Smithtown Messenger Archive May 15, 2025

Suffolk & Nassau Jointly Oppose Even-Year Election Law

By Matt Meduri

Last October, the New York State Legislature passed a bill that would align local, odd-numbered year elections with state and federal, even-numbered year elections. Signed by Governor Kathy Hochul (D), the legislation’s stated intention was to increase turnout, save public funds by condensing elections, and ease “voter fatigue.”

Shortly thereafter, A New York State Supreme Court judge found the law unconstitutional. After a lengthy appeal process, the State Court of Appeals has ruled that the law is valid.

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R-Atlantic Beach) held a joint press conference in Farmingdale on Tuesday afternoon to oppose the decision and bring a lawsuit before the Court of Appeals, a symbol of unity between the two neighboring counties along with a cavalcade of elected officials from both sides of Route 110.

pursuant to NY’s even-year election law (Credit - Matt Meduri)

Continued on page 4

Lawless Legislator: Women for Wehrheim Rally Against Harassment from Trotta

By Matt Meduri

The 2025 Smithtown Supervisors race is heating up to unexpected - and unnecessary - levels.

Two-term incumbent Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R-Kings Park) is running for a third four-year term. For the last year, term-limited Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) has railed against the Town government in terms of development, housing, and building density. Trotta’s rhetoric culminated in his decision to primary Wehrheim for the Republican nomination on June 24.

But the campaign has reached new heights, as multiple ethics complaints have been filed against Trotta and his legislative aide, Mike Rosato, over their intimidating behavior that many have described as harassment and downright bullying.

On Monday evening, Wehrheim held a “Women for Wehrheim” rally at his Kings Park campaign headquarters to bring forth some of the women who have been intimidated or otherwise harassed by Legislator Trotta.

Continued on page 12

Women rally for Supervisor Wehrheim at his campaign HQ in Kings Park (Credit - Wehrheim for Supervisor)

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

By Matt Meduri

Candidate Spotlight

Thursday, May 15, 2025

Karen Wontrobski-Ricciardi

Candidate: Karen Wontrobski-Ricciardi

Residence: St. James

Prior Elected Office: Smithtown Central School District Trustee, elected 2021, served as Vice President of the board from 2023-2024.

Prior Campaigns: None

Karen Wontrobski-Ricciardi was elected to the board in 2021 and later ascended to the vice president position after the 2023 elections of John Savoretti and Kevin Craine. Although she lost re-election, alongside board president Stacy Ann Murphy in 2024, Ricciardi is eyeing a comeback this year.

She is running for the open seat left by Michael Saidens, the current board vice president. The position of vice president is not tied to this particular seat. The newly-sat board with elect a vice president at the start of the term in June.

Karen Wontrobski-Ricciardi sat down with The Messenger for this candidate spotlight interview.

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

A: Professionally, I would have to say I got into the ball game several innings in. I was a stay-at-home mom for at least the first fifteen years of my children’s lives. For the past few years, I have been a preschool educator, and I also work as a lead teacher in a school-age childcare program. My community volunteer work more than qualifies me professionally to be a member of the board of education. I’ve served on multiple PTA boards from elementary through the high school level, even having served on the council level. I serve as a board trustee in a local historical society, working very closely with local and Suffolk County officials. And of course, I served on the Smithtown School Board for three years, one of those years as vice president. I have extensive knowledge of the School district budget, its administration, and all of its inner workings. I’m excited to get back onto the board, knowing that my past experience will allow me to “hit the ground running.”

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

A: A culture of respect comes from being respectful. Unfortunately, there are many community members, parents, teachers, and students who are afraid to voice their opinions in this district for fear of exactly what happened at the board meeting you referenced. I truly understand how difficult it is to stand at the podium at a public session and speak your peace. As such, when I was on the board, I made it a point to always listen intently to every speaker with kindness and respect, whether or not I agreed with what they had to say. The superintendent has a responsibility to the Smithtown community. The superintendent should be responsive to any emails, phone calls, or requests for meetings with him. And the superintendent should be treating each and every member of this community with the respect they deserve.

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

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A: Unfortunately, I am one of those community members that is frustrated with the amount of time it takes for FOIL requests to be answered. The district needs to be more forthcoming with information that should be available to the community by law and in a more timely fashion.

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

A:The concerns about mold at West and other buildings in our School district are terribly concerning. As a parent, I cannot imagine the angst the parents of Smithtown West must be having every day when they send their children to school. The teachers, staff, and administrators at West also deserve a safe building to work in. Just today, it was brought to light that over 100 staff members from Smithtown West signed a letter requesting the district do more to solve the mold problem at West. I will be 100% supportive of any work that needs to be done to make Smithtown West a safe environment.

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

A: In my opinion, to extend a superintendent’s contract before it expires is foolhardy, particularly if the superintendent has no proven track record or any accomplishments that have improved the district.

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

A: An 11% response to a survey? That can’t possibly give anything close to accurate results, particularly when a large percentage of respondents were staff members who may have responded with a lean toward the positive for fear of negative repercussions. For a survey to truly represent the entire community, it should be sent to all community residents, not just staff members and parents, and it should be disseminated in such a way that people are not in fear of reprisal.

The Messenger thanks Karen Wontrobski-Ricciardi for this time for this interview.

About the Smithtown Central School District

The Smithtown CSD was founded in the early 1900s and its motto is “education is the difference between civilization and chaos.” The District has a seven-member board with staggered three-year terms. The seats held by Michael Saidens and Michael Catalanotto are up for re-election. The remaining year of a seat vacated by John Savoretti is also up for grabs; the term expires June 2026.

Smithtown CSD has seven elementary schools: Accompsett, Dogwood, Mills Pond, Mt. Pleasant, Smithtown, St. James, and Tackan. The district has three middle schools: Accompsett, Great Hollow, and Nesaquake. The district has two high schools: Smithtown East and Smithtown West.

The District covers Smithtown hamlet, Village of the Branch, and Nissequogue, most of Nesconset, St. James, and Head of the Harbor, and parts of Hauppauge and Kings Park. Smithtown township is also divided between the Sachem, Three Village, Hauppauge, Kings Park, and Commack school districts, making the lion’s share of Smithtown Town’s communities within the Smithtown CSD.

Election Day is Tuesday, May 20.

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Suffolk & Nassau Jointly Oppose Even-Year Election Law

“We have had enough of the State government trying to run our beautiful Island from Albany,” said Blakeman. “For over 100 years, our local elections were on odd years because there are issues that are important to the towns, villages, counties, and cities that are separate from state and federal issues. Our state officials are trying to drown us out and put our issues down the ballot, so that people won’t have an opportunity to have a fair debate.”

Blakeman invoked an election of Senator Jack Martins (R-Great Neck) as an example of ballot drop-off, a phenomenon in which voters will only vote in top-of-the-ticket races - such as presidential, gubernatorial, or other statewide races - and leave the local races towards the end of the ballot blank.

“The ballot drop-off from president to State Senate was 60%. What do you think it’s going to be with our local elected officials and our candidates who want to talk about local issues and not get drowned out by the state and national media?” said Blakeman. “It’s about state control with one-party rule. This isn’t Beijing, Moscow, Caracas, or Havana. This is the United States of America, and our issues are entitled to get a full hearing from the electorate and for people to know who their elected officials and candidates are for local government.”

Blakeman (pictured right) drew parallels between previous State attempts at overriding local control, including Hochul’s widely-panned affordable housing plan in 2022, the recent State defunding of Nassau University Medical Center, that serves Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Brooklyn, “making vulnerable those who we provide a safety net,” according to Blakeman. In 2021, the hospital received $180 million in State funding, but received no funding this year, a move that Blakeman says is the State trying to “take over” the hospital.

“Between Nassau and Suffolk counties, we send up over $13 billion more to Albany than we get back. We can’t even get funding for a hospital or our infrastructure. Everything goes to New York City, nothing goes to us,” said Blakeman. “We love New York City, many of our people work there, but we have a voice too and we have needs as well.”

Blakeman was joined by Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joe Saladino (R-Massapequa), North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena (R-Manhasset), seven Nassau County Legislators, and a host of town elected officials from across the county.

Executive Romaine then took the podium, joined by many of Suffolk’s elected leaders. From the County level, he was joined by Clerk Vincent Puleo (R-Nesconset), Comptroller John Kennedy (R-Nesconset), Legislators Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset), Catherine Stark (R-Riverhead), Dominick Thorne (R-Patchogue), Stephanie Bontempi (R-Centerport), Jim Mazzarella (R-Moriches), Anthony Piccirillo (R-Holtsville), Trish Bergin (R-East Islip), Chad Lennon (C-Rocky Point), and Steve Flotteron (R-Brightwaters).

From the Village of Lindenhurst, Mayor Michael Lavorata and Deputy Mayor RJ Renna (R) - who is running for Suffolk County Legislature this year - were in attendance.

From the Town of Brookhaven, officials consisted of Town Supervisor Dan Panico (R-Center Moriches) (pictured right), Deputy Supervisor Neil Foley (R-Blue Point), Councilman Neil Manzella (R-Selden), Clerk Kevin LaValle (R-Selden), and Tax Receiver Lou Marcoccia (R-East Setauket).

“Our local towns, particularly our East End towns, have trustees, as well as council members. Imagine going in and having fifty names or more on a ballot and you have to figure out who’s who. It’s not the way the government was meant to work.”

“We have term limits in most of our towns and in our county. This [law] changes those term limits,” said Romaine. “Those term limits were approved by referendum of the people of Suffolk County. The State now wants to waive that away.”

A major logistical issue pointed out by the elected officials, and one that would negate the cost-saving intention of the bill, is the shortened terms. All incumbent local officials would see their terms decreased by one year, and all who run in 2025 will have to run again in 2026 to match the terms with the even years going forward.

“Does this law affect everyone in the state? Absolutely not! Guess who’s exempt? New York City!” said Romaine. “More than half of our state legislators come from the city. This is not an agenda that the locals want.”

Romaine exemplified the disconnect between the state and Long Island, with no dollars from the Environmental Bond Act - for which Romaine declared his support - nor federal monies from former President Joe Biden’s (D-DE) $1.1 trillion infrastructure initiative, another bill Romaine supported. Since the infrastructure money is doled out by the state, Long Island has continued to be short-changed by Albany, according to Romaine.

“Long Island is one of the drivers of this state’s economy. This state lost more people than any other state in the U.S. Maybe our policies need to change, and this is one policy that definitely needs to change,” closed Romaine.

Oyster Bay Supervisor Saladino spoke on behalf of the localities within Nassau County.

“We’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore! This is outrageous, unethical, and it has to stop,” said Saladino (pictured right). “Albany is trying to ride shotgun over our elections, confuse the voters, and throw a smokescreen out while they give us less and less. Our residents deserve more and more.”

