Smithtown Messenger Archive Aug. 22, 2024

Suffolk PBA Endorses Trump, First Police Organization in New York to Back Former President

By Matt Meduri

The Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association (PBA) has made their endorsements in the 2024 presidential race: former President Donald Trump (R-FL).

Although the organization is relatively apolitical at the presidential level, the PBA and its large umbrella of public safety unions are largely vocal for their support of the former president. The PBA endorsed Trump in 2020 but sat out the 2016 election and others before it.

Elected officials, party leaders, candidates for office, and public safety leadership made their endorsement clear at a Saturday evening dinner in Jericho. Accepting the endorsement on behalf of Trump was Congressman Jim Jordan (R, OH-04), who chairs the powerful House Judiciary Committee and has been a staunch ally of the former president in Congress.

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Stump Pond Dam Breaks, Pond Emptying into Nissequogue River

By Matt Meduri

The remnants of Hurricane Ernesto took Suffolk County by surprise over the weekend and left a trail of unprecedented damage across the north shore.

Smithtown saw a long-standing landmark significantly altered by the storm: Stump Pond. The pond was created in 1798 by Isaac Blydenburgh to operate the mill that sat in what is now Blydenburgh County Park. The pond earned its name as the trees were chopped down but the stumps were left behind.

The sixty-foot dam could not withstand the torrential downpour, which is said to have dropped nearly a foot of water in just a couple hours. The pond is currently emptying into the Nissequogue River. The night of the storm saw Jericho Turnpike completely flooded from the hundreds of thousands of gallons of water flowing from the emptying pond. The stumps for which the pond is named are now exposed for the first time in 226 years.

As of now, the pond’s water is flowing under Jericho Turnpike.

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(Left center) Suffolk PBA President Civello presents the group’s endorsement of President Trump to Congressman Jim Jordan (R, OH-04) (Credit - Matt Meduri)

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Continued from front cover

Thursday, August 22, 2024

Stump Pond Dam Breaks, Pond Emptying into Nissequogue River

County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches), Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset), County Comptroller John Kennedy (R-Nesconset), and County and State emergency personnel held a press conference directly in front of the dam’s former location on Monday.

“This was a major catastrophe that was not expected,” said Romaine, adding that the storm was anticipated to inflict minor damage on Long Island and major damage in Connecticut. “We will restore Stump Pond. Our Department of Public Works (DPW) Commissioner has already begun the process of fast-tracking repairs and we have been in contact with the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on the project.”

“We originally estimated the damage to be at least $25 million, but that estimate is climbing to well over $50 million at this time,” said Romaine (pictured right). “We are going to be seeking federal and State aid. We’re going to work with the county, towns and villages to restore and build back much of what was damaged. We will build back, we will recover from the storm, and we will do what we have to to make sure that Suffolk remains the Suffolk that we know.”

“Our infrastructure, including the rail line and the train trestle in Smithtown, is in jeopardy, and the situation requires immediate attention. I am urging Governor Hochul to declare a state of emergency and provide the necessary funds to protect our residents and restore our community. We cannot wait for another disaster to strike,” said Senator Mario Mattera (R-St. James). “We need upgrades, inspections, and support now to ensure the safety and resilience of our infrastructure for the future. Our priority is keeping people safe and rebuilding what has been lost.”

Legislator Kennedy (pictured right) said that in just a couple of hours of being at Stump Pond, she witnessed an eight-foot drop, meaning the water level is decreasing rapidly as it exits the pond. She also called the large amounts of rainwater in the short period of time “unheard of.”

“In government, we have long-term plans, short-term plans, and then nature throws us a boomerang,” said Comptroller Kennedy. “Just looking at what I’ve seen and knowing what the costs are to rebuild, I wouldn’t be surprised if we go to $60 to $75 million [in damage]. We absolutely need Governor Hochul to move quickly for the emergency declaration.”

Kennedy added that Blydenburgh is the County’s oldest and largest park and that Suffolk County is still in its summer tourist season.

“We get thousands of people that come all season long to take benefit of this park. It has fishing, it’s a hiking destination,” said Kennedy (pictured below right). “We now have a safety-compromised situation here.”

The hydrology of the Nissequogue River now stands to be altered by the water from Stump Pond. Freshwater from the pond will meet brackish water in the river and eventually flow into the Long Island Sound. The headwaters of the river have crested at Paul T. Given Park. Councilman Tom Lohmann (R-Smithtown), Highway Superintendent Bob Murphy (R-St. James), and emergency response teams are working with Suffolk County FRES and the Planning Department to alleviate water conditions and prevent the river from cresting over Route 25A.

Town Hall took in four feet of water in the basement. The Parks Department Building in Kings Park also sustained flooding and damage.

Callahan’s Beach held up well in light of its new engineering. Only a few downed trees were reported. The elevation of Long Beach Road

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was also able to withstand the heavy rain.

Bonwit Shopping Center in Commack also sustained serious flooding in the parking lot, closing all the businesses in the plaza.

“We were fortunate in comparison to surrounding areas, much in part due to proactive measures and recent upgrades made to infrastructure, elevated roadways, and state-of-the-art engineering at Smithtown’s most vulnerable areas,” said Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R-Kings Park) (pictured left). “I want to commend our crews working throughout the night. Public Safety, Parks, and Highway teams have been working around the clock to clear, assess and repair the damage, in the wake of the storm, which was unpredicted by meteorologists. I also want to commend our volunteer Fire Departments, FRES, our Office of Emergency Management, and Fire Marshals who were out in these dangerous conditions overnight, performing water rescues, extracting stranded drivers, responding to emergency calls and assisting our neighbors in Stony Brook. Public Safety even used their drone to assist the Smithtown Fire Department boat to rescue two individuals who were stranded from a home. The level of communication, bravery and teamwork over these past twentyfour hours has been extraordinary. I would also like to commend County Executive Romaine for leaping into action immediately to declare a State of Emergency for the area. Finally, I’d recommend that everyone access the Town of Smithtown Mobile App for notifications regarding road detours, areas to avoid and updates on the storm cleanup. We will not stop until flooding concerns have been addressed, the roads are clear, and our residents can safely resume daily routines.”

New York State has developed an online form to allow residents to self-report damages to their homes and/or businesses. The purpose of the form is to collect information to help State and local officials identify supplemental damages to develop requests for available federal assistance programs. Reporting damage is voluntary and is not a substitute for a report to an insurance agency. Filing the report does not guarantee disaster relief assistance.

The form can be accessed at Smithtownny.gov/CivicAlerts. aspx?AID=2879 or by scanning this QR Code.

The Town advises residents to clear brush and debris from storm drains and fire hydrants, and keep any generators at least twenty feet away from a building with the exhaust facing away from the exterior wall to prevent CO2-poisoning.

Non-life threatening calls can be directed to the Department of Public Safety at 631-360-7553. Gas outages can be reported to the National Grid 24-hour hotline at 1-800-490-0045. Suspected gas leaks should be directed to 911.

Smithtown Fire Rescue Communications can be reached at 631-265-1500 for services within the Smithtown, Kings Park, and Hauppauge Fire Districts. EMS services in the St. James, Nesconset, and Nissequogue Fire Districts can be reached at 911. The Commack Fire District can be reached at 631-499-5777.

To report flooding or road concerns, contact the Highway Department at 631-360-7500.

For wildlife rescue and lost pets, contact the Smithtown Animal Shelter and Animal Control at 631-360-7575.

For the Senior Citizens Department, call 631-360-7616 and for the Office for People with Disabilities, call 631-360-7642.

For the County’s response and resources, turn to Page 10.

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County News

Next Generation Advisory Council Kicks Off the Year with Focus on Key Issues

By Cait Crudden

The Next Generation Advisory Council, a dynamic group of Millennials and Gen-Z advocates and leaders, held its first meeting of the year this past week, setting the stage for a series of discussions aimed at addressing the issues that matter most to younger generations on Long Island.

The council, comprised of individuals passionate about making meaningful changes in their communities, convened to strategize and plan for the year ahead, with a strong focus on engaging elected officials and community leaders in their efforts.

The meeting covered a range of critical topics that are particularly relevant to millennials and Gen-Z residents. Among the key issues discussed were affordable housing, the rising cost of living, taxes, environmental concerns, and the challenge of making Long Island a place where young people can afford to live and thrive. The council also highlighted the importance of increasing voter participation, especially with upcoming elections on the horizon.

One of the most significant outcomes of the meeting was the appointment of Sarah Zepeda as the new Chairwoman of the Next Generation Advisory Council. Zepeda, who serves as a legislative aide for Legislator Trish Bergin (R-East Islip), brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to ensuring that younger voices are heard in the corridors of power. She succeeds Ali Nazir in this role who will assist in any way to ensure the continued success of the Next Generation Advisory Council.

“I’m excited to give the younger generation a voice in government. I hope to provide a space for everyone to feel comfortable to voice their concerns and advocate for their beliefs,” said Zepeda.

Zepeda’s leadership was met with enthusiasm by council members, who praised her dedication to advocating for younger generations and her ability to connect with both peers and elected officials.

Suffolk County to include younger people in critical issues like housing and cost of living. A lot of young people have left Suffolk County and it’s critical that our elected officials are receptive to the ideas of those who want to stay here while making decisions that will impact their future”.

Another key topic was the importance of getting younger generations more involved in the political process. With the upcoming elections, the council wants to increase voter turnout among millennials and Gen Z, this is an issue that will continue to be discussed at the next meeting.

The meeting concluded with plans for the council’s next gathering, scheduled for October 8 at The Spotlight in Huntington. The Next Generation Advisory Council is poised to play a crucial role in shaping the future of Long Island, ensuring that the voices of younger residents are not only heard but acted upon in the halls of government.

One of the most pressing issues discussed during the meeting was the affordability crisis on Long Island. Council members expressed deep concern about the lack of affordable housing options and the overall high cost of living, which they believe are driving young people away from the region. The council plans to focus on advocating for policies that address these issues, including potential zoning reforms and incentives for affordable housing development.

A participant of the event, Sonny Bathija, remarked, “I would love to know how many more resources we have so us as entrepreneurs can contribute to affordable housing to communities in need of them and gain the insight of younger generations expectations”.

A member of the next generation meeting, Anthony Cacciato stated, “It’s a step in the right direction of

The Moloney Family

Ali Nazir and Sarah Zepeda

By Matt Meduri

County Advises on Storm Preparedness, Evac Plans for Guide Dogs and Pets

Although summer is coming to a close, hurricane season continues until November. County public safety leaders held a press conference at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge last Thursday afternoon to not only discuss storm preparedness for the general population, but also as it relates to service dogs and pets.

As pets are just as valued as family members as anyone else, the County sees it as a priority to include them in evacuation routes and shelters and encourages residents to include them in their plans. Service dogs are also encompassed in the County’s storm preparedness vision. Foundations such as Paws of War and America’s VetsDogs were also present with some faithful companions to help reinforce the County’s message.

“When storms come up, you have to ask yourself one question: ‘Am I ready?’” said Suffolk County Legislator Dominick Thorne (R-Patchogue), Chair of the Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Medical Services and Preparedness Committee. “Our County is ready.”

Thorne recommended several precautions for residents to take themselves, such as keeping a waterproof container with enough medication to last several weeks, compiling a note of medical history, keeping enough perishable foods, and keeping enough resources to weather the storm or even survive should electricity be unavailable.

