Smithtown Messenger Archive Jan. 18, 2024

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Thursday, January 18, 2024 ~ Volume 136 ~ Issue Number 9 ~ $1.00

The Gilgo Four:

Heuermann Charged in Death of Fourth Gilgo Victim

By Matt Meduri

Photo by Matt Meduri

Maureen Brainard-Barnes with her daughter Nikki

Melissa Cann, sister of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, speaks of her sister

In July, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney (R) cracked a cold case wide open in the charging of a defendant for three of the four murders known as “The Gilgo Four,” a case that rocked Long Island and the country.

Heuermann was charged in the murders of sex workers Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Amber Costello, 27, and Megan Waterman, 22.

Now, families can find a shred of closure in the fact that the defendant, Rex Heuermann, 59, of Massapequa Park, has been charged in the murder of the fourth victim, Maureen BrainardBarnes, who was 25 years old at the time of her disappearance.

“The grand jury investigation of the so-called Gilgo Four is over, it has been concluded,” said Tierney. “But there should be no mistake: the work of the grand jury is continuing.”

Tierney said that while “The Gilgo Four” have been linked to a defendant, the investigations into the remains of several other victims will continue.

Continued on page 10

Suffolk County’s Children Threatened by Surge of

Whooping Cough Cases

By Kaitlyn Foley

FULL STORIES ON:

Local Electeds React to Local Artists at Budget Proposal Smithtown Art Exhibition Page 16

Page 22

Local Spotlight: The Gin Game Page 24

pexels-gustavo-fring-4000624

Symptoms of whooping cough may include: Coughing, violently and rapidly, until all the air has left the lungs and a person is forced to inhale, causing a “whooping” sound.

Last week, Suffolk County officials announced a Public Alert of a rise in Pertussis cases in school-aged children. Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a respiratory tract infection caused by bacteria. The highly contagious infection is currently circulating around schools of Suffolk County, infecting school children and their parents and teachers. Currently, there are 108 confirmed cases of whooping cough in our region, the majority of patients being students at various schools throughout Suffolk. According to the alert, the county is “not aware of any hospitalizations due to this pertussis outbreak.”

Whooping cough is highly contagious and airborne, commonly spread through uncovered coughing and sneezing.

Symptoms of this illness can be brutal for young children, particularly infants who are infected.

Continued on page 3

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News Thursday, January 18, 2024

Continued from front cover

Suffolk County’s Children Threatened by Surge of Whooping Cough Cases

Coughing, nasal congesbacterial wipes or tion, and fever can occur, spray, can also be and infants can experience an effective way of more severe symptoms preventing pertussis including a lapse in from entering the breathing, pneumonia, home from school and convulsions. Most hallways, floors, and patients receive antibiotics the school bus. when diagnosed, slowly “I want to implore easing the infection, people who will however early diagnosis be interacting with and treatment is critical to a newborn to get ensure symptoms do not vaccinated against become severe. pertussis,” adds Nurse If these symptoms Gulino. “Before my occur in children, it is grandson was born my important to keep them family all got vaccinated home from school and (Tdap). While most other activities. It is also older children and crucial to teach children adults do relatively fine to cover their mouth and with pertussis, it can be nose with their elbow or quite serious for infants a tissue when sneezing and toddlers who have or coughing, even in the not completed the home. Many confirmed DTaP series.”

Stage one lasts 1-2 weeks: runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever, mild occasional cough. cases of this current Both Tdap and DTaP It may look like the common cold, but the cough begins to get worse. outbreak are parents are recommended vacof school children who cines that help protect also have the infection, making it difficult to care for their children. The current against whooping cough, diphtheria, and tetanus. However, they are used for treatment recommended for pertussis is five days of antibiotic treatment and rest, different age groups. Tdap is recommended for adults and older children while although the bacteria can spread for at least two weeks after noticing symptoms DTaP is recommended for young children and infants. or coughing.

“Babies need three shots of DTaP to build up high levels of protection against For those who are pregnant, at risk of severe illness, or have weakened immune diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough. Then, young children need two booster systems, Suffolk County advises that such persons should receive preventative shots to maintain that protection through early childhood,” according to the antibiotics if they have been in contact with someone who is ill with pertussis, to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “CDC recommends shots at the help prevent them from getting sick. following ages: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 through 18 months, 4 through “The best method to prevent or lessen the severity of disease is through 6 years.” Children between the ages of 11 and 12 should get one shot of Tdap to vaccination. Routine vaccination against pertussis is recommended for all children boost their immunity, however if teenagers did not receive the vaccine in their and adults,” says Suffolk County in their alert to the public. “The DTaP vaccine for preteen years, they should do so at their next doctor’s appointment, the CDC children and TDaP vaccine for adults protect against pertussis as well as two other suggests. serious infections, tetanus and diphtheria. TDaP vaccination is also recommended Oftentimes, whooping cough begins by appearing like a common cold. A dry for pregnant women during every pregnancy to protect their babies from whooping cough and runny nose can be common initial symptoms for many infections and cough in the first few months of life.” viruses. However, after a few days, the cough can develop into a more defined and “Like most respiratory illnesses, pertussis is spread more easily during the winter intense cough. It can come in waves of long coughing spells and sounds like a highwhen we are inside without much exposure to fresh air,” says Suffolk County High pitched “whoop” sound when breathing in, giving the infection its common name.

School nurse, Susannah Gulino. “Children, in particular younger children, tend not The New York Department of Health says that symptoms typically appear in to have the best hand hygiene, and often invade each other’s space while playing. three stages. “Stage one lasts 1-2 weeks: runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever, While we love kids sharing, more often than not when they share, they share mild occasional cough. It may look like the common cold, but the cough begins to germs!” get worse. Stage two can last 1-2 months: Cough becomes more severe. There are If unvaccinated, there are other preventative methods that parents can take coughing fits that can be followed by a high- pitched whoop. The whoop means the to protect their families against whooping cough. Teaching children to wash their person is trying to catch their breath. Sometimes a person will turn blue and vomit hands often and properly is the best form of prevention. Using soap and water, mucus or food. They also may have brief periods when they stop breathing.” have children rub their hands together for twenty seconds. Counting can work for Though this can be scary, the fits often get better with antibiotics and treatment older kids, however singing the ABC’s or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star as they wash will from doctors. be the appropriate amount of time for younger kids. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer “Stage three may last weeks to months: Recovery phase is when a person slowly can also be an effective form of killing bacteria if washing is not possible. gets better. Coughing fits can come back if the person gets another respiratory The best way to prevent the spread is hand hygiene, being up to date with illness.” While recovering, even after coughing has stopped, it is important to keep vaccination, covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze (if possible, sneeze/ up good hygiene and take good care of yourself to limit exposure to additional cough into a tissue) and please throw any tissue in the garbage,” suggests Nurse illnesses that can be worsened by a weakened and recovering immune system.

Gulino. “Parents should be alert to the signs and symptoms of pertussis. If their The Messenger asks all parents and teachers to be diligent when teaching child has a known exposure, they should contact their pediatrician and ask about their children and students to properly wash their hands on a consistent basis, prophylactic antibiotics.” particularly after playing with other children, keep hands out of eyes, mouth, and Wiping children’s book bags, lunch boxes, and shoes after school with anti- nose, and cough into a tissue or their sleeve.

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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 month 1st 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

6

Editorial Thursday, January 18, 2024

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Hochul’s Budget Is Literally Robbing Peter to Pay Paul Just a week after Governor Kathy Hochul issued her State of the State address - with which we and several of our local elected officials found many issues - she now has unveiled her proposal for the 2025 fiscal year budget. Not only is it the most bloated in state history, but it quite literally robs Peter to pay Paul.

First, we can say that we agree with the added focus and funding on mental health services. However, we find it a bit confusing that while more money is being earmarked for these services, it seems counterintuitive that her State of the State address that the opioid and fentanyl crises were not adequately addressed. These two issues go hand in hand, and trying to address one without the other is akin to trying to take a speck sawdust out of your friend’s eye when at the same time, you have a giant plank in your own.

We also can’t endorse a 5% increase in spending to create the largest budget crafted in state history, smashing last year’s budget for the record.

Last year’s budget did not even come close to solving our state’s problems, nor did it offer reasonable solutions regarding housing - although we’re pleased Hochul’s flawed housing plan did not go into effect - the opioid crisis, or the state’s crippling affordability issue. People continue to leave the state in droves and Albany’s mantra is to spend more than we ever have.

Which leads us to perhaps our biggest criticism not only of the budget, but of Governor Hochul in general ever since she became governor. Attempting to strip funding of local school districts to pad the state’s runtime with the migrant crisis is a complete slap in the face to our already-overworked and overtaxed citizens and a dereliction of public duty.

Dozens of school districts across Suffolk County are on the chopping block, affecting schools and students across all ten townships.

The move apparently comes in response to a downturn in federal dollars, which already makes up about 36% of the state’s budget. As the state seeks to increase its operating spending by $6 billion, a 4.5% increase from last year, it will also experience a $5 billion loss in federal funds as pandemicrelated aid subsides.

Additionally, $2.4 billion is being earmarked to aid localities in dealing with the ongoing migrant crisis - a $500 million increase from last year.

Essentially, Hochul’s plan intends to take money from school districts and redirect it to migrants who, by the very definition of our immigration laws, are here illegally. We understand that the United States serves as a beacon

of hope and opportunity, but we also understand that the system needs to work - preferably via overhaul by Congress - to benefit our country at large. As we stated last week in our response to Hochul’s State of the State address, we need to keep ourselves afloat to ensure others can climb aboard.

Furthermore, we wholeheartedly cannot endorse the diversion of funds from our children to migrants. While there can be some funds to deal with immigration to New York, the reality is the crisis should never have been allowed to evolve to where we’ve ended up. The gross mismanagement of state resources and funds, as well as Albany’s overpromising and underdelivering, has created a massive issue that not only undermines resources for our children, but also creates even more uncertainty and delay for migrants who come here legally.

Furthermore, Hochul makes empty pledges to address affordability for New Yorkers, but seemingly spares no expense in making taxpayers of local municipalities foot higher property taxes to fill the void she and Mayor Adams have created.

Even if there wasn’t such a stark increase going to addressing the migrant crisis, why would removing state funds from local school districts be a crucial part of a budget-making process for a state whose main reason for population loss is a cripplingly-high cost of living?