Brookhaven Supervisor Panico spoke on behalf of the Suffolk municipality delegation.

“We live in a duplicitous state; there’s no other way to say it,” said Panico. “Almost every facet of New York State government is duplicitous. You don’t have to go too far back in time to understand what unfolded with congestion pricing for the purposes of the election, then to only reappear after the election.”

Panico said that on his way into Farmingdale, he should have stopped on Ocean Parkway and issued a proclamation posthumously to Bob Matherson, “who knew this day was coming and many people would say was a visionary because he understood where New York State government was going.”

From the Town of Islip, Councilman Mike McElwee (R-West Islip) and Tax Receiver Andy Wittman (R-Sayville) attended and were joined by 2025 council candidate DawnMarie Kuhn (R-Bohemia)

Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard (R-Aquebogue) and Riverhead Town Councilman Bob Kern (R-Riverhead) were also in attendance, completing a comprehensive slate of officials from all parts of Suffolk.

Romaine described local government as “the government that is closest to the people,” adding that the Nassau County ballot that required three sets of hands to fully unfold and display will look even longer in Suffolk.

Matherson is known for hanging banners along the parkways that read, “Move out of New York State before it’s too late.”

“If you don’t think that is happening because of the policies being enacted you are kidding yourselves,” said Panico. “We are losing clout in Washington, and if you are a Democrat watching this and if you think you need to toe the party line, Democrats predominantly from the Boroughs bear no resemblance to you ideologically,” he said, adding that some Democrats joined the press conference in righteous opposition.

“The struggle on Long Island is no longer Republican versus Democrat; it is those with an urban agenda who contrast and fight against those with a suburban agenda,” closed Panico, raising the alarms of an increasingly controlling State government.

“If we lose [the appeal], there will be a backlash, and the voters will punish the governor and the legislators who pushed this through,” said Blakeman, adding that he’s “gotten along fine” with local Democrats because they shared a local vision.

“I think that common sense Democrats and the vast majority of Independent voters are going to see this for what it is: a blatant political act on the part of State government to control everything.”

Audit Reveals Flaws in Suffolk’s Opioid Settlement Fund

By Cait Crudden

A recent performance audit conducted by the Suffolk County Comptroller’s Office has raised serious questions about the transparency, fairness, and safeguards associated with the distribution of millions of dollars in opioid settlement funds. The audit, covering the period from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2024, evaluated the grant award process for the Suffolk County Opioid Settlement Fund, which has the potential to distribute up to $197 million in litigation recovery funds.

The primary goal of the audit was to determine whether the grant application and award process was conducted in accordance with applicable New York State and County laws, and whether the process ensured accountability and protected taxpayer interests. Findings, however, indicate several troubling shortcomings.

One of the most notable findings in the audit was the exclusion of Suffolk County departments from consideration for funding during the first two rounds of awards. Even though several County departments are directly involved in providing services to those affected by the opioid crisis, none were granted funding in Rounds 1 or 2.

The report also highlighted potential ethical concerns surrounding the postemployment conduct of former county officials. Shortly after leaving office, the previous County Executive Steve Bellone (D-West Babylon) and his Chief of Staff were hired by organizations that received a combined $6 million in grant awards constituting nearly 17% of the total $36 million awarded in Round 1 alone. This raised significant concerns about the appearance of conflicts of interest in the grant selection process.

To address these issues, the Comptroller’s Office recommended that future funding rounds include consideration for County departments actively providing opioidrelated services. This would ensure that taxpayer-funded resources are being used efficiently and are reinforcing existing public health infrastructure.

In addition, the audit recommended strengthening Section 77-6 of the Suffolk County Ethics Law to impose more robust post-employment restrictions for County officials. Such changes, the Comptroller argued, would reduce the risk of perceived or actual impropriety in future contract awards.

CreditMatt Meduri

The audit comes amid a continuing opioid crisis that has devastated Suffolk County. In 2020 alone, more than 68,000 Americans died from opioid overdoses, an eightfold increase from 1999. Suffolk County has not been spared from this epidemic, with rising overdose deaths and strain placed on hospitals, first responders, schools, the criminal justice system, and behavioral health services.

In response, the Suffolk County Opioid Task Force was created in 2021 by Executive Order No. 2-2021. Its goal was to solicit input from healthcare professionals, law enforcement, and community leaders to guide the strategic use of funds obtained through opioid litigation settlements.

To date, the County has been awarded $36.2 million in Round 1 and $21.5 million in Round 2 of grants to a combined 76 nonprofit and private organizations. These awards were intended to support programs focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery services. As of December 31, 2023, the County still held approximately $104 million in its Opioid Abatement, Recovery & Support Fund. While the intent behind these awards is widely supported, the audit revealed significant concerns regarding the execution of the process and a lack of oversight.

The audit found that some aspects of the grant award process did not comply with New York State Open Meetings Law, suggesting that critical decisions may have been made without full transparency or public accountability.

“As stewards of the public trust, it is imperative that every dollar from the Opioid Settlement Fund is administered with transparency, fairness, and accountability,” said Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy (R-Nesconset). “Our audit findings highlight both the progress made and the critical areas in need of reform. We urge County leadership to implement these recommendations to ensure these vital resources are directed to the communities and individuals most impacted by the opioid crisis.”

County officials, legislators, and community stakeholders are now reviewing the audit’s findings, and calls are growing for reforms to ensure that future distributions of opioid settlement funds are not only effective but also fair, transparent, and above reproach.

New York’s Even-Year Election Law is Partisan Damage Control and Ideological Suffocation

Last year, Albany Democrats and Governor Kathy Hochul (D) passed a law that would align local elections conducted in the odd-numbered years to coincide with even-year elections. The stated logic in the move was to increase turnout, especially among minority voters, limit voter fatigue, and streamline the overall election process.

The odd-numbered election years are often dedicated to local elections, those that include county executive, town supervisors, county legislatures, town boards, village boards, highway superintendents, tax receivers, and clerks, most of whom were on the ballot in Suffolk County two years ago.

The even-numbered years are when presidential and midterm elections are held. Almost always nationalized, sometimes to a fault, these elections are notorious for denying capable candidates of an elected office simply because of down-ballot energy.

In October, a New York State Supreme Court judge ruled the law was unconstitutional. After a lengthy appeal process, the State Court of Appeals has ruled that it is, in fact, constitutional.

The elected officials from Suffolk and Nassau counties are doing the right thing in continuing their fervent opposition to this law. We’ve argued before that this is nothing more than partisan damage control and ideological suffocation. We still hold those beliefs, along with the serious issues this could entail.

First, the size of the ballot is laughable at best. It took three people to hold up the unrolled ballot from side to side. Imagine not only being handed that monstrosity when you hit the polls in November, but also being expected to give each candidate your own personal research time to make an informed decision.

Second, the nebulous concept of “voter fatigue.” A big argument in favor of this initiative is that voters are simply tired of having to go to the polls year after year, something that Suffolk’s own Senator Monica Martinez (D-Brentwood) stated to us when the law was passed last year.

We find it interesting that the party of “protecting democracy” is pushing so hard to let the voters have a year off. The reality is, whether you as a voter are tired or not, voting is your civic duty and responsibility. It is incumbent upon the electorate to make their own informed decisions and to do their own research. Shifting elections to evennumbered years isn’t giving the voters time off; it’s giving them less time to respond with their approval or disapproval at the ballot box.

We also understand Suffolk County Legislature Minority Leader Jason Richberg’s (D-West Babylon) point in increasing turnout, especially among minority voters. While he is correct that turnout normally plummets in local years compared to even years, we don’t think this initiative will achieve what he hopes. Instead of more people, minority voters or otherwise, simply going to the polls, it will likely be more voters in general wrapped up in nationalized elections and greeted with a logistical headache with a massive ballot.

We would compare this to simply shoving our belongings haphazardly into a closet, shutting the doors, and saying the room is clean. It might solve the problem at face value, but under the hood, more serious issues remain. Yes, voters would probably turn out more, but would their votes be delivered with all the information delivered to them in separate vacuums? It can be a lot to research each candidate as is, but one person can only take so much, especially when their eyes are on the presidential race or a marquee statewide race, while their local issues languish behind. Keeping local elections separate allows the best chance for information vacuums to remain in place.

We would even estimate that if this law sticks, we would probably see ballot drop-off towards the local end. It’s possible that many would just vote in the federal races and leave the others blank. We’ve seen this happen in the last presidential race; some voters just opted for a White House pick and had no opinion on local officeholders.

The will of the voter is confined to the voter only; how and for whom they vote is their prerogative. But for this bill’s objective, we don’t think this is really a “fix.”

We’ve seen interesting electoral patterns where an elected official of a party isn’t on the ballot, but their colleagues of the same party who are on the ballot often get punished. We believe this was an element of New York’s tectonic shift to the right in the

Sayville Community Notice - May 21 Flyover

We would like to notify the community that on Wednesday, May 21, Sayville High School will host a scheduled event as part of the U.S. Marine Corps Fleet Week High School Visitation Tour.

A military helicopter flyover and landing will take place on school grounds during school hours. This event is fully coordinated with local authorities, and all safety protocols are in place.

This notice is intended to prevent concern regarding the activity, which is a planned and safely coordinated event. For questions, please contact Sayville High School at (631) 244-6600. Thank you for your continued support.

2024 presidential election - the 10.5% rightward swing was the largest shift in the nation. The dysfunction from Manhattan and Albany, we believe, contributed much to former Vice President Kamala Harris’ (D-CA) historic underperformance in November. Mayor Eric Adams (D) and Governor Hochul weren’t on the ballot, but Harris was.

However, the most insulting aspect of the “voter fatigue” argument, and the law overall, is that voters will have significantly reduced power in local years. New York might be an emerging battleground, but it’s still a blue state fundamentally. It doesn’t necessarily mean it will be as contentious as Pennsylvania, for instance, but it likely means Democrats will have to start investing in defense in a state that was typically a write-off for them. Albany Democrats are banking on top-down electoral energy to dilute the local waters to elect Democrats up and down the ballot, especially when it comes to preserving their Senate majority.

And that’s where this idea should have been DOA. Local elections are sacrosanct for a reason; the politics of Washington, Albany, and Manhattan should not have any electoral infusion to Suffolk’s - or Nassau’s - electoral independence. Republicans and Democrats in Suffolk are different from those of the national level, or even the state level to some extent. Voters should be able to see the idiosyncrasies for themselves, not be overwhelmed with a deluge of dozens of names on a ballot, while the presidential and gubernatorial races suck the oxygen out of the room.

The most insulting aspect of this bill is that New York City is, somehow - and, of course - off the hook. A new border has been drawn around NYC and the rest of the state, wherein Big Apple voters will still be afforded the same courtesy of an unmitigated local ballot.