“Our County is always ready regardless of what storm comes, but we cannot fight Mother Nature,” said Thorne. “It takes preplanning; it takes you to have a plan on where your family is going to be.”

Thorne also urged residents to heed warnings of evacuation should they arise.

“We simply cannot engage a whole fire-EMS team for folks who just refuse to evacuate, and there may come a point in any storm where we physically can’t,” said Thorne.

Thorne added that the County has already set up a plan with FRES and OEM that every campus of Suffolk Community College - Brentwood, Riverhead, and Selden - will accept animals in a shelter, service animal or not.

“It’s a plan we already have in place because we know how important our loved ones are, especially our animals,” concluded Thorne (pictured above)

Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa (C-Selden), Chair of the Veterans Committee, reinforced the message of the day.

“We care about our pets, and we want to make sure they’re treated and cared for in the ways they’re supposed to be,” said Caracappa. “Be cognizant. Let’s keep the health and safety of our pets at the forefront. We have to do for them what they can’t do for themselves.”

Acting Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services (FRES) Commissioner Rudy Sunderman said that in the height of hurricane season, “preparedness is key.”

“We are asking residents to be prepared, and of course, we cannot forget about our pets,” said Sunderman, gesturing to a table of pre-made to-go bags that residents should assemble in preparation for a storm or evacuation. To-go bags for pets were also recommended, filled with medication, food, dishes, and other necessities.

“Make sure you have dog food, and possibly, Beggin’ Strips,” said Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) (pictured above). “Have any other treats so we can keep our pets as calm as possible in this situation.”

The Suffolk County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) offered their “countdown to readiness” for residents’ storm preparedness.

“Number three: be informed. Number two: be prepared. Number one: know your zone,” said OEM Director Joe Trzepizur, adding that residents should text “suffolkalerts” to 67283. Doing so will sign up the petitioner for alerts regarding storm location and evacuation

routes. The service is available in Spanish as well by texting “suffolkespanol to the same number.

Trzepizur also suggested that residents register for Smart 911 by visiting smart911.com or downloading the app. On this platform, OEM provides more information to 911 dispatchers through device interconnectivity.

“The information that you choose to include is optional, but there’s room for your family [on the platform],” said Trzepizur. “This is a resilient community, so we encourage all residents to visit suffolkcounty. gov and go to the Fire Rescue page where you can get more information for who to call for help.”

Trzepizur added that flood zones are viewable on the platform as well. Residents can visit this page to know if they live on or near flood-prone waters.

The organization is also available on social media at Facebook and Instagram.

Marcelle Leis, Director of Veterans’ Services, spoke of her time in the Air National Guard and her deployment across Long Island during Superstorm Sandy, namely as it related to pets.

“We had to go into homes and neighborhoods where people would not leave their pets behind,” said Leis. “It’s equally important to know that Veterans are fiercely protective of the things they love, and pets are one of them.”

Executive Romaine said the County has been working to set up shelters throughout the county. A notice has been sent out to County workers that allow them to work at the shelters in times of emergency. Instead of reporting to their normal job, they would report to a shelter.

A representative for America’s VetDogs spoke on emergency preparedness as it relates to service animals.

“A service dog is not a pet and those with servicing guide dogs are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),” said the representative. “However, many of the tips we provide to our assistance dog handlers and volunteers are applicable to pets as well. Ensure that your home is marked with a rescue alert sticker to inform first responders about hazardous animals or animals inside. Keep collars and identification tags up to date, including your cell phone number.”

Rescue alert stickers can be obtained through guide dog foundations or through contacting your County Legislator’s office.

“Prepare an emergency kit with at least five days worth of food, water, and medical supplies for your animal. Store food in waterproof containers, include a first aid kit, and keep a backup supply of any required medications for your dog,” said the VetDogs representative. “Keep a copy of your dog’s medical record in a waterproof container and determine a place to go ahead of time.”

The representative urged that service dog and/or pet owners know where local boarding facilities and emergency shelters are and ensure that those facilities can accommodate animals. Suffolk County provides pet-friendly shelters and those can be found on the County’s website. However, all shelters must generally allow individuals with disabilities to be accompanied by their service animals.

Romaine (pictured bottom right) added that all eighteen County Legislators will receive those lists of shelters to disseminate to the public.

Romaine also called on the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) to work on burying power lines where applicable to avoid extended power outages due to storms.

“I was an active rescuer during Hurricane Sandy, and I cannot describe what we witnessed, trying to save animals. We witnessed some animals losing their lives because of it,” said Rob Misseri, President of Paws of War. “I wish every county could have this press conference because it’s going to save lives.”

“Even dogs who aren’t service dogs still serve us,” said Romaine. “Who else is going to wag their tail when you come home?”

Romaine and others greeted one such companion eager to meet all attendees, TeddE, the service dog in training.

Executive Romaine greets TeddE, the service dog in training

TeddE inspects The Messenger’s camera

2024 DNC Doesn’t Understand It’s Own Irony

The 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) has wrapped up and the election is officially on: former President Donald Trump (R-FL) and freshman Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) will face Vice President Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Governor Tim Walz (D-MN).

Americans were not eager for a rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden (D-DE), which would have been the first presidential rematch since 1952. But time will tell if Americans will be eager about Biden’s replacement at the top of the ticket in Harris.

There are three massive points of irony we’ve found in this convention, and the first lies in the sole purpose of the convention: to award delegates to a presidential nominee based on the popular vote.

For a party that talks an awful lot about abolishing the Electoral College, kneecapping the influence of big money in politics, and protecting “democracy” - obligatory “we are a republic” retort - they seem to be okay with the metrics of this convention.

We’ve discussed this before, but it’s worth reiterating. Biden had obvious cognitive and voter enthusiasm problems in 2020, but Democrats were able to ride the racial angst and chaos of the COVID-19 Pandemic to get him elected. His popularity quickly plummeted into the high-30s, low-40s shortly into his first term, with the disastrous and embarrassing Afghanistan withdrawal being the beginning of the end of his honeymoon phase. Democrats had every opportunity to open the door to a new frontrunner. They made it next to impossible for Congressman Dean Phillips (D, MN-03) and self-help author Marianna Williamson (D-CA) to propel themselves in the primary, and the same lack of courtesy was extended to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who in October, abandoned his primary bid for a long-shot, glass-mountain Independent campaign. Reports are now swirling that Kennedy will suspend his campaign and endorse Trump, with the candidate himself set to address the nation in Phoenix, Arizona, at 10:00a.m. Friday.

They had other options but doubled down on Biden. He predictably swept all delegates and seemed to be barrelling towards a re-election campaign for which only the deepest Democratic officials were enthusiastic.

Obviously, it all came crashing down after the debate, and their fear of a Donald Trump rout in tandem with down-ballot liabilities prompted them to stage an effective coup against the president.

Some Democrats we’ve spoken to argue that they “realized it wasn’t working” and had to change their strategy.

Except politics and transparency don’t work that way. We’re sure the left would be enraged if Trump was hemorrhaging in the polls and was replaced as quickly as his electability came crashing down. The people were given their choices, the party made sure to relay to the public that Biden was their guy, and they voted accordingly. They got upset about what they chose and decided to reshuffle the deck after discovering the dealer had a Blackjack instead of playing through and taking the loss.

It’s even more ironic that Biden’s sudden suspension didn’t seem to disappoint too many Democrats, despite him winning eighty-one million votes in 2020.

It’s a serious detriment to their credibility and their responsibility to their voters, their platforms, and the constituents they represent. It’s also completely disingenuous to the American public, as one of these candidates will end up running the country in just a few short months. Even Americans who can’t stand Democratic policies and principles will

still have a Democrat for president if Harris should win the election. It’s certainly not fair to the rest of the general public, especially third-party registrants or apolitical citizens, that party business flouted public opinion.

Yet they say Donald Trump is a threat to democracy. What’s ironic here is that they’re peddling the same alarmism that they did during the 2016 election. One could only speculate what a Trump presidency could have consisted of since he had never held elected office, but claims that he would start World War III, crash the economy, and take away everyone’s rights certainly didn’t pan out.

Now, the left is acting as if Trump didn’t do four years and are dusting off the same platitudes again.

Enter the next point of irony: the platform on which Harris and Walz are running.

Harris and company act as if she hasn’t been vice president for the last three-and-a-half years, yet she pledges to fix all of the problems that we saw emerge under her boss. Why couldn’t she have a hand in fixing problems of inflation, national security, and foreign policy? After all, she was a tie-breaking vote in the Senate for two years and she was immediately crowned Biden’s “Border Czar” after taking office, a claim that mass media is now trying to walk back while gaslighting the public that such a designation was never made.

It’s one thing to run on fixing the infinite problems a country faces, but it’s another to make the same vow when you’re already in a position to do something about it.

Democrats must seem to think that four more years of Biden-esque policy is what’s needed and desired amongst the public. If so, why isn’t Harris talking about how great things are? They tout Biden’s record and say he’ll go down as a great president, but find little to discuss when they get out on the street and talk to actual people who are struggling.

Finally, the irony of Harris running mate: Governor Tim Walz.

Walz was one of the few actors who made the United States an international embarrassment by failing to quell riots that resulted in two deaths, $500 million in damage, over 600 arrests, and damage to 1,500 properties. The five-day period resulted in the second-most destructive period of local unrest in U.S. history after the 1992 Los Angeles riots. He dragged his feet at getting the National Guard involved, placed blame on the Twin Cities’ mayors, and his wife even admitted to keeping windows open to smell the “burning tires” at the Governor’s Mansion.

Nothing says “the party of the people” quite like sitting in an ivory tower and taking in the unrest. And nothing says healing national divisions quite like a guy who couldn’t have been more ineffective if he tried when the largest metropolitan area in his state burned for almost a week.

To say that Walz has proven to be an unmitigated disaster for public safety would be an understatement. Suffolk County law enforcement feels similarly, as they became the first police organization in the state to throw their support behind Trump on Saturday.

The 2024 DNC and the Democratic ticket are encapsulated by the left’s lack of self-awareness and the irony within. We hope these instances of irony are simply relegated to the campaign trail and don’t seep into the White House. Neither side is perfect, but it feels markedly more difficult to feel accurately represented by a party governed by ironic principles and ouroboric ideals than the party who has run a strong campaign and never backed down for another nominee when it seemed defeat was certain.

American Elections Need Voter ID

By Congressman Nick LaLota

As a former Suffolk County Election Commissioner and an attorney who has studied the legal history of Voter ID laws, I understand the positive role that voter ID laws play in maintaining the integrity of our electoral process. We must ensure every American’s vote counts and that our elections are fair and transparent.

During my seven years as Suffolk Elections Commissioner, I successfully managed the complexities of voter roll maintenance and ballot accuracy. From my experience and studying fifty years of Voter ID laws across states, I’ve learned that election integrity depends on clear, consistent procedures. Contrary to Vice President Kamala Harris’ (D-CA) assertion that Voter ID laws are designed to disenfranchise voters, these laws are about safeguarding the sanctity of our votes and ensuring that every legitimate ballot is counted fairly and accurately. Voter ID would significantly reduce voter fraud by impersonation, which is particularly easy to commit in New York. A fraudster only needs to scribble a signature on the Poll Inspector’s iPad that vaguely resembles the valid voter’s signature, making it simple for someone to vote on behalf of another, such as a father for a son or a daughter for a mother. Practically, Voter ID would also streamline the check-in process at polling places, reducing delays caused by complex name spellings and allowing more valid voters to cast their ballots efficiently.

