Overtime: State Budget Drags On
By Matt Meduri
The New York State Budget is delayed this year, which does not come as a surprise to many Albany insiders.
The April 1 deadline is now two weeks in the rearview mirror. Monday saw the third extender passed as leaders in the Senate and Assembly continue negotiations with Governor Kathy Hochul (D-Hamburg).
The last on-time budget in New York was 2019.
The spring budgeting season falls on a particularly tense time in Albany, as Governor Hochul continues to spar with the liberal and socialist wings of her party, while paying mind to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s (D-Astoria) progressive wish list - all while running for a second term. Meanwhile, Republicans brace for impact ahead of what many are predicting to be a nationally damaging midterm for the party.
Continued on page 5
Councilman Lohmann Arrested for Allegedly Assaulting Colleague
By Matt Meduri
Last Tuesday’s meeting of the Smithtown Town Council allegedly turned physical. Councilman and Deputy Supervisor Tom McCarthy (R-Nissequogue) says that Councilman Tom Lohmann (R-Smithtown) physically assaulted him during a closed-door, executive session meeting.
Lohmann has been charged with Assault in the Third Degree, a misdemeanor. McCarthy says he is undergoing medical examination for injuries. He told Newsday that he was punched in the shoulder and jaw and now experiences pain from the attack.
“I was the victim of a serious assault resulting in documented medical injuries. Medical evaluation supports that my injuries are consistent with trauma. I am seeking accountability and justice through proper legal channels,” McCarthy told The Messenger. Continued on page 10
Councilman Tom Lohmann (R-Smithtown) and Councilman Tom McCarthy (Credit - Matt Meduri)
The State Capital Building in Albany (Credit - Matt Meduri)
SPRING EVENTS
Selden Spring Craft Fair at Newfield High School, Selden
April 18, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Community Yard Sale & Antiques at Olish Farms, Eastport, April 18 & 19, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Kiwanis Rocks! Car Show at Mamma Santina Pizzaeria
April 19, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
15th annual All Kids Fair at Hilton Long Island/ Huntington Melville
April 19, 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Sunday Funday: Earth Day is Every Day at Sweetbriar Nature Center, Smithtown April 19, 1:00 PM
Wardenclyffe Science Pub at Blue Point Brewery, Patchogue
April 22, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Books and Bites at Fire Island Vines Bay Shore
April 24, 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM
BAFFA’s Annual Juried
Student Art Exhibit at BAFFA Art Gallery, Sayville
April 25, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Superhero Strong- Self Control Class with GoYo Creative at Chance to Dance East Setauket April 25, 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM
Andrew C. DeMarco
Foundation and Tiny Songbirds Fundraiser at Islip Terrace Fire Department April 25, 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Spring Craft and Vendor Fair at Polish American Independent Club, Port Jefferson Station
April 26, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Hello Spring Fest at St Thomas of Canterbury Church, Smithtown
May 2, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
East Islip Spring Craft Fair at East Islip District Grounds, Islip Terrace
May 2, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
(631) 269-6421
HAUPPAUGE:
Paper Wreath -
- April 22, 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Teen Game Night - Mario Kart- April 24, 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
COMMACK:
Thursday Movie of the Week - Ghostlight - April 24, 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
NESCONSET:
You, Me, and Tea- May 2, 11:00 AM to 11:45 AM
From Caterpillar to Butterfly- May 5, 3:00 PM to 3:45 PM
KINGS PARK:
DIY Clothespin People- April 10, 10:30 AM to 11:15 AM
Cricut Crafts - Spring Stencil Art- April 15, 5:00 PM to 5:45 PM
SACHEM:
Weather Wonders Storycraft - - April 16, 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Book Time with a Dog (Grades 1-5) - April 16, 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
SMITHTOWN:
Make It Monday- April 20, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
On The Campaign Trail
Hochul’s Lead Shrinks in Latest Siena Poll
By Matt Meduri
Governor Kathy Hochul (D-Hamburg) (pictured below) has held large and consistent leads over likely Republican nominee, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R-Atlantic Beach).
In January, the Siena College, one of New York’s most venerable pollsters, found Hochul up +26, which shrunk to a +20 lead in February.
But their March poll found Hochul up just +13 over Blakeman, her lowest lead yet as tracked by the Siena College for the 2026 midterm elections.
Hochul leads Blakeman 47%-34%, with her favorability rating standing at 45%-42% (+3), one point less than her February marks. Her job approval rating sits at 52%-40% (+12), virtually unchanged from February. Blakeman’s favorability rating is split at 18%-18%, down from 21%-18% (+3) last month, as 64% of voters say they are unfamiliar with him.
Remarkably, Independents went from siding with Hochul (+5) to now opting for
Blakeman (+7) (pictured right)- a twelvepoint shift in just one month. The Siena College also found that Hochul maintains “very narrow leads” Upstate and in the downstate suburbs. Her lead in New York City took a large hit, going from a 63%-17% (+46) lead in February to a 54%-25% (+29) lead now.
“Is that movement or merely noise?’ asked Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg in a statement. “Let’s see what happens next month after the budget and as the campaign unfolds.”
State and Federal Issues
The Siena College also tracked New Yorkers’ opinions on a few different ongoing issues.
In terms of keeping state legislative terms to two years, 60% of Democrats, 71% of Republicans, and 64% of Independents are in favor. A majority of New Yorkers also think that pepper spray should be easier to purchase, as it’s currently only available at gun stores and certain pharmacies. 62% of Republicans,
53% of Democrats, and 65% of Independents support making the selfdefense tool easier to buy.
Some New York voters also support a proof-of-citizenship requirement when registering to vote and showing a photo ID when they head to the polls. While Democrats oppose the idea 55%-36% (-19), 82% of Republicans and 63% of Independents support it.
President Donald Trump’s (R-FL) favorability has slightly worsened to 35%-62% (-27) from -25 in February. His job approval rating improved by just one point and now sits at 37%-61% (-24).
Democrats, 37%-36% (+1).
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D-Astoria) remains popular with a 44%37% (+7) favorability rating, down from his +12 margin.
“New Yorkers are pretty locked in on their view of Trump; nothing seems to move the numbers out of its narrow band,” said Greenberg.
Democrats’ lead on the generic congressional ballot sits at 52%-35% (+17), down from their +21 lead in February. That represents a large decrease from their January lead of 56%-29% (+27). Independents are breaking slightly for
The Moloney Family
Attorney General and Comptroller
Should she win her June primary, Governor Hochul will be joined on the campaign trail by Attorney General Letitia James (D-Clinton Hill), who is running for a second term, and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli (D-Great Neck Plaza), who is running for a fifth full term.
Voters are currently prepared to reelect James 46%-37% (+9); her favorability sits at 41%-30% (+11). DiNapoli has a 20%15% (+5) favorability rating, with 65% of respondents saying they have never heard of him. 30% are ready to re-elect him, 29% want “someone else,” and 41% are undecided.
The poll was conducted March 23-26 among 804 registered New York State voters. The margin of error is +/- 4.2%.
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
April 16, 2026
Overtime: State Budget Drags On
After institutional control of the chamber, Republicans lost the Senate in 2018.
The Messenger spoke with members of the Suffolk delegation to get an inside look at what’s gumming up the works.
The Grass is Always Greener
Disagreements on some of New York’s landmark climate legislation have been mounting for several weeks. Governor Hochul recently said she would reconsider the deadlines that accompany the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) - colloquially referred to as New York’s “Green New Deal.” Such mandates include the phasing out of fossil fuels in use of new buildings. Both Republicans and moderate Democrats have been writing to the Governor urging her to hit the brakes.
“These are mandates that everyone knows had to be rolled back. The Governor has acknowledged it, but it seems that the Legislature is not willing to acknowledge that,” Senator Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue), told The Messenger on Tuesday. “It doesn’t mean nobody wants green energy. You just can’t put a gallon of water in a half-gallon jug.”
Negotiations now center around the “100-foot-rule,” a law that mandated utilities pay for a new gas hookup within 100 feet of the main. That law was repealed by Hochul last year, but Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Baiting Hollow) says that progressive Democrats will wait until after the election to resurrect the rule.
Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick (R-St. James) (pictured bottom right) called the pushing of the deadline for school districts to use electric buses a “no-brainer,” but that the “hard-left does not want to yield or compromise” on their many ambitious climate goals.
“I think the Governor should stick to her guns,” Fitzpatrick, who represents all of Smithtown, told The Messenger by phone on Tuesday.
Giglio said that another point has been raised over utility-controlled thermostats with savings passed on to residents. However, residents opting out of the system comes with more strings attached than advertised by sponsors.
Money, Money, Money
“This budget went from $175 billion to $260 billion in less than ten years. It’s a tremendous amount of spending,” Giglio told The Messenger from Albany on Tuesday afternoon. “The debt service is ridiculous; only 22.5% of debt services are going to the principal. There’s no regard for the tax cap or for people and businesses who are leaving.”
Another large issue dominating this year’s negotiations are those around Tiers 5 and 6 in the New York State public employees’ retirement system. Tiers 5 and 6 were created in 2010 and 2012, respectively, to offset costs associated with the other tiers. A bipartisan slate of officials rallied in Brentwood last week, flanked by dozens of unions, to lobby for parity with Tier 4 - meaning a lower retirement age, lesser monthly contributions, and a higher retirement payout.
“It’s a very big sticking point; it has to be addressed,” said Murray, who represents central and eastern Brookhaven, of the
retirement negotiations. “If nothing else, we’ve seen that Tier 6 most definitely hurt recruitment and retention. In 2015, the State had $700 million in overtime, and the workforce was 158,000. In 2025, overtime more than doubled to $1.6 billion, yet the workforce is down by 3,000.”
Murray said that many workers are burnt out from the lack of recruitment and accumulating so many hours, while others can’t get overtime because of caps on Tiers 5 and 6 that don’t exist in the higher tiers. Higher tiers means heavier costs on employers, and the snowball continues. Murray voted against Tier 6 in 2012 when he was in the Assembly.
To boot, that $1.6 billion in overtime costs doesn’t cover municipal employees or the MTA - the latter alone costing $1.5 billion in bailouts from the State.”
Fitzpatrick, the Assembly’s conservative and fiscal stalwart, disagrees.
“It’s the mother of all sweeteners,” said Fitzpatrick of Tier 5 and 6 fixes. “We just can’t afford to do that. If you want to talk affordability, don’t touch Tier 6.”
Fitzpatrick added that “no one is leaving public employment” because of subpar pensions, and that the table is just being set for an eventual Tier 7.
Murray conceded that the desired Tiers 5 and 6 fix “will cost, but there’s priorities.”
“Maybe if we didn’t spend billions on those who came here illegally, maybe we could have used that to pay pensions of those who paid taxes for twenty to thirty years and made sure we had the services we need.”
Giglio (pictured above right) rallied with Senator Monica Martinez (D-Brentwood) last month to lobby for higher pays for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), caregivers for those developmental disabilities. They’re asking for a 4% increase and she’s currently pressing the issue with leadership to fully gain their ear.
“For many years, we focused on Veterans, seniors, those with disabilities. They’re going by the wayside,” said Giglio. “We have $200 million going to the legal defense for immigrants who are being deported. New York should budget as its citizens are doing at their kitchen tables.”
School districts are also waiting in the wings as their budgets are headed for the ballot box or have already been put in
front of voters, despite the districts still sitting in the dark on what their State Aid funds will be.
Murray added that New York’s Medicaid system is by far the most expensive in the country - 77% above the national average.
“We have the Cadillac of Medicaid; we give everything,” said Murray. “They say it will kill people if we take it away, but Florida gives the minimum and nobody is dying on the streets.”
Murray said the porous nature of the program opens it up for fraud. A 20202024 nationwide records analysis found that New York’s Medicaid Fraud Unit completed eight investigations per billion dollars spent, per Senator Murray. That makes it the third-lowest of all fifty states and 63% below the national average.
“In other words, they know the fraud is there. They’re just not looking at it like they should,” said Murray.
Buyer’s Remorse
Despite holding a trifecta, Democrats continue to spar internally over how far left the party should go. Democratic Socialist New York Mayor Mamdani’s agenda looms over the discussions atlarge. Meanwhile, Hochul continues to be branded a hypocrite over her recent comments pleading that ex-New Yorkers return - despite her having told Republicans to “get on a bus” and go to Florida for having “values” incompatible with those of the state.
“I think the Governor knows that the more she taxes these corporations and businesses, the more people are going to leave. It’s not sustainable with what Mamdani wants to do,” said Giglio. “We’re subsidizing the MTA every year, and yet he’s asking for free buses.”