Moreover, to Legislator Richberg’s point, wouldn’t increased minority turnout be especially effective in New York City, where much of the state’s minority population is located? It sounds like Albany is doing a disservice to the minority voters who rightly should participate in elections every year by not extending this courtesy to the state’s biggest basket of minority votes.

If Albany wasn’t governing with only NYC in mind before, they certainly are now.

The idea has been so widely panned that even Newsday’s editorial board encouraged Hochul to reject the bill - she didn’t. Suffolk County Legislator Tom Donnelly (D-Deer Park) was the only Democrat in Hauppauge to join the Republican-led lawsuit against it. Good on all who can recognize a bad idea when they see one.

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R-Atlantic Beach) are and have been correct: Long Island is regularly short-changed by Albany despite being an economic powerhouse without which the state could not pay its bills. One would think some courtesy would be extended to one of your biggest financers, but even the rural communities and counties are being shortchanged in both dollars and ideology.

The reality is that Albany Democrats, instead of governing in a way to stem the nationleading outmigration and fix the problems that imperiled Hochul in 2022, Harris in 2024, and will likely imperil Hochul further in 2026, they chose to shuffle the deck and bury the lede to obfuscate just how much New York is changing and how unpopular Democratic policies are.

Our proposition: communicate with voters that local government has a much more immediate effect on their lives than other forms of government. Sure, it’s not an easy “fix” by signing a law, but it’s the most realistic campaign to increase turnout. Problems with your local roads, crime, and property tax bill are adjudicated through your local representatives, law enforcement, and school boards. The president, by and large, has nothing to do with those aspects of local life.

This is perhaps one of the worst ideas to come out of Albany in recent years, and those who have backed it either don’t or won’t realize how short-changed their own constituents will be if this law remains on the books.

We can only hope that this will be the final tap of gunpowder that backfires against the Democrats in 2026.

Blueline News

Thursday, May 15, 2025

All I Want for Police Week…

By Mike Simonelli

…Is for democrats, mainstream media, and liberal activists to treat our law enforcement officers as well as convicted criminals, cold-blooded killers, and illegal aliens.

Besides the disastrous bail reform, which has unleashed crime and carnage across New York State, one of the other rushed, half-witted actions taken by former Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) and his fellow democrats was to repeal 50A. In the name of police reform and transparency for George Floyd’s death, they overturned a decades-old law to “allow the release of unsubstantiated or false complaints against police officers.” Ironically, three years later, under the guise of criminal justice reform and social justice, Governor Kathy Hochul (D), along with a Democratic supermajority in the State Senate and Assembly, passed the Clean Slate Act in 2023, allowing the records of convicted criminals with misdemeanors and even some felonies to be sealed. So now, in the name of transparency and justice, a convicted criminal can file a false complaint to forever tarnish the record and reputation of an innocent officer, but that criminal will have a clean slate.

family spokesman rallying to defend Anthony is Dominique Alexander, a Dallas-based “defundthe-police” activist and social justice leader with his own criminal history and close ties to former Squad Congresswoman Cori Bush (D-MO). Democrats’ hypocrisy and disdain for law enforcement also extend to our brave men and women protecting our borders.

Attempting to control a surge of roughly 14,000 Haitian migrants in September 2021, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents on horseback

Also in New York, thanks to Democrat criminal justice reforms, in the past eight years, forty-three convicted cop-killers have been released by Democrat-appointed parole board members. Among those recently released is Lee Ernest Walker, who on June 15, 1984, while being questioned about a pair of stolen sunglasses, assaulted NYPD Officer Juan Andino, stole his duty weapon, and murdered him with it.

Besides releasing convicted cop-killers, Democrats and their activists have a habit of demonizing cops for defending themselves and others.

On March 13, 2020, while conducting a search warrant at the apartment of Breonna Taylor, Louisville, Kentucky, Police Department Sergeant Jonathan Mattingly was shot in the leg by Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker. Fearing for their lives, Sgt. Mattingly and Detectives Myles Cosgrove and Brett Hankison justifiably returned fire into the apartment, tragically killing Breonna Taylor. Protests erupted nationwide, laws were passed in Breonna’s name, and both detectives were fired. Democrat leaders used the shooting to “call for police reform and an overhaul of the criminal justice system.” Then-Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden (D-DE) remarked, “In the wake of her tragic death, we…ask ourselves whether justice could be equally applied in America.”

Then-Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), tweeted: “We must keep saying her name and demanding justice because the police who killed her still have not been charged.” Progressive defund the police ”Squad” member, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D, MA-07) wore a shirt outside the capitol that said “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor.”

A year later on April 20, 2021, Ma’Khia Bryant was about to stab another female in the street when responding Columbus, Ohio, Police Officer Nicholas Reardon arrived in the nick of time and justifiably shot her before she could. In response protestors took to the streets demanding “police accountability”; as did Lebron James who tweeted a photo of Officer Reardon along with, “YOU’RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY”; Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D, OH-03) lambasted the shooting and Biden’s White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki insinuated race was a factor, remarking that “police violence disproportionately impacts Black and Latino people.” Even though it was justified deadly force, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther (D) used the shooting to invite the Department of Justice to review the police department for possible “deficiencies and racial disparities.”

Meanwhile, Democrats and their allies sympathize with suspected cold-blooded killers.

Although video shows United Healthcare CEO, husband, and father Brian Thompson getting shot from behind as he arrives at a hotel for a December 4, 2024, meeting, suspected premeditated executioner Louis Mangione has a “cult-like following” among the left and politicians blaming his victim. When asked about the execution, former The Washington Post journalist Taylor Lorenz told Piers Morgan that she felt “joy” at the murder and “not empathy,”; University of Pennsylvania English Professor Julia Alekseyeva posted on Instagram that Mangione was the “icon we all need and deserve”; and “Squad” member Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D, NY14), claimed Thompson had committed his own “act[s] of violence” by failing to grant every single insurance claim.

17-year-old Karmelo Anthony who told police, “I’m not alleged, I did it,” regarding the April 2, 2025, stabbing death of 17-year-old Austin Metcalfe at a high school track meet, has also become a darling of the left. A GiveSendGo fundraiser garnered Anthony’s family over $520K, and he’s portrayed as the victim even though he illegally brought a knife to a school event, sat in another team’s tent area, refused to leave, and taunted Austin to put his hands on him and see what happens. The

“used the tactics they were trained to use, to do the job [Biden] sent them out to do.” When pictures of the encounter went viral, even after the photographer defended the agents, President Biden and his fellow Democrats wrongly accused them of whipping the illegal invaders. Biden remarked, “It was horrible what you see, what you saw to see people treated like they did, with horses nearly running them over and people being strapped. It’s outrageous. I promise you; those people will pay.” VP Harris told “The View”, “I was outraged by it. It was horrible and deeply troubling.” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters, “those images painfully conjured up the worst elements of our nation’s ongoing battle against systemic racism.” Though completely innocent of the accusations levied at them, the agents were moved to desk duty and still faced disciplinary actions by the Biden administration. While democrats vilified CBP agents for doing their job, they have spent 2025 rallying around the illegal immigrants flaunting our nation’s laws and sovereignty. Governor Phil Murphy (D-NJ) dared Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to “come and get” the illegal immigrant he suggested was harboring in his home. Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano (D-NM) resigned and was arrested after it was discovered he was harboring an illegal Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang member. Flagrantly supporting a violent, criminal illegal alien over the police who investigated him and federal agents who deported him, Senator Chris Van Hollen (DMD) and then a congressional delegation, including Representatives Maxwell Frost (D, FL-10) Yassamin Ansari, (D, AZ-03), Maxine Dexter (D, OR-03), and Robert Garcia (D, CA-42), flew to El Salvador demanding that Kilmar Abrego Garcia be returned to the US. Democrats and the mainstream media refer to Garcia as a “Maryland man” who has been denied due process.

In reality, he is an El Salvadoran who illegally entered America in 2011, is an MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, and wife-beater with a 2019 removal order issued against him. Shockingly, Democrats took their pro-criminal, anti-law enforcement crusade up a notch this week, when Congresswoman LaMonica McIver (D, NJ10) “body-slammed a female ICE officer”, as she, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D, NJ-12), Congressman (D-NJ) Rob Menendez (D, NJ-08), and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D) stormed a detention center to check on the welfare of the “murderers, child rapists, and MS-13 gang members” held there.

As Democrats are busy going around the world to defend illegals, law enforcement officers from around our country converged upon Washington, D.C., for this year’s National Police Week, May 11-17, to honor the lives of 345 officers killed in the line of duty. 148 of those officers were murdered in 2024, some because of the very antipolice, pro-criminal atmosphere that democrats foster.

Yet, how many democrats traveled to the funeral of Border Patrol Agent Christopher Luna, who died on March 4, 2024, when the U.S. Army National Guard Helicopter he was in crashed while responding to a suspected illegal crossing near La Grulla, Texas?

Which democrats issued proclamations honoring Homeland Security Investigations

Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Joseph Love who died on October 19, 2024, from the cancer he developed following his assignment to the search and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site following the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks? Have any Democrats posted on social media recognizing the anniversary of the murder of NYPD Officer

Miosotis Familia, who was gunned down by a “cop-hating assassin” as she sat in her patrol vehicle on July 5, 2017?

It’s doubtful any did, but assuredly they acknowledged the anniversary deaths of Breonna Taylor and even George Floyd, a convicted criminal who once held a gun to a pregnant woman’s stomach during a home invasion robbery. If Democrats want to support law enforcement, instead of giving us lip service this one week, they should stop racializing, vilifying, and politicizing our police the rest of the year.

And please, take the bullseyes off our backs and let us do our job of protecting the American people. #PoliceWeek #BackTheBlue Mike Simonelli is an Army Combat Veteran (Afghanistan and Iraq), retired Suffolk County Police Officer, former PBA Board member, author of Justified Deadly Force and the Myth of Systemic Racism, and candidate for the Smithtown School Board.

SCPD Honors Fallen Officers in Solemn Memorial Ceremony

By Cait Crudden

Under gray skies and steady rain, the Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD) held its annual Memorial Service for Fallen Officers in the Line of Duty this past week, gathering to pay tribute to those who gave their lives in service to the community. The ceremony, held at SCPD Headquarters in Yaphank, was filled with solemn reflection, heartfelt remembrance, and a deep sense of unity.

Law enforcement officers, elected officials, grieving families, and members of the public came together to honor the brave men and women who died while protecting Suffolk County. The ceremony

served not only as a commemoration of individual lives lost, but also as a powerful reminder of the risks officers face every day.

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) (pictured right) addressed the crowd with words of gratitude and reverence. He acknowledged the profound loss felt by families and the wider community, emphasizing that these officers’ lives and legacies are forever woven into the fabric of Suffolk County.