The future of American elections, in every state, should include Voter ID and the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act), which I strongly support, is a vital measure for securing our elections. This legislation seeks to standardize and enhance voter ID requirements nationwide. By establishing uniform standards for verifying voter identity, we can effectively prevent fraud and strengthen public trust in our electoral process.

Opponents of voter ID laws wrongly argue that they disenfranchise marginalized communities. While this may have been the case decades ago, it is no longer so.

Modern voter ID laws, modeled after the Indiana Voter ID law that was held to be constitutional by both conservative and liberal Supreme Court Justices, include provisions to ensure that every eligible voter can obtain the necessary identification without undue burdens like a fee or a long wait time. The SAVE Act addresses these concerns by providing options for those who may face difficulties in obtaining ID, ensuring that the process is fair and accessible to all.

The importance of voter ID cannot be overstated. It helps protect the integrity of our elections, deters fraudulent activity, and ensures that each citizen’s vote has the weight it deserves. By passing the SAVE Act, we take a significant step towards restoring confidence in our electoral system and upholding the democratic principles that define our nation.

In our pursuit of a more secure and transparent electoral process, let us remember that ensuring every vote is valid and every voter’s identity is confirmed is not just a matter of policy, but a matter of preserving the trust and integrity of our democracy. I urge my colleagues in Congress to support the SAVE Act and join me in this essential effort to protect our elections and honor every American’s right to vote.

Congressman Nick LaLota (R, NY-01) served as Commissioner of the Suffolk County Board of Elections from 2015 to 2021, where he worked diligently to make it easier to vote and harder to cheat in our democratic process.

The EU is Turning Europe into a Globalist, Orwellian, Marxist Society

By Steve Levy

The European Union threatening to punish Elon Musk, the owner of social media platform X (formerly Twitter), for posting an interview with Donald Trump may go down as the most underreported bombshell story of the decade.

Think about what just happened here. An elitist bureaucrat in Brussels, claiming to represent the power of a united Europe, declared that he will take it upon himself to impose penalties (which could possibly include bringing charges) against the owner of a social media platform if Musk posts an interview with the former United States president that the bureaucrat deems to include “disinformation.”

We would expect that from the Taliban, the Chinese Communist Party, or Vladimir Putin. But this is Europe we are talking about, for goodness’ sake.

We have entered into a scary, dystopian, Orwellian phase where this crazy reactionary stuff is not automatically receiving huge pushback from the civilized world.

Frighteningly, this undemocratic suppression of free speech is now becoming normalized in Europe, which was one of the vanguards of liberal democracy.

This is the type of event that was foretold by George Orwell in his 1949 novel 1984. He warned of a globalist, Big Brother society in which bureaucrats would control our thoughts and punish us with imprisonment or death if we dared to not only speak against the state, but to even think bad thoughts of the ruling party.

For many years, conservatives have been getting tarred by liberal elitists as conspiracy-theory-spouting, tin-hat-wearing yahoos for warning about the dangers of globalism. The liberal elite, who were getting rich off the flattening of the world economy, and the shipping of jobs to cheaper labor in Asia, did not mind this globalist trend, so long as they were lining their pockets in the process, and they controlled the political levers. And of course, they didn’t feel the fallout from the exporting of jobs as the millions in the American Rust Belt had.

But conservatives were smart enough to understand that ceding nationalistic control to a faceless conglomerate of international commissions was going to amount to an enormous loss of freedoms.

It’s no wonder that the globalist elites decry the term “nationalism” and tried to make it synonymous with “white nationalism,” which stood for Nazi intolerance. In fact, nationalism has nothing to do with white nationalism. It is simply the belief that a country has the right to maintain its own borders and to control its own destiny through the election of its own representatives within those borders. That is what democracy and self-determination are all about.

The Brits saw how globalism, as developed in the EU, was stripping British citizens of controlling their own destinies. Immigration levels were no longer controlled by the Brits themselves, but rather by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels. It led to the destruction of thousands of years of culture in many European nations. More alarmingly, it is now setting up a political structure whereby unelected, unaccountable political elites can tell people in nations far, far away what they can or cannot say, and what they can or cannot post.

Only the faraway bureaucrats have the seasoning, the intellectual capacity and the moral turpitude to make the discretionary decisions as to what is fact and what is misinformation, what is proper speech and what is so-called banned hate speech. It’s now so bad that hate speech is defined not only by what actually causes harm but what might cause harm. What a convenient way to control the speech of your political enemies.

Somewhere in Hell, Karl Marx is smiling.

Steve Levy is President of Common Sense Strategies, a political consulting firm. He served as Suffolk County Executive, as a NYS Assemblyman, and host of “The Steve Levy Radio Show.” He is the author of “Solutions to America’s Problems” and “Bias in the Media.” www.SteveLevy.info, Twitter: @SteveLevyNY, steve@ commonsensestrategies.com

Town

Santos Takes Plea Deal, Makes Tearful Statement to Press

By Matt Meduri

The tortuous and unprecedented political saga of ex-Congressman George Santos (R-Queens) has reached its (likely) penultimate development as the disgraced politician pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft at the Eastern District of New York Courthouse in Central Islip on Monday afternoon.

The plea comes after months of Santos insisting that he would not accept a plea deal.

Santos famously flipped NY-03 by a ninepoint margin in the 2022 midterms. The shift was seen as tectonic for northern Nassau and Queens.

Santos had not had the chance to function in Congress without being mired in scandal, as a December 2022 New York Times report raised questions about his background. Soon thereafter, it was revealed Santos had greatly embellished his personal net worth, his education, his business ventures, his heritage, and the experiences of his family, even bizarrely claiming that his mother was present in downtown Manhattan during the September 11 attacks, despite her not even being in the country on that date.

A May 2023 indictment slapped Santos with thirteen charges: seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives.

An October 2023 superseding indictment pinned more charges on the disgraced Congressman, who still held office at the time. It consisted of ten additional charges, including one count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, two counts of wire fraud, two counts of making materially false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), two counts of falsifying records submitted to obstruct the FEC, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of access device fraud.

The expulsion led to a February special election that saw former Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) win back his old seat over Nassau County Legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip (R-Great Neck) by about eight points.

Santos, while maintaining his innocence, quickly pivoted to a primary run against LaLota, before switching to an Independent campaign for NY-01. He suspended his bid in April, citing his concern of ticket-splitting votes between him and LaLota and “handing the House to the Dems.”

Santos was originally slated to go to federal trial in early September, but now avoids trial altogether, with a sentencing date slated for February 7.

Santos entered the Eastern District Court at around 3:00p.m. on Monday and returned outside about an hour later. Santos greeted the press and tearfully read a pre-written statement.

“This plea is not just an admission of guilt. It’s an acknowledgement that I need to be held accountable like any other American that breaks the law,” said an emotional Santos. “It is clear to me now that I allowed ambition to cloud my judgment, leading me to make decisions that were unethical. Pleading guilty is never a step I never imagined I would take, but it is a necessary one, because it is the right thing to do.”

Ex-Congressman George Santos

Charges alleged that Santos used donors’ credit card numbers for personal expenditures, such as Botox, nights out in Atlantic City, and designer apparel. He also allegedly reported fake loans to entice wealthy donors into making campaign contributions and diverted campaign funds for personal use.

Santos survived a November expulsion vote just after the superseding indictment was released.

After a lengthy investigation from the House Select Subcommittee on Ethics, which produced overwhelming evidence against him, Santos was expelled from Congress in December in a 311-114 vote spearheaded by Congressman Nick LaLota (R, NY-01). The historic expulsion is one of just six in the country’s history, the first for a Republican, and the first without a criminal conviction.

“This plea is not just an admission of guilt. It’s an acknowledgement that I need to be held accountable like any other American that breaks the law,” said an emotional Santos. “It is clear to me now that I allowed ambition to cloud my judgment, leading me to make decisions that were unethical. Pleading guilty is never a step I never imagined I would take, but it is a necessary one, because it is the right thing to do.”

Santos acknowledged his lack of responsibility owed to his constituents.

“It has been the proudest achievement of my life to represent you, and I believe I did so to the best of my abilities, but you also trusted me to represent you with honor and to uphold the values that are essential to our democracy, and in that regard, I failed you,” Santos told the press.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace, who has been prosecuting Santos, also addressed the press after Santos quickly departed following his emotional speech.

“After years of telling lies, former Congressman George Santos stood in the courthouse behind me and finally, under oath, told the truth,” said Peace. “And that truth is he is a criminal.”

Santos pled guilty to counts of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, as well as the crimes with which he was charged in the October 2023 superseding indictment, including making false statements to the FEC, applying for unemployment benefits to which he was not entitled, and making false statements and omissions on his financial statements to the House Ethics Committee.

Santos now faces a minimum prison sentence of two years, as the aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two-year minimum. He faces a maximum of twenty-two years with all other charges considered. However, Judge Joanna Seybert estimated the sentencing range to be between six and eight years.

Santos also agreed to pay restitution of at least $373,000. He is required to pay the restitution thirty days before his sentencing. Failure to do so could result in additional sanctions.

Santos is due back in court for sentencing on February 7.

George Santos talks with the press. (Credit - Matt Meduri)

George Santos exits the federal courthouse after pleading guilty. (Credit - Matt Meduri)

This Week Today

National, State and Local Temperature Checks

By Matt Meduri National

The Democratic National Convention finished business in Chicago on Thursday night, with closing speeches by Vice President Kamala Harris (D-CA) and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz (D-MN).

The convention featured notable speakers, such as former President Barack Obama (D-IL), former First Lady Michelle Obama, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and a host of other prominent Democratic figures.

The convention was also not as contentious as some might have assumed, with Harris easily sweeping the delegates on the first round of voting, avoiding a second ballot round for the first time since 1968 and keeping the superdelegates, a facet exclusive to Democratic presidential politics, on the bench.

Perhaps the most jarring comment from the convention was that of Michelle Obama’s insinuation that the presidency is a ‘black job.” The former First Lady discussed racism her family experienced when her husband was in office.

“For years, Donald Trump (R-FL) did everything in his power to try to make people fear us,” she said. “His limited narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people – who happen to be Black. Wait, I want to know – who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs’?”

The comment is tied to Trump’s strategy of campaigning among black voters, primarily as it relates to economic hardship faced by some black Americans in more economically destitute parts of the country. Her comments are also seen by some to be indirectly targeted at Trump’s criticism of Kamala Harris’ assertion that she is black, rather than Indian. Trump made the comment at a town hall-style event with black journalists in Chicago, stating Harris only “happened to turn black” a few years ago to better leverage the party’s standing with the demographic among whom Democrats hemorrhaged in polling before Joe Biden (D-DE) suspended his campaign.

Outside the convention, pro-Hamas protesters have taken to the streets to make their points on the Israel-Gaza conflict apparent. Biden, in his speech at the DNC, conceded that the protesters “have a point” when they say there have been too many civilian deaths. Protesters also took to burning American flags, while Chicago businesses bolstered windows with plywood ahead of the convention.

