). While Lawler has also fallen short of a formal announcement, he’s long been positioning himself for the moment. He’s also ensuring he can parlay those energies into another successful House run, should the gubernatorial path fail to materialize. Lawler flipped a blue Westchester-based seat in 2022 and retained it by a convincing margin in 2024.

Lawler tampered talks of such tension in a statement that lauded Stefanik’s House leadership and the common

denominator that “Kathy Hochul is the worst governor in America.”

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R-Atlantic Beach) is also posturing to run, but his statement did not name names, nor did it dip into gossip within the halls of Capitol Hill. Rather, he reinforced his plan to run for reelection this year.

“I am focused on my re-election which will affirm my efforts in making Nassau County the safest place to live in America, and my record of cutting taxes which is unprecedented,” said Blakeman in a statement.

However, Governor Hochul has words for any Republican looking to challenge her in 2026.

“No matter who the GOP nominee is next year that I’ll be running against, it’ll be an extreme MAGA Republican and I look forward to that fight,” said Hochul at a Wednesday press conference in New York City.

New York has not elected a Republican governor since George Pataki (R) was re-elected in 2002. No Republican has flipped control of the New York governorship since Pataki ousted Mario Cuomo (D) in the 1994 “Republican Revolution.”

Local

Congressman Nick LaLota (R-Amityille) is co-sponsoring legislation that would eliminate tax penalties for hostages, owing to Suffolk’s own Kai Li, who was imprisoned in China from 2016 until his release in November 2024 (pictured below)

Li was detained by Chinese authorities immediately after arriving in Shanghai to mark the first anniversary of his mother’s passing. He was held in secret detention for months without legal counsel.

In July 2018, a clandestine, one-hour trial found Li guilty of espionage, raising concerns of China’s arbitrary and aggressive targeting of diplomats and dual-nationals.

Li was sentenced to ten years in prison, where he was confined to a tiny cell shared with eleven other inmates. He was only allowed to leave for daily COVID-19 tests and one hour of exercise. His family had reported that he suffered a stroke, high blood pressure, chronic gastritis, and shingles while in prison.

“Our duty to fight for Americans unjustly detained abroad does not end when they return home. This bill takes a critical step in addressing an ongoing injustice they may face, specifically the unfair tax burdens imposed by our own nation. No American should be financially penalized for their inability to pay taxes while wrongfully imprisoned, nor should their family,” said LaLota in a statement. “A powerful example of why this legislation is needed is Kai Li, a Huntington resident who was unjustly detained by the Chinese Communist Party for over seven years and subjected to severe human rights abuses. After enduring unimaginable hardship, the last thing Kai and his family should face is unfairly imposed back taxes and fees. I was proud to advocate for Kai’s release, and this legislation demonstrates that I will continue fighting for him—and for every American who has suffered similar injustice—to ensure they receive our continued support.”

The bill would eliminate tax penalties for U.S. citizens wrongfully detained or held hostage abroad. It also extends the relief to spouses during the period of detention and provides for retroactive reimbursement for those who have already paid penalties after their release.

Continued from front cover

Mattera, Senators Send Letter to Washington on Energy Concerns

One of President Donald Trump’s (R-FL) largest aspects of his campaign platform, as it was in all three of his runs, is to increase American energy production and restore American energy independence.

New York State, as a surprise to some, does have quite a seat at the table regarding the national energy conversation, not only due to the resources and capabilities therein, but also due to its position as a leader in green and renewable energy initiatives.

Senator Mario Mattera (R-St. James), Ranking Member of the Energy and Telecommunications Committee, penned a letter, along with several other New York State Senators, to Washington, D.C., addressed to President Trump and David A. Wright, Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

“We write to express our appreciation for your continued focus on lowering energy prices across the country, particularly in New York State,” the letter opens.

“As you are aware, in 2019, New York Democrats passed their version of the Green New Deal, which set unrealistic greenhouse gas emission reduction mandates through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). While intended to reduce emissions, this law has led to higher energy prices for both New York residents and businesses.”

The letter outlines that the CLCPA is “only one of the several energy decisions made by New York Democrats that have negative consequences.” One such ramification enclosed in the letter includes the closure of the Indian Point Energy Center in Buchanan, Westchester County.

The center was a nuclear power plant that “provided clean, reliable energy to New York City,” reads the letter. Mattera and company also include the blocking of natural gas pipelines in New York State, proposed Cap-and-Invest carbon taxes, which “harm American manufacturing businesses”, electric vehicle mandates, and electric building requirements, which will “drive up construction costs, all as negative consequences of the Democratbacked CLCPA.

The letter references Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s (D-Great Neck Plaza) report, Renewable Energy in New York State, which cited analysis by the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO). The NYISO found that to meet the 2030 renewable electricity goal set by the State, the State would need to “triple its 2022 renewable capacity of roughly 6.5 gigawatts by adding 20 gigawatts over the next eight years.”

“For context,” the letter provides, “the State added just 12.9 gigawatts of total electric generation - both fossil fuel and renewable resources - over the last twenty years.”

The Senators find that in addition to “contributing little” to the overall reduction of New York’s carbon footprint, the “poorly designed policies” have resulted in New York boasting the “seventh-highest residential electricity rates in the country” at 25.31 cents per kilowatthour (kWh), which is about 50% higher than the national average of 15.95 cents per kWh. For comparison, the neighboring state of Pennsylvania clocks in at 17.58 cents per kWh.

The letter encloses several initiatives that Mattera and several Senators hope that the Trump Administration entertains.

Pipeline Construction

“We urge you to continue advocating for Governor Kathy Hochul to revive the Constitution Pipeline, which would provide essential natural gas supply to areas of New York,” says the letter.

The additional natural gas supply will, according to the caucus, “alleviate historically high utility costs in New York State, New York City, and all of New England.”

The Senators also take issue with the lax natural gas production, despite New York State’s situation next to one of the largest natural gas reserves in the country. The Senators take issue with the fact that trucks have been hauling liquefied natural gas across the state, which they view as “both inefficient and environmentally harmful.”

The proposal of the Constitution Pipeline makes for a start in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, moving northeast through the New York counties of Broome, Chenango, Delaware, and Schoharie, before reaching its terminus just south of Schenectady County, just outside of Albany.

Nuclear Energy

Mattera and company also urge the federal administration to “explore the possibility” of reopening Indian Point or utilizing the site for small modular nuclear reactors. Small modular reactors operate similarly to their much larger counterparts, but produce a comparatively smaller output in exchange for relatively easier shipping and construction. The small reactors are hailed for their flexibility in terms of site selections and generation capacity.

“The closure of Indian Point in 2021, which provided 80% of New York City’s carbonfree electricity, led to increased dependence on fossil fuels,” reads the letter. “The share of fossil fuel-based power generation in the downstate grid increased from 68% in 2019 to 94% in 2023. Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation in the NYC Metro region, previously served by Indian Point, have increased by over 40%.”

The Senators add that reopening a decommissioned nuclear plant is not unprecedented, with the Three Mile Island plant set to open in 2028, which is estimated to create 3,400 jobs in Pennsylvania. The Palisades Nuclear Generating Station in Michigan, which closed in 2022,

is set to reopen later this year, with an estimated creation of 600 jobs.

“Our conference believes nuclear energy will play a critical role in New York’s energy future. Advancements in small modular reactors suggest that nuclear technology can provide a sustainable, affordable energy source. We hope to work with your administration to expedite these projects and bring them online,” reads the letter.

Mattera and the Senators are pushing for a re-piqued interest in nuclear energy, which, after many pitfalls and failures of decades passed, made the country and some parts of the world hesitant to accept nuclear energy. It’s also contributed to an interesting focal point of the energy conversation as it pertains to political lines, wherein self-described liberals campaign fastidiously for renewable energy and self-described conservatives pump the brakes while more viable solutions emerge. Many rank-and-file Republicans, Democrats, and Independents are now calling for nuclear energy to be explored as a way to ease the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

“We believe that reopening Indian Point, fast-tracking new nuclear projects, reviving the Constitution Pipeline, and repealing the unrealistic mandates of the CLCPA will position New York on a path toward energy abundance. This will result in lower energy costs for ratepayers and a more reliable energy grid.

“Your administration has demonstrated a strong commitment to common-sense policies that benefit the American people, and we stand ready to assist in any way we can to help achieve this important mission.

“Thank you for your attention to these critical issues,” the letter closes.

In addition to Mattera, eighteen Senators - all Republicans - signed on. From Suffolk County, Senators Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk), Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue), and Alexis Weik (R-Sayville) signed the letter. From Nassau County, assenting Senators are Patricia CanzoneriFitzpatrick (R-Malverne), Jack Martins (R-Great Neck), and Steve Rhoads (R-Bellmore).

Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt (R-North Tonawanda) also signed the letter.

When

The Moloney Family

Felony Defendants Released Without Bail

By Raheem Soto Credit - Freepik

The bail reform woes continue as Suffolk County recently saw that difference firsthand this month when two individuals charged with serious felonies were released back into the public with no bail, bond, or supervision. Not because they were innocent, not because the facts were unclear, but because under current law, judges in New York State are prohibited from considering public safety when deciding whether someone should be held before trial.

Case One:

Repeat Gun Offender Walks Free

On April 8, a Brentwood man already out on bail from a prior illegal firearm charge in Brooklyn was arrested again—this time in Suffolk County. He wasn’t keeping a low profile. Authorities say he posted videos of himself flashing a loaded firearm on social media. Police executed a search warrant and recovered two guns from his home in Shirley, including what appeared to be the weapon from the videos. At the time of his arrest, he was in the company of five others—one of them a known violent felon currently on probation for another weapons offense.

any financial security—no bail, no ankle monitor, just a court date.

Case Two:

Accused Child Sex Offender Released

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office requested $250,000 in cash bail, citing the man’s criminal history and high flight risk. But when the case went before District Court Judge John B. Zollo on April 10, the judge opted to release the defendant without

A day earlier, on April 9, the same judge made another stunning decision. A man accused of sexually abusing his eight-year-old daughter over a span of four months was arraigned on a violent felony charge: Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First Degree. If convicted, he faces up to twenty-five years

in prison.

The District Attorney’s Office again pushed for bail—this time a $150,000 cash bond, a $300,000 bond, or a $1.5 million partially secured bond. Prosecutors also noted the defendant’s limited connection to Suffolk County, his history, and the severe nature of the charge as clear indicators of a flight risk.

Despite all this, Judge Zollo released him on his own recognizance. No bail, no restrictions, no monitoring. He is expected back in court on April 29.

What This Says About the Law

These outcomes are not anomalies. They’re the result of a policy passed in 2019 that removed public safety from the list of factors judges can weigh when setting bail. New York is one of only two states where this is the case.