We certainly hope that this plan is delayed by both parties in Albany.

While we respect our Republican legislators in the Assembly, their unity against certain provisions is almost moot due to the stranglehold the Democrats have in the lower chamber due to sheer numbers. We hope that Democrats from across the state are unified against this proposal.

Last year, the budget was passed over a month late because progressive legislative Democrats disallowed Hochul to govern as a moderate by digging her heels in on bail reform changes. Since Hochul doesn’t understand how to get what she wants and control her legislature, she didn’t win that battle, and neither did our communities, who still deal with the disastrous aspects of bail reform and the judges who cannot set bail at their own discretion.

This year, we do expect Hochul to face pushback from the progressive wing of her party, simply because this sect of the legislature understands that they continue to get whatever they want without compromise.

However, we earnestly hope that the progressive Democrats come down with “broken clock” syndrome and pin Hochul to the wall on this disastrous proposal that we, frankly, find insulting to the New York taxpayer.

Brought to You by The Messenger : Bits & Pieces We here at The Messenger pride ourselves on being educational. In addition to your regular dose of town, county, and state news, we enjoy discussing a wide range of topics that might not ordinarily make their way into public discourse. Our history column has been alive and strong since February of last year, our writers can intellectually expand on any public service announcement or current event, and the back of our paper always has a page or two dedicated to some of our favorite community wild cards, like local author spotlights or a local take on a national issue.

While we enjoy being educational, we try not to sound too much like a textbook. And what better way to look and sound like a classic newspaper than bringing you some fast facts and puzzles every week?

Introducing The Messenger’s latest column, Bits & Pieces, a collection of quarter-page-sized sections of fast facts, a word of the week, and even some games to make your experience with our paper all the more enjoyable.

At the suggestion of our reporter and social media/website manager, Kaitlyn Foley, we couldn’t balk at the idea of including games in our paper each week.

We’ve introduced a crossword and a word ladder so far and we’ll see about possibly increasing the variety in the future.

The crosswords will be themed each week. Our inaugural puzzle last week consisted of words you would find in the articles in that week’s issue. This week, it’s Golden Globe winners. While it might not be as robust or difficult as the Sunday crossword in The New York Times, it’s something interactive that only print papers can truly embody. Game apps are fun, but puzzles in the newspaper truly bring us

back to a well-respected golden age. And when they’re created each week by one of our very own staff members, it makes us all the more excited to unveil this new column.

In the vein of education, we think a section dedicated to giving our readers something they might be able to use is appropriate. A long-considered idea that we’ve finally implemented is the “Word of the Week,” complete with pronunciation, definition, examples, and the language of origin. Usually, the word that receives the most notice from our team in the process of proofing the paper is nominated for the “Word of the Week” slot, so keep an eye for these words in our articles.

And if you have a word that you think is obscure, unusual, or just plain fun to say, let us know and we’ll gladly look into including it in our lineup.

Also managed by Foley is our “This Week in History” section, which we like to pertain to Long Island history. Although perhaps not as useful as a new SAT word for your vocabulary, the “This Week in History” quadrant gives you some fun trivia that might be completely removed from the rest of the content in our paper. It’s a nice at-a-glance way to remember some history you might not have heard since grade school, but it’s also a neat way to see how Long Island and Suffolk County’s histories have been shaped over the years.

So, from all of us here at The Messenger, we hope this new column is as interesting and as fun as we think it is, and we steadfastly continue to embrace our creed of being as educational as possible.

Op-Ed Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

7

Thursday, January 18, 2024

Statement from Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay On Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget Proposal

By Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled her $233 billion Executive Budget plan, which provided her vision for New York over the next fiscal year. It was refreshing to see an acknowledgment of priority issues Republicans have been pointing out for years: crime, affordability, and outmigration. Action from Albany is long overdue.

Historically, Democrats have shown no fiscal restraint in crafting the state budget, but there are new fiscal realities that must be addressed.

The governor stated, “We can’t spend like there is no tomorrow because tomorrow always comes.”

While New York is poised for another record-setting budget, I was pleased to see Gov. Hochul significantly slow the growth from year to year. This is a welcome change. I strongly encourage my colleagues in the Majorities to finally keep spending in check as we work toward a final budget agreement.

While taxpayer outmigration surges, the migrant crisis continues to spiral out of control. In October, the governor’s own administration openly recommended limiting financial assistance. The Executive Budget proposed to spend an additional $2.4 billion on migrants and pulls $500 million from state reserve funds to do so. This demands closer examination and represents another example of New York’s hardworking families being left to pay the costs of Democrats’ misguided policy decisions.

Certainly, in almost any plan that spends $233 billion there will be programs and services to applaud. Maintaining resources for education, economic development, healthcare, and mental health is a shared priority and important for our communities.

However, the planned closure of five more prisons is simply doubling down on the reckless

criminal justice reforms of 2019. It is a confusing message for New Yorkers desperately seeking answers on public safety. Without a firm commitment to holding criminals accountable, the governor’s proposals surrounding crime should be viewed as more empty rhetoric.

This is just the first step toward a final 2024-2025 State Budget. In the coming months, I urge my colleagues in the Senate and Assembly to exhibit fiscal restraint, to stop passing bad policy we end up paying for later, and to open up budget deliberations so that New Yorkers know how their money is being spent.

Op-Ed: Saving Social Security Should Be a Priority in Congress

By Brenton Smith | The Heartland Institute| The Center Square Last month, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-OH, told former White House aide Steve Bannon that some lawmakers want to reduce Social Security benefits so that the federal government can send more money to Ukraine, which Vance argued would flow through to Ukrainian President Zelensky’s underlings to “buy a bigger yacht.”

While Vance’s statement may come across as an amusing sound bite, the ultimate butt of his joke are millions of American seniors and the others who rely on Social Security. The fact is that Social Security faces significant financial challenges over the next few years. Our elected officials in Washington D.C. should be trying to solve this looming problem, rather than cracking jokes about it.

This is where seniors should be paying attention. Since 1983, the Social Security system has generated more than $20 trillion in promises that it likely will not be able to fulfill. Incredibly, approximately two-thirds of that sum stems from congressional inaction.

Part of the problem has been politicians leveraging the program to advance an agenda completely unrelated to Social Security. Vance’s

current agenda may be justified, but not at the expense of Social Security. At this point, someone turning 80 years old today expects to outlive the program’s ability to pay scheduled benefits.

Fixing Social Security should be near the top of the priority list in Washington D.C. – not a prop for partisan politics.

Vance’s statement betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the program’s design, over which anyone in or approaching retirement should fight tooth and nail. Under current law, reductions to benefits going to seniors can’t be used to pay for other priorities in the government. Social Security is not, and should never be allowed to devolve into, a profit loss center for the rest of the government.

This design was intentional. Back in 1935, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt designed the program’s financing to protect citizens from politicians who want to spend that money elsewhere. The president said that the system was set up so that “no damn politician” would ever scrap his program.

At this point, any benefit reduction represents savings to the program, which stays in the Trust Fund for future retirees. The only trade-off in

benefits reductions today is whether those of us 79 years old and younger will receive a full check or a partial one in the future. Every lawmaker should understand that fundamental fact.

Sen. Vance’s joke presents a larger problem.

While it is essentially clear that few Americans want to sacrifice their benefits in order to buy foreign ministers a bigger yacht, the obvious question becomes exactly what public expense in the mind of Vance would justify a reduction of payments going to our grandparents? Maybe it is a border wall, or increased spending on the war on drugs.

When you retire, you have to plan for managing your life without outside income over a long period of time. You need stable income for decades. The newly eligible senior in Ohio will retire at age 67, and expects to collect benefits for another 19 years or so. The last thing that these people need is the annual uncertainty of what political priority might come in front of them.

If you give a politician a dollar, he or she will spend it. The last thing on earth that seniors want is D.C. politicians believing that they can spend the money held by Social Security on other things – because, if given the chance, they surely will.

Letter to the Editor I’m Available To Serve As An MTA Board Member Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine now has an opportunity to appoint a representative to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority fifteenmember board. Allow me to offer my services.

I’ve been a regular LIRR commuter for decades and previously worked for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office. This included the development, review, approval, and oversight for billions of dollars in annual grants that supported capital projects and programs for the MTA including the LIRR, NYC Transit subway, bus and Staten Island Railway, Metro North Rail Road, and MTA Bus along with 30 other transit agencies in New York and New Jersey. I also assisted the MTA in winning a number of national competitive discretionary grants.

I possess a detailed knowledge of all MTA operating agencies including the LIRR physical assets such as equipment, stations, yards, shops, and maintenance as well as management of capital projects and programs. I gave emphasis to completing federally funded projects on time, within budget with a minimum number and dollar value for contract change orders. They had to be justified as fair and reasonable. This was my motto for the MTA and LIRR. There is no MTA board member today who has had firsthand experience in applying for and managing federal assistance from Washington.

Federal dollars play a key role in the success of MTA’s capital program. My addition to the Board could be a real asset. Having no drivers license,

I have always been transit dependent, Being retired, I could represent the interests of Long Island commuters, taxpayers and transit advocates full time on the Board at no expense.

Larry Penner Great Neck Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian, and writer who previously served as a former Director for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 Office of Operations and Program Management. This included the development, review, approval and oversight for billions in capital projects and programs for the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority NYC Transit bus, subway and Staten Island Railway, Long Island and Metro North Railroads, MTA Bus, NYCDOT Staten Island Ferry along with 30 other transit agencies in NY & NJ.)

8

County News Thursday, January 18, 2024

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

New Report Highlights Green Failure in Europe and Warns America

By Rick Whitbeck | Power the Future | The Center Square As one digests Rupert Darwall’s latest report for the RealClear Foundation, the well-known quote from Spanish philosopher George Santayana might ring through the mind: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Anyone looking to combat the activists pushing a “net zero” agenda here in the U.S. would be wise to read Darwall’s piece, entitled “The Folly of Climate Leadership.”

The analysis tells the story of Great Britain heeding the cries for decarbonization, starting when Parliament wrote an 80% decrease in emissions target into law in 2008. They raised it to 100% – or “net zero” – in 2019.

The results have clearly been catastrophic.