The 2024 election and the 2024 DNC also draw numerous parallels to those of 1968. Both incumbents presidents suspended their campaigns, both conventions were open, neither nominee had campaigned in the primaries and did not receive any popular votes, both conventions were held in Chicago, both took place during periods of domestic division and polarizing international conflicts, both Republican candidates had received more than one nomination at the time of the convention, both elections have featured a member of the Kennedy political scion, and both elections have featured a notable thirdparty candidate with broad national appeal.

The Trump-Biden ticket was set to be the first presidential rematch since 1956.

With the ticket set, the Harris-Walz and Trump-Vance election avoids a rematch, but sets up an election viewed as highly significant with an extraordinarily short runway.

Harris currently has narrow-todecent leads in national and state polling aggregates but most averages still fall within the margins of error.

Trump is set to hold a rally in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday, while Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) will appear in Valdosta, Georgia.

Harris appeared in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just north of Chicago for a campaign event coinciding with the convention.

Tuesday night also played host to some mostly inconsequential state and congressional primaries.

Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) won a tight Senate race to oust then-Senator Bill Nelson (D) in 2018. The win was somewhat surprising and is often described as the beginning of Florida’s rightward shift.

Scott fended off two primary challengers to sweep every county. He faces former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D) who represented FL-26, encompassing Monroe County, parts of Miami-Dade County, and the Florida Keys. MucarselPowell flipped the seat in 2018 but was ousted after just one term in 2020.

Scott starts as a favorite in the race, but faces relative unpopularity in Florida.

Incumbent House Republicans also secured renominations in Florida, with the most contentious race shaping up to be FL13, a district that includes most of Pinellas County (St. Petersburg) and parts of the Tampa Bay area.

FL-23 includes Boca Raton, Coral Springs, and most of Fort Lauderdale. Jared Moskowitz (D) won the open seat by a thin five-point margin in 2022. He might be somewhat safer this time, but he, as of now, appears to be the most endangered Florida Democrat. He faces Joe Kaufman (R), a national security professional who defeated five other Republicans in Tuesday’s primary. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) easily won the primary in Wyoming and now faces Scott Morrow (D) in November. He should have no problem winning a third-term in the most Republican state in the Union.

Perhaps the most important result

from Tuesday came from Alaska, where the relatively new top-four primary system allowed Mary Peltola (D) to become the first elected Democrat from Alaska’s at-large congressional district in over fifty years in 2022. The top-four primary system allows all candidates, regardless of party, to run on the same ballot. The top four votereceivers advance to the general election. If no candidate receives a majority, the lowest performer is eliminated and his/her votes are redistributed based on the voters’ second choices. The process continues until a candidate takes a majority.

Former Governor Sarah Palin (R) and Nick Begich III (R), a member of the Alaska political dynasty, split the votes in the 2022 special and general elections, allowing Peltola to win. This time, Begich ran alongside Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom (R).

Tuesday’s primary saw Peltola lead with 50% of the vote. Begich assumed 27%, and Dalhstrom took 20%. The fourth-place finisher is still undetermined, but the nine other candidates finished miles behind the top three names.

Peltola starts out as a slight favorite, but the race is certainly likely to become engaged.

State

Governor Kathy Hochul (D) has announced that by the end of the year, she will unveil a replacement plan for her stillshelved congestion pricing plan.

The plan has been discussed since Andrew Cuomo (D) was governor and was widely panned by Long Island residents and officials. Just weeks before its start in June, Hochul suspended the plan indefinitely, much to the shock and chagrin of transportation advocates and environmental leaders.

The plan was slated to charge drivers $15 for driving into Manhattan south of 60th Street, with higher, tiered pricing plans for commercial vehicles.

The Governor told Politico at the DNC in Chicago that she plans to announce the new plan by the end of the year since it requires the State Legislature to act on it once the new session begins in 2025.

However, Hochul conceded that she believes $15 is too high a fee for most New

Yorkers to afford. She also said that the move to suspend the plan was not related to elections, and that she and her team are studying other options.

New York State Republican Committee Chairman Ed Cox said that it’s still an “election-year gimmick” and that Hochul was “too weak to keep up the act in the face of fierce opposition from radicals in her own party.”

The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) claims that the delay of the plan puts a $16.5 billion hole in its capital budget and shelves accessibility and renovation projects for the city’s mass transit system.

Local

The Long Island congressional delegation has called on President Biden to address the ongoing deli meat listeria outbreak. So far, fifteen cases of the infection have been reported across New York State, including four on Long Island and six in New York City. The numbers reach into the dozens on a national scale and the outbreak has already claimed three fatalities.

Listeriosis is a bacterial infection caused by eating foods contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. There are about 1,600 cases and 260 deaths estimated each year, with the bacteria likelier to sicken pregnant women, newborns, senior citizens, and immunocompromised individuals. The bacteria is found in soil, water, vegetation, and animal feces.

The letter to Biden, penned by Congressmen Nick LaLota (R, NY-01), Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport), Anthony D’Esposito (R-Island Park), and Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) says that a Boar’s Head Provisions Company established in Jarratt, Virginia, recalled all of its liverwurst products that were suspected to have been infected.

The letter lists three questions the Congressmen believe must be answered by Biden to adequately shape their response to the outbreak.

The first question reads: “Reports indicate that FSIS is working with the CDC and state public health partners to investigate the multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections. The New York State Department of Health reports 14 cases, including two in Suffolk County and one in Nassau County. What steps has FSIS taken to deploy inspectors and investigators to hotspots like Suffolk County and Nassau County?”

The second question reads: Studies demonstrate that deli products sliced in retail shops often have a higher level of bacterial contamination than products prepared in deli meat factories. Approximately 83% of listeriosis cases caused by deli meats were associated with products sliced at retail. What steps has FSIS taken to update its Retail Listeria Monocytogenes Guidelines and work with public health partners and industry groups to improve its outreach since the current outbreak?”

The third question reads: “As noted above, the CDC says that the true number of sick people is likely higher and that some people may not receive medical care. What steps has the CDC taken to increase public awareness of the signs and symptoms of listeria during the current outbreak?”

A protestor burns an American flag outside the DNC in Chicago

By Matt Meduri

Suffolk County was taken by surprise over the weekend by remnants of Hurricane Ernesto, which brought close to a foot of rain in just under two hours. Damages are estimated to be upwards of $50 million and local leaders are petitioning Governor Kathy Hochul (D) for a state of emergency declaration and the federal government for disaster aid.

County News

Thursday, August 22, 2024

County Responds to Ernesto, Romaine Signs Emergency Declaration

County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) and many other elected officials and emergency response personnel have been touring the hardest-hit sites, mostly situated on the north shore. The most severe damage has consisted of the destruction of the dam at Stump Pond in Blydenburgh County Park and the emptying of Mill Pond in Stony Brook.

“We are seeing houses damaged, cesspools overflowing from floodwaters, personal items floating towards the Long Island Sound,” said Executive Romaine at Stump Pond. “In Rocky Point and Sound Beach, where you have hilly terrain leading to the south, we saw mudslides that covered the tops of cars with mud. Six-to-eight-foot mudslides encompassed those areas.”

The storm also flooded and closed major roadways, such as Bread and Cheese Hollow Road, Nicholls Road just north of Stony Brook University, and North Ocean Avenue/ Patchogue-Mt.Sinai Road (CR-83).

Romaine met with an aide for Senator Chuck Schumer (D) on Tuesday to discuss federal disaster relief. He has invited Governor Hochul to personally tour the damage or to send a representative.

“I know the Governor has many, many responsibilities in a state as big as ours, but she has a standing invitation should she ever want to come and visit the damaged or send someone from her office,” said Romaine. “We are more than willing to meet her and I personally will escort either her or whoever she might want to send to all the damaged sites so she can begin to understand the scope of damage that this storm caused.”

Acting Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services (FRES) Commissioner Rudy Sunderman said that as of 5:00 Monday morning, FRES personnel had responded to over 320 alarms and faced stranded vehicles, washed-out roadways, basement floodings, sinkholes, and a house fire.

“Governor Hochul (D) is aware of what’s going on. She has directed the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to start the process of gathering all the data that we need to ensure that we help Suffolk County recover as quickly as possible,” said Sunderman.

Officials also stated that County infrastructure cannot handle so much water in such a short period of time.

“We did not expect ten inches in a few hours. The best a storm drain can handle is four or five inches. The best a sump can handle is maybe seven or eight inches. That’s why multiple sumps have absolutely failed,” said Romaine. He mentioned the Rocky Point mudslides due to the failure of three sumps. He expects more sump failures to be found.

“It’s clear that the once-in-a-hundred year storm has been coming far too frequently for a hundred years and that obviously has something to do with the weather or the climate,” said Romaine.

The County is also aware of wildlife endangerment from the sudden changes to their habitats. Fish and snapping turtles have been found dead in multiple locations, namely the two ponds that have emptied. Stump Pond in Blydenburgh is home to the only indigenous trout population in Suffolk County.

The County implores residents to take photos of the damage, catalog losses, and get estimates of what it would cost to restore. He said that he hopes State and federal officials will follow his emergency declaration with those of their own so that residents can qualify for certain forms of disaster relief.

“Please, catalog your expenses and keep all your receipts,” Romaine told residents.

FRES Commissioner Sunderman also said to go to the County website, scan the QR Code, and fill out the form.

The website can accessed at this link: https:// suffolkcountyny.gov/ Alternatively, scan this QR Code to access the County website:

The damage self-reporting form can be found here https://survey123.arcgis. com/share/4f19503f107e4541acfc552514c0dbaa or by scanning this QR Code:

FRES Commissioner Rudy Sunderman (Credit - Matt Meduri)

County Executive Romaine

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Suffolk PBA Endorses Trump, First Police Organization in NY to Back Former President

“This was a no-brainer,” Suffolk PBA President Lou Civello told The Messenger. “I can tell you that the rank-and-file officers overwhelmingly support Donald Trump for president. They don’t feel supported by Joe Biden (D-DE) and they certainly have zero faith in Kamala Harris (D-CA).”

Civello said that aversion to Vice President Harris’ candidacy is due to her on-the-record statements of “defunding the police” and her intention to pull away from qualified immunity, which Civello states would be “crippling.”

“They feel that they are demonized by the current administration, and they feel that Donald Trump has their backs,” said Civello.

Civello also criticized Harris’ running mate, Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) for his record on public safety, primarily as it relates to his governance during the summer 2020 riots that saw upwards of $500 million in property damage.

“Tim Walz is an utter and complete failure. When you look at how he handled those riots, how police precincts were set on fire, it shows a complete lack of leadership,” said Civello. ”He could not be more of a dismal failure and it speaks to Kamala Harris’ candidacy that she would pick someone as radically left as he is. This is somebody that supported rioters and asked her followers to bail these rioters out.”

Civello added that with “no support for public safety and law enforcement, it really is a radicallyleft ticket.”

The program was headlined by New York Conservative Party Chair Gerard Kassar (C-Dyker Heights) and featured an array of speakers, concluding with Congressman Jordan himself.

time in Congress that was predicated by perhaps one of the biggest upsets of the 2022 midterms. D’Esposito flipped NY-04, a district that covers the southern half of Nassau County where Biden won by almost fifteen points. D’Esposito defeated former Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen (D-Baldwin) by just under four points to become the first Republican to represent NY-04 since 1997.