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney (R) issued a blunt statement following the releases, calling the bail laws “an abject failure” and warning that more New Yorkers could be harmed unless the law is fixed.

Bail isn’t about punishment, it’s about risk—the risk of flight, the risk to victims, and the risk to the community. When judges are forced to ignore these risks, the system doesn’t protect the innocent—it protects the accused—at any cost.

Spanning Four Generations

Spanning Four Generations

Conveniently

Conveniently

Conveniently

Case Dismissed: Judge Tosses Pride Flag Case Against Connetquot

Negotiations came to a head when hundreds descended on Connetquot High School’s board meeting regarding the subject. LGBT Network and its president David Kilmnick were on hand as well, with Kilmnick serving the individual board members with lawsuits mid-meeting.

Now, over two years later, a judge has ruled that Connetquot’s policy on the flag should be heeded. U.S. District Court Judge Hector Gonzalez ruled in favor of the district, dismissing the plaintiff’s claims of discrimination, a hostile work environment, and a violation of constitutional rights.

The case started when math teacher, Sarah Ecke, refused to remove the progress pride flag, which was positioned adjacent to an American flag that students would address when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Her classroom was also the base of the school’s Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) club. The classroom also had a classic rainbow pride flag hanging across the back wall, facing towards the front of the room.

After Ecke refused to remove the flags, Connetquot Central School District issued a policy that only the U.S. and New York flags could be hung in classrooms.

“The first complaint was that there was no American flag up, but when we investigated, there was one, but very small, in a regularly-sized classroom,” Board member and at-the-time Board President Jaclyn Napolitano-Furno (pictured right) told The Messenger. “This is a math classroom for special education, it doesn’t have more than fifteen desks. It had a giant progress pride flag on the right side right next to the American flag, and a gigantic wall-to-wall pride flag behind on the back wall. Nothing else was on the walls at all, no posters, no formulas.”

Napolitano-Furno says that parents complained that their children have special needs to begin with and have trouble learning, and the room became more distracting.

“The superintendent said to make the room more neutral. We asked the teacher if she would take it down; she refused,” said Napolitano-Furno. “The superintendent used a policy to say that the flag was against policy and that it was political in nature.”

Napolitano-Furno says that a flag specialist said that “any flag represents politics by their nature.” However, flags apart from the American and New York State flags can be hung, but in the proper context, as district policy already allows. Different flags can be hung when they’re curriculum-based in nature, such as those of foreign nations during foreign language studies, or a 9/11 commemorative flag during social studies.

The same policy remains intact for the pride flag, but during GSA meetings. The GSA corkboard in the hallway, according to Napolitano-Furno, is free to display the flags and other imaging that do not fall under curriculum-based policies.

Those on the side of Ecke, as well as two other teachers, Christopher Dolce and Shinaide McAleavey-Polley, who joined on as plaintiffs, countered that if the pride flags were to be removed, then the parking spot of a senior who painted his spot with a “Thin Blue Line” flag should be painted over. The district fulfilled the request.

At the October 2022 board meeting, there were allegations of litter boxes being presented in the school bathrooms for kids who allegedly “identified” as animals, cats being the most predominant assertion. Napolitano-Furno says that nothing of that sort has been implemented or entertained at the school.

However, Napolitano-Furno does say that the LGBT Network is quite forward with its marketing, with the organization’s number and information on how to join being advertised on the Network’s literature, which can be found on the GSA corkboard in the hallway.

“Nobody had a problem with that; it’s been up for months,” said NapolitanoFurno.

Napolitano-Furno also speaks of division within the school board.

“That’s why they don’t want to put out a statement. The only two who are willing to put out a statement are Jackie DiLorenzo and myself,” she said of the lawsuit’s results. “We want everyone to know. Community members have a right to transparency. It’s not about winners and losers; nobody really wins because the kids are put in the middle and you don’t want to make anyone upset. We wanted the kids to have their flags up for their club, and we wanted the kids during the educational process during the day to be free of distractions. This is what happens when teachers don’t want to compromise.”

Napolitano-Furno also asserts that political disagreement wasn’t the crux of the issue.

“We can disagree on political items, but we can’t have them in schools where kids don’t feel comfortable. Our schools are supposed to be apolitical,” she said.

The judgement came down before the federal government could get involved, leaving President Donald Trump’s (R-FL) executive order banning non-U.S. flags from being flown from government buildings, but that EO wouldn’t have affected this specific case in Connetquot.

“Schools are governed by the state, not the federal government,” said Napolitano-Furno. “This was based on the case itself, regardless of who the president is.”

To the point of First Amendment rights, Gonzalez wrote, “It is not clear what standard applies to the facts in this case, as neither the Supreme Court nor the Second Circuit has decided which test would apply to a secondary school teacher’s expressive speech in the classroom setting.”

Of adverse employment allegations, Gonzalez wrote, “To the extent Plaintiffs argue that a heavier burden was placed on them by having to remove the pride flags and stickers, and on Ecke by having to modify the permission slip for the GSA Trip, such actions do not rise to the level of workload that is ‘disproportionately heavy’ to ‘constitute an adverse employment action.’”

The “permission slip” in question regards the district’s requirement of Ecke to modify the permission slips for a student trip to an LGBT Youth Conference. Ecke claimed discrimination as she was the only teacher required to do so.

The same policies remain in place at Connetquot Central School District, but the plaintiffs argue further legal action remains on the table, with attorney Andrew Lieb, of Smithtown, requesting reconsideration and taking all advised options. Continued from front cover

“But the judge ruled that it’s not the same,” said Napolitano-Furno. “A classroom is an educational atmosphere. The parking lot is where seniors paint their freedom of expression. They’re entitled to paint their spots.”

Napolitano-Furno also says that several months ago, the LGBT Network, who signed on as a plaintiff, discontinued their case when asked to provide all of their documentation. She also says that the district was not informed when the network pulled out of the lawsuit.

“What they lost was their ability to have a flag in a classroom if it did not follow district policy. It’s not freedom of expression; flags in nature are political,” said Napolitano-Furno. “When a teacher teaches in the classroom of a public school, it’s not their property. They’re working in a school district building; you have to follow the district’s policies. If you feel deeply about having these flags, you can hang them during your committee meeting, but it has to be taken down for classroom learning. The kids who complained about the distraction have the right to learn in an educational environment that’s free from any kind of distractions”

Ecke remains a teacher in Connetquot CSD.

“Ecke tried to claim that the school district did something to her and that she lost time and money and was subject to emotional distress. She was always in school, she ran the GSA, she lost no money, she had no issues with her classes. Nothing came of it other than her suing the district because she wanted the flag back up,” said Napolitano-Furno.

Garbarino and LaLota Reintroduce Boating Safety Bill in Memory of Long Islander Brianna Lieneck

By Cait Crudden

In a renewed effort to improve boating safety and prevent future tragedies, Congressmen Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) and Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) have reintroduced the Brianna Lieneck Boating Safety Act in the House of Representatives. The legislation is named in memory of eleven-year-old Brianna Lieneck, a Long Islander who lost her life in a devastating boating accident nearly two decades ago.

The bill directs the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to conduct a comprehensive study and submit a report to Congress on the current standards and effectiveness of recreational boating education and operator training programs. The goal is to identify gaps, improve safety protocols, and ultimately reduce the number of accidents caused by untrained or inadequately trained boat operators.

Brianna Lieneck’s tragic death in 2005 continues to serve as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by unregulated boating activity. She and her family were enjoying a summer evening on the Great South Bay off Bay Shore when their boat was struck by a 25-foot vessel operated by an individual with no boating license. The collision not only claimed Brianna’s life but also left her parents with severe injuries and her sister with a nearly severed arm. Although charges of boating while intoxicated were filed, they were ultimately dismissed. The incident sparked a campaign by Brianna’s mother, Gina Lieneck, to implement stricter boating safety requirements.

Congressmen Garbarino and LaLota’s legislation seeks to build on that advocacy by instituting a federal review of recreational boating training, with the aim of establishing stronger standards across all 50 states. The lawmakers cite U.S. Coast Guard statistics showing that 75% of fatal boating accidents in 2023 involved operators who had not received safety instruction.

The act would require the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem (R-SD) to evaluate and report on several key aspects of boating education. This includes assessing the effectiveness of training programs offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the United States Power Squadrons, as well as statelevel initiatives and other hands-on education programs.

Between 2018 and 2023, the United States recorded 3,871 accidental boating deaths, with alcohol consistently ranking as a leading contributing factor. Boating fatalities have remained alarmingly stable over the years, averaging between 560 and 760 deaths annually. The legislation’s proponents believe that comprehensive training requirements, akin to driver education for motor vehicles, would help reverse this trend.

As part of its mandate, the Brianna Lieneck Boating Safety Act will require the Coast Guard to include in its report a detailed analysis of steps taken by the USCG and the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) to encourage states to adopt mandatory boating education and training requirements. This would require an outline of minimum national standards for recreational vessel operator training, a review of how the Coast Guard could potentially implement and manage a federal boating education, training, and testing program, and an evaluation of whether such a program

should be extended to apply to all waters within a state, including internal waterways.

“As a Navy man, boater, and Long Islander, I understand that increasing boating education and safety training will go a long way to preventing injuries and fatalities like what happened to Brianna Lieneck,” said LaLota. “Our legislation will save lives and ensure that families can safely enjoy our waters. I am proud to join my Long Island colleague in introducing this bill to keep more Americans safe.”

Long Island, with its extensive network of bays, inlets, and coastal waters, is a hub for recreational boating.

“Many Long Islanders spend their summers enjoying boating and other water activities, but if we don’t proactively prioritize safety that’s when tragedies, like the one that befell the Lieneck family, happen,” said Rep. Garbarino. “This legislation would help eliminate these incidents and keep boaters on Long Island and around the country safe through education and training programs.”

As the region continues to welcome thousands of boaters each summer, local lawmakers are making a push to ensure safety remains a top priority. Congressman Garbarino and Congressman LaLota’s bill aims to create a uniform safety net nationwide, one that could help prevent the kind of tragedy that befell the Lieneck family.

With bipartisan support likely to grow as awareness increases, the reintroduction of the Brianna Lieneck Boating Safety Act marks a significant step toward achieving national boating safety reform.

Photo credit - Matt Meduri

Hauppauge MS’s Book Ambassadors Create Mobile Library

In April, Hauppauge Middle School’s new Book Ambassadors Club started a rolling library to support their weekly “DEAR” time. DEAR, or “drop everything and read” time, gives students twenty minutes each week to read a book of their choice during their advisory period.

So far, the students have filled three carts with book donations from the community and staff. Students in the club bring books directly to advisory classrooms twice a week, making reading more accessible than ever.

Stocked with a diverse selection of novels

and nonfiction, the cart travels through the hallways, offering students and teachers the chance to discover new reads without having to visit the library. The staff is also included in this initiative as the book ambassadors have left a cart for the adults in the faculty room.

