Smithtown Messenger May 8, 2025 by The Messenger Papers, Inc.

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

By Matt Meduri

Brandon Solomon

Candidate: Brandon Solomon Residence: Nesconset

Prior Elected Office: None

Prior Campaigns: None

Endorsements: Smithtown Teachers Association

Brandon Solomon is running to fill the vacancy left by former Board Member John Savoretti’s resignation. If elected, he would fill the remaining year of the term. Brandon Solomon sat down with with The Messenger for an interview for this candidate spotlight.

Candidate Spotlight

Thursday, May 8, 2025

Q: What is your professional background and how does it equip you for Smithtown CSD Board of Education?

A: I work for a large real estate developer and general contractor that does large projects with communities, residential and commercial, as well as renovations. I deal with jobs that have budgets sometimes in excess of $70M. I do a lot in terms of vetting contractors, design professionals, architects, and engineers. I have a good feel on the construction end, and I think with our aging infrastructure in Smithtown, it is extremely important to have somebody who has experience dealing with construction, architects, subcontractors, vetting contracts, leveling bids, with our limited budget. We need to make sure we stretch the budget as far as humanly possible. Nobody on the board is on it, and it’s definitely needed.

Q: We have watched board meetings where community members bring forward concerns, and the superintendent appears to respond with visible personal disdain or dismissiveness. How would you ensure that members of the public feel respected and heard, especially when they present concerns or information that may differ from the administration’s position or is backed by documented evidence? How do you plan to foster a culture of respectful engagement within the district?

A: I think communication is extremely important. I think making sure that people are heard is extremely important. You are dealing with children, education, and taxpayer dollars. You’re dealing with very serious issues; people are passionate about them, as they should be. I also think that it’s important before items get to a superintendent or BoE that they go through the proper channels. Sometimes, if you don’t like what the teacher says and people are reaching out to the BoE Members, it’s not fair to expect the BOE member to get involved with something that just happened at a classroom level. I think the district did a good job of putting out a brochure with proper contacts and to work your way up the chain of command. At the end of the day, if you’ve done those, it’s imperative that BoE and superintendent hear you and respond to you. Everyone deserves a response, you can’t always promise it’s going to be the response they want to hear, but they deserve a response. I might disagree, but at least I can understand where that decision comes from.

Q: Many families are choosing private schools over public education, leading to a decline in enrollment. As a board member, what steps would you take to address this issue and work towards regaining the trust and confidence of families in the public school system? How do you propose attracting more families back to our district?

A: I think a lot of the enrollment decline has been from the cost of housing, the high taxes. I think the higher interest rates over the past 3-5 years certainly do not help it. It’s not a local issue, it’s a statewide issue. I don’t think that the loss of enrollment is a problem that can be solved by a school board, or even the Town of Smithtown. I think it’s a regional issue that really needs regional leadership to come in and build affordable housing, which is a whole different topic. Our enrollment has certainly leveled off over the last few years. We’re not seeing the declines we’ve seen over the last ten years. I do think that we’re going to stay around this 7500 student number that we’re at for the foreseeable future.

Every single line-item should be looked at in the budget. I’m somebody who comes from the private sector. I scrutinize every line-item of a budget when we’re building a job. I have bosses who I report to and they scrutinize every line-item. There shouldn’t be a line-item that doesn’t deserve an extra set of eyeballs, to make sure that nothing is being wasted, but that we are getting the most bang for our buck. Sometimes you’ve got low-hanging fruits, and we can save some money. I think the entire budget needs to be gone through and looked at and stretching our dollars.

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member, ensure that FOIL requests are handled in a more timely and transparent manner? How can the district better communicate and prioritize these requests?

A: As someone who’s not currently on the board, I don’t know the process that goes into answering a FOIL request. I could speak for steps that could be processed. I do know when I’ve FOIL’ed items, I got a response in a timely manner. But the most important thing about a FOIL request is twofold: making sure we’re following the law, and anything that by law needs to be redacted is properly redacted. If it is not, it opens up the district and community to a very large lawsuit. I think it is imperative that we follow the law but that we also get it right the first time. The consequences could be very, very expensive.

Q: Mold issues at West have raised concerns among parents and teachers alike, with over 100 teachers signing a document expressing their concerns. Given that the company from Northport was the first to recognize and address the problem, do you believe they, or another third-party specialist, should be hired to ensure all issues are resolved? How would you ensure that the health and safety of students, teachers, and staff are top priorities?

A: My twin girls attend school in the district, my wife is a teacher in the district, my whole world is in this district. I don’t think a second opinion could ever hurt. Two weeks ago, the district had a facilities meeting where the main topic was mold. The third-party engineer was at the public meeting, which I attended. What the third-party experts said was that the district went above and beyond in the testing from what they recommended. They recommended a certain level of testing, and the district said they wanted more. I know from my professional background, mold is a very evil word. It certainly is when it’s in clusters for sure, but there’s also mold everywhere around us. I do believe that the district went above and beyond what they had to do but I think with all the apprehension, I do think that spending the money to get another opinion would absolutely be right.

Q: Do you believe that extending a superintendent’s contract well in advance of its expiration is in the best interest of the community, as was done June 13, 2023, before the newly-elected board was seated? What factors should influence this decision, and how would you ensure transparency and community involvement in such critical decisions?

A: I wasn’t on the board, but those talks were in executive session. There was nothing spoken of in regular session, besides voting on the contract. What I do know is that when you compare our superintendent’s compensation package with neighboring schools, who actually have less enrollment and lower budgets, pay their superintendents more than what Dr. Secaur receives. Whether that played into their decision, I can’t speak of it. I think that a personnel decision should be made by the board in executive session. I think the BoE members are elected to make decisions like this.

Q: During a recent meeting, the superintendent stated that the survey results reflected high percentages of satisfaction, but these results were based on a very small number of responses. With only 1,611 completed surveys out of 14,345 invitations, how do you, as a board member, ensure that the survey results truly represent the views of the entire community? What steps would you take to improve participation and feedback?

A: I have taken the surveys every year. I would probably reach out to the survey company to get their input. I’m not an expert in surveys; I’d like to pick their brain. I think the surveys are a little long. I’m curious if it would be possible to extract the same information in a shorter survey. I think that would probably help, since some people know it’s going to take 10-15 minutes, if we can shrink it down to 3-5 minutes. I would pick the brains of experts who deal with surveys like this all the time.

Q: Your wife is a teacher at Smithtown Elementary on Lawrence Avenue, after having previously taught at Nesconset Elementary before it was closed. If you are elected to the board, you would have a say in negotiating contracts that could benefit your wife. Furthermore, you would also have a say in the negotiations of tenure for your wife’s immediate superior, who is currently untenured. Do you think this poses a conflict of interest?

A: If I’m fortunate to be elected to this position, the most important thing is to carry yourself with integrity, especially when you’re dealing with large amounts of student staff, faculty, students, and $350M of taxpayer money. With that, any situation that ever arose that could cause a conflict of interest, or even the appearance of one, I would absolutely recuse myself from that vote. The teacher’s contract is not up until 2028, the seat I’m running for currently is only a one-year term, expiring next year. The teacher’s contract would not come up in front of me. At the end of the day, I’m only one vote. There are seven votes on the board, everything requires a majority. I cannot single-handedly make my wife a millionaire, hire all of her best friends, and give them all tenure. I’m only one vote.