Since decarbonization efforts commenced, Britain’s economy has grown at half the rate as it did from 19902008. According to a research study from noted British economic historian Nicholas Crafts, that’s the secondworst period of British peacetime growth since 1780.

In addition to the economic malaise, British energy prices have skyrocketed, and Britons are now concerned with how to survive the effect of those costs on their wallets, as they look to heat and power their homes and businesses, travel for work and pleasure and live life as best they can.

The differences between British energy costs and those here in the U.S. are staggering: Britons paid an average of $228 per megawatt hour (MWh) for electricity generated from coal in 2022, whereas Americans paid an average of $27 per MWh. For natural gas, 2022 saw Britons paying $251 per MWh, versus American

consumers averaging $61 per MWh for their power.

Darwall’s report also highlights the effects of unchecked and anti-market driven government investment in ‘green’ energy on grid reliability, as intermittent production from wind and solar – coupled with a lack of utility-grade energy storage – dropped electricity generated per gigawatt of capacity falling 28% since 2009.

The same arguments that have crippled Britain’s economy are now being used by the Biden Administration here at home, with zealots in Cabinet-level positions – including Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, and EPA Director Michael Regan – pushing the message from their bully pulpits.

The recent – and completely misnamed – Inflation Reduction Act passed by Congress provided the zealots with nearly $400 billion to dole out to supportive organizations and start-ups to jump-start our nation’s push for ‘net zero.’ Those dollars – doled out with few oversights or performance metrics attached in many cases – have produced very few wins in the last year, unless a win is measured in keeping political cronies happy and rich.

Consider: wind energy projects in Nebraska, Colorado, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey were scrapped last year, even after untold millions of federal dollars went to their developers. Over 100 solar companies went bankrupt, and solar projects from California to Florida were shuttered in the middle of their development. Battery storage – a key component to offsetting the intermittency of wind and solar – also

FILE - In this July 27, 2018, file photo, the Dave Johnson coal-fired power plant is silhouetted against the morning sun in Glenrock, Wyo. AP Photo/J. David Ake saw projects stalled, along with at least one lawsuit filed against a storage company when its solution failed.

Despite the perils of ‘green’ energy dependence shown throughout Europe, the eco-left continues to double down on ridding America of traditional energy sources.

Supporting those efforts are ideologue billionaires, who continue to fund net-zero initiatives.

With activists entrenched in government bureaucracy, zealots running government agencies and rich men (and women) funding these efforts, only those educated in historical failures of decarbonization – and willing to stand up and fight back against the climate warriors – stand a chance of helping stem the attacks. Darwall’s study should be required reading for anyone looking to build a fortress in their state against job-killing, familyharming decarbonization efforts.

This article was originally published by RealClearEnergy and made available via RealClearWire.

This Week Today Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

9

Thursday, January 18, 2024

National, State and Local Temperature Checks

By Matt Meduri

National

Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead

Monday night’s Iowa Caucuses went over mostly as expected, but still resulted in a historic vote that not only cemented a certain profile of the electorate within the Republican Party, but also took out two contenders for the nomination.

Former President Donald Trump (R-FL) (pictured right) expectedly won the contest by a wide margin, as indicated by preelection polling. However, pundits and television anchors were still stunned to be able to project a winner as soon as the polls closed, a somewhat unusual occurrence for such a high-stakes race with several candidates on the ballot.

Thousands of Iowans braved hazardous driving conditions and negative double-digit temperatures to vote; the quartercentury-low turnout is attributed mostly to the weather.

Despite this, voters still handed Trump a commanding win. Not only did he capture a thirtypoint win, but he smashed the record for margin of victory in the Iowa Republican Caucuses since Bob Dole’s (R-KS) win in 1988.

Trump also not only managed to collect a majority of the vote - a difficult feat when three or more candidates are on the ballot (Monday’s caucuses featured eight) - but he became the first Republican in history to do so and the third person of either party to do so - behind Tom Harkin (D-IA) in 1992 and Al Gore (D-TN) in 2000.

Iowa, a state Republicans had lost in every election since 1988 to 2012, except in 2004, has lurched to the right in the Trump era. His near-tenpoint win in 2016 demonstrated the resonance of populist message with an ancestrally populist state that still retains its agrarian, small-town, evangelical profile. Trump produced a nearidentical margin in the state in 2020, showing that despite losing the election, Iowa remained firm in their newfound political identity.

Trump slightly underperformed polling aggregates, garnering 51% of the vote - 56,260 votes - instead of the 52.5% averaged estimate.

However, enthusiasm for the former president could hardly be considered anemic, as he outperformed his 2016 performance in almost all key demographics, except for Iowa Republicans who consider themselves “moderates.” Trump also struggled slightly among suburban voters, roughly a third of whom opted for him in the caucuses.

Trump carried all but one of Iowa’s ninety-nine counties. Johnson County, home to the University of Iowa, went to Haley by just a single vote: 1,271 to Trump’s 1,270.

Trump lost the 2016 Iowa Caucuses to Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) in what was considered an upset, but would catapult himself to the front with a routing win in the New Hampshire Primary.

Trump now attempts to defy history, as nonincumbent Republicans who have won the Iowa Caucuses rarely go on to secure the nomination, with the last GOP nominee to do so being George W. Bush (R-TX) in 2000.

Despite the historically large win, Trump’s win nonetheless arrived without much fanfare or surprise. The real contest from the start was for second place, one fought between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former United Nations Ambassador and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. Although Haley saw some positive momentum towards the end, DeSantis managed to narrowly take second place with 21.2% and 23,420 votes to Haley’s 19.1% and 21,085 votes.

While DeSantis can boast second place and Haley can find some success in a close finish, neither can truly revel in the fact at just how far behind Trump they placed.

Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (R-OH) did not pull off the upset for which he’s long been expecting, coming in fourth place with just 7.7% of the vote.

Trump’s apparent stronghold on GOP voters has not only helped define sects within the party, but also claimed two casualties within the field: Ramaswamy and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson. Hutchinson only fetched 191 votes for a paltry 0.2% of the statewide vote.

Ramaswamy suspended his campaign the night of the caucuses and endorsed Trump, stating that “from the beginning, there were two ‘America First’ candidates in the field,” meaning himself and Trump.

Hutchinson dropped out Tuesday morning; as of press time, he has made no endorsement.

The race now includes the three frontrunners, as well as Texas businessman and pastor Ryan Binkley, who despite only garnering 0.7% of the vote in Iowa, will continue on to New Hampshire for Monday’s primary.

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum suspended his campaign in December, but endorsed Trump on the eve of the Iowa Caucuses.

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie suspended his campaign two weeks before New Hampshire, where he was banking on a strong showing.

One state’s primary result is not enough with which to extrapolate data for the rest of the primary season, and certainly not the general election. The crowd now heads to New Hampshire, where the first-in-the-nation primary will test the candidates’ strengths among moderate voters. Haley has her sights set on a decent finish, or possibly a win in the Granite State, but a Trump win here would likely mean an even tougher path forward for the rest of the pack.

State In addition to proposing her budget for the 2025 fiscal year, Governor Kathy Hochul (D) announced her plans for a Friday trip to Washington, D.C., to plead for a “stronger border.”

The state and New York City have been gripped by the ongoing migrant crisis, which has put a strain on resources, shelters, and social services.

New York continues to carry the burden of sheltering more than 69,000 migrants,” said Hochul. “Since day one, I have said this is ultimately the responsibility of the federal government to address this crisis. Congress, the House of

Representatives in particular and the White House, must remain at the negotiating table until they restore the rule of law at our border, fix our asylum system, and provide relief to states like New York, who have been shouldering this burden for far too long…But until we see a change in federal policy that slows the flow of new arrivals, we’re going to be swimming against the tide.”

New York City is a declared sanctuary city, a city in which illegal immigrants are effectively protected from federal immigration laws and cannot be deported or prosecuted.

“We also know that companies won’t do business in New York if there are thousands of people sleeping on the streets, where the quality of life is dramatically impacted, because the city is forced to cut essential services,” Hochul continued.”We’re going to continue focusing on security work authorizations and put the migrants and asylum workers to work…Put them to work, that’s exactly what they came here for.”

Local Congressman Nick LaLota (R, NY-01) has sponsored the bipartisan Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) on the Beat Grant Program Reauthorization and Parity Act with Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (D, VA-07) to reauthorize law enforcement grants to aid the hiring of new officers and support efforts to improve community policing and training.

“As a dedicated advocate for public safety, community well-being, and our men and women in blue, I am proud to introduce bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the COPS on Beat Grants Program,” said LaLota. “Our legislation reflects a commitment to fostering stronger relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve and to public safety. By providing crucial resources and support through the COPS program, we empower our officers to proactively engage with residents, address local concerns, serve and protect the people, and build trust. This reauthorization underscores an unwavering belief in the importance of ensuring our law enforcement agencies have the tools they need to keep our neighborhoods safe and secure.”

LaLota also voted in favor of the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act, which would prevent the Department of Justice from “allowing defendants to enter quid-pro-quo agreements that entail donations to political groups in exchange for reduced fines and tax deductions. This legislation ensures settlement funds go only to the victims, injured parties in the dispute, or the Treasury.”

Legal settlements involving the federal government should not go to partisan groups of any party. Funneling dollars to political entities is a slap in the face to the American taxpayers,” said LaLota.

“Every penny from a federal settlement should go to defendants or the Treasury to pay down our trillions in national debt. The American people deserve 100% accountability and transparency from their government and the Settlement Slush Funds Act is a huge step in the right direction.”

The bill narrowly passed in the House, with 211 in favor and 197 against. No Republicans voted against the bill and no Democrats voted for it. Eight Republicans and sixteen Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D, NY-08), sat out the vote.

10

News Thursday, January 18, 2024

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Continued from front cover

The Gilgo Four: Heuermann Charged in Death of Fourth Gilgo Victim Heuermann’s attorney, Michael Brown, pleaded not guilty on behalf of his client in front of the Honorable Timothy Mazzei at the Suffolk County Courthouse in Riverhead on Tuesday morning. Heuermann, an architect with no prior criminal record, has been held without bail since his arrest in July and was remanded back to the county jail after the Tuesday hearing.

Heuermann’s ex-wife Asa Ellerup and their daughter Victoria attended the hearing, a first for them, but they did not respond to reporters.