So far, more than thirty students and teachers have checked out books, showing just how much excitement the mobile library has sparked. The book ambassadors are thrilled to foster a love of reading throughout Hauppauge Middle School.

East Islip Board of Education Recognizes Student Athletes and Journalists

East Islip High School’s stellar athletes and journalists were honored at the district’s March 27 Board of Education meeting.

Athletic recognitions included boys varsity wrestling Vasilios Dimou for qualifying for the state wrestling tournament; varsity girls’ bowling team members Brooke Andresen, Makayla Boyd, Dakota Collins, Ella Coughlin, Katherine Coughlin, Rosalie Crowe, Meeya Leaderman, Peyton Scholl, and Maureen Schweizer for being named County champions; varsity boys’ bowling team members Lucas Brelsford, Andrew Jacobsen, Chase LaFata, Lucas Lawlor, Brenden Muller, Anthony Sasso, Niko Stavropoulos, and Greggory Stephens for being named County champions; varsity girls’ gymnast Sophia Pepe for representing East Islip and Section XI at the state gymnastic championship; varsity girls’ winter track members Carly Amato, Sally Attard, Aniyah Auguste, Kaitlyn Banks, Lynne Banks, Danielle Birner, Keira Bloch, Nevaeha Bond, Iyanna Bordies, Maya Brown, Sara Buonincontri, Carli Caliguri, Jaliya Capers, Jianna Castanos, Sumaya Clark, Sylvia Clyburn, Emily Coakley, Kathryn Coakley, Alison Coppinger, Eva Daugherty, Avery Ernst, Isabella Feliz, Charlotte Galli, Chloe Garatina, Kaylee Garatina, Samantha

Garatina, Lilyana Graney, Emily Graziano, Julia Hartman, Heather Heffernan, Neissa Jean, Soraya Joseph, Sanaa Lee, Alyssa Lewandowski, Joanni Li, Anna Massina, Madison McCarney, Addison McDonough, Madison McNamee, Alexa Menendez, Grace Micali, Sarai Murria, Kaylee O’Boyle, Marisa Renganeschi, Julia Richardson, Kathryn Sawtelle, Victoria Scandale, Gabrielle Seda, Danielle Simonetti, Kathryn Simonetti, Caylee Smith, Amanda Thomas, Danika Tidridge, Katelyn Trifaro, Brianna Tucci, London Villanueva, and Ashley Williams for being named small school County champions.

Also recognized were varsity boys bowling coach Judy Fischer, for being named Suffolk County Coach of the Year, and varsity girls winter track coaches John Reynolds and Nicole O’Connor, for being named Small School County Coaches of the Year.

Two student staff members of East Islip’s newspaper, The Broadcaster, were then honored for their success at Adelphi University’s Press Day and Quill Awards. Sophomore Brooke McCally earned an honorable mention for an opinion piece, and junior Emilia Cicale won third place for Best Overall Reporter.

West Islip Science Research Students Earn Honors at NYSSEF

On March 24, West Islip High School science research students in Mrs. Kroll’s class competed at the New York State Science and Engineering Fair. Unlike other competitions, NYSSEF only has two broad categories. Two West Islip High School students were recognized for their projects.

Emilia Miranda won second place in life science for her project, “Analyzing Microplastic Quantity and Chemical Composition in FarmRaised vs Wild-Caught Shrimp for Human Consumption Using Infrared Spectroscopy.” Emily Podolska earned honorable mention in life science for her project, “Evaluating Herbal Supplements through Mineral Content and DNA Analysis.” Congratulations to all the West Islip student researchers and to Mrs. Kroll for her inspiring mentorship.

Sayville High Schoolers Attend Prestigious Science Competition

Recently, Sayville High School students Taylor Carpentieri and Adria Vargas attended the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair (L.I.S.E.F.). The two students, a part of Sayville’s R.I.S.E. (Research, Innovation, and Solution Engineering) program, had one of 12 projects chosen to attend round two of this prestigious competition.

L.I.S.E.F. is a competition in which the most advanced high school projects are presented to professionals in their subject areas from local universities, scientific institutions, and professionals in the field. Carpentieri and Vargas presented a research project that entailed testing the efficacy of biofiltration media for removing nitrate pollution from stormwater runoff. The duo’s project addressed a serious local environmental issue affecting Sayville and the surrounding Great South Bay. The team finished 4th overall in their category and received a special award for

Sustainable Development. The award, sponsored by RICOH, was given to the project that demonstrated the principles and technical innovations that offer the greatest potential for addressing environmental challenges.

“Taylor and Adria’s accomplishments reflect not only their talent and dedication, but also the high standards of scientific inquiry we strive to foster at Sayville,” said Stephanie Bricker, Sayville High School principal. “Their research addresses a meaningful environmental issue in our own community, and I’m confident this is just the beginning of what they will achieve.”

For more information on the Sayville Union Free School District, visit the district’s website at sayvilleschools.org. Happenings in the district can also be found on the district’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/saydistrictpr. #CaringAndLearning

Sachem North Hosts Inclusive Woodworking Workshops

Sachem North High School recently held a series of inclusive woodworking workshops that brought together students of all abilities to engage in creativity, collaboration and hands-on learning. Led by a team of dedicated educators, including Ms. Hatfield, participants built projects such as birdhouses and nightstands while developing valuable skills and forging new connections.

During each weekly workshop, lessons emphasized both craftsmanship and community. Students were guided step by step through their projects, learning to safely use tools, measure and assemble pieces, and problem solve as a team. More importantly, the series created an environment where every individual felt valued and supported, highlighting the power of inclusive learning.

Throughout the sessions, participants not only built functional and artistic pieces, but also built relationships—with their peers, their teachers and their school community. By the end, students left with a sense of pride in their accomplishments and a stronger sense of belonging.

Sachem North’s inclusive woodworking initiative stands as a model for how schools can combine technical education with meaningful social engagement, proving that when creativity and collaboration come together, everyone benefits.

Bayport-Blue Point H.S. Students Visit Courthouse to Meet with Alumnus and Judge

As part of the Bayport-Blue Point High School Alumni Connections program, Bayport-Blue Point High School students in Mr. Curran’s Civil Law classes visited Bayport-Blue Point alumnus Judge Tim Mazzei at the Cromarty Courthouse in Riverhead. Judge Mazzei shared his journey from Bayport-Blue Point High School to becoming a New York State Supreme Court Justice.

The students also met District Administrative Judge

Hon. Andrew A. Crecca, Court Officer Sergeant Calise, and Suffolk County Commissioner of Jurors John Nunziata, each of whom provided valuable insights into their respective roles within the court system.

In addition, the students were able to observe testimony from a top geneticist at the first pretrial hearing in the high-profile Gilgo Beach murder trial, broadcast live via closed-circuit television in an auxiliary courtroom.

By Matt Meduri

The Necessary Standard for American Education

The Seventeenth Amendment

From the birth of our electoral process until 1913, U.S. Senators were not directly elected by the American people. The Seventeenth Amendment provides for one of the most significant electoral overhauls in U.S. history, making senators duly elected by the people.

History

“The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

“When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, that the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

Published

by

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.

“This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.”

Originally, the Article I, Section 3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the U.S. Constitution provided for the state legislatures to elect their respective states’ senators. The Connecticut Compromise, one of the landmark reforms in the nation’s original independent charter, the Articles of Confederation, made for equal representation among the states in the Senate. Each state would receive two senators with one vote each, regardless of state size or population. The purpose was to contrast with the popularlyelected House of Representatives. The only Founding Father who supported popular election of U.S. Senators was James Wilson, who would serve as one of the first Associate Justices of the Supreme Court.

Giving the power of electing senators to the state legislatures accomplished two goals: reinforce the concept of a federalist nation where states have significant forms of sovereignty and separation from the federal government; and form more of a cohesive federalist nation. Before the ratification of the Constitution, the states were effectively only joined by permanent treaties, with citizens retaining loyalties to their states.

The move also assuaged concerns of the Anti-Federalist Party that the states would have large checks on the federal government.

However, the most significant aspect of state legislatures electing U.S. Senators was that the Senate acted as the states’ lobbying arm in Washington. The House of Representatives has always been the peoples’ lobbying arm in Washington, as members of Congress are beholden to their constituents and retail politics is much easier when trying to reach the population of one district, rather than those of the states at large. A confined number of state legislators can easily contact a senator representing the entire state, and vice versa. And given that state legislators are duly elected by the people in even smaller constituencies than those of the U.S. House, the people had their state representatives’ ears, who could easily confer information to the U.S. Senator. The state legislatures’ powers in the process also circumvented travel challenges posed at the time.

The Senate has always operated on a six-year term cycle, as opposed to the more populist two-year terms of the House. The House members were and always have been held regularly accountable to their constituents, while the senators were able to focus on the needs of the states at-large and crafting national legislation.

Origins of the Amendment

Issues, however, arose as time passed, more frequently around the Civil War period. Those who advocated for popular elections of Senators believed that corruption and congressional deadlock were the primary problems. They also believed that state legislatures would elect senators based on a “buy-and-sell” model, along with elected allies or even friends to the positions, weakening the public image and original purpose of the position.

Between 1857 and 1900, the Senate investigated three elections on corruption allegations. Senator William Clark (D-MT) - not to be confused with explorer William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition - had his 1900 election voided after the Senate found that he had bought votes in the Montana Legislature for the position. Despite these developments, only ten cases of Senate elections were contested on allegations of corruption.

A much more present issue, however, was that of congressional and state legislative deadlock. Not only did Washington rely on the senators for floor votes and committee action, but state legislatures saw deadlock since they sparred over appointments. Some states even saw extended periods of lack of Senate representation due to this issue, with deadlocks becoming more prevalent in the 1850s. The deadlocked Indiana Legislature left a Senate seat vacant for two years. The New Jersey Legislature’s 1865 Senate election represented a fever pitch in the deadlock drama, when the legislature changed its rules to allow for a plurality vote for a senator instead of an absolute majority vote. The U.S. House and Senate vetoed the appointment of John Stockton (D-NJ) to the post.

Congress acted in 1866 to overhaul the process. The new rules required the chambers of the legislatures to convene separately to cast their votes, after which the two chambers would hold a joint session to review the vote results. If a Senate nominee had clinched a majority in both chambers, that nominee would be elected. If not, the joint assembly would vote for a candidate; each member received one vote each. If no majority was reached, the legislature was required to convene each day until a senator had been elected.

Despite these seemingly effective rules, between 1891 and 1905, twenty states saw a collective forty-six deadlocked elections, with a Delaware seat vacant from 1899 until 1903. Disruption and chaos across the states continued, with the Oregon House of Representatives opting to not issue oaths of office for the 1897 session due to a dispute of an open Senate seat. Oregon was unable to pass legislation that year.