The most emotional moment of the ceremony came during the reading of the names of the fallen officers. As each name was spoken aloud, a solemn hush fell over the crowd, and the sense of loss became deeply personal. Family members were silent in remembrance as they heard the names of their loved ones honored once again. The reading underscored the enduring impact of each life lost in service and the collective grief carried by the law enforcement community.

At the center of the memorial grounds stood the SCPD Memorial

Monument, flanked by ceremonial wreaths adorned with the names of fallen officers. These floral tributes served as visual symbols of respect, mourning, and remembrance. The monument itself stands as a permanent testament to the bravery and sacrifice of Suffolk’s finest, ensuring their names and stories remain visible to all who pass through the headquarters.

The service was marked by moments of deep camaraderie, as officers stood shoulder to shoulder, honoring their fallen colleagues. Their unity reflected the close-knit bonds within law enforcement. These bonds are forged by shared duty and strengthened in times of loss. As the community watched officers salute

their comrades, it was clear that their commitment to service remains as steadfast as ever.

The ceremony concluded with the playing of “Taps,” the mournful bugle call that has long served as a farewell to fallen military and law enforcement personnel. The haunting melody echoed across the rain-soaked grounds, offering a final, solemn goodbye to the heroes being honored.

As attendees slowly departed, many lingered at the memorial, laying flowers, touching engraved names, and reflecting on the lives behind them. It was a poignant moment of shared sorrow and deep gratitude.

The Suffolk County Police Department’s memorial service is more than a ritual; it is a promise. A promise to never forget the sacrifice of those who died in the line of duty, and to uphold the values for which they gave their lives. In remembering the fallen, the SCPD renews its dedication to protecting the community they served.

For the families left behind, the ceremony offered comfort in knowing their loved ones’ bravery is remembered. For the officers who continue to serve, it was a reminder of the honor and responsibility they carry. And for the community, it was a moment to reflect on the courage it takes to wear the badge.

Smithtown Matters

Thursday, May 15, 2025

Continued from front cover

Lawless Legislator: Women for Wehrheim Rally Against Harassment from Trotta

The prompt for the rally came from a Wednesday, May 7, evening Planning Board meeting at which the zoning status of the Raleigh Farm property was discussed. Tensions ran high as community members debated the future of the property, fearing over-development concerns. One speaker was Mike Rosato, who, according to meeting attendee Toby Carlson, expressed dismay about developers. Carlson told The Messenger that he used his allotted time at the public forum to bring light to Rosato’s recent purchase of a property that profited him about $300,000.

Carlson said that after the meeting, Rosato and Trotta, the latter of whom did not enter the meeting and waited outside in the parking lot, confronted him about his comments.

Tensions only ran higher as Raleigh Farm property owner Cathy Raleigh was confronted by Trotta and Rosato, who attempted to pressure her into a discussion about the land’s sale, despite her numerous requests to be left alone.

Eyewitnesses say that Trotta banged on Raleigh’s car window in an aggressive attempt to speak with her. Raleigh left the scene and promptly filed reports with both the Suffolk County Police Department and Smithtown’s Department of Public Safety. She made mention of his known patterns of confrontational behavior and his access to firearms.

“I was shaking with fear and anxiety. Here I am a single woman, who lives alone on a farm property, fearing for my safety due to two individuals that I have known for years,” Raleigh told The Messenger “I don’t understand what gives them the right to bully or harass private citizens, let alone a woman. But knowing that I am not the first or second woman... but the third, in a matter of months to be threatened or harassed by Mr. Trotta and knowing that he knows his way around my property and is licensed to carry a firearm, forced my hand report and document the event.”

Raleigh also says that rumors of her selling the farm are “categorically false.”

“As Cathy and I were walking out of the meeting, I heard Trotta verbally attacking Carlson in a very disrespectful manner - very harsh words were used, very unprofessional,” Nick Sineo told The Messenger “As I was escorting Cathy to the truck promptly, gentlemen [Trotta and Rosato] started speed-walking towards us, so I locked and was very concerned about Cathy’s safety. She was very upset and they wouldn’t stop as they were trying to open the window while yelling loudly.”

“Somebody needs to teach this guy a lesson,” said Sineo.

“I was sitting in my car about to leave the meeting when I got a phone call and was told that Mike Rosato and Rob Trotta were harassing Cathy Raleigh,” Connor Nagle told The Messenger “I immediately got out of my car and responded, ‘Hello, guys, is there a problem?’ They backed off and I spoke with Mike and Rob to try to de-escalate the situation. They both seemed aggravated after speaking with Cathy, but then tried to assure me that they love Cathy, even though they were just clearly intimidating her. They asked me who I was, I told them, and Mike Rosato followed me back to my car. I had a conversation about how he’s treating the public, the Raleigh family, and the Carlson family, and they said they would never do any harm to anyone. I think they are misinforming people that they are trying to sway this election.”

However, as the “Women for Wehrheim” would tell, this is not the first instance of Legislator Trotta berating citizens, especially women.

Kelly Kirby, a resident, reported that Trotta became “verbally combative” on her doorstep when she declined to sign his petition for his primary ballot access. After expressing support for Supervisor Wehrheim, she described feeling “shaken and fearful” while home alone during the interaction.

“I was home alone around 12:30 in the afternoon when the doorbell rang. It was Mr. Trotta and he was asking for signatures for his petition,” Kirby told The Messenger “I politely told him that I was supporting Mr. Wehrheim and to have a nice day. He immediately asked why I was supporting Wehrheim. I responded, saying he is a longtime family friend and I believe he’s been wonderful for the town. The Parks are beautiful again, the downtowns are finally seeing some revitalization. Before I could say anything else, Mr. Trotta interrupted, telling me that the town looks like ‘crap’. Here’s a guy vying for an elected seat which serves the entire township of Smithtown and your first instinct when someone politely declines to sign your petition is to argue with a woman, who is home by herself? That type of behavior has no place in public office.”

Additionally, civic and community members have also been targeted. Diane Motherway, the long-time Executive Director for the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce has faced online attacks, threats of defunding, and public accusations from Legislator Trotta. She believes these are retaliatory acts due to her public support of the Kings Park Downtown Master Plan.

Chambers of commerce and civic associations are often the beneficiaries of County grant funding to hold their own events and festivals, such as street fairs, concert series, and other community gatherings. Motherway alleges retaliation, as the County funding that had previously been allocated to the Kings Park Chamber for over a decade was instead redirected to the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation.

Trotta’s legislative aide, Mike Rosato - an alleged co-conspirator in the string of intimidation tactics - holds a leadership role with the foundation as a board member.

Questions also remain about whether or not the foundation has obtained proper permits for a concert planned at the property.

However, even other elected officials, Legislator Trotta’s colleagues in government, have not been spared his wrath.

sadly that’s legal. But leave the private citizens alone. Leave the women of Smithtown alone. We will stand shoulder to shoulder together to ensure no one is left to defend themselves alone.”

Wehrheim also stated that legal resources are in place to assist anyone facing further harassment, adding that his campaign has a team of attorneys ready to help file reports, cease-and-desist letters, or civil claims, if necessary.

“To quote a fellow Republican and one of our nation’s great leaders, Theodore Roosevelt (R-NY): ‘Knowing what’s right doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.’ We know what’s right, and we’re going to do it. We won’t allow another person—man or woman—to be bullied by this individual who wants my job,” said Wehrheim. “Together, we’re going to defeat him—and hopefully help make his wish to retire down south come a little sooner.”

The Messenger received comments from both Legislator Trotta and Mr. Rosato on the ethics complaints filed against them both.

“This is nothing more than an orchestrated, feeble attempt by Ed Wehrheim to try to score political points. He has made it clear that he will take advantage of anyone and manipulate any situation in a desperate effort to create newspaper headlines and propaganda for his political mailings,” said Trotta. “He started by going all-in on the Hochul housing plan, and now he has resorted to a Biden-like weaponization of his allies and his Public Safety Department. He is working right from the Democrat playbook, which should come as no surprise considering his close relationship with the Democratic Party in recent years.”

“It is more than disappointing that the Boylans and Mr. Carlson would sink to this level. We have been friendly with them in the past, but money makes people do some unsavory things,” said Mike Rosato. “Under Supervisor Wehrheim’s leadership, Mr. Carlson has been allowed to operate his industrial property despite numerous code violations, and with a Town-facilitated zoning change, Mrs. Boylan will stand to double her profit on the sale of her property to a potential $10 million. Neither Legislator Trotta nor I are opposed to the Boylan property being developed based on current zoning. However, the current plan is simply too dense and will set a precedent leading to similar development of 40 adjoining acres, which would have a negative impact on our community.”

Supervisor Wehrheim responded to Legislator Trotta’s statement:

“Calling the serious concerns raised by multiple women in our community a ‘feeble political stunt’ is not only dismissive—it’s deeply inappropriate. When private citizens, especially women, come forward to say they felt harassed, intimidated, or unsafe following interactions with an elected official, the proper response is not mockery or deflection,” said Wehrheim. “Primaries can be tough—candidates expect scrutiny, tough questions, and even personal attacks. But no private citizen should ever be subjected to fear, retaliation, or harassment simply for supporting the candidate they believe in. That crosses a line we should never tolerate. We all have a duty—as elected officials and as members of this community—to respect one another’s constitutional rights and to lead by example. Public service begins with listening, showing humility, and accepting accountability. That’s what our residents deserve.”

Primary day is June 24. Early voting runs from June 14-22.

14 Candidate Spotlight

By Matt Meduri

Al Carfora

Candidate: Al Carfora

Residence: Smithtown hamlet

Prior Elected Office: None

Prior Campaigns: None

Al Carfora is one of four candidates running for two separate open seats on the Smithtown Central School District’s (CSD) Board of Education.

Board Members Michael Saidens and Michael Catalanotto. Although Catalanotto currently serves as Board President the position of president is not an elected position tied to this particular seat. The newly-sat board will select a new president at the start of the term in June. Al Carfora sat down with The Messenger for a candidate spotlight interview.

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

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

A: With fifteen years in the property and commercial insurance industry, including my role as a Property Field Training Manager for a top Fortune 100 company, I bring expertise in construction, budgeting, and reviewing complex estimates—skills the board currently lacks, especially as we consider major building upgrades like central air conditioning. I’ve spent my career negotiating with diverse groups and finding common ground, and I believe those skills are critical now. I’m running to bring a balanced, informed voice that listens to educators, parents, administrators, and taxpayers—so we can make decisions that truly benefit our schools and students.