Their inclusion in the hearing regarding Brainard-Barnes stems from the investigation’s obtaining of DNA linked to Ellerup found on the remains of BrainardBarnes.

Tierney reported that by using nuclear DNA testing, they can determine that the hair found on a belt buckle used to secure Brainard-Barnes’ body is “7.9 trillion times more likely to have come from a person genetically identical to Asa Ellerup’s SNP Genotype file than from an unrelated individual.”

However, cell phone billing records and credit card statements show that Heuermann’s wife and daughter were out of state during the disappearance of Brainard-Barnes. The pair checked into the Flagship Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on July 6, 2007, while Brainard-Barnes’ disappearance is said to have occurred on or about July 9, 2007. Heuermann then joined his wife and daughter in Atlantic City on July 13 by checking the family into a different hotel, the Club Wyndham Skyline Tower.

According to the bail letter, the timing of the Atlantic City trip allowed Heuermann “unfettered time to execute his plans for each victim without any fear that his family would uncover or learn of his involvement in these crimes.”

However, more shocking than the family’s close proximity to the crimes is that of Heuermann’s text message logs with sex workers, as well as his Internet search history leading up to his arrest.

Not only were disturbing DA Tierney addresses reporters after the hearing. (Credit Matt Meduri) searches made, with many examples falling under the umbrella of “torture porn,” and a told that the evidence is unsuitable for “The courthouse door should never verbatim search of “stories of rape audio.” nuclear DNA testing. This morning was the be shut to any woman who is victimized Heuermann used a fake alias and fake first time in more than thirteen years that, by gender violence,” said Allred. “Failing email addresses to conduct these searches, miraculously, nuclear DNA testing results to afford sex workers access to justice as well as numerous searches of escort have come forward.” sends a message to men who victimize advertisements. The email account is said Brown asserted that the results of the them that the victimizers may never face to have made these searches thousands of nuclear DNA testing and mitochondrial DNA consequences for their wrongful and times since April 2021. testing were “not very convincing,” claiming criminal acts.”

In addition, Heuermann made that the DNA testing places his client in “It is long overdue to provide justice for hundreds of searches regarding the Gilgo a pool of “thousands and thousands” of vulnerable women who are missing and Beach investigation, cell site analysis, and possible donors of the hair. murdered,” Allred added. “It will be for “how cell phone tracking is increasingly District Attorney Tierney remains the jury to decide if this defendant will be being used to solve crimes,” among other confident in the results of the testing. found guilty of the murder of Maureen search queries.

“Nuclear DNA existed in the hair since and the murder of other women for whom Finally, investigators uncovered they were first recovered in 2010 and now the defendant has been indicted. We look Heuermann’s use of file shredding the science has caught up,” Tierney said. “I forward to a fair trial for the defendant — software, possibly to cover up his searches would say that’s a good break for justice, a and justice for Maureen.” for Melissa Barthelemy’s prostitution good break for the investigation.” Tierney Maureen’s daughter, Nicolette, now advertisement. added that the technology is “cutting edge” twenty-four, spoke fondly of her mother.

Victoria Heuermann’s DNA was and “scientifically accepted in both the “Her loss drastically changed the obtained by an undercover agent who medical and forensic communities.” trajectory of my life,” she said. “There are tracked her on an LIRR train heading to The defendant’s DNA had been obtained countless times I needed her and she was Massapequa Park. The agent obtained from discarded pizza crusts and were not there. I remember she read to me every Heuermann’s discarded energy drink compared to strands of male hair found on night, and now I can no longer remember can at the station and the DNA was later the victims. the sound of her voice. I wish she was here compared to the DNA found on BrainardA press conference in the District today — but she was taken from us. I owe Barnes.

Attorney’s library followed the press so much to my mom, and I know that she Heuermann has been charged with conference with Brown. Joined with would want me to speak out for her in this second-degree murder in the death of Tierney was Suffolk County Sheriff Errol process and let everyone know who she Maureen Brainard-Barnes and continues Toulon (D), attorney Gloria Allred, who has really was.” to maintain his innocence. taken on high-profile and controversial Maureen’s sister, Melissa Cann, 39, “He has maintained his innocence cases, including, but not limited, to those emotionally reflected on her sister’s legacy, since day one,” Heuermann’s attorney defending prostitutes, and family members speaking of Maureen’s value as a sister, a Michael Brown told reporters after the of Maureen Brainard-Barnes. mother, and a daughter. hearing. “He’s looking forward to fighting “Maureen was an intellectual, a writer, “My life shattered with the confirmation these charges. All along, we have been an artistic person, and she cared very of Maureen’s death,” she said. “Today is deeply about the people she loved,” said another important chapter in the long Tierney. “She was a devoted sister, mother, pursuit of justice for Maureen. It has been and daughter, and she’s sorely missed by sixteen years since the last time I saw my those who loved her. I know I speak for sister and sixteen years since I heard her the entire task force when I say it’s been voice because, sixteen years ago, she was an honor and a privilege to work these silenced. Losing Maureen became a wound cases and to provide that small measure of that never truly heals.” closure for the family members.”

She added that her “amazing children” Tierney said that the charges continue will “forever be without their mother.” She to be allegations, and that he “looks forward also discussed how Maureen was inspired to proving the allegations in court,” but he to be a writer and “had her whole life ahead stated that “this case is about the victims, I of her.” just ask that you all keep that in mind.”

“She was only twenty-five years old,” she Attorney Gloria Allred is representing said. “Maureen would never get the chance Brainard-Barnes family as a victims’ right to show the world how talented she was. attorney. She said she is “honored to My family will never get the chance to know support them.” who Maureen would have been because Allred outlined her career in defending her life was tragically taken.” sex workers, saying that judges in the past The prosecution into Rex Heuermann have not afforded them protections from will continue, as will the probe into the rape or other forms of assault because of remaining victims of the Gilgo Beach their status as sex workers. murders.

Heuermann’s wife and daughter after the hearing. (Credit Matt Meduri)

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12

School Highlights Thursday, January 18, 2024

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Smithtown High School West Girls Lacrosse Team Gives Back The Smithtown West girls’ varsity lacrosse team coordinated efforts with the local Smithtown Food Pantry and collected needed items and food in time for the holiday season.

Some of the team members delivered the items during the holiday break to the pantry.

Smithtown Elementary Music to Their Ears Smithtown Elementary fifth graders received some great news, as 11 students were given some high musical honors.

Six students were accepted to the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association and one student was accepted to the Long Island String Festival Association.

The SCMEA All-County Festival is a series of concerts that include musicians in grades 5-10 throughout Suffolk County.

The Long Island String Festival brings together exceptional string players from school districts in Nassau and Suffolk counties to perform challenging orchestral pieces during a few days, culminating in a concert directed by esteemed conductors and educators.

Smithtown High School East Senior Named Regeneron Scholar Smithtown High School East senior Dylan Shen was named a top 300 Scholar in the 83rd Regeneron Science Talent Search.

The Regeneron Science Talent Search, is the nation’s most prestigious pre-college science and mathematics competition, recognizing the best and brightest young scientists for demonstrating exceptional scientific leadership potential Dylan’s project titled, “A Novel Algorithm for Measuring Forest Incursions Using Pixelated Remote Sensing Data,” involved creating an original computer program which exploits a rolling disc methodology that efficiently and swiftly analyzed deforestation areas.

“I am so excited for Dylan to be recognized for his novel work,” East Research Coordinator, Ms. Maria Zeitlin said. “It highlights that science is not portioned into sections such as environmentalists or coders, but rather, it is a collaborative endeavor of discovery.”

Dr. Stephanie O’Brien, Smithtown School District science director, added, “The dedication, passion, and unwavering perseverance demonstrated by Dylan and all students who submitted their work is truly commendable and deserves to be celebrated.”

Dylan Shen (pictured left in his senior portrait) will receive $2,000 and be eligible for the finalist selection on January 24. Additionally, the sponsor school will receive $2,000 to be used for the program.

School Highlights Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Thursday, January 18, 2024

13

MLK Education Throughout the Smithtown Central School District

Students throughout the Smithtown Central School District have been learning about the importance and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. At Mills Pond Elementary, Mrs. Passamonte’s second graders combined social studies, art, and ELA to complete projects. They read and discussed the Scholastic News article, “The Story of a Speech,” which discussed Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Students then wrote about his dream and connected it to a dream of their own. Students also received art materials to create his portrait.

Kindergartners and first graders at Mt. Pleasant Elementary learned about the activist’s legacy by sharing what their dream for the world is and how they can be peacemakers.

At Smithtown Elementary, kindergarten students also discussed what their dreams would be, which included more family time and sharing.

Finally, Nesaquake Middle School sixth grader Ava Rekus designed an MLK book recommendation bulletin board for the NMS Book Club this month.

Three Village Students Named Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholars

Ward Melville High School’s Bradley Kelton

Ward Melville High School students Bradley Kelton and Katherine Liang have been named as two of the top 300 scholars in the 2024 Regeneron Science Talent Search. The Science Talent Search is the nation’s most prestigious science research competition for high school students.

Scholars are chosen based on their outstanding research and innovation, leadership skills, community involvement and exceptional promise in the STEM fields. This year, they were selected from a pool of 2,162 applicants – the highest number of entrants since 1969.

Kelton’s research project, “Geochronologic and Dynamic Constraints on the Topographic Evolution and Critical Mineral Deposits of the Southwestern United States,” was completed at Stony Brook University. He studied the history of the Earth to better understand markers that may assist in the location of critical mineral deposits that are limited in supply, yet vital components of an array of technologies supporting the transition to green energy sources. Kelton created predictive models to map these critical mineral deposits. This work may contribute to independence in the rare earths market and help reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Liang completed her computer science project, “Differentially Private Deep Learning in Biomedical Research,” at Brookhaven National Labs, training artificial intelligence to streamline important sharing of healthcare records without compromising privacy.

Liang devised a way that training images can be shared to improve AI assisted scanning without revealing sensitive information about the patients from whom the images were derived. This project could revolutionize the methods by which doctors more accurately make diagnoses.

The 300 scholars were awarded $2,000 each. 40 finalists will be announced on January 24 and will compete for more than $1.8 million in awards during a weeklong competition in Washington, D.C. this March.