Q: Who paid for the mailers, which happen to endorse your slate, with the return address, Smithtown Teachers, P.O. Box 178, Garden City?

A: We are endorsed by the Smithtown Teachers Association. I’m not aware of who paid for them.

The Messenger thanks Brandon Solomon for his time for this interview.

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Continued from front cover

28 Alleged Gang Members Indicted in Major Suffolk County Crackdown

Separately, a 23-count indictment was returned against six individuals associated with the 9-Trey Bloods. Prosecutors allege that the defendants, under the direction of an incarcerated gang member, carried out a murder-for-hire plot, coordinated the distribution of firearms, and conspired in multiple shootings between October 2024 and January 2025.

Among the charges are attempted murder, assault, robbery, criminal possession and sale of firearms, narcotics trafficking, and conspiracy to commit murder. Several defendants face sentences of up to 25 years to life if convicted on the top counts.

“This investigation demonstrates the extensive and violent reach of organized street gangs in Suffolk County,” said Tierney. “Our law enforcement partnerships allowed us to methodically identify and remove those responsible for destabilizing neighborhoods through fear, intimidation, and violence.”

The investigation involved over 100 search warrants and extensively used wiretaps, digital surveillance, jail intelligence, and social media analysis. Law enforcement officials say the evidence gathered includes surveillance video of violent incidents, intercepted communications between gang members, and forensic data from seized firearms.

According to the DA’s office, 26 of the 28 indicted individuals have been apprehended. Thirteen Mak Balla Family case defendants were arraigned on May 1, with bail denied for most. The remaining individuals are either in custody in other jurisdictions or awaiting arraignment. All six defendants from the 9-Trey indictment were arrested before the announcement.

At the May 1 press conference, Suffolk County officials displayed over two

dozen illegal firearms allegedly connected to the gangs, including handguns with high-capacity drum magazines. Charts presented by the DA’s office illustrated a significant decline in shootings in Suffolk County, from 280 in 2021 to 90 in 2024. Officials linked this trend to the county’s ongoing effort to dismantle violent criminal networks through long-term investigations.

Tierney formed the Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau in 2022 to investigate and prosecute organized gang activity. This case represents the bureau’s largest operation to date.

The Suffolk County Police Department, Suffolk Sheriff’s Office, Riverhead Town Police Department, New York State Department of Corrections, and the U.S. Marshals Service were all involved in the investigation and arrests. Officials noted jailhouse intelligence was crucial in identifying gang communications and leadership structure.

Sheriff Errol Toulon, Jr. (D) stated that monitoring incarcerated gang members contributed key evidence to the case. U.S. Marshal Vincent DeMarco credited inter-agency coordination for the operation’s success, stating that “the toughest gang around is the one that wears a badge.”

The prosecution of the 28 defendants will proceed in Suffolk County Supreme Court in Riverhead. Court dates for the remaining arraignments will be scheduled over the coming weeks.

Tierney emphasized that this takedown is part of an ongoing effort to reduce violent crime and prevent organized gang operations in Suffolk County. “Let this be a warning to anyone who thinks gang violence will be tolerated here,” he said. “You will be found, you will be indicted, and you will be removed from our streets.”

Comptroller Kennedy’s Audit Recovers $1.7 Million in Overpaid Medical Expenses

By Cait Crudden

Suffolk County Comptroller John M. Kennedy, Jr. (R-Nesconset) has announced the successful recovery of nearly $1.7 million in overpaid medical expenses following the completion of an audit of Anthem BlueCross BlueShield, the former administrator of the County’s self-insured employee medical health plan.

The audit, which focused on medical claims processed during the 2022 calendar year, uncovered widespread billing errors that led to Anthem reimbursing Suffolk County $1,668,138. The audit is the latest in a series of financial reviews spearheaded by the Comptroller’s Office aimed at ensuring fiscal accountability within one of the largest public medical plans in the region.

Covering more than 45,000 individuals including active employees, spouses, dependents, and retirees from both Suffolk County government and Suffolk County Community College; the County’s health plan represents a significant share of local taxpayerfunded healthcare expenses.

“This is yet another example of how rigorous oversight and detailed audits protect taxpayers and ensure that public funds are being spent appropriately,” said Comptroller Kennedy. “Auditing the County’s self-insured employee medical health plan has been a priority of mine since I took office in 2015. These efforts have now returned over $10 million to the people of Suffolk County.”

The audit was conducted by the Segal Group, a leading benefits consulting firm, in partnership with the County’s Labor Management Committee. Together, they reviewed Anthem’s administration of claims from January 1 through December 31, 2022.

Among the most notable findings were copayment mismanagement, duplicate and incorrect claims, benefit limit overpayments, and Medicare coordination failures. Anthem repeatedly undercharged members for required copayments, and in some cases failed to collect any copayments at all. This resulted in the County absorbing higher-than-necessary costs. Several claims

were processed twice or contained pricing errors that inflated the County’s reimbursement responsibility. Services such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, and physical therapy were reimbursed beyond established plan limits, and there was systemic failure to properly coordinate with Medicare claims led to the largest category of financial errors, significantly overcharging the County for expenses that should have been covered in part by federal benefits.

In light of these recurring errors and ongoing audit results, the County officially terminated its administrative services contract with Anthem on December 31, 2024, ending a 19-year relationship. In January 2025, Suffolk County transitioned to Aetna as the new administrator of the medical and hospital benefits plan.

Audits of the 2023 and 2024 claim years are currently underway, and Comptroller Kennedy expects that additional recoveries will be identified as part of those reviews. “Our audits send a clear message: Suffolk County will not tolerate mismanagement of public funds, especially when it comes to healthcare,” Kennedy added. “Every dollar we recover is a dollar that goes back into supporting essential services for our residents.”

County officials say the move to Aetna is part of a broader effort to modernize the health plan’s administration and improve accuracy, cost-effectiveness, and service delivery for plan members. The transition also includes enhanced performance monitoring and audit protocols to ensure that similar issues do not arise in the future.

With the health of tens of thousands of County employees and retirees at stake, Comptroller Kennedy reaffirmed his office’s commitment to holding vendors accountable and maintaining transparency in public spending. “Vigilance and accountability are not just buzzwords in my office; they are the cornerstone of how we serve Suffolk County. The creed we live by is to identify and eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse,” Kennedy concluded.

Hochul and the ‘Free Everything’ Campaign

By Brianne Wakefield

Free is defined as, without cost or payment.

I think we all have grown to realize that free is not really free when we are referring to the government and their handouts. There is usually a consequence whether it affects us directly or not.

Governor Kathy Hochul (D) is seeming to run on a campaign I like to call the “Free Everything” campaign. In her extremely late budget, she is calling for free school breakfast/lunches for all, free childcare, and even free community college for certain high demand fields. These highdemand fields would be things such as engineering, nursing, teaching, and technology.

So, with all these free things, the question would be, who exactly is paying for it then?

Is this money coming from her personal bank account? Is it growing off the tree outside for all to grab? Possibly, is it coming from us taxpayers?