Some analysts assert that deadlocks weren’t as rampant of an issue as some claimed, with the main culprits being in newlyformed western states who were inexperienced in the legislative process. Additionally, many western states were admitted after the Civil War but before the 1900s, resting in a particularly tumultuous period of the Industrial Revolution, Civil Rights, and Progressive-Populism. One support for this argument is that of Utah, which became a state in 1896. Utah saw deadlocks in 1897 and 1899, but never again afterward. Other analysts note that some states’ legislative powers weren’t as crippled as some believed, with some states holding a Senate vote at the beginning of the day and continuing business thereafter.

President Andrew Johnson (D-TN) was a notable early supporter of reform, calling the idea of popular election of senators “so palpable” that no explanation was effectively needed. Newspaper publisher and yellow journalism tycoon William Randolph Hearst (R-NY) also made use of his magazine Cosmopolitan to support the reform efforts. By the 1890s,

support for the change had dramatically increased. The Populist Party made it a core part of their platform, while Oregon and Nebraska became the first states to pass laws on this basis. Ten states would also opt for non-binding primaries, in which the public could voice their opinions as to whom the legislature should appoint to the Senate.

The amendment also changed how Senate vacancies would be filled. Governors are required to call a special election and appoint temporary replacements until the next election. All but four states - North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin - currently allow for these appointments.

Ratification

By 1893, the House attained a twothirds vote to pass the amendment and send it to the states, but the Senate failed to take it up. This exact scenario occurred again in 1900, 1904, and 1908. The states then took up the mantle, and by 1910, thirty-one state legislatures had passed resolutions calling for the constitutional amendment. As the Senate’s turnover continued, more freshmen were in favor of the reform. By 1912, 239 state and national political parties had pledged some form of support for the direct election, with thirty-three states having instituted direct primaries.

The Seventeenth Amendment was approved by the Senate on April 12, 1912, in a 42-36 vote, and by the House in a 238-39 vote, with 110 abstentions on May 13, 1912.

Massachusetts became the first state to ratify, followed by Arizona, Minnesota, New York, and Kansas, showing the geographic reach of the issue. Connecticut was the tipping-point state, having ratified on April 8, 1913. Five states subsequently ratified, with Alabama, Delaware, Maryland, and Rhode Island formally ratifying between 2002 and 2014.

Utah rejected the amendment in 1913; no action was ever taken by Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, or Virginia. Alaska and Hawaii would not become states until 1959, ratifying the amendment when they were admitted to the Union.

The first election held subject to the Seventeenth Amendment was a 1913 special election in Georgia. Augustus Octavius Bacon (D-GA) was unopposed.

Through a Modern Lens

It’s fascinating to think of what the composition of the United States’ government would be today had the Seventeenth Amendment never been passed. With all states having been admitted for long periods of time, legislative processes aren’t as nascent as they were when the issue came to a head in the late 1800s. Furthermore, arbitrary compositions of state legislatures and districts that were once rampant might not be as much of an issue today with more transparent processes that often see judicial intervention.

New York is a perfect example of examining what could happen. Republicans controlled the New York State Senate from 1927 until 2018 with just nine years in the minority. New York’s last U.S. Senate election with a Republican-controlled State Senate was that of Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in 2016. Without the Seventeenth Amendment, that could have been a very different outcome overall, even in such a Democratic stronghold like New York.

One glaring problem often attributed to the Seventeenth Amendment is that of declining competition in U.S. Senate races.

In 2011, nineteen states had split delegations, those with two Senators of different parties, with Republicans in states like Massachusetts and Illinois, and Democrats in Arkansas, South Dakota, and Louisiana.

After 2024, only three states have split delegations, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Maine. Vermont is sometimes included, although Bernie Sanders (I-VT) caucuses with the Democrats. This is the lowest number of split delegations since the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment.

Legend: Solid red/blue states have both Senators of the same party - Striped states show a split delegationBoth Independents caucus with the Democrats

April Student Achievement Ceremony Recognizes Local Scholars

At the April Town Board meeting, Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter (R-West Islip) and members of the Town Board celebrated eleven future leaders who have demonstrated academic excellence and made positive contributions to their community. These students shine as role models in their schools and communities.

Gianna-Luce Lagredelle from Bay Shore High School, is actively involved in several leadership programs, including Hello Ambassadors, welcoming new ELL students, and Northwell Health’s Junior Leadership Committee and PATHS program. She regularly volunteers to support both students and families in her school community.

Dillon Boeckel is a well-rounded student who excels in both his studies and numerous extracurricular activities including the Varsity Football Team, and the annual musical at his school Bayport-Blue Point High School, and community service with the Chris Coluccio Foundation. His involvement spans athletics, the arts, and giving back to his community.

Isaiah Hayes, a freshman from Brentwood High School, dedicates much of his time to community service, spending countless hours volunteering at the Brentwood Public Library while being actively involved in several clubs including the Travelers club, National Junior Honor Society, and the Diamond Art club as well as participating in the Friendship club, where he helped create “no sew” blankets for pediatric cancer patients at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Gabriela Moreta from Sonderling High School, is a dedicated student leader involved in extra help programs, multiple clubs and honor societies, and the Town of Islip’s Ambassador Program, where she focused on inclusion and diversity, completing all four sessions, and becoming a Peace Ambassador for the Brentwood school district.

Saira Quadri, a senior at Sonderling High School, demonstrates her commitment to both her school and community through her involvement with ROTC, volunteering at events like Thanksgiving food distributions, tutoring fellow students through multiple honor societies, and teaching younger children the fundamentals of fencing.

Josiah Garcia is involved with the Central Islip School District’s “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative, serving as a Fellow and community liaison. In addition to being a top AP scholar who ranked in the top 5 of the Class of 2025 at Central Islip High School, he provides student feedback on district programs and

participates in school and community events.

Jenna Zachmann, who could not attend, dedicates her time to mentoring students and younger soccer players. She serves as Treasurer of the SADD club, helps lead mental health initiatives, and volunteers for Connetquot High School events like the Mental Health 5K, P.S. I Love You initiatives. Jenna is also an active member of the Drug and Alcohol Task Force, where she visits elementary schools to educate younger students on important topics like bullying and addiction prevention.

Michael Donlin’s volunteer work includes Islip Exchange Ambulance, St. Mary’s Church, Comfort Zone Camp, Kids Need More, and Sunrise Camp. A junior at East Islip High School, Michael has spent years supporting children facing illness or loss and continues to give back through multiple organizations, donating his time and effort to help others.

Isabella Dragos, currently a senior at Islip High School, volunteers as a cantor at St. Patrick’s Church and mentors underclassmen through Buccaneer University. She is involved in several honor societies and has provided service to both the school and her community, completing more than 200 service hours throughout her high school career.

Grace Garafola, a dedicated student at Sayville High School, is deeply involved in both her school and community. She participates in a wide range of clubs and honor societies, including Girl Scouts, National Honor Society, Rho Kappa, National Art Honor Society, Student Government, World Language Honor Society, Anchor Club, Peer Leaders, and Stage Crew. Beyond school, she gives back to her community by volunteering at the Sayville Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen.

Alexandra Martorella, a student at West Islip High School, has demonstrated her dedication and compassion through her volunteer work with Beacon House, consistently supporting the well-being of local veterans. She is a positive force within her school community, known for her kindness, humility, and unwavering commitment to helping others.

“Congratulations to all these remarkable students. We are so fortunate to have such dedicated, compassionate, and inspiring young people right here in our Town. Their hard work and commitment to their schools, their peers, and their community remind us that the future is certainly bright – and in very good hands,” said Supervisor Carpenter.

Crime Victims Center Opens SAFE Training Program in Ronkonkoma

By Matt Meduri

The sheer heinousness and trauma of sexual assault, rape, or similar crimes are understood, but picking up the pieces afterward can prove intimidating, embarrassing, or even confusing in some cases.

The Crime Victims Center (CVC) operates not only to combat and raise awareness of such callous acts, but to provide victims’ immediate help and safety as well as sound advice and aid after facing such a traumatic experience.

Two weeks ago, the CVC opened its new Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) and Rape Crisis Response Training Program in Ronkonkoma. The facility not only seeks to carry the mission of the CVC, but to also bridge a gap between survivors and law enforcement. The facility will help train medical personnel to conduct evidence collection exams.

“We created this program because acute sexual assault victims - those who have presented in emergency departments within five days of the assault - have been turned away and asked to, in some cases, come back the next day,” CVC Executive Director Laura Ahearn, Esq. told The Messenger. “And that’s because Suffolk County lacks the capacity to have the number of sexual assault forensic examiners that are needed.”

Ahearn added that the upcoming New York State budget includes a provision that would require hospitals to have SAFE examiners available to provide immediate exams in hospitals.

“Every sexual assault victim has certain rights under the New York State Sexual Assault Victim Bill of Rights. One of those rights is that they’re entitled to have a sexual assault forensic exam performed,” said Ahearn. “They’re entitled to have a rape crisis counselor with them to educate them about their rights and the options they have under the law.”

Ahearn illustrated just the gap the new facility can fill, hopefully before that gap becomes a chasm, in that while hospitals already provide the Sexual Assault Victim Bill of Rights to victims, a rape crisis counselor (RCC) can offer a victim the opportunity to participate in additional available services.

“We [CVC] have trained RCCs,” said Ahearn. “In order to be an RCC in our program, you have to be an approved program by the New York State Department of Health, then your training has to be approved, and then that RCC has to go through a minimum forty-hour training program before they can respond to a hospital with one of our sexual assault forensic examiners.”

CVC currently has fourteen SAFEs that respond to hospitals, but the goal of the agency is to “build capacity in Suffolk County and then ultimately the region to ensure that all hospitals have forensic examiners that are working in their own hospitals,” according to Ahearn. Hand-in-hand, CVC seeks to educate existing hospitals’ applying staff through their program, starting with the nine hospitals in Suffolk County.

“It’s been many, many years since capacity has been challenged, meaning it’s been challenging for the hospitals to respond. And that’s the intention here. We’re starting that process now to do training for all the hospitals,” said Ahearn.

Nurses who can apply can be any medical provider who holds the credentials of Registered Nurse (RN), Physician Assistant (PA), or nurse practitioner. After they attend the classes, they must be precepted by another hospital, meaning that each hospital’s medical director must approve their qualifications. The

precepting process includes CVC staff working with applicants in their hospitals to ensure they can perform the exams and that they are comfortable doing so.

“It’s the highest level of standard too,” said Ahearn. “Our examiners are trained to perform the evidence collection not only in keeping with what the State wants, but also locally here with what the District Attorney’s office wants.