Ward Melville High School’s Katherine Liang

History

14

Thursday, January 18, 2024

America the Beautiful: How History Shapes our Electorate Guam - The Hub of the Pacific

By Matt Meduri

Guam’s earliest natives, called the Chamorro people, are estimated to have arrived on the island in around 1500 B.C. during the periods of migrations between the Oceanic islands. The first Europeans to reach Guam were Spaniards led by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. Guam would later be claimed by Spain in 1565 and the island would not be colonized until the 1600s. Five villages were then established, ushering in an era of Spanish culture and construction. Roads, ports, hospitals, and schools were built, and the Chamorro people were taught the Spanish language and introduced to Catholicism. Guam would then become a fairly small hub for trade and collaboration, attracting talent from Russia, France, and England in the forms of science and exploration. Agricultural reform brought cattle raising, such as deer and water buffalo from the Philippines and donkeys from Mexico.

Because of Spanish rules, and the island’s relative close proximity to Mexico, Guam retains aspects of Mexican and Latin culture today. Both Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands would inherit many aspects of Spanish culture during their near-three hundred years of Spanish rule.

20th Century History and Politics American Rule Guam was nonviolently captured by the U.S. in 1898 and was ceded by Spain by the Treaty of Paris. Guam became a portion of a telegraph line from the mainland to the Philippines, which the U.S. also governed at the time. In strengthening American presence overseas, and putting Japanese expansion in check, Guam became a crucial naval and military hub. Guam’s northern neighbors, the Northern Mariana Islands, became a Japanese territory after World War I, while Guam remained in American possession.

Close Japanese proximity would lead Japan to invade Guam at the same time they attacked Pearl Harbor. In addition to rising tensions of World War II, Japan’s aggression against the United States was mainly retaliatory. Japan had long been on a campaign of pillaging and conquering across Asia, notably remembered by the brutal Nanjing Massacre, otherwise known as the Rape of Nanking, in which hundreds of thousnads of Chinese civilians are estimated to have been killed by Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Japan would conquer their way to Southeast Asia, taking valuable resources and loot from Indonesia. However, the U.S. had placed embargoes against Japan out of protest for their actions across Asia. With that and the

This is the forty-seventh 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.

perimeter of the island, allowing for beautiful, pristine beaches, jungle hikes, and seaside resort towns. The seat of the tourism industry is Tumon, in the village of Tamuning, which contains major hotels, restaurants, and attractions.

Although the territories don’t have nearly as much of an effect on the country’s electoral system, it’s worth examining their histories, acquisitions, and the ways in which they do contribute to our republic. In addition to Guam’s unique set of voting rules, and its first-in-thenation tabulated results every election, it also served as the most crucial control point during the Pacific Theater of World War II. Early History - Land of the Chamorros

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Current Political Leanings A Unique Form of Government

U.S. governance of the Philippines, Japan elected to bomb Pearl Harbor and invade Guam.

Japan occupied Guam for almost three years, subjecting the native Chamorros to forced labor, family separation, incarceration, and even execution. The Second Battle of Guam began in July 1944, resulting in 18,000 Japanese casualties.

The U.S. also captured the Northern Mariana Islands during the operation. Guam’s military presence was then bolstered under American re-occupation, but the island faced near-total destruction after the war.

With the U.S. Navy retaking control of the island, Chamorro leaders sought true autonomy. The Guam Organic Act of 1950 established Guam as an unincorporated organized territory of the United States and established a civilian government for the first time in the island’s history. In 1968, Guam was then allowed to elect its own governors, and nearly four years later, a delegate to the United States House of Representatives.

The governor and the territorial legislature were the only two offices until the introduction of the lieutenant governor in 1971, the U.S. House delegate in 1972, the territorial auditor in 2000, and the attorney general in 2003. Guam’s political leanings were and continue to be a mixed bag entirely, but the territory leans Democratic today.

Carlos Camacho (R) was the first elected governor of Guam, and parties would share control of the governor’s mansion every four to eight years.

The office of the U.S. House delegate was first filled by Antonio B. Won Pat, a legendary Guamanian politician for whom the island’s only commercial airport is named. Only two Republicans have served in this capacity: Vicente Blaz from 1985 to 1992 and James Moylan since 2023.

Geography - Island of Warriors 1. Limestone Plateaus - The northern part of the island is relatively flat and is the source of most of the drinking water; home to the villages of Yigo and Dededo, as well as Andersen Air Force Base.

2. Alutom Formation - The center of the island that was sculpted long ago by volcanic activity. Home to the villages of Asan, Tamuning, Barrigada, and the capital Hagåtña.

3. Southern Mountains - The southern part of the island is defined by mountains, dramatic coastlines, and cliffs. Home to Umatac, Inarajan, Merizo, Agat, and Talofofo, as well as Mount Lam Lam, the tallest point on the island.

4. Coastal Lowlands - These lines the entire

Although Guam does not cast electoral votes in presidential elections, it has participated in a non-binding presidential straw poll in every election since 1980. It backed Jimmy Carter (D-GA) over Ronald Reagan (R-CA) by almost twenty points. It would back Reagan and George H.W. Bush (R-TX) in 1984 and 1988, respectively, then Bill Clinton (D-AR) in both of his 1992 and 1996 elections. It would narrowly back George Bush (R-TX) by just three points in 2000, but swing to him by almost thirty points in 2004. Barack Obama (D-IL) topped 70% of the vote in 2012, as did Hillary Clinton (D-NY) in 2016. Although Joe Biden (D-DE) won the straw poll in 2020, it was by a much more reduced margin; he beat Donald Trump (R-FL) by about thirteen points.

Since Guam is fifteen hours ahead of the mainland United States, its early results are often seen as indicators for what the rest of the results might entail. Guam has backed every presidential election winner, except for Carter in 1980 and Trump in 2016.

True to its indicator status, in 2023 it elected James Moylan (R) as its non-voting House delegate, the first time in thirty years a Republican has won the position. All territorial House delegates are able to sit on committees and sponsor legislation, but they cannot cast votes on the House floor.

Democrats currently control the Guam Legislature in a 9-6 majority and control all territory-wide offices, except for that of the Attorney General, held by Douglas Moylan (R). Republicans last controlled the Legislature in 2007 and last won a gubernatorial election in 2014, when Eddie Calvo (R) was re-elected in a landslide. His narrow election in 2010 saw the base of his support come from the central, more populated villages of the island.

Guam’s chief industry is that of tourism, followed by agriculture and construction. Defense remains a large sector on the island, with three military bases keeping Guam a strategic control point in the Pacific Ocean.

Similar to other U.S. territories, Guam has also had its own movements for statehood. The Commission on SelfDetermination (CSD) has for decades studied opinions on Guam’s political status. In 1982, 49% of voters chose to incorporate as a commonwealth. The ensuing runoff saw 73% of voters opting for commonwealth status over statehood. Only four states, plus the Northern Mariana Islands, identify as commonwealths, which don’t offer any significant change from that of statehood, except in name only.

Today, Guam remains an unincorporated territory despite its referendums. With a population of 170,000, Guam’s population and distance from the mainland are likely preclusions to its advancement of statehood in the eyes of Congress. Additionally, political interests keep the federal government out of the territory to an extent, allowing for more autonomy in local governance and dealings.

While it’s unlikely that Guam will become a state anytime soon, its first-in-the-nation general election results provide an interesting look at an extension of our country on the other side of the globe, as it continues to be a crucial military check in the Pacific.

Local Spotlight Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Thursday, January 18, 2024

15

Local Author Spotlight: Jesse James Wroblewski’s ‘Marketing for Supervillains’

By Kaitlyn Foley

Local author, Jesse James Wroblewski (pictured bottom) has transformed his marketing career into a business-help book, aiding everything from locallyowned businesses to corporations all over Long Island. Marketing for Supervillains was released in October 2023, intended for businesses who need a push in the right direction and to get out from under large brand competition, or as the author refers to them, “Super Brands.”

The Messenger was fortunate enough to have a conversation with Wroblewski about his book and the techniques he suggests in the marketing industry.

Wroblewski graduated from C.W. Post in 1998 and continued on to pursue physical therapy at St. Charles in Port Jefferson for years until he was introduced to the Internet. In his words, “the Internet hit me like a wave.” He found that his creative side connected with the Internet and made a career transition into marketing.

“I grew up in Ronkonkoma most of my life. Even though the mecca of marketing, New York City, is a mere sixty miles away, Long Island has its own ecosystem of business clientele,” says Wroblewski.

“Long Island clients typically require marketers like me to be much more nimble and scrappy opposed to NYC clients who characteristically have an endless budget. Thus, my marketing style was born.”

Wroblewski’s marketing style is evident throughout his book, creatively comparing brands to superheroes.

“Big brands are very much like superheroes. They have the public favor; they have big muscles which, in marketing, equates to big budgets,” explains Wroblewski. “When you are the new brand entering the market, you are underresourced. It would be absolutely foolish to go head-to-head with the ‘super brand’ in your vertical. Trying to outspend them, trying to do more social media, more SEO, etc., is a recipe for certain defeat. Much like a supervillain, you have to use your wits and be cunning and nimble in order to topple the superhero or, in this case, ‘super brand.’ This book teaches you how to think and how to act with what you have to achieve bigger results.”

Throughout the book, Wroblewski shares the ideals that he has learned throughout his career. However, it was also a way for him to commit to his techniques to the highest degree.

“One of the gurus I look to is David C. Baker. He said you don’t write a book to make money, you write a book to tell yourself how to think,” adds Wroblewski. David C. Baker is the author of best-selling business advice novels such as The Business of Expertise and Managing (Right) for the First Time.

“Marketing For Supervillains is all of the lessons and rules I’ve collected over the years but never had the discipline to fully commit to. Now that it is in writing, there is no turning back,” says Wroblewski.

It seems as though Wroblewski has implemented his lessons into the marketing plan for the book itself. In a large industry of business-help books and “how to run business”type manifestos, Wroblewski has found his niche and ran with it, just as his book recommends businesses to do. By comparing the industry of marketing to that of a Gotham City-type world, referring to big corporations as “superheroes” and small ones as “supervillains”, the author translates his marketing theories and techniques in an unforeseen way. Throughout the book, readers will connect with pop-culture references and examples to help better understand how his theories work within the business world.