“I represent a district where Democrats outnumber Republicans by 70,000, but we win these seats, and we are going to win more seats, because we are on the right side of every issue,” D’Esposito told attendees. “We want to secure our border. We want to keep our community safe. We want to be energy independent. We want to stop the weaponization of our justice system. And together, we want to elect Donald Trump President of the United States.”

D’Esposito added that the viability of the modern Republican ticket on Long Island is because the caucus has “candidates from all walks of life” and “people who have real life experience.”

“We need to change direction; we need to set the tone as we did here on Long Island, a red oasis from all the nonsense that’s going on around us,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R-Atlantic Beach) (pictured above right) told attendees. Blakeman decried New York’s controversial bail reform laws, where he said “criminals have more rights than victims.” He also criticized the border policies under the current administration.

“We have a foreign invasion of our border, with millions of people coming here, and we don’t know who they are; they haven’t been vetted,” said Blakeman. “And unlike your grandparents and greatgrandparents, the people who come here don’t love America. They’ve been released from prisons in Venezuela, El Salvador, and Mexico, they’re coming from China, they’re coming from Iran, and they’re all military-age males. What does that tell you? This is truly an invasion of our country.”

Blakeman added Vice President Harris has “taken progressive liberalism to a new level.”

“Can you imagine that there was a Senator who was to the left of Bernie Sanders (I-VT)? That was Kamala Harris,” said Blakeman. He also humorously referred to the Democratic ticket, with the inclusion of Governor Walz, as a “waltz with two left feet.”

Congressman Anthony D’Esposito (pictured right) (R-Island Park) spoke of his

Jordan called the upcoming election “so, so basic,” in that it’s an analysis of polar, obvious opposites.

“We went from a secure border to no border. We went from safe streets to record crime. We went from $2 gas to $4 gas. We went from stable prices to record inflation,” said Jordan. “We went from President Trump, who projected strength from the Oval Office, under whom we didn’t have Russia go into Ukraine, where we didn’t have Hamas and Hezbollah attack our dearest and closest friend, the State of Israel. We went from a federal government where the agencies actually tried to serve the people versus being weaponized and attacking the very people they’re supposed to serve.”

“Law enforcement professionals, first responders, those who have run their own business, and those who know what it’s like to struggle,” said D’Esposito.

The Congressman also said Vice President Harris’ economic policy consists of what she intends to fix, but that it’s “all the mess that she created.”

“This is by far and away the most important election of our lifetime,” said D’Esposito. He stated that while many Republicans in Congress support the same values and ideas, it’s difficult for many of them to understand the idiosyncrasies and needs of every individual district, especially one as Democratic-leaning as his own.

However, he introduced someone who, in his words, does understand that “there are different districts with very different residents:” Congressman Jim Jordan.

Chairman Kassar (pictured right) called Jordan the “largest, loudest conservative voice in the House,” and likened the Conservative Party’s platform to that of Jordan’s House Freedom Caucus, a congressional caucus formed by conservatives and members of the Tea Party Movement in 2015. Jordan served as its first chair. The caucus has thirty-nine members in the House, all of whom are Republicans.

Jordan (pictured left) also invoked the words of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-AR) from her State of the Union response: “the divide in America today is normal versus crazy.”

“It’s crazy to defund the police. It’s crazy not to have a border. It’s crazy to think noncitizens should vote. It’s crazy to think men should compete against women in sports. It’s crazy to let a Chinese spy balloon fly clear across the country and then shoot it down.”

Jordan discussed the Trump Administration’s record of keeping promises and their methods of tracking which promises were made and kept.

“In one of the offices, they had a big whiteboard and it had every single promise that President Trump made to the American people when he ran for the job, and as they were getting them done, they were checking them off,” said Jordan. “He was doing what he said he would do and he did it with everyone in that town [Washington, D.C.] against him. Everyone in the press was against, every Democrat was against him, half the Republicans were against him. But maybe most importantly, all the bureaucracy was against him. And still, he said he would cut taxes, he did. He said he would reduce regulations, he did. He said he’d put conservatives on the court, he did. He said he would build the wall, he did. He said he would put the embassy in Jerusalem, he did.”

The moving of the embassy to Jerusalem, Jordan said, “laid the foundation” for other foreign policy achievements, such as the Abraham Accords.

“Personal liberty, protection of privacy, that’s really what the Conservative movement is about,” said Kassar, lauding Jordan’s upholding of such principles during his tenure in Congress.

“This is one of those elections where we’re going to determine if the left is going to continue to take us down the crazy road they want to go, or if we’re going to get back to the values and principles that make our country the greatest nation ever,” Jordan told attendees.

Jordan also said that despite years of legal haranguing during his time in office, namely the Robert Mueller investigation and the 2019 impeachment, the FBI raid on his home at Mar-A-Lago, as well as the recent Fani Willis indictment and the Jack Smith indictment, Trump’s attitude has been “amazing throughout.”

“The best way to beat him is not letting him play,” said Jordan.

Jordan said Trump’s attitude was perhaps best on display after the attempt on his life at a July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

“The poise, the character, the leadership literally under fire: he captured what’s great about this country. Americans fight back,” said Jordan. He highlighted American tenacity going back to the nation’s founding, as the first Pilgrims were willing to “risk it all” rather than face religious persecution, and

Photo credit: Matt Meduri

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Continued from previous page

August 22, 2024

Suffolk PBA Endorses Trump, First Police Organization in NY to Back Former President

if they were “willing to work hard,” they could “chase down” their “dreams and goals.”

“That’s what America has always offered its citizens. That’s what I think is at stake in this election,” said Jordan. “If the left continues to win, they’re going to take away that fundamental dynamic this country has always imparted on its people.”

Jordan commended all in attendance for “being off the sidelines and being in the game.” He gave an anecdote about a Jackson, Wyoming, business that held an event for congressional Republicans. In response, Patagonia Outdoor Clothing and Gear refused to continue supplying the store.

“Good things in life don’t just happen. You want to accomplish anything that matters, anything of meaning or significance, it takes time, it takes effort, it takes work,” said Jordan. “Most importantly, it takes a willingness to assume the risk associated with trying to do something worthwhile. Because if you step into the game and get in the arena, there’s the risk you’re going to get attacked.”

Suffolk PBA President Civello then addressed attendees and presented the official endorsement of Donald Trump to Congressman Jordan.

“We are the first law enforcement coalition in New York State to endorse President Donald J. Trump,” said Civello. “If you want to know what Kamala Harris’ vision is for our country, you need to look no further than here in New York. Look at any place that radical leftists have control. Here in New York, we have set free forty-two cop-killers. Not only did we set them free, but we celebrated them.”

Civello told the tale of Jalil Muntaqim, also known as Anthony Bottom, a former Black Panther who, at the age of sixteen, murdered two police officers. After serving nearly fifty years in prison, Bottom was paroled in 2020 and was invited to speak at SUNY Brockport, who advertised his attendance as “an intellectual conversation on his time with the Black Panthers and serving nearly fifty years as a political prisoner.”

Civello also criticized New York’s bail reform laws in what he called a “revolving door of justice,” where their “paperwork isn’t even finished before they’re [criminals] back out on the street.” He specifically mentioned the April dismemberment case, where schoolchildren found a dismembered corpse in a Babylon park, which results in the suspects being ineligible for bail due to the State’s laws.

“You think you maybe should have put dismembered corpses on the list of offenses that you can hold a criminal for?” Civello asked of Albany. Civello said that while the swing states are important, he does not intend to leave Long Island.

“I don’t damn well expect to leave my home, the place I was born and raised, or to secede to radical leftists who want to see it destroyed,” said Civello (pictured left). He said that such emphasis on New York will not be done in vain, as New York provided the path to a Republican House majority in 2022.

“We don’t care about party, we care about public safety. I care about the safety of my officers. I care about cop-killers being set free. I care about our border,” said Civello, expanding on the border issue by relating it to the fentanyl crisis currently gripping Suffolk County.

levels of crime. Under President Trump, we had stable prices and a growing economy, now we have record inflation. Under President Trump, we projected leadership and strength from the Oval Office, versus what we’ve seen from Biden-Harris, where Russia came into Ukraine, and Hamas and Hezbollah attacked our closest friend, the State of Israel. That’s what this election is about.”

“It’s wonderful to be here representing Smithtown. I think Donald Trump will be very successful in Suffolk County, especially in Smithtown,” Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R-Kings Park) told The Messenger. Smithtown is the only township in Suffolk County where Trump won every precinct.

“I believe he’ll do it again,” Wehrheim added.

Civello called the move a “slap in the face” to the deceased officers’ families and to “every single law enforcement officer in this state who has risked their lives every single day to protect the public.”

“We see the American children, the children here on Long Island, who are dying from fentanyl,” said Civello. “An open border has been a disaster for public safety, for law enforcement, and most importantly, for our children. Fentanyl is having a devastating effect, and here in New York State, in order to hold you on bail, you have to have enough fentanyl to kill a football stadium full of people. Tell me how that is a rational law.”

Civello also praised Trump’s visit to Brentwood shortly into his first term to meet with law enforcement leaders about the problems posed by MS-13.

“We may back the blue, but we need to paint this town red,” said Civello to thunderous applause.

The Messenger caught up with some of the attendees after the speeches concluded.

“Trump was a ‘bazillion’ times better than this Biden-Harris Administration,” Congressman Jordan told The Messenger “Under President Trump, we had safer streets, now we have record

“Long Island is going to be the battleground for the House,” Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) told The Messenger. “We’re going to have to run hard on the Conservative and Republican lines this year to hold those seats. I think everybody realizes how important Long Island is. It’s why the Speaker of the House [Mike Johnson (R, LA-04)] has been here half-a-dozen times since he became Speaker less than a year ago.”

Garbarino also discussed the ongoing battle for State and Local Tax (SALT) Deductions. ThenCongressmen Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) and Peter King (R-Seaford) voted against Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act for a negative impact on Long Island’s dependency on SALT deductions, as such high property taxes aren’t experienced in many other parts of the country. Garbarino, however, says that as more Republicans are aware of the issue and have seen similar needs in their states, it might prompt a new bill that includes an increased cap for such deductions, should Trump win in November.

“The good news is we’ve already started working on ideas,” said Garbarino, stating that the Ways and Means Committee is looking at individual tax deductions, including SALT.

Elected officials in attendance from Suffolk County included County Clerk Vincent Puleo (R-Nesconset) and Suffolk County Legislator Stephanie Bontempi (R-Centerport). Candidates for office included Mike Sapraicone (R-Upper Brookville) for U.S. Senate, Mike LiPetri (R-Farmingdale) for NY-03, Joe Cardinale (R-Amityville) for the Eleventh Assembly District, and Stephen Keily (R-Mattituck) for the First Assembly District.

Photo credit: Matt Meduri

(Left to right) Deputy Sheriff Phil Doukas and Congressman Jordan

The Necessary Standard for American Education

Elastic and Inelastic States

By Matt Meduri

Each election year, the conversation is typically dominated by the swing states, those that are usually perennially competitive, and the battlegrounds, those that may not be typically contentious but emerge as such in a given election cycle. Most pundits and outlets use these terms interchangeably, but we tend to classify them as separate ideas and to better highlight the unique electoral prospects afforded to either party each cycle.