Ahearn compares the work of the CVC to those of other organizations that handle the fallout after certain traumatic experiences, such as homicide, domestic violence, or other violent crimes.

“Nobody really understands the position that a crime victim is in. Sometimes, those in the position find themselves under financial burden,” said Ahearn. “We facilitate the return of expenses through the New York State Crime Victims Fund. Our organization has returned nearly $8 million to crime victims right here in Suffolk County. When we do the [assault] response at a hospital, we have the survivor complete the paperwork with us, if they’re interested in participating, so that if they want to go to their own therapist and not come to the Rape Crisis Center for counseling, they can.”

The CVC also helps facilitate the return of insurance, as well as financial benefits of which many are unaware until they become the victim of a crime. The CVC also proactively reaches out to the Suffolk County Police Department to provide help, and the SCPD refers crime victims to the CVC.

Anyone who finds themselves or someone else a victim of a sexual assault, rape, or similar crime is encouraged to call the CVC hotline at 631-332-9234, where they can speak to a trained rape crisis advocate. The advocate will then explain the options afforded to them.

“It really is up to the survivor and what direction they want to go in,” said Ahearn, adding that, contrary to popular belief, a police report does not have to be submitted in order for a forensic examination and evidence collection to be done.

“Depending on what occurred, you may want to wait a little bit longer [to file a police report or take certain benefits],” said Ahearn. “The sexual assault evidence collection kit is on a very, very stringent chain of custody. It stays at the hospital for ten days, and if the survivor doesn’t want it released to law enforcement, they can store it in an undisclosed location in New York for up to twenty years.”

Ahearn said that even these options don’t prevent a victim from receiving care, financial support, and benefits through initiatives like the Crime Victims Fund.

Apart from training medical personnel to conduct such examinations, the CVC also hosts prevention education to teens and adults, as well as prevention seminars offered to all school-aged children, with each presentation tailored to kids’ typical awareness and maturity at various ages.

The opening was attended by elected and law enforcement officials, such as County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) and SCPD Commissioner Kevin Catalina, as well as Suffolk County Legislators Jim Mazzarella (R-Moriches), Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset), Jason Richberg (D-West Babylon), and representatives for Legislators Catherine Stark (R-Riverhead), Nick Caracappa (C-Selden), and Chad Lennon (C-Rocky Point). Representatives for Congressman Nick LaLota (R-Amityville), Senators Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue) and Monica Martinez (D-Brentwood), and Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R-Medford) were present as well.

CreditMatt Meduri

Laura Ahearn cuts the ribbon on the new SAFE Training Facility

Ahearn and CVC personnel

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

AMAC

Thursday, April 17, 2025

China Threatens Our Medical Care

By Betsy McCaughey | AMAC

China has a death grip on our medical supplies and consequently, our ability to survive. It is the sole manufacturer of one hundred medications we commonly use, including antibiotics and blood thinners, and is the largest supplier of nitrate gloves, masks, syringes, and other medical equipment essential in hospitals.

China has threatened to weaponize its monopoly on these supplies to throw our hospitals into chaos, stress us in our death beds, and watch us suffer.

When your enemy issues a threat like that, believe it.

China’s state-run media publication, Xinhua, warned soon after the outbreak of COVID-19 that China might retaliate against Trump’s U.S. travel ban by banning the export of all medical products, adding that “the United States will fall into the hell of a new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic.”

Now, in the trade war with the United States, cutting off medical supplies is possibly China’s next move, and we are not ready.

On April 3, only one day after President Donald Trump initially hiked tariffs on Chinese goods, China hit back with a total suspension of exports of rare earth minerals and magnets, its other strategic monopoly besides medical supplies.

Rare earth minerals and magnets are essential to manufacture autos, Air Force fighter jets, drones, robots – basically the next generation of warfare materials. China’s move puts a stranglehold on these industries.

Unlike the tit-for-tat dance going on between the U.S. and its friendly trading partners over tariff levels, China’s cutting off exports is an act of raw economic warfare.

China is blocking the ability of the U.S. to get essential goods at any price. Today, it’s rare earth minerals. Tomorrow, possibly medicines and medical supplies.

Global free trade, with zero tariffs, is a goal the U.S. can pursue with friendly countries. But not with China, an adversary that aspires to global dominance.

India, the other chief supplier to the United States, relies largely on China for basic ingredients, per the Global Trade Research Initiative, an Indian think tank. With almost no other foreign sources for generic medications and medical supplies, the U.S. has no alternative but to produce these goods at home.

The first Trump administration saw that. Gary Cohn, former director of the National Economic Council, reportedly warned, “If you’re the Chinese and you really want to destroy us, just stop sending us antibiotics.”

In 2020, Trump invoked the Defense Production Act, setting a goal of producing a quarter to a third of gloves and other hospital supplies domestically.

But the Biden administration floundered in the execution. By 2022, the government had spent roughly $1 billion on half-finished factories to produce nitrate gloves without a single glove to show for it, a sad saga reported by America Affairs. In early 2022, the funding expired, and the Biden administration didn’t bother to request a renewal.

Dependence on China for gloves actually increased after 2020, despite the quality being so poor that double gloving is now routine in hospitals to compensate for frequent tearing.

Similarly, U.S. imports of finished Chinese pharmaceuticals and active ingredients soared after 2020, per the Atlantic Council, despite Biden paying lip service to reducing dependence.

The Strategic Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Reserve, set up in 2020 to anticipate China cutting off access, was only 1% filled as of November 2024, per a report from American Compass trade think tank.

That’s shocking negligence.

Last week’s clampdown on rare earth minerals is a wake-up call.

Congress needs to invest public funds or offer tax incentives to build medical manufacturing capacity. A bill offered last week by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) does this.

The U.S. should slap hefty tariffs on China’s

medications. Generic drug manufacturers here are more likely to invest in expansion if they know they won’t be blown away by cheap, Chinese competitors.

Shift the conversation in Washington, D.C., from shaving drug costs to ensuring access. Domestic manufacturing will cost more, and tariffs will add yet another layer of cost. But the key is to be able to get the drug you need – to prevent a heart attack or dissolve a blood clot – whether China is on the warpath or not.

China’s President Xi Jinping says, “There are no winners in a trade war, or a tariff war.” That’s untrue. The U.S. appears poised to win reciprocal tariffs, or no tariffs, with its friendly trading partners. Meanwhile, China has shown its true colors, an adversary trying to bring its trading partners to their knees.

The U.S. has been warned and must act on it.

Betsy McCaughey is a former Lt. Governor of New York State and Chairman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths.

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

WHERE BROADWAY MEETS MAIN STREET

WORD OF THE Week

Etymology: mid 16th century (in the philosophical sense): from late Latin contingentia (in its medieval Latin sense ‘circumstance’), from contingere ‘befall’ (see contingent).

CONTINGENCY

noun Pronounced: /kuhn·tin·juhn·see/

Definition: a future event or circumstance which is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty.

Example: “The budget allowed for an extra 10% for contingencies.”

Synonyms: eventuality, probability, chance

Antonyms: surety, improbability, certainty

Source: Oxford Languages

WORD WHEEL

SUDOKU

See bottom left for the answers (please don’t cheat!)

This Week in History

April 22, 2016: Paris Agreement on climate change signed in New York binding 195 nations to an increase in the global average temperature to less than 2°C above preindustrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C.

April 17, 1982: Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Queen Elizabeth II sign the “Proclamation of the Constitution Act”, establishing the “Charter of Rights and Freedoms” as part of the country’s new Constitution.

April 21, 1989: Thousands of Chinese people crowd into Beijing’s Tiananmen Square cheering students demanding greater political freedom.

See how many words you can create. Must have center letter in word and can use letters more than once. 4 letter word minimum.

April 20, 2008: Danica Patrick driving for Andretti Green Racing wins the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi; first female driver in history to win an IndyCar Series race.

April 23, 1984: AIDS-virus identified as HTLV-III (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).

April 18, 1775: Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott ride from Charlestown to Lexington warning “the regulars are coming!”

April 19, 1995: Oklahoma City bombing: Timothy McVeigh sets a truck bomb at Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168. including 19 children, and injuring 500.

Who is This Man of Great Controversy? - Part II

By PJ Balzer

Continued from last week...

Early that morning, the Sanhedrin were the first to stand Jesus before them for another round of accusations. Jesus was led in chains to the house of the high priest named Caiphas. There, the religious hierarchy further accused Him of misleading people with His teachings and instructing them to forsake traditional religious practices. The high priest, already knowing what Jesus would answer, finally asked Him the question that would allow them to condemn Him.

“We have heard you call yourself the Son of the Living God, making Yourself equal to God. Is this true?”

Jesus answered, “I AM, and you will see me seated at the right hand of glory in Heaven.”

With this answer and now charging Him with blasphemy, the chief priest and elders then led Him to the Governor of Rome, Pontious Pilate. Pilates’ wife had a dream that night about Jesus and warned her husband not to be found guilty before God in condemning Him, a Holy and innocent man, to execution. Nevertheless, Jesus was led there to be further questioned. Pilate asked Him if He was a King and if the statements He’d been heard publicly making about Himself were true. The Governor’s ruling was that Jesus was innocent, yet for the religious leaders’ sake, he would have Jesus punished by whipping and then release Him.

The Roman soldiers then took Jesus into their barracks called the Praetorian. The soldiers that Rome employed at that time were known to be brute, ruthless, and emotionless. Rome hired the perfect gang to carry out what would come next for Jesus. They first happily stripped Him and dressed Him in a purple robe which was highly symbolic. They took a branch off of a thorn bush and twisted it into a circular shape for his crown. They placed it on the head of Jesus and used a stick to make sure the thorns were pierced into his scalp. The soldiers took turns bowing before him in complete mockery and humiliation. Some say the Praetorian had dozens of soldiers, others say it could have had hundreds. Either way, this man of great controversy stood there alone again.

There was a tradition at that time during the Passover festival that one criminal who was currently detained would be completely pardoned, exonerated, and released. Jesus was brought out before the crowd along with another detainee named Barabbas. Barabbas was accused of leading a public rebellion and committing murder in the process. He was apparently a widely known and publicly hated criminal. Pilate declared to the angry crowd standing by that one of the two prisoners would be released today, and the crowd was to choose which. The majority screamed, “Release Barabbas, crucify Jesus.” The charge was led by the furious religious hierarchy, who hated Jesus more than they did Barabbas.

The soldiers led Jesus out to the public square to gladly carry on with their work. They were most likely both delighted and eager to begin His public punishment. These Roman soldiers, that probably resembled football players, picked out their whipping instruments of torture. Jesus stood in the public square basically naked with hundreds of people looking on as they scourged Him until His skin and blood was all over the floor. Some historians say that He was most likely barely recognizable at this point due to the immensity of the punishment. The religious leaders and those they were able to stir up in hatred towards Jesus weren’t completely content yet. They wanted Jesus completely gone, not just hurt, as the crowds calls to crucify Him grew louder.