“Marketing for Supervillains is a call to action for fellow marketers and business/brand owners to defend their creative and differentiated ideas,” says Wroblewski.

The entire book focuses on a technique the author calls “decommoditizing” a brand. He explains this idea as a way to

differentiate your smaller business from the industryleading brand that consumers are familiar with.

“Becoming commoditized is when your unique feature or benefit, which has typically helped you stand head and shoulders above the competition, becomes more commonplace,” explains Wroblewski.

“If the general public truly can’t tell the difference between your products or services versus the other competitive products and services being offered, they typically purchase based on lowest price. Finances aside, most business owners take tremendous pride by solving their clients’ problems. That pride quickly erodes away when that same business becomes a race to the bottom of how to solve those problems cheaper and faster.”

The author offers advice that will take the small businesses out from underneath the foot of its larger competitor and instead, stand tall beside it.

“Becoming meaningfully differentiated in the marketplace not only allows you to dominate your industry but, in many cases, charge a premium where your competitors are left feeding off of the scraps.

Once you are differentiated you are properly decommoditized,” adds Wroblewski.

This process seems daunting, especially for a small and locally-owned business that may not even know where to start. Wroblewski has certainly made it easier for our Long Island businesses to truly compete with the national brands that take over the minds of consumers.

“It’s a much needed pep talk for the marketing industry as well as a how-to guide on the extremely difficult task of figuring out what makes your business truly unique and how to convey that difference to the masses,” says Wroblewski.

Marketing for Supervillains is available on Amazon, Etsy, or Klindt’s Booksellers for around $20.00.

16

State News Thursday, January 18, 2024

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Local Electeds React to Hochul’s Budget Proposal

By Matt Meduri Just a week after her State of the State address, Governor Kathy Hochul (D) has unveiled her budget for the 2025 fiscal year.

New York has a unique budgetcrafting process compared to other states. While other states employ the legislature to create a budget for the governor’s approval or rejection, New York not only allows policy to be interwoven with budgetary measures, but also allows the governor outsized influence in developing the package.

The $223 billion budget is nearly a 5% increase from last year’s.

“This will be a $233 billion budget, accomplished without raising income taxes,” said Hochul.

“And today, New Yorkers will learn about how we’re presenting a solid, balanced budget without cuts or added burdens.”

According to the governor’s office, the state brought in $2.2 billion more than expected in tax returns, which the state has designated as a “surplus.” $1.7 billion will go to pre-payments for the 2025 fiscal year, and $500 million will go to state reserves to help with the migrant crisis.

However, a massive critique of the budget is the massive cut to local school districts, which would necessitate property tax increases for residents.

Almost two dozen districts across Suffolk are slated to lose their funding.

In the Smithtown, Brookhaven, Islip areas, such districts include: Three Village, Port Jefferson, Mount Sinai, Center Moriches, East Moriches, South Country, Islip, East Islip, Sayville, Bayport-Blue Point, Connetquot, West Islip, Smithtown, Kings Park, and Eastport-South Manor.

The Messenger reached out to local elected officials for their reactions to the budget’s provisions.

Congressman Nick LaLota (R-Amityville), Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport), and Anthony D’Esposito (R-Island Park) received a joint statement on the cutting of school district funding, while also spending $2.4 billion on the “selfinflicted migrant crisis.”

“It is shameful for Governor Hochul to propose a state budget with draconian cuts to over forty Long Island school districts while providing billions to pay for the ongoing migrant crisis. Implementing these debilitating spending cuts without addressing the underlying issue of sanctuary policies is a slap in the face to the taxpayers of New York,” the Congressman stated.

“Long Island students should not have to pay the price for our state’s failures. If the Governor wants to put our students last, then Albany must act immediately to right this injustice.”

Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R-Medford) of the Third District told The Messenger his approvals and disapprovals of the budget.

“It’s a positive development to see the governor finally addressing concerns that Republicans have been highlighting for years such as crime, affordability, and outmigration,” said DeStefano. “With a spending plan that she continues to increase every year—one we are already unable to afford—the outmigration trend will negatively affect our economy and our state in drastic ways. The governor’s plan to not increase personal income or business taxes is an attempt to stem population exodus, so we’ll have to pay close attention to see if this does the job.”

However, DeStefano pans the governor’s largest-in-state-history budget, with, what he says, “no plan to pay off our accruing multi-billion-dollar debt.”

DeStefano also mentioned the migrant crisis and her “continued push for her housing proposal continue to threaten our communities.”

“Governor Hochul dipped into our state’s reserves once again to increase funding for the migrant crisis that she and her colleagues enabled,” he said.

“The budget now includes billions of dollars for migrant housing, fulfilling her housing-plan fantasies she would otherwise be robbed of.”

DeStefano said he “would like to see more support for our local governments, public safety, and crime. Hochul can acknowledge that New Yorkers don’t feel safe, yet we still have cashless bail policies and fail to give our law enforcement enough support. Our first responders deserve more support, taxpayers deserve more control over their communities, and the

rise in crime needs to finally end.”

Over issues DeStefano said he would be willing to delay passage of the budget for, he mentioned the migrant crisis.

“We are talking about providing free healthcare, housing, legal services, documentation, and more to the same people who broke our nation’s immigration laws.

Taxpayers never signed up to raise a migrant, especially now when the cost of living has skyrocketed, and we have citizens sleeping on the streets.

Where’s the common sense in that?”

Senator Mario Mattera (R-St. James) of the Second District said that the budget is a “massively bloated plant that fails Long Island and our families.”

“At an unbelievable $233 billion, this budget is a whopping 4% larger than last year and somehow it still manages to penalize our children by decreasing school aid for schools deemed by Governor Hochul as being able to handle the hit,” said Mattera. “The cuts in education aid will result in either cuts in programs for our children or massive increases for our homeowners. This will negatively impact our students, our teachers and our families and it is not acceptable.”

“That loss of education aid for those selected by Governor Hochul is being reprioritized to pay for ongoing migrant fiasco - a cost of $2.4 billion,” Mattera continues. “Long Island will not stand by while being treated like New York’s ATM. New York State needs to invest in our children, invest in our infrastructure and get its financial house in order. Instead it seems that Governor Hochul is picking winners and losers.”

Senator Monica Martinez (D-Brentwood) of the Fourth District also responded to The Messenger’s request for comment.

“Governor Hochul’s executive budget is a lengthy document that demands careful analysis. My colleagues and I are committed to conducting a detailed review, considering the needs and concerns of the residents I represent in the Fourth Senatorial District,” said Martinez. “Once this comprehensive analysis is complete, I will be in a better position to provide a clear and informed perspective on the budget. I believe in the importance of responsible governance, and my focus is on ensuring that the budget aligns with the priorities and well-being of the people I serve.”

Assemblyman Keith Brown (R-Northport) says that he agrees with some aspects of the bill, but overall, there are “glaring problems.”

“Directing funding toward mental health care and the fight against the fentanyl and opioid crisis are two big things I support,” said Brown. “Tackling the opioid and fentanyl crisis head-on and drastically improving mental health services for individuals (especially our children and teens) have been and will continue to be top priorities of mine.”

However, Brown said he is opposed to the plan to “double the spending on aid for illegal migrants in New York City when so many New York families are struggling to make ends meet.”

“People are looking for financial security and support in the wake of COVID-19 and in the midst of the recession our state faces, yet illegal migrants continue to be prioritized over New York citizens. This needs to stop,” said Brown.

Brown also says that the reduction in school funding should not be part of the plan.

“Maintaining a standard that allows at least as much funding as was spent the previous year is critical, and this lack of support will be obvious,” said Brown. “In addition, as opposed to directing billions of dollars toward the migrant crisis, I wish more funding would have been considered for deserving programs that would benefit our struggling New York families.”

The budget will now be deliberated by the state legislature with an April 1 deadline. Last year’s budget was not approved until May as progressive Albany Democrats feuded with Governor Hochul over her attempts to amend bail law changes to restore judicial discretion.

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It’s Trump’s Party Now

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The desperately want to stop him. They want him in prison or worse. They call his supporters MAGA-Extremists. But it just doesn’t matter. In fact it makes President Trump stronger than ever. Iowa is proof.

Lowest temperatures in state caucus history. Snowstorms to boot. It didn’t matter. President Trump trounced all challengers with the biggest win in the Hawkeye state history, 51%, 98 of 99 counties.

Why? Easy. Two reasons.

The first is what Ronald Reagan taught us in 1979 in his race against the then, at the time, worst president. The Gipper asked one simple question: Are you better off than you were 4 years ago? It worked then, and it’s working now.

Just remove politics from the equation for a moment. Pick any aspect of government and ask Reagan’s question.

How’s the economy? Miss $1.98 gas prices? Shocked by 7% mortgage rates? What about crime? Fed up with hardened recidivist criminals walking free thanks to Democrat prosecutors and “Defend the Police” mayors? What about immigration? Had it with drone footage of hordes of illegals crossing the border daily, especially if you immigrated legally? Or what about the state of the world? After 4 years of peace under the 45th President, are you shocked by Biden’s surrender in Afghanistan, war in Ukraine, war in Israel, and the Iranians attacking US ships?

Right now, the 2016-2020 years look mighty good.

Then there’s the more important reason: Saving America.

The return of President Trump is being labeled by the “elite” as a fall into fascism, a dictatorship just over the horizon. Which is strange given that he already was President and didn’t do any of these things: • He didn’t call half of America “extremists” simply because they love America • He didn’t use the FBI to raid his predecessor’s private residence He didn’t arrest, leg-shackle, and strip search a former presidential aid to his predecessor His federal agencies didn’t illegally surveil innocent Americans more than 200,000 times • He didn’t sentence January 6 “insurrectionists” to more than 20 years in prison despite them not even being in Washington DC on that fateful day • He isn’t trying to illegally remove his political challenger’s name from election ballots • And he didn’t array a number of charges against the current Leader of the Opposition that totals more than 730 years in prison.

Biden and the Democrats did all of the above and much more. And now they are openly discussing using the military to counter the will of the American people should they choose to put President Trump back in the White House.

That is why Iowa. That is why the nomination is President Trump’s after one caucus, and has been his ever since he announced it from Mar a Lago over a year ago.

We’ve heard the cliché too many times to count: “This election is the most important in your lifetime!” This time it’s true.