But there is another element to a state’s electoral profile that can greatly influence its competitive nature: elasticity.

In short, elastic states are those that can swing wildly between two or more cycles. This doesn’t necessarily earn it the coveted title of “swing state,” but it essentially means there’s more ground that can be moved as opposed to the ground in an inelastic state.

Swing States and Battlegrounds

We’ll start by defining what states are most commonly agreed to be swing states and we’ll break down what the qualifiers are for the designation.

Loosely defined, a swing state is one that either party has a reasonable chance to win in a statewide election, typically carried over a period of time. The top swing states of the century, so far, include Nevada (6 electoral votes), New Hampshire (4), Pennsylvania (19), Ohio (17), Florida (30), and Iowa (6). Going back to 2000, these states were either hotly-contested and/or posted razor-thin results. Wisconsin (10), Michigan (15), North Carolina (16), Nebraska’s Second Congressional District (1), and Arizona (11) have emerged as relatively new swing states, as Republicans have carried Arizona in every election since 2000, except for 2020, and North Carolina in every election since 1980, except for 2008. Wisconsin, although competitive in the early 2000s, never made the shift until 2016, after having back every Democratic candidate since 1988. Michigan was in the same category, having backed every Democrat since 1992 and delivering large margins for Barack Obama (D-IL) in his two elections.

Florida, Iowa, and Ohio have been perennially-competitive states for decades, but appear to be moving off the map, as the new Republican guard consists of working-class whites, bluecollar, union households, and a strong Latino population. There’s a chance these states could become regularly competitive, or play host to one or two tight elections at the presidential level, but overall seem more or less out of reach for Democrats.

The same can be said for New Mexico (5), Virginia (13), Colorado (10), and Oregon (8), all states that were tightlydecided at the beginning of the century, but now have a clear preference of the two major parties. New Mexico and Virginia have shown indications of a renaissance, while Colorado and Oregon have moved markedly off the center of the competitive table.

Swing states are typically defined by demographics, predominantly as it relates to an urban-rural divide and the salience of economic issues over more obdurate stances on policy. In other words, a state’s populace that doesn’t feel overwhelmingly moved by hot-button issues is likely to be more regularly competitive.

Some of the aforementioned states fit into the battleground category. While these states might not pose realistic chances for either party each year, the thin margins and high floors of support a party might have in these states can help dictate the race. For Democratic-leaning states, battlegrounds include New Mexico, Virginia, Minnesota (10), and Maine (4 split). For Republican-leaning states, Texas (40) and Georgia (16) are states where Republicans might be able to rely on a decent level of support, but the races warrant watching. Battlegrounds might be stubborn in their roots for one party, or they might be shifting into safer territory after a few cycles of contention. These states might take certain policies more seriously than others and demographic voting blocs likely ensure one party continually has the upper hand. Having explored the differences and similarities between

these states likely to decide each presidential election, we’ll discuss the element that can make a state truly competitive.

Elasticity

This column will seek to address the long-forgotten concept of civics and how it relates to American government in general, from the federal level to the local level. This column will explore Constitutional rights, the inner workings of government, the electoral process, and the obligations and privileges of citizens.

Pioneered by FiveThirtyEight, elasticity measures how responsive states, and even congressional districts, are to the changes at the national level. Elasticity scores intend to show, by a point-for-point value, how much support one party could expect to gain based on their performance nationwide. An elastic state can be, although not necessarily so, prone to large shifts relative to the environment at large, while inelastic states are not likely to be moved much by national political winds.

The methodology for the elasticity scores are derived from a state’s demographic makeup: race, religion, and partisan identity are the big categories of concern. Unsurprisingly, elastic states tend to have more of a middle to court. These voters might be apathetic to certain hot-button issues, exclusively concerned on economy and national safety, or they might be voters who weigh their options carefully between the two parties. In swing states or battlegrounds that happen to be highly elastic, these voters often decide the elections overall

The important aspect to note is that elasticity does not necessarily entail competition, nor is it guaranteed that a state will mirror national results, no matter how much the environment swings between cycles. It’s just a metric to understand how volatile a state’s results could be in theory.

The elasticity metric is often used by campaign strategists to gauge their audiences and employ certain talking points, negatives versus positives, and invest in get-out-the-vote initiatives aimed at certain voters.

Elasticity scores are represented by decimal figures, with an integer of one being the control representative of the national environment. When a state’s score exceeds or is less than one, the remainder is indicative of that state’s expected swing relative to the environment.

For example, a state with an elasticity score of one means that the state is not expected to move very much based on the environment. As of 2020, Indiana and Kentucky, both solidlyRepublican states, have elasticity scores of 1.00. This means that neither state is expected to move much from their typical partisan lean in the event of a national swing.

According to FiveThirtyEight’s study, the most elastic state, based on 2020 results, is New Hampshire, with an elasticity score of 1.28. This means that for every one percentage point the national political mood shifts towards a party, New Hampshire is expected to move 1.28 percentage points in that same direction. In short, the elasticity score finds that New Hampshire is likely to vote farther left or right of the national environment, depending on the winner.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D-NY) won the national popular vote by 2.1% and she carried New Hampshire by just 0.37%. In 2020, Joe Biden (D-DE) won the popular vote by 4.5% and New Hampshire by 7.35%. The elasticity metric shows just how much more the state will swing relative to the environment, and New Hampshire’s voting patterns are similar in previous elections.

With New Hampshire as the most elastic state, Rhode Island follows at 1.26, Vermont at 1.23, Maine and Massachusetts tied at 1.17, and Hawaii at 1.15. Iowa comes in close at 1.13

Save for New Hampshire and Iowa, also the two earliest primaries on the calendar, the remaining states are solidly Democratic. Maine is considered a blue-leaning battleground that was surprisingly close in 2016 after being conspicuously absent from the campaign trail in 2008 and 2012. While preelection polling might not have detected a swing in Maine, the elasticity meter likely did.

What makes these states elastic is a large middle ground, fiscal conservatives, social liberals, and perennially high

turnout. These states often give third-party candidates large percentages of their votes. Republican states with high elasticity scores consist of Alaska, Idaho, and North Dakota, all states that do not fit into the evangelical fold of the GOP, and ones that flirt with third-parties much more.

Also of importance: Only three of these states are considered competitive at the presidential level. The others are overwhelmingly not. These are prime examples of how elasticity does not always predicate competitiveness.

Inelastic States

If a large “center” of the voting bloc and a politically-active base are indications of elastic states, then inelastic states are formed from mostly the opposite, although not always. Inelastic states are primarily those with much less middle to court, making campaign strategies turn to a game of reliable party base turnout over talking points that try to sway voters on certain issues.

These states might be more lock-solid in their beliefs on hotbutton issues, or they might be more ancestrally faithful to one political party. Tonal changes from the elephants and the donkeys over the years can also contribute to a state’s middle ground falling off and one party being clearly preferred over another.

As of 2020, the state with the lowest elasticity score is Mississippi at just 0.79. This means that for every one percentage point the nation swings, Mississippi will likely lag behind at around three-quarters of the rate. Mississippi is followed by Alabama at 0.81, Georgia at 0.84, Maryland at 0.87, and South Carolina at 0.88. Virginia isn’t far behind at 0.92 and North Carolina at 0.94.

Although not a state, the District of Columbia has the lowest elasticity score: 0.62.

For such inelastic states, we have an array of competition. Mississippi and Alabama are staunchly Republican, while South Carolina religiously backs the GOP, but by thinner margins than its Bible Belt neighbors. Maryland is one of the bluest states in the nation, while Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia all rest at varying levels of contention.

As stated before, ground game in these states comes to a party getting as many of its core voters to the polls on Election Day. The middle, while still existent in these states, does not stand to impose the same impact on the state’s results relative to how much they might swing nationwide.

As Independents can often decide elections, especially in the crucial suburbs, making inroads in inelastic states might be tougher than in one with significant nonpartisans.

New York, NY-01, and NY-02

New York’s elasticity score sits at 0.96, meaning that when the nation shifts one point in either direction, New York isn’t too far behind.

NY-01, encompassing the East End, Smithtown, most of Huntington, and northern and eastern Brookhaven, has a 2018 elasticity score of 1.02, meaning the independent voter might carry the district slightly beyond the national swing.

NY-02, including southern Brookhaven, Islip, Babylon, and parts of Oyster Bay, has a 2018 elasticity score of 1.01.

Again, elasticity does not necessarily mean competition, nor does inelasticity mean one party can easily rely on decent margins. It’s simply another way of looking at how just how idiosyncratic and unique our country is down to the local level

States shaded by elasticity, darker colors mean higher elasticity (states shaded to current partisan lean)

Statement from the Town on the Kings Park Railyard

Photo CreditMatt Meduri

In lieu of the recent Surface Transportation Board (STB) decision and an abundance of misleading and false information plaguing entire communities regarding the topic of Townline Rail, the Town of Smithtown has issued the following statement.

First and foremost, the Town is obligated to follow a process which is dictated by laws and municipal procedures. We will not be influenced by politically motivated intimidation, nor will we allow neighborhoods to be misled by activists with ulterior motives. If and when an application is submitted for any commercial, industrial or residential project, it will be fully vetted by planning, environmental and engineering professionals before ever being presented to the Town Board. Public comment and concerns documented by autonomous boards, planners, engineers and environmentalists are all required to be addressed during this process.

There is no application before any Town Department for Townline Rail. The application which has been referred to as the “Freight Yard” by many via mailers, flyers, and online social media has been solely under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government. If and when an application is submitted to the Town of Smithtown, every environmental, residential, and land use concern will be thoroughly addressed as the Town’s laws and procedures dictate.

There has been no endorsement nor opposition publicly issued by this Town Board for the Freight Yard. It would be entirely irresponsible, premature, and would likely result in costly litigation to speak out against a proposed or supposed project prior to having an official application submitted to the Towns respective departments.

There is a looming waste crisis which will result in total unaffordability for most residents throughout Suffolk County if a solution is not available by the time the Brookhaven landfill

closes. It is for this reason alone, which Town Officials have publicly stated that they support rail over trucking as a means for removing construction debris, storm waste, and ash off the Island. This is not an endorsement of any hypothetical plan to build a rail yard. However, without experts in the private sector, working towards offering potential solutions for municipal governments to consider, this will become a major economic and environmental crisis of which every resident of Smithtown and throughout the County will be negatively impacted by.

The concerns, heartfelt pleas, and dialogue the Town Board has heard over the course of the past year regarding the potential for the Townline Rail application to be submitted have been recorded. Furthermore, they have been heard and taken to heart by each and every member of the Administration. If and when an application for a Freight Yard is submitted to the Township, every single concern will be addressed in writing and available to the public for review. Every imaginable air, sea, and land environmental issue, will be addressed with arduous testing. Studies will be conducted and reviewed by state, county and municipal agencies, and available for public review. Public review also includes an open comment period at various phases of the EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) process, where residents will be able to once more share concerns and ask questions.

In conclusion, the Town Administration has documented every letter, public comment, fears, and concerns from the public and will update the public as information comes in, regarding this matter. The Townline Rail “Freight Yard” is currently in the process of filing paperwork with the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation, which would prompt reviews under the State Environmental Quality Review Act.