By this time, Jesus’ friends and followers were nowhere to be found, despite Him warning them time and time again that He would soon be put to death. His friends had scattered once He was arrested and when He needed them most. Their vision and hope was that He would overthrow the oppressive Roman reign, not be taken into shackles by it. With not one friend left to help Him carry the heavy wooden cross up to the hill He’d be crucified on, the soldiers picked a random man out of the crowd named Simeon to help Him as the cross was extremely heavy and Jesus was bleeding profusely.

At that time, crucifixion was the worst and most dignity-stripping of deaths possible. It was a public execution and meant to be an open spectacle reserved for societies most hated. Onlookers often watched crucifixions just to see their favorite menace to society suffer and die slowly, usually of asphyxiation. That’s often how the crucified would die. Besides the immense bleeding, their lungs would also fill up with fluids while they were nailed by their feet and hands in a set position. As fluids started to fill their lungs, they would have to attempt at gasping for air by pulling themselves up a little, which took immense strength if you were already losing blood and dehydrated. Most who were crucified died by drowning in their own bodily fluids as they hung there naked, body torn to shreds with a crowd below mocking, clapping, and even spitting on them.

On both sides of Jesus were two known criminals charged with thievery. Most would say that it probably wasn’t petty thievery because of the type of death to which they were condemned. They were probably thieves who were known and proven to be violent. As the three hung there together, one of the criminals openly joined in the onlookers below in mocking Jesus.

“If you are the Son of God as you say, save yourself and us.”

The other criminal defended Jesus from these accusations in saying, “We are receiving the due punishment for our crimes, but this man is innocent. Jesus, would you please remember me when you enter into your kingdom.”

Jesus replied, “This very day you will be with me in paradise.”

Is there any greater mercy offered and eternal promise than this?

At noon an eerie darkness fell over the land which lasted until around 3:00p.. Jesus is recorded making a last few statements while He was hanging there slowly dying.

“Father forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”

“Father why have you (momentarily) forsaken me?”

“It is finished, into your hands I commit my spirit,” as He gasped for His last breath.

An earthquake shook the land at that moment and even some onlookers who were in opposition to Him said, “We now see that we have killed the Son of God.” A wealthy man

named Joseph of Arimathea asked Pontius Pilate for the body of Jesus. Joseph owned a tomb that He wanted to bury Jesus’ body in. Pilate granted his request and gave His body to Joseph. Pilate also, at the religious leaders’ request, covered the tomb with a large stone weighing most likely a few tons. He also ordered that two soldiers guarded the tomb day and night. Jesus had spoken openly that He’d rise from the dead on the third day. Rome and the religious hierarchy had to attempt to stop this from happening, just in case He did.

A few days later as the sun rose, several women who remained followers of Jesus were going to the tomb to anoint his body with traditional fragrances and spices. This was both their custom, tradition and also an act of dignity towards the deceased. Regardless of what the majority said, they still loved Him. As they arrived at the place where He was buried, they found the fewton stone rolled to the side of the entrance. They stood there perplexed, excited and nervous, of course. At that moment, two men stood there in clean and bright garments. They asked the women, “Why have you come here to look for the living amongst where the dead are? Jesus is not here; He has risen as He told you He would.”

Jesus was and is still alive this very moment as you read this, despite humanity’s greatest efforts to rid the earth of Him completely. In that time, He appeared in His risen body, with the nail scars He suffered during His crucifixion still in His hands and feet, to over five hundred people. He appeared to His closest friends despite them leaving and denying Him in His time of greatest suffering. He continued to teach them; He ate with them and performed many other signs and miracles over a forty-day period. This man of great controversy ended up being exactly who He said He was. He is the all-knowing, ever present, Sovereign God; the One who conquered and reigns over death, Hell, and the tomb; the One who holds life, our breath and eternity in His hands; the only One that can offer forgiveness of all sins.

“Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said,

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into Heaven.”

The Moloney Family

22 County News

Thursday, April 17, 2025

FRES and SCPD Dispatchers Honored for Life-Saving Work

By Matt Meduri

While much of the praise in cases of emergencies rightfully go to the first responders and men and women on the front lines, it’s important to note where such acts begin and to whom such credit is owed: dispatchers.

Suffolk County elected officials, as well as those of Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services (FRES) and the Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), gathered at FRES Headquarters in Yaphank Wednesday afternoon to commend seven dispatchers, two from FRES and five from SCPD, for their recent displays of quick thinking and efficiency that resulted in lifesaving scenarios.

had unfortunately expired at that point, but Dominique didn’t give up on the call and did everything she could do to save a life.”

Emergency Complaint Operator Rich Carentz received a call in September from a “barricaded subject.” The “highly agitated” caller was received by Carentz, who quickly relayed information about an unloaded shotgun in the room while the Hostage Negotiation Team set in.”

“The person on the other end [of a 911 call] is frantic. They’re scared; they’re concerned, and it’s the calming voice of the dispatcher giving instructions that helps save lives,” said County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) (pictured right), adding that the day in the life of a first responder or even a 911 dispatcher is often used as plot points for television shows. “But you never understand what that’s all about until you have a 911 emergency.”

“I am humbled to be in their presence,” said Romaine to the seven dispatchers in attendance.

County Legislator Dominick Thorne (R-Patchogue) (pictured right), Chair of the FRES Committee in the Suffolk County Legislature, gave dispatchers equal praise.

“We hear the term ‘frontline workers’, we hear the term ‘first responders”, but the fact of the matter is that nothing hits the road, no ambulance, no fire truck, no police car, without our initial frontline workers, which are our dispatchers,” said Thorne. “Not only are our police and FRES dispatchers ready and a calming voice, but simultaneously dispatching our units, all while still giving emergency medical services over the phone and giving directions, saving countless lives.”

The event was also timely, as April 13-19 is National Public Safety Telecommunications Week.

“I want to give a giant ‘thank you’ to all of our emergency complaint operators and our public safety dispatchers who do an amazing, amazing job,” said SCPD Commissioner Kevin Catalina. “Being a cop for a long, long time, I’ve been on the other end of that radio many, many times and have seen the tremendous work that they do and how their calming voices get us and the public through difficult situations.”

Public Safety Dispatcher Angelina Giovanniello was honored for her skills in dispatching for a case that rocked Suffolk in January, that of Officer Brendon Gallagher. Gallagher was in pursuit of an impaired driver who was traveling at breakneck speeds, when his cruiser careened off the Long Island Expressway near Exit 55 and capsized with Gallagher still inside.

“Angelina handled that call, and that call couldn’t be more complicated, because you’re dealing with multiple different units and agencies, from the police department to FRES, to emergency services,” said Catalina. “Angelina stayed on that call the entire time, directed that response, and ultimately, helped in saving Brendon’s life. Brendon is doing well, but keep him in your prayers because he’s still got a long way to go until he’s truly recovered.”

Public Safety Dispatcher Dominique Grasso was recognized for her service that unfortunately ended tragically.

“Dominique was adamant after she received a call about a person who was going to take his own life that she stayed on the call, even though she knew the individual,” said Catalina. “Ultimately, we found the person who

“While on the phone, Rich was able to calm down the woman and ascertain that she had an unloaded shotgun in the room,” said Catalina. “Had we not had that information, we would have thought that the gun was loaded and it could have ended differently.”

Emergency Complaint Operator Madeline Hart, a thirty-year employee of the SCPD, was honored for her long service and prominent mentorship of new dispatchers.

“Madeline is a great mentor to our new employees and defines what a telecommunicator should be,” said Catalina, adding that one trainee who contended that the job is stressful credited Hart for her leadership.

Public Safety Dispatcher Colleen Jaen, an SCPD dispatcher since 1997, dispatched calls for the Third Precinct, one of the busiest precincts in the county. Jaen has moved up the ladder, attaining the rank of Public Safety Dispatcher (PSD) 3 and works alongside the Communications Commanding Officer.

“With her many years of experience and strong work ethic, Colleen has proven to be a tremendous asset to the Communications Bureau,” said Catalina.

Two of FRES’ fifty-seven dispatchers were honored as well, looked on by County Clerk Vincent Puleo (R-Nesconset), a former firefighter with fifty-three years of experience, and Suffolk County Legislator Trish Bergin (R-East Islip).

“In 2024, FRES dispatchers answered 415,000 emergency telephone calls. Out of those calls, 297,000 of them were dispatched for fire and EMS responses. 80% of those calls were EMSrelated. “Our emergency service dispatches gave CPR instructions 601 times, administered aspirin 1,966 times, and gave Narcan instructions 93 times,” said FRES Commissioner Rudy Sunderman. “They [dispatchers] are the unseen faces behind every emergency response, the vital link between the public and our first responders. They are here to answer your call 24-7, 365 days, nights, weekends, holidays.

Christian Dideriksen (pictured left), Emergency Service Dispatcher #40, was honored for his service in aiding a male caller suffering from a heart attack in January. His efficient interview of the caller led him to dispatch the Hauppauge and Central Islip Fire Departments’ EMS units. Dideriksen talked the public through CPR and use of the AED. The patient was transported to Stony Brook and survived.

James Alfano, Emergency Service Dispatcher #19 (pictured left), was recognized for handling a 911 call in early March from Paddle-Up Pickleball in Bellport, at which an elderly male had collapsed. Alfano’s sound advice in CPR and AED usage led to a full recovery of the patient.

“It was almost the end of my shift. I received the call, we established that the gentleman was unconscious at the Rinx [in Hauppauge],” said Dideriksen. “There was great teamwork by the people that were on scene. CPR was started right away. The AD was applied right away; it was a great outcome.”

“A lot of the times we pick up the phone, we don’t know the outcome. So, it’s definitely a rewarding feeling knowing that you played a vital part of saving somebody’s life,” said Alfano.

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

(Left to right) Commissioner Sunderman, SCPD Deputy Commissioner Belinda Alvarez-Groneman, SCPD Chief of Operations Millie Soto, Jaen, Hart, Carentz, Grasso, Giovanniello, SCPD Commissioner Catalina, Executive Romaine (Credit - Matt Meduri)

Zeldin Addresses Environmental Concerns at LIA Event

By Cait Crudden

EPA Administrator and former Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) returned to his home region this past week, to participate in a policy conversation hosted by the Long Island Association (LIA) at the Crest Hollow Country Club. The event gathered local business leaders, environmental advocates, and community members to discuss the intersection of environmental protection, economic growth, and regulatory policy.

Administrator Zeldin, appointed by President Donald Trump (R-FL) as head of the Environmental Protection Agency earlier this year, used the opportunity to outline his vision for the agency, share recent policy initiatives, and take questions from the moderator. Topics ranged from offshore wind energy and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in drinking water to the impact of artificial intelligence and the EPA’s role in national energy independence.

During the discussion, Administrator Zeldin highlighted actions taken by the agency in the first 100 days of the Trump administration, including the cancellation of over $22 billion in grants and contracts. These decisions, he argued, were part of a broader mission to streamline the EPA, refocus resources, and align environmental goals with economic objectives under the agency’s “Great American Comeback” initiative. He encouraged Long Island businesses to take the lead in Artificial Intelligen

The initiative seeks to restore domestic energy dominance, provide clean air and water, and create jobs across sectors. A key part of the agenda includes regulatory rollbacks aimed at reducing what he characterized as burdensome restrictions on businesses and energy producers. Among the sectors affected are oil and gas, power plants, and wastewater treatment facilities.

argue that expanding fossil fuel dependence undermines efforts to combat climate change and transition to renewables. The Administrator advocated for the development of new pipelines in this respect.

As EPA Administrator, Zeldin emphasized a vision of shared responsibility, encouraging industry leaders to take initiative in environmental stewardship while allowing room for economic expansion. However, his remarks were not without controversy. He also advocated for expanded natural gas pipelines and the pause on new wind energy permits.

Zeldin highlighted broader tensions between federal policy and state environmental goals. While some view natural gas infrastructure as key to energy security, opponents

Clean water was a major point of focus,

and clean it up, in Zeldin’s perspective.

One thing is clear, the environment is engrained as part of the Long Island economy, there is no reason why we can’t support

By Ellyn Okvist, B.Sc.

I am often asked where one would go to become familiar with one of the first homesteads of Lake Ronkonkoma.

A good choice would be the Caleb Newton Farm established in the 1770s. They owned the section from the Lake right up to Hawkins Avenue and Portion Road, which was once the location of the WWII Memorial Tree. A NYS Historical Marker was placed at the Lake in 2021 to celebrate the history and highlighted the roots of the first Methodist Church held in the home in 1796.

Presently, we are further developing Newton Pond, which was also part of the farm. It is an environmental treasure and has been renewing its attraction with carefully planned selfmaintenance and scientific assistance. The extension from generation to generation assures the future with a direct line of history.

The Lake of Haunting Mystery was placed as an Eagle Scout Project in 2006, erected by George Cristino, Eagle Scout candidate. He was assisted by Barbara Russell, Town of Brookhaven Historian; Suffolk County Legislator John Kennedy (R-Nesconset); Troop 566; Dave Michaelson Stonecretes Masonry; Daniel Moloney; Frank Giglio-Mount Olivet Cemetery, Queens; Leslie Kennedy; the Lake Ronkonkoma Heritage Association, among others. It is located at 40° 49.756′ N, 73° 6.933′ W. at the intersection of Portion Road and Shorehaven Boulevard.

On October 21, 2023, the park sustained unbroken history of Lake Ronkonkoma, and the participants of the Landmark became part of that history. The following words were declared in the Proclamation sealing the official status of the park:

Local History

Thursday, April 17, 2025

Eagle Watch Park

”Whereas: the Office of the Suffolk County Executive is proud to join with the Lake Ronkonkoma Heritage community members and local Boy Scout Troops for the dedication of Eagle Watch Park;

“and Whereas: on Saturday the twenty-first day of October, in the year two thousand twenty-three, community members will gather alongside the Lake Ronkonkoma Heritage Association and local Boy Scout Troops to commemorate the dedication of Eagle Watch Park in Lake Ronkonkoma, NY;

“and WHEREAS: while working on a project near Eagle Watch Park, local Boy Scouts noticed the deteriorating state of a previous eagle scout project dating back to 2006. Determined to restore and enhance the area, the Scouts understood the importance of obtaining the permission from the original Eagle Scout. Consequently, a search was conducted, leading to the discovery of George Cristino, the original eagle who graciously offered guidance and supervised the Scouts during the repair process;

“and Whereas: it is truly remarkable to have a direct connection with such a place within the Lake Ronkonkoma community. Witnessing scouts as young as six years old actively contributing and assisting throughout the year has been truly inspiring. The various troops have come together, engaging in activities that pique their individual interests while also learning from knowledgeable adults. The collective desire to preserve and uphold the pride of this park in Lake Ronkonkoma has been well-deserved and earned; and Whereas: by establishing Eagle Watch Park, residents can now leisurely observe majestic eagles perched atop the towering trees surrounding Lake Ronkonkoma. This serene and captivating view offers a tranquil escape, allowing everyone to immerse themselves in the beauty of nature.

“Now, therefore, I, Steven Bellone, as County Executive of the County of Suffolk do hereby dedicate EAGLE WATCH PARK, LAKE RONKONKOMA, in acknowledgement of their invaluable and substantial contribution to our

community. I would like to express my sincere gratitude and extend heartfelt congratulations on behalf of the 1.5 million residents of Suffolk County. In Witness whereof, I have hereto set my hand and caused the seal of the County of Suffolk to be affixed this twenty-first day of October, in the year two thousand twenty-three.”

The Inscription on the bronze plaque of the landmark has been compared and reviewed by Long Island historians and said to be the most accurate and truthful explanation of Lake Ronkonkoma. The last line will enhance our Lake Ronkonkoma thoughts.

“Lake Ronkonkoma was once home to four Native American tribes known as the Nissequogues, Setaukets, Secatogues, and Unkechaugs. The term “Ronkonkomack” is translated according to the Algonquin language “Boundary Fishing Place” which is understood as the four tribes fished and hunted within their boundary of the lake. The Indians believed the lake was bottomless with a terrible whirlpool as the hatch to the beyond. They also told the early settlers of the Indian chief who imposed a curse on the lake after his daughter drowned while canoeing, against his wishes, with a young man. According to the curse, a man would drown in the lake every year after as the legend goes. Forbidden by her family to marry outside of her race, the Indian maiden used the waters of Lake Ronkonkoma to carry messages, written on pieces of tree bark, through an underground stream to her White lover, miles away on the Connetquot River.

“After seven long years of separation, Princess Ronkonkoma of the Setauket tribe set out in a canoe on the lake one night, only to be found dead floating down the river the following day. Her spirit may still roam the shores of the lake named after her. In mourning, for the drowned Indian princess, the waters of the lake may, as some say, rise and recede every seven years. Though there is no proof of the existence of Princess Ronkonkoma, but the legend lives on. But there is much more to this lake than its legends. The history dates back to 1655, when the Setauket tribe bartered the Lake Ronkonkoma shoreline in exchange for the White man’s valuables. Ronkonkoma has many colorful translations, among them are “glittering white sand”, “healing waters”, and, to most historians, “boundary fishing place”.

“In the late 1700’s, farming was the chief occupation for the local townspeople. In 1795, Portion Road was built, a path just wide enough for someone on horseback or by foot, then widened to permit wagons. Little by little, the lake front developed into a fashionable place for the wealthier people who had summer estates here. A sweeping change came over the area with the expansion of the Long Island Rail Road in 1844. By the 1900’s, Lake Ronkonkoma was transformed from a sleepy little farming community to a wellknown summer resort. In 1908, William Vanderbilt began building Motor Parkway which stretched from Queens to the banks of Lake Ronkonkoma. In the late 1920s, the porches of gabled mansions overlooking the lake were splashed in sunshine with the sounds of a couple of thousand middle class people who came to spend the summer. By 1950-1980’s people began building housing developments and started calling Lake Ronkonkoma home. So, at this site may it bring peace and serenity to those who take the time to enjoy the beauty of this wonderful piece of history called Lake Ronkonkoma.” George Cristino, Eagle Scout 2006

A current revelation is the announcement that the spirit of Princess Tuskawanta will have her new home at the Landmark of Eagle Watch. We ask for information from ALL Lake Ronkonkoma Eagle Scouts; Boy Scouts 91, 272, others; Ice Hockey players on Newtons Pond, and any other information to contact us with legacy facts.

The Bronze Plaque

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Monument and landmark

Newton Pond with Ducks

Native Americans

Newton Pond

Long

Great Neck Student’s Struggles with Public Speaking During COVID Prompt Founding of Public Speaking Training Program

By Hank Russell | Long Island Life and Politics

Teen Speakers Club (TSC) is a peer-to-peer public speaking program designed to help students develop confidence and communication skills through structured mentorship and training. Founded by 17-year-old Elizabeth Matalon, a senior at Great Neck North High School, the program provides an eight-module curriculum aimed at making public speaking more accessible to young people.

Matalon’s interest in public speaking began at age thirteen when her aunt, a stroke survivor, needed help raising awareness about the warning signs of a stroke. She was tasked with delivering presentations at nursing homes, assisted living communities, and senior centers but struggled with stage fright. To prepare, her family enrolled her in public speaking classes, but she found it difficult to relate to her instructor. Instead, she made the most progress practicing at home, eventually gaining the confidence to give the speeches.

Recognizing the importance of public speaking, Matalon continued to develop her skills. When students returned to in-person learning after COVID-19, she noticed many of her classmates struggling with presentations after years of virtual learning. She began informally tutoring peers and soon expanded her efforts, eventually training over 50 students before officially launching Teen Speakers Club (TSC) in her junior year.

TSC operates on the principle that teens learn best from their peers. The program trains student mentors to guide participants through structured lessons, focusing on practical exercises, hands-on presentations, and personalized feedback. After developing her curriculum, Matalon shared her materials with Diane Windingland, author of Speech Class for Teens, who was impressed by

her approach. Windingland provided feedback and later invited Matalon to collaborate on an upcoming edition of her book.

“As a public speaking professional and communication coach, I am impressed with Elizabeth Matalon’s program,” said Windingland. “Her step-by-step approach is both practical and effective, offering valuable exercises and tips that build confidence and skill. This program provides a solid foundation for young speakers to grow and succeed in any setting.”

Beyond TSC, Matalon has expanded her public speaking instruction into schools and community organizations. Recently, she conducted a workshop for 30 high school students at Rye Country Day School as part of its Peer Leadership program. She is also working to expand the program within her own school, Great Neck North High School, further increasing student access to public speaking training.

“Over time, TSC has grown and made a significant impact in my community and beyond. The club is about harnessing the unique connection between teens to empower them to find their voices. Public speaking can be challenging at any age, but by making it relatable, we ease the learning process for young teens,” Matalon describes.

Teen Speaker’s Club continues to grow, training new mentors and reaching more students. For more information or to get involved, visit www.teenspeakersclub.com.

Legislator Donnelly Seeking Nominations for Suffolk Youth Week Award

Office Also Requesting Donations for ‘Your

Perfect Prom’

Suffolk County Legislator Tom Donnelly (D-Deer Park) is proud to announce that nominations are now open for the Fifth Annual Suffolk County Youth Week Awards, part of the week-long celebration of young people being held from May 11 through May 17, 2025.