I think only one of these makes sense and we all know which one it is. Don’t get me wrong, I think there is nothing wrong with generosity and being a giving person is something that we should all strive for; however, this is not what this is about. We know that all this “freeness” and “handouts” isn’t really free at all. Free comes with a price. Does this also cry, “rely on big government to supply your every need!” Because once you rely on the government for your food, childcare, and school, doesn’t it seem almost impossible to get away from that?

The power then gets transferred from you to the government. Sounds like a dream come true for a Democrat Governor. They now have voters in a hook, line, and sinker situation! “Coincidentally” next year is the New York State Governor election so what better time to offer free everything and while we are at it, inflation refund checks too! Does it all sound too good to be true? Yes, unfortunately that is the case here. New York is in desperate need of a new Governor. A Governor that truly cares about the condition of the state and the best interest of the people. How do we turn this tide? How do we recover from this? For one, we must be involved! We must speak up! Secondly, we need to be educated. We need to stay on top of current events/news. Lastly, don’t lose hope! Don’t give up by thinking New York can never recover, we can!

In summary, it’s important we read between the lines of Governor Kathy Hochul’s “Free Everything” campaign. Be aware of these free handouts that are meant to ensnare you. It may seem giving and thoughtful, but it has consequences for us and our state. Remember to have hope, despite what the current outlook is, and never be afraid to stand up to what’s corrupt. As a fellow New Yorker, my advice would be to stay on top of this very important gubernatorial race because our state, our communities and our future depends on it.

Let’s restore and revive New York back to her original splendor and purpose!

Letters to the Editor

Public Intimidation Does Not Belong in Government

On the evening of May 7, 2025, I attended the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) meeting on the proposed Raleigh Farms / Beechwood development.

During public comment, Mike Rosato—speaking as president of the Kings Park Civic Association—criticized the project and its developers. However, Rosato did not disclose that he is also a legislative aide to Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta (R–Fort Salonga), nor did he disclose that he recently sold a parcel of land within the very development zone he was criticizing— for a $330,000 profit.

That’s a serious ethical conflict. You cannot profit from a development, then pose as an unbiased civic voice opposing it without telling the public. Rosato purchased that land for $100,000 and sold it for $430,000, while serving as a County employee. I have the deeds to prove it.

During his remarks, Rosato warned that approving this project would set a precedent for development of the adjacent parcel. What he failed to mention is that his profit came from that exact next-door parcel, which will soon be under review. That omission is not just unethical—it’s misleading.

The Beechwood plan was already reduced from 393 units to 288, decreasing density from six to four units per acre. Rosato’s position was that this project, even reduced, sets a bad precedent. Yet he quietly benefited from that very precedent—while on public payroll.

When it was my turn to speak, I stood up and respectfully asked the board to strike Rosato’s comments from the record unless and until he

fully disclosed his financial interest. I stated clearly that I had filed an ethics complaint and would continue to do so.

Unfortunately, things didn’t end there.

After the hearing, in the parking lot, Rosato confronted me, shouting, threatening to sue me, and calling me a “scumbag”—in front of witnesses. This was public intimidation, plain and simple. His reaction wasn’t about truth—it was about silencing a voice.

Legislator Trotta, whose staff Rosato is on, arrived late to the meeting. Yet both men lingered outside—waiting. They did not return to the podium to clarify or defend anything. Instead, they resorted to threats.

Let me be clear: public intimidation has no place in government. I didn’t attack anyone personally—I spoke facts that the public has a right to know. That should not result in threats or harassment.

Government employees and elected officials are held to higher standards because they serve the people—not themselves. What happened outside that hearing was unacceptable.

This is why I’ve submitted a formal ethics complaint, and I invite anyone who has had a similar experience to come forward.

We deserve truth, not retaliation. We deserve transparency, not bullying.

Toby Carlson Kings Park

Trump and Zelenskyy Clash in Oval Office Over Ukraine Minerals Deal

By Cait Crudden

After a heated exchange earlier this year that erupted in the Oval Office between President Donald Trump (R-FL) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over a proposed minerals deal that could reshape the geopolitical landscape and strengthen America’s financial stake in Ukraine’s future. The deal, which involves the United States securing access to Ukraine’s vast reserves of rare minerals, including lithium essential for electric vehicle (EV) batteries, has been touted by Trump as a strategic investment that would both recoup U.S. funds spent on Ukraine’s defense and ensure long-term stability in the region.

According to sources close to the administration, what began as a routine diplomatic meeting quickly escalated into a fiery debate as Trump pressed Zelensky on the necessity of securing American interests in exchange for continued U.S. financial and military backing. Trump insisted that the minerals deal would not only reimburse U.S. taxpayers for billions spent aiding Ukraine but also serve as a deterrent against Russian aggression by demonstrating America’s vested economic interest in Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Zelenskyy, while acknowledging the importance of U.S. investment, reportedly pushed back on certain terms, arguing that

Ukraine’s natural resources should remain under its control without excessive foreign influence. Trump, in turn, countered that without U.S. financial and military support, Ukraine would remain vulnerable to Russia’s relentless expansionist ambitions.

Ukraine possesses some of the largest reserves of lithium and other critical rare earth minerals in Europe. As the global demand for lithium skyrockets due to the EV revolution, securing access to these resources would provide the U.S. with a strategic supply chain advantage while weakening China’s dominance in the market. Trump emphasized that an economic partnership with Ukraine would be a “win-win,” ensuring Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction while allowing the U.S. to reap financial benefits from its significant aid contributions.

Beyond minerals, Trump pointed to the larger geopolitical implications of Russia’s continued war in Ukraine. If Russia were to succeed in its invasion, Moscow would gain control over critical trade routes in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, and the Dnieper River, cementing its access to Belarus—a puppet nation for Russian interests. Such control would enable Russia to exert influence over European supply chains and energy distribution, further destabilizing the region.

One of the most alarming concerns raised by Trump during the meeting was the prospect of Russia gaining control over Ukraine’s agricultural industry. Ukraine, often referred to as the “breadbasket of Europe,” supplies a significant portion of grain and other food products to European and third-world nations. Should Russia take over Ukraine’s fertile lands, the Kremlin could manipulate global food supplies, exacerbating hunger and economic instability worldwide.

Additionally, Trump and his advisors warned that Russian control over Ukraine’s nuclear power plants would create serious security risks, potentially giving the Kremlin additional leverage over European energy supplies. A Russian-controlled Ukraine could further embolden Vladimir Putin to exert influence over neighboring countries, undermining NATO’s strategic foothold in Eastern Europe.

Trump’s core argument in the Oval Office confrontation was that a financially vested United States would serve as a deterrent to Russian aggression. By ensuring that American industries and financial interests are deeply embedded in Ukraine’s postwar economy, the U.S. would make it clear to Putin that any attack on Ukraine would also be an attack on American economic interests.

Zelensky ultimately acknowledged the importance of continued American support but expressed reservations about losing too much control over Ukraine’s resources. While the Oval Office clash highlighted their differences, both leaders agreed on the fundamental objective: preventing a Russian victory and ensuring Ukraine remains free from Kremlin domination.