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

A: Listening to the community with their concerns is of the utmost importance. At a recent board meeting, there appeared to be a disconnect

A: Our children and teacher’s health and well-being while at work is of utmost importance. Being in insurance, where I routinely review mold remediation estimates, I was expecting a direct response as to the mold issue. Rather, the superintendent’s response, along with the company they contracted to do the testing, left more questions and concerns than answers. Following the meeting, I went over and spoke with the company they contracted with. I asked if they had done an air-and-surface sample test of the mold in the registers in the ceiling. They confirmed they did air samples but I was left perplexed because during the back-and-forth with one of the community member’s questions they were answering, they stated teachers were leaving doors open and, therefore, the air from outside the rooms was coming in and they could not get accurate readings. When I spoke with them, they stated they felt confident with their air samples, using infrared, and inspecting the HVAC system that they did not find a source of moisture. Dealing with mold routinely, I was taken aback by the fact that they did not do a tape lift sample of the mold on the register and did not look to test in the duct work. Further, by doors being left open, it cross-contaminates the room and you can’t get accurate air samples. They responded that there is nothing they can do about that. I asked why they wouldn’t have done testing when kids aren’t in school like the previous week for spring break - which would have been perfect - or the weekends or evenings. They had nothing to add other than they know there is no mold. That doesn’t sound right to me and I’ve never reviewed a mold testing report where they don’t take surface samples. I feel they should do proper testing with another certified mold hygienist and release the testing results with a mold protocol report to the public to put everyone at ease. What are they afraid of? Testing is not that expensive, especially considering when it’s our children’s health.

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

A: It simply to extend the Superintendent in June of 2023 right

By Matt Meduri

Mike Simonelli

Candidate: Mike Simonelli

Residence: St. James

Prior Elected Office: None

Prior Campaigns:

Suffolk County Legislature District 13, 2021 campaign, Conservative line only.

Candidate Spotlight

Mike Simonelli is running to fill the remaining year of the seat vacated by the resignation of former Trustee John Savoretti. He faces Brandon Solomon for this particular seat. The winner will serve the last year of the term and will face election for a full term in 2026. Mike Simonelli sat down with The Messenger for this candidate spotlight interview.

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

A: I graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy, served five years on active duty as an Air Force Finance Officer and then twenty-one years in the Army Reserves as a Civil Affairs Officer (Special Operations). I was Deputy Comptroller of a $300 million budget for the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy; Comptroller overseeing the drawdown of Eskan Air Base in Saudi Arabia; and conducted over 100 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, coordinating with other nations civil and military leaders to restore critical services to the populace, fight corruption, and protect our country.

As a Suffolk County Police Officer, I spent twelve years on patrol, helping ordinary citizens during their times of need and proactively looking for criminals; and I spent twelve years as an Executive board member representing over 2,000 active and associate members in issues related to their contracts, work conditions, and the anti-police propaganda perpetuated by activist groups and a biased mainstream media. My careers as a military officer, police officer, and union leader provided me with a wealth of experience in successfully working with people from all walks of life, in performing tasks while under pressure, and in analyzing the situation to get a clear picture to make the best possible decision.

Judging by the recent years of conflict on the board, I would be a valuable asset to the community in making decisions in the best interest of our

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

A: I have several former police colleagues currently sitting on school boards, so one of the first things I would do if elected, would be to reach out to them and ask how their districts handle FOIL requests, and when I find a system that appears to be more efficient, I will bring it back to the board for discussion. I’m a strong believer in full transparency with government when it comes to unclassified material, so I would advocate for a public FOIL database that would show which requests the district received each day and when they were filled.

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

A: Having listened to the mother of a High School West alumnus that lost his life to cancer shortly after graduation, I was stunned at the fact the district has not already used the company from Northport she referenced. I also listened to one of the district’s staff address the issue at an earlier board meeting, trying to assure the community it was just dust in the multitude of pictures that were being passed around that clearly looked like mold. My running mate, Al Carfora, who deals with this issue as an insurance investigator supervisor, quickly dispelled the district’s explanation during an interview with another media outlet and made it clear to me we need another independent company such as the one from Northport to examine High School West. As a PBA board member, I worked with the county to resolve environmental health issues found at the various precincts and as a school board member I would make the health and safety of our students, teachers, and staff a top priority as I did for my cops.

Q: Do you believe that extending a superintendent’s contract well in advance of its expiration is in the best interest of the community as

you deserve a say YOU PAY THE TAXES

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

Our Promise to You

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

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

vote may 20th

Millions in Unclaimed Funds Available—Suffolk

County Nonprofits Among Those Eligible

By Raheem Soto

Across New York State, billions of dollars in unclaimed funds remain undistributed. These funds—often the result of dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance refunds, or utility deposits—are being held by the Office of the New York State Comptroller until claimed by their rightful owners. While the program is available to individuals, it also applies to businesses and nonprofit organizations, many of which may not realize they’re entitled to these funds.

One local nonprofit, Colonial Youth and Family Services in Mastic Beach, recently discovered multiple listings in the state’s unclaimed funds system.

“The unclaimed funds program is one of the most overlooked resources out there for nonprofits,” said Nick Taylor, President of Colonial Youth and Family Services. “We were surprised to find that we had multiple listings going back years. We’ve already submitted five claims to the Comptroller’s Office, and the process has been straightforward and efficient. Every dollar helps us serve more families, and I encourage every organization to check.”

According to the New York State Comptroller’s Office, over $19 billion in unclaimed funds are currently being held statewide. In 2023 alone, the Comptroller’s Office returned nearly $500 million to individuals and organizations that filed verified claims. Suffolk County accounts for over $320 million in unclaimed assets, although this total includes all categories of claimants—

residents, businesses, and nonprofits alike.

The state’s online search portal at osc. ny.gov/unclaimed-funds allows anyone to enter a name and review matches. If a listing is found, the organization must submit documentation proving ownership or legal status—such as a tax ID certificate, nonprofit determination letter, and proof of former address or banking information.

There is no county-administered version of the program. All unclaimed property in New York is managed at the state level. However, users can search the database by county, ZIP code, or name, which helps organizations and residents narrow down local results.

For nonprofits, funds often go unclaimed because of administrative changes, staff turnover, name changes, or address relocations. Common examples include:

1. Checks that were never deposited

2. Vendor or government refunds sent to outdated addresses

3. Dormant accounts that were forgotten or closed

4. Reimbursements for services or overpayments

There is no fee to search for or file a claim. Once submitted, most claims are processed within several weeks.

While individual listings vary in value, some nonprofits have recovered hundreds or even thousands of dollars—funds that can be redirected toward programs, supplies, or operating expenses. The chance of being listed increases for groups with multiple office locations or long operational histories.

Colonial Youth and Family Services now includes an unclaimed funds check in its routine financial reviews. The organization views it as a simple step that may uncover overlooked resources.

Nonprofits, schools, and civic organizations across Suffolk County are encouraged to search the database periodically. The state holds funds indefinitely, and recovery requires only proper documentation.

For organizations stretched thin on resources, the opportunity to reclaim existing funds—at no cost—offers a practical financial tool often hidden in plain sight.

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Thursday, May 15, 2025

Media Shocked That Media Covered Up Biden’s Cognitive Decline

By Shane Harris | Editor-in-Chief AMAC

It’s a headline that reads more like satire than reality. But the corporate media is once again pretending to be shocked at new details about Joe Biden’s cognitive decline – despite having themselves perpetrated the cover-up of the former president’s failing health for years.

Since Biden left office, details have slowly emerged about the lengths to which top White House staff, Democrat insiders, and liberal media pundits went to cover up the president’s physical deterioration. But that trickle has become a torrent this week as details from “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again,” a new book from CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’s Alex Thompson, have entered the headlines.

The book is reportedly based on interviews with more than 200 people and includes explosive revelations like the fact that Biden’s health was apparently so bad as early as 2023 that advisors privately discussed the potential need to use a wheelchair if he won re-election. Biden’s physician, Kevin O’Connor, also pleaded with aides to give the president more time to rest, and White House staffers were instructed to plan events so that Biden had to walk as few steps as possible.

In another instance, Biden allegedly did not recognize movie star George Clooney at an event, despite the fact that the two men had known each other for nearly two decades. Clooney would later pen an op-ed urging Biden to drop out of the race –but only following his disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump.

For Americans who watched the media’s fawning coverage of Biden for four years, the feigned shock and outrage of the commentariat class over these new details is as laughable as it is insulting. Do Tapper, Thompson, and their legacy media brethren really expect us to forget that they themselves paved the way for the cover-up of Biden’s cognitive decline until that lie became impossible to maintain?

Those of us with working eyeballs and an ounce of objectivity know that Biden’s unfitness for office was obvious well before 2024. He waited longer than any president in 100 years to hold his first news conference, and overall held by far the fewest press conferences of any president in modern history.

In 2021, Biden fell multiple times attempting to climb the steps of Air Force One. That same year he appeared to fall asleep during a climate summit and repeatedly appeared lost and confused during official events. 2022 and 2023 saw the president fall again during an Air Force Academy graduation ceremony, fall off his bike while standing completely still, and rack up an astonishing record of gaffes, misstatements, and incoherent ramblings.

Yet through all of this, Tapper himself was a reliable defender of Biden on CNN, repeatedly going to bat in defense of the president’s supposed mental sharpness. Journalist Tom Elliott compiled a damning supercut of Tapper’s participation in the cover-up of Biden’s deterioration over the years.

In October 2020, for instance, Tapper accused Trump campaign adviser Lara Trump of “mocking” Biden’s “stutter” for suggesting that Biden was “in a state of cognitive decline.” Four years later, Tapper was still dismissing Biden’s gaffes as merely a “stutter” and accusing Trump of “belittling” Biden for it. In 2022, Tapper claimed that Biden was “sharp mentally.” He further alleged that the narrative of Biden’s cognitive decline was a Russian ploy to undermine “election integrity.”

Thompson’s Axios, meanwhile, dutifully repeated the party line that Biden was a “healthy, vigorous, 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency.”

Various other clips and headlines of the media attempting to cover up the truth about Biden’s health are also now making the rounds online. Just two days before the first presidential debate last June, CNN published a story describing the notion that Biden was “a senile, mentally incapacitated elderly man” as a “conspiracy theory.”

Yet now, the same networks who attempted to gaslight the public for four years are shocked, stunned, flabbergasted at these supposedly new,

never-before-known details about just how poor Biden’s health was.

This new narrative – that the corporate media was completely fooled and misled by the White House – creates two distinct possibilities, neither of which is particularly flattering for our supposed betters in the journalist class.

The first possibility (if we are to take Tapper and Thompson at their word) is that no one in the liberal media really had any clue about Biden’s cognitive decline.

This interpretation seems rather suspect from the get-go.

Journalists have infinitely more access to the president than everyday Americans. They cover his every move for a living. So are we really supposed to believe that an overwhelming majority of Americans (and conservative news outlets) saw that Biden was too old to run for reelection, but no one in the liberal media could see it?