Young Achievers Earn Distinguished Youth Awards

A diverse group of young Suffolk residents were recognized for their efforts and achievements with the Suffolk County Legislature’s Distinguished Youth Award at a Tuesday afternoon ceremony in the Rose Caracappa Auditorium of the William H. Rogers Legislative Building.

The Award, open to all Suffolk County residents between the ages of 13-18, focuses on four categories: Volunteer Service, Personal Development, Exploration, and Physical Fitness. Based on the categories and level of achievement, these dedicated youths earned their Award Medal at the Gold, Silver, or Bronze level.

some of the brightest among us, able to repeatedly set and surpass personal goals across multiple disciplines. I am extremely proud of the three Award winners from my own Legislative District – all from Lindenhurst – who accomplished their goals. All who participate in the Distinguished Youth Award Program will surely find it to be a rewarding experience,” said McCaffrey.

Page 2 of 2 Young Achievers Earn Suffolk County Legislature’s Distinguished Youth Award

“As an elected official, I find it tremendously refreshing and motivating when youth take an active interest in bettering themselves and their community. In a time where we see so much negativity – be it on the news, on social media, and even in interpersonal communication, it is programs such as this Distinguished Youth Award and other good works that should be newsworthy,” said Presiding Officer Kevin J. McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst).

BACKGROUND, continued:

The Suffolk County Legislature’s Distinguished Youth Award (DYA) is a competitive, voluntary recognition program. It challenges Suffolk County’s youth to become more civically involved in their communities and to focus on activities that they enjoy, or have an interest in, for which they would like to improve their aptitude. The program focuses on four categories: Volunteer Service, Personal Development, Exploration and Physical Fitness.

Twenty-one students from seven different Legislative Districts completed the program, earning ten Gold, seven Silver, and four Bronze Award medals.

“The young men and women who complete this award program are truly

The DYA is open to all Suffolk County residents between the ages of 13-18. After registering for the program, participants spend the year laying out and reaching personal goals. A DYA Medal is earned by the participants through their hard work and dedication in accomplishing their established goals in the four program areas. Award levels are based on the number of program areas that participants select as part of their individual challenge.

The Suffolk County Legislature established the Distinguished Youth Award in 2017 to encourage positive youth development and to recognize young people as they become well-rounded and more civically engaged individuals. The resolution was adopted with bi-partisan support and charter approved on May 16, 2017.

The DYA is open to all Suffolk County residents between the ages of 13-18. After registering for the program, participants spend the year laying out and reaching personal goals. A DYA Medal is earned by the participants through their hard work and dedication in accomplishing their established goals in the four program areas. Award-levels are based on the number of program areas that participants select as part of their individual challenge.

The Suffolk County Legislature established the Distinguished Youth Award in 2017 to encourage positive youth development and to recognize young people as they become well-rounded and more civically engaged individuals. The resolution was adopted with bi-partisan support and charter approved on May 16, 2017.

By Hank Russell

Long Island Life & Politics

Brookhaven Concludes Shellfish Survey at Patchogue, Bellport Bays

The Town of Brookhaven recently concluded its annual shellfish survey at Patchogue and Bellport Bays in the Great South Bay. The survey measures the shellfish population, local water quality and its effectiveness in using the shellfish in filtering out the waterways.

From August 6 to August 20, the town counted and measured the number of shellfish in each of the 110 samples that were taken in Patchogue and Bellport Bays. The living species consisted of Mercenaria mercenaria (hard clam), Ensis directus (razor clam) and Tagelus plebeius (stout razor clam). The town’s Planning and Environmental Protection Department manages the shellfish in the bay and uses the information gathered as a tool to determine the progress of the town programs and natural processes. This year, the Parks Department provided the equipment to perform the sampling, and the Planning and Environmental Department provided the data collection and analysis regarding population densities, sediment types and species compositions.

at 1,600 square meters (400 meters x 400 meters). The center of the each grid is located by its longitude and latitude. The sample size was one-half of a cubic yard taken by a clam shell bucket dredge on a crane. Two grabs are taken near the center of each numbered grid. The sample is dropped into a large aluminum cull box into which three stacked screens of decreasing sizes and slid. Sediment is washed out using pumped sea water and each screen is examined for shellfish. Collected hard clams are measured and counted, other shellfish are counted.

On August 16, Town Supervisor Dan Panico (R-Center Moriches) and Deputy Supervisor Neil Foley (R-Blue Point) visited Sandspit Marina in Patchogue to survey the progress.

Brookhaven Town reported the hard clams were found to consist of multiple-year classes and fairly numerous, which could be attributed to the previously opened inlet in Bellport Bay. The razor clams and the stout razor clams were extremely numerous with numbers in excess of 300 per half a cubic meter for the stout razor clams. The town considered this as a “bonus” that will contribute greatly to the filtration of the embayments.

The embayments are divided into an array of grids, with each grid measured

“In order to evaluate the efficacy of our efforts, evaluate local water quality and provide meaningful data to the environmental community, we undertake this comprehensive annual survey,” said Panico. “I’m proud of the employees in our environmental protection and parks divisions who undertake the effort. We all share a deep commitment to our environment.”

Foley added, “As the Councilman for the 5th district, which includes much of the Great South Bay, I’m pleased to share the results of our recent Shellfish Survey. From August 6 to 20, we collected 110 samples in Patchogue and Bellport Bays. The findings show multiple year classes of hard clams and a remarkable abundance of razor clams. These results are vital for our ongoing efforts to protect and enhance our local shellfish populations.”

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15 States Sue Biden-Harris Administration for Enrolling Noncitizens in Obamacare

By Bethany Blankley | AMAC Outside Contributor

A coalition of states led by Kansas has sued the Biden-Harris administration to block the federal government from providing free health care through the taxpayer-funded Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, to foreign nationals in the U.S. illegally.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota Western Division and was joined by attorneys general from 14 states. The U.S. government and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are named as defendants.

At issue is a CMS final rule change called, “Clarifying the Eligibility of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Recipients and Certain Other NonCitizens for a Qualified Health Plan Through an Exchange, Advance Payments of the Premium Tax Credit, CostSharing Reductions, a Basic Health Program.” In it, CMS redefines the legal term of “lawfully present” to include DACA recipients.

When Congress enacted the ACA, it limited eligibility only to “citizen[s] or national[s] of the United States [and] aliens lawfully present in the United States.” By changing the definition of “lawfully present” to include DACA recipients, CMS is enabling them to have access to taxpayerfunded ACA coverage. Doing so violates the Administrative Procedures Act, federal law that prohibits taxpayer-funded benefits from being given to illegal foreign nationals, and the Affordable Care Act, the complaint states.

Congress has already limited eligibility coverage, which excludes DACA recipients. Additionally, “DACA recipients are, by definition, unlawfully present in the United States,” the complaint states. “Indeed, eligibility for DACA requires unlawful presence in the United States.”

Former President Barack Obama created DACA through executive order in 2012. It shielded children from deportation who were brought into the country illegally by their parents and has been in litigation for 12 years. A federal judge has twice ruled DACA is illegal. The most recent ruling was in a multi-state lawsuit led by Texas to end DACA once and for all, The Center Square reported. The U.S. Supreme Court is ultimately expected to decide the case.

Numerous reports suggest between 700,000 and 800,000 DACA recipients live in the U.S. The Los Angeles Times reports there are 578,680 on record with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services as of March 2023.

In June, President Joe Biden announced he was expanding deportation protections for DACA recipients and streamlining request waivers to make it easier for them to obtain temporary visas, The Center Square reported. DACA supporters argue recipients should be granted citizenship, claiming they contribute to the U.S. economy and are constructive members of society.

“Illegal aliens shouldn’t get a free pass into our country, they shouldn’t receive taxpayer benefits when they arrive, and the Biden-Harris administration shouldn’t get a free pass to violate federal law.”

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach

Others argue those with criminal records, at a minimum, should be deported. Within the first five years of the program, nearly 80,000 DACA recipients were released into the U.S. with arrest records, The Center Square reported.

“Illegal aliens shouldn’t get a free pass into our country,” Kobach said. “They shouldn’t receive taxpayer benefits when they arrive, and the Biden-Harris administration shouldn’t get a free pass to violate federal law. That’s why I am leading a multistate lawsuit to stop this illegal regulation from going into effect.”

If the CMS final rule takes effect Nov. 1, more than 200,000 DACA recipients would automatically become eligible for taxpayer-subsidized health plans nationwide.

Overview - AMAC -

The Association of Mature American Citizens

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

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

The lawsuit cites data from the Migration Policy Institute, Pew Research Center and others to estimate how many illegal foreign nationals are estimated to receive public benefits and the associated costs to taxpayers in each of the plaintiff states.

The lawsuit asks the court to postpone the effective date of the rule, vacate it, enjoin the defendants from implementing it and award plaintiff attorneys the costs of their fees.

Joining Kobach are the attorneys general representing Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Virginia.

August 22, 2024

WORD OF THE Week QUALM

Origin: early 16th century (in the sense ‘momentary sick feeling’): perhaps related to Old English cw(e)alm ‘pain’, of Germanic origin.

Source: Oxford Languages

Synonyms: doubt, reservation, concern

Antonyms: certainty, confidence, sureness

noun

Pronounced: kwaam

Definition: an uneasy feeling of doubt, worry, or fear, especially about one’s own conduct; a misgiving.

Example: “She had serious qualms about taking the promotion.”

WORD WHEEL

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

I M E G A X

SUDOKU

August 28, 1963: Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his “I have a dream” speech addressing the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom civil rights march at Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.

August 26, 1951: Film “An American In Paris” with music by George Gershwin, directed by Vincente Minnelli, starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron premieres in London (Academy Awards Best Picture, 1952)

This Week in History

August 22, 1945: Vietnam conflict begins as Ho Chi Minh leads a successful coup

August 27, 1776: British defeat Americans in Battle of Long Island

August 25, 1917 Alice Stoll, American research physiologist and pioneer in aerospace medicine (fire-resistant fabrics), born on Long Island (d. 2014)

August 24, 1995: Fire that wipes 6,000 acres begins in Hamptons on Long Island

August 23, 1933: First televised boxing match — six-round exhibition at Broadcasting House in London between middleweights Archie Sexton and Lauri Raiteri; aired by BBC-TV

Winter is Coming, Know Your Heating Oil

By John Rose

Ever wonder about the oil that gets pumped into your tank at home?

Here are some need-to-know facts.

It’s called No. 2 Fuel Oil. Compared to all other heating sources, home heating oil burns the hottest and will heat your home faster than any other fuel type. As compared to years past, today’s heating oil is 90 - 95% cleaner than it was in the 1970s. This causes less of that dreaded sludge that clogs your burner up when you happen to run short on oil. In addition, its sulfur content has been reduced by 93% since the late 80s. A gallon of heating oil produces 35% more heat than a gallon of natural gas. Though natural gas is slightly cheaper than oil, oil goes much further for the money.

Shopping for oil can be tricky. There are cash on delivery (C.O.D) websites that compare local oil companies prices. They are best used to get an idea of the average cost of oil for that day as the oil prices do fluctuate dramatically from day to day. Once you have an idea of what prices are for that day, it’s best to shop for a local neighborhood oil company you can get on the phone with, talk to, and establish a relationship with to ensure you are never taken advantage of. Even local companies will have a price spread between them as they try to compete in the market and the consumer benefits from that competition.