Following the intense discussion, both administrations are now working on refining the terms of a potential deal. Trump has directed U.S. trade and defense officials to explore additional incentives for Ukraine, while Zelensky’s team is reviewing proposals that ensure Ukraine retains sovereign oversight of its mineral wealth. The outcome of these negotiations will have far-reaching implications, not only for Ukraine’s survival but for global markets, energy security, and international relations. With the stakes higher than ever, the U.S.-Ukraine partnership remains a crucial factor in countering Russian aggression. Whether the deal moves forward as envisioned by Trump or takes on a revised structure, one thing remains clear: America’s financial and strategic investment in Ukraine is essential for both nations’ futures and for deterring Putin’s ambitions.

The Moloney Family

Police Officer Stabbed in Amity Harbor; Bay Shore Man Arrested

By Hank Russell | Long Island Life and Politics

Suffolk County police arrested a Bay Shore man for allegedly stabbing a police officer in Amity Harbor.

First Precinct officers responded to Gibbs Road on May 6 at 12:26a.m. after a 911 caller reported two men attempting to steal items from vehicles. When officers arrived, they arrested Marcello Martinez at the corner of East Gibbs Road and Western Concourse while a second man fled.

A short time later, officers located Steven Vazquez hiding under a vehicle in front of 11 Gibbs Road. While attempting to flee from under the vehicle, Vazquez allegedly stabbed an officer in the upper right thigh and slashed him in the face.

A tourniquet was applied to the officer’s leg, and he was transported to a local hospital, where he was treated and released.

Vazquez, 22, was charged with second-degree assault, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, resisting arrest, menacing a police officer, and fourth-degree grand larceny. Martinez, 19, of North Babylon, was charged with possession of burglar’s tools and fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

The two will be arraigned on May 7 at First District Court in Central Islip.

Editor’s Note: The Messenger spoke with Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association (PBA) President Lou Civello on the matter:

“Thankfully, our officer is going to be okay, but it was very close to him being stabbed in his femoral artery. He was stabbed in the groin; just a few inches the other way and we could have lost this officer,” Civello told The Messenger. “So, it just underscores how dangerous this job is. This is what our officers deal with when they’re out there protecting life and property here in Suffolk County. This was a quality-of-life crime.

“This individual was stealing out of vehicles. People here in Suffolk County have a right to be safe when they drive their car on the roadways. They have a right to be safe when they’re parking their car in their own driveway and to know that people aren’t going to go and steal from their own cars,” Civello continued. “In that, we need to focus on these quality-of-life crimes. It really brings back the problem of bail reform because this is one of these revolving door crimes where we continually let these people out.”

“There needs to be real repercussions for these crimes. Thankfully, again, we avoided tragedy, but just narrowly,” Civello concluded.

It is unknown if the defendant will be charged with a non-bail-eligible offense, although Civello says it’s likely he will be charged with attempted murder, a bail-eligible offense.

14 Candidate Spotlight

By Matt Meduri

Bernadette Ackerman

Candidate: Bernadette Ackerman

Residence: Nesconset

Prior Elected Office: None, other than PTA presidency at Tackan Elementary Prior Campaigns: None

Endorsements: NYSUT

Bernadette Ackerman is one of six candidates running for two separate open seats on the Smithtown Central School District’s (CSD) Board of Education. Bernadette Ackerman sat down with The Messenger for an interview for this candidate spotlight.

Q: What is your professional background and how does it equip you for Smithtown CSD Board of Education?

A: I am the VP of marketing for a software technology firm that provides public transit tech solutions on a global scale. I run a marketing team, I have thirty years of experience on Fortune 500 marketing teams, spent about 13-14 years at Motorola, another 10-12 at Ericsson; my experience has always been in global marketing and corporate communications. I am a professional and expert at taking complex concepts and translating them into messaging that resonates with all audiences and stakeholders. I think that’s an area that Smithtown can improve upon. Currently, I am managing a team that does corporate communications and digital marketing. I definitely think some of the tools that we use could be adapted, especially in communicating with parents in places where they already prefer to get their information.

A: First, I would say that everyone’s opinion is a valid one, even if it’s different from mine or the superintendent. One of the things that my running mates and I have talked about for our platform is communication. Very often, there are people who speak at board meetings regularly and they do understand the process. Then there are people who have never been to one and they don’t understand the process. They come there anticipating their problems being solved while they’re at the podium. I think we should set the expectations up front at the meeting; they have the right to speak, but no back-and-forth dialogue. That’s something that could be at the table when they sign up to speak. It’s a one-way communication.

In terms of people getting responses from the superintendent or board, I fully believe that everyone deserves to be responded to in a respectful and timely manner. That is critically important. Sometimes, parents don’t like the answers to their questions, and that’s a different conversation. I’ve seen it multiple times at board meetings where they come to the meetings because they didn’t get an answer they wanted. That’s unfortunate, and I understand emotions can be very high in that situation, but every parent deserves to be heard and their concerns responded to in a respectful manner.

Q: Community members have expressed frustration regarding delays in receiving responses to their FOIL (Freedom of Information Law) requests. Other districts appear to handle these requests more efficiently. How would you, as a board member, ensure that FOIL requests are handled in a more timely and transparent manner? How can the district better communicate and prioritize these requests?

A: I am not incredibly familiar with the process, since I am not on the board. From what I understand, it’s an arduous process that the district undergoes to protect itself from legal concerns. Every FOIL request must be reviewed by the attorneys and that takes time. Do we want to spend money on a position at New York Avenue for someone to just respond to all the FOIL requests? I’m not sure. We have to find a balance between delivering responses in a timely manner as parents are entitled to, but also respecting the process of protecting the district from legal jeopardy. It’s not just legal jeopardy; part of the process of protecting the district has to do with redacting information of a personal nature. Protecting the privacy of our parents, students, and staff is paramount. I personally want to see that the district takes that care with the attorneys to make sure that no information is accidentally sent through a FOIL that shouldn’t be. That would be devastating to a family.

A: I don’t think there’s anything more important than the health and safety of students and faculty. If there is a problem with mold or a health concern, it should be addressed. I was at that [board] meeting and I have looked at the facilities report

from the last meeting where the results were discussed. I have mold in my basement, and I work in my basement, and I smell it. We live on an island. With that said, safety is paramount. I would support getting a second opinion to make the community feel better and confident, to build trust, and put this to rest.

A: I’m not familiar with what occurred. I will say that superintendents on Long Island are sought after, and I guess if the board felt that it had rated the superintendent in a way that they wanted to preserve his employment and keep him from going somewhere else. I was not privy to the conversations they had in their executive session.

A: Meeting parents where they get their information. I would presume from previous experience that that survey went out by email. Not everyone stays up on their email, some people are better than others with email. I am not an expert in what’s available for parents in a school system. That’s something that we need to look at. My running mates and I have talked about a specific app for school systems, a tool that’s used for parents so they get it right on their phone. Text messaging could also be used. When you plaster that type of a survey in multiple places, you are likely to increase the participation.

Q: In the April 17, 2025, issue of The Smithtown News, it was printed that your husband works as a consultant for a school security company. Can you confirm whether he works for the same security company contracted by Smithtown Central School District?

A: I prefer not to talk about my husband, at his request, not mine. He is a retired police officer.