Fitzpatrick called those aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) “economically illiterate.”
“These young progressives and socialists have no concept of economics. They don’t understand that someone has to create the wealth that they want to tax and spend. Capital is mobile,” Fitzpatrick warned. “It goes where it’s most wanted and best treated. New York Democrats are allergic to accountability.”
Murray said that Hochul is “rightfully” pushing against Mamdani’s “tax the rich” proposal, but some Democratic legislators are in Mamdani’s corner.
“He’s claiming a doomsday scenario
if they don’t get it, but he put himself there. He might even be seeing the writing on the wall,” said Murray. “If you keep reaching into people’s pockets, you’re going to chase them away. If you tax the companies, you lose jobs and opportunities for the next generation, and then they leave. The doomsday is if Democrats continue to raise taxes.”
On Hochul’s reversal on her aforementioned “Florida” comment, Murray said that Hochul made New York “the most business-unfriendly state in the nation.”
“Why do you think they left? It’s not a mystery,” said Murray. “But she just gave Mamdani a $1.5 billion bailout, like we have too much money or something.”
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder?
Conspicuously absent from this year’s showdown is criminal justice reform, a perennial catalyst for Albany gridlock on which local leaders have not given up.
Murray (pictured below) said he’s trying to push Nick’s Law to assuage concerns on auto insurance reforms - another sticking point. While the law would increase criminal penalties on hit-and-run drivers, it would, by his accounting, reduce premiums.
Otherwise, criminal justice reform isn’t on the table this year, unlike other years. Murray likens Democrats’ anathema for tweaking the laws as “progressive altruism.”
“The new Democratic Party is not tough on crime. I don’t foresee anything constructive happening criminal justicewise given the crew that’s in the majority,” said Fitzpatrick.
What’s the Count?
There’s no firm prediction on when the budget will finally be settled. Fitzpatrick remains optimistic, while Murray thinks the negotiations drag on until May.
However, Murray said that the latest budget extender includes funding for the emergency repaving of Middle Country Road (NY-25). That work will continue throughout the shutdown under the current stopgap. He reminds residents to call 1-800-POT-HOLE (768-4653) to report potholes and potentially stake a rebate claim for auto damages.
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Case Closed: How the Horrors of Gilgo Beach Shed a Light Forward
There’s no overstating just how much of a landmark case Gilgo Beach has been.
Not only is it perhaps Long Island’s flagship serial killing spree that galvanized true crime fanatics across the country, but it also pioneered the way for avant garde forms of DNA research and testing to be used as evidence in cases going forward. Gilgo Beach was the first case in the state to be mounted in such a way.
And that all ties together one of the most chilling cold cases that’s rocked the Island for thirty years.
Despite the immense heartache on the families, the tedious years worked by investigators, and the sheer horror that Rex Heuermann’s victims faced in the final moments of their already difficult lives, we think the greater good can be obtained through this case.
We think this serves as a landmark case law establishment that will not only assist high-profile cases like this in the future, but also bring closure to potentially countless other families who were victimized by cases that have gone cold.
Additionally, we estimate that Suffolk’s finest - law enforcement, detectives, analysts, and the team led by District Attorney Ray Tierney (R) - are evermore sharpened by the rigor of this case, the precedents it sets, and the dangerous man they put away forever. We can only commend their work, tenacity, and countless hours spent in promulgating justice here.
Moreover, for D.A. Tierney, this just adds to his long list of accomplishments and work as Suffolk’s top prosecutor. Within less than two years of his first term, he was able to bring forth Heuermann as a suspect. The ensuing three years would be spent mounting a case, with the guilty plea achieved just months into his second term in office.
The case brought together hundreds of people who got the ball rolling years ago. From Melissa “Missy” Cann, Maureen Brainard-Barnes’ sister (pictured top left), to well-known attorney Gloria Allred (pictured bottom left), the case extended far beyond Suffolk’s borders and last week’s announcement of the guilty plea was truly a historic moment for criminal justice at large.
We extend our deepest sympathies to the victims’ families and we hope the latest developments can give them at least some closure and peace. They, we, and everyone else now knows that Rex Heuermann masqueraded as a workingclass family man for far too long, with his psychopathic tendencies unbeknownst to his own family, letter alone a random passerby. That man is never to return to the streets of Long Island, which brings about a small comfort itself.
Have You Seen This Platform?
The New York State budget has, yet again, come to a screeching and grinding halt - on-brand for one of the highest-taxed and business-unfriendly states in the country. It’s almost comical to think New York has long been considered the financial capital of the world. The home of Wall Street is gradually boarding up as businesses split for sunnier scenes and as residents grow even more tired of being tired.
We’ll even throw a bone to some Democrats who have ostensibly goaded Governor Kathy Hochul (D-Hamburg) in the right direction on halting over-the-top climate ambitions, one of the main schisms between Hochul and the increasingly intolerant progressive wing of her own party.
Meanwhile, Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D-Astoria) sits in the background, eager to prove himself to his voters, but being the new kid on the block, it looks like he’ll have to take some settlements for the re-election-seeking Hochul when a Siena poll just found Independents now backing Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R-Atlantic Beach) by seven points, a swing from Hochul’s five-point lead last month.
But it feels like an old friend is missing from this year’s showdown, particularly as criminal justice reform has dominated airwaves in New York since Democrats passed the disastrous plan in 2019. When Hochul was trying to prove herself as Governor, she gave in to the progressives and no reforms were made. The same contention has been made multiple times, but this year, it’s not even close to halting progress.
The question remains: is Heuermann liable for more charges? D.A. Tierney (pictured left) and company have insisted that despite the guilty plea to eight murders, there are several bodies that have not been identified, nor has a suspect been identified. Additionally, Heuermann (pictured bottom) is known to have frequented his properties in other states. Is it possible any cold cases outside of New York lead back to the Gilgo Beach serial killer?
With the strides that have been made and the team running the ship here in Suffolk, regardless of whether Heuermann’s involvement has been fully determined or not, we’re optimistic that cases turned cold will be brought to light.
Gilgo Beach, as of now, sets enough of a precedent, we think.
not a foregone conclusion and while Mamdani’s mere existence puts her between a rock and a hard place? Or has she given up trying to negotiate with a legislature that clearly has more leverage?
Meanwhile, local officials and law enforcement have not waffled in their stances. Local logicians like District Attorney Ray Tierney (R) and Sheriff Errol Toulon (D) continue to lead Suffolk’s charge in the campaign for sensible codes.
Is Hochul trying not to rock the ship too much when polls show a second term is
Whatever the reason, it’s a shame many Democrats in Albany refuse to come to the table. Republicans, on the other hand, have not only presented a wish list of reforms, but creative two-birds-one-stone solutions. Senator Dean Murray’s (R-East Patchogue) bill, Nick’s Law, would not only strengthen penalties for hit-and-run drivers, particularly those who flee the scene of death or injury, but also address the negotiations over auto insurance. Murray’s bill would not only address a serious shortcoming in the law, but also drop premiums for the average ratepayer.
That a common-sense solution like that is requiring salesmanship from Murray and his colleagues, we think, shows that many Albany Democrats are incapable of seeing the forest for the trees and admitting defeat once in a while? They’d likely galvanize more public respect if they just admitted bail reform and other criminal justice reworks were wrong.
Moreover, Hochul can simply put many of the commonsense proposals we regularly cover into her own proposed Executive Budget. They’d still be just as up for negotiation as they are now, but at least she could come in swinging and at least address the elephant - or donkeys - in the room.
Overall, we’re disappointed to see the majority party not take up this issue in this year’s negotiations, especially when hundreds of billions after hundreds of billions of dollars are given to New York City as if the State hit the jackpot at Jake’s 58. Democrats secured a trifecta in 2018 and they’ve either proven where their priorities lie or aren’t interested in getting in the weeds with socialists who now set the standard for electoral success.
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
This Tax Day, Long Island Families Are Finally Seeing Real Relief
By Congressman Andrew Garbarino
As Tax Day approaches, families across Long Island are sitting down at their kitchen tables, going through their returns, and asking a simple question: “Am I keeping more of what I earned this year?”
For the first time in years, many Long Island families can say, “yes.”
Long Island is one of the most expensive places to live in the country. Between property taxes, the cost of raising a family, and everyday expenses, too many hardworking people have felt squeezed from every direction, and for years, the federal tax code only made that burden worse.
That’s why I made it a priority to fight for real tax relief that reflects the reality of living here in New York. This year, we’re seeing the results.
Long Island families are seeing the impact of quadrupling the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction to $40,000. That change alone is making a big difference for many families who were unfairly penalized simply for living in a high-cost state.
I’ve heard directly from constituents seeing that impact.
“As a retired officer and Long Island homeowner, the higher SALT deduction is real, meaningful relief. It helps me keep more of what I earned over a lifetime of service and helps make it possible to stay here on Long Island,” said Tim, a Long Island retiree and lifelong homeowner.
We also delivered relief for working families by cutting taxes on tips and overtime. On Long Island, where so many people work long hours or rely on service-based income, that means real money back in people’s pockets.
“As a Suffolk County police officer, overtime is a part of the job. After working 900 overtime hours, being able to keep more of what I earn from those extra hours makes a real difference for my family. It’s money that goes straight toward our bills and day-to-day expenses,” one SCPD officer told my office.
Families raising kids are seeing benefits as well. The Child Tax Credit has been strengthened, helping parents keep up with the rising costs of childcare, education, and everyday life.
“As a parent of two on Long Island, every dollar counts right now. The Child Tax Credit helps cover the basics like groceries, school supplies, and childcare. It gives families like mine a little breathing room,” one Long Island parent explained.
For many small business owners on Long Island, relief is also coming through the state’s Pass-Through Entity Tax (PTET). By allowing partnerships
and S corporations to pay certain state taxes at the business level, PTET helps these local employers work around federal deduction limits and keep more resources invested in their businesses and employees.
This didn’t happen overnight. Getting here took sustained work, working closely with my Republican colleagues in the New York delegation, and ensuring Long Island’s voice was heard in every conversation. I spent months pushing to make sure any tax package reflected what families in our district are actually dealing with, not just what looks good on paper.
This Tax Day is an important moment. It’s proof that when we stay focused on the real challenges people are facing, we can deliver results that actually show up in people’s lives.
This year, as you file your taxes and see those numbers come together, I hope you’re seeing what I’ve been fighting for: real relief, real savings, and a tax code that finally starts to work for you.
Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) has represented New York’s Second Congressional District (NY-02) since 2021. NY-02 contains the entire Town of Babylon, the entire Town of Islip, and portions of the Town of Oyster Bay. Within the Town of Brookhaven, the district includes Blue Point, Brookhaven hamlet, East Patchogue, Fire Island, Bellport, Mastic, Mastic Beach, North Bellport, North Patchogue, Patchogue, Shirley, South Haven, and parts of Holbrook, Holtsville, Medford, and Yaphank.
Congressman Garbarino currently serves as Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, sits on the committees on Ethics and Financial Services, and is a member of the Climate Solutions Caucus, the Problem Solvers Caucus, and the Republican Main Street Partnership.
The NY-02 district office is located at 31 Oak Street, Suite 20, in Patchogue and can be reached at 631-541-4225.
Letters to the Editor
Your Choice: Democracy Or Corruption
Dear Editor,
…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
- Thomas Jefferson
Notice that it doesn’t say “from the consent of the wealthy.”
The rich and powerful own the media, finance election campaigns, and feel superior. Protesters are beaten and killed by the federal thugs that were sent to do it, with no accountability. In 1930s Germany, they were called brown shirts. Latino families are being separated, with the breadwinners, who are often citizens, being imprisoned. The EPA isn’t doing anything about providing cleaner air because the fossil fuel industry provided the president with cash. The list goes on.
Vote in November, and not one incumbent, Republican or Democrat, deserves to be re-elected. It’s up to you, but vote for democracy, not corruption. But remember that our children and grandchildren have to live with the consequences.
Sincerely,
Charles Gueli Laurel
Brainless...
Dear Editor,
Now that Democrat activist Jasmine “Crazy” Crockett (D-TX) is now unemployed, she should be invited to join the anti-Republican, pro-left TV show The View. Crockett would fit in with the existing members consisting of “pea” brain, “bird” brain, “lame” brain, and “no” brain. Crockett could be known as “bubble’ brain, thus maintaining the status quo of The View, as both are politically biased and totally brainless.