A local company can be more competitive, especially a COD dealer, because there are no contracts involved. If you sign with a larger company and include a service contract, you could be paying in excess of a dollar more per gallon to cover their contractual obligations to you. You are better off with a COD delivery and finding an independent burner company to service your burner as, in the end, that will come out cheaper. Just remember to service your oil burner at least once a year and you won’t need the expensive contract. Stay away from the big conglomerate oil companies, as they do you no favors on pricing.

A simple tip for if and when that emergency happens where you run out of oil in the dead of winter and you can’t get oil delivered fast enough: get a five-gallon container, go to your local gas station, and fill it with diesel fuel, like you would use in trucks. Diesel and No. 2 home heating oil are the same thing. Put the diesel fuel in your oil tank and fire up your burner, so you, your family, and your pipes stay warm until the delivery truck gets to you.

Home heating oil is safe, clean, and efficient and is still by far the best way to heat your home.

Like many services you need to keep your home running smoothly, find yourself a local company you can trust and rely on.

Around Town

Smithtown Rotary Club Sponsors Day of Fun for CHI Shelter Children

On Friday, August 15, the Rotary Club of Smithtown sponsored a day of educational activities and just plain fun at Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve for ten children residing at the Community Housing Innovations shelter in Smithtown.

The project was conceived and planned by Club Community Service Chair Susan Buroker. The children arrived with their counselors at 10:00a.m. when they visited with the animals and investigated the installations in the nature center. Later, they were given their own art supplies and led in creative

Nathan Dean and The Damn Band Return to Smithtown

Rising Country Music sensations Nathan Dean and the Damn Band will perform an unforgettable free end of Summer Country Music concert on Saturday, August 24. The free concert, courtesy of Cosentino Companies, will be held at the award-winning Callahan’s Beach at 7:00p.m. Parking for the event will open promptly at 6:00p.m. for the concert. Parking is limited. As such, residents are encouraged to RSVP per vehicle, via EventBrite as soon as possible. Lawn and beach chairs, or blankets are encouraged so that the all can enjoy the show comfortably from the stage area or watch from vehicles tailgate style. Local favorites, Ralph’s Famous Ices and Ice Cream and Philly Pretzel Factory will have refreshments and snacks, available for purchase.

“This band is the real deal! We are ecstatic to bring Nathan Dean and the Damn Band back to Smithtown and are grateful to Cosentino Companies who have generously agreed to sponsor the event for the second year running,” remarked Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R-Kings Park). “I’d also like to thank and acknowledge David Capo, for booking the band along their Unsupervised Tour, in addition to our hardworking team at the Parks Department and Public Safety... If you haven’t been to the recently renovated Callahan’s Beach, this is the night to do it. I can’t think of a better way to enjoy a Saturday night at the end of the Summer than listening to Country Music while the sun sets on our gorgeous Long Island Sound. It’s going to be a spectacular night.”

Country Music rising stars, Nathan Dean and The Damn Band will perform in the free concert

for the public one night only in Smithtown, along the coast-to-coast Unsupervised Tour. The free concert, sponsored by Cosentino Companies, and organized by David Capo in conjunction with Supervisor Wehrheim and the Town Council, will take place on August 24 at 7:00p.m. In the event of rain on Saturday, the concert will take place at the same time on Sunday, August 25, in the Callahan’s Beach parking lot. Rain Date announcements will come via the Town of Smithtown Mobile App and on social media.

Parking is limited. Smithtown Residents should RSVP their vehicle (not per person) online via EventBrite as soon as possible. NOTE: Please specify if handicap parking is required when reserving vehicle space online. The restrooms will be open at both the beach entrance and the parking lot. Additional portable restrooms will also be on hand. Residents are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs, or blankets.

Callahan’s Beach is Located at Callahan’s Beach Road in Fort Salonga, just off Route 25a.

About Nathan Dean and the Damn Band

Nathan Dean - Lead Singer and Guitar

Jason Judd - Lead Guitar and Backup Vocals

Bill Bogan - Drums and Backup Vocals

Chris Duke - Bass

Founded in Arizona in 2005, Nathan Dean and the Damn Band are a prime example of hard work paying off. Playing well over 200 shows a year and regularly touring across the country they’ve gone from a weekend warrior bar band to a high energy, crowd pleasing, headlining band, thanks mostly to their drive

activities by Sue Buroker. After snacks, the children enjoyed the playground and water park and finished the day with pizza and ice cream treats. Smithtown Rotary thanks Hugh O’Connor, Recreation and Education Supervisor, Townhouse 2, and his staff for allowing our club to serve the CHI children.

and their incredible fan base. From catchy and heartfelt originals to country/rock and pop favorites, once you see a show you’ll understand why they’re one of the most sought after bands on the touring scene right now. They’ve shared the stage with artists like: Dylan Scott, LOCASH, Big and Rich, Cody Johnson, Randy Rogers Band, Diamond Rio, Eric Church and countless others. They were recently nominated for 3 Josie awards in 2021 for Entertainer, Artist and Group of the year.

Long Island Ducks 23

Thursday, August 22, 2024

Ducks Come Out of Gates Swinging Vs. Ferryhawks Long Island Strikes for Seven Runs In First Four Innings of Series-Opening Win

The Long Island Ducks defeated the Staten Island FerryHawks 8-6 on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series at Fairfield Properties Ballpark.

Four two-out runs in the bottom of the second inning gave the Ducks a 4-0 lead.

Kole Kaler’s (pictured right) RBI double, Nick Heath’s (pictured left) two-run double, and Yonny Hernandez’s (pictured right) RBI single did the damage. A wild pitch by FerryHawks starter Mike Shawaryn that plated Ryan McBroom (pictured left) and an RBI single by Zach Racusin (pictured right) in the third increased the Ducks lead to six. Heath then scored on a throwing error in the fourth to make it 7-0 Long Island.

Staten Island plated a pair of runs in the fifth on RBI singles by Matt Scheffler and Nate Scantlin off Ducks starter Daniel Corcino (pictured left). It stayed that way until the seventh when Ryan McBroom launched a towering solo homer to left, ballooning the Ducks’ lead to 8-2. The FerryHawks rallied for four runs in the ninth on a bases loaded walk by Scantlin and a three-run double by Luis Castro. However, the Ducks squashed the rally thereafter.

save of the season after recording the final two outs.

McBroom led the Ducks offense with two hits, an RBI and two runs. Hernandez and Aaron Antonini each added two hits, while Heath finished with a hit, two walks, two RBIs and two runs.

Tickets for the game, and all Ducks games, are available by visiting the Fairfield Properties Ballpark box office, calling (631) 940-TIXX. Those unable to make the game can follow all the action live on FloBaseball.

The Ducks are in their 24th season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip. They are the all-time leader in wins and attendance in Atlantic League history, led all MLB Partner Leagues in attendance in 2023, and have sold out a record 711 games all-time. For further information, visit LIDucks.com or call 631-940-DUCK (3825).

About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)

Corcino (6-7) earned the win, tossing five innings of two-run ball, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out one. Shawaryn (6-8) suffered the loss, surrendering seven runs (six earned) on eight hits and three walks in four innings with one strikeout. Al Alburquerque (pictured right) picked up his first

The Ducks and FerryHawks continued their three-game set on Wednesday night. The Ferryhawks defeated the Ducks 12-7. The Ducks and FerryHawks wrap up their three-game set on Thursday night. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with the Fairfield Properties Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive 2024 Ducks Team Photos, courtesy of Farmingdale Meat Market. It’s a Tex’s Chicken & Burgers Thursday, and Ducks staff members will be handing out coupons with a special offer from Tex’s Chicken & Burgers as fans exit the ballpark. It’s also a Thirsty Thursday, and fans can enjoy a buy one, get one half-price offer on Voodoo Ranger beer. Right-hander Chris Ellis (0-0, 2.81) gets the nod for the Ducks against FerryHawks righty John Esposito (1-1, 2.94).

Celebrating its third decade, the Atlantic League is Major League Baseball’s first Professional Partner League, a player gateway to the major leagues, and a leader in baseball innovation. Over its 25-year history, the ALPB has sent over 1,400 players to MLB organizations while drawing over 47 million fans to its family-friendly ballparks. Please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com

By Cait Crudden

National Night Out in the Sixth Precinct!

On Tuesday, August 20, Councilman Neil Manzella (R-Selden) and Town Clerk Kevin LaValle (R-Selden), in collaboration with the Suffolk County Police Department’s Sixth Precinct and the Middle Country Library, hosted the rescheduled, but much-anticipated, annual National Night Out at the Town of Brookhaven’s Centereach Pool Complex. This free event, which was held from 5:30p.m. to 8:30p.m., aimed to promote policecommunity relationships and foster neighborhood camaraderie.

The National Night Out is a nationwide initiative that seeks to enhance the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while fostering a sense of community. This year’s event at the Centereach Pool Complex, located at 286 Hawkins Road in Centereach, promised to be an evening filled with fun activities and opportunities for community engagement and it truly delivered.

Last year, the National Night Out attracted a large crowd who came to enjoy the various activities and interact with many different community vendors. More and more people, having seen or heard about the previous year’s successful event, came out to join in on the fun. This year, the attendance was significantly higher.

Attendees had the opportunity to swim in the Centereach Pool, participate in games, win prizes, and enjoy the offerings of numerous community vendors. The event provides a unique platform for residents to interact with local law enforcement in a positive and relaxed environment.

Councilman Neil Manzella emphasized the importance of the National Night Out in “building stronger, safer communities. ”

Town Clerk Kevin LaValle echoed these sentiments, highlighting the role of the event in that it “promotes a sense of unity.”

The Suffolk County Police Department’s 6th Precinct plays a vital role in the event, providing demonstrations and engaging with the community. Officers were on hand to discuss safety tips, answer questions, and showcase some of the department’s equipment and vehicles. This interaction helps build trust and mutual respect between the police force and the community they serve.

The Middle Country Library, a key partner in the event, was present, offering resources and activities that highlight the importance of literacy and community involvement. The library’s participation underscores the event’s emphasis on education and engagement.

Community groups such as the Centereach and Selden Civic Associations, the Middle

Chamber of

and the

were on hand giving away treats and hosting games. Cotton candy, popcorn, and balloon animals, free to all, made it feel extra special while many local businesses gave away food and drinks. Every year, Chick-fil-A sets up a booth and gives away chicken sandwiches. People come earlier and earlier each year to get on that line quickly and the line is huge because once they are gone, they are gone!

Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa (C-Selden) and Clerk LaValle took this special evening to present awards to two cadets from the Civil Air Patrol for their achievements. Cadets Daelyn Wise (pictured below left) and Tate McCourt (pictured below right) both received the Mitchell Award, which requires passage of a comprehensive leadership exam, an aerospace dimensions exam, and a Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) in the Cadet Physical Fitness Test (CPFT).

Other elected officials also made the event, such as County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches), Assemblymen Doug Smith (R-Holbrook) and Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson Station), Suffolk County Legislators Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) and Chad Lennon (C-Rocky Point), and County Comptroller John Kennedy (R-Nesconset).

By coming together in this type of setting, the event helps to strengthen the bonds that make Suffolk County a great place to live.

Country

Commerce, Hobbs Farm, Connect Church, Middle Country Soccer,

Civil Air Patrol