Q: In your daughter, Taylor’s, op-ed, “Smithtown, please don’t give up”, in Newsday dated May 24, 2021, she says that “seeing color”, as it pertains to race, is necessary to help understand where different people come from. She also calls Smithtown a “white, affluent bubble.” You reposted that op-ed on your Facebook account, saying, “After the particularly horrendous few weeks here in Smithtown, this feels appropriate to share.” Do you think teachers should “see color” in your daughter’s view, and do you think students should receive that type of instruction?

A: My daughter is a teacher of black and brown young kids. When she had gotten to Baltimore, she had never had a black friend or teacher. The first time she was in a room full of people not her race was her first day on the job. Her conversations are around her school’s equity team, helping teachers who didn’t grow up in lowerincome areas or poverty. Some kids come in with no supplies and she often spends her paycheck on them. She couldn’t relate to it at first. I personally understood what she was talking about, because she didn’t have experience living in an area exposed to poverty. All of her needs were met [growing up in Smithtown]. It doesn’t matter if students are black or white, it matters that she has an empathy for them. She has learned to relate to their experience.

Smithtown is predominately white; I would say that we are a middle-to-upper class neighborhood. We have some students and families that don’t fit that categorization, but overall, Taylor’s words are Taylor’s words. I’m proud that she’s become empathetic.

Q: You ran Vlad Pean’s 2023 campaign, in which he stated at a board meeting his frustration with the “assistant principal and guidance counselor” of Accompsett Middle School (AMS), which was Theresa Donohue, your running mate. Pean alleged at a March 8, 2022, board meeting that racial discrimination experienced by his daughter was not handled properly. Donohue had vacated her position at AMS by June 2023. Can you explain the scenario that happened while Ms. Donohue was at Accompsett, and can you explain the cohesiveness of this ticket and possible board if you and your running mates are elected?

A: I can’t speak to that. I will tell you that I did not know Theresa before we expressed an interest in running. I think she’s wonderful, she’s a great candidate, and asset to the community.

Q: Has NYSUT contributed to the campaign?

A: With time and energy, they are contributing.

Q: Two-time failed congressional candidate Nancy Goroff (D-Stony Book) serves as treasurer for Long Island Strong Schools Alliance, the PAC that funded the campaign you ran last year for now-Board Members Dana Fritch and Emily Cianci. Through FOIL requests, it is found that the Goroff-linked PAC donated $4000 to the campaign. Is this campaign being funded by LISSA, and do you think obtaining funding from a failed congressional candidate rejected by Smithtown in a different school district and a different town entirely is appropriate, especially when school board races are specifically nonpartisan?

A: At this point, I’m not sure if we’re being funded by LISSA. LISSA is nonpartisan. Regardless of the people who make up LISSA, they support kids. That’s what I know of them. I don’t think that everything needs to be looked at with a partisan, political lens.

I was not part of that [LISSA] process [on the 2024 campaign]. I helped with their [the campaign’s] marketing.

The Messenger thanks Bernadette Ackerman for taking the time for this interview.

you deserve a say YOU PAY THE TAXES

If you ’ re like nearly 80% of Smithtown households, you don’t have children in the schools yet your taxes still fund over 70% of the school budget. You deserve a Board of Education that respects your investment and serves all taxpayers - fairly and transparently.

Our Promise to You

We will keep our school budget fiscally responsible We will solicit and respect taxpayer feedback We will ensure decisions are non-partisan We will prioritize needs over wants

Strong schools build strong communities. We’re committed to maintaining the high standards that make Smithtown’s schools exceptional ensuring they remain a source of pride and the foundation of our property values.

vote may 20th

Community Science Educational Series Returns with a Focus on Invasive Species

The annual educational series, Community Science Long Island, returns this month for its fifth year. The series, which began in 2021, highlights participatory science programs that communities can take part in and helps illustrate how their engagement helps advance local research and environmental conservation.

This year, the series will highlight issues related to invasive species found across Long Island, providing guidance on how to identify them and best practices to reduce future spread. The series will run from May through August and feature both monthly webinars and in-person events, including nature walks and invasive species removal activities.

Community Science Long Island kicks off on May 15 at 7:00p.m. with a program on the invasive aquatic grass, phragmites (Phragmites australis), (picture right) which is also known as common reed. The presentation will be followed by a phrag pull at 9:00a.m. on Saturday, May 17 at West Brook in Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park in Great River. The series will wrap up in August with an island-wide coastal bioblitz, an event which invites people to head outside to snap pictures of every living thing they can find.

Association, Peconic Estuary Partnership, South Shore Estuary Reserve, New York Sea Grant, the Long Island Sound Study, and the Long Island Invasive Species Management Area.

People interested in joining any of the events and finding out more can visit https://seatuck.org/community-science-webinars/

Sophia Valsamos Foundation Supports Youth Emotional Health with Expansion of Wellness Kit Program

As part of its ongoing mission to promote emotional health awareness and wellness among young people across Long Island schools, the Sophia Valsamos Foundation (TSVF) is excited to announce a donation of curated wellness kits to the Northport-East Northport School District, for use in both middle schools, Northport High School, the district’s suspension programs and the alternative high school.

Created with compassion and purpose, each Wellness Kit includes a thoughtful assortment of sensory tools, self-care items, and inspirational materials, all aimed at providing comfort, promoting mindfulness, fostering resilience and bringing emotional health awareness to students

“In honor of my daughter Sophia, we’re excited to bring this program into schools, where so many young people face daily pressures and emotional challenges,” said Chris Valsamos, TSVF Board Director. “Our goal is to create safe, supportive spaces where students feel empowered to talk about emotional health and practice self-care without stigma. We’re thrilled to provide our kits to the Northport-East Northport School District to support these students on their journey.”

Anthony Ferrandino, a School Social Worker in the Northport-East Northport School District, welcomed the donation as a timely and meaningful addition to their ongoing efforts to support social-emotional learning.

“We are thankful to The Sophia Valsamos Foundation for their generous donation of wellness kits to our school community,” said Ferrandino. “These resources will provide our students with meaningful tools to manage stress, build emotional resilience, and feel supported during challenging times. Mental Health is a critical component of student success, and having access to these kits reinforces the message that it’s okay to ask for help and prioritize emotional well-being.”

TSVF is actively expanding its Wellness Kit initiative with the goal of reaching as many school districts as possible across the region. These kits are designed to help students manage anxiety and stress, navigate emotional challenges, and develop healthy coping strategies to support long-term wellness. TSVF invites educators, teachers, school administrators, counselors, psychologists, and social workers to request free wellness kits for distribution within their schools. By working together, we can foster supportive learning environments where students feel seen, heard, and empowered.

Support the Mission

TSVF invites the community to join in its efforts in supporting the mission and helping to make more wellness kits available to those in need. You can make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people. Donations directly fund the expansion and distribution of wellness kits, ensuring that more young people receive the tools they deserve and need to heal and thrive. To contribute or volunteer, visit www.TSVF.org or email contact@tsvf.org.

About The Sophia Valsamos Foundation

Founded in 2018 in loving memory of Sophia Valsamos, a vibrant, artistic, intelligent, and kind-hearted 13-year-old who lost her life to suicide, The Sophia Valsamos Foundation is dedicated to empowering youth, building self-confidence, and promoting kindness. The foundation provides outreach programs, educational workshops, and resources for children, teens and families. Through advocacy, action, and the donation of wellness kits, TSVF works to break the stigma surrounding emotional health and create a culture of empathy, awareness and connection.

Community Science Long Island is being hosted by Seatuck Environmental

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

AMAC

Thursday, May 8, 2025

‘INSANE ORWELLIAN WORLD’: Ted Cruz Speaks Out As Accused Tesla Vandal Released to Receive ‘Gender-Affirming Care’

By Tyler O’Neil | Outside Contributor for AMAC

A court released from jail a suspect who allegedly set fire to Tesla vehicles in Kansas City, Missouri, in order to allow the suspect to continue receiving “gender-affirming care.”

Authorities arrested the 19-year-old suspect, identified as Owen McIntire, last month in Boston, after McIntire allegedly set fire to Tesla cybertrucks in March using “Molotov cocktails.” McIntire is a student at the University of Massachusetts in Boston and was visiting family in Kansas City at the time of the incident.

Federal prosecutors charged McIntire with malicious destruction of property and unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm.

Judge Jessica Hedges issued an order setting release conditions, and prosecutors have asked the court to revoke that order.

According to Fox 4 Kansas City, which reviewed the defense’s documents, McIntire’s attorney argued the suspect should be released because McIntire is suffering “serious and ongoing” medical needs and treatments that could not or would not be provided while in federal detention.

“The defense filing says McIntire is undergoing treatment for depression and is receiving gender affirming care that began in March of this year—and that care would likely be interrupted or terminated in federal custody,” the outlet reported. McIntire’s attorney also cited his client’s lack of a criminal history and ties to the Kansas City area as reasons McIntire would not be a flight risk.

Prosecutors argued, however, that there is a “rebuttable presumption of detention” in the case because McIntire stands accused of violent offenses with a maximum prison term exceeding 10 years.

“The nature and circumstances of the charged offenses support detention in this case,” prosecutors wrote. “The offense involved the use of multiple destructive devices to firebomb Tesla vehicles at a Tesla dealership. Setting these vehicles on fire creates an extremely hazardous situation for anyone nearby and responding public safety officers and firemen.”

Prosecutors also wrote that “the weight of the evidence that the defendant made and used two destructive devices to commit arson is overwhelming.” They cited evidence that McIntire’s phone was located at the scene of the crimes and that the suspect was driving a car that fit eyewitness descriptions.

Laine Cardarella, the public defender assigned to McIntire’s case, did not respond to The Daily Signal’s request for comment by publication time.

Gender Confusion

While court filings and news reports unanimously refer to McIntire using male pronouns, the involvement of “gender-affirming care” introduces confusion into the reporting.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, noted on a podcast Monday that McIntire could be male or female.

“I think this is a person who was born female, who has decided that she is a ‘he’ and wants to be a man,” Cruz said. “The reason I think that is we’ve googled it, and every damn story uses ‘he,’ ‘he,’ ‘he,’ ‘he,’ ‘he,’ and given the insane Orwellian world we live in, I think if ABC is referring to this person as a he and this person is transgender, that to me means the person was born a she.”

Ben Ferguson, Cruz’s co-host, responded, “This is a dude that grew out his hair and looks like a chick.”

The Daily Signal reached out to the Justice Department and to the University of Massachusetts in Boston, and neither shed light on McIntire’s biology.

“I can confirm that Owen McIntire has been enrolled at UMass Boston beginning fall semester 2024,” DeWayne Lehman, the school’s director of communications, told The Daily Signal in a statement Monday. “In keeping with [the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act], we cannot release protected information about any student.”

Three possible scenarios could explain the confusion: McIntire could be male and he could have belatedly claimed the need for “gender-affirming care” in a non-convincing manner, such that court records and news outlets still refer to him as male;

McIntire could be female and may have changed official records to present herself as male; or the “gender-affirming care” could be of the sort that does not directly relate to a “transgender” identity, such as hormone treatment to resolve a disorder.

The Trend of Tesla Violence

After President Donald Trump launched the Department of Government Efficiency to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government and presented Tesla CEO Elon Musk as the face of the effort, protesters have targeted Tesla to oppose DOGE. The Left’s dark money network has funded organizations helping the protests, and activists even published a map ostensibly plotting every Tesla dealership across the U.S. to enable vandals to target them.

Overview - AMAC -

The Association of Mature American Citizens

The Association of Mature American Citizens represents Americans 50 plus. AMAC is centered on American values, freedom of the individual, free speech, and exercise of religion, equality of opportunity, sanctity of life, rule of law, and love of family, with benefits at all levels.

AMAC plays a vital role in helping build the services that will enrich the lives of America’s seniors. AMAC Action, a 501 (C)(4) advocates for issues important to AMAC’s membership on Capitol Hill and locally through grassroots activism. To Learn more, visit amac.us

As The Daily Caller’s Audrey Streb reported in March, many of the vandals who targeted Teslas appear to identify as transgender or “nonbinary.”

McIntire’s name did not appear on Streb’s list.

She did, however, include 42-year-old Justin Thomas Nelson (who goes by Lucy Grace Nelson and who was charged with “malicious destruction of property” in Colorado); 27-year-old Erin L. White (who uses she/they pronouns and who was charged with criminal damage to property and trespass for allegedly vandalizing a Tesla center in Illinois); and 41-year-old Adam Matthew Lansky (who went by the alias Allison Tesla and who was accused of possessing Molotov cocktails while attempting to destroy Tesla property at a Salem, Oregon, car dealership).

WHERE BROADWAY MEETS MAIN STREET

& Pieces

WORD OF THE Week

Etymology:

mid 19th Century; derives from the phrasal verb “come up,” which implies appearing before a judge or tribunal.

COMEUPPANCE

noun

Pronounced: /kuh·muh·pns/

Definition: a punishment or fate that someone deserves.

Example: “He finally got his comeuppance for all of his under-handed work.”

Synonyms: retribution, due, recompense

Antonyms: exoneration, acquittal, amnesty

Source: Oxford Languages

WORD WHEEL

I R T N B L

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

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

May 8, 1945: V-E Day: World War II ends in Europe after Germany signs an unconditional surrender.

May 10, 1775: Second Continental Congress convenes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and issues paper currency for the first time.

dialogue with the government ahead of a visit by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

Great dust bowl storm sweeps across the American and Canadian prairies

Toughness Takes You Places

By PJ Balzer

Geo Alvarez has blessed two different school districts in Suffolk County with his outstanding and well-rounded athletic ability. This fall, he’s committed and well on his way to bless a third, only this time at the college level.

He recently committed to Endicott College to play football and study exercise science and athletic training.

Geo attended the Brentwood School District from preschool right through the eighth grade. The summer prior to his freshman year he moved into the William Floyd School District, which he admits wasn’t easy initially.

“While the transition wasn’t easy at first, I personally don’t believe I would have had the same success in my athletic career if I hadn’t moved,” said Alvarez

His father was an integral part of Brentwood’s great soccer legacy, even being on one of their high school state championship teams. Naturally, he enrolled Geo in soccer when he pretty much learned how to walk. Geo admits that even though soccer is completely engrained in the Brentwood community, it just wasn’t his sport. He asked his dad not to take him back after the first practice.

Geo then tried the sport of basketball and liked it, playing in Brentwood youth leagues from early on. Football on the other hand was labeled a more dangerous sport in his household and family, but Geo has always enjoyed watching it on television. He initially wasn’t allowed to play or join any football leagues. Yet, like any teenager, he took matters into his own hands.

“I actually didn’t tell my parents I was trying out for football in the seventh grade at Brentwood. I told them I was staying after school for a club. Once I made the team I had to tell them the truth. They weren’t happy initially but after much consideration let me continue playing.”

Since then, football has been his bread and butter, even though he does play varsity basketball and lacrosse as well. While his youth coaches in Brentwood started him off at the quarterback position simply because of his athleticism, Alveraz has always been enamored with the wide receiver position, where he’s thrived ever since he caught his first pass. Little did he know he’d be soon moving into a community and district that thrives at football and would be throwing him many more passes for years to come.

Geo is fast, fearless, and gritty. He knows how to both run patterns and fight to get open if needed. He will give his quarterback a promising target to hit and any defender a problem once he has the ball stuck to his hands. Going into this past football season, Newsday named Alveraz one of the Island’s top 100 football players, saying this about him, “Alvarez caught 22 passes for 560 yards and 10 touchdowns during his junior season. He is one of the fastest receivers in New York State.”

“I know Floyd has many county championships but winning one both my junior and senior year was such a highlight. With the top highlight being my 89-yard touchdown return in the championship game at Stony Brook this year. That was just a surreal moment in my life that I’ll never forget.”

Alvarez is an athlete and a team player who will undoubtedly contribute to any field or court he’s on. For Floyd football, he directly contributed to the score board whether it was catching passes for touchdowns, running the ball back on kickoffs, or on defense putting the brakes on the opposition from scoring. For Floyd basketball, it was different types of contributions he made, but just as important to the team’s success.

In the Suffolk County large school semifinal game against Bay Shore this year, it was obvious that Geo came off the bench with direct orders, “To mark Carter Wilson and stick to him like glue.” Wilson, a soon to be Bay Shore graduate, who is committed to playing basketball at Adelphi this fall, is one of the top point guards in the State. He’s infamous for pulling a team’s defense apart, getting to the hoop, and getting his teammates good shots. But not this game, not with a strong and fast Geo Alvarez intent on marking his every step. Alvarez’s defense was a crucial part of Floyd’s victory over Bay Shore to move onto the County final.

During the summer months, he is attending practices and training for three varsity level sports, which leaves him with very little down time. Besides sports, Alveraz maintains a 95-plus-grade average, which he takes pride in as well. He accredits much of his hard work and inspiration to his parents who have been there for him through thick and thin; taking him to multiple practices, constant support from the stands, and, of course, the unconditional love. These have been the main ingredients to mix in with his athletic ability that are moving him to the next level this fall.

Geo recalls fondly his dad driving him to many tournaments, camps, and games, even having to leave the house by 4:00a.m. on some occasions, as well as his mom making sacrifices for his sports career that Geo recognizes as something he could never fully repay her for. One of his favorite quotes that reminds him of his parents is, “Mom’s love is the roots that anchor us, Dad’s love is the wings that help us soar.”

A few months ago, Alvarez committed to continue catching passes and outrunning defenders at Endicott College in Massachusetts. He’ll be playing wide receiver for the Gulls

and is obviously excited to learn and compete at the next level. He chose Endicott not only because of their ranked football program, aesthetic campus, and being close to the New England beaches, but also because of the team’s focus on academics and the coaching staff’s hospitality when he arrived to visit the campus.

“I found out that this past season the football team had a cumulative grade point average of 3.34 with 64 of the players over a 3.5. That just shows that they take academics seriously as I do also. I’m ultimately a student first and an athlete second,” said Alvarez. His future goals are to eventually graduate with a master’s degree and leave his mark in receiving yards and touchdowns at Endicott. This summer, he will continue working on his speed, agility, and the many football skills he’s bringing with him to college. When asked what advice he’d give younger athletes coming behind him that want to achieve what he has, he said,

“Don’t compare yourself to other athletes on social media. I’ve made the mistake of doing that and it weighed me down at times. Put the hard work in and etch out your own path for yourself. Good things will eventually come your way, and don’t forget about how important your grades are.”

Local History

Thursday, May 8, 2025

The General Store at 501 Hawkins Avenue - Part 2: ‘The Colemans’

By Ellyn Okvist, B.Sc.

Leaving a successful General Store for a real estate career was a wise choice for Willis Hallock. However, when he sold the store to Walter Emmett Coleman in 1907, the Coleman Family quickly jumped right into the business that was already a streaming success. Walters’s wife, Alice Victoria L’Hommedieu Coleman, worked side by side with Walter, planning to expand the stock and attract more customers to shop with them. The store had developed a fine reputation and was drawing new customers every day. The Village of Lake Ronkonkoma was also expanding quickly, and the store needed to supply day-today goods and additional specialty items as requested by the new and summer residents. He had built the store up until it became the largest and most prosperous store in the area. His son-in-law, Frederick Wilkinson, was the business manager. Frederick Henry Wilkinson was married to Walter and Alice Victoria’s daughter, Ann Evelyn Coleman Wilkinson Hansen. Walter and Alice, along with Harold and Alice, Ann and Frederick and their two sons Walter “Freddy” and Alfred Redman, lived in the apartments above the store.

As owner of the General Store, Walter became the Postmaster of the existing Lake Ronkonkoma Post Office in the building. He continued the duties of Postmaster and served the Village on a day-to-day basis. The volume of mail had increased 400-fold, and the summer months required extra effort into the distribution.

Harold Redman Coleman, son of Walter and Alice Victoria, was married to Alice Lenore Hawkins Coleman. Harold was a sharp student who had applied to Cornell, under his accomplishments lists Law. He was a member of the elite choir at Cornell, which he co-directed. He revitalized the Glee and Mandolin Clubs, which enabled a Christmas trip to perform with a 65-member group as far away to Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Harvard, the Navy, the Chicago Football team, and many other U.S. stops. He also continued his studies at Wesleyan. Known as an athlete, he took part in many sports in the Village and during his college education. Sadly, he was away when his parents died. He registered for the draft on May 29, 1917. Harold remained in town, became a Reverand, and served the Village of Lake Ronkonkoma and Lake Grove for many years with love and care for all. He and Alice Lenore had one son.

Walter E. Coleman sold his business in March 1914. The store had been sold solely on account of his ill health. His son in law, Frederick Wilkinson, remained in the store for one month to introduce the new owner, Mr. James Agnew, to the Lake Ronkonkoma community and how the town ran. This greatly assisted Mr. James Agnew, as Mr. Wilkinson was very popular and convinced the Village of Agnew’s commitment to them. James Agnew had taken a $3000 mortgage for the purchase of the goods included, and once Walter had died, the payments were made to Harold Redman.

One of Walter’s projects was taking an active part in the movement to get a state road through town from Sayville to Little Country Road and to

Riverhead. He was attending a state road meeting in Riverhead when the symptoms of his appendicitis began. Walter had early complications as a result of the appendectomy, performed on April 1, 1916. He had two operations to attempt to correct the problems. He died on April 16, 1916, at the Dr. Ross’ Sanitarium at Brentwood aged 58 years. Unfortunately, his wife Alice contracted pneumonia from the daily visits to the hospital to care for Walter. This was the time for her to take care of herself, but she did not allow herself to rest. She died on April 26, 1916, only ten days after her beloved Walter.

Walter and Alice’s religious beliefs bought them to New Village Congregational Church (Lake Grove) and he helped build the new parsonage by promoting amateur shows for that benefit. He was a loyal member of the Ronkonkoma Fire Department, President of the Businessmen’s Association, and involved in civic affairs. Walter also did land planning including farming and building. In February 1914, he designed a peach orchard for Frank Rummell, Sr. at his Lake property.

Lineage of COLEMAN, Brookhaven, Suffolk

Walter Emmett Coleman (May 12, 1858 – April 16, 1916) married on October 25, 1882, in Babylon to Alice Victoria L’Hommedieu Coleman (November 26, 1860 – April 24, 1916). Both are buried in the Lake Ronkonkoma Cemetery.

Son: Reverand Harold Redman Coleman (March 5, 1893 – June 1964) married to Alice Lenore Hawkins Coleman (1894-1977). Both are buried in the Lake Ronkonkoma Cemetery.

Daughter: Ann Evelyn Coleman Hansen (July 15, 1884 – December 28, 1958) married in 1903 to Frederick Henry Wilkinson (June 9, 1882 – December 23, 1941). They had three children, Walter “Freddy”, Alfred Redman, and Alice Louise. Ann Evelyn married a second time to Theodore Hansen (October 11, 1880 – December 1974). Ann Evelyn, Frederick Wilkinson and Theodore Hansen are buried together in the New Village Congregational Church Cemetery.

Thank you to our friend Judith Lloyd & family who continue to add happiness to our lives and in keeping our history real. Her sister, Linda Belden, and she hold Military Tribute Banners for their military service to the USA and can be seen on Hawkins Avenue.

Note: The left photo of Alice Victoria Coleman and Anne Evelyn Coleman Wilkenson have never been seen outside of the family.

W.E. Coleman General Store and Lake Ronkonkoma Post Office, 1907-1914

Walter and Alice Coleman with grandsons, Walter ‘Freddy’ and Alfred Redman

Connetquot Boys Lacrosse: Senior[ity] Rules and Offense is on Fire

By Ashley Pavlakis

The Thunderbirds are rolling this season, with the boys varsity lacrosse team playing hard on the field. Connetquot is having a solid spring season in 2025 with their offense being tough to compete against.

The Connetquot Thunderbirds are a member of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) and compete in DIV I. The team is led by head coach Brett Jeffares. Jeffares is in his 13th season as varsity head coach and 22nd overall as a coach. Jeffares is joined by assistant coaches Scott Ferguson, Greg Heller, Mike Barnao, and Doug Smiroldo. The entire coaching staff are Connetquot alumni.

The T-Birds are currently 11-2-0 this season, they sit in third place in their division with a few games left to play in the regular season. 10 of their 11 wins were won with double-digit goal- scoring.

“I think we started off a little slow. We had an injury, somebody was sick. We kind of put it together by the third or fourth game. I think we’ve just been getting better every week. I think if we can take care of business today, we’ll probably finish in second or third,” said Jeffares.

Senior night is around the corner and the T-Birds have plenty to celebrate on Friday during their game against Bellport. They’ll honor 11 seniors, four of which are captains. Those seniors are Kevin Unterweiser, Michael Barbieri, A.J. Jeffares, Logan Cordes, Colton Stellwagen, Ayden Brandl, John Guido II, Lucas Weaver, Carson Turrissini, Braydon DeRiso, and Paul Pohorelec.

“They’re a really tight-knit senior class. We have four senior captains; they’ve been great leaders. One thing I will say is they outwork everybody, which is so fun and doesn’t always happen. It’s very powerful when your leaders are also your hardest workers, they lead by example,” Jeffares told The Messenger.

A few seniors will be taking their lacrosse talents to the next level and will attend college in the fall. A.J. Jeffares will be attending St. John’s, Carson Turissini will be going to Iona, Lucas Weaver will be headed to Lincoln Memorial, John Guido II is off to Molloy, and Colton Stellwagen will be going to St. Leo’s.

Offense is key to most team-centered sports. The Thunderbirds have that part covered. They hit the back of the net fairly often, outscoring their opponents 156 to

“Just have to make sure you make less mistakes than your opponent and score more goals,” said Jeffares.

Scouting reports exist for a reason, and that’s to concoct a game plan to take the other team down strategically based on their strengths and weaknesses. Easier said than done, right?

“Offensively, we have matchup problems. Everybody we play is trying to stop number six and number twenty-two. With the feedback I get from everybody it’s that we’re a tough matchup with those two players [Jeffares and Turissini],” said Jeffares. Catch the Thunderbirds on the field three more times in the regular season as they work to gain better seeding for the playoffs.

Long Island Born NHL Players Season in Review

By Ashley Pavlakis

As we’ve discussed plenty of times this year, Long Island has a long-standing history of developing top-notch professional athletes across all sports. This time, we’re going to look at the National Hockey League. The regular season ended a few weeks ago, and the playoffs are currently in the second round of play.

Let’s start with the elephant in the room. The New York Islanders won the lottery and will draft first overall in the 2025 NHL draft. The Islanders only had the honor four times in their history, with the last being 2009 when they drafted John Tavares.

What makes this feat even more unique? Long Island has a top-rated prospect right here in Hauppauge.

James Hagens, currently a freshman at Boston College, is eligible to be drafted this year. The chatter amongst analysts and fans is that Hagens could potentially go first overall or at the very least in the top three. There are also rumors that Hagens grew up a huge fan of the Islanders.

Hometown kid to the hometown team?

This is what dreams are made of. Let’s see what happens on June 27. Moving on, let’s see how everyone else did around the league for the 2024-25 season.

Starting on defense for the Boston Bruins, Charlie McAvoy. The BU alum has dominantly worked the blueline since he entered the league in 2018. Despite missing 32 games this season due to illness, McAvoy scored seven goals and sixteen assists while averaging around 23 minutes per game. The Bruins missed McAvoy on the bench and certainly could have used him to make a stronger push for the playoffs. Unfortunately, they fell short and missed the postseason for the first time since the 2015-16 season.

Kyle Palmieri is a Smithtown native who plays for the New York Islanders. The veteran forward finished up his sixteenth NHL season and his fifth with New York. The Isles can count on Palmieri to contribute offensively as he put up 24 goals and 24 assists. He ranked third on the team in scoring this season. Unfortunately, the Islanders fell short of making the playoffs, but they lucked out and earned the first pick in this year’s draft.

Jericho native Adam Fox, a Harvard graduate and 2021 Norris Trophy winner, had himself a solid season on the scoresheet, notching 10 goals and 51 assists. To put it nicely, the New York Rangers did not play well this season. Fox contributed to the offense, but they couldn’t string together wins consistently, especially when it mattered.