If the millions of illegals are amnestied by the Democrats, turned overnight into indentured voters, if the FBI, DoJ, Jack Smith, Fani Willis, Judge Engoron, and Judge Chutkan can get away with using the awesome power of the state for transparent political purposes, if ballots can be cancelled unilaterally by Democrat-nominated judges or unelected secretaries of state, then we will have arrived at America as police-state. That is why even Iowa – which chose Ted Cruz in 2016 – wants Trump back. They want to be prosperous again. They want their families to be safe. And they don’t want to lose America.

That’s what happened last night. And these are the stakes.

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18

Around Town Thursday, January 18, 2024

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Moloney Family Funeral Home Announces Transition

Dan Moloney Jr., President of Moloney Family Funeral Homes, jointly announced with Peter G. Moloney, Vice President of the family business, that they have reached a mutual agreement for the transfer of Peter’s interests in the company to Dan. As a result of this decision, Peter and his son, Connor Moloney, have fully transitioned away from involvement in the Moloney Family business.

“It has been a privilege to care for the community and to work with great people throughout our years at Moloney’s,” said Peter and his son Connor. “While our commitment to serving the communities of Long Island

remains steadfast, after much consideration we have decided to pursue other opportunities on our own and we are excited about our future.”

“Our family has served the Long Island community for over ninety years. We look forward to continuing this relationship for generations to come,” said Dan Moloney Jr. Moloney Family Funeral Homes has been serving Long Island families across Suffolk County since 1933 at their seven locations, Lake Ronkonkoma, Holbrook, Bohemia, Hauppauge, Central Islip, Port Jefferson, and Center Moriches.

Expires 9/1/2024

Guest Column Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Overview - AMAC - The Association of Mature American Citizens

Thursday, January 18, 2024

Protecting Kids Isn’t ‘Book Banning,’ Just Common Sense

19

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

By David Lewis Schaefer | AMAC On January 4, the New York Times published a fullpage, illustrated story on “Picture Books Being Challenged in America,” portraying the supposed crisis as another instance of “book banning.” But a look at the nine books featured in the Times story paints a somewhat different picture (no pun intended) from what the prefatory text describes.

The story begins by noting that “the number of books removed from schools and challenged in libraries has risen sharply in the past three years,” including “many graphic novels written for teenagers.” It then reports that “picture books intended for young children have also been restricted, challenged, and removed,” with many of them, according to the “free speech” organization PEN America, featuring “protagonists who are L.G.B.T.Q. or people of color.”

While the story acknowledges that “those who push for restricting access to these titles say they are trying to protect children from topics that they’re not ready to stumble upon while alone in a library, or that they’re too young to encounter at all,” it also gives a hearing to those who favor making the books “available” to “young people” and say “it is crucial” for them “to learn about characters different from them and to see their own lives reflected on the page.”

Only in the very last sentence of the text do we learn that the “young people” in question are mostly “children who are 8 or younger.” (That’s why they’re picture books, after all.)

Of the nine children’s books mentioned in the Times story, seven focus on, or seek to normalize, gay relationships, including those involving gay marriage or adoption.

For instance, the book And Tango Makes Three was “made inaccessible to young students in a Florida school district” because it depicts a couple of male penguins in New York’s Central Park Zoo who raise a chick together in accordance with a state law “prohibiting instruction on sexual orientation” in lower grades.

Another book cited is Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag. Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office in California and a hero to the LGBTQ movement, is also known to have had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old boy while in his mid-30s.

A third book, cited by PEN as tied with the Milk book as “the most banned book of the 2021-22 school year,” features a transgender child and is “based on the experience of its co-author.”

Of the remaining six books, only two might be said to concern “persons of color.” The first reportedly “explores how children experience race in school, out in the world, and with their peers,” and it is not said to have been “banned” anywhere, only to have been mentioned on a website as a book that “might not be appropriate for young people because it contains ‘controversial racial commentary.’” The Times story does not report what the commentary was.

The second book relating to racial issues is a children’s adaptation of the Times’s own widely publicized 1619 Project, a work that has been broadly criticized by prominent historians ranging from conservatives to socialists for its distorted depiction of American history as centrally based on slavery and racial oppression.

It should be no wonder that Texas and Florida have prohibited this effort at propagandizing “children ages 7 to 10” from being assigned in schools.

Rather, what is lamentable is that no other states, whose governments should be concerned with inculcating attitudes of civic harmony and patriotism, have followed suit. (In its original form the 1619 Project is already being widely assigned in history classes for older students.)

But let’s remember, additionally, what the real issue is here. Not one of the foregoing books, or others like them, has been, or legally could be, “banned” from sale in the United States. Any parents who wish their children to be exposed to them are free to purchase them online, even if they aren’t available in local bookstores.

What is at issue, rather, is the endeavor of publicschool educators to shape the outlooks of young children regarding sexuality or America’s supposedly racist history, rather than leaving the enterprise of molding proper attitudes towards those themes to parents.

There will, of course, be plenty of time for students to learn about issues of race and slavery when they study U.S. history in upper grades – and where, one hopes, they will be exposed to views different from those of Times editors. Nor can one imagine that any child could be prevented, even before high school, from learning about issues of sexuality (in or out of the classroom). So, what’s the hurry?

To be charitable, let’s assume that the purpose of most of those insisting these books be included in school libraries and curricula is not to encourage kids, at an age when the very concept of sexuality is not normally on

their horizon, from rethinking their sexual orientation or identity, but just to promote tolerance rather than bigotry towards those who later turn out to be gay, or whose parents are.

The answer to this supposition, I believe, is simple. First of all, in every public policy decision, the interests of many need to be weighed against those of a few. Of course, no child deserves to be picked on or bullied, and it is part of a teacher’s duty to intervene when they observe such behavior.

But second, being taunted or ridiculed for some personal characteristic – one’s physical appearance, intellectual level, style of dress, economic situation, or lack of athletic capacity, for instance – is a universal aspect of childhood. If we are going to reorder a school’s curriculum or library holdings just to protect kids who come from families that are “unconventional” against such offenses, why not go further: how about adding books on how the offspring of conservative parents who live in heavily “blue” states, and vice-versa, are unjustly “persecuted” by their peers?

When it comes to the issue of race, some might respond that children

O N

ought to be taught to respect people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.

That indeed seems a worthy goal. But versions of the 1619 Project will hardly tend to promote racial concord, as opposed to resentment.

Let’s be frank: those who protest the elimination of books encouraging homosexuality or transgenderism or inculcating one-sidedly negative views of American history from public-school libraries tend to think of most parents as backward hicks, if not outright bigots, whose efforts at forming their children’s religious, moral, and even political views need to be counteracted by schools at the earliest possible age. Following the title of a book once famously authored by Hillary Clinton, they believe “it takes a village to raise a child.”

The battle continues to rage between those who think that the persons who bear the chief responsibility for their children’s moral development are their parents, and those who aim to reassign that responsibility to the leaders of our supposed national “community” – bureaucrats, educrats, and the denizens of PEN America.

S T A G E

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Bits & Pieces

20 WORD languish OF THE

Week Origin: Middle English (in the sense ‘become faint, feeble, or ill’): from Old French languiss-, lengthened stem of languir ‘languish’, from a variant of Latin languere, related to laxus ‘loose, lax’.

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Thursday, January 18, 2024

Pronounced lang·gwuhsh

verb Definition: to be or become feeble, weak, or enervated Example: “The candidate expected an Election Day bump, but languished behind his opponent.”

Synonyms: decay, droop, fade, weaken Antonyms: rally, rebound, gain Source: Merriam Webster

Hint: 2024 Golden Globe Winners

This Week in History Facts 1/18 January 18, 1942:

Word Ladder 1/18

The United States Government banned the sale of pre-sliced bread to save on the costs of labor and equipment throughout World War II. Putting a pause in the commonly used comparative, “this is the best thing since sliced bread!”

The aim of the game is to get from the given initial word to the given final word by changing only one letter per line. Note that every line must be a valid word.

Sometimes there are several possibilities.

Initial word: HEAD Final word: TAIL Goal: 6 words 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

January 22, 1973: One of the most monumental rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court was made when Roe V. Wade ended in a ruling that criminalizing abortion, in most instances, violated a woman’s constitutional right to privacy. This 1973 ruling transformed the conversation around abortion from a whisper to a political ground to stand on. Public reaction to Roe v. Wade took time to develop as the unique and unforeseen ruling paralyzed the masses. After the initial shock, opinions of pro-choice and pro-life in quite a few aspects of society, particularly politically. This ruling was overturned nearly 50 years later, on June 24, 2022 in Dobbs V. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, giving state governments the power to legalize abortion or not. This overruling sparked national outcry and debates on the basis of the overruling. The division between pro-life and pro-choice is more discordant than ever before.

6.

7.

8.

January 24, 1984:

9.

Steve Jobs introduced the first of Apple’s revolutionary computers, Macintosh.

In 40 years, there have been over 65 versions of the computer not including variations of the technology to add different types of computers.

10.

Check our Instagram @MessengerPapers and our Facebook for the answers to this week’s games.

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Local Spotlight Thursday, January 18, 2024

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Member Artist Showcase Exhibition at Mills Pond Gallery George Junker (Brentwood), Hillary Serota Needle (Dix Hills), Jacqueline DuBarry (Sound Beach), Jacques Garant (Port Jefferson), Jane Corrarino (East Setauket), Jeanette Martone (Bay Shore), Jim Minet (Nesconset), JoAnne Dumas (Wading River), John Hunt (Saint James), Joyce Bressler (Commack), Judy Stone (Coram), Karin Dutra (Port Jefferson), Kirsten DiGiovanni (Smithtown), Kusuma Bheemineni (Smithtown), Kyle Blumenthal (Stony Brook), Lisa Marie ScrimaCastelli (Sayville), Lori Scarlatos (St. James), Lou Deutsch (Stony Brook), Lynn Kinsella (Brookhaven), Lynn Staiano (Smithtown), M. Ellen Winter (East Northport), Madeline Stare (Smithtown), Mark Levine (Coram), Marsha Abrams (Stony Brook), Mary Waka (Ronkonkoma), Mary Ann Vetter (St. James), Matthew Lombardo (Kings Park), Merle McGarrett (Rocky Point), Michael Hennessey (Wading River),

Smithtown Township Arts Council is pleased to announce its annual Member Artist Showcase Exhibition celebrating the creativity and tapestry of talent that defines our communities. The exhibit runs January 27 through February 24 at Mills Pond Gallery, 660 Route 25A, St. James, NY. The public is invited to an opening reception on Saturday, January 27, 1:00p.m. to 4:00p.m. to meet the artists and enjoy their wonderful creations. Mills Pond Gallery is open Wednesday through Friday 10:00a.m. to 4:00p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 12:00p.m. to 4:00p.m. Admission to the Gallery is always free. For more information, call 631-862-6575, or visit www.millspondgallery.org.

