Smithtown Messenger, Sept.21,2023 Archive

A Look Inside Calone’s Campaign Expenditures

By Matt Meduri

After Labor Day’s unofficial kickoff of the campaigns, September now sees the action fully commence as doorknockings, fundraisers, and campaign appearances will consume local and social media from now until Election Day. intends to keep up with the candidates on the campaign trail as best as we can. We have also introduced a forecast for this year’s elections for Suffolk County Legislature, Town Supervisors, and Town Council races where applicable. As of our current forecast, the GOP is poised to pick up two Legislative seats and Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) appears to be in the driver’s seat in the County Executive race.

The race for the open County Executive seat continues to head the top of the ticket this year. The result of this race could have down ballot effects on all other races across the county. Both major candidates, Supervisor Romaine and Dave Calone (D-Setauket) have recently aired their first campaign advertisements on television and social media.

While Ed Romaine is well-known across Suffolk County from his two stints representing the North Fork in the Legislature, to serving as County Clerk, and most recently as Brookhaven Town Supervisor since 2012, his opponent, Dave Calone, is less known within the lines of Suffolk.

The Messenger examined Calone donations and expenditures.

The July campaign finance reports show Calone with $2.3 million cash on hand and Romaine with $1.5 million.

Continued on page 3

Rob Weisberg’s Appalachian Trail Hike: The Road to Redemption

By Kaitlyn Foley

Rob Weisberg, a local hero, mental health advocate, and community volunteer, decided to hike the Appalachian Trail as a therapeutic endeavor these past few months. After suffering from PTSD and suicidal thoughts, he broke himself down, and built himself back up stronger through the power of physical and mental exercise, community support, and nature.

The Appalachian Trail (A.T.) is a national scenic hike extending from northern Georgia all the way to Maine. The trail passes through fourteen states and is a total of 2,180 miles.

“Each year, thousands of hikers attempt a thru-hike; only about one in four makes it all the way,” says the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. “Completing the entire 2,190 miles of the Appalachian Trail in one trip is a mammoth undertaking.”

Weisberg began the trail in Georgia and hiked northbound.

Cow Harbor Run Preview and Route

Jesse Garcia Re-Elected Suffolk GOP Chair

Bill Holst vs. Tom McCarthy Pages

Continued from front cover

A Look Inside Calone’s Campaign Expenditures

What’s more is that a large amount of his contributions is from himself, clocking in as of July at $800,000. His largest contribution after those to himself is from Glen E. Tullman (pictured right), CEO of the San Francisco-based consumerdirect healthcare platform Transcarent. Tullman, of Chicago, chipped in $50,000 to Calone’s campaign.

Furthermore, the website Crunchbase, a company that provides funding and investment information for private and public companies, shows Dave Calone as the President and CEO of Jove Equity Partners, LLC, a private equity and venture capital firm which invests in companies operating the healthcare, real estate, digital media, software, transportation, energy, and Internet sectors.

Crunchbase and the Transcarent website list Calone as a board member of Tullman’s Transcarent; Calone has been a board member since October 2020.

Crunchbase also provides a summary of a Series C round of fundraising for Transcarent in which Calone’s Jove Equity Partners is listed as an investor. The amount given to Transcarent by Jove is unlisted. Series C fundraising is a type of venture capital investment that seeks to raise large amounts of money to fund growth and expansion. The point is to acquire funds to grow the company as quickly and successfully as possible.

This is not to insinuate a conflict of interest, but rather a road map as to what connections Calone’s largest individual contributor - besides himself - has to the county executive candidate. This is also not to diminish the missions of the companies, namely Transcarent, in which he is currently involved.

While it’s estimated that about 30% of Calone’s donations come from outside Suffolk, nearly 20% of his contributions come from a common location: Colorado.

According to the chart obtained from the New York Open Government website, of the 1,269 lines in Calone’s contributions sheet, fifty-three show Colorado addresses. Each of the 1,269 lines represents a unique donation, but not necessarily a unique donor.

This seems like a paltry amount, except those fifty-three Colorado donations account for $149,399 of Calone’s $868,925 in contributions. The lion’s share of the Colorado addresses is based in Boulder and Denver.

So, even though the Colorado addresses account for just 4% of Calone’s total unique donations, those same addresses account for 17% of his total contributions, again, omitting the $800,000 Calone loaned himself.

The top donations are two $25,000 contributions from Larry Mizel (pictured right), with one occurring on July 5 and the other on July 9. Mizel is the founder and executive chairman of MDC Holdings, a Denver-based home construction company. The company ranked 12 out of the annual Builder 100 list published by Builder Magazine in 2021. Builder is one of the United Kingdom’s oldest business-to-business magazines.

MDC and its subsidiaries have operations in fourteen states; New York is not one of them.

Mizel helped fund incoming Governor Jared Polis’ (D) 2019 inauguration committee.

Additionally, the Colorado governor is also involved in Calone’s county executive campaign.

Jared Polis (pictured right) donated $20,000 to Calone’s campaign on December 12 of last year.

Calone and Polis began their political tendencies while serving on the student body at Princeton and have been friends ever since.

Newsday reported on July 10 that the Colorado governor was set to headline a Manhattan fundraiser on July 11 for his former classmate. The Calone campaign was hoping to raise as much as $100,00 dollars at the event to which the press was not invited.

According to his contribution reports, July 11 resulted in a $367,082 gain for the Calone campaign, $250,000 of which was financed by a loan to the campaign from Calone himself. Another $10,000 came from Richard Sapkin, Founder and Managing Principal at Edgemark, a Denver-based affordable housing firm. The firm lists geographic focus across twenty-four states, from which New York is excluded.

Another $10,000 came from Jonathan Crystal, an insurance and technology investor at Crystal Venture Partners, a New York City-based insurance brokerage firm that has been listed as top-twenty-five nationally. Crystal’s LinkedIn also shows him as an alumnus of Princeton University.

Calone also received $10,000 from none other than Randy Altschuler, a two-time Congressional candidate who carried the Republican and Conservative lines 2010 and 2012 against thenCongressman Tim Bishop (D). Bishop defeated Altschuler narrowly both times. Altschuler (pictured right) is the founder and CEO of Xometry, Inc., a Maryland-based industrial parts marketplace. Altschuler now lives in Potomac, Maryland.

Altschuler is also an alumnus of Princeton.

Calone’s numbers from July 11 show donations from Greenwich, Connecticut; Miami, Florida; Cambridge, Massachusetts; Greeg, South Carolina; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Washington, D.C., along with several New York City addresses. This isn’t to say all of this money was necessarily obtained from his Governor-induced fundraiser in Manhattan; these are just reports from that day.

Additionally, Jared Polis isn’t the only gubernatorial figure to donate to Calone’s campaign. Disgraced former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer is also on record as having pitched $10,000 to Calone’s county executive run. Spitzer, elected in 2006, resigned in 2008 after he was found to have patronized a prostitution ring. He was married at the time and is father to three children.

These are some of the donations at the top of Calone’s contributions list. But there is the other side of the campaign finance coin: expenditures.

Unlike his opponent Romaine, whose expenditures are documented as having been put towards fundraising and paying staff, Calone’s numbers have gone primarily to consultation, all of which appears to be outside Suffolk County.

According to the July report, $48,500 has been paid to Global Strategy Group (GSG), a New York City-based public relations firm. According to their website, GSG has worked as “top Democratic pollsters” who worked for “dozens of winning campaigns and political organizations.” They claim their work was “pivotal” in securing Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate in 2020.

$102,820 has been paid to Tucker Green Consulting and Threshold Group, Inc., with both firms operating from the same address according to the campaign expenditure report available on New York Open Government. A separate Google search for “Tucker Green Consulting” retrieves a link to a Georgia-based political consultation and contract lobbying firm. It does not appear to be affiliated with the Calone campaign.

The Threshold Group website lists Tucker Green (pictured right) as its founder and president. His first job was for the presidential campaign of Vermont Governor Howard Dean (D) in 2003. He has served as the team’s leader since its founding in 2011, “working for candidates and organizations across the tri-state area and country.” Green lives in Westport, Connecticut.

$129,943 has been paid to Gusto, a San Francisco-based payroll and human resources firm, whose website claims it to be the “#1 rated HR platform for payroll, benefits, and more.”

A total of $42,262 has been paid to Shane Wolfe, Calone’s campaign manager. The address associated with the payments is listed as Old Greenwich, Connecticut.

Finally, Calone has also been endorsed by DemocratsServe, a hybrid Political Action Committee (PAC) whose activities, according to their website, include: “Recruiting and training candidates to run for federal, state, county, and municipal level office; delivering logistical and strategic support to put candidates in a better position to win; providing access to fundraising tools and networks to bolster financial support for the campaign; making direct contributions to candidates; supporting candidates through independent expenditure efforts.”

Calone has continued on the campaign trail, most recently appearing in Patchogue with former Legislator and Presiding Officer Rob Calarco (D), who was famously defeated in an upset in 2021 by Dominick Thorne (R-Patchogue).

U.S. House Office of Photography

MDC Holdings, Inc

@randy_alt on X, formerly known as Twitter

Transcarent

Threshold Group

KerboomKidz Brings the Fun to Accompsett Elementary School

Students at Accompsett Elementary had a very energizing morning on September 14.

To help kids dance into a healthy and active lifestyle, dance and fitness instructors from “KerboomKidz” visited.

Fourth and fifth graders engaged in “dance challenges” designed to improve their physical coordination and focus. These “challenges” also offer a structured environment to learn, develop cognitive skills and improve their rhythm.

Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School Students Honor 9/11 Victims Through Song

On September 11, members of the Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School seventh and eighth grade choruses were invited to sing at Sayville’s Moonlight Memorial at The Common Ground, a rotary park in the Town of Islip.

The students gathered to learn and rehearse the music during the summer for this annual event that honors residents of Islip who lost their lives as a result of the September 11 terrorist attacks. The students serenaded the community with emotional renditions of “Today’s Hope” by Jacob Narverud and “God Bless America.”

“We often talk about the impact of music and the arts on our community,” said chorus teacher Rachel White. “These members of the Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School choral family put that into action, giving of their time and talents to offer comfort to those who gathered in remembrance of the terror attacks of 9/11. I am so proud of them for their beautiful performance and their inspiring dedication.”

Photos

Photos courtesy of Connectquot Central SD

(From left) - Chorus teacher Rachel White and Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School students Ally Meloe, Lilly Ceramello, and Dylan Dowdell lit candles at the memorial.

The Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School seventh and eighth grader choruses sang at Sayville’s Moonlight Memorial, honoring those who lost their lives during the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School choruses sang honoring those who lost their lives during the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Three Village Board of Education Recognizes Students

The Three Village Central School District recognized several students at the start of its September 13 meeting.

First, four students - Harry Dong and Lewis Wu from W.S. Mount Elementary School, Srisharan Shankaranarayanan from Arrowhead Elementary School and Ella Churaman from Nassakeag Elementary School – were acknowledged for receiving $400 study grants from the Long Island String Festival Association. These students were recognized as some of the most talented and hardworking string students throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties. The grants went toward private instrument lessons.

Ward Melville High School senior Ronald Richardson was then applauded for his life-saving actions during the district’s summer recreation camp. Richardson was a counselor in the program this past summer and used the skills he learned in Ms. Rudiger’s health class at Ward Melville to help a camper who was choking. Without hesitation, Richardson jumped into action to use the Heimlich Maneuver, dislodging the obstruction and saving the fifth grader. The district and board of education thanked Richardson for his swift action, calm demeanor and concern for his campers.

Port Jefferson Employees Honored for 25 Years of Service

At the Port Jefferson School District Board of Education meeting on September 12, an elite group of employees were honored for the milestone of working in the district for 25 years.

Dr. Robert Neidig, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, addressed the six who have dedicated their careers for the betterment of Port Jefferson students and the school district mission and vision.