If that is indeed the case, then what good are those “journalists” in the first place? Why should any American believe anything that comes

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out of the mouth of someone who apparently can’t see what is right in front of their face and simply repeats whatever those in power tell them to say? A pundit who is only now “discovering” what most Americans have known for years isn’t much use to anyone.

The second and more likely possibility is that the media knew exactly what they were doing and repeatedly, knowingly, and consistently lied to the public anyway because it advanced their political agenda. Now that the lie has become impossible to maintain, they are scrambling to cover their own hides by pinning blame on Biden staffers.

Of course, the great irony here is that the lie was never all that believable. Most Americans knew they were being lied to.

Either way, the cover-up of Biden’s cognitive decline remains one of if not the single greatest media scandal in American history. Public confidence in the legacy press was collapsing before the fraud was exposed, and this is only likely to accelerate that trend.

WHERE BROADWAY MEETS MAIN STREET

May 15–

Jun 29, 2025

Jul 10–

Aug 24, 2025

WORD OF THE Week

Etymology: late 16th century ride or raid on horseback): from French, from Italian from cavalcare Latin caballus ‘horse’.

WORD WHEEL

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

May 19, 1536: Anne Boleyn, second wife of English King Henry VIII, is beheaded at the Tower of London on charges of adultery, incest, and treason.

May 20, 1609: William Shakespeare’s Sonnets are first published in London, perhaps illicitly, by publisher Thomas Thorpe.

May 18, 1927: Grauman’s Chinese Theater opens in Hollywood, California.

May 16, 1868: U.S. Senate fails to impeach President Andrew Johnson (D-TN) by one vote.

May 21, 1832: First U.S. Democratic National Convention; held in Baltimore.

May 15, 1869:

National Woman Suffrage Association forms in New York, founded by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

By PJ Balzer

Messenger Perspectives

Park Anywhere, But Don’t Park Here

This past weekend, my wife and I had a dog-sitting twenty-four-hour trial run. A friend of ours is going to visit her family in Guatemala starting this weekend for ten days, for which she asked us to watch her dog. So, we used one day this weekend to get acquainted with her sixteen-year-old dog. She slept over, explored every inch of our apartment and even went for a long car ride on Sunday morning to deliver newspapers.

She’s an older dog, so naturally, we are trying to both figure out and fully accommodate her walk and bathroom schedule. I’ve heard it said that older people are pretty set in their ways, and I believe that goes for dogs too. Since we abruptly took her on such a long car ride with many stopand-go miles, we ended up stopping several extra times to let her stretch and use the bathroom if she needed; not to mention she was nervous about this whole new ordeal she was experiencing. Sometimes, a good walk can relax the nerves.

The last stop we made for her was in a residential and wooded area in Manorville. I found a quiet piece of a long block with no houses close by and a lot of surrounding woods. There was even one of those circular bike trials that the neighborhood kids had worked hard at clearing out - a perfect little stretch of land for her short walk and some relief. Yes, we had plastic bags to pick up after her and we’re respectful of other people’s properties.

We pulled over on the side of the road and cars coming from either direction could see us parked. much less intimidating and suspicious time to see a car parked along the roadside. In my opinion at least. My wife opened both passenger the woods, left them open and took the six-pound woods. I decided to wait in the car.

I was prepared with an already thought-out my tongue for any passersby that may stop to was fully expecting someone, or several people there, to stop and ask me if everything was alright. There was a strip of residential houses starting a couple hundred feet away. parked close by with hazard lights, two doors fully neighborly concern.

The first car rolled up slowly. It was a large, burly guy with his arm hanging out the window. The back of his truck was full of all kinds of tools and gadgets. He slowed down to about three miles per hour when he saw us parked there. He took a long look at me, at my car and whatever else he could observe. I’m almost certain he was trying to remember my license plate. At this point my wife and our new four-legged friend were well into the woods. After his long look at myself and my car, he floored the gas on his pickup truck and growled up the long block - without words, letting me know that he wasn’t happy I was parked there.

the man per say, it was about how many people drove by him without stopping. that as a community, we could do better and show concern for one another, especially someone in distress. Not surprisingly, the post was met with mostly disdain. there are many dangerous situations that arise out there and that we do need to be on guard at all simultaneously understand that we are also losing our empathy, compassion, and concern for one another, especially those in need of help. fully ready with my answer prepared for the person that was to my car to ask, “Is my answer because hear and read people saying with much emotion that the United States was founded on this or that principle and how they feel we need to return to it. United States also has Judeo-Christian thread running through it which used to help society. We were better people for it and God’s blessing rested upon the land. At the very core of the principles being, “To love your neighbor as yourself.” That would include neighborly care, concern, off with action.

In the ten-minute span we were there, three other cars did basically the same thing. Each passerby let me know in their own way that they didn’t like us parked there. Not through words but through actions, body language, and indifference.

I can honestly understand that.

We live in a time where evil, manipulation, and strange occurrences go on every day, especially at the side of the road in a very wooded area. While each person that passed by was undoubtedly hyper vigilant, they also seemed to lack one other trait that used to be mainstream in our society and communities as a whole.

What if there was a medical emergency happening on the side of the road and the situation could have used a passerby’s help? What if the suspicious car was two parents dealing with an unresponsive child or elderly family member and were too frantic to dial the phone for help? What if we simply forgot our jumper cables at home and just needed a stranger’s boost to get home safely? What if we were somehow stranded without a cell phone in an emergency situation and needed someone to call 911? What if someone simply asked, “Hey, is everything ok?” Instead of giving us a sneer and a large portion of the fumes from their exhaust pipe?

Strangely enough, but not coincidentally, that same evening, I was scrolling through one of the community pages on social media from my own area. A community member had written about a recent event where she came across what she thought was an unresponsive man lying on the sidewalk. She immediately pulled over to check on him and called an ambulance, which he needed. Her post wasn’t about

22 Long Island Life & Politics

Thursday, May 15, 2025

Published

Is Hochul Bringing Real Relief to Long Islanders?

By Hank Russell | Long Island Life & Politics

Soon after signing the state budget, Governor Kathy Hochul (D) came to Farmingdale State College on May 13 to announce that she is bringing economic relief to Long Island families. But some wonder if this would really help Long Islanders, who are already financially overburdened.

The FY 2026 State Budget includes Hochul’s plan to give 215,000 Long Island families an annual tax credit of up to $1,000 per child under age four and up to $500 per child from four through sixteen. This is the largest expansion of New York’s Child Tax Credit in its history benefiting approximately 355,000 children on Long Island, according to Hochul.

The budget also includes Hochul’s plan to cut taxes for more than 80% of all tax filers on Long Island. This will deliver nearly $168 million annually in tax relief to 1.2 million Long Islanders bringing taxes for the middle class to their lowest level in 70 years, said Hochul. Additionally, New York’s first-ever inflation refund checks totaling $316.4 million will be sent to almost 1.3 million Long Island taxpayers.

Hochul said she also secured more than $270 million in additional state aid for Long Island school districts for the 2025–26 academic year a 5.4% increase over the current year.

In addition, Hochul announced she has made investments to the region’s environment. Among them:

• $1.7 billion for the State’s share of the Fire Island to Montauk Point (FIMP) project — a federal-state-local partnership representing a once-in-a-generation investment in Long Island’s long-term flood resilience.

• A record $425 million for the Environmental Protection Fund, including $17.15 million specifically for Long Island programs that protect groundwater and preserve the island’s unique environment.

• Continued $500 million statewide investment in clean water, with Long Island receiving more than $458 million in water infrastructure funding in the past four years.

• An additional $8.75 million for the Blue Buffers Voluntary Buyout Program, which supports resilient shorelines and protects vulnerable Long Island homes from future flooding.

“The cost of living is too damn high for Long Island families, so I promised to put more

Credit - Susan Watts, Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

money in your pockets — and we got it done,” Hochul said. “Putting thousands of dollars back in the pockets of families means helping Long Islanders afford the rising costs of groceries, raising kids, and just enjoying life. When I said your family is my fight, I meant it – and I’ll never stop fighting for you.”

Some of the state legislators supported the governor’s economic plan.

“The expansion of the child tax credit will alleviate the rising cost of childcare for countless families across Long Island, and tax cuts for the middle class is a hallmark of this year’s budget,” said Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni (D-North Haven). He also said the increase in school funding “signal[s] the state’s commitment to address affordability and its support of public schools.”

“The affordability crisis has hit Long Islanders hard, and while there is still much more work to be done, I believe this budget does an excellent job at tackling the crisis head-on,” Schiavoni said.

“Governor Hochul’s economic plan is exactly the kind of relief Long Island families need right now,” Assemblyman Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove) added. “By expanding the Child Tax Credit and cutting taxes for more than a million middle-class residents, she’s helping parents keep up with the rising cost of living and putting money back in the pockets of hardworking New Yorkers.”

Assemblyman Keith Brown (R-Northport) said that, while the expansion of the Child Tax Credit and tax cuts are “positive steps that will provide much-needed relief to families struggling with the high cost of living,” and “smart, targeted measures that can make a meaningful impact in our region,” he said the inflation rebate checks are “not a long-term solution” since it’s only a one -shot.

“What Long Islanders really need is sustained structural relief, lower property taxes, affordable housing and reduced energy costs,” Brown said. “If we want to keep families and businesses here, we need to focus on comprehensive reforms that address the root causes of affordability. I’m committed to working with my colleagues to ensure Long Island families have the support they need not just today, but for the long haul.”

This article originally appeared in Long Island Life & Politics. For more from LILP, visit them online at lilifepolitics.com.

Continued from page 4

Suffolk & Nassau Jointly Oppose Even-Year Election Law

Suffolk County Legislator Anthony Piccirillo shared his perspective with The Messenger on the multiple headaches this law would likely inflict upon Suffolk voters.

“The Legislature’s eighteen members are sworn in under the New York State Constitution and the Suffolk County Charter; this law violates both of those,” said Piccirillo. “As County officials, how can you swear an oath to documents that you see Albany trample on purely for political purposes? This has nothing to do with democracy or saving money; we still have to follow State laws regarding early voting, election workers, election machines, counting absentee ballots, and the amount of polling sites.”

Piccirillo also poses a question: if the law is centered around increasing turnout, then why isn’t New York City - the largest basket of votes in the state - exempt?

“They [Albany Democrats] can’t believe how unpopular their policies are for this state and they have suffered loss after loss,”

said Piccirillo. “Instead of sitting down and rethinking their positions, they decided to change the rules to the elections we all participate in. It’s a blatant political powergrab by city socialists and Albany Democrats.” Of voter disenfranchisement, Piccirillo warns of longer voting lines that people have ever seen. Additionally, the significantly larger ballots might be un-processable by County machines, possibly requiring a $40-$60 million investment, according to Piccirillo.