This year’s Youth Week theme is “Overcoming Adversity.” Accordingly, Legislator Donnelly is asking community members to nominate outstanding youths from the Seventeenth Legislative District who have demonstrated remarkable perseverance by overcoming adversity. Each Suffolk County Legislator will select one young person from their district to honor at the Youth Week Awards Ceremony, which will take place on Monday, May 12 at 6:00p.m. at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge. Residents who know a deserving young person are encouraged to submit nominations by contacting Legislator Donnelly’s district office by phone at (631) 854-4433 or by sending an email to InfoDO17@suffolkcountyny. gov by Monday, April 28, at noon.

In addition to the awards, youth throughout the county are encouraged to participate in this year’s Youth Week community service project: Your Perfect Prom. Donations of very-loved and gently-used formal attire that is appropriate for proms are desired, with a special need for dressy shoes, costume jewelry, handbags, and other prom accessories. Legislator Donnelly’s District Office, located at 590 Nicolls Road, Deer Park, will serve as a drop-off location for the drive and is accepting donations through April 30, Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00a.m. and 4:00p.m. Any youth who collects items and brings them to the office will receive community service hours from Legislator Donnelly.

“Now in its fifth year, Youth Week was created through legislative resolution and is a wonderful opportunity to spotlight the accomplishments, resilience, and community spirit of young people across Suffolk County, and also to engage them in community service,” said Legislator Donnelly. “I know we have so many students who are deserving of getting their moment in the spotlight and I look forward to seeing all of the nominations!”

Legislator Tom Donnelly (D-Deer Park) has represented the Seventeenth District in the Suffolk County Legislature since 2018. The Seventeenth District includes Deer Park and parts of North Babylon within the Town of Babylon, parts of Dix Hills, Melville, and South Huntington within the Town of Huntington, and Baywood and North Bay Shore within the Town of Islip.

Legislator Donnelly serves on the Committees on Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Medical Services and Preparedness; Public Safety; Seniors and Human Services; Ways and Means; and Budget and Finance.

The Seventeenth District office is located at 590 Nicolls Road, Suite 4, in Deer Park and can be reached at 631-854-4433.

West Islip Resident Lombardi Named to LI Junior Soccer League Hall of Fame

Suffolk County Legislator Steven J. Flotteron (R-Brightwaters) and Town of Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter (R-West Islip) were honored to recognize Mike Lombardi who was named to the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) Hall of Fame (nominated by Robert Grimaldi) for his substantial contributions to the West Islip Soccer Club at a luncheon at the Stonebridge Country Club.

Lombardi has been involved in the West Islip Soccer Club for more than two decades, currently Club President, a position he has held for twelve years. He coached his three adult children, Danielle, Michael and Christine. He also held several other board positions and committee positions and is both a LIJSL and a varsity High School Referee. His tenure also made the club’s Highflyers one of the largest Special Children’s soccer programs on Long Island welcoming players from other communities to participate.

Lombardi’s contributions to youth soccer go beyond the club level. He is responsible for marketing, managing and expanding the indoor soccer tournament, one of the largest and oldest indoor tournaments on the east coast, to more than 400 teams annually, having provided opportunities for kids from NYC to Southampton an opportunity to play competitive soccer during the winter.

In addition, fifteen years ago he helped create the outdoor summer tournament which led to partnering with several other clubs to form the Long Island Soccer Classic which is one of the largest in the tri state area. During the Covid pandemic he was able to get the approval of several municipalities and coordinated the largest outdoor youth weekend soccer tournament in ENYYSA history with over 500 teams playing on 52 fields across both Nassau and Soccer counties. He has been instrumental in securing grant funding for the West Islip Soccer Club through local town government to form a public private partnership for the development of a lighted soccer facility which is currently under construction at one of our local town parks which will be used by travel teams from all over Long Island. Scholarships for our college bound players has grown substantially during his Presidency as well.

Flotteron, Town of Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter; nominee Mike Lombardi; and Robert Grimaldi.

Legislator Steve Flotteron (R-Brightwaters) has represented the Eleventh District in the Suffolk County Legislature since 2018. The Eleventh District includes parts of North Babylon and West Babylon within Babylon Township, as well as Brightwaters, Fire Island, Ocean Beach, Saltaire, West Bay Shore, West Islip, and parts of Bay Shore, Captree, and Islip hamlet within Islip Township.

Legislator Flotteron is the Deputy Presiding Officer of the Legislature and serves as the Chair of the Public Safety Committee, Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee, and serves on the Committees on Education and Diversity; Government Operations, Personnel, and Information Technology; and Ways and Means.

The Eleventh District is located at 4 Udall Road, Suite 4, in West Islip and can be reached at 631-854-4100.

Pictured (L-R): LIJSL President Andrew Seabury; Legislator Steven J.

Long Island Ducks

Spring Training Begins – Two More Signed; Four Invited

The Long Island Ducks took the field at Fairfield Properties Ballpark for the first time in 2025 to begin their spring training workouts. The team included two additions, as the Ducks announced the signings of right-handed pitchers Tim Melville and Nick Tropeano.

Melville begins his fourth season with the Ducks and sixteenth in professional baseball. The righty has made 23 appearances (11 starts) combined in 2017, 2019 and 2024 with the Flock, totaling a 5-5 record with a 4.06 ERA, one complete game and 76 strikeouts to 31 walks over 68.2 innings of work. His contract was purchased by the Minnesota Twins in 2017 and the Colorado Rockies in 2019, and he reached the Major Leagues during the same season with both clubs. The 35-year-old then returned to the Ducks in 2024, making 12 relief appearances while striking out 15 batters in 9.2 innings

The Santa Monica, California, resident has spent three seasons in the Major Leagues with the Cincinnati Reds (2016), Twins (2017), San Diego Padres (2017) and Rockies (2019). In 13 games (10 starts), he has accrued a 2-5 record with a 6.75 ERA and 39 strikeouts to 29 walks over 48.0 innings. The Virginia native also pitched three seasons (2020-21, 2023) in the Chinese Professional Baseball League, compiling a 12-12 record with a 3.84 ERA and 144 strikeouts in 39 games (34 starts). Melville was originally selected by the Kansas City Royals in the fourth round of the 2008 amateur draft from Wentzville Holt High School in Missouri.

Tropeano returns for his second season with the Ducks and fourteenth in professional baseball. The righty has seven seasons of Major League experience, pitching with the Houston Astros (2014), Los Angeles Angels (2015-16, 2018-19), Pittsburgh Pirates (2020), San Francisco Giants (2021) and New York Mets (2021). In 54 games (39 starts), the West Islip native compiled a 14-14 record with a 4.22 ERA and 214 strikeouts to 94 walks over 241.0 innings. He earned the win in his MLB debut on September 10, 2014, tossing five innings of two-run ball in a 5-2 road victory over the Seattle Mariners.

The 34-year-old made 15 appearances (six starts) for the Flock in 2024, totaling a 4-2 record with a 5.48 ERA and 39 strikeouts to 23 walks over 46.0 innings of work. He allowed three earned runs or less in each of his first five starts with the team, earning four wins in that span, and posted a 4.50 ERA overall as a starter. Previously, the West Islip High School alum earned Baseball America Triple-A All-Star and Pacific Coast League All-Star honors in 2014 as well as South Atlantic League All-Star honors in 2012. Tropeano was originally selected by the Astros in the fifth round of the 2011 amateur draft from Stony Brook University.

The Ducks also invited four players to spring training: pitcher Jacob Asa, outfielder/pitcher Chad Pike, infielder TJ Werner and catcher Chris Suleski. Asa, Pike and Werner received invites after taking part in the Ducks Open Player Tryout on April 12, while Suleski was drafted by the Ducks at the Baseball America Atlantic League Pro Days, powered by IndyBall Jobs, held at Truist Point in High Point, N.C., April 8-9.

The Ducks will host four spring training games at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in preparation for the 2025 season. Long Island will take on the California Dogecoin, a traveling barnstormer team, and the Long Island Black Sox, a local amateur team, in two exhibition games apiece. Here is a look at the spring training schedule:

Friday, April 18 – Ducks vs. Dogecoin – 1:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 19 – Ducks vs. Dogecoin – 1:00 p.m.

Monday, April 21 – Ducks vs. Black Sox – 1:00 p.m.

Tuesday, April 22 – Ducks vs. Black Sox – 1:00 p.m.

Admission to the game on April 19 will be free for all fans as part of the team’s Fan Fest event, with gates opening at 10:30a.m. Admission to the other three exhibition games will be free for Ducks full season ticket holders, while a $5 donation to the QuackerJack Foundation will apply for all other fans. Gates for those three games will open at 12:30 p.m., and tickets must be purchased at the Fairfield Properties Ballpark on the day of the game.

Following spring training, the Ducks will begin their 25th Anniversary Season, presented by Catholic Health, on Friday, April 25, at 6:35p.m. against the Lancaster Stormers. Gates will open at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders), and the first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Ducks Replica Home Pinstripe Jerseys, courtesy of P.C. Richard and Son. Fans are encouraged

to be in their seats by 6:15 to enjoy pregame team introductions. Tickets for the game, and all Ducks games, are available by visiting the Fairfield Properties Ballpark box office, calling (631) 940TIXX or CLICKING HERE.

The Long Island Ducks are entering their 25th Anniversary season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip. They are the all-time leader in wins and attendance in Atlantic League history, have led all MLB Partner Leagues in total attendance for four consecutive seasons, and have sold out a record 713 games all-time. For further information, visit LIDucks.com or call 631-940-DUCK (3825).

Easter and Spring Events

EGG HUNTS

PORT JEFFERSON CHAMBER PARADE AND EGG HUNT

APRIL 19, 12:45 PM

DUCK EGG HUNT AT BIG DUCK RANCH

APRIL 19, 11:45 AM

EASTER EGG HUNT SAN REMO WATERFRONT PARK 12 - 2:30 PM

GOLDEN EASTER EGG HUNT AT WATERDRINKER FARM

APRIL 19 AND 20, OPEN AT 9 AM

EASTER CELEBRATION AT THE SHOPPES AT EASTWIND

APRIL 19, 11 AM

EASTER BUNNY BRUNCH AT THE MANSION AT TIMBER PT

APRIL 20, 10:30 AM

EASTER BRUNCH AT THE L I AQUARIUM

APRIL 20, 10 AM

SPRING EVENTS

LONG ISLAND DUCKS FAN APPRECIATION DAY

APRIL 19, 9 AM

LONG ISLAND DUCKS OPENING NIGHT

APRIL 25, 6:35 PM

MIDDLE COUNTRY CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL

APRIL 26, 10:30 AM TO 6 PM

EAST ISLIP SPRING CRAFT FAIR

APRIL 26, 10 AM - 4 PM