He congratulated elementary music teacher Mark Abbonizio, middle school special education teacher Monica Consalvo, maintenance mechanic Willians Corona, elementary teaching assistant Vicky Jobst and elementary teachers Rachel Erickson and Laura Kelly.

Dr. Neidig and Superintendent of Schools Jessica Schmettan presented each honoree with a 25-year pin, a certificate of appreciation and a gift of chocolates as a token of celebrating their passion for their professional craft.

(Left to right) Port Jefferson School District’s Superintendent of Schools Jessica Schmettan, Willians Corona, Mark Abbonizio, Rachel Erickson, Vicky Jobst, and Laura Kelly.

‘Colorado Calone’s’ Finance Numbers Warrant Questions

No doubt a massive issue regarding Suffolk politics is that of home-rule and local people. We’ve had no shortage of people from outside Suffolk who have tried to claim office here in recent cycles. Perry Gershon (D) admitted to changing his registration to East Hampton ahead of the 2018 Congressional election, earning him the nickname “Park Avenue Perry.”

Last year, Michelle Bond (R) was Suffolk’s - and The Messenger’s - resident non-resident.

But a truly local campaign is more than just which hamlet the person in the suit calls home.

Each cycle always produces at least one. This year’s model is called Dave Calone.

Calone, born and raised in Suffolk, went through the Mt. Sinai and Port Jefferson school districts and currently resides in Setauket.

After studying law and economics, Calone went on to work as a prosecutor for the U.S. Department of Justice. He served as a Governing Trustee for the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) until 2012. LIPA is known for its disastrous handling of storm preparation for Hurricane Sandy and the recovery efforts that followed.

Calone was also appointed by the last two county executives to serve as Chair of the Suffolk County Planning Commission.

So, while Calone has a large resume, the success of which can be debated, he’s undeniably a Suffolk man.

The problem for Calone stems not from his residency, but the residency of a large sum of his money. The July campaign finance reports show Calone with $2.3 million cash on hand and Romaine with $1.5 million.

However, these figures alone obscure the fact that while Calone has a bigger war chest, Romaine actually outraised Calone for the period, with $1.3 million in contributions to Calone’s $868,925.

Of Calone’s fifty-three donations that were at least $10,000 each, twentyseven produce out-of-Suffolk addresses, ranging from New York City, White Plains, St. Louis, Potomac, Washington, D.C., Denver, and parts of California.

Romaine, on the other hand, has received thirty-three donations that exceed $10,000. Those outside of New York: three, from one donor.

Part of this is owed to Calone’s network. Calone is President and CEO of Jove Equity Partners, Inc., a private equity and venture capital firm which invests in companies operating the healthcare, real estate, digital media, software, transportation, energy, and Internet sectors.

Through this firm, Calone has made investments for companies that operate out of Suffolk. Namely San Francisco and Denver. A notable connection produced Calone’s top donor - besides himself - that of Glen E. Tullman, the CEO of Transcarent, a health care platform based in San Francisco. Tullman, a Chicago native, kicked Calone $50,000. Calone also serves as a board member for Transcarent.

Now, while Transcarent can be a fine company, and while the connection does necessarily point to any quid pro quo, we’re wary of such large sums of money pouring in from sources closer to Calone’s inner circle than they are to Suffolk County.

A common denominator on Calone’s contributions list is, oddly, the Centennial State: Colorado.

One of Calone’s old friends from Princeton is none other than the current governor of Colorado, Jared Polis (D). Calone defeated Polis in a student body election, but Calone, extending an olive branch to Polis, offered Polis a position in his cabinet. The two have clearly been friends ever since.

In fact, Calone’s political ties to the governor go back to when Polis was first elected to the U.S. from Colorado’s Second Congressional District in 2008.

Many forget that this year’s run for executive is not Calone’s first brush with politics. He ran in the Democratic Primary for New York’s First Congressional District in 2016 to take on Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley).

A quick Google search of “Dave Calone Jared Polis” produces among the results a page from bartlorang.com. Bart Lorang, based in Boulder, Colorado, is a tech entrepreneur, who, according to his LinkedIn profile, is the founder of three “exits” and one “active” startup. He says he’s “bootstrapped and raised” over $100 million in capital.

Lorang’s website endorses Calone for Congress in 2016, stating: “We did

it awhile back, when we voted Jared Polis into U.S. Congress as Colorado’s 2nd District Representative. Now, we have a chance to elect another huge supporter of entrepreneurship and innovation. This time with Dave Calone for a House seat in New York!”

More recently, Calone’s attendance at a ritzy July Manhattan fundraiser headlined by Governor Polis himself apparently sought $100,000 for his campaign. What kind of candidate for a local office of a suburban county needs to travel to one of the biggest cities in the world in search of six figures, instead of asking working-class people, some of whom are your neighbors, to kick in $10 or $20 when they can, and furthermore, with a governor of a state on the other side of the country?

Polis himself donated $20,000 to Calone’s campaign.

Calone’s Rocky Mountain connections don’t end there, however. According to the campaign contributions report, Calone has fifty-three unique donations - although not necessarily unique donors - from Colorado. Out of 1,269 unique donations he’s received, fifty-three, or roughly 4%, come from Colorado.

However, the total money obtained from Colorado donations comes out to $149,399.

With Calone’s $868,925 contributions - not counting what he loaned or gave himself - the Colorado money accounts for 17% of his contributions.

The top Colorado donations come from Larry Mizel, founder and executive chairman of MDC Holdings, a Denver-based home construction company. Mizel donated $25,000 to Calone on July 5, and another $25,000 on July 9.

MDC and its subsidiaries have operations in fourteen states; New York is not one of them.

Mizel was also helpful in funding the 2019 inauguration committee of a certain Governor: Jared Polis.

It would at least be a consolation prize if MDC functioned in New York. But Suffolk County doesn’t receive remotely any benefits from the Mizel-Calone relationship, other than that Calone gets $50,000 from Mizel. How exactly does that benefit Suffolk? Calone is already on the ballot, with or without Mizel’s money, and, according to his campaign website, Calone could be running on any number of his Suffolk-centric jobs and/or positions.

The problem doesn’t just end with out-of-state contributions, but Calone’s expenses.

More than $150,000 have not gone to campaign staff and fundraisers; rather, consultants. The public relations and campaign management firms he has paid specialize in electing Democrats to office, even on the national level.

Nearly $100,000 has gone to Gusto, a San Francisco-based payroll and human resources firm, whose website claims it to be the “#1 rated HR platform for payroll, benefits, and more.”

It’s fine to have a bit of consultation on the campaign trail, unless you’re someone who’s a lifelong campaigner and knows the ins and outs of politicking. But kicking six-figures to out-of-Suffolk consultants seems ludicrous for someone running in a local election. If you need to pay more than six figures for consultation on a local campaign, then you probably shouldn’t be running for office. Calone is a Setauket resident. Why does he need to pay New York City PR firms to teach him how to run a localized campaign? Shouldn’t his local roots be enough? And if connecting with local voters - in some cases, his neighbors - really is that difficult that it warrants a massive price tag, then it’s valid to question his ability to connect with residents if he gets sent to Hauppauge for four years.

The final squeeze of the lemon juice over the paper cut is his campaign manager and media liaison, Shane Wolfe, who, according to Calone’s campaign expenditures, has been paid $42,262 since January. From the expenditures sheet, Wolfe’s address is listed as Old Greenwich, Connecticut.

The fact of the matter is: local elections warrant local politics and groups, not out-of-state money, people, and efforts. Local politics is the only line in the sand that divides from the tidal waves of nationalized, hot-button politics, with the bulk of said issues not affecting the vast majority of the public anyway. Calone’s finances are a bastardization of the local election process, the integrity of the local campaign, and the sanctity of the local vote.

jannon028 on Freepik

New York’s Gun Laws Are Changing: Here’s What You Need to Know

By Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay

Gun owners, outdoor sportsmen and women and stores selling firearms and ammunition will be subjected to some troublesome procedures and protocols after new regulations went into effect on Wednesday, September 13. The crux of the changes pertains to the way background checks will be conducted as well as new fees associated with buying guns and ammunition from your local dealership.

Notably, the new law calls for the New York State Police to conduct background checks for ammunition purchases. Beginning this week, a background check is required prior to the purchase and the responsibility for initiating NICS background checks for firearm, rifle or shotgun purchases has shifted to the State Police. Gun dealers and licensed ammunition sellers will now be required to contact the state police online to process these background checks, however an automated phone system is expected to be active sometime soon. There will now be a $9 fee associated with each firearm purchase and a $2.50 fee for ammunition purchases to cover the new system’s costs.

These changes are especially noteworthy as hunting season is about to begin and as a result, gun and ammunition purchases are likely to increase. With the State Police taking on this new responsibility, there will be delays with respect to the background checks and answering all the questions hunters will have as this new law is

implemented. If you are planning to enjoy New York’s exceptional hunting opportunities, budget extra time and money.

There are very legitimate concerns about the burden this new system is going to place on the businesses as well as the State Police and the hunting community. Costs will go up and it is unclear what benefits this new law will generate. Albany Democrats have portrayed this new law as a way to improve public safety. However, we know most gun violence comes from those using illegally obtained weapons. This law targets lawabiding gun owners and puts yet another financial burden on already overtaxed businesses and individuals. It’s hard not to look at this as anything more than a punitive fee for access to the Second Amendment.

Letter to the Editor

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

World Trade Center (WTC) Fund Estimated to Run Out of Money by 2025

I commend you for including three articles on 9/11 in the 9/14/23 edition of The Brookhaven Messenger, and also a related graphic back page.

On 9/11/01, I was five minutes down the hill from the site of the World Trade Center. Six days later, City staff were ordered back to work. Federal EPA Director Christine Todd Whitman went on air and said, “I would like to assure the people of Lower Manhattan that your air is safe to breathe and your water is safe to drink.”

In 2013, before a court of law, Whitman admitted that this statement was untrue (“materially false”). While she was making her original claim, she was offering her own staff at the Federal Building on Broadway, a mile north of the attack site, hepa-filtered gas masks. What we got, at 180 Water, were little paper masks secured by a rubber band, the kind of mask that people buy from a hardware store in order to do heavy dusting.

A university team from California and one of the EPA’s own staffs, who traveled into the area from Alaska,

developed very different findings. The investigative reporter Juan Gonzalez, in his book Fallout: the Environmental Effects of the Attack on the World Trade Center, states that the air was filled with potent carcinogens, including “the highest level of dioxin ever measured”.

As you may know, dioxin was the chemical which caused massive fish kills in the polluted Hudson River. The collapse of the buildings caused these toxins to go airborne, a perfect delivery system for illness. The fires on the site continued to burn for almost a year and a half, sending pollutants airborne.

As a result, I and many others are now World Trade Center patients. Or dead. According to the World Trade Center Health Program, upwards of 300,000 area workers, 100,000 first responders, 50,000 students and teachers, 25,000 residents and an unknown number of volunteers were exposed long term. The National Institute of Health (NIH) is conducting a longitudinal study of developmental problems among infants born to women who were in the

exposure group. There are cancer clusters among the former students at Murray Bergtraum and Stuyvesant High Schools. Stuyvesant, in addition, exhibits a cluster of scleroderma cases, described by a treatment professional as “ghastly”.

In recognition of the adverse health effects of the 9/11 attack, Congress authorized the World Trade Center Health Act, and the later James Zadroga Bill, which provide health care and medications to certified victims. Unexplainably, some members of Congress refuse to vote for these appropriations!?

Experts estimate that the World Trade Center (WTC) fund will run out of money by Fiscal Year 2025.

To effectively remember the victims of 9/11, all American patriots must urge their legislators to vote for continued WTC health funding.

Kathryn Nocerino Shirley

Gun owners, outdoor sportsmen and women and stores selling firearms and ammunition will be subjected to some troublesome procedures and protocols after new regulations went into effect on Wednesday, Sept. 13.

Officials Shouldn’t Even Think about More Mask Mandates

Covid cases are on the rise, so we’ve already seen some crazy college administrators requiring mask mandates and vaccines for their students.

When will these control freaks ever learn?

A new independent, highly prestigious Oxford University study, https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/ doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006207.pub6/ full, published in no less than the liberal New York Times, concluded that masks did not work during the pandemic. https://www. nytimes.com/2023/02/21/ opinion/do-maskmandates-work.html

When the scientist conducting the study was asked to explain the earlier studies that apparently claimed masks did work, the scientist responded that those studies were flawed in not using proper random sampling.

Thus, it is now coming out that the entire healthcare industry’s premise of forcing masks on two-year-olds was based on fake science.

Now, if you look hard enough and pay enough money, you can find or create studies that will tell you what you want to hear.

It is understandable and logical to say that, in the early months of the pandemic, it was important to err on the side of caution and to give the benefit of the doubt to the health professionals in the white coats who were suggesting lockdowns, masking and mandated vaccinations. But as time went by, it became clear that the science was telling us that the masks were not necessarily working; that young people were not dying from Covid; that Covid was doing the most harm to the elderly, the obese, and those with preconditions.

We also learned that, as the virus was mutating, the vaccines, while still very effective in preventing the vulnerable from dying, were not effective in preventing one from getting

the virus, or, just as importantly, from transferring the virus to someone else.

Thus, many people started asking this commonsense question: Why would you continue to require testing and proof of vaccination if having the vaccine did not protect the person next to you?

The health professionals put ideology and dogma over common sense, and even the science itself.

It was also clear, based upon a state-by-state comparison, and looking at a country such as Sweden that did not have mask mandates, that those places that did not institute draconian measures ended up no worse than those that did. The only difference is those that ordered lockdowns, required us to mask up, and prevented children from attending their schools, caused enormous, tangential damage to the economy, and to the health of the public.

It has become clear to many that the Covid lockdown advocates continuing to push their unscientific mandates were doing so for the sake of maximizing money and power. Politicians love the idea of scaring their constituents so that they could convince them to subordinate their constitutional rights to the dictates of the elites in power, while also allowing themselves to go into debt to the tune of trillions of dollars so that the greedy politicians could have unprecedented amounts of money to implement their pet projects for which they have been salivating over for years.

Fool

us once, shame on you. Fool us twice, shame on us.

Former Suffolk County Executive and NYS Assemblyman Steve Levy is the co-publisher of Long Island Life & Politics.

To read more from Steve, visit lilifepolitics.com

National, State and Local Temperature Checks

By Matt Meduri

National

Illinois has become the first to fully abolish cash bail after the SAFE-T Act went into law.

The Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act (SAFE-T) Act was signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) (pictured right) in 2021 that reformed the criminal justice system, including policing, pretrial detention, bail and sentencing, and corrections. The Act’s section on pretrial detention and bail took effect September 18 in the form of the Pretrial Fairness Act.

The latter act was held up in the Illinois Supreme Court as prosecutors and sheriffs from sixty-four counties filed a lawsuit claiming the bill was unconstitutional. A Kankakee County judge ruled in their favor.

A 5-2 July ruling from the state Supreme Court overturned that ruling, rendering the end of cash bail constitutional.

“The Illinois Constitution of 1970 does not mandate that monetary bail is the only means to ensure criminal defendants appear for trials or the only means to protect the public. Our constitution creates a balance between the individual rights of defendants and the individual rights of crime victims. The Act’s pretrial release provisions set forth procedures commensurate with that balance,” Justice Mary Jane Theis wrote in the ruling.

Proponents of cash bail laws, including those in New York, state that defendants should not have to remain in jail solely because they can’t afford to pay bail.

“The money bond system wrongly tied access to financial resources to pretrial freedom,” said Cook County (Chicago) Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “The result has been countless individuals – mostly from Black and Brown communities – spending days, weeks, months, years in jail just for being poor.”

Opponents say it creates a revolving-door system of justice, in which offenders, previously deterred or detained by cash bail stipulations, now view no such deterrents if they can be released immediately after committing certain crimes.

“The court ignored the pleas of nearly every prosecutor in the state of Illinois, Democrat and Republican, that the elimination of cash bail will put dangerous criminals back on the street, instead of keeping them in jail or forcing them to post cash bail as they await trial,” said Illinois FOP State Lodge President Chris Southwood. “Many of those offenders will commit crimes again within hours of their release, and who will have to arrest those offenders again and again? The police officers whose jobs have been made immeasurably more difficult by all of the new anti-law enforcement measures that are in place. Today’s ruling is a slap

in the face to those who enforce our laws and the people those laws are supposed to protect.”

Judge’s still retain authority to retain defendants “when it is determined that the defendant poses a specific, real and present threat to a person, or has a high likelihood of willful flight.”

Experts from Loyola University, based in Chicago, expect the jail population to shrink. They found that nearly 200,000 people are held in county jails throughout Illinois every year. Experts also believe that less pretrial detention will result in less plea deals being struck.

Additionally, under the new laws, police will not be able to make arrests for low-level misdemeanors, such as trespassing. Instead, tickets will be issued and defendants will be given court dates for appearances.

State

On Wednesday, Kathy Hochul (D) signed a voting rights package into law.

New York is now the thirtysixth state to allow all voters the option to vote by mail.

The bill now:

• Permits voters to vote by mail during the early voting period (also called the Early Mail Voter Act)

• Implements same-day voter registration on the first day of early voting

• Requires schools to adopt policies to educate prospective voters before they turn 18

• Mandates that local correctional facilities share voting information to people upon release

• Institutes a crackdown on faithless electors by requiring presidential electors to vote for the candidates nominated by their party

• Amends curing standards so that voters do not have to fix their ballots if the envelopes are sealed with tape, paste or any other binding agent and have no indication of tampering

• Changes the legal venues in which election law challenges can be brought; requires state boards of election to develop and provide a training curriculum for poll workers and

• Establishes a 48-hour deadline to change early voting polling locations unless there is a disaster or state of emergency.

The bill also schedules the 2024 New York Presidential Primary for April 2.

“Today we’re going to right the wrongs of the past and say it’s finally time that people can vote by mail,” said Governor Hochul. “We saw it work during the pandemic. We can do this. We know that everyday people are so busy.”

“And it’s just, why not?” she added.

The bill is expected to face legal challenges.

Local

Congressman Nick LaLota (R) of the First District, Co-Chairs of the Long Island Sound Caucus, introduced the bipartisan Long Island Sound Stewardship and Restoration Act. The act would reauthorize the Long Island Sound Program to ensure the protection and preservation of the Sound.

“As the Co-Chair of the Long Island Sound Caucus, I am proud to introduce the Long Island Sound Stewardship and Restoration Act,” said LaLota. “The Long Island Sound is not just a body of water; it’s a way of life for our community. This legislation underscores the vital importance of preserving this natural treasure, not only for our environment but for the thriving fishing industry that sustains Long Island’s economy. Together, we can ensure the continued health and prosperity of Long Island Sound, a resource that defines our region and sustains our livelihoods.”

This is the House companion to legislation introduced by Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Chris Murphy (D-CT).

The Long Island Sound Stewardship and Restoration Act would reauthorize the Long Island Sound Program through 2028.

According to the press release from LaLota’s office: “In 1985, Congress created the Long Island Sound Study (LISS) to identify and address the major environmental problems affecting the Long Island Sound. The LISS brings together the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), New York State, Connecticut, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions to help restore and protect the Long Island Sound, including the watershed, which spans up towards New Hampshire and Vermont into Canada.”

“The Long Island Sound is not just a body of water; it’s a way of life for our community. This legislation underscores the vital importance of preserving this natural treasure, not only for our environment but for the thriving fishing industry that sustains Long Island’s economy. Together, we can ensure the continued health and prosperity of Long Island Sound, a resource that defines our region and sustains our livelihoods.”

- Congressman Nick LaLota

Drew Angerer / Getty Images

Scott Olson via Getty Images

Getty Images

Continued from front cover

The Road to Redemption

The Inspiration

Rob is a local hero. As a volunteer firefighter in Commack, Rob used his experience to lend aid during the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center. He was in the city for his day job in accounting when the attack occurred. He knew he needed to do everything he could to help his fellow New Yorkers, so he went to the fire house across the street from the Twin Towers and volunteered for one of the most dangerous tasks in our history.

What Rob witnessed and experienced changed his life forever. Racked with survivors’ guilt and suffering with PTSD, Rob struggled to find normalcy after the attack. His symptoms set in almost immediately.

“For me, 9/11 wasn’t just that day,” Weisberg explains to The Messenger. The day immediately following, Rob experienced a loud crash that made him jump. “That was my first confirmed moment of ‘Alright, this isn’t good.’ 9/11 wasn’t a day for me, it was an event.” Rob participated in the rescue recovery for months following. He felt as though everyday had something new in store for him. “It was always one thing after another, after another.”

Rob was an Eagle Scout growing up and has always loved nature and camping. He has thought about hiking the A.T. since he was a kid. Rob always had the ability to connect with nature, allowing him to be happy while outdoors. His friends have even told him while out in nature, “we never see that smile anywhere else.”

“With my PTSD and everything, it went from being something that I wanted to do, to something I needed to do.” Rob was severely struggling with his mental health and suicidal thoughts prior to his trip. “I just figured, let’s give this a shot. If anything’s going to work this would be it.” Instead of going out for just a weekend or week trip, Rob planned a nearly six-month hike through the country beginning March 11, 2023.

The Planning

For a trip like this, preparation can make or break a hiker, however it is also impossible to plan everything perfectly. Rob planned his days based off of terrain, weather conditions, and shelter.

“People don’t realize the logistics is just as much work and just as hard as the actual hiking,” says Rob. Throughout each part of the trail, it is up to the hiker to decide how much they can accomplish in the hours of daylight they have. Experts recommend averaging twelve miles per day, according to explore.com, and if a hiker comes up short, they’ll need to make it up another day.

Hikers struggle to find water in areas of the trail. As Rob hit Pennsylvania, he encountered many droughts, making his water supply dwindle and difficult to replenish naturally, even after detailed planning of water sources.

Throughout the trail, there is also limited cell service. In order to plan how to get to each place of shelter from the trail, Rob would have to time his hike and ensure there is a road crossing to be picked up and shuttled to his temporary residence. “If I can’t reach out to anybody, we’d be hitching rides,” explains Rob. “This was my first time hitchhiking ever in my life. There were times, like down south where it’s still considered acceptable, you put your thumb out and they’ll pick you up. That was the funny thing about it, you know, it’s just a normal practice down there.”

Preparing physically and mentally is just as important as planning out the logistics. “You’ll want to quit a few times a day,” Phil Baily, an REI Outdoor School Instructor told Explore. “But if you tell yourself that you’re just doing the trail for the experience, going as far as you need to get what you need out of it, each day seems a little more significant.”

The Goal

Rob set out on his journey with a few things in mind to accomplish. Mental health’s negative stigma can make it difficult to talk about. As Rob told The Messenger in a previous interview, “When it comes to mental health, [people feel like] they can’t talk about it. There is such negativity around it. The brain controls everything and it’s the one thing you can’t talk about.” Rob is dedicated to breaking this stigma, making people feel comfortable opening up and seeking help.

He used this goal as motivation to be more candid about his experience. Rob’s Facebook page, Rob Weisberg Appalachian Trail Hike is practically a personal diary filled with his thoughts, feelings, and struggles. Through social media, he quickly became an inspiration to others.

On his Facebook, he posted:

“I have been asked so many times, what am I personally looking to get out of hiking the trail?

I have been thinking about this question for a long time. For such a difficult question, the answer is actually pretty simple. I just want to be happy.

My PTSD has negatively impacted SO MANY aspects of my life. Controlling chronic anger is exhausting. As I mentioned in prior posts, my anger has negatively impacted so many relationships. Just being happy will have such a positive impact on my relationships with my family.

My PTSD has also made me feel like I have been in a state of mourning for over 20 years. I would feel guilty if I was enjoying myself. I just could not get past that day. How could I be happy when so many people were hurting?

Being happy is an inalienable right for any living creature on this planet. I didn’t do anything that should have caused me to give that right up. It’s time to open the curtains

and let the sun shine on my face without feeling guilty.”

Rob ultimately wanted to reach one person, “to help them not head down the trail I was headed and do something irreversible.” On the hike, Rob met two people who thanked him for his openness regarding mental illness. First, it was a young man who confided in Rob while hiking. “He told me, ‘Go find your number two’,” Which, he then did in a Vietnam Veteran who has been struggling but found comfort in Rob’s journey.

The Community

Towns located on the A.T deeply respect the thru-hikers who come by to seek shelter and nourishment.

“People would see us walking through their towns with our packs. They would be like ‘Can we take a picture with you? Do you need anything? Do you need a ride somewhere to pick up supplies? People were offering stuff left and right.” Rob felt the kindness and respect these locals had towards the hiking community.

In the beginning, Rob went out on the hike by himself. However, during his journey, he met other hikers and formed relationships with strangers that he met from all over the country. While in southern Virginia, Rob met a few hikers who invited him to hike with them, however Rob had things he wanted to work on personally. “I said ‘listen, I need to clear my head, I need alone time, so if you’re cool with me hiking by myself during the day and then we’d meet up at night, that would be great.” Rob was able to find companionship while still being able to work on his mental health.

Rob smiles ear to ear while telling his story of being in Unionville, New York. He and eight other hiking buddies were looking for a place to sleep as a storm was rolling in. “This one guy was like ‘you guys looking for a place to stay?’ We said ‘Yeah, do you have a barn or something we can sleep in?’ He goes, ‘Well I have a barn, but just sleep in my house.’ So, he took in nine hikers that night.” The same man bought all nine hikers’ dinner that evening as well.

While hiking the trail, people can burn between 4,000 to 6,000 calories a day and constantly need to replenish, making any type of food a necessity. The kindness of strangers throughout the hike often involved homemade cooking and goodies for the road.

“A lot of places were like that, asking ‘What can we do to help you guys be successful and safe?’”

The Hike

Rob recalls Shenandoah National Park as his favorite section of the hike. He enjoyed its beauty, roadside areas, and blackberry milkshakes.

As a lover of animals, Rob was able to interact with plenty along the A.T. Witnessing deer, bears, racoons, porcupines, and snakes. One night in a lean-to, a raccoon tried to share his shelter with him.

“I was sleeping and all the sudden I felt something grabbing my leg. I thought it was a bear, so I was kicking and screaming, then I grabbed my phone and put the flashlight on, and it was a raccoon.”

Rob hit the halfway point of the trail on June 20, at 1,100 miles. He posted on Facebook in celebration:

“I know the worst is yet to come, but every day I am getting stronger physically and mentally! By the way, there is a tradition on the trail to do a halfgallon ice cream challenge at a general store at the trail’s midpoint. Needless to say, I crushed it in about 24 minutes. One hiker puked. Rookie!”

The hardest area of the hike for Rob was up in New England, as the terrain is very rocky and steep. However, the mental challenge of the hike may have proved the toughest for others. “There are people who bagged it just because they couldn’t take the rain. Well, it is what it is. I take my scouts hiking and I would tell them, ‘Do you want to be cold and wet, or do you want to be cold, wet and miserable?’ Because you’re going to be cold and wet, how do you handle it?”

Rob’s Redemption

Due to an injury, Rob had to leave the hike early. He made it most of the way, hiking a total of 1,852.5 miles. “I was out for five and a half months to process a lot of junk in my head and put a lot of those feelings behind me.”

Rob tells The Messenger that he believes he accomplished the biggest goals he set out for himself while on this adventure. The biggest one: being happy.

“When I started my hike, I was hoping to get my life to be the way it was before 9/11 and my PTSD. I learned I can’t go back. However, the trail has helped me to manage it better. I am looking forward to getting home to my family. I am sure they will see how the trail has changed me for the better!”

Ryder and the pups will be doing the pup pup boogie from 12:30 - 2pm. Charge your phones & have your cameras ready!

Time with the pups is limited due to COVID-19 regulations. We will try our best to ensure every group or family receives a personal visit and a chance for a photo. Unfortunately it is not guaranteed.

Bill

Holst

By Matt Meduri

Candidate: Bill Holst

Residence: Nesconset

Office Sought: Smithtown Clerk

Prior Offices: Suffolk County Clerk (May-December 1989); Suffolk County Legislator (1997-1999); Deputy Commissioner, Suffolk County Dept. of Consumer Affairs (1988-1989).

Party Endorsements:

Democratic, Working Families

Notable Endorsements: Communications Workers of America (CWA), Long Island Federation of Labor

Having last run for office in 2017 against Ed Wehrheim (R-Kings Park) for Smithtown Supervisor, Bill Holst is coming out of retirement to try his hand for the vacant Town Clerk seat.

Bill Holst sat down with The Messenger for a one-on-one interview for the purpose of this candidate spotlight.

Q: What is your professional background and how does it equip you for the role of Town Clerk?

A: I’ve been an attorney for forty years. While it’s not required to be an attorney for this position, it certainly doesn’t hurt. Almost half of those forty years have been working in municipalities. When I got out of the Army, I worked in Manhattan for CBS for about five working antitrust cases.

I sent a résumé into Smithtown and thenSupervisor Pat Vecchio, who was a Democrat at the time, offered me a job working in the town attorney’s office. This was my first experience in municipal work.

I then ran for County Legislator in 1987 and lost to Donald Blydenburgh (R) , but Pat Halpin (D) was elected County Executive that year and he appointed me as Deputy Commissioner of Consumer Affairs. In 1989, Governor Mario Cuomo (D) appointed me to Suffolk County Clerk to fill the vacancy. But there was this guy named Ed Romaine who had just run for Congress and I knew I could beat any other opponent besides him. Romaine defeated me for County Clerk in 1989.

Between 1987 and 1997, I had been President of the Smithtown School Board and I also had my own private practice. I became President of the Greater Smithtown Chamber of Commerce.

I then won a special election for Suffolk Legislature in March 1997 and then won the general later that year. In 1998, I was asked to run for Congress against Michael Forbes (R) and I lost that race. The upside of being a Democrat is that I had to raise my own money, but the downside is that my coffers were depleted by the time I had to run for Legislator in 1999. I went back into private practice.

I switched to be the Chief Legal Officer for the City of Long Beach in Nassau County. After the Democratic Council in Long Beach lost their election in a clean sweep, I called up my old colleague Steve Levy and ended up being hired as an assistant county attorney. Smithtown has not had a comprehensive plan since 1957. Much has changed since then. We had 25,000 people then, now we have 120,000.

Q: What would you say is your best or proudest accomplishment in your career?

A: When I first got elected to the Legislature, I sat down with Lee Koppelman and said I wanted to do something about our downtowns. We needed downtown transformations. I suggested a Citizens Advisory Committee made up of residents from all eighteen districts. I was the primary sponsor of legislation in 1997. We went out to a number of communities like Bay Shore, Patchogue, and Riverhead to give presentations. People realized the downtowns had been neglected.

Q: What do you think is the most defining political issue facing Smithtown today?

A: I think it’s the sense of inertia and indifference. We’ve had some situations when there’s no follow through. Callahan Beach closed at the end of 2021 and we hoped it would reopen in 2022. The Town didn’t follow through in getting things in palace with the DEC, what funding source they would use. There’s no follow through, there’s lack

of transparency, and they’re not going out of their way to expand things.

Revitalization is also another issue. I did go to the Legislature on the day of the sewer bill vote hoping that the presence of people would somehow get the votes needed. Deputy County Executive Peter Scully thought he had the votes going into it. I did not read the bills in detail. Conceptually, it makes sense that you want a fund set up this year that could trigger state funding next year. Why risk losing that?

Q: What is your top priority if you win this election?

A: I’d like to keep the Clerk’s office as the center of the town government. This is an opportunity to do simple things. One could be keeping the office open longer one day a week during the summers, when the office usually closes at 4:00, to make it easier for people to get a marriage license during the summer outside of work hours, as an example.

Another example is lobbying for provisions in the budget to keep the

public pools open into September when we have heat waves like we did this year.

Q: What is your favorite quote, motto, or work ethic?

A: I was always taught to have initiative and be creative. Having no Plan B or Plan C is lazy.

Q: How do you like to connect with and enjoy your community?

A: I grew up in this town. I’m an eleventh generation Richard Smith. My grandfather was the Highway Superintendent for Head of the Harbor. My wife and I live in Nesconset. We enjoy the summer concerts. I grew up going up to Short Beach, Long Beach, and St. James Harbor.

The Messenger thanks Bill Holst for taking time to sit down with us for this candidate spotlight.

The Messenger’s forecast for Smithtown Clerk: Safe Republican

Note that race ratings are not endorsements of either candidate. It is just a handicap of which direction in which we think the race leans.

“I did go to the Legislature on the day of the sewer bill vote hoping that the presence of people would somehow get the votes needed. Deputy County Executive Peter Scully thought he had the votes going into it. I did not read the bills in detail. Conceptually, it makes sense that you want a fund set up this year that could trigger state funding next year. Why risk losing that?”

- Bill Holst

On the Campaign Trail

Tom McCarthy

By Matt Meduri

Candidate: Tom McCarthy

Residence: Smithtown Hamlet

Office Sought: Smithtown Clerk

Prior Offices: None.

Party Endorsements:

Republican, Conservative

Notable Endorsements:

The only endorsement sought is that of the people who vote on November 7.

Vacant since Vinny Puleo (R-Nesconset) was elected County Clerk last year, the Smithtown Town Clerk seat is wide open this November.

Tom McCarthy sat down with The Messenger for a one-on-one interview for the purpose of this candidate spotlight.

Q: What is your professional background and how does it equip you for the role of Town Clerk?

A: I was in the security business for most of my life. I’ve been a vice president, a general manager, a director, and a regional manager. I worked for some of the largest companies in the sector, and I was Director of Security for the second-largest company headquartered on Long Island at the time. I was responsible for a missioncritical data center that, had it gone down, it would have been a loss of $6 to $10 million a day. I was responsible for protecting that through the Gulf War and other issues that arose. In addition to protecting people and property, we had a high-value inventory that consisted of tens of millions of dollars of gold, platinum, and silver which were used in the manufacturing of electronic devices.

After that, I was a government liaison for the world’s largest security company. I worked between here, New York City when Giuliani was mayor, and Albany. I got to know a lot of people from working on behalf of the company, especially Albany downward. Funding flows from Albany to the counties, so on that trail is where I started to get connected.

I was a consultant for some of the major clients I took over on Long Island. My clients were some of the largest companies headquartered on Long Island. My background in security procedures and protocols

translates well into security and cybersecurity. The Clerk’s office has a tremendous IT department and I want to be involved in that in how we protect records.

My background as an executive provides me with the skill sets in general manager, administration, teambuilding and leadership, and interpersonal communication. I have the ability to design the strategy and implement the operational plan. I’ve managed several hundreds of employees in my career. Here, I’ll just have six I’ll be working with.

Ten years ago, I ran for highway superintendent as a registered Conservative. I didn’t win the primary, but I was endorsed by the Democrats, and I was the largest vote-receiver on the Democratic ticket in Smithtown that year. I also had the highest total of Independent votes in Suffolk County that year.

The Town Clerk is the chief administrative office. You’re a secretary to the Town Board. You’re in charge of keeping records of meetings and all public and personal records. The office issues all licenses and permits. Some people say it’s the face of the government; I call it the cover of the book. The clerk’s office is the first thing you see. People come to us for help for all things, but you also represent the Supervisor and the Council. The current team is outstanding. There are six young ladies working part time who are functioning without a clerk. They’re outstanding.

Q: What would you say is your best or proudest accomplishment in your career?

A: My ability to deliver

value-added service and form interpersonal relationships. You don’t make progress by railing against the people you want to work with. I’m not trained to be an adversary, I’m trained to be an advocate. My background didn’t consist of starting fights with people. My job was to build relationships. In this job, it’s the same thing.

Q: What is your top priority if you win this election?

A: Something we can do is address the unfunded mandates from Albany. The state tells us to provide a service but doesn’t provide funding. We have a 2% tax cap, so we don’t want to raise taxes. We’d like to get the money back that we send to Albany and Washington. Grants bring in hundreds of millions of dollars that save taxpayers money. If we can outsource funding, residents don’t foot the bill.

We also want to digitize our system with complete online access for everyone. Some people aren’t tech-savvy. We can make quick how-to videos to teach people how to apply for a parking permit, for example.

We have many people in our town with children with special needs, autism in particular. We have folks with parents who require certain types of care. I think we can expand the current programs to include these people. They can access resources, find agencies, and make phone calls. They should know that they can come into our office and get the help they need.

We also want to continue the legacy that Vinny Puleo left behind. He left behind a great office and solid staff. They’re all respected by our residents. I’d also like to help Ed Wehrheim and the

SUFFOLK LEGISLATURE

Council with revitalizing Smithtown. We just had a new building in Commack constructed on an old, blighted property. Not only will the building house a unique medical clinic, but the building isn’t even finished yet and it’s rented out. That’s what happens when you’re proactive and you’re committed to a vision, in this case, a revitalized Smithtown.

Q: What is your favorite quote, motto, or work ethic?

A: Do right by everybody, and with this particular job, it’s not about politics, it’s about service.

Q: How do you like to connect with and enjoy your community?

A: I’m in Smithtown hamlet, so I’m a doubleSmithtonian. I love the people the most and there’s always something to do. I love going to all of our great restaurants, where you’ll always run into an old friend or make a new one. We also have great events, like the Nathan Dean Concert or anything that happens at

the Nesconset Gazebo. I just joined a bocce league in Kings Park, they’re a terrific group of guys.

Smithtown has great people and they’re my favorite feature of the town by far. I love living here.

The Messenger thanks Tom McCarthy for taking time to sit down with us for this candidate spotlight.

The Messenger’s forecast for Smithtown Clerk: Safe Republican

Note that race ratings are not endorsements of either candidate. It is just a handicap of which direction in which we think the race leans.

“I’m not trained to be an adversary, I’m trained to be an advocate. My background didn’t consist of starting fights with people. My job was to build relationships. In this job, it’s the same thing.”

- Tom McCarthy

America the Beautiful: How History Shapes our Electorate Wisconsin - The Badger State

By Matt Meduri

From the birthplace of the GOP to one of the most politically relevant states for much of its lifetime, Wisconsin has been and continues to be in the national spotlight.

Early History - Progressive Beginnings

Europeans first landed in Wisconsin in 1634 on an expedition of Samuel de Champlain for the purpose of trading with the Natives and the search for the Northwest Passage. By the mid-1700s, the British had taken over most of Wisconsin, including Green Bay. French Canadians, New Englanders, and freedmen were the first to settle Wisconsin. Fur trading was the bread and butter of the early economy, which prompted French and British cooperation in the developing port city of Green Bay. Originally claimed by Massachusetts, Virginia, the Northwest Territory, and the Indiana Territory, the British continued to control local fur trade and created an Indian “barrier state” to prevent American expansion.

Since the U.S. did not control Wisconsin during the War of 1812, their victory in the war would hand them control of the area, then part of the Illinois Territory. After the resolved conflicts with certain native groups, such as the Winnebago War and the Black Hawk War, Wisconsin’s settlement was hastened as lead mining in the southwestern part of the territory attracted settlers. By the 1840s, southwest Wisconsin was producing more than half of the nation’s lead. The lead miners earned the state its nickname, the “Badger State,” from their need to “live like badgers” in tunnels during the harsh winters without shelter.

Congress created the Wisconsin Territory in 1836, which consisted mostly of fur-trading, mining, logging, and farming, as the railroads ended the frontier era of the state. Wisconsin’s proposed state constitution was extremely progressive for its time, banning commercial banking, granted land ownership rights to women, and left the door open to black suffrage. While the constitution was voted down by convention delegates, it still speaks to Wisconsin’s intrinsically progressive nature that would later culminate into the founding of the Republican Party.

With a more moderate constitution approved, Wisconsin became the thirtieth state on May 29, 1848, the last state entirely east of the Mississippi River and the last to be formed from land granted in the 1783 Treaty of Paris.

Civil War & Industrialization - Birthplace of the GOP and “America’s Dairyland”

Like in neighboring Michigan, Wisconsin’s status as a mining state began to decline after the 1848 California Gold Rush. However, the state was well-connected by rail at the time, allowing other industries and cities to expand rapidly. As the state would be settled by New Englanders, New Yorkers, and Germans, the state’s abolitionist roots began to take shape. By the 1850s, the state was a notable destination on the Underground Railroad. Third parties began to take shape, including the Free Soil Party and the Liberty Party, but none attracted as much attention as the Republican Party did.

On March 20, 1854, the first county meeting of the GOP was held in Ripon, Wisconsin, in reaction to the contentious Kansas-Nebraska Act. Yankee senses of community and mission created a strong public culture

that valued individualism, as well as social mobility and morality.

Wisconsin sent 91,000 soldiers to the Union army, with most serving in the Western Theater of the Civil War. At the same time, wheat became the state’s cash crop and by the mid-1800s, Wisconsin produced about one sixth of the country’s wheat. Insects and depleted soil led to farmers moving to Minnesota for new land and crop rotation within Wisconsin, which led to new industries of cranberries and dairy farming. The state’s climate was especially conducive to raising dairy cattle, in addition to most immigrants to the state coming from New York, at the time the nation’s leading dairy producer. Wisconsin’s strong state university system also promoted dairy farming and educated farmers on better practices. By 1915, Wisconsin had become the leading producer of the nation’s dairy, earning it the nickname “America’s Dairyland.”

Today, Wisconsin is still the top-producer of cranberries in the nation, and is the second top-producer of milk, behind California. It still leads the nation in production of cheese.

By 1860, more than 200 breweries opened in Wisconsin, 40 of which were in Milwaukee. Milwaukee is home to Miller, Pabst, Valentin Blatz, and Joseph Schiltz. The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company opened in Chippewa Falls in 1867 and still operates there to this day.

The state handily backed the GOP in the party’s first election in 1856 and would back Abraham Lincoln (R-IL) in 1860 and 1864. The state would back Republicans in every election from 1856 to 1908, except for 1892, its longest GOP voting streak to date. While Republicanleaning from 1856-1900, the state was still competitive, owing to the German Catholics who opposed Republican pro-war views. The state’s brewing industry allowed Grover Cleveland (D-NY) to become the first Democrat since before the Civil War to win Wisconsin, as the GOP attracted some Prohibition voters.

After the Democrats became unpopular nationally, they turned to the Populist movement to bolster their base, mainly through William Jennings Bryan (D-NE), whose aim of switching to the silver standard to inflate the currency to benefit debtors after the Panic of 1893 was popular in the silver-mining West, but not across Wisconsin’s urban classes and farms.

Wisconsin would back Republicans by landslide margins in each election from 1896 to 1908.

Twentieth Century Politics - The Wisconsin Idea

Robert LaFollette, “Fighting Bob,” became the state’s - and the nation’s - most outspoken Progressive politician, serving as governor of Wisconsin and a U.S. Senator. LaFollette started as a traditional Republican but broke with the party during the 1910s. At the same, the Wisconsin Idea became the new guidelines

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

for political and civic policy in the state. Wisconsin was the first state to implement a primary election system, workplace injury compensation law, and the first state income tax.

1911 saw Victor Berger, founding member of the Socialist Party of America, become the first Socialist elected to Congress, from Wisconsin’s Fifth District. Eugene V. Debs, five-time candidate for the Socialist Party, took 6% of the vote in Wisconsin’s 1908 election. Woodrow Wilson (D-NJ) would win the state in 1912, but it would return to the GOP fold by the 1920s with the decline of the Populist Movement. Senator La Follette mounted a third-party Progressive bid in 1924, carrying Wisconsin by a wide margin.

Wisconsin’s organized labor and progressive roots made it a good fit for FDR’s (D-NY) New Deal platform; his 1936 victory is the best Democratic showing in Wisconsin to date. The state turned away from FDR in 1944, as the “WOW” counties believed Russian Communism was more of a threat to the U.S. than Naziism. The “WOW” counties of Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington are suburban collar counties of Milwaukee and have been strongly Republican since 1940. Since then, the only Democrat they have collectively backed is Lyndon Johnson (D-TX) in 1964. To this day, they’re still the bane of Democrats’ statewide campaigns in Wisconsin.

The state would back Republicans in every election from 1952 to 1984, except for 1964 and 1976. Ronald Regan’s nine-point win in Wisconsin amidst his 49-state sweep in 1984 signaled a consolidated Democratic base in Wisconsin. This would be the last time the state would vote Republican, as Wisconsin would back Michael Dukakis (D-MA) in 1988 in reaction to the GOP’s handling of the 1980s farm crisis.

Current Political LeaningsA Geography Problem for Democrats

Wisconsin’s backing of Democrats from 1988 to 2012 undersold the Republican identity and history of the state. Socially moderate politics with fiscal policy that benefitted the Upper Midwest kept the state in the voting bloc of the “Blue Wall.” In 2000, Wisconsin was the third-closest state that election, a margin of just 0.22% for Al Gore (D-TN)

The dramatic shift to Obama’s populist brand of progressive politics pushed the state to him by a whopping fourteen points; he carried fifty-nine out of the state’s seventy-two counties. Mitt Romney (R-UT) would have a difficult time appealing to the workingclass voters of a depressed Rust Belt against a sluggish national recovery.

Donald Trump’s 2016 Wisconsin victory shocked the political world, as it showed a true realignment of working-class voters. Senator Ron Johnson (R) also won an upset against well-known Senator Russ Feingold (D) that same night, proving Wisconsin’s geographical problem for Democrats.

The state is just one of five nationally to have a split U.S. Senate delegation. Democrats last controlled both seats in 2011, while the GOP last controlled both in 1957, when anti-Communist Joseph McCarthy (R) was in Congress.

The state is currently governed by Democrat Tony Evers (D), elected in 2018, while both chambers of the state legislature are controlled by GOP supermajorities. In 2012, Governor Scott Walker (R) made history by being the first governor to survive a recall effort over his opposition to collective bargaining rights for state employees. In 2015, Wisconsin enacted right-to-work laws, the only other Upper Midwestern state - besides Iowa - to have them.

Democratic votes are heavily concentrated in Milwaukee and Madison, while GOP votes are not as concentrated anywhere else in the state. The once solid-blue western front is now friendly to Republicans, while the traditionally GOP suburban counties are not drifting leftward as suburbs are nationally. Democrats can win statewide here, but the party’s once solid base has since collapsed.

Around Town

The Great Cow Harbor 10K

By Kaitlyn Foley

This coming Saturday, September 23, the annual Great Cow Harbor 10K race will kick off one of the towns most cherished weekends.

The race began back in 1977 when a Northport Resident and avid road runner, John Rakucewicz, thought it would be a fun event for his neighbors during Great Cow Harbor Weekend. According to the Northport Historical Society, the first race hosted 1,002 runners, marking the first of many sought out by professional road runners. The race quickly became the largest race on Long Island, and one of the most prestigious in the country for its challenging terrain and beautiful scenery.

This will be the 43rd race in forty-six years, having been cancelled only three times in history, in 1986, 2001, and 2020. The race brings the community together by lining the sidewalks of the route with neighbors, friends and families.

“Everyone from local amateurs to international Olympians have won it; 1980s British Olympian Steve Binns won the race twice in 1981 and 1984,” says the Northport Historical Society. “There have been participants and winners from many countries including Zimbabwe, Mexico, Morocco, Kenya, and Canada (although in current in-person events only U.S. citizens can participate). Many of these visitors are hosted by Northport residents who welcome them into their homes for race weekend.”

The route on Saturday will be 6.2 miles of road beginning on Laurel Avenue, south of Main Street near William J. Brosnan School. Runners will continue west on Scudder Avenue, then turn north onto Woodbine Avenue at Cow Harbor Park and continuing to Bayview Avenue at Northport Park. Runners will continue around the town, hitting the halfway point on the corner of Ocean Avenue and Eatons Neck Road. The route continues between Henry Ingraham Nature Preserve and Fuchs Pond Preserve down Waterside Road. The final stretch brings runners down Main Street with hundreds of people cheering and supporting till the finish line at Northport Harbor.

Brandon McNally, a Police Officer from Commack will be running this Saturday for the second time in his career. After a bet made with his coworkers, McNally was able to beat them in last year’s race. This year, the competition is with himself as he tries to beat his race time from last year.

“I started training about a month ago,” says McNally. In order to prepare for the big race, McNally runs at least three miles, three to four days a week and does some light weightlifting to build up his endurance. “The most difficult part of this race for me is trying to beat my time from last year. I trained harder last year than I did this year.”

McNally’s wife and kids will be supporting him throughout the race and will be participating in the Great Cow Harbor 2k Fun Run/Walk for charity. Both races support local charities like the Veterans Administration, Ecumenical Lay Council Food Pantry, and Northwell Health Foundation. They are also proud supporters of the Special Olympics.

Todd Eisner, a painter from Commack will be running the Cow Harbor 10k for the eleventh time this Saturday. As a lifelong runner, Eisner

participates in many local races including the Summer Series State Race, a 10k at Sunken Meadow State Park. However, to Eisner, “Cow Harbor was a lifelong dream to run. The energy from the spectators makes this a one-of-a-kind race that I look forward to every year.”

Eisner stays in running shape throughout the year. He actively runs each week, and annually participates in winter and summer state park races.

“I don’t do anything different to prepare,” says Eisner. “This is more recreational, and I am trying to beat my own time.” He keeps track of his time each year, and it is important to him that he stays in the same range each year. “I try not to get slower with age. I have a detailed log of my past times that I try to beat or match every year.”

James Street will be the most difficult part of the race, Eisner tells The Messenger with a laugh.

As a member of The Barley Corn Athletic Club, Eisner will be racing with some other members. Eisner’s wife along with families of club members will on the sidelines supporting them all.

According to the Northport Journal, the race has a staggered start, allowing more participants to run in the race without the route being overcrowded. The male and female winner will earn $7,500 each, and a $2,500 bonus for beating course records, 32:18 for women, and 28:22 for men. Saturday’s race will begin at 8:30a.m., followed by Great Cow Harbor Weekend activities such as a Decorated Boat Display and an evening concert at the Band Shell in Village Park. Sunday will include the beloved parade beginning at 11:00 AM, street vendors, boat races, and more live music.

(Top map) The Great Cow Harbor 10k Route, provided by Plotaroute.com (Middle photo) Courtesy of the Northport Historical Society (Bottom postcard) Copyright reserved The Northport Runners Club from 1982.

Honoring Grandparents

September 10th, 2023 was National Grandparent’s Day

Originally established by presidential decree in 1978, it is intended as a day to honor grandparents for the contributions they make in our lives. A time to reflect on what we’ve learned from them and if they are still living to let them know it.

TheMessenger would like to extend the honor for the month of September and invite our readers to submit photos, recipes, memories, and more of the grandparents that are dear to our hearts.

WHAT’S YOUR GRANDPARENT STORY? Email: Editor@MessengerPapers.com

My Dear Nonna

I have an antique photo, an actual silver print. Photographic print on a surface sensitized with silver salts. That’s how photos were made in the 1930’s. Pictured in the back center is my Nonna (Italian for “grandma”) Antonietta D’Uva. Seated in front, my father a toddler with his toy ball. To the left, her brother Armando, to the right, husband Eduardo, front left mother Filomena and to the front right, father Michele. Antonietta is surrounded by family in this photo, yet in reality she is alone.

If we look closer, her eyes are tired. Her lips are pressed and her jaw is pushed forward. A silent protest. Dominated by parents that gave her away to a dominating husband in an arranged marriage that became abusive, Antonietta was drained and her persona almost blotted out. Almost, but not entirely. Her spark remained and

her spirit ignited and she overcame the injustices of the time. Building on herself, she filed for divorce (the first in the famiy) and forged her strengths to work on her own, as her family turned away from her.

Antonietta was a pioneer of the independent and resourceful woman who in adverse conditions, triumphs by not giving up nor giving in.

More than a photo, this is a testimony of the beginnings of her self preservation. I treasure and honor my grandma with remembrance. You see, I never met her for she was taken by cancer at the age of 45, before I was born. Yet I know we would of had great moments together as she flows in my DNA and we are similar in flesh and spirit.

5 WAYS TO HONOR GRANDPARENTS

1. Learn about your family tree culture.

2. Celebrate grandparent’s special days.

3. Think and talk about them often.

4. Bring them their groceries.

5. Take them on a special trip.

A True Hero - by Julie Mills

What makes a man a hero?

I’ve often thought this through.

It’s someone who is macho?

It’s someone who is true?

No, that is not a hero.

He’s just a simple man.

Always there when things go wrong and who does the best he can.

He lends a strong shoulder

To ease the flow of tears

He holds high the lantern

To drive away your fears.

His smile was just enough

To give encouragement.

His frown more than adequate

To make one soon relent.

When some had need of guidance

His ears he’d freely lend

Advice came in abundance

You chose, not him could you offend.

He had no need of medals

Or glory this is true.

That’s why, dear Grandpa Our hero has to be you.

Family Friend Poems, September 3, 2014. www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/a-true-hero-grandpa

Though I didn’t get the chance to give her days of happiness in this life. Through my faith, I believe we will one day meet face to face and embrace. God willing.

Sergio - Selden

PSALM 145:4

3 SONGS HONORING GRANDPARENTS

Grandma’s Garden — Zac Brown

Grandpa — Justin Moore

Grandpa

Told Me So — Kenny Chesney

Listen by scanning the QR-Code with your smart phone

My grandfather, James Lowell, lives to make others smile and laugh. He is a ravishing storyteller, and the stories can go on for days; sometimes they do. He is a man of simple pleasures, like his rare roast beef

One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

Grandparents are Warm Hugs, Sweet Memories and Words of Encouragement.

My Loving Grandfather - by Kaitlyn

Why is Medicare Rationing of Alzheimer’s Drugs?

By Kenneth E. Thorpe

The FDA has recently approved exciting new treatments that can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, a scourge that claims more American lives than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.

One such medicine, Leqembi, reduced early-stage Alzheimer’s patients’ cognitive decline by 27% in clinical trials -- a breakthrough that offers hope to millions of Americans with degenerative dementia.

The question, though, is whether Medicare will allow access to these and other game-changing medications through seniors’ prescription drug coverage. For Leqembi, the answer as of July is yes - but it’s complicated. And the complications should be ringing alarm bells for seniors nationwide.

Medicare initially balked at providing coverage for Leqembi and similar Alzheimer’s treatments.

In a nutshell, Medicare officials decided unilaterally that FDA approval wasn’t good enough. Without the expertise or even necessarily the authority to do so, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) demanded additional testing for monoclonal antibody treatments for Alzheimer’s before covering them without requiring patients to join a study

The first FDA approvals for these treatments came under the FDA’s “accelerated approval” pathway, which is designed to get critical medicines to patients as soon as safely possible.

Leqembi received accelerated approval in January this year based on its ability to clear the brain of plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease. In theory, this should have allowed hundreds of thousands of Medicare patients access to a medicine that could substantially slow the progress of their Alzheimer’s.

It didn’t. CMS effectively refused to cover the medicine by requiring participation in agency-approved clinical trials or an evidence-gathering data registry as a condition of coverage - neither of which existed at the time.

NEW MEMBERS NEEDED AMERICAN LEGION VETERANS STILL SERVING AMERICA

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

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

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

You can visit our website at: AmericanLegionWilliamHallockPost155.org

The CMS actions suggest that the agency was working to avoid having the government pay for the medication. But doing so violated a core Medicare tenet of equal access to FDA-approved medications, setting a dangerous precedent.

Leqembi went on to gain traditional approval in July. CMS now says it will provide coverage as long as a patient’s prescribing clinician participates in an easily accessible national registry. That’s a big improvement - but it still leaves troubling precedents in place and restricts coverage to people willing to share their data with a registry.

Worse, delaying or denying access to medications like Leqembi is incredibly short-sighted. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that Alzheimer’s and other dementias will cost the United States over $345 billion in 2023, with Medicare and Medicaid covering much of those costs. Without adequate treatments, such expenditures will balloon to nearly $1 trillion annually by 2050.

Leqembi is designed to treat patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Yet every day during the six months that separated its accelerated and traditional FDA approvals - when CMS was refusing to cover it for almost all patients - more than 2,000 people with Alzheimer’s progressed past the point at which Leqembi could have slowed their cognitive decline.

President Biden pledged to reduce the “heartbreaking human toll” of Alzheimer’s. We are on the cusp of doing so - provided officials at CMS stop trying to ration treatments.

Kenneth E. Thorpe is chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University. He is also chairman of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease.

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Congress Must Prioritize Border Security In Budget Showdown

By Dale Wilcox | AMAC Outside Contributor

Funding for the U.S. government is set to expire at the end of September, and any new budget must include a plan to secure the nation’s besieged southern border.

The current budget fight is the first one to take place since Republicans took control of the House of Representatives during the 2022 midterm elections, and like all budget battles that take place during a period of divided government, it will be messy and compromises will have to be made.

However, it is responsible and reasonable for Congress to draw a line in the sand on immigration, and insist that changes are made before they approve a new budget. That is exactly what 15 members of Congress from the state of Texas—which has born the brunt of the ongoing border crisis—have done, making clear they will not support any budget that allows the status quo to continue at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The members’ demands include increased resources for the military to take on the cartels, and reimbursement for the state of Texas for its Operation Lone Star program, which has sought to mitigate the damage caused by Joe Biden’s anti-border policies.

These demands are perfectly reasonable and Congress must ensure that they are met or exceeded before they approve a budget that will last until next fall. As of October 2022, more than 5.5 million migrants crossed our borders since Biden took office. According to CBP data, that number today is more than 8 million.

This surge of foreign nationals at the southern border is not relenting, and thousands continue to come in every single day. While the executive branch holds much of the power over immigration policy, it is Congress that holds the power of the purse, and they must use it here.

Despite the endless carnage emanating from the southern border that is now straining even far-away major cities, the Biden Administration has been defiant in defense of its failed policies. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has repeatedly lied to Congress and the American people, claiming the border is secure, and shows no concern over the damage his policies have wrought.

Meanwhile, new reporting has revealed that Biden himself is well aware of the failures of his administration, but is content to demure to the anti-border forces in the White House when it comes to policy. The Biden Administration realizes the error of their ways, but they are still pressing ahead with their agenda. The only way to stem the catastrophic security and humanitarian crisis at the southern border is for Congress to withhold funding until certain conditions are met.

Nobody wants to see a protracted government shutdown that could potentially harm working people who have nothing to do with the border crisis. But, the primary function of the federal government is to protect the safety and security of the American people, and that starts with securing the border. A government that refuses to fulfill such a basic responsibility deserves to be starved of funding until it does.

Of course, like everything that takes place in Washington, D.C., this budget showdown will be more driven by political considerations than any sort of constitutional duty. However, even if members of Congress are only concerned with the political consequences of a potential shutdown, they are still on solid ground. Poll after poll has shown that the American people oppose the Biden Administration’s immigration policies, and want to see changes.

An Associated Press poll conducted this summer found that two-thirds of Americans

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 www.amac.us

feel the government is not listening to their priorities on the immigration issue, and there are many other data points which corroborate this sentiment. Now is the perfect opportunity for Congress to restore the public’s faith in the government’s ability to fulfill its essential duties. If Congress does its job to ensure the border is secure, and the White House refuses to cooperate, then members of Congress can press forward knowing they have the broad support of the American people.

As Ronald Reagan said: “A nation that cannot control its

borders is not a nation.” If the federal government cannot get a handle on the crisis at the border, then all of the fighting taking place over other issues will be rendered meaningless. Congress must give the Biden Administration an ultimatum: Shut down the border or we’ll shut down the government.

Dale L. Wilcox is executive director and general counsel for the Immigration Reform Law Institute, a public interest law firm working to defend the rights and interests of the American people from the negative effects of mass migration.

Another Scary Reminder of the Superbug Crisis

By Dr. Rachael Lee

More than 80 Americans across 18 states have been struck with a serious bacterial infection thanks to contaminated eye drops. Several have suffered permanent vision loss. Four have died.

The contaminated drops housed a strain of the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which, due to a rare gene, is immune to almost all antibiotics.

Though the drops are now off the shelves, the larger crisis of drug resistance is far from over. Antibacterial-resistant pathogens claimed more than 1.2 million lives in 2019. That number will continue to increase if we don’t act now.

Antimicrobials are a miraculous tool in the fight against infections. Human life expectancy increased by eight years between 1944 and 1972, largely attributable to the development of antibiotics. Even so, bacterial infections are still the second-leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for one in eight deaths.

Antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, occurs when pathogens -- like fungi or bacteria -- become immune to our existing medicines. We’ve been using antimicrobials to fight infections since 1937. After nearly 90 years under antimicrobial attack, it’s no surprise that pathogens have developed the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them.

By 2050, it’s estimated that AMR will cause 10 million deaths per year. It’s more important now than ever to course correct.

Antimicrobial stewardship, or improving how antimicrobials are prescribed, is a key part of the solution. When antimicrobials are prescribed only when needed and for the shortest durations possible, it ensures patients receive the best treatment and also slows a pathogen’s ability to develop resistance. But stewardship

alone won’t solve the problem when infections are becoming increasingly difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat.

New antimicrobials are another piece of the solution. The next generation of antimicrobials needs to attack and kill germs better, and in new ways, than current ones.

Unfortunately, the current drug business model does not work for antimicrobials due to the unique way they are used. Prescribing antimicrobials only when appropriate is critical for public health because it slows resistance, but it also keeps sales volume low. Investing in drug research and development is a significant risk as few products receive FDA approval, so the potential financial outlook needs to be stable enough to attract investors. Antimicrobials aren’t a lucrative enough proposition to pique such investor interest.

Legislation under consideration in Congress could revitalize antimicrobial innovation, giving us a major leg up in the fight against AMR. The PASTEUR Act would establish a system in which the government enters into contracts with antimicrobial developers via a subscription model rather than paying by unit sales. This would help guarantee companies some stability for their investment in new treatments, even if the sales volume is low.

Infectious disease specialists like me see the devastation of antimicrobial resistance too often. In the race against superbugs, our innovation is up against their evolution. We must regain the lead.

Rachael Lee, MD, is an associate professor and the chief healthcare epidemiologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. This piece originally ran in the Houston Chronicle

Chairman Garcia Re-Elected to Lead Suffolk GOP Vows Further Republican Success in County and Beyond

By James B. Teese

In a unanimous voice vote, the Suffolk County Republican Committee re-elected hard-charging Chairman Jesse Garcia to lead the party in the crucial 2023 local elections and for another two-year term. Garcia has been at the helm for the GOP’s series of successful campaigns since 2019, when he was elected as the first Hispanic GOP leader in New York State.

Garcia was nominated from the floor by Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches), also the Republican candidate for this year’s crucial contest for Suffolk County Executive.

“With Jesse’s re-election as Chairman,” Romaine added, “I know victory will follow!”

Huntington Town Republican Chairman Tom McNally, serving as temporary for the reorganizational meeting, called for a vote on the nomination after making procedural appointments of a parliamentarian, sergeant-at-arms, and member of the tellers and credentials committee for the meeting.

Garcia’s nomination received seconds from GOP representatives of each of Suffolk’s ten townships. There were no other nominations.

Taking the podium at the Committee’s biennial reorganizational meeting in Bay Shore on Wednesday, Garcia spoke from his heart in thanking not only his fellow committee leaders, but his wife Diane,

his headquarters staff and “all of you, my fellow committee members…because we have grown and fought together as a family.”

Legislator Anthony Piccirillo (R-Holtsville) in 2017 started the current run of knocking off incumbent Democrats, Garcia said.

We filled the seats of retiring State Senator John Flanagan, Congressman Peter King, and of State Senator Ken LaValle, he noted. “We filled those seats with Republicans!”

“People have said the mother lode came in 2021…and you made history…for the first time since 1972 we took back the Seventh Legislative District when we elected Dominick Thorne…We defeated for

the first time a sitting Presiding Officer [in the Suffolk legislature]. In Huntington, we took back two seats. And for the first time in sixteen years a Democrat does not hold the gavel of Presiding Officer – it is our own Kevin McCaffrey.”

“This is just a precursor to what Ed Romaine will be doing in 2023.”

Elected to serve with Garcia in leading the GOP efforts were: Vice-Chairman Bill Ellis, also the Smithtown Republican Chair; Secretary Tammy Robinkoff, also the Riverhead Republican Chair; and Treasurer William Garbarino, also the Islip Republican Chair.

“We have just 48 more days [until the election],” Garcia reminded an enthusiastic and optimistic crowd.

TOWNLINE RAIL: WHY

Rail is less costly to the taxpayers who must pay to have the ash transported.

Every rail car represents four trucks being taken off the road. Rail reduces pollutants and carbon emissions in our environment.

The Town of Smithtown has recognized the many economic, environmental and infrastructure benefits of transporting ash and debris by rail rather than by truck (2015 Draft Comprehensive Plan).

Smithtown’s Annual Tree Lighting in Recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

On Thursday September 7, 2023, local officials joined together with Smithtown Central School District, families, friends and local parent advocate and Solving Kids Cancer partner Amy Beach to kick off Childhood Cancer Awareness Month with the annual ‘Go Gold’ Tree lighting ceremony at Town Hall.

The tree at Town Hall is adorned in gold bows, bearing the names of local children who are actively fighting cancer, in remission or have since passed away. The lights and ribbons on the tree were originally donated to the Town courtesy of Katia Conte, founder of the Daniela Conte foundation in 2021.

Additionally, life-size gold awareness ribbons, donated by the Thomas Scully Foundation are on display at the Smithtown Bull Monument, at Town Hall, the Parks Department and at the Highway Department through the month of September. Local mom and advocate of Solving Kids Cancer Amy Beach distributed gold laces as a part of the “Lace up for Kids” partnership, in honor of her son Dylan. Additionally, the Town distributed and donated approximately 200 gold ribbon charms for the School to distribute with the “Lace up for Kids” initiative on September 22.

“Many of the families here with us tonight will tell you, cancer doesn’t take a day off,” said Supervisor Ed Wehrheim. “That is why we are all here tonight as one community, one family… to let every parent, or caregiver, with a child diagnosed with cancer know that you are not alone. We are here to fight for you, cry with you, laugh with you, pray with you and hopefully work to discover more humane treatments and an eventual cure. Only then can we truly celebrate with you.”

Each year, the Town of Smithtown raises awareness for Childhood Cancers in the month of September through various activities and events. These efforts are intended to help fund and raise awareness, identify breakthroughs and fill gaps in the treatment landscape, and direct research to the areas with the greatest need.

“The mission of the Thomas Scully Foundation is to bring A Little Bit of Happiness to children with cancer today, while supporting a cure for tomorrow,” said Debbie Scully of the Thomas Scully Foundation (read by Amy Beach on Behalf of Debbie Scully). “The foundation delivers care packages to bring comfort and joy to children, while they’re in local New York hospitals.”

“One in five children diagnosed with cancer in the United States will not survive. And for the ones that do the

battle is never over,” Amy Beach, Solving Kids Cancer Childhood Cancer Research Advocate, and Smithtown Parent. “The majority of childhood cancer survivors have chronic health problems because of the treatments they had as kids. Childhood cancer research is consistently underfunded, with less than 4% of the federal budget for cancer research in the United States of America is dedicated to childhood cancer. Solving Kids Cancer is an organization that finds, funds and advocates for breakthrough treatment options to cure children with the most fatal pediatric cancers. They help accelerate new, next generation treatments, including immunotherapy, cancer vaccines and new drugs, by applying an understanding of the entire childhood cancer landscape to wisely invest in innovative treatments…All September long, Smithtown Schools will be swapping out our regular shoe laces for gold ones. The Smithtown Central School District students will receive gold laces at each of their respective school buildings. Fall sports teams will be participating in the Lace Up for Kids campaign. And on Friday September 22, we will have a district-wide Go Gold day. We invite all of you to wear and share your gold throughout this month of September…We look forward to many more years of partnership, awareness and advocacy until one day, there is a cure. Be

Bold. Go Gold. Because every kid deserves a chance to grow up.”

Anthony and Katia Conte founded the Daniela Conte Foundation in 2020 to raise awareness, fund research to develop less toxic, more targeted treatments for childhood cancers with a specific focus on Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS), and financially assist pediatric patients and their families going through treatment. Daniela passed away from Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma on March 2, 2020. It is her legacy that we proudly carry on today. Learn More at danielacontefoundation.org

Founded in 2017, to honor the life of Thomas Scully, the mission of the Foundation is to bring “A Little Bit of Happiness” to children with cancer today, while supporting a cure for tomorrow. The Thomas Scully Foundation is fulfilling this mission with “A Little Bit of Happiness” care packages that bring comfort and joy to the children stuck in local New York hospitals. Additionally, the Thomas Scully Foundation supports a cure for tomorrow by providing “A Little Bit of Hope’’ Grants to families seeking innovative treatment for their child. These grants assist families who are New York residents for the time being, although the foundation hopes to expand this in

the future. Learn More at: thomasscullyfoundation.org

Solving Kids’ Cancer finds, funds and advocates for breakthrough treatment options to cure children with the most fatal pediatric cancers. The foundation’s focus is on aggressive childhood cancers with low survival rates because Every Kid Deserves to Grow Up®. Solving Kids’ Cancer helps accelerate new, next-generation treatments, including immunotherapy, cancer vaccines, and new drugs by applying an understanding of the entire childhood cancer research landscape to wisely invest in innovative projects. Learn More at: solvingkidscancer.org

The Smithtown Children’s Foundation, a not for profit, 501c3, assists families in crisis, from paying medical and overdue household bills, to buying medical equipment not covered by insurance. The foundation manages college scholarships for graduating seniors, many in memory of loved ones lost. The foundation has become a resource for Smithtown’s most in need, working closely with social workers, providing backpacks/ school supplies, as well as holiday gift cards and gifts. Learn More at: smithtownchildrensfoundation.com

Theatre & the Arts

Engeman Theater’s ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’ Is Some Kind of Wonderful

By Cindi Sansone-Braff

“Beautiful” is a loving tribute to Carole King, the American singersongwriter best known for writing chart-topping hits for some of the biggest acts in rock ‘n’ roll and for writing and performing the legendary 1971 album Tapestry, one of the bestselling albums of all time.

This Tony® and Grammy® Awardwinning jukebox musical, with a book by Douglas McGrath, opens with Carole King’s 1971 performance at Carnegie Hall. King then takes us on a musical sojourn highlighting her early life, career, and tumultuous marriage to Gerry Goffin, her lyricist and collaborator. However, the real superstars of this musical are the many megahits created by two prolific teams of young songwriters, Carole King and Gerry Goffin, and Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and, of course, the blockbuster songs Carole King wrote and performed on her own.

A big round of applause goes out to the talented director and choreographer, Paul Stancato, for his precision-perfect direction and upbeat choreography, the costume designer, Dustin Cross, for his magnificent designs, and the live band for making this production an unforgettable evening of theatre.

There are so many reasons to love this show that I don’t even know where to begin, but to quote Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Let me count the ways.”

First off, the four multi-talented performers, Cory Simmons, Damien Deshaun Smith, Dwayne Washington, and Leron Wellington, who portrayed The Drifters, held the audience spellbound with their good looks, stellar vocals, smooth dance moves, and glitter suits. Their magical performance of “On Broadway” was one of the show’s standout moments.

A few scenes later, four powerhouse singers, sizzling in their spectacular sequined costumes, stepped on stage and gave a stunning performance as The Shirelles, the first African American female group to top any charts. Renee Marie Titus, Zuri Washington, Cecily Dionne Davis, and Cece Morin captivated the audience with their moving rendition of “Will You Love Me Tomorrow.”

And who doesn’t love the pop dance song “The Locomotion?” The ensemble and Cece Morin, as Little Eva, rocked this popular party tune and had the audience hooting and clapping with delight.

If you go to the theatre to laugh and have a good time, you will love

Jack B. Murphy’s hilarious portrayal of Neil Sedaka. Later, this versatile actor joined Joe Caskey in showcasing their strong vocals with their spot-on portrayal of The Righteous Brothers. This duo’s heartrending version of “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” was pure theatrical magic. This beloved ballad was The Righteous Brothers and the gifted songwriters Mann and Weil’s first number-one hit.

The supporting cast brought their A-game to this show. Laura Leigh Carroll, who portrayed Genie Klein, Carole’s loving but overprotective mother, and Devon Goffman as the fast-talking music mogul Don Kirshner, both gave outstanding performances. Having said all that, I still haven’t mentioned the four main reasons to love this show: the mega-talented leads, Stephanie Lynne Mason, Jack Cahill-Lemme, Sarah Ellis, and Noah Berry.

Stephanie Lynne Mason is the living embodiment of Carole King, replicating King’s mannerisms, Brooklynese, and distinctive vocals. Mason delivered pitch-perfect renditions of “So Far Away,” “It’s Too Late,” “Where You Lead,” and “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman.”

Jack Cahill-Lemme gave an award-worthy performance as the talented but troubled and tortured Gerry Goffin. The onstage chemistry between Mason and Cahill-Lemme was palatable, and the audience loved their moving duet, “Take Good Care of My Baby.”

The other brilliant songwriting couple who played a pivotal role in this musical were Cynthia Weil, played by Sarah Ellis, and Noah Berry as Barry Mann. With her captivating and charismatic portrayal of the quick-witted, intelligent, stylish, and confident Cynthia Weil, Ellis

was a real scene-stealer. I loved her bold and brassy rendition of “Happy Days Are Here Again!”

Noah Berry was believable as Barry Mann, a neurotic but likable hypochondriac bursting with talent and ambition. These two polished performers delivered their many comedic lines with expert timing. Berry gave a memorable performance belting out the rock song “We Got to Get Out of This Place,” and Ellis and Berry gave a heartfelt rendition of “Walking In The Rain.”

The talented ensemble was another big reason to love this show. Kudos to Julia Bogdanoff, Joe Caskey, Kate Coffey, Cecily Dionne Davis, Alaysia Renay Duncan, Cece Morin, Jack B. Murphy, Cory Simmons, Damien Deshaun Smith, Renee Marie Titus, Justin Waite, Dwayne Washington, Zuri Washington, Leron Wellington, Sean Widener and Jillian Worthing.

The Engeman Theater’s knockyour-socks-off production of “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” will make you feel the earth move under your feet. This show runs until October 29, 2023. Tickets may be purchased by calling 631-261-2900, going online at www.engemantheater.com, or visiting the Engeman Theater Box Office at 250 Main Street, Northport. You’ve got a friend, so treat them to this enthralling, entertaining, and exhilarating theatrical experience at the beautiful Engeman Theater.

Cindi Sansone-Braff is an awardwinning playwright. She has a BFA in Theatre from UCONN and is a member of the Dramatists Guild. She is the author of “Grant Me a Higher Love,” “Why Good People Can’t Leave Bad Relationships,” and “Confessions of a Reluctant Long Island Psychic.” Her play, “The Menu,” is featured in Kingdom Theatre’s Playwright Celebration weekend, November 3, in New York City. www.Grantmeahigherlove.com.

Photos courtesy of Ana McCasland/Theatre Three

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Thursday, September 21, 2023

Courtesy of Long Island Ducks

LI Ducks Regular Season Comes to an Exciting End

By James Haupt

With the regular season coming to a close for the Long Island Ducks, we look back at what has been an entertaining and eventful season. We’ve seen former major league players like Ruben Tejada of the Mets take the field. We’ve seen players like Daniel Murphy, Brett Kennedy, and Adeiny Hechavarria make their way back to the majors after starting off with the Ducks. We’ve even seen pitcher Robert Stock throw the second no-hitter in franchise history.

What’s a better finish to this season than a 13-2 victory heading into playoffs? On Sunday, September 17, the Ducks concluded their season with this blowout victory at home against the High Point Rockers.

The Ducks got the scoring started with a bases loaded walk by infielder Sam Travis and an RBI groundout from catcher Hector Sanchez. The aforementioned Tejada made it 3-0 off an RBI single in the second inning. Travis continued the scoring in the third with a solo home run followed by a Boog Powell 2-RBI single.

Starting pitcher Augie Voight allowed a two-run home run in the fourth, but that didn’t matter as a five-run sixth inning made it 11-2, including a Tejada solo homer, Jonathan Guzman RBI single, and a Joe DeCarlo home run that brought in 3 more runs. They finished up their scoring in the 7th with a Sanchez RBI single and a DeCarlo sacrifice fly. Voight’s 6 innings were good enough to earn his first win of the year.

It was a team effort against the Rockers on Sunday as every Duck that played reached base safely, along with 10 players earning a hit. Tejada and Powell each had 3 hits and 2 RBIs leading the way for the victory.

The Ducks will begin the 2023 Atlantic League playoffs this week with their 5-game matchup against the Lancaster Barnstormers in the North Division Championship Series. Robert Stock will take the mound in game 1 hoping to build upon the impressive season he has put on.

Game 3 of the series will take place on Friday at their home field of Fairfield Properties Ballpark. The gates will open at 5:20 for season ticket holders, and 5:35 for the rest of the fans. The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive a “Summer Days and Double Plays” T-shirt, thanks to Discover Long Island. All Ducks home playoff games are available by visiting the Fairfield Properties Ballpark box office, or calling (631) 940-TIXX. Go Ducks!

Do the Yankees Have MLB’s Next 200 Game Winner?

By James Haupt

Ducks Name 2023 Delmonte-Smelson Team MVP and P.C. Richard and Son Whistle Player of the Year Winner

Prior to this impressive win the Ducks named their MVP for this season. Outfielder Alex Dickerson earned the honors presented by DelmonteSmelson Jewelers.

Dickerson is thirty-three years old and has spent some time in the majors throughout his career. He played for the San Diego Padres, the San Francisco Giants, and the Atlanta Braves in his 6 years in the MLB, with his most notable performances playing for the Giants.

In his first year with the Ducks he proved to be the best player on the field winning the Team MVP. He earned the most fan votes giving him the edge.

Not only was he a top LI Duck player, but he was one of the best in the Atlantic League as a whole in 2023. He finished with a .314 batting average, a .576 slugging percentage, and a .965 OPS. He also recorded 26 home runs, 91 RBIs, and 231 total bases. He ranked in the ALPB’s Top 10 in each of these stats. With the exception of RBIs he was the team leader in each of these categories as well, finishing only one behind Sam Travis’ 92 RBIs.

Dickerson received a luxurious wristwatch from the sponsoring Delmonte-Smelson Jewelers signifying his impact this season.

He wasn’t the only winner announced for the Ducks as they also named Boog Powell as the winner of the P.C. Richard and Son Whistle Player of the Year competition.

Powell was another first-year Duck and he won this competition by scoring the most runs in games in which he was designated the Whistle Player of the Game. He finished his season with a .285 average and a .788 OPS, while collecting 6 homers, 35 RBIs, 50 runs, 68 hits, 12 doubles, 34 walks, and 18 stolen bases. Winning this competition earned him a $500 gift card from P.C. Richard and Son.

The Long Island Ducks are members of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a Professional Partner League of Major League Baseball. Over 8.5 million fans have enjoyed the Ducks brand of affordable, fun entertainment at Fairfield Properties Ballpark since inception in 2000. For further information, visit LIDucks.com or call 631-940-DUCK (3825)

With Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinal recording his 200th win in one of the last starts of his career a question arises. Who will be the next MLB pitcher to reach this milestone?

Certain players like Houston’s Justin Verlander (255 wins) and Texas’ Max Scherzer (215 wins) have already surpassed this milestone, with some of them doing it this season like Clayton Kershaw (209 wins) of the LA Dodgers.

The two closest “active” players to 200 wins are Cole Hamels (163 wins), who has officially retired, and Johnny Cueto (144 wins) whose career seems to be coming to an end. With that in mind, the most realistic answer is none other than New York’s ace Gerrit Cole.

Cole just turned thirtythree years old and currently has 143 total wins. He could potentially surpass Cueto and reach 145 wins by the end of this season. He has consistently been one of the league’s most efficient pitchers, making him one of the most successful.

He’s had multiple seasons with 15 or more wins, including a 20 win season with the Astros back in 2019 and a 19 win season with the Pirates back in 2015.

Cole has been a top pitcher in baseball for nearly 5-6 years now and has shown no signs of slowing down with the Yankees.

Although his ERA has gone up, he has won plenty of games with New York making his case for AL Cy Young each season, possibly winning one this year.

In his four seasons with the Yankees Cole has earned 49 total wins and counting. He won 7 games during the 2020 shortened season, followed by 16 wins in 2021, 13 wins in 2022, and currently has 13 wins this year.

If he keeps up this pace and plays for at least 5 more years he will easily become the next 200 game winner in the MLB.

“I definitely think Cole can be the next guy to reach 200 wins, but I think he’ll need more support from the team around him in the future. This year he was the only good and consistent Yankee pitcher and he struggled to get run support in a lot of his starts,” says Michael Beck, a young Yankee fan from Commack.

Love him or hate him, it’s undeniable that Cole is a winner. He’s been a crucial player for the Yankees even in this disappointing season. As of now, he holds a 13-4 record with an American League leading 2.81 ERA, along with 208 strikeouts proving to be a bright spot on this poor Yankees team. Keep an eye out for Cole for the rest of the year as he looks to tack on a few more wins before the season comes to an end.

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(Left to right) Frank Boutlon, Wally Backman, Alex Dickerson, Michael Pfaff and Mascot QuackerJack