“I think if the Court of Appeals rules on the law, we win. If it’s a political ruling, which mostly happens in this state, we lose,” said Piccirillo, adding his disapproval of the State Senate’s rejection of Court of Appeals nominee Hector LaSalle in 2023. LaSalle was seen a more moderate Democrat who many Republicans believed would have called balls and strikes on the state’s top bench.

“Voters want local control across political lines; that’s the whole essence of home rule,” said Piccirillo.

by Messenger Papers, Inc.

(Left to right) Executive Romaine, Clerk Puleo, Legislators Piccirillo, Bontempi, Mazzarella, McCaffrey, Lennon, Stark, Flotteron, and Thorne (Credit - Matt Meduri)

Local History

Thursday, May 15, 2025

The General Store at 501 Hawkins Avenue Part 3: ‘James Agnew & Issac Taylor 1914’

By Ellyn Okvist, B.Sc.

“Dear Mother, You will be surprised to hear that I have bought out a store of groceries and general merchandise, a business that has been established for about 14 years it is located about 50 miles from New York on Long Island, Sam will know where it is. I have taken over all his stock at a cost of about near $3000 Dollars. I have a lease of the buildings for ten years with living room above store. It is quite a big venture taken wholely on my own shoulders. I did not get much encouragement from any of my friends but believing I was doing the right thing took it upon myselfnever venture, never win. They say it is a very good motto. There is a Post Office connected with the store which pays $500 Dollars a year which when I am able to handle will pay more than rent of the store. The man’s name I bought from is Walter E. Coleman as you will see by this bill head when writing to the address letters. Here I see by the papers you are about to have trouble in Ireland. I hope it will not be as serious as expected. Write soon and let me hear how you and all the family are. Give my love to everybody, give me your prayers in this new venture, from Your loving Son, to death, James Agnew.” - March 22, 1914

A true and extraordinary letter written by James Agnew to his mother Elizabeth Annett Agnew, living in Ireland, that announced his new business. The words say it all straight from his heart. There is no doubt about the legacy he would continue to create as he began his time at the corner General Store. Longevity and true friendships would begin with that 1914 purchase, and many of us still have the memories of the store as it served our families and us as individuals.

Issac Sherwood Taylor was the brother of James Agnew’s wife, Mary. He became the equal partner of the General Store at the time of purchase. Their partnership was solid in the firm Agnew & Taylor with his brother-in-law James Agnew for thirty years, until Issac’s death on May 2, 1944.

Walter Emmett Coleman and his sonin-law Frederick Henry Wilkinson sold the store to Agnew and Taylor and recorded a “Suffolk County Mortgage. - Agnew J & wife to HR Coleman & ano. Lots Portion Rd. Adj. land Coleman, Lake Ronkonkoma in the amount of $2000.”

The General Store continued to carry a widespread amount of goods, including fruits, groceries, dry goods, seasonal articles, ice, kerosene, underwear, feed, hay, their famous “felt boots”, and almost every need of the community. Oil lamps, oil stoves, rakes, hoes, shovels, shot gun shells, hip boots, and sheep skin coats quickly found their way to the shelves. Gasoline was sold in the 1920s. The store was very popular, and the feeling of comradery with the citizens continued to attract them to the store for their evenings’ town gossip while waiting for their mail to be sorted - another family-owned store which continued to shape the backbone of Lake Ronkonkoma.

The story about how he came to Lake Ronkonkoma is nothing short of karma. On the advice of a friend, he saved his money and bought a taxicab, which was to add to his sub-standard salary while living in NYC. From the money he made “hacking”, he paid for the cab and saved up several thousand dollars. In 1914, a fare named Henry Glensman wanted a ride to Lake Ronkonkoma. Henry was the son of the owner of Hunter’s Home, a tavern and hunting lodge located

in the area. While Mr. Agnew was there, he learned that Mr. Coleman was selling his general store. He and his brother-in-law, Ike Taylor, bought the store and took over the post office. The store became known as Agnew and Taylor.

As owner of the General Store, it was now the duty of James Agnew to become the Postmaster of the existing Lake Ronkonkoma Post Office in the building. James had declared his intention to become a U.S. citizen on November 14, 1906, which worked out fine for the position. The Post Office continued to be housed under Agnew and Taylor’s roof until 1933 and that previous year’s presidential election. The office of the Postmaster in small towns was considered a political plum awarded to deserving members of the party in power in Washington. When Franklin D. Roosevelt (D-NY) was elected President in 1932, the post office was promptly moved out of Agnew and Taylor and given to Gus Gehweiler, a Democrat. Gus followed the post office regulations and put up “No Loitering” signs, ending the era of friendly town gatherings at the mailboxes each evening. In 1943, the Post Office was moved across the street, and Mrs. McKernon was postmistress for seventeen years until the new Post Office building was opened on Portion Road.

James Agnew (May 3, 1881 – December 9, 1959) Born in Ireland; married to Mary Ann Taylor Agnew (November 29, 1879 –November 30, 1952) on August 24, 1904, in County Down, Ireland. Interment for both in the Lake Ronkonkoma Cemetery.

James Agnew died at his home on Hawkins Avenue, member of Sayville Lodge F.&A.M., a former Lake Ronkonkoma postmaster, past president of the Lake Ronkonkoma Bank, a charter member of the board of directors of the Lake Ronkonkoma Bank, past treasurer of the Ronkonkoma Fire Department, past treasurer of the Lake Ronkonkoma Union Free Library, and a former member of the Board of Education.

Children of James and Mary: William Sherwood Agnew (1908-2001), James Henry Agnew (1912-1982), and Elizabeth May Agnew Lund (1917-2006)

Issac Sherwood Taylor (June 21, 1877 – May 2, 1944). He was unmarried. A machinist in his early life with EW Bliss Company, Brooklyn. A Mason with the Kings County Masonic Lodge F.&A.M.

He had a brother, Samuel J. Taylor, of Los Angeles, and sister Mary A. Agnew. Interment in

Thank you to our friends the Agnew and Taylor families who continue to add happiness to our lives and in keeping our history real!

the Lake Ronkonkoma Cemetery.

Agnew and Taylor 1914

Agnew and Taylor 1930s (above and below photos)

Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.

Theater & the Arts

Thursday, May 15, 2025

The Gateway Opens Its 76th Season with the Tap Extravaganza ‘42nd Street’

By Cindi Sansone-Braff

With their latest polished-toperfection production of “42nd Street,”

The Gateway Playhouse once again proves that Bellport is the place to see Broadway-caliber shows right here on Long Island.

From the moment the curtain rose, revealing a glamorous chorus line of world-class tap dancers decked out in stunning costumes strutting their stuff, it was apparent why this Broadway musical received a Tony Award for Best Musical after its premiere in 1980. The 2001 Broadway production won the Tony for Best Revival.

Based on the 1932 “scandalous potboiler” novel by Bradford Ropes and the subsequent 1933 film adaptation, this jukebox musical has a book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, lyrics by Al Dubin and Johnny Mercer, and music by Harry Warren. The original Broadway production, directed and choreographed by the theatrical visionary Gower Champion, turned out to be his “swan song.” Sadly, Champion passed away ten hours before the show opened. During the curtain call, Producer David Merrick announced the devastating news, much to the dismay of the shocked cast and audience.

Randy Skinner masterfully directs The Gateway’s current production, featuring the choreography from the original Broadway production recreated by Mary Giattino. Skinner worked directly under Champion and was largely responsible for the tap dance routines in the show. After Champion’s untimely death, Skinner stepped in to

offering glimpses into the personal lives of the creative team involved.

The musical takes place during the Great Depression, a time when “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” became the anthem of a generation. The plot revolves around an aspiring chorus girl, Peggy Sawyer from Allentown, Pennsylvania, who comes to the big city armed with big dreams, a warm heart, and an abundance of innate charm and theatrical skills. Elizabeth McGuire, a versatile actor, delivered a tour-deforce performance as the talented but timid Broadway wannabe. McGuire is a tap dancer extraordinaire, and her powerhouse vocals were showcased throughout the performance. Griffin Wilkins was perfectly cast as Billy Lawlor, Peggy’s love interest, and the leading tenor in “Pretty Lady.” Wilkins and McGuire’s powerful duet, “Young and Healthy,” was one of the musical’s highlights. Wilkens also delivered a riveting performance of “Dames.” Broadway veteran Kristen Beth

take over the choreography, ensuring the meticulous technical expertise of the famed director, choreographer, and dancer lived on.

“42nd Street” is a backstage musical that celebrates the magic and wonder of Broadway, utilizing the theatrical technique known as a play-withina-play. The audience witnesses the evolution of the musical “Pretty Lady” from auditions through rehearsals to the drama-filled premiere, highlighting the highs and lows of the process while

Williams, a charismatic and captivating performer, held the audience spellbound every time she stepped on stage. Williams possesses that hardto-define, yet muchsought-after Hollywood magnetism necessary to pull off the part of Dorothy Brock, an aging diva desperate to stay

relevant, no matter what the cost. Janine Loesch, the astute Costume Coordinator, outfitted Williams in some of the most spectacular gowns you will see on any stage. Williams’s heartrending delivery of “I Only Have Eyes for You” was an unforgettable onstage moment. Robert Anthony Jones as Abner Dillon, the producer of “Pretty Lady,” and Dorothy’s jealous Sugar Daddy, received the biggest laughs of the evening. He also stunned the audience with his singing and dancing ability during the “Getting Out of Town Reprise.” Jesse Swimm aced the role of Pat Denning, Dorothy’s former vaudeville partner and true love.

Ryan K. Bailer, a Gateway veteran, was believable as the renowned and demanding director Julian Marsh. He commanded the stage and showcased his rich, velvety vocals during “Lullaby of Broadway.” This musical starts with a bang and goes out with a whimper as this magnificent actor stood alone on stage, with just a single ghost light illuminating him, delivering a hauntingly beautiful reprise of “42nd Street” in a soft, melancholic reverie.

Jessica Wockenfuss as Maggie Jones and Cullen R. Titmas as Bert Barry were convincing as the co-producers and co-writers of “Pretty Lady.” Their duet, “Keep Young and Beautiful,” was one of the high points of the show. Titmas and Wockenfuss, along with Sarah Dearstyne as Ann Reilly, showcased their immense talents during the comedic number, “Shuffle Off to Buffalo.”

Willie Clyde Beaton II gave a standout performance as Andy Lee, the dance director of “Pretty Lady.” The mega-talented ensemble, with their pitch-perfect vocals and dynamic dance moves, brought their A-game to this production. A standing ovation is extended to all of them, including Ian Black, Marlina Brown, Chase Fontenot, Haley Holcomb, Josh McWhorter, Brandon J. Morris, Becca Perron, Sean Quinn, Colleen Roberts, Sam Sanderson, Bryan Seastrom, Halle Surgil, and Keila Sue Wong.