Barbara Bilotta (Sound Beach), Barbara V. Jones (Greenlawn), Bobbie Ludwig (Port Jefferson Station), Carol Ceraso (Hauppauge), Constance Sloggat Wolf (Huntington), Debra Baker (South Setauket), Diane Oliva (Middle Island), Ellen Ferrigno (Port Jefferson), Eugene Adamowicz (Holbrook), Felecia Montfort (Melville), Frederic Mendelsohn (Port Jefferson), Gabriella Grama (Ronkonkoma),

The 87 exhibiting artists hail from 53 communities within Suffolk County, Nassau County, Queens, Yonkers, and Westchester.

The artwork was created in a wide variety of mediums including Acrylic, Alabaster, Bronze, Charcoal, Graphite, Conte, Gauche, Ink, Medium, Mixed Media, Monotype Print, Oil, Pastel, Pencil, Photography, Photomontage, Stained Glass Mosaic, Watercolor and Wood.

Exhibiting Artists from Suffolk: Angela Stratton (Selden), Anne Eckel (St. James), Annette Napolitano (Rocky Point),

Myungja Anna Koh (Stony Brook), Nicholas Valentino (West Babylon), Oscar Santiago (Selden), Pamela Waldroup (Kings Park), Patricia DiGiovanni (Nesconset), Patricia Morrison (Coram), Patty Yantz (Setauket), Paul Edelson (Poquott), Renee Caine (Holtsville), Robert Roehrig (East Setauket), Robert Tuska (Sound Beach), Robert Wallkam (Port Jefferson), Roberta Rodgers (Port Jefferson), Roger Kramer (Setauket), Ron Becker (Deer Park), Sean Pollock (Stony Brook), Sebastian McLaughlin (Smithtown), Shain Bard (Huntington Station), Stephen Shannon (Northport), Susan Guihan-Guasp (Ridge), Terry Tramantano (Sound Beach), Theodora Zavala (East Meadow), Thomas DiCicco (Smithtown), Tina Anthony (Northport), Tracey Alemaghides (St. James), and Tracy Mahler-Tekverk (Kings Park).

Sports Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

23

Thursday, January 18, 2024

New York Stars Make a Case for All-Star Weekend 2024

By James Haupt

As we approach the halfway mark and potentially ranked even higher. Randle, of the NBA season, All-Star weekend who is a 2x All-Star, has averaged 24.1 points, is almost upon us. It takes place from 9.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. He’s February 16 to February 18 and will been a huge part of the Knicks success this consist of the best players in the league year. competing against each other.

Bridges has averaged 21.3 points, 5.3 All-Star voting has been controversial rebounds, and 3.6 assists and has secured over the years as fans, players, and his spot as the best player on a team that coaches can never seem to fully agree is still very much in playoff contention. This on the most deserving players for the would be his first All-Star appearance if given game. This has led to the current voting the opportunity. system in place for the 2024 All-Star The voting for guards was definitely a game. tighter race. The Knicks’ Jalen Brunson Fan voting, which began on highlights this one for New York as he ranks December 19, will account for 50% of sixth in guard voting with 759,640 votes. the vote for the starters, which is only Brunson, who was snubbed from his first five players from each conference. The All-Star game last season, has made a case players and media then make up 25% to be an All-Star starter this year as he has each of the starters vote. been a top guard in the Eastern conference.

Stephen Curry as an all-star playing in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game Seven more players from each He has averaged 25.8 points and 6.4 assists on February 20, 2022. Photo is an original by Erik Drost conference will then be selected as per game this year. He has also been https://www.flickr.com/photos/edrost88/51916406429/ reserves by the coaches of the NBA extremely efficient, shooting 46.9% from rounding out the All-Star game rosters. the field and 42.4% from three-point range, On January 11, the second update for All-Star fan voting was released and it which compares to the shooting of Stephen Curry in his prime. revealed some familiar faces for New York fans.

The fan votes are not over yet as the next update will come on January 18 and Both the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets had players appear in the top 10 in the results will be revealed on January 25. These New York players have the chance the Eastern conference at their respective positions. to rise in the rankings over the next few weeks and potentially receive votes from In the frontcourt voting, which includes centers and forwards, Julius Randle of other players and the media in the process. the New York Knicks ranks eighth overall with 361,202 votes. Shortly behind him is Make sure to vote for Brunson, Randle, Bridges, and any other of your Brooklyn Nets’ Mikal Bridges with 297,934 votes. favorite New York Players for the 2024 All-Star game. In order to vote go to Both of these frontcourt players have proven they deserve to be on this list, http://vote.nba.com

‘Some of Suffolks’ Toughest Face Off’

By PJ Balzer

This past Tuesday evening, it was cold and rainy outside but just the opposite inside, as the Brentwood high school gymnasium was filled with approximately one thousand fans in attendance. The undefeated (11-0) William Floyd Colonials came to keep their undefeated record intact against the defending Suffolk Champions, Brentwood Indians (9-2).

Floyd came out guns blazing during an aggressive first quarter that put them ahead 17-8. They pulled ahead by as much as 12 points in the second quarter with notable jump shots and three-pointers by both Juwan Smith and Jermaine King.

Brentwood fought back, taking back 11 points at halftime, 30-29. Devon Snell and Devin Clarke led the run with Marques Dennis rallying his team with a dunk.

Floyd pulled ahead by ten three minutes into the third quarter with a three-pointer. The game remained close with back-andforth scoring by both the Colonials and Indians. Floyd pulled ahead by 6 points with 45 seconds left. Brentwood responded with a clutch three-pointer, bringing them up to three points. The Indians recovered the ball off an inbound pass and scoreed quickly. Joey McLaurin, the confident Colonials point guard, is fouled on the next drive, and sinks both free throws to put Floyd ahead by three. With 10 seconds left, Jake Yourison blocked the three-point attempt at the final buzzer to keep Floyd undefeated at 12-0.

Juwan Smith led Floyd with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Devon Snell led the scoring for Brentwood with 20 points. The two teams will see each other again in February at Floyd in the last game of the season before playoffs begin.

Messenger Spotlight

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Thursday, January 18, 2024

The Stakes Are High in

Theatre Three’s Stellar Production of

‘The Gin

Game’ Marci Bing and Bradlee Bing

By Cindi Sansone-Braff Brilliantly directed by Colleen Rebecca Britt, Theatre Three’s production of D.L. Coburn’s masterpiece “The Gin Game” is a must-see! This thought-provoking twoact, two-person tragicomedy opened on Broadway in 1977, directed by Mike Nichols and starring Hume Cronyn and his wife Jessica Tandy. Theatre Three’s noteworthy production features another husband-

precise and exacting that it comes off like a well-choreographed pas de deux, and the emotional stakes must be stacked so high that the characters appear to be engaged from start to finish in a duel-to-the-death war of the wills. “The Gin Game” smashingly succeeds on all these counts; therefore, it is not surprising that in 1978, Coburn garnered the Pulitzer Prize in Drama.

and-wife team, Bradlee E. Bing as the curmudgeon Weller Martin and Marci Bing as the prim and proper Fonsia Dorsey. The palatable onstage chemistry between the Bings is one of the highlights of this show.

Two-character plays must draw the audience in from the get-go and keep them riveted in their seats without relying on all the fanfare and fireworks associated with larger, more lavish productions. These twohander plays are theatre stripped down to the bare bones, demanding dazzling, evocative, and humorous dialogue that, although spoken, must sound like a masterful duet. The action must be so

As the audience enters the theatre, Weller Martin is already onstage. He is sitting at a card table on the sun porch of the Bentley Nursing Home, playing a game of solitaire. With its rain-stained walls, Randall Parson’s set design captured the deary, depressing atmosphere of this poorly staffed, run-down nursing home.

The card games played throughout serve as a metaphor for life’s challenges.

Weller and Fonsia show their hand by sparring, snarling, and swearing at each other, proving that words are weapons and angry, bitter ones will drive away those nearest and dearest to us. When the card

games heat up, and the two hit below the belt, the play takes a dark turn for the worse.

Bradlee Bing, with his expressive mannerisms and body language, gave a nuanced performance as Weller Martin, a hot-headed nursing home resident who fancies himself to be one of the best damn Gin players you’ll ever see. Bing has an innate sense of comedic timing, with a deadpan delivery that kept the audience in stitches.

Marci Bing was captivating as Fonsia Dorsey, a fragile and broken 71-year-old woman hellbent on hiding the painful truth of her existence. As her patience is continually tested by Weller, a big sore loser incapable of taking any responsibility for his actions, Fonsia reveals a side of herself that is as savage and self-sabotaging as her nemesis Weller. A less polished and seasoned actor might have considerable trouble bringing to life this slow-to-boil character who eventually explodes like an overstuffed pressure cooker, but Bing aced

the role, receiving several long rounds of applause throughout her performance.

This play leaves you with the impression that it isn’t the hand you are dealt, your skills or lack of them, or whether providence or sheer luck blesses your lot, but ultimately, it is how you handle whatever life throws your way that determines the quality of your life and relationships.

“The Gin Game” runs now through February 3, 2024. To purchase tickets to this outstanding show or for additional information, please visit www.Theatrethree. com or call the Box Office at 631-928-9100.

Cindi Sansone-Braff is an awardwinning playwright. She has a BFA in Theatre from UCONN and is a member of the Dramatists Guild. She is the author of “Grant Me a Higher Love,” “Why Good People Can’t Leave Bad Relationships,” and “Confessions of a Reluctant Long Island Psychic.” Her full-length Music Drama, “Beethoven, The Man, The Myth, The Music,” is published by Next Stage Press. www.Grantmeahigherlove.com.