Sincerely,
Martin J. Kerins Eastport
ENROLLMENT
NOW OPEN
PCALI Plumbing Institute
Enrollment is now open for the next class at The Plumbing Contractors Association of Long Island’s (PCALI) Plumbing Institute. Interested students are encouraged to apply soon, as admission is offered on a first-come, first-served basis until the class reaches its limit of 25 participants.
The PCALI Plumbing Institute is designed to give students the foundation they need to begin a successful career in plumbing at no cost to the participant. Last September, the Institute welcomed its first class, marking the start of an exciting new chapter for the service and maintenance plumbing trade while creating new employment opportunities for Long Islanders.
As the demand for qualified and licensed plumbing professionals continues to grow, the PCALI Plumbing Institute plays an important role in preparing the next generation of skilled tradespeople. By combining hands-on training with real-world experience, the Institute helps ensure that future licensed plumbers are ready to support local businesses and safely meet the plumbing, heating, and cooling needs of our communities for years to come.
“The Plumbing Contractors Association of Long Island’s Plumbing Institute is all about strengthening the plumbing industry on Long Island,” said PCALI President Jeff Connelly. “By offering students hands-on training and valuable industry experience, we’re helping prepare the next generation entering the trade while also supporting the continued growth of our members.”
Joe Enea, Director of the PCALI Plumbing Institute, added “Our goal is to develop well-trained plumbers, and it all starts right here. Our current students have already benefited exponentially from the network of industry professionals they have met and learned from. We encourage anyone interested in learning the plumbing trade at no cost and building a successful career to apply now.”
Those interested in applying for the upcoming class can contact Joe Enea by telephone at (631) 560-0973 or by email to joe@pcali.org.
About Plumbing Contractors Association of Long Island (PCALI)
The Plumbing Contractors Association of Long Island (PCALI) advances the plumbing industry, promotes the overall welfare of plumbing contractors in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and works collaboratively with the leadership and members of Plumbers Local 200. PCALI works tirelessly to raise public awareness about utilizing licensed plumbers only.
To learn more visit the Plumbing Contractors Association of Long Island on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/plumbingcontractorsassociationofli or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/plumbing-contractorsassociation-pcali
April – Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month
By Julie Garofalo
April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month, and the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) will commemorate the month with a “Did You Know?” campaign that will educate the public about Parkinson’s disease (PD) –highlighting everything from statistics and symptoms to personal stories and ways to get involved – while also helping those affected by PD feel empowered with the resources and support they need.
Through a nationwide network of Chapters and Information & Referral (I&R) Centers, APDA works every day to provide the support, education, and research that will help everyone impacted by PD live life to the fullest. The APDA I&R Centers at St Charles Hospital and CHS Commack Ambulatory Center supports people living with PD throughout Long Island NY and beyond, as well as their care partners and loved ones by helping them assemble the resources, support, and medical expertise they need to feel more empowered, connected, and optimistic.
Throughout Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month (and always), the APDA I&R Centers at St Charles Hospital and CHS Commack Ambulatory Center have a variety of programs and events planned, with many ways for people to get involved. April’s activities include an in-person PD Educational Lecture at St Charles Hospital, a Lunch and Learn, Support Groups for both PWP and their Care partners and family members, and much more. Additionally, throughout the month, APDA will share educational information and resources on all APDA social media channels using #DidYouKnow.
With approximately one million people living with PD in the United States –65,000 of whom are in New York State – and 90,000 new diagnoses every year, it is critical to engage, inform, and support the PD community and raise public awareness about the disease. Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month is the perfect time to shine a spotlight on this issue.
With a new diagnosis every six minutes, nearly 7,200 people in this country will learn they have PD in April alone. Here on Long Island, we are the boots on the ground. From support groups and exercise classes to educational events and access to PD experts, the APDA Long Island I&R Centers are here for every member of our local PD community, working tirelessly to help make their journey more positive.
Beyond Long Island, APDA offers extensive virtual programming and a robust resource library – with many resources available in Spanish and Mandarin/Simplified Chinese – to ensure that all members of the PD community have access to high-quality information and services no matter where they live and to help them to feel connected to the community even from a distance. From popular webinar series like Dr. Gilbert Hosts, Unlocking Strength Within, and Let’s Keep Moving with APDA to a variety of virtual exercise and movement classes, there is something for everyone.
Support from the public is crucial, and Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month is an especially meaningful time to take action to help those coping with this progressive neurodegenerative movement disorder. People can support by raising awareness of PD and/or by making a donation at www.apdaparkinson. org that will enable APDA to continue their critical work and fund research that will lead to better treatments and ultimately, a cure. Every effort makes a difference.
The APDA Long Island I&R Centers at St Charles Hospital and CHS Commack Ambulatory Center offers a wide range of Parkinson’s disease programs, resources, education, and support. To learn more, visit www.apdaparkinson. org/ny, email julie.garofalo@chsli.org or call 631-862-3560
About the American Parkinson Disease Association
The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) is a nationwide grassroots network dedicated to fighting Parkinson’s disease (PD) and works tirelessly to assist the more than one million people with PD in the United States live life to the fullest in the face of this chronic, neurological disorder.
Founded in 1961, APDA has raised and invested more than $282 million to provide outstanding patient services and educational programs, elevate public awareness about the disease, and support research designed to unlock the mysteries of PD and end this disease. To join in the fight against Parkinson’s disease and to learn more about the support APDA provides nationally through a network of Chapters and Information & Referral (I&R) Centers, as well as a national Research Program and Centers for Advanced Research, please visit us at www.apdaparkinson.org.
Julie Garofalo is the Information and Referral Center Coordinator for the American Parkinson Disease Association.
This Week Today
Thursday, April 16, 2026
National, State, and Local Temperature Checks
By Matt Meduri
National
Control remains elusive in the Middle East.
President Donald Trump (R-FL) has claimed victory several times, and last week made the threat to annihilate a “whole civilization” if Iran did not capitulate to a Tuesday night ceasefire deadline. Iran and the U.S. then agreed to a two-week ceasefire that was brokered by Pakistan last Wednesday, but that deal has come into contention as Israel immediately carried out deadly strikes in Lebanon that took over 300 lives.
The casualty count was described by Israel itself as one of their most powerful, leading to the Lebanese-given title “Black Wednesday.” Over one million people have been displaced since the war broke out last month. Beirut has described the scene as “total chaos,” with bombs landing in civilian zones of the nation’s capital with “no warning,” despite Israel’s campaign, Operation Total Darkness, serving the stated purpose of striking “terror targets” belonging to Hezbollah.
extinguished on March 25, ash and dust have been picked up by the wind, leaving the desolate plains with a nearly apocalyptic look. Five other fires have also been contained, totaling about 875,000 acres burned.
Arguably the worst part is the “unrecognizable” state in which the Nebraska Sandhills, one of the “largest intact temperate grasslands in the world,” was left, according to The Nebraska Examiner. Morrill County, the epicenter of the fire, is one of the top cattle-producing counties in the nation, 160,000 strong. Many ranchers now have to evaluate their options based on the state of their land, while others will gamble with time in hopes of avoiding a warm, dry summer.
The war is estimated to have cost the U.S. nearly $30 billion so far, while the Gulf States, allied with the U.S. and Israel, have spent about $120 billion. By the end of March, the Pentagon had requested another $200 billion.
The Islamabad Peace Talks were the highest-level diplomatic negotiations between the U.S. and Iran since the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Vice President J.D. Vance (R-OH) led the 300-strong American envoy. Both sides were reportedly able to agree on the ten-point ceasefire plan, except on issues regarding the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian nuclear program. The failure of the talks resulted in President Trump imposing a naval blockade at the Strait starting on Monday.
Except for some nations, Iran has been allowing some tankers to pass, but at the cost of $2 million per ship. The military blockade will only affect ships going to and from Iran. Israel has stated their support, while Iran said such actions will be considered piracy. China, the United Kingdom, Australia, Russia, and the European Union are opposed.
China is by far the largest customer of Iran’s oil, having purchased around 90% of total crude exports as of 2024. China also reaps steep discounts and purchases in bulk - often one million barrels per day. The U.S., however, has seen over 100 empty oil tankers lining up in the Gulf of America, as reported on Monday by Energy News Beat. Meanwhile, Nebraska continues to grapple after experiencing the largest wildfires in the state’s history.
The Morrill Fire ignited on March 12, originating in Nebraska’s panhandle, and quickly spread to a 650,000-acre blaze. While
In political news, a longshot bid for Democrats in the Senate might be unfurling with the latest fundraising reports.
Former Congresswoman Mary Peltola (D-AK) has reported a whopping $9 million in funds raised, according to Politico. Peltola had represented Alaska in the House since her 2022 special election, later securing a full term that November. She was narrowly defeated for re-election in 2024.
Peltola emerged as one of 2026 midterm cycle’s heavyweight candidates as she looks to take on two-term Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), who flipped a blue seat red in 2014 and was re-elected handily in 2020 - despite being out-raised $19 million to $9 million.
While institutionally Republican, Alaska is taking a shift leftward. Where George W. Bush (R-TX) received over 60% of the vote in 2004, Donald Trump did not crack 55% in any of his three White House bids. Peltola’s candidacy and Alaska’s shifting political identity make for what could be an upset if the stars align, and if Alaska flips blue, then Democrats likely have control of the Senate.
The California gubernatorial race saw a massive shakeup over the weekend as Congressman Eric Swalwell (D, CA-14) (pictured top) suspended his bid amid sexual harassment and rape accusations. He has denied the claims, but not only has he suspended his campaign for governor, he resigned from the House on Monday.
Swalwell represented a Bay Area seat that includes Union City, Fremont, LIvermore, and Dublin - making for a solidly Democratic constituency. He was elected in 2012.
The California gubernatorial race will see its next chapter on June 2, when all candidates will appear in the all-party primary. The top-two vote-receivers will advance to the general election. With this system, it’s common for two Democrats to lead district-wide or even statewide tickets.
American television host Steve Hilton (R) has led most of the polls since January, but he’s only capturing about 22% of the vote in the latest polls. Swalwell had been a close second with 18% in the April 1-6 David Binder Research poll of 800 likely voters. In
third place was Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco (R).
Democratic analysts remain cautious that two Republicans could end up advancing the general election in June. Finally, the House and Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) caucus saw a shakeup this week in the form of another resignation.
Congressman Tony Gonzalez (R, TX23) has announced his resignation - date TBA - regarding allegations of a sexual affair with a staffer who later committed suicide by self-immolation. Gonzalez faced a tough primary from YouTuber and firearms manufacturer Brandon Herrera (R-TX) and was set to face him in a runoff later this month.
TX-23 is a sprawling district that spans from outside El Paso to western San Antonio. Once a swing district, the Rio Grande Valley has moved markedly to the right and the 2021 redraw of Texas’ districts saw this seat get redder. However, it’s possible that stars align to make this a “reach” seat for Democrats this autumn.
State
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D-Astoria) is facing a steep climb to promulgate one of his core campaign promises - free buses.
In Albany, no legislators have included that plan in their budget proposals, and the Mamdani Administration, according to Politico, has ostensibly taken the issue off the front lines, at least for now.
Mamdani told Politico that the State Assembly and State Senate have both included the proposal in their OneHouse Budgets, not for free buses outright, but to resurrect the free bus pilot program.
“I’m absolutely committed to making buses fast and free, and we’re encouraged by the conversations we’re having with the Governor and legislative leaders to take action on that in 2026 as a first step,” Mamdani told Politico by phone.
The MTA’s fare-free bus pilot program operated on five routes, one per borough, from September 2023
to August 2024. While it increased weekday ridership by 30% and weekend ridership by 38%, the high costs of around $16.5 million saw the program’s sunset. However, it is credited with having reduced operator assaults by close to 40%.
The MTA reported that the highest uptick in new riders were those making the trip specifically because that route was free. That demographic accounted for 23% of total riders.
Proposals in Albany include a fiveweek free program during the FIFA World Cup this summer.
Local
Now that winter is over, the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) is reporting a record-breaking season of main breaks.
SCWA repair crews worked to address 504 main breaks from December through February, the highest number through that period in at least a decade. They owe the recordshattering numbers to the consistently sub-zero temperatures.
“This high volume of activity was a direct result of deep freezes, where the frost line penetrated deep into the ground, causing the soil to shift and putting immense thermal stress on older cast iron pipes,” said the SCWA in a statement.
February saw the largest rate of breaks, with 245 that month alone. In January, SCWA repaired 121 breaks, with a peak of 44 breaks handled during the second week of that month.
“The work our crews performed was truly heroic,” said SCWA Chairman Charlie Lefkowitz in a statement. “Maintaining our distribution system in harsh weather conditions wasn’t just part of the job; it was a service to the community that required incredible physical stamina and sacrifice.”
The SCWA has replaced approximately twenty miles of aging water main via new ductile iron piping, a “modern material far less prone to the brittle fractures common in older infrastructure during winter months.”
SCWA Utility Person Frank McGann closes a water main in Copiague.
Continued from front cover
Smithtown Matters
April 16, 2026
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Councilman Arrested for Allegedly Assaulting Colleague
Councilman Lohmann declined to comment as per his legal counsel.
The point of debate that led to the altercation is unknown as of this time. The two councilmen were in executive session - an unrecorded, private meeting between the Town Board and the Town Attorney, Matt Jakubowski - with Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R-Kings Park) and fellow Councilwomen Lynne Nowick (R-St. James) and Lisa Inzerillo (R-Kings Park).
Despite the controversy, Councilwoman Nowick hopes that this doesn’t stain the level of “care” both councilmen bring to Smithtown.
“I like and respect them both; we’re all part of a team,” Nowick told The Messenger. “These are two good men who care about Smithtown and have served the town so well. I don’t want to see all of that to get lost in the background because of this.”
Nowick added that the argument got heated - “nothing wrong with that,” says the former Tax Receiver and County Legislator who’s seen her fair share of fierce debate.
“That’s nothing new. I’ve been in situations where people disagree and it gets loud.”
Nowick says she witnessed Lohmann rise from his seat and approach McCarthy at the other end of the desk and put his hands on
McCarthy’s shoulders. McCarthy then stood up, requested that Lohmann remove his hands from his shoulders, but she says she saw no punches thrown.
“It would be nice for there to be a mediator in this,” said Nowick. “Again, I must stress, I respect both of these men who care so deeply about this town.”
A video circulating online shows Lohmann at the end of the dais being confronted by McCarthy, who was leaving the room after the close of the meeting. The two begin another heated exchange and McCarthy steps back up to the dais and shoves a chair out of his way to confront Lohmann. No physical altercation broke out at this point, as it occurred after the scuffle in executive session. McCarthy was reportedly demanding an apology from Lohmann, or else he would press charges.
“We are not commenting at this time pending the investigation,” a spokesperson for Supervisor Wehrheim told The Messenger
A representative for District Attorney Ray Tierney (R) told The Messenger that the allegations will have to be litigated and that they have no further comment at this time.
Other Council members have declined to comment on this developing story.
Head of the Harbor Loses Lawsuit Against WMHO
By Matt Meduri
The August 2024 storm that washed away Stony Brook’s Mill Pond Dam also took out Harbor Road, which connected the Three Village area with the Village of Head of the Harbor.
Since then, a temporary road was put in place to connect a marooned set of houses in Head of the Harbor, while residents have been rallying for almost two years for repairs. The Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) has been in the hot seat for being the proprietors of the land upon which the dam sat. Exhaustive records searches by the Town of Brookhaven and Suffolk County showed that the WMHO is indeed the owner.
What hinged upon that confirmation was the ability to utilize FEMA funds before they disappeared from the table. Otherwise, the municipalities would have to foot the bill.
The Village of Head of the Harbor sued the WMHO to apply for FEMA funds that were earmarked for restorations. They claimed that in failing the to do, the WMHO created a “nuisance actionable” by the Village.
The court found that the Village lacked standing to make these claims and that it could not compel a “private owner” to make repairs on its own property, none of which are in the Village limits.
“I am very pleased with the court’s decision, and I hope it will bring an end to the swirl of negative publicity that WMHO has endured about this disaster,” said Linda Margolin, co-counsel representing the WMHO, in a statement. “I have been working with WMHO for almost a year on navigating the complex engineering, regulatory, and practical issues that are involved in reconstructing the road and dam, and the lawsuit and its accusations were a distraction.”
“We are pleased this lawsuit is behind us and look forward to having the pond, Grist Mill and road back for the community as soon as possible,” said Dr. Richard Rugen, WMHO Chairman, in a statement.
Head of the Harbor Mayor Michael Utevsky did not return The Messenger’s request for comment.
The WMHO added that they hope the end of the lawsuit will “lead the Village to engage in a cooperative effort to see that the reconstruction takes place in a timely manner.” They asserted that they had applied for FEMA
funds but learned earlier this year that financial aid would not be available for the repairs. In January 2025, the WMHO said they began the process of “obtaining and funding eight students and the engineering” for the reconstruction, which hinge on approval multiple State and federal agencies before work can begin.
Once the plans are complete, the WMHO says, the Town of Brookhaven will take up the construction work. They estimate that plans will be completed within four to five months, followed by permit applications.
Lohmann and McCarthy argue (Credit - Town of Smithtown)
Suffolk Matters
Suffolk Kicks Off Traveling 250 Exhibit
By Madison Warren
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches), along with the Suffolk 250 Committee and historical characters, kicked off the largest traveling American Revolution exhibit this week in Hauppauge, celebrating the nation’s independence and promoting civic pride across Long Island.
From April 14 to 23, guests can explore a range of interactive displays and educational panels highlighting the history of the American Revolution and the founding of the United States. The traveling exhibit features detailed timelines, historical visuals, and stories of key figures and events, along with a focus on Long Island and Suffolk County’s role in shaping the nation. Designed to engage guests of all ages, the exhibit offers an immersive experience that brings history to life while encouraging a deeper appreciation for the country’s past.
As part of the Suffolk 250 celebration, officials have introduced a historical passport program designed to encourage residents to explore the county’s rich history throughout the year. The passport, available as a free download through the Suffolk 250 website and app, and as printed copies for purchase, serves as both a guide and an interactive tool. As residents visit participating historic sites, exhibits, and events, they can track their progress by collecting stamps or marking their passport along the way. The initiative aims to promote community engagement, inspire residents to visit multiple locations, and provide a hands-on way to learn about Suffolk County’s role in American history.
Romaine discussed the significance of this milestone year for the country, noting that Long Island holds a unique place in the celebration due to its deep roots in American history. He also highlighted a new
“We come, we serve, and when it is our time to go, we go, and I think that is the importance of our government,” Piccirillo said.
Deputy Undersheriff Dr. Keith Taylor, speaking on behalf of Sheriff Dr. Errol Toulon, Jr. (D), noted that the Sheriff’s Office is proud to be part of the milestone, emphasizing that public safety, justice, and the protection of residents’ rights reflect the same principles established in 1776.
Taylor also shared that the department is developing a documentary highlighting the history of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. In addition, a traveling exhibit is currently on display at Riverhead Town Hall and will move to other locations across the county throughout the year, giving residents the opportunity to connect with the department’s longstanding legacy.
Suffolk County initiative, “Planting It Forward,” which encourages residents to plant trees and register them in a permanent, countywide Living Legacy Tree Registry.
He also highlighted the many upcoming celebrations taking place across Long Island, with events and activities that residents from all towns can look forward to throughout the year. To view a full list of events happening across Suffolk County, visit suffolk250.org.
Presiding Officer Anthony Piccirillo (R-Holtsville) said he has always admired figures like George Washington, who helped pave the way for elected leadership and sacrificed his own life to lead the country, something unprecedented at the time. He added that leaders like Washington serve as a model for the kind of public servants he and his colleagues strive to be.
“It’s important that we always remember our history, not only the progress we’ve made, but also the mistakes along the way. It’s also a time to honor our military members, veterans, and those who came before us, ensuring the freedoms we celebrate today,” Suffolk
County Legislator Dominick Thorne (R-Patchogue) told The Messenger. “Despite everything, we stand united, and it’s amazing to be part of such a meaningful event.”
He also encouraged residents to visit the Avery Homestead in East Patchogue, highlighting it as a well-preserved historic site with deep local roots and a lasting impact on the community.
As the Suffolk 250 celebration continues throughout the year, county leaders are encouraging residents to take part in the many events, exhibits, and initiatives planned across Long Island. The traveling exhibit, currently on display at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge, offers visitors an opportunity to engage with history in a meaningful, interactive way while learning more about the region’s role in the nation’s founding. From educational programs to community-driven initiatives, the celebration is designed to bring people together in reflection and pride.
Officials hope residents of all ages will take advantage of the year-long festivities, explore local history, and find new ways to connect with the stories that helped shape both Suffolk County and the nation.
Celebrate St. James Launches ‘Celebrate Connections’ with Strong Community Turnout
Celebrate St. James Center for the Arts successfully launched its new monthly social program, Celebrate Connections, with an enthusiastic turnout at its first event on March 29.
Designed for individuals with special needs, the program provides a welcoming space for participants to connect, engage, and build meaningful friendships. The inaugural gathering featured karaoke, guided introductions, and interactive social activities that encouraged connection in a supportive environment.
“We are so proud of the strong turnout and the meaningful connections that began forming right away,” said Tami Vitebski, Program Director. “Celebrate Connections is about creating a space where individuals feel comfortable, included, and excited to be part of something special. We have a unique opportunity to utilize our space as a gathering place for community members, and we are excited to bring this wonderful and historic space to life through meaningful opportunities, connection, fun, and support.”
We extend a special thank you to our young volunteers, Brooke and Michelle, for warmly welcoming participants and helping to create an engaging, supportive environment.
From assisting with “All About Me” questionnaires and encouraging conversation and reciprocity, to helping participants choose songs, sing along, and cheer each other on, they played an important role in making the experience so meaningful.
Connections were formed right away, and the joy in the room was undeniable—it was truly a rewarding experience for everyone involved.
The event was made possible in part through the generous support of St. James Pizza, which donated food for the evening and has committed to sponsoring the monthly series. Their support helps ensure the program remains accessible and welcoming to
In recognition of World Autism Month, Celebrate St. James remains committed to providing creative, supportive opportunities for individuals of all abilities through arts programming, volunteer initiatives, and community
Community involvement is welcomed and encouraged. Businesses interested in sponsoring this monthly social series, professionals looking to donate their time and talents—such as art, dance, or acting instruction—and middle and high school students interested in volunteering as peer models are invited to get involved. Volunteers help support activities and create a fun, inclusive environment for all participants. For sponsorship, volunteer opportunities, or to get involved, please contact info@celebratestjames.org.
Participation in Celebrate Connections is $20 per event, with all proceeds directly supporting fundraising efforts to restore the historic theater that houses Celebrate St. James Center for the Arts. These efforts help ensure the continued growth of cultural and arts programming for the St. James
For more information on upcoming events, workshops, and membership opportunities, please visit celebratestjames.org. Community members are also encouraged to consider becoming a member to help support this important initiative—members receive discounted tickets to shows and special events.
Smithtown Matters
Spring Into ActionLaying the Groundwork for the Season Ahead
By Supervisor Ed Wehrheim
As the warmer weather arrives, Smithtown is shifting into high gear. Spring is a season of renewal—but here in our Town, it’s also a season of action. Across every department, crews are hard at work laying the foundation for a safe, vibrant, and enjoyable summer for our residents.
Paving season is officially underway, and our Highway Department is already making significant progress. I’m pleased to share that work along Edgewood Avenue was completed during the Spring Break, minimizing disruption for families and our school community. This week, our Traffic Safety team finalized roadway striping, delivering a smoother and safer experience for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians alike.
In the coming days, Highway crews will be addressing reported damage to residential sidewalks, curbs and aprons, while concrete work teams are in Kings Park this week. Crews will make concrete repairs to 8th Avenue, 5th Avenue, Eugene Drive, Gail Court, Donald Drive, Hileen Drive, and Marvin Drive. Once completed, paving will follow.
As we noted in last month’s report, this past winter took a serious toll on our infrastructure. To help address these impacts, the Town is actively coordinating with our grants team to track $5 million in Federal Community Project Funding, secured with the support of Congressman Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) for this year. These funds will allow us to expand paving efforts across Town roadways. Additionally, Highway Superintendent Robert Murphy (R-St. James) is working with our Grants Team, to secure an additional $5 million in HUD funding to target major corridors such as Brooksite Drive, Old Willets Path, and Plymouth Boulevard. This is responsible governance in action, leveraging outside resources to deliver real results for taxpayers.
Behind the scenes, our Parks Department is equally busy preparing for the summer season. While many of these efforts may go unnoticed, they are essential to the quality of life we enjoy here in Smithtown. Our landscaping teams have begun spring perennial plantings, field aeration, fertilization, irrigation system maintenance, and turf management—all timed carefully to align with athletic league opening days. Crews are also conducting comprehensive spring cleanups across playgrounds, parks, and waterfront facilities, including painting, plumbing work, and the reopening of restrooms and showers at our beaches.
In the weeks ahead, Parks will continue making critical improvements: installing channel markers and buoys, building lifeguard chairs,
deploying docks at the Bluff, Long Beach, and Landing Avenue, repairing marina floats and the stairway at the Bluff, completing masonry and asphalt work, and bringing irrigation systems fully online.
This is the kind of work that doesn’t always make headlines, but it’s what makes everything else possible. Day in and day out, our Parks crews show up early, put in the hours, and take real pride in what they do. Their hands-on work is what gets our fields ready, our beaches open, and our parks in top shape for our community to enjoy.
Looking ahead, our Parks maintenance and construction team is also making steady progress at the Senior Center. Plumbing work on the first floor has been completed, along with electrical modifications for new restroom facilities. The next phase will focus on developing a renovation plan for the main auditorium; an important space where residents gather for meals, classes, and community programming. We look forward to sharing updates as this project advances.
As many of us begin our own spring cleaning at home, we have some exciting free events to put on the calendar. This weekend, April 18, marks the first of our three Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Events. This is a great opportunity to safely dispose of items like old paint, harmful pesticides, rechargeable batteries, and propane tanks.
As an added incentive, residents who recycle potentially harmful items-such as batteries, propane tanks, or mercury-containing devices, will receive a $5 gift card courtesy of Reworld (formerly Covanta). Our first Paper Shredding Event will follow on May 2. You can also pickup some free mulch (10 bags per vehicle) while at the Municipal Services Facility (located at 85 Old Northport Road, Kings Park.)
There is also much to celebrate in our community. This Saturday, the Town will host the Youth Bureau’s Altruistic Youth Awards Ceremony, recognizing outstanding young individuals who have demonstrated leadership, compassion, and service. These honorees represent the very best of Smithtown’s future.
Our Recreation Department continues to expand programming for residents of all ages. Following the success of its first-ever Spring Jamboree, the department is preparing to deliver brand-new toys to the pediatric unit at Stony Brook Hospital, a meaningful initiative that brings comfort to children in need. Additionally, residents still have the opportunity to participate in our upcoming “Fun-Filled Day on Broadway” on May 2. With transportation included and a choice of three outstanding shows; Just In Time, & Juliet,
and Death Becomes Her, this is a wonderful way to enjoy a day in the city with friends and neighbors. Check out SmithtownRec.com for more details.
As we move further into spring, you’ll continue to see crews out in full force, repairing, preparing, and improving every corner of our Town. These efforts reflect our ongoing commitment to infrastructure, recreation, and community investment, all delivered with fiscal responsibility and long-term vision.
There’s a great deal happening in Smithtown, and even more on the horizon. I look forward to sharing additional updates next month, as we continue building a stronger, safer, and more vibrant community for all.
Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R-Kings Park) has served as Smithtown Town Supervisor since 2018. He previously served as a Town Councilman from 2003 to 2018.
The Supervisor’s office is located at 99 West Main Street in Smithtown and can be reached at 631-360-7600.
The Necessary Standard for American Education
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization
By Matt Meduri
We’re dipping into foreign policy this week, as President Donald Trump (R-FL) continues to grapple with the War in Iran. The tensions have led European allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), of which the U.S. is a member, to let the U.S. and Israel fend for themselves. Meanwhile, Trump is threatening retaliation against neutral members and to leave the geopolitical pact altogether.
This week, we’ll take a look at what NATO is and what it does.
History and Origin
NATO found its roots in the Atlantic Charter, a statement issued on August 14, 1941, that defined British and American goals for the world after World War II. The charter was issued months before the U.S. entered the war. The Treaty of Brussels, signed by the “Benelux” nations of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, as well as France, and the U.K., is generally seen as the precursor to NATO. The Western Union Defense Organization was formed in 1948 in response to the Soviet’s Berlin Blockade that year. After WWII, the West became even more prepared for wide military alliances amidst the spread of Communism and the growing power of the Soviet Union, the 1948 coup in Czechoslovakia, and the start of other treaties.
The initial NATO allies agreed that an armed attack against any of them in Europe or North America would be considered an attack against them all. Each member could use whatever response they felt was necessary, including armed force, to maintain the security of the North Atlantic. However, the treaty does not require members to respond with military action against an aggressor.
NATO would bring about the standardization of military procedures, technology, and even terminology, which often meant Europe adopting many U.S. practices.
The North Atlantic Treaty wasn’t invoked until the Korean War prompted the establishment of NATO. In 1952, NATO saw its first maritime exercises held, which consisted of 200 ships and over 50,000 personnel.
But 1955 brought a counterbalance to NATO: the Warsaw Pact, which materialized when West Germany joined NATO and remilitarized. Looking to tighten its grip over Eastern Europe, Moscow sought its own orbit of Communist nations that would justify extended military presence in certain countries.
Who’s a Member and What are the Rules?
Besides the U.S. and U.K, NATO includes thirty other states (see map above).
Article I: Member parties must settle any international disputes peacefully and in maintenance of security and justice.
Article II: Members develop peace and good relations by “strengthening their free institutions,” promoting domestic stability, and encouraging economic collaboration. Sometimes referred to as the Canada Clause, it has been invoked by observers when discussing trade disputes.
Article III: Members must resist armed attack through “self-help, separately and jointly.” Article III has also defined NATO standards in partners: the ability to resist and recover from major disasters, infrastructure failures, traditional armed attacks, the continuity of government during a crisis, energy resilience, immigration control, food and water security, medical emergencies, civil communication, and effective transportation networks.
Article IV: Officially calls for consultation on military proceedings when the “territorial integrity, political independence, or security of any of the parties is threatened.” Since 2003, Article IV has been invoked nine times. Citations include the Iraq War (2003), the Russian annexation of Crimea (2014), and the Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022).
Article V: The basis of NATO, an attack on one is considered an attack on all. It has been invoked only once, following the September 11 attacks. It has, however, been threatened several times, recently in response to Trump’s campaign to seize Greenland from Denmark.
Article VI: Clarifies that Article V only covers member states’ territories in Europe, North America, Turkey, Northern Atlantic islands, and the Tropic of Cancer. For example, Puerto Rico, while considered geographically part of North America, does not fall under NATO’s jurisdiction
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.
since it is not an island north of the Tropic of Cancer. Therefore, action against Puerto Rico would not require a reaction from NATO.
Article VII: The North Atlantic Treaty shall not violate “rights and obligations” of member countries under the United Nations Charter.
Article VIII: Members should not have any international commitments in conflict with NATO’s treaty and shall not undertake any in conflict with NATO.
Article IX: Establishes the North Atlantic Council, primarily to enforce Articles III and V.
Article X: Process for admitting new members, which includes unanimous agreement by current NATO members. New members must be Euro-Atlantic nations.
Article XI: Process of signing the NATO charter to respective constitutional processes.
Article XII: Amendments to the treaty must not violate the U.N. Charter.
Article XIII: The withdrawal process: a one-year notice by the member nation to the U.S. - who serves as the depositary. Although contemplated by some nations, it has not happened. Only nations that have gained independence while part of a NATO member are considered technical withdrawals: Algeria, Malta, and Cyprus.
Article XIV: Official NATO languages are English and French.
What’s Trump’s Problem with NATO?
Trump argues that the U.S. bears unfair costs and has called the alliance “obsolete.” NATO members have a 2% GDP-to-defense spending requirement. Nine countries failed to meet that quota in 2024. Trump says this is unfair to American taxpayers. As of 2025, Poland spends the most relative to its economic output - around 4.5% GDP. The U.S. clocked in around 3.5%, but spends the most in terms of volume - nearly $1 trillion last year.
Trump also views the alliance transactionally rather than strategically, claiming the U.S. has done more for European security than vice versa. He’s also criticized its members for not supporting the U.S. in conflicts outside Europe. His latest anathema stems from Europe’s neutrality in the Iran War.
Membership Action Plan (MAP)
In 1999, MAP allowed members to review formal applications of other nations wishing to join the alliance. Nations must be willing to settle disputes peacefully and with mind to human rights and democratic control, contribute defense and missions, devote resources to armed forces, secure sensitive information with safeguards, and have domestic legislation compatible with NATO cooperation.
November 2002 saw seven countries invited to join the MAP, which they did two years later. Former MAP participants who are now members include Albania, Croatia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. As of 2025, Bosnia and Herzegovina is the only nation in the MAP program.
Enhanced Opportunities Partners (EOP)
This program was first introduced in 2014 to include high-contribution NATO partners in return for further security cooperation and additional information sharing, among other benefits. While not bona fide NATO members,
these are high-ranking nations in terms of global intelligence. Current members include Australia, Georgia, Jordan, and Ukraine. Sweden and Finland were EOP neighbors until becoming full NATO members in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Individual Partnership Action Plans (IPAP)
These are plans developed between NATO and other countries to outline communication frameworks for cooperation. Introduced in 2002, it brought to the table a new method for international work. It features two-year terms to deepen relations with other nations. Also called Individually Tailored Partnership Programs (ITPP), IPAPs are currently in place with Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia - five of which have stated no intention to join NATO. Georgia, along with Ukraine, however, are undergoing Intensified Dialogue, a status that indicates high-level discussions with aspiring NATO members to help meet the alliance’s standards.
Partnership for Peace
This body includes all NATO members plus an additional eighteen members. Six areas of cooperation are laid out, aiming to build partnerships through military-to-military cooperation training, disaster planning, and scientific sharing. Launched in 1994, the body expands farther to take in Belarus, Austria, Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Malta, Russia, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan, among others.
After the Ukraine War kicked off, memberships for Belarus and Russia have been suspended.
A key aspect of this program is the principle of selfdifferentiation. Nations are allowed to customize their pace and scope of their involvement with NATO.
Mediterranean Dialogue
This status was started in 1994 with the purpose fostering “good relations and better mutual understanding and confidence throughout the region.” NATO’s view is that European security is tied to stability in the Mediterranean and North Africa.
Members include Egypt, Israel, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, and Algeria. In 2012, Libya was invited to become a NATO partner, but did not respond.
Istanbul Cooperation Initiative
The gateway to the Middle East and West Asia runs through Turkey. This program stands among the others to offer practical, tailored cooperation on deterrence of weapons of mass destruction, counterterrorism, NATO exercises, disaster preparedness, and border security to prevent drug, weapon, and human trafficking.
Members include Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Global Partners
Frequent participating countries, but cannot join NATO under Article X. Members include Australia, Colombia, Iraq, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Korea. Afghanistan is a former member, having been suspended due to the fall of the Islamic Republican in 2021. Argentina applied in 2024.
A Lifeline for New York: Breaking Ground on Energy Independence
For too long, the energy needs of New Yorkers have been held hostage by political posturing in Albany. But today, reality and common sense have finally taken hold.
As the Ranking Republican on the Senate Energy Committee, I was absolutely delighted to join members of the Trump Administration and the Williams Companies to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) natural gas pipeline.
Standing at Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field alongside Energy Secretary Chris Wright (R-CO), Interior Secretary Doug Burgum (RND), EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley), and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R-Atlantic Beach), I felt a profound sense of pride. This day has been years in the making and is a hardfought victory for every resident tired of seeing their energy security sacrificed for the sake of political maneuvering.
The NESE project was needlessly stalled by the Cuomo Administration, a victim of short-sighted policies that prioritized
optics over the actual needs of New York City and Long Island.
Throughout this delay, which has caused increased prices for our residents, I have stood firm with Leader Senator Rob Ortt (R-North Tonawonda) and my colleagues in the New York State Senate Republican Conference. We demanded that Albany Democrats stop obstructing this vital resource, and today, those efforts are finally delivering tangible results.
The NESE Natural Gas pipeline is not just a piece of infrastructure; it is a lifeline. By delivering clean natural gas from Pennsylvania directly into our region, the NESE pipeline will:
• Lower Utility Costs: Our residents have paid a “political tax” for far too long, suffering under high utility bills driven by artificial scarcity. This added capacity will provide immediate relief to ratepayers.
• Create High-Quality Jobs: This project will benefit the hardworking men and women of our building trades by creating local jobs for local people.
• Ensure Reliability: Enhanced capacity means a more stable grid, ensuring that our homes and businesses remain powered through the harshest winters.
The NESE pipeline also offers a significant environmental “win” that is often overlooked. Currently, our region relies heavily on liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers to bridge the supply gap. These heavy trucks are a burden on our local infrastructure and our air quality.
Consider the data: these tankers emit approximately 7 pounds of CO2 per mile and contribute significantly to the degradation of our roads. By moving this energy through a safe
pipeline, we are removing those trucks from our streets. This is a vital step towards cleaner, safer, and more efficient roadways for every New Yorker.
I want to extend my deepest thanks to President Donald J. Trump (R-FL) and his administration. Their commitment to working with New York State to prioritize energy infrastructure has been the catalyst for this breakthrough. While Albany Democrats’ energy policies have been characterized by posturing, this administration has focused on performance.
The investment made in the last decade is finally coming to fruition. This groundbreaking marks the end of an era of scarcity and the beginning of an era of abundance. We are proving that we can power our economy, support our workers, and protect our environment all at once.
This is the common-sense future New Yorkers deserve.
Senator Mario Mattera (R-St. James) has represented the Second District in the New York State Senate since 2021. The Second District contains the entire Townships of Huntington and Smithtown.
Senator Mattera serves as Ranking Member on the Corporations, Authorities, and Commissions Committee and on the Energy and Telecommunications Committee. He also serves on the committees on Cannabis; Civil Service and Pensions; Labor; and Transportation.
The Second District office is located at 180 East Main Street, Suite 210, in Smithtown and can be reached at 631361-2154.
Dark Lotus Yoga Studio Opens in Nesconset
By Madison Warren
The Nesconset community welcomed Dark Lotus Yoga Studio this past weekend with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The studio offers a variety of class styles and caters to all experience levels, providing options for both beginners and more advanced practitioners.
More than just a yoga studio, the space is designed to offer a calming, immersive experience centered around mindful instruction. Owners Audrey and Nick Viscovich, a husband-and-wife team, bring over a decade of experience to the studio. Each specializes in and is certified in different areas of yoga training, and together they combine their expertise to create a well-rounded approach, aiming to provide the highest-quality experience for every client.
The journey began at this very location, formerly home to Family Tree Yoga & Wellness, where both Nick and Audrey once taught and have countless memories. After the studio closed, Audrey held onto the idea of one day taking over the space. She first reached out to the landlord last year to explore the possibility, but when it didn’t work out, she remained determined. In December, she tried again, and this time, it paid off.
Today, Audrey and Nick proudly call the space their second home.
After months of hard work transforming the space into their own, with a special helping hand from their five-year-old daughter, the couple is proud to unveil the design. Audrey shared that their vision was to create a cozy environment that incorporates natural elements. Through thoughtful choices in paint colors and décor, including a plant wall and carefully selected lighting fixtures, they’ve crafted a space that feels both unique and inviting.
Dark Lotus Yoga Studio offers a diverse schedule of classes designed to meet a wide range of
experience levels and preferences. Their lineup includes heated and non-heated options, such as Vinyasa, Beginner Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin & Sound, Gentle, Yoga Sculpt, Barre, and Ying Yang Flow. They also offer specialized offerings such as kids’ yoga classes, creating an inclusive environment for all ages. With a mix of heated, warm, and non-heated sessions, clients can choose the style and intensity that best fits their comfort level and goals.
Beyond group classes, the studio is continuing to expand its wellness offerings. They currently have a licensed massage therapist on-site, adding another layer of care for clients. Looking ahead, Audrey and Nick shared plans to welcome an esthetician and a holistic healer to the studio in May, further enhancing the space as a well-rounded destination for both physical and mental well-being.
One of Audrey and Nick’s top priorities is staying connected to the Long Island yoga community. Audrey shared that she feels the sense of community diminished after the pandemic, and they are committed to helping rebuild it. In addition to offering classes, the studio features products from local shops available for purchase, supporting other small businesses in the area. They also plan to host workshops a few times each month, introduce mommy-and-me classes, and offer a free class once a month. Audrey noted that this initiative is especially important to her, as it allows those who may not be able to afford memberships the opportunity to still participate and feel included.
The grand opening and ribbon-cutting marked a meaningful milestone for Nick and Audrey, as they were surrounded by family, friends, fellow members of the yoga community, chamber representatives, and local leaders. The celebration reflected the strong support they’ve built over the years. A
particularly special moment for the couple was receiving a proclamation from the Suffolk County Legislature, delivered by Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset), along with recognition from Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy (R-Nesconset).
Audrey told The Messenger how grateful she is to everyone who has helped them along this journey. As they officially open their doors, Audrey and Nick are excited and thankful they are to bring their vision to life. With a strong sense of purpose and community at the heart of Dark Lotus Yoga Studio, they look forward to welcoming both new and familiar faces into a space designed for connection, growth, and well-being.
Dark Lotus Yoga Studio is located at 127 Smithtown Boulevard, Suite #20B, in Nesconset, and can be reached at 631-263-6107 an on Instagram @darklotusyogastudio.
Local History
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Preserving Our Past Will Take Your Help
By Ellyn Okvist, B.Sc.
At one time, Lake Ronkonkoma had houses, scattered in the village that were already landmarks in their current state. Notably, as the 250th anniversary of our great country is upon us, we start to notice many “missing” things that we remember in Lake Ronkonkoma.
We will talk about five that most of us will remember.
Once known as one of the oldest surviving structures in Brookhaven, the McMeniman House (pictured below) was located at 263 Smith Road across from
Sachem High School. Built sometime before 1797, it was used by overnight travelers on horse or stagecoach going between New York City and the East End. It had a large carriage house and was set on eight acres at the bend in the road. There is a very old cemetery on the southeast corner of the property and its gravestones were moved to the southwest corner of the Lake Ronkonkoma Cemetery in the early 1900s to block a proposed highway.
At least two of these unmarked graves contain two Revolutionary War soldiers. Although the house belonged to many
names, all owners have been directly related. The structure was typical of Long Island vernacular architecture. The house appears on the Issac Hulse map of 1797. Unfortunately, the House was destroyed under difficult details.
“The Willows”, (pictured right) once on Division Road, was recorded being built in 1796 by Richard Woodhull. Upon the effort to move the original house in 2016, it was discovered to have been built as early as 1720 because of the wood trees used for the floor beams. Three stories accommodated a tavern on the ground floor, a ballroom on the second floor, and guest rooms on the third floor. This was the first house to obtain electricity, and as such were asked to leave their lights on at night to promote the new invention.
are gone. This loss strips history from our town, as the British occupation and forced work that our townsfolk were forced to complete happened in the Tavern.
Church in Manhattan in 1690. William Nichols still held the note in 1786 but was released in a monumental lawsuit in 1800. Maude Adams purchased the property in 1898 and did considerable work on the house and property. They also built across the way on a dirt road.
The structure was a 2.5-story, Federal period house with Italianate brackets and flat roof additions in the 1860s. The house went through much stress, first located at the Chase Bank area, then dragged over what is now Kohl’s shopping center in 1966, and later to Division Road. Unfortunately, the owners, who inherited the house let it go for many years exposing it to renters, disrepair, no maintenance, and uncaring family members. The current owner of the property had no option but to level the house; all traces
The Hawkins/Harrison House (pictured above far right) at 425 Portion Road was a two-story, appraised in good condition, had a barn, garage, and shed all scattered amongst the property, and surrounded mostly by commercial buildings. Recorded as having been built prior to 1873, it still had a cultivated field on the west side. The house was historically important because of its classical styling which included two stories, a flat roof, and symmetrical front
façade with the front porch supported by fluted columns. The last owner in 1981 was a member of the Hawkins family. The house appears on the Beers Comstock Atlas 1873. It went under demolition, with no traces left.
The house featured the Smith Family cemetery, adjacent to the road, and five to six cemeteries have been discovered, including the James and Isreal Smith graveyard by local cemetarians. There were scattered buildings, open land, woodlands, all on a residential property. The house is set back about a mile from Cenacle Road situated next to a pond. The interior has been redesigned at least three times. In 1922, Maude Adams gifted the properties to the Cenacles. All original furnishings were stolen from Adams, but they left an original piano because it did not fit through the door. Think twice when someone tells you this belonged to Maude Adams; it was most likely stolen. The properties are now owned by St. Pias Residence. The house has been drastically altered inside but still stands.
The Meyer House (pictured left), as originally named, is the longtime Moloney Family Funeral Home business location. Since 1933, the Moloney family has continued their legacy and excellence in town.
Set on the west side of Ronkonkoma Avenue, it was very close to the commercial center of the village. At the time of construction, Ronkonkoma Avenue was wooded and the structure and property preserved an earlier more rural setting. The house was first owned by Mr. Arthur Meyer on property purchased from the Newton family. Mr. Meyer was one of the managers of the “Petite Trianon”, at the end of the Long Island Motor Parkway. The house was said to have been one of the first to have gas lighting and utilities. The original house, registered prior to 1905, is a 2.5-story gable with a wraparound porch, among other features. The landmark report was completed by Ivar Okvist in 1981 and appears on the E. Belcher Hyde 1909 Map. The foresight of the Moloney Family has continued to keep this home a landmark for all to enjoy with the specific upkeep and beautiful condition of the home since 1961.
The Lake Ronkonkoma Historic Commission, under New York State not-for-profit corporation law, works exclusively with educational purpose, and on September 12, 2023, received our number by the Board of Regents of NYU. We are also designated by the IRS as 501(c)(3) tax exempt corporation. We have ten NYS historic signs, and many additional with the latest being the “Lake Ronkonkoma Ice Boat and Yacht Club 1923” sign now displayed at Ronkonkoma Lake since March 29, 2026. Anyone interested in becoming a landmark representative in Lake Ronkonkoma, or if you would like to propose another, please get in touch.
“Sandy Garth” (pictured above) was named for the Scottish town that the original Smith family left for the United States, sometimes known as the first family to settle in Lake Ronkonkoma. The house was hand-built by two brothers during their employment at the Trinity
The Mythos Moment: When the Fed and Treasury Call an Emergency Meeting About an AI Model, Pay Attention
By Mollie Barnett
Something unusual happened this week in Washington.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell didn’t call the CEOs of Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo to talk about tariffs or interest rates.
They called them in to talk about an AI model. Specifically, Anthropic’s Claude Mythos Preview — and what it can do to financial infrastructure.
This isn’t a technology story dressed up in finance clothes. It’s a signal about where we actually are in the AI timeline, and what that means for the rest of us who aren’t running global banks or sitting on Federal Reserve boards.
Glasswing
On April 7, Anthropic announced Project Glasswing — a controlled, by-invitation-only initiative granting approximately 40 carefully vetted partners access to a preview of Mythos. The list reads like a who’s who of critical infrastructure: AWS, Apple, Google, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, CrowdStrike, the Linux Foundation.
Why so VIP? The model is said to be too capable for general release.
Is this just an elaborate marketing ploy?
In controlled testing, Mythos Preview autonomously identified high-severity software vulnerabilities — some that had quietly existed for decades — generated working exploits, and chained them across complex technical environments. Anthropic’s stated goal is to use the model defensively: find the remaining holes before bad actors do, harden the software stacks that run critical systems, and do it through trusted partners with proper oversight.
They won’t be releasing it publicly because they genuinely don’t think they should. It sounds like the responsible call. But is it actually possible to hold that line? Because it already got out — and that’s where the story gets interesting.
The ‘Accidental’ Plan
Two incidents. Both from Anthropic — the company that has built its entire brand identity around being the most safety-conscious AI lab in the world. Both within months of each other. Both arriving right after a public falling out with the Department of Defense. Both surrounding a major announcement.
First: a misconfigured content management system left internal drafts publicly accessible — including details about the model, internally called “Capybara.” Then, a packaging mistake that briefly exposed hundreds of thousands of lines of Claude Code source code. I’ve seen them. So how hard could they have been to find?
These weren’t attacks. They were human errors — the kind that happen inside fast-moving organizations under pressure, with too many systems and not enough process discipline, except that description doesn’t quite fit the company Anthropic presents itself as. This is not a scrappy startup. This is the lab that publishes 100-page safety reports and lectures the industry on responsible deployment.
So, you can read this one of two ways: either the most safety-conscious AI lab in the world has operational sloppiness that undermines its own containment strategy — which is its own kind of alarming - or the leaks were a very effective way to seed awareness about a product they needed people to take seriously, without officially releasing it. Responsible deployment and strategic positioning aren’t mutually exclusive. In this industry, they rarely are.
Either way, the knowledge spreads. Through misconfiguration, through competition, through the natural diffusion of ideas in a field where thousands of researchers are working on adjacent problems simultaneously. The assumption that frontier capabilities can be neatly contained by a small group of responsible actors, kept safely away from misuse through vetted channels — that assumption has always been fragile. This week made it visible.
The Treasury-Fed meeting followed directly from this collision: a model with genuinely alarming offensive capabilities, a containment strategy built on trust, and operational slips that reminded everyone in the room that trust is not a technical guarantee.
What the Model Actually Does
It’s worth being precise here, because the gap between engineering reality and public perception on AI is already wide and getting wider.
Mythos Preview represents a meaningful leap in agentic reasoning — the ability of a model to pursue a complex goal across multiple steps, using tools, adapting to what it finds, without a human directing each move. In cybersecurity terms, it doesn’t just identify that a vulnerability exists. It figures out how to exploit it, then figures out what else it can reach from there.
This isn’t entirely new territory. The category of capability has been developing for a while.
What’s new is the scale — particularly in a world of vibe coding, where developers are shipping faster and reviewing less, and the attack surface is expanding in direct proportion. Anthropic claims Mythos uncovered thousands of issues in controlled testing. Independent verification is limited; many figures involve extrapolation from a smaller set of expert reviews, so the exact numbers warrant skepticism.
What isn’t in dispute is the speed. This class of tool compresses what used to take expert security teams months into hours or days. People close to this space already knew that gap existed.
So, the question worth asking is: what was this week’s event actually for? Genuine alarm? Product awareness? Both? The noise and the theater served someone’s interests.
The honest answer is we don’t fully know whom, or in what proportion.
What we do know is the vulnerability it exposes for financial institutions — not just in their software, but in their assumptions. Systems built on the premise that threats move slowly, that timelines are predictable, that human experts can stay ahead of automated discovery — all of those assumptions just got more expensive to hold.
The Real Risk Isn’t the Model. It’s the Gap.
Here’s the part that matters for everyone reading this column — not just the bank CEOs summoned to Washington.
The emergency meeting wasn’t really about Claude Mythos Preview. It was about asymmetric literacy. About what happens when powerful capabilities spread unevenly — and they always spread unevenly — into a world where most people don’t have the skills to evaluate what they’re looking at?
The people who know how to use these tools skillfully gain real advantage. They can audit code, verify AI outputs, harden their own systems, and separate engineering reality from hype. They become harder to manipulate and harder to exploit. The people who don’t develop those skills become more vulnerable in direct proportion. They hand trust to outputs they can’t interrogate, accept vendor promises at face value, and wait for institutions — the Fed, the Treasury, the labs themselves — to keep them safe.
That’s not a cynical observation. It’s just how capability gaps work. And the window to close this one is shorter than most people realize.
What Building Fluency Actually Looks Like
This isn’t an argument for panic. It’s an argument for raising your floor — deliberately, practically, now.
Stop treating AI outputs as answers. They’re drafts. Every output, from every model, needs a human asking: what might this be wrong about? What did it miss? What assumption is baked in here that I haven’t examined?
Learn to direct, not just consume. Prompting well — clear context, defined task, explicit constraints — is a learnable skill. It’s the difference between a tool that works for you and one that produces confident-sounding nonsense. People who learn this aren’t just more productive. They’re building a critical filter that passive users never develop.
Use it defensively. You don’t need to be a security expert. Current AI tools can help you review your own digital footprint, pressure-test vendor claims, and ask harder questions about the software your business depends on. The same class of capability that makes Mythos Preview concerning in the wrong hands is available, in more accessible forms, for legitimate defensive use right now.
Apply skepticism in both directions. Question containment promises from labs. Question dramatic threat claims from critics. What actually happened this week — was it messy human error, legitimate capability concern, or a carefully orchestrated awareness campaign? These are questions people are working to answer in the absence of full transparency. They’re not conspiracy. They’re reasonable. And asking them is part of the fluency.
The Bigger Picture
The Mythos moment isn’t an anomaly. It’s a preview.
Frontier capabilities will keep advancing. Containment will keep leaking — whether by accident or design. The institutions assuming they have long, controlled timelines to adapt to are making a bet that this week just made considerably riskier.
The highest-leverage response isn’t fear. It isn’t waiting. It’s competence — practical, skeptical, continuously updated fluency with tools that are already reshaping how decisions get made, how systems get built, and how vulnerabilities get found.
The people who build that fluency retain agency. The rest are just hoping the right institutions stay in the room.
Theatre & the Arts
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Theatre Three’s
‘The 39 Steps’ is a Frenzied, Fun-Filled Farce!
By Cindi Sansone-Braff
“Let’s all just set ourselves resolutely to make this world a happier place!”Richard Hannay, in Patrick Barlow’s “The 39 Steps”
Saturday’s opening-night audience erupted in continuous laughter as Theatre Three’s well-cast, Broadway-caliber ensemble, Michael Limone, Ashley Brooke Curtis, Dan Schindlar, and Jae Hughes, raced across the stage, embodying 150 stock, gag, and parodic characters. Watching Schindlar and Hughes morph at the speed of light from one zany role to the next felt more like watching trained athletes competing in the Olympics than actors appearing on stage.
The stage adaptation of “The 39 Steps” turned the classic 1935 Alfred Hitchcock suspense film into a hilarious parody of the spy genre, filled with murder, mayhem, and madness. The iconic movie was based on John Buchan’s 1915 man-on-the-run novel, “The Thirty-Nine Steps.” The original 1996 four-actor play was written by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon. Theatre Three’s stellar production features a script by Patrick Barlow, the English actor, comedian, and playwright. His 2005 adaptation won the 2007 Olivier Award for Best New Comedy and earned two Tony Awards in 2008 for its Broadway run. Barlow’s two-act adaptation honors both Buchan’s novel and Hitchcock’s film while infusing it with vaudevillian flair, showcasing slapstick, and split-second timing.
The quirky plot revolves around the dashing but depressed Richard Hannay, whose dull routine is upended when he is unwittingly caught up in a web of conspiracy. Hannay, forced to flee, dodges the police and foreign agents while trying to uncover the secret of “The 39 Steps,” a clandestine German spy ring. His madcap adventure takes him from London to the Scottish Highlands, where he meets a host of eccentric characters and finds himself in preposterous but suspenseful situations.
Hughes and Schindlar perform more than 100 roles, and these two versatile actors are the true comedic engines driving the fastpaced plot through one convoluted detour after another. Throughout the show, they exhibited high energy and expert comedic timing that enhanced every absurdly entertaining scene. From train conductors to hotel keepers to policemen, they aced their roles. Hughes, dressed as a clown, prompted spontaneous applause from the audience with a juggling act. Schindlar delivered a spine-chilling performance as Professor Jordon, the antagonist and leader of an international spy ring stealing British military secrets. Hughes
the old-school Hollywood charm needed to embody this debonair 1930s character.
garnered some of the biggest laughs as Mr. Memory, a stage performer with an encyclopedic ability to remember facts.
A special shout-out goes to Theatre Three’s immensely talented creative team, including Randall Parsons for his outstanding scenic design, Ronald Green III for his authentic 1930s costumes, Steve Barile, Jr. for his evocative lighting design, and Tim Haggerty for his spot-on sound design. Adding to the immense success of this show were Ally Humanitzki and Heather Rose Kuhn’s meticulously chosen props, which helped define the characters and enhance the storytelling.
Theatre Three’s comedic thriller runs through May 3, 2026. For tickets, call the box office at 631-928-9100 or visit www. theatrethree.com. The much-anticipated Twenty-Seventh Annual Festival of OneAct Plays runs from April 18 through May 9, 2026, at the Ronald F. Peierls Theatre on the Second Stage of Theatre Three.
Cindi Sansone-Braff is an awardwinning playwright. She holds a BFA in Theatre from the University of Connecticut and is a member of the Dramatists Guild. She is the author of “Grant Me a Higher Love,” “Why Good People Can’t Leave Bad Relationships,” and “Confessions of a Reluctant Long Island Psychic.” Her full-length Music Drama, “Beethoven, The Man, The Myth, The Music,” is published by Next Stage Press.
With the threat of World War II percolating in the background, this wild and wacky whodunit abounds with spies, spoofs, and suspense. Under Christine Boehm’s skillful direction, “The 39 Steps,” a theatrical study in minimalism, where a wig, a prop, a gesture, or an accent creates a masterful dramatic effect, kept the audience on the edge of their seats from the first cue to the final bow.
Limone is one of the finest actors you will see on any stage, and his riveting portrayal of Richard Hanney was one of the show’s highlights. Limone possesses
Limone’s intense facial expressions, nuanced body language, and strong physical comedy skills effectively conveyed the remarkable transformation Hannay underwent, from a panic-stricken English gentleman to a consummate hero.
Curtis, a charismatic actress with a flair for the dramatic, delivered an award-worthy performance in all three of her female roles: Annabella Schmidt, a mysterious secret agent; Margaret, a frustrated Scottish wife; and Pamela, Richard’s unwilling accomplice who undergoes a change of heart.
CreditSteven Uihlein
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Checkmate: How Trump’s Iran Strategy Forces China’s Hand
By The Daily Signal Staff | Outside Contributor for AMAC
The Daily Signal’s Mehek Cooke said President Donald Trump’s handling of Iran and the Strait of Hormuz is forcing both Tehran and Beijing into a corner, calling the strategy “checkmate” during a television appearance Tuesday night.
Speaking on NewsNation’s “Katie Pavlich Tonight,“ Cooke said the Iranian regime miscalculated by threatening shipping lanes just as a ceasefire agreement with the United States reached its two-week mark. Under the original terms of the ceasefire, Iran was expected to keep the Strait of Hormuz open—through which much of the world’s oil flows.
“Iran still thinks they’re winning because they have a ceasefire and President Trump gave them a lifeline,” Cooke said. “But what President Trump really did was give the American people a window into who Iranians really are—that they’re not going to negotiate in good faith.”
Cooke argued that by moving to control the strait, the Trump administration is cutting off Iran’s primary economic leverage and drawing China—Iran’s largest oil customer—into pressuring Tehran.
“China was getting 90% of that oil,” Cooke said. “So, guess who’s going to be at that negotiating table pushing Iran to stop holding proxy wars and stop holding us hostage? It’s China.”
She said Arab states in the Persian Gulf, now facing direct threats from Iran, are moving closer to Israel and the West in pursuit of stability and economic growth.
“This is a complete reset,” Cooke said. “We’re watching in real time Arab states pivot toward Israel and the West because they want a future of peace and prosperity.”
Cooke also warned that as Iran loses economic and territorial leverage, it may intensify proxy and terrorist activity beyond the Middle East, including in the Western Hemisphere.
“We have to be vigilant,” she said. “The Iranians are out of steam, so they’re going to look for other ways to strike Americans.”
Overview - AMACThe 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 17th century: alteration of meliorate, influenced by French améliorer, from meilleur ‘better’.
AMELIORATE
verb
Pronounced: /uh·mee·lee·ur·ayt/ Definition: make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better.
Example: “The public meeting brought suggestions to ameliorate environmental problems in the neighborhood.”
Synonyms: improve, enhance, amend
Antonyms: worsen, impair, tarnish
Source: Oxford Languages
WORD WHEEL
D I G N E R A
See how many words you can create. Must have center letter in word and can use letters more than once. 4 letter word minimum.
SUDOKU
See left for the answers (please don’t cheat!)
This Week in History
April 18, 2018:
“Black Panther” is the first film shown at a commercial cinema in 35 years in Saudi Arabia as cinemas are reopened.
April 20, 1999:
Columbine High School massacre: Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold kill 13 people and injure 24 others before committing suicide at Columbine High School, Colorado.
April 16, 1865:
Cleveland Indians become the first MLB team to permanently feature numbers on the backs of uniforms; numbers correspond to the position in the batting order.
April 17, 1860:
Champion of England
Tom Sayers and American John Heenan fight a brutal 2-hour, 27-minute draw that ends only after police stop the fight near Farnborough, England, acknowledged as the first world title bout.
April 19, 1943: Bicycle DaySwiss chemist Dr. Albert Hofmann deliberately takes LSD for the first time.
April 21, 1918:
German
April 22, 1876:
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky completes his ballet “Swan Lake.”
Source: Onthisday.com.
World War I fighter ace Baron Manfred von Richthofen aka “The Red Baron,” is shot down and killed over Vaux-sur Somme in France. Canadian pilot Arthur Roy Brown is credited with the kill.
Tom Sayers John Heenan
By PJ Balzer
This past Friday, my wife and I had a really busy day. On the way home from the busyness, I forgot to buy a gallon of milk. So, I ended up running out again that evening. As I picked out a gallon, I did what everyone else does: reached for the milk in the back with the furthest expiration date. The gallon I chose read 4/28/26.
As I walked up to the self-checkout with the milk in hand, I randomly thought about a quote I had seen on social media a few years back. It said something along the lines of, “How different would you live your life if we all had our personal expiration dates visible?” - meaning that our final month, day, and year on earth was visible for all to see. On that very day, we would expire.
The Expiration Date
All weekend, I thought about this quote and very real question it presents. How different would my life outlook, priorities, and pursuits be if our expiration dates were visible? How differently would I treat loved ones, friends, and neighbors if I knew the day they’d depart, especially those whose date was coming up soon? How would I invest my time, money, and talents? Would it be similar to the way I’m investing it now? What would I say to people whose expiration date would be tomorrow? Would I make sure it was words of faith, hope, love, and truth? Am I telling them the same things now?
A few years ago, I came across a short video about a young couple who were set to get married in a year. They apparently were starting to plan a big wedding when one of the spouses suddenly fell ill. After the doctors, tests, and receiving a final, unexpected diagnosis, the couple found out that one of the spouses only had a year left to live. Shocking to say the very least.
The couple cancelled the big wedding and sold whatever valuables they had accumulated together. They downsized their entire life and got married that same week. They used their money to go on a nationwide bike tour together, stopping at all of the national parks and places they had always wanted to see together. They spent their time sightseeing, trying new restaurants, laughing a lot, and cherishing every last sunset and moment, especially because the moments were limited and the one spouse’s expiration date was extremely visible. Within a year they parted ways, one stayed here and the other didn’t.
In the past ten years, my wife and I have known a good number of people who have passed away - some were with warning, others were without. I’m not sure if it’s because we know a large number of people or because we both work in a realm where people tend to have extremely vulnerable lifestyles. Whatever the reason is or isn’t, most expiration dates showed up suddenly without much notice. We’ve attended so many wakes that I had to go out and purchase outfits specifically for them.
A hard and realistic truth is that we each do have an expiration date; they just aren’t visible to us. Only God knows the exact day and hour that our final breath will be taken. Each morning is a gift, and we’re truly not even promised that we’ll see the sunset at the end of the same day. Many people have left this earth
and never got a chance to arrive home in the evening or cook the food for dinner they left out defrosting that morning. Life can be very predictable at times and then totally unpredictable at others.
The point is: plan for the future, but don’t forget that it could never come.
Get your heart and life right with God before you stand before Him face to face. There is a definite day of accountability that awaits each of us. Laugh often and don’t take everything too seriously. Times change, seasons change, and time certainly flies by. Be kind to people. Leave them with some good memories and words of you that they can hold in their heart. There will come a day when it will be the last time you see them alive. Pray often, find ways to be helpful, and don’t bury your God-given talents and dreams. Many have stopped using their gifts and pursuing their hobbies for an American dream that we can’t take with us.
Don’t forget that while we can’t see an expiration date, we all have one.
Boys Lacrosse: Consistency is Key
By Ashley Pavlakis
The Spartans have returned to the field for another season of boys’ varsity lacrosse. Comsewogue is off to a good start, remaining in the top five in the standings. Lacrosse is a high-scoring sport, and the Spartans have had no issue putting balls in the net this season.
The Comsewogue Boys Varsity Lacrosse team is a member of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and competes in Division II. The boys are led by longtime head coach Peter Mitchell.
“Coach Mitch”, as he’s lovingly referred to, has been at the helm of the Spartans since 1999. Mitchell has over 300 career wins and has multiple playoff appearances under his belt.
The Spartans won the Class B Suffolk County title in 2021 and 2022, claimed the Long Island title in 1978, and captured the New York State Championship in 2002. They’re a consistent playoff contender under Coach Mitch’s tenure.
Currently, the Spartans boast a 4-10 record, placing them in fourth in the Division II standings. Comsewogue has fared well through five games, losing only one. The loss came against a Nassau opponent in Wantagh, where they were routed 22-14. Other than that, the Spartans have remained strong on defense, allowing 22 goals and keeping their opponents to
single-digit scoring. The Spartans have scored 74 goals so far this season.
In the Section XI scoring standings, Comsewogue has three players on the list.
Luca Lattanzio ranks ninth in overall points with 32, fifth in goals with 20, and sixteenth in assists with 12. Lattanzio reached the 200-career point mark this season as well.
Dylan Giorlando is on the list with 12g-8a20pts, and Gianni Marino is on the list with 11g-9a-20pts. In terms of goaltending, Dylan O’Connor has 69 saves, tying him for fourteenth. Collin Schmalz has won eight faceoffs, and Brady Pesce has won nine.
Newsday announced their top 100 boys’ lacrosse players list prior to the season, and three Spartans made the list: Connor Rocchio, Senior, Defense All-County; Luca Lattanzio, Senior, Attackman HM All-County; and Logan McCaffrey, Senior, Defense HM All-County.
This spring, the Comsewogue Spartans Boys Varsity Lacrosse team will have eight seniors walk the stage at graduation. Anthony Marino (Long Island University), Connor Rocchio (Marist), Hunter Marquardt (Pace University), Jared Einhart, Jack Pacifico (Farmingdale State College), Jack Campagna (Oneonta), Brady Pesce, and Luca Lattanzio (Queens College of Charlotte).
It’s still early in the season, but the Spartans have their road map laid out for Thursday, April 16,
them. They’ll play nine games at home and six games on the road this season. Home or away, it makes no difference as long as goals keep coming.
Comsewogue is a strong contender in Suffolk County. The Spartans have a veteran coach at the helm, and all the key pieces to make a deep run in the playoffs. A bit of a drought since their last Suffolk County title may be motivation to claim another one this season for the blue and gold.
Mills and Duval: The ‘Two Musketeers’ for Central Islip
By Ashley Pavlakis
The Musketeers are back on the diamond this spring for the 2026 varsity softball season. Lianna Mills and Stevey Duval, a catcher/pitcher duo, are leading the way for the Central Islip varsity girls’ softball team.
The Central Islip varsity girls’ softball team is a member of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) and competes in League I. The Musketeers are led by 2025 Coach of the Year, sixth-year head coach Mike Stefanowicz. He is joined by assistant coach Steve McGuire. The girls currently boast a 4-2-0 record, best for second place in League I. Central Islip has made the playoffs in three out of the last five seasons.
Prior to the season, Newsday named their Top 100 softball players, and Central Islip saw their senior captain on the list. Lianna Mills, a catcher, is set to head to Adelphi in the fall. Mills knows how to work the plate both ways. In addition to being named Defensive Player of the Year and earning AllCounty honors, she’s on the list of top ten catchers to watch. Mills recorded 28 RBIs last season and has 13 RBIs and 3 home runs this season. We love a player who can do both. Mills is a sixth-year starter for the Musketeers.
“Lianna is a true leader on the field and in the dugout. She has the ability to elevate everyone around her through consistency and fierce hustle,” Stefanowicz told The Messenger. “Her ability to control a game behind the plate is tremendous. She always has a plan to attack hitters in the opposing lineup and keep any runners from taking bases on her. She has extremely quick feet and an amazing arm.”
To every catcher, there’s a great pitcher. Stevey Duval is just that for Central Islip. Serving as the other half to Lianna Mills, Duval has proven her game on the mound. Her best game this season came in a match versus Brentwood, where she recorded 20 Ks. In total, Duval has notched 75 strikeouts so far this season. This feat ranks first in the Section XI standings. Duval also has four wins, pitching in all six games. As a freshman, she
received All-Division honors in 2025.
“For Stevey to be leading the league in strikeouts is a true testament to her work ethic and competitiveness. She has the ability to shake off any mistake her defense may have made to come back stronger at the next batter to pick them up,” said Stefanowicz.
Mills and Duval have honed their craft. What’s even more special is the synchrony with which they control the game.
“Stevey Duval has the perfect mindset to be an ace in the circle. She wants the ball in her hand in a big spot. This is her third year at the varsity level, and she has matured tremendously on the field,” said Stefanowicz. “The team always has a very high level of confidence with her controlling the game along with Lianna Mills. That combination has been enjoyable to watch over the last three years. They know what each other wants to do and execute the plan rather seamlessly each and every time out there.”
Offense has been solid through six games this season. Central Islip has outscored its opponent 54 to 29. Through six games, they’ve held their opponent to single-digit runs. Their biggest offensive output came against Middle Country, where they trounced their opponent 23-7.
“The mindset of the team is to continue to put in the work to get better every day. They know every game will be hard fought and must try to match the level of play of the top teams in the league. There is a difficult stretch of games coming up on the schedule, and the goal is to learn from each one of them to bring to the field the next day to push us to be better,” Stefanowicz told.
The Musketeers are locked in on all fronts. They’ve got an ace in Duval on the mound, their offense is rolling, and they’re putting in the work on defense to limit their opponents from crossing home plate more times than they do. The season is shaping up to be exciting!
Softball
Ducks Fan Fest 2026 – Saturday, April 18
The Long Island Ducks today announced the team’s annual Fan Fest will take place at Fairfield Properties Ballpark on Saturday, April 18, at 10:30a.m. Admission will be free of charge for all fans.
Fan Fest offers fans the opportunity to see Long Island’s hometown team as they prepare for the 2026 season, presented by Catholic Health. The Ducks will play a spring training game beginning at 1:00 p.m. against the California Dogecoin. Fans will also have the exclusive chance to watch the Ducks take batting practice beginning at 10:30.
Following batting practice, Ducks players and coaches will head to the main concourse along the first base line for a team autograph session with all fans. This exclusive opportunity will take place from 11:30 to 11:45. Fans are limited to one autograph per player or coach to ensure all fans are able to meet as many Ducks as possible. Ducks team introductions will then take place on the field along the first base line at approximately 12:30.
Youngsters will be able to enjoy several fun activities along the main concourse. The Fun Zone, featuring the Bounce House, DuckTail Slide and Obstacle Course inflatables, are all scheduled to be open and free of charge (weather permitting). The Waddle In Shop will also be open for fans to stock up on official Ducks merchandise for the 2026 season, including apparel and novelties. Dina’s Dynamics Face Painting will return as well for kids to get designs painted on their face free of charge.
Two exclusive events will be taking place at Fan Fest for select Ducks fans. Season ticket holders will be able to pick up their VIP ID cards (one per seat) and VIP Gifts (one per account) at Customer Service, located on the main concourse next to the West Gate. During the 2026 season, these ID cards will allow season ticket holders to enjoy access to the Duck Club restaurant and bar, a 10% discount at the Waddle In Shop and free admission at any other Atlantic League ballpark. Those interested in becoming a season ticket holder to enjoy the best savings and most benefits on Ducks tickets are encouraged to contact the ticket office at (631) 940-3825.
Members of the Ducks Kids Club, presented by FourLeaf Federal Credit Union, are also invited to pick up select items included in their membership at Fan Fest. Annual Kids Club member gifts and ID cards can be obtained by visiting the Ticket Kiosk, located on the main concourse next to Customer Service. To sign your child up for the Kids Club, please call (631) 940-3825 ext. 118.
The full Ducks spring training schedule and any additional information regarding Fan Fest will be announced in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to LIDucks.com for more info.
The Long Island Ducks are entering their 26th 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 five consecutive seasons, and have sold out a record 721 games all-time. For further information, visit LIDucks.com or call 631-940-DUCK (3825).
Center Moriches Boys Bring Coach “Gibby” 100th Win
By PJ Balzer
The Center Moriches boys’ varsity baseball team is on a tear this season so far.
The boys from out east currently have a 6-1 league record and don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. Don’t be surprised if this team is playing well and late into the spring months.
This past Monday evening though the boys brought home a special win for their coach. Coach Paul Gibson lll recorded his 100th win in the books as Center Moriches rocked John Glenn (Elwood) by a score of 12-0. It was hard to tell if the boys were more excited about improving their record or getting their beloved coach over that milestone.
Coach Gibson, also a Center Moriches graduate himself, has been at Center Moriches since the 2019- 2020 season when he moved assistant coach to the ship’s captain. The last name Gibson isn’t a strange one around Center Moriches though. Coach “Gibby” is also the son of former MLB pitcher Paul Gibson, who played for the Mets, Yankees, and Detroit Tigers.
As assistant coach, he was part of Center Moriches’ back-to-back class B State championships. This year, Center Moriches has their eyes on getting back there and bringing home that state trophy to the small town on the east end.
But until then they plan on staying competitive and taking each game as it comes. We’ll talk more about that big feat later in the spring.
Congratulations Coach Gibson on your 100th win!
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