The Gateway assembled a topnotch creative team, including Music Director Andrew Haile Austin, Scenic Designer Kelly Latta, and Sound Designer Ben Takitch. A special shoutout goes to Dustin Lawson for his wig design, which replicated the glamorous hairstyles of the 1930s, and to José Santiago for his exquisite lighting design, which included a well-executed “Shadow Waltz” featuring Maggie, Dorothy, and the Male Ensemble. The big production numbers, costumed by Loesch, especially the sparkling gold sequin and paillette designs displayed during “We’re in the Money,” are stunning visual treats and are worth the price of admission.

This electrifying musical is like an ecstatic energy effusion that leaves you breathlessly excited and exuberantly alive! The show runs through June 1, 2025. To purchase tickets to The Gateway’s high-voltage production of the beloved Broadway hit “42nd Street,” contact the Box Office at 631-286-1133 or visit Thegateway.org.

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

26 BOE Endorsements

Thursday, May 15, 2025

Simonelli, Ricciardi, and Carfora for Smithtown CSD Board of Education

The Smithtown Central School District (CSD) Board of Education (BoE) has three seats up for election this year: two open seats left by Board President Michael Catalanotto and Vice President Michael Saidens, plus another seat that was vacated by the recent resignation of John Savoretti. Six candidates are vying for all three seats, and with a near-$300 million budget amid tumultuous cultural times, the results of these elections can be crucial for the district’s immediate future.

Moreover, 70% of downstate New York’s property tax dollars go to local school districts, making the implications and necessity of voter turnout much more significant than those of other local elections.

Note: Although Trustees Catalanotto and Saidens currently serve as board president and vice president, respectively, the positions of president and vice presidents are not elected alongside a particular candidate. Those positions will be selected by the board at the start of the June term.

Mike Simonelli

With two “Mikes” leaving the board, we find there’s sufficient room for another, and Mike Simonelli makes for a perfect addition in terms of long-standing community relations, leadership under stressful situations, and a watchdog of both matters fiscal and ethical.

Simonelli is a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, with five years on active-duty as an Air Force Finance Officer. He helped oversee a $300 million budget - similar in size to that of the Smithtown CSD - for the 31st Fighter Wing in Italy. Simonelli has also spent a significant amount of time abroad, including Europe, the Persian Gulf, and the Middle East, leading over one hundred combat missions that required coordination with other nations and battalions.

But Simonelli’s record at home continues to precede him: twelve years as a patrol officer for the SCPD, Simonelli has worked with municipal unions, community members of all walks of life, and has been a direct recipient of mainstream media bias in multiple ways. We trust Simonelli’s steady leadership abilities, his numerous community connections to help improve the district’s internal functions - such as the processing of FOIL requests and improving district-wide survey reach - and his commitment to his hometown.

The Messenger endorses Simonelli.

Karen Wontrobski-Ricciardi

Sometimes, going back to the drawing board is necessary, and we’re pleased to see Karen WontrobskiRicciardi on that particular board and we hope to see her on another one come June.

Ricciardi was elected in 2021 and became board vice president in 2023 until she was defeated for re-election in 2024. The 2024 election season was dominated by capital improvements around the district, including, but not limited to, boiler replacements, track and field improvements, and athletic lighting systems that would have circumvented the district’s persistent need to rent equipment.

We don’t think the board has adequately addressed some of these issues in the past year, even as new ones have risen. We believe that with three years of experience on the board, and one as an authority figure, Ricciardi is a welcome comeback candidate for this year’s slate.

Ricciardi, in her own words, would be able to “hit the ground running”, and we agree with that sentiment, especially with her ability to already dig into streamlining the FOIL request process and putting out a more fair survey without district staff’s fears of possible repercussions for negative answers.

Moreover, Riccardi was a board member in 2023 when the lame-duck board extended the superintendent’s contract well ahead of its expiration. The move reeked of political expediency knowing that the incoming board majority was not of the same mindset as their predecessors. Even if the contract is a done deal, we trust Ricciardi to act as a stopgap on runaway contracts and at least give things a proper once-over.

The Messenger endorses Wontrobski-Ricciardi.

Al Carfora

A newcomer to elected office entirely, Al Carfora brings a fresh face to the board and one we think can do exceptionally well, especially considering the district’s recent problems of mold at High School West.

Carfora, a professional in the construction and budgeting industry, shared with us his in-depth knowledge of these types of mold and contamination remediation projects. Not only can he speak to the exact correct process, but we firmly trust him to advocate for third-party vendors with adequate abilities to solve these types of issues going forward.

Carfora also presents an interesting problem for the incumbent board and district administration: as a parent of a child in the district, he was not aware of the survey until its results were expressed at the ensuing board meeting. We agree with his proposal of improving the student-teacher-child connection in disseminating surveys and his adjacent mantra, “sometimes, simpler is better.”

The Messenger endorses Carfora.

The Opposition

The opposing slate to the Simonelli-Ricciardi-Carfora ticket is that of Bernadette Ackerman, Theresa Donohue, and Brandon Solomon.

All three of these candidates pointed out that the current public school-to-private school pipeline is likely more of a problem on higher levels of government and national sentiments at large. We’re not inclined to completely disagree, but school districts make up 70% of a property tax bill, and only with more prodding did the slate agree that more money could potentially be saved by line-item reviews.

All candidates also express that since they’re not currently on the board, they can’t speak exactly to the district’s FOIL request process or the conditions under which the superintendent’s contract was hastily approved by the lame-duck board in June 2023, as what is said and done in executive session is confidential. We understand the lack of exact knowledge due to being removed from those conversations, but we feel their answers went short of knowledge that at least Theresa Donohue, a veteran educator and education administrator, should have.

There is one common denominator between these two of these candidates that make us ambivalent to endorse the slate: conflicts of interest.

In the April 17, 2025, edition of The Smithtown News, Bernadette Ackerman mentioned that her husband, Mick, works as a consultant for a school security company. When we asked if he works for a company that consults with the district, Ackerman refused to talk about her husband, instead sharing that he is a retired police officer.

While we sincerely thank Mr. Ackerman for his service, we found that he is a security consultant with Covert Investigations, a firm that provides K-12 security as one of its services. In February 2023, a contract was signed between the district and Covert to the tune of $850,000. Twenty-one vendors were contacted before Covert was chosen.

Brandon Solomon also presents a potential conflict-of-interest scenario in that his wife is a teacher in the district, and he would be on the board that could oversee contracts and promotions that could affect his wife positively. We’ll give Solomon points for being forthright with us, unlike his running mates, and we understand that his one-year term won’t oversee a contract negotiation with the teacher’s union. He also said he would recuse himself from any vote that would give way to such a scenario.

However, one year could give him some incumbency advantage that could possibly serve him well if he opts to run for a full, three-year term in 2026. We’re not entirely comfortable about a board member who would have to recuse him/herself from a vote that could positively affect someone to whom they are related, even if that member is just one vote on a seven-member board.

Another point of contention is that of Theresa Donohue’s tenure as an assistant principal and guidance counselor at Accompsett Middle School. We couldn’t even fully pose the question before she shut us down in the interview, but her running mate, Bernadette Ackerman, didn’t deny the questions around Donohue’s employment there.

Ackerman helped run the 2023 campaign of Vlad Pean, who alleged at a March 8, 2022, board meeting that he was unsatisfied with how Accompsett M.S. administration handled an alleged racial bias incident in which his daughter was a victim. He named the assistant principal and guidance counselor of the school, which was Theresa Donohue at the time. Donohue had then vacated her position by June 2023.

It seems counterintuitive to us that Ackerman helped run the Pean campaign and is now a running mate with the person against whom such allegations were made. Given that Donohue didn’t want to give us any insight into the story, we’re not inclined to trust that the situation was handled properly. Ackerman couldn’t speak to the scenario either.

Finally, this year’s campaign and last year’s campaign were funded by the Long Island Strong Schools Alliance (LISSA), the treasurer for which is two-time failed congressional candidate Nancy Goroff (D-Stony Brook). We’re not entirely comfortable with someone in a different town altogether having a say in earmarking funds for candidates we don’t find suitable for this office, much less a financer who is openly political, and, in some views, very much so.

Sachem North Varsity Softball: Scoring Runs is Fun

By Ashley Pavlakis

The Sachem North varsity softball team has reclaimed its superior status in League II, winning the title back after a one-year hiatus. The regular season is wrapping up, and the playoff bracket is starting to take shape.

The Arrows softball team is a member of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) and competes in League II. The girls sit atop the league with a 14-3-0 record with two games remaining in the regular season.

The team is led by head coach Ken Sasso, who has been coaching at Sachem for over a decade. Sasso is joined by assistant coach Jackie Saverese in the dugout. The duo has helped coach the Arrows to a League II title in four out of the last five seasons. On their home field, they have the championship banners from the previous seasons hanging on the fence behind home plate. A source of motivation, one might say.

The squad has played well this season, having found its offensive production early and maintaining it throughout the season. The Arrows outscored their opponents 117 to 52, and kept them under 6 runs all but once, in which they allowed 10 runs in a loss versus Eastport South Manor.

In sports like softball and baseball, you need your offense to be buzzing if you want to win. Quiet bats aren’t a good thing even if pitching and fielding are on top of their game. Offense is the only way to help the pitcher and reward her for her efforts. For the Arrows, they were successful this season in getting runs across home plate. Some days the bats were really hot, and they scored 10 plus runs in five games this season.

Sachem North celebrated their lone senior last Thursday in a 4-2 win over Walt Whitman.

They’ll graduate one senior this season and send them off to further their education and excel in softball at the next level. Camryn Russo, a first baseman for the Arrows, has committed to Mitchell College in Connecticut, where she’ll further her education and play softball at the D III level.

On May 15, Sachem North and Sachem East will come together to honor one of their

own in the annual “Dezy Strong” game. Matthew DiStefano, a former Sachem alum and teacher in the district, lost his battle to cancer in 2020. The beloved teacher excelled in sports during his time at Sachem. Before his passing, he created the DezyStrong Foundation in an effort to help support those affected by cancer. Since then, the foundation has remained strong at Sachem and on Long Island as a whole.

Softball is a fun sport to watch, especially at the high school and college levels. With playoffs right around the corner, teams are battling it out to claim their spot to play another day.

The Arrows have two more games left to play before they begin their postseason run at the Suffolk County title.

Vote &

CARFORA SIMONELLI

Smithtown’s Conservative Choice for

BOARD OF EDUCATION

• High Quality Education

• Fiscally Responsible

• Accountability & Transparency

• Respecting Every Voice - Parents, Teachers, & Community Members

• Safety & Security

TUESDAY

MAY 20 TH

SMITHTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT