Endorsement Alert: RAY TIERNEY FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY
By The Editorial Board
Four years ago, Ray Tierney took the entrenched Democratic incumbent District Attorney Tim Sini, staking a campaign on a beleaguered internal prosecutorial process and questions over how a local D.A. can navigate the current headwinds released by Albany.
D.A. Tierney has more than exceeded expectations.
The Republican who calls Brookhaven Town home has spared no expense in ensuring that Suffolk County’s prosecutorial arm is working like a well-oiled machine, not only in terms of boilerplate cases, but in terms of internal department overhauls, leading groundbreaking investigations, and getting the numbers down in his first term.
He’s also unopposed for re-election this year, an indication that he’s lived up to the post and then some, we find.
Continued on page 4
Horizons & Youth Bureau Hold Drug Awareness Campaign For Red Ribbon Week
The Town of Smithtown Horizons Counseling and Education Center is partnering with the Smithtown Youth Bureau to encourage Smithtown township K-12 students to participate in a creative and fun virtual initiative for Red Ribbon Week, taking place from October 23 to October 31, 2025. Students are invited to create their own artwork using this year’s Red Ribbon theme, Life is a Puzzle, Solve It Drug Free. Artwork should illustrate the ways you personally play your part in fostering safe, healthy, and drug-free communities.
Continued on page 10
- Freepik
FALL EVENTS
Port Jefferson
Summer Farmers Market at Harborfront Park
Every Saturday and Sunday, May 18-November 28 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Islip Farmers Market at Town Hall
Every Saturday June 7 - November 22 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Goatman’s Haunted House Museum in Manorville
Every Saturday and Sunday until November, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Stomp Out Breast Cancer in Ronkonkoma Station Yards
October 22, 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Studio Art for Tweens at Gallery North Setauket
October 22, 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM
Spooky Walk 2025 at Camp Paquatuck Center Moriches
October 24, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
VAMP NITE at Wit & Whim
Huntington - Costume Contest October 24, 5:00 PM
Sayville Apple Festival
October 25, 1:00 PM to 7:30 PM
White Post Farms Fall Festival
October 25, 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM
ELIJA Farm’s Fall Festival
October 25, 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Spooktacular Trunk or Treat & Vendor Fair at Messiah Lutheran Church, East Setauket
October 25, 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Downtown Riverhead’s HalloweenFest and Parade
October 25, 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Jazzy Sip & Paint at Windows on the Lake Ronkonkoma
& Operated for
Spanning
October 26, 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM
Raheem Soto EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Matt Meduri
Sergio A. Fabbri
PJ Balzer
Ashley Pavlakis
Madison Warren
OFFICE
RECEIVABLE Kim Revere
PROOFREADER
Giavanna Rudilosso
SOCIAL
Madison Warren
Library News
HAUPPAUGE:
WHERE TO FIND OUR PAPER
COMMACK
Bagel Chalet
Bagel Toasterie (Mayfair Shopping Center)
Candlelight Diner
HAUPPAUGE
Hauppauge Palace • Shop Rite (Smithtown Bypass)
KINGS PARK
3 Sons Deli • Bagel City Company
Kings Park Card Shop
Kings Park Manor • Linda’s Pizza
LIRR Kings Park Train Station
Park Bakery • Raleigh Poultry Farm
LAKE GROVE
Lake Grove Village Hall
RONKONKOMA
718 Slice Pizzeria (719 Hawkins Ave)
SMITHTOWN
American Legion
Hot Bagels • LIRR Smithtown Train Station
Maureen’s Kitchen • Millennium Diner
Smithtown Bagels
Smithtown Seniors Center
Smithtown Town Hall Stop & Shop • Sweetwaters
ST. JAMES
50% Cards Store (Lake Avenue) 7 Eleven (356 Lake Avenue) Lake Ave Deli
LIRR St. James Train Station
Farmer’s Market Pop Up- October 29, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Diamond Painting- November 5, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
COMMACK:
Dance Cardio SculptNovember 14, 9:00am - 10:00am
NESCONSET:
Puzzlepalooza Halloween EditionOctober 31, 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
KINGS PARK:
Boo BashOctober 31, 10:30 AM to 11:15 AM
Baby BookwormsNovember 7, 10:30 AM to 11:15 AM
SACHEM:
Bards Poetry Night October 27, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Trick or Treat Tuesdays: Candy Taste Test October 28, All Day!
Continued from front cover
Endorsement
October 23, 2025
Ray Tierney for District Attorney
Navigating a Tough Political Climate
You don’t have to look too far to find opinions that law enforcement practices and the criminal justice system aren’t quite what they once were. Law enforcement personnel face more external challenges than they ever had, perhaps, and softon-crime policies from Albany only handcuff said enforcement and prosecutors, instead of the criminals for whom handcuffs are typically intended.
Tierney is a solid, regular, and vocal advocate in the reforms of these policies. He regularly rallies in Albany at the start of each session, as well as throughout the year in Suffolk County, for commonsense changes that, at this point, only those who seek to intentionally harangue justice would oppose. One of Tierney’s biggest requests is the tossing of New York’s antiquated “list” of known substances that can lead to an arrest, typically in the case of ostensibly impaired drivers. With the legalization of recreational marijuana, which, as of now, does not have onsite detection capabilities like alcohol does, and the blizzard of new, synthetic drugs hitting the black markets faster than they can be categorized by law enforcement, Tierney takes the correct stance in asking for a more comprehensive set of laws that aren’t confined to constricting goalposts.
Tierney has also regularly asked for reforms to bail reform, discovery processes, and New York’s Raise the Age Law, all areas that we opine need significant reevaluation.
But Tierney brings a nuanced approach to these issues. While he regularly cites these suffocating laws as counteractive to policing and prosecutions, he has also regularly stated his understanding of the need for reforms in the first place. His opinion, one that we share, the pendulum simply swung too far in the other direction.
Take, for instance, the very recent bust of a network of drivers who would raid church donation bins of second-hand clothing, intended for Suffolk’s neediest, instead redirected to outof-town exporters. Not only did this account for nearly half-a-million dollars worth of items, but it demonstrates that some people are heartless
cars come from off-Island to block intersections and parking lots to have impromptu drag races and feats of driving prowess. These not only mark up the roads and cause quality of life issues, but pose serious safety concerns and have even been documented to have blocked an ambulance from carrying a patient to a hospital.
While this stance is paramount to finding the common denominators of a reformed criminal justice system that truly works for the accused and the prosecutors, this is just a glimpse of the nuanced approach Tierney brings to the table in each circumstance - a testament, also, to his mindset of the classic prosecutor - innocent until proven guilty, and not everything is just one way or the other.
We find that Tierney’s position as Suffolk County’s D.A. is not only a massive benefit for the safety and quality of life to Suffolk residents, but also a valuable check on the runaway legislation coming from Albany. He not only articulates the problems from his perspective well, but he’s got the goods to back it up.
Taking Down Networks
While many forms of crime are still perpetrated by lone actors, or perhaps a dynamic duo, we’ve seen - and ran - many headlines over the last four years that show that many criminal actions are much more coordinated than one would assume.
enough to steal from the most destitute, as well as the sheer generosity that is alive and well here in Suffolk County.
Tierney has also headed investigations into several other criminal conspiracies, such as last year’s break of an Islip High School teacher and a crooked cop who operated massage parlors in Babylon and Holbrook, pulling back the curtain on human trafficking, coercion, and a criminal conspiracy, maintained even while the officer was on the clock in his cruiser.
Earlier this year, a Centereach woman was busted for running a drug trafficking network out of her garage. Each purchase was not only tailored to customer’s orders, but complete with little business cards that provided instructions on the use of each substance.
Less gruesomely, but also of significance, Tierney has also been at the forefront of the illegal street takeover scene, in which racers in suped-up
These investigations don’t come off hunches or word-of-mouth. They come from months or even years of observation and data collection, something at which Tierney and his elite team of prosecutors have proven adept.
Gilgo Beach, A Cold Case Finally Cracked
No mention of Tierney goes without the immediate association of Gilgo Beach. A serial killing spree that gripped the relatively quiet Suffolk County by storm decades ago, within his first year on the job, Tierney was able to provide a suspect.
Not only was the suspect, Rex Heuermann, connected to the crimes - he is still innocent until proven guilty, we remind - through dusted-off leads from Tierney’s predecessor, but also through cuttingedge, state-of-the art mitochondrial DNA technology. The Gilgo Beach case is the first in the state and one of the first nationally to utilize this type of technology to detect DNA and match DNA left behind years or even decades ago. Due to its avant garde nature, Tierney and company had to prove its feasibility and prosecutorial scrutiny to be used to mount a case - something that they recently saw ruled in their favor.
It’s also no secret that the Gilgo Beach murders likely could have been brought to light much sooner than they did, but we also know that insiders within the offices of Tierney’s predecessors and some former SCPD Police Chief Jimmy Burke, pushed federal partners out of the investigation - clearly a righteous reason for Tierney to have overhauled the internals of the department.
By the Numbers
D.A. Tierney shared with us in his interview last week that the raw numbers of violent crimes, crimes committed with firearms, and homicides, particularly, have seen a decline since his tenure started in January 2022. While other crimes like human trafficking, animal crimes, and environmental crimes have seen large increases, this isn’t due to a lack of attention from the D.A.’s office, it’s that more are being reported and adjudicated, meaning Tierney is filling in blanks where necessary.
As we said previously, it’s no wonder why Tierney faces no competition this year. We’ve seen not only a remarkable display of duty fulfillment, but a palpable turnaround from prosecutors of the past, making him all the more deserving of another term.
The Messenger endorses Tierney.
D.A. Tierney showcases evidence to the press (Credit - Matt Meduri)
Melissa Cann, sister of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, speaks of her sister.
By Matt Meduri
Candidate: Sheriff Errol Toulon
Candidate Spotlight Sheriff Errol Toulon
First Elected: 2017, re-elected 2021 Party Lines: Democratic, Conservative Notable Endorsements: Suffolk PBA, Superior Officers, police unions in Suffolk, Nassau, and New York City
Sheriff Errol Toulon is running for a third term as the County Sheriff. He is unopposed for re-election this year.
Sheriff Toulon sat down with The Messenger for this candidate spotlight interview.
Q: What are some of your accomplishments over the last four years?
A: A big thing is our Corrections Intelligence Center. We have an incredible amount of intelligence that we gather that we use to prevent or solve a crime. It’s grown so much that we have partners in 168 jurisdictions through the U.S. We also have partners in Australia, Canada, Ireland, El Salvador, and Puerto Rico as part of the information-sharing we have. We are a hub for this intelligence that’s happening globally and we disseminate the info out to our partners.
When we look at the men and women who are incarcerated in our facility, whether they’re in Riverhead or Yaphank, 85% of them are returning back to our communities. You’d never be able to tell if someone just got out of jail, whether you see them at a supermarket, ball field, or church. We’ve created several programs that are at zero cost to the taxpayers, including our addiction treatment program. We offer crossfit, yoga, and even memoir writing. Throughout the facilities, we offer trade education to the incarcerated, such as HVAC, plumbing, solar, electrical, carpentry, and small engine repair. We also train in anger management, parenting, and résumé writing.
We also have the Sheriff’s Transition and Reentry Team (START) Resource Center. The team continues to assist individuals postincarceration to avoid the likelihood of returning to the justice system. From a public safety standpoint, we felt that that was very valuable. We have ten towns, but we have individuals from Nassau or New York City, and we want to connect to them the resources they’re returning to, rather than them trying to figure everything out on their own.
The national average for recidivism is 68%, regarding someone returning back to jail in three years. In New York State, it’s 43%. For our program, it is 17-20%. The program is not mandatory, so myself or a judge can’t mandate someone in our custody to participate. We started this in March 2020, and we’ve seen exponential returns.
I was one of the first ones to come out against the State against bail reform. I’ve actively worked with our District Attorney regarding the discovery process. When I got up to Albany, I realized how big the problem was. It’s not as simple as talking to one lawmaker. You need a consortium of them who can understand your point of view. That’s been our biggest frustration. We weren’t brought to the table when these bills were being crafted to see how it could have impacted us. We didn’t have a voice, yet we’re the ones who suffer because of the legislation that has been passed.
They could eliminate the bail reform legislation and give judges discretion, which is why they were elected to office, and people can hold them accountable if they feel there’s no justice among certain populations. I understand where people are coming from, but I’m also someone who’s been in law enforcement since August 1982. I’ve seen some very bad people regardless of skin color and I had to deal with them inside Rikers Island for twenty-five years.
Q: What are some of the biggest threats to your department that you’re actively navigating?
A: One is the way individuals are trying to introduce fentanyl in our facilities. Fentanyl is very deadly to anyone in our facility, staff or inmates. We’ve been able to thwart several rings within our facilities.
Drones are also a big problem for the Corrections side of the Sheriff’s office. I recently spoke to the Director of Prisons in Nevada; they’re averaging ten to fifteen cell phones a week that are dropped in by drones. The drones also drop in drugs. We have a great drone detection system to protect us. We’re in contact with all of our law enforcement partners to see what is emerging and if people are trying to smuggle in contraband or are making escape attempts. In Nevada, the cartels are the ones dropping off cell phones and drugs. In Indiana, they are averaging thirty to forty a week. It’s so bad that they actually have a remote vehicle that acts as a cell phone interceptor so that no phones work inside that facility.
Our biggest issue with criminal conspiracies is gang-related. It’s one of the reasons I visited El Salvador twice since I’ve been Sheriff. I toured their terrorism confinement facility (CECOT), where a lot of high-level MS-13 members are. As a leader of our organization, I make sure that I
Cuomo Should Drop Out, Not Sliwa
The New York City mayoral race is hitting the home stretch and Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D-Astoria) seems to be the favorite according to the polls.
Last week’s debate featured the rising star of the far left, along with disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-Sutton Place), and Big Apple fixture in Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa (R-Upper East Side).
For those who didn’t watch the debate, allow us to give you a summary: Mamdani Vs. Cuomo.
That was about it. The two launched attacks on each other practically every chance they got, while Sliwa had to insert himself and go over his time repeatedly just to get the remainder of oxygen in the room. Even though the two Democratic candidates are clearly at odds, there’s still the likely cooperation in ensuring Sliwa doesn’t get time to advertise himself as the true New Yorker in the room.
But now, as Mamdani is now polling above 50% in the polls, a soughtafter threshold in multi-candidate races, Republicans are calling on Sliwa to drop out, arguing he is splitting the votes and essentially promulgating a Mayor Mamdani.
Although Sliwa has been trailing in the polls all summer, what dearth of polling we do have since incumbent Mayor Eric Adams (D-Brooklyn) dropped out last month suggests that Sliwa can take more of the former Adams vote.
Cuomo had to resign from office in 2021 amid sexual harassment and further scrutiny of his handling of COVID-19 which saw, in our opinion, an unnecessary level of death among senior citizens. Cuomo had trouble walking these allegations back during the debate, something for which we can thank the moderators for not letting him get off scot-free.
The only thing that stands to be endangered here is Cuomo’s ego. If he loses this election, which seems likely, it’ll only be a further end of his political career. Not to mention, he lost his party’s primary fair and square, and then he decided to pivot to an Independent bid within that week, as if the Democratic voters made the wrong choice. Like a salesman who can’t take no for an answer, what makes him think voters want him at their
doorsteps any longer than he has been?
Moreover, we’ve seen instances in which a far-left progressive in a typically safe-blue constituency can get a real challenge. Sliwa seems to be galvanizing palpable support on social media and, we find, making excellent usage of branding Cuomo as the “master” and Mamdani as the “apprentice.”
We’re also hearing rumblings that mainstream insiders are failing to admit that Sliwa is not only within striking distance, but could even be leading. We haven’t seen any numbers or proof otherwise to corroborate those claims, so we’ll treat them as noise for now.
Even so, Cuomo is actually the candidate who is throwing this race to Mamdani - not Sliwa. Sliwa didn’t have a primary since he was the only candidate who qualified on the Republican side. Again, Cuomo lost a very large primary in an upset. He shouldn’t even be a factor in this race had he merely been gracious in defeat.
Cuomo is upset that his attempted return to power was thwarted by a changing party. While we don’t agree at all with Mamdani’s platform - we think he would be disastrous for the city, in fact - we understand why he resonates with the Democrats.
He’s to them what Donald Trump (R-FL) has been to the GOP since he first came down that escalator - a chaos candidate who promises fundamental reforms and to be a champion for the little guy who has been long forgotten by the political machines.
Cuomo didn’t understand that the Democratic Party is going through its own metamorphoses - something he should have picked up on when it was that wing of the party that effectively captured him in 2019 and ended whatever centrist streak he had left. It’s why he won’t win against Mamdani in a two-way race. The Democratic Party, in NYC at least, is not only done with Cuomo as an individual, but done with his brand of politics altogether.
Cuomo should suspend his campaign to increase the chances of Mamdani being defeated.
Otherwise, his campaign slogan might as well be, “If I can’t have it, no one can.”
Suffolk’s 311 Initiative Strikes a Workable Balance in Policing
On Tuesday, Suffolk County announced a comprehensive initiative to tie in social workers and mental health professionals working at the County’s 311 call center with emergency dispatchers and first responders.
The aim is to get those experts at the table as soon as a 911 call is made to emergency services to adjudicate further services and to potentially help police officers with their responses.
The move strikes a creative balance that can speak to constant overtures we hear nowadays of more mental health professionals in the field and overall police reform where necessary.
This initiative does not send social workers alongside police personnel to emergency calls, a caveat we applaud as sending those employees to potentially dangerous situations is nothing but a recipe for disaster.
But from an intake perspective, police can adjudicate the scene and the 311 operators can then take it from there, connecting the calling parties in question to the various resources, non-profits, and agencies who deal in domestic violence, abuse, and mental health.
This is the balance we should be striving for. Too much on the police side makes officers unequipped for problems not in their purview, while costing the public needed mental health resources, while too much emphasis on the social workers’ side underscores the need for deescalation, law and order, and officers trained in handling dangerous and potentially violent situations.
We hope this program sees much success, and if it does, expect it to be a model to be followed as reforms continue to permeate throughout the nooks and crannies of society.
Commuting Santos’ Sentence is a Bad PR Move
Over the weekend, President Donald Trump (R-FL) announced that he had commuted the prison sentence of former Congressman George Santos (R-Queens).
Santos needs no introduction. The sentence for his deception and fraud was seven years. He reported to prison in July and has sat mostly in solitary confinement, from what we know.
We’re certainly not on board with Santos getting off scot-free here. If anything, his sentence could have been made more in line with precedent for these types of crimes. We think, in some ways, he got overcharged. If anything, Trump should have advocated for some better prison terms. That move might have gotten him some criticism, certainly, but it’s nothing compared to what he’ll get from ending the nation’s most recent serial
pathological liar’s seven-year sentence after just about four months served.
But Trump’s move to commute Santos is only another squeeze of lemon juice over the paper cut. There’s little doubt he’ll take flack from both sides of the aisle on this one, and in our opinion, rightfully so.
Santos was such a curveball, it’s almost as if no one was prepared for what to do with him. We still believe that he shouldn’t have been excommunicated from the House until a guilty conviction was produced, which only set up Santos to rally at least some support around his identity as a political martyr.
Now, Santos has more credence to that theory. To what benefit for Trump that will muster, we’re not exactly sure, but we can’t assume that he’ll be seen favorably for this decision.
Op-Ed Many Will Benefit from New Charter Schools in Suffolk
By Steve Levy | Long Island Life and Politics
It’s great news that three new charter schools have been approved in Brentwood and Central Islip in Suffolk.
As noted in the white paper prepared by our Center for Cost Effective Government, charter schools provide an opportunity for many children, especially in minority communities, to break free of failing, violent public schools, and ultimately, poverty.
For the most part, the public school system on Long Island is very good, but there are pockets of lagging schools. Why should parents be trapped in these underperforming schools that are basically a monopoly? There seems to be something rather unconstitutional about forcing a student to go to a certain school simply because of the randomness of where they live.
Rich folks, many of whom oppose charter schools and school choice, often send their children to the better private schools because they can afford it. Why shouldn’t all parents have these choices?
Many states are now allowing educational funding to flow with the student and the parent rather than forcing them to go to a lousy school. And here’s the best part: Where charters have been implemented, it’s usually the case that the public schools in that area actually improve because they’re now faced with competition.
Charters outperform the public schools significantly and do so at a much lower cost. Some will say that’s because they can cherry-pick their students, but most of these charters now gain attendance via lottery systems. The point is, charters have stricter, higher standards and don’t tolerate insubordination and other nonsense. That’s what makes them work.
No one‘s forced to go to a charter school. Likewise, no one should be forced to go to a failing, violent local school when another alternative is available.
This may be the quickest way to end poverty in America today.
Steve Levy is founder, president, and CEO of Common Sense Strategies. He also served as Suffolk County Executive, Suffolk County Legislator, and New York State Assemblyman.
This op-ed originally appeared on Long Island Life and Politics. For more from LILP, visit them online at lilifepolitics.com.
Letter to the Editor: Revamp Town Code to Prohibit BESS Facilities
Dear Editor,
I want to begin by thanking Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter (R-West Islip) and the members of the Town Board for unanimously extending the moratorium on lithium Battery Energy Storage Systems in the Town of Islip.
I would like to respectfully suggest that the next step should be zoning that prohibits lithium BESS facilities from being located within a mile of any school, house of worship, residential neighborhood or major transportation route. This is a recommendation that we are making to the Town of Smithtown as well. Additional considerations should be:
• Potential contamination of our groundwater should be part of the discussion before allowing a BESS facility.
• The ability of local volunteer fire departments to provide the resources (manpower) to handle a multi-day or multi-week event.
• The long term Haz-Mat damage to the community following a BESS fire.
I understand that the battery storage industry and their proponents consider these facilities an important infrastructure improvement, but at what cost to the residents? The reality is that, despite all the claims that lithium storage systems are safer, is that it is still impossible to extinguish a lithium battery fire. There is no known technology
that allows the fire service to fight this kind of fire with rapid extinguishment being the goal.
The Hauppauge Fire District and the Hauppauge Fire Department remain absolutely opposed to the Rabro Drive location chosen by L.I.P.A and Key Capture Energy. We are joined in our opposition by the Hauppauge School District as well as by a significant number of Hauppauge residents. Our opposition is based on safety considerations for our residents, the thousands of workers in the Hauppauge Industrial Park and our emergency responders. We feel very strongly that this should be a local decision, and it should not be forced on us by L.I.P.A. or New York State.
I wish to make the following points:
• Based on recent BESS incidents, an initial evacuation zone of one to two miles is not out of the question. This places residents, schools, houses of worship, the Long Island Expressway, the New York State, and Suffolk County office buildings and the headwaters of the Nissequogue River in jeopardy.
• A fire at a BESS facility could drain emergency responder resources to the breaking point. A lithium BESS facility incident could last for days or weeks.
• The science to extinguish a BESS fire does not exist and no amount of discussion about safety improvements by the industry can change this fact.
• There seems to be no established science provided by the industry or government as to the health hazards to the public in the event of a fire. There are also questions about how runoff from a lithium BESS fire would impact our groundwater.
• United States EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) strongly recommended that local authorities have input into the placement of lithium BESS facilities. It is our opinion that our input should receive the greatest weight because, in the end, the responsibility and liability will fall on us.
Please think back to 2001. Following the attack on the World Trade Center the head of the EPA, Christine Todd Whitman (R-NJ), told us that the air was safe to breathe. That misinformation is still causing 9/11-related deaths to this day, and our organization has lost members as a result of that terrible misinformation. My point is that we cannot always count on the government or companies like Key Capture for accurate safety information.
We would be happy to meet with the town attorneys to discuss zoning changes designed to protect us all.
Respectfully,
Louis A. Zara Commissioner, Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners, Hauppauge Fire Deparmtent
23,
Suffolk Integrates 311 with Law Enforcement in Mental Health Response Program
By Matt Meduri
On Tuesday afternoon, Suffolk County unveiled a comprehensive new initiative that will connect social workers of the County’s 311 Call Center to law enforcement to better handle calls involving mental health crises.
Pursuant to this plan, trained 311 operators will take callers suffering mental health distress and connect them to County social workers, who will then work in real time with Suffolk County Police officers to provide onsite support. Participating agencies include the Department of Health, the Department of Social Services (DSS), the SCPD, and the Office of Mental Health.
County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) (pictured top) was joined by Suffolk County Legislators Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset), Dominick Thorne (R-Patchogue), Trish Bergin (R-East Islip), and Steve Flotteron (R-Brightwaters), as well as a host of personnel from the various departments in Hauppauge to announce the initiative.
“We have to take an initiative to not only protect our men and women who serve, but to also help people who have difficulties in life,” said Romaine. “We all have crazy days, but it can be a dangerous thing.”
SCPD Commissioner Kevin Catalina (pictured right) said that while the Behavioral Service Section has always been in the “background”, this program will help the agency that is “constantly evolving.”
“Suffolk County police officers do a phenomenal job, but one of the most complicated nuances that they respond to is behavioral health,” said Catalina. “They’re trained as EMTs, but being a trained EMT is not necessarily going to make you an expert in behavioral health.”
Catalina added that two Family Service League counselors are being directly embedded with 911 dispatchers. When calls of mental health crises come in, 911 dispatchers can hand it directly off to one of the counselors.
“They’ll be able to interface directly with the caller,” said Catalina, adding that this program has been successful in other parts of the country. “If the Family Service League counselor can take care of the situation, then those officers can be freed up to respond to violent crimes and ultimately be of help to others.”
Catalina said that the program should come online within the next couple of weeks and immediate results will be analyzed.
“We’re looking for ways to de -escalate, keep everyone as safe as possible, and prevent confrontation
whenever possible,” said Romaine.
Dr. Sylvia Diaz (pictured bottom), the County Health Commissioner and Deputy County Executive for Health and Human Services, said that the initiative is timely with October’s designation as Mental Health Awareness Month.
“This is about actions we can take in making sure that every single individual who is in crisis, every family who is in need, can find the right help at the right time. Awareness without action is meaningless,” said Diaz. “Today shows what happens when health, human services, and public safety come together. These partnerships save lives and remind us that public safety and the care of individuals must go hand-in-hand.”
Diaz said that casework staff, at present, consists of two undergraduate students from Stony Brook University who have been integrated into the 311 Call Center.
“Your compassion and skills ensure that every person who reaches out for help is met with understanding and care. We’re building a county in which care is not the exception, it is the norm,” said Diaz, adding that suffolkcountyny.gov is the “one-stop resource for prevention, education, treatment, and recovery services.”
Diaz then introduced Ryan McDonald, who at 14, arrived home to find his father suffering from an overdose. Attempts to save his life were unfortunately unsuccessful, leaving McDonald, now 21, afflicted with trauma, panic attacks, and hospital visits.
“I didn’t know who to turn to. I didn’t know how to respond,” said McDonald, adding he eventually found the help he needed, but the delay made it much more difficult to process his trauma.
“I know my story is one of many; many people go through adversity and have no idea what to do,” said McDonald (pictured left). “Please don’t be afraid to ask for help. “Just as I asked for help, maybe later than I should have, I want you to ask for help as well.”
McDonald is now studying psychology, hoping to return the favor.
“I want to be one of the people who can make a difference for someone else in their time of need. That’s why it’s so encouraging to see our County taking action to bring more mental health resources.”
The 311 Call Center is operational Monday through Friday from 9:00a.m. to 6:00p.m., as well Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00a.m. to 4:00p.m. The optimal goal for the County is to make 311 available 24-7.
The SCPD still recommends that active emergencies are forwarded to 911. The 311 Call Center will not only be staffed with operators trained in 911, but also 988, the Suicide Prevention Hotine.
Thursday, October 23, 2025
National, State, and Local Temperature Checks
By Matt Meduri
National
Israel has struck Gaza just a week into the ceasefire deal brokered by President Donald Trump (R-FL) with aid from Middle Eastern stakeholders, such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt.
The Israeli military has accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire over the weekend. The IDF released a statement on Sunday that said that Hamas “terrorists fired an anti-tank missile gunfire toward IDF troops operating to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the Rafah area, in Southern Gaza, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement.”
The IDF said in the same statement that they are striking the region to “dismantle tunnel shafts and military structures used for terrorist activity.”
Hamas, meanwhile, claims they have “no knowledge” of the attacks, saying in a statement, “we affirm our full commitment to implementing everything that has been agreed upon, foremost among which is the ceasefire in all areas of the Gaza Strip. We have no knowledge of any events or clashes taking place in the Rafah area.”
Reuters has reported that Hamas has executed at least thirty-three people within the first few days of the ceasefire. Israeli sources claim that those casualties were of families who are believed to have collaborated with Israel or its allied militias.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says that Hamas might be on the brink of breaking the peace agreement by attacking the Palestinian people.
“This planned attack against Palestinian civilians would constitute a direct and grave violation of the ceasefire agreement and undermine the significant progress achieved through mediation efforts,” said the DHS in a statement. “The guarantors demand Hamas uphold its obligations under the ceasefire terms. The United States and the other guarantors remain resolute in our commitment to ensuring the safety of civilians, maintaining calm on the ground and advancing peace and prosperity for the people of Gaza and the region as a whole.”
President Trump wrote on X, “If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them.”
Meanwhile, in Virginia, Democrats are grappling with the leaked text messages of Virginia Attorney General candidate Jay Jones (D), which have thrown the crucial, concurrent gubernatorial race into turmoil.
Jason Miyares (R-VA) won a razor-thin election to flip this seat in 2021. Polls had him trailing behind Jones until the messages came out.
Text messages from August 2022 have surfaced showing Jones fantasizing about shooting then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert (R).
“Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler, and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head,” Jones wrote to his colleague, State Delegate Carrie Coyner (R), who told Jones, “please stop.”
“Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time,” Jones continued over text.
Jones reportedly continued the tirade
to Coyner over the phone, saying that the deaths of Gilbert’s children might cause the then-Speaker to reassess his political views.
Lieutenant Governor Winsome EarleSears (R-VA), the Republican candidate in the gubernatorial contest, wrote on X that the texts are “wholly disqualifying of someone running for an office that protects the people of Virginia.” She called for the entire Democratic Party and Abigail Spanberger to call on him to drop out of the race. Vice President J.D. (R-OH) has called for Jones to drop out as well.
Former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) is running to flip the seat blue. Various nuances govern Virginia gubernatorial races - turn to Page 14 for that - but Spanberger seems well-insulated against the October surprise. She continues to lead in the polls, although her leads have dwindled. The question now is, does she wait out the Jones controversy for a 50-50 shot at getting a political ally in Jones to Richmond with her, or does she call on him to drop out and risk a 100% chance of having a political adversary in incumbent Miyares alongside her.
As of now, her candidacy doesn’t seem terribly threatened by it, likely owing to its late-breaking timing in the campaign season.
Finally, in the ongoing redistricting “arms race”, the North Carolina Senate has passed a map that aims to help the GOP net an additional seat ahead of the 2026 midterms.
The GOP has already participated in rare mid-decade redistricting in Texas - which can net the party four or five seats - Missouri - another seat - while California is giving the proposition to voters this autumn as to whether a Legislature-drawn map should replace the current one passed by the state’s Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) - which could net the Democrats four or five seats.
The North Carolina vote came just a day after debate formally started. The map targets NC-01, which contains the Inner Banks and Black Belt counties from the Virginia border to the Raleigh exurbs. It is the only competitive congressional district in the Tar Heel State, which itself stands as a crucial swing state at every level of government. About 40% of the district’s population is black.
Congressman Don Davis (D, NC-01) won a close race for the open seat in 2022. The state’s map was redrawn yet again before the 2024 elections, allowing Davis to win an even closer race last year, despite Trump winning the district by three points.
Mid-decade redistricting isn’t uncommon in North Carolina. A racial gerrymander
was struck down ahead of the 2018 midterms. The state GOP redrew the map again following a court ruling. The regular redraw of the map after the 2020 Census was struck down as a partisan gerrymander. A special master drew a competitive map that saw a 7R-7D split in 2022. After the political composition of the State Supreme Court changed in 2023, the court reversed the prior decision and allowed the Legislature to pass a new map, which came online in 2024 and produced a 10R-4D delegation.
The new map now heads to the State House, where Democrats are in the minority. State law prevents Governor Josh Stein (D-NC) from veto redistricting bills, although litigation remains likely.
State
Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D-Astoria) is hurdling towards the finish line to become the next Mayor of New York City.
The October 10-14 FOX News poll of 793 likely voters gave Mamdani his first majority poll since the general election sprint began and since incumbent Mayor Eric Adams (D-Brooklyn) ended his longshot Independent campaign for a second term.
The majority mark is often seen as a crucial benchmark in a multi-candidate race. Although Mamdani has been handily leading this race all season, the plurality win versus a majority win is always given a slight form of credence from pollsters and analysts, only because less than the majority of the population’s electoral intentions can be tracked. If more voters turn out than expected, it’s plausible that a majority that has not been picked up by the polls at the race could technically, albeit unlikely, go another direction.
But Mamdani solidified 52% of the Big Apple vote last week, compared to 28% for Cuomo (D-Sutton Place), who is running as an Independent, and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa (R-Upper East Side), who clocks in third with just 14% of the vote. Mayor Adams still received 2%.
This is a stark contrast from the CBS News poll taken September 7-13, showing Mamdani at 43%, Cuomo at 28%, Sliwa at 15%, and Adams at 6%.
The two can’t be exactly correlated, but it does show the trajectory of each candidate’s level of support.
However, the AARP poll taken October 14-15 shows Mamdani under that majority threshold at 43%, Cuomo at a little-
changed 29%, and Sliwa boosting to 19%.
Most of the polls show a pattern: Mamdani leading the pack from the low40s to a peak of 52%, Cuomo more or less hovering around the mid-20s, and Sliwa getting about 15% each time, but shooting much higher and lower depending on the survey.
Speaking of Sliwa, the staunch New Yorker is facing calls from his own party to drop out of the race, of fears that his candidacy is splitting the vote and will throw the election to Mamdani.
The New York Post’s Editorial Board and Republican billionaire John Catsimatidis, whose daughter is the Chair of the New York County Republican Party, have, among others, called on Sliwa to exit the race. Sliwa has earned the support of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R), Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-Plattsburgh), and Congressman Mike Lawler (R-Pearl River).
Local
Suffolk County’s bond rating just got an upgrade.
The ratings come from both Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings. The institutions have ranked Suffolk County’s bond rating AA-. They cite “sustained improvements in liquidity, growing reserves, and responsible long-term budgeting”, along with “strong management practices and historic levels of reserves and budgetary flexibility.”
“This upgrade is a resounding vote of confidence in Suffolk County’s fiscal turnaround,” said County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) in a statement. “Through careful planning, responsible budgeting, and a commitment to transparency, we’ve restored financial stability and positioned Suffolk County for a sustainable future. This means lower borrowing costs for critical infrastructure projects and long-term savings for the taxpayers.”
Suffolk’s general fund now sits at $276 million, or 10% of general fund spending. The County’s restricted reserves sit at $543 million for pensions, debt services, and other obligations.
S&P’s continued praise of Suffolk’s fiscal state includes a “large and diverse economy, above-average household incomes, and prudent financial performance.” Suffolk now holds record reserve balances exceeding 21% of operating revenues.
“This achievement is proof that collaboration works. This accomplishment belongs to the taxpayers,” said Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst) in a statement. “Their support for sound financial planning and infrastructure investment allows us to build a county government that protects their dollars, improves quality of life, and ensures Suffolk remains affordable for generations to come.”
The ratings will serve as a boon to Suffolk’s bonding interests, which often fund key capital projects at a reduced interest rate. The ratings will likely help fund a project $1.5 billion in infrastructure upgrades, particularly sewers and wastewater remediation projects.
Smithtown Matters
18,260 Pounds of Personal Documents Successfully Shredded
On Saturday, October 18, 2025, Smithtown residents turned out in substantial numbers for the Town’s bi-annual Paper Shredding Event, safely disposing of more than 9.13 tons (18,260 pounds) of sensitive documents. Hosted at the Municipal Services Facility (MSF), the event saw a steady flow of participants throughout the day, all taking advantage of the confidential, full-service shredding provided by Data Shredding Services, Inc. This popular initiative, made possible through the partnership between the Department of Environment and Waterways (DEW) and MSF, reflects the Town’s ongoing commitment to protecting residents’ privacy, enhancing public safety, and promoting environmental responsibility.
“What began as a service to help residents safely dispose of personal documents has become a highly valued community event. We’re incredibly proud to see so many residents participating in this program,” said Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R-Kings Park). “It provides peace of mind by protecting sensitive information and reinforces our shared commitment to sustainability and public safety. I commend Solid Waste Coordinator Mike Engelmann, the MSF team, Matt Laux, Tom Pascarella, and the DEW team led by Rich Kitt, for their exceptional coordination and continued dedication. This event’s steady growth and seamless operation speak volumes about their commitment and service to the Smithtown community.”
The Department of Environment and Waterways and Municipal Services Facility provided additional support staff to move vehicles along. Residents were pleased with the service MSF and DEW staff provided, in addition to the two trucks from Data Shredding Services of Hauppauge. Participants enjoyed short to no wait times and the opportunity to safely dispose of their documents while avoiding the potential risk of identity theft.
“This fall’s shredding event was once again well attended. The feedback we receive from residents who set aside potentially compromising documents to dispose of at this program is overwhelmingly positive and greatly appreciated,” said Michael P. Engelmann, P.G. Solid Waste Coordinator.
“We’re pleased to see so many community members taking advantage of this opportunity to purge personal documents and securely reduce their identity theft risk. I’d like to thank Supervisor Wehrheim for his continued support of this initiative and the MSF team, Matt Laux, Tom Pascarella, and the DEW team, led by Rich Kitt, for ensuring another smooth and successful event. Their
professionalism and dedication make this valuable community service possible.”
The October Shred Event was hosted at the Municipal Services Facility, located at 85 Old Northport Road in Kings Park, from 9:00a.m. through 3:00p.m. Data Shredding Service, Inc. is a full-service confidential shredding service in Hauppauge. The 2026 paper shredding events are scheduled for May 2, 2026, and October 17, 2026. For updates on upcoming free events hosted by the Town of Smithtown, download the mobile app, which is free on Google Play and the App Store.
Horizons & Youth Bureau Hold Drug Awareness Campaign for Red Ribbon Week
Students can draw, color, paint, or even use computer graphics to edit a photo artistically. Participants should include their initials, age, and school on their artwork. Town Certificates of Community Service will be provided to students in grades 6-12 for 1 hour of service. Students in grades K-5 will receive a Certificate of Participation.
“Red Ribbon Week reminds us that every choice we make today shapes the future we create tomorrow—choose health, choose hope, choose to be drug free,” said Madi Makboulian, Director, Horizons Counseling and Education Center.
An online gallery will be posted on the official Town of Smithtown website www.smithtownny.gov, showcasing all student artwork. Email your completed artwork to kdevito@smithtownny.gov as an image to send in your submission. All submissions are due by October 20.
Children of parents who talk to their teens regularly about drugs are 42% less likely to use drugs than those whose parents do not. Yet, only a quarter of teens
surveyed report having these types of conversations. Alcohol and drug use has reached epidemic levels, and it is important to be open and honest about these issues so that the stigma of addiction is taken away and people will go for help if they need it.
About the National Red Ribbon Week Campaign
National Family Partnership is the sponsor of the National Red Ribbon Week Celebration. They are helping citizens across the country come together to keep children, families and communities safe, healthy and drug-free, through parent training, networking and sponsoring the National Red Ribbon Campaign. It is an ideal way for people and communities to unite and take a visible stand against drugs. Show your personal commitment to a drug-free lifestyle through the symbol of the Red Ribbon, October 23-31. Visit www.redribbon.org to learn more about Red Ribbon Week and to get helpful tips regarding talking to your kids about drugs. The life you save may be that of your own child or a dear friend.
Continued from front cover
Suffolk Bond Ratings Improvement
By County Executive Ed Romaine
Suffolk County’s positive credit rating was reaffirmed by S&P and Fitch Ratings at ‘AA-’ thanks to the long-term budgeting decisions we have made since 2024. The result is increased borrowing power at a lower cost to the county, and, in turn, lower costs to taxpayers.
Additionally, we also received a two-fold improvement in ratings for our outstanding bonds by Fitch, which further demonstrates the progress we have made.
The market has faith in our ability to pay our debts – debts which fund roads, bridges, sewering, and other vital infrastructure – and accordingly lends money to us at a lower interest rate. The lower the interest rate, the cheaper the loan, the more affordable it is for taxpayers and the county to maintain vital public infrastructure.
Our conservative approach to budgeting means we stick within the tax cap, do not overestimate revenues and treat every penny with care. The ratings agencies cite “sustained improvements in liquidity, growing reserves, and responsible long-term budgeting” as reasons for the increase and affirmation.
Since taking office in 2024, our County’s fiscal situation has stabilized and improved, resulting in enhanced credit ratings and a more positive economic outlook after years of financial challenges. Leveraging our higher ratings makes it easier for my administration to implement our plan for a safer and more affordable Suffolk County.
Positive ratings did not come at the expense of vital services. In fact, by better allocating existing positions and filling vacancies that the previous administration budgeted (and spent) for, we were able to decrease wait times in DSS, increase the number of uniformed police officers and detectives, while ambitiously pursuing clean water and downtown revitalization.
Our residents who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are no longer waiting for months for their application to be processed. Likewise, residents
calling 311 no longer have hours-long wait times. Unlike Suffolk County’s disciplined budgeting, unfunded mandates from Albany raise municipal costs. That’s why I work with state and federal representatives to secure Suffolk County’s fair share of funding.
I am particularly concerned that public transportation dollars are not reaching Suffolk County. Suffolk County only receives $40 million in state aid from New York State for public transportation. Nassau County, despite having a comparable population and being one-third of the size geographically, receives $110 million from Albany.
Roadway funding is another category that warrants concern. The Long Island region used to account for over a quarter of state roadway funding. Today, that number is 8% for the region. With a long-term perspective, my goal is for this county to receive an ‘AAA’ credit rating, allowing us to continue pursuing our capital program while passing on savings to taxpayers.
I know it is a realistic goal, as I was able to achieve the same feat as Supervisor of the Town of Brookhaven.
Our challenges require leadership, but with prudent, disciplined decision-making, we will continue to deliver results for our county.
Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) has served as Suffolk County Executive since 2024. He previously served as a Suffolk County Legislator representing the North Fork from 1986 to 1989 and again from 2005 to 2012. He served as Suffolk County Clerk from 1989 to 2005 and as Brookhaven Town Supervisor from 2012 to 2023.
Executive Romaine’s office is located at the H. Lee Dennison Building at 100 Veterans Memorial Highway (NY-454) in Hauppauge. The Riverhead office is located at the Riverhead County Center off CR-51.
The County Executive’s office can be reached at 631-853-1600 or by dialing 311.
The Moloney Family
Jesse Phillips
By Matt Meduri
Candidate: Jesse Phillips
Residence: St. James
Occupation: New York City Fireman
Office Sought: Smithtown Council
Prior Elected Office: None
Party Endorsements: Democratic
Q: What’s your professional background and how does it equip you for the Council?
A: My life has always been some form of public service. I graduated high school, went away to college, and quickly enlisted in the Navy. I served during peace time, and did a deployment to the Persian Gulf. I was then accepted to become an officer. 9/11 happened two days after my first day as a junior at San Diego State. I spoke to a recruiter and enlisted in the Marines. I left in 2006 for boot camp and got assigned as an infantry rifleman, First Battalion, at Camp Lejeune. I did two tours in Iraq in 2007 and 2008 into February 2009. During one of our patrols in Iraq, an IED went off. Everything slowed down, but I took charge, put the Marines where they were supposed to be. My squad said, “If it wasn’t for you, that would’ve gone way worse.” That, to me, was the best compliment I could have ever gotten.
I came back home, finished my degree in political science at Hofstra using the G.I. Bill, and joined the FDNY in 2014.
My whole life has been service to others. These days, you have to be either really young and financially supported to volunteer your time and make a career out of it, or just be independently wealthy.
I moved to St. James. My wife and I had our first kid and with everything going on politically, I decided I have to do something. You can sit back and watch everything go on or try to make a difference. Everything starts local. I’ve always been a Democrat, so I went to Smithtown Democratic Committee meetings and they were looking for anyone who’d be interested in running for a seat. I wasn’t aware I could be a councilman as a part-time job, with my FDNY job.
Everything is so divided now. I have conversations at these street festivals with Republicans and they’re great conversations; they’re engaged. The minute I say I’m with the Democrats, it’s as if everything I said that they agreed with is now gone. It happens on the other side too. Partisan politics is making it where you’ll cut off your nose and spite your face. For me, I was hoping that me as a person with my background shows that I’m someone who wants to do what’s best for Smithtown and the people, and listen to them. The 5-0 voting of the current administration isn’t listening to people. I think they have an agenda, but they’re not really representing the people of Smithtown. You mean to tell me not one person on the Board has ever raised a question?
I’m willing to listen to everybody. I’m not going to say that my side is 100% right. Our job is to represent the people of Smithtown.
Q: What are some of your priorities for the Town if you are elected?
A: Veterans services; that’s number-one. When you get out of the military, everyone wants to thank you for your service, and you think the world is your oyster. The G.I. Bill was phenomenal; it helped me finish my degree without massive debt. It’s gotten better, but at the Town-level, I feel like we should be there for our Veterans. When you go to the Town website, it’s the County link. We should have a dedicated office. We have 2,600 Veterans that live in Smithtown. We should give them an opportunity to succeed when they get out, or at least guide them.
We need a dedicated office with a full-time employee who deals with and knows the ins and outs of not only the V.A., but getting Veterans the services they need. We still have Vietnam
Candidate Spotlight
Vets who have never signed up with the V.A. They have benefits that are waiting for them. I’ve talked to the younger Vets, a lot of them are now more aware, but it’s definitely the VFW Vets. Even for the younger Vets, you don’t have to have gone to combat to accrue benefits. They can get them through peace time, and some don’t realize that.
We need a dashboard for what’s available. The Town does give property tax breaks for Veterans; a lot of people don’t know that. If you go to the assessor, they’re helpful, but a lot of those little details you find on your own. The Town has a responsibility to pick up the slack to help our Veterans out.
I’m concerned about development, but for me, term limits are something that would help fix the stagnant path that’s going on with Smithtown. The other towns have term limits. I don’t want to be a career politician. I want to come in, bring new ideas, implement them, and then allow the next generation.
Q: Your party has criticized the current administration on development. Explain your stance.
A: I’m not against downtown revitalization, but perception is reality, and the Town bent over backwards. I’m not mad at Tony Tanzi - his job is to get the best bang for his buck and develop. But we have a safeguard in place and that’s the Town Board. Their job is to make sure what’s best is for the residents of Smithtown and they changed density variances. If it’s so popular, how did Rob Trotta win Kings Park in the primary? Development has to fit the characteristics of the Town.
Somebody has to sit there and ask if this is what the people want. A company doesn’t spend $24 million to buy a property without the expectation of being allowed to develop it. The people of St. James don’t want Gyrodyne and Bull Run development, so it’s the Board’s job to represent the people of Smithtown. If you’re going to use the data from the few people who answer the surveys and pretend that that’s the whole pulse of the area that wants it, you’re doing a disservice for the residents.
Even on Nesconset Day, people were shocked to hear that the whole walking path was taken down for the new football fields. A good portion of that got taken right up by the new fields. When is the opportunity for the working families to make their sentiments known to the board at 2:00 in the afternoon?
I would make meetings in each individual hamlet. One month in Commack, one month in Nesconset, one month in St. James. Give people a chance to come in and voice their opinions and grievances. And we’d do it at 7:00p.m. when people are home.
Q: What’s your favorite quote, motto, or work ethic?
A: “Liberty cannot be preserved without general knowledge among the people. Power must never be trusted without a check.” - John Adams
Q: How do you like to connect with your community and what do you do in your spare time?
A: I’m very lucky that I have the ability to be home during the day and be with my kids. We love the Christmas tree at the triangle. Some parks are great, some parks are not so great. I grew up in Lindenhurst, it’s a great town, but when I moved here, I joked with my wife that we live in the country. We have deer and rabbits in our yard. That Norman Rockwell town-feeling is great. I want to keep it that way.
The Messenger thanks Jesse Phillips for his time for this interview
Michael Catalanotto
Candidate: Michael Catalanotto
Residence: Smithtown hamlet
Occupation: Attorney
Office Sought: Smithtown Council Prior Elected Office: Smithtown Central School Board 2019-2025
Party Lines: Democratic
Michael Catalanotto is looking to parlay his time on the Smithtown Central School District Board of Education into a seat on Smithtown’s at-large Town Council. His running mate is Jesse Phillips (D-St. James).
Michael Catalanotto sat down with The Messenger for this candidate spotlight interview.
Q: What’s your professional background and how does it equip you for the Council?
A: I got a B.S. in accounting, then a master’s in business administration, followed by my J.D. I started my own business in town. Being born and raised here, this town means everything to me. I raised all three of my kids here. I’m invested here; this isn’t going to be a career for me. I just want to see Smithtown in a better position than it is now, which means revitalized downtowns.
On the school board, we were able to continue to add additional programs at the school while keeping our budget at the cap or below it every year. We were able to add a seal of civic readiness, a seal of biliteracy, a fourth-grade music program, armed guards, and increased security. We updated so many areas of the school and passed new bonds to effectuate those additions. We also added outside vehicles and presence at all the schools. We implemented a very data-driven approach in the school since I got on the board where we were able to monitor our students’ grades and how we can best help to increase their test scores. We had a partnership with Northwell Health that would help with mental health, and speed up the process of providing mental health care to students with parents and physicians.
I’m currently a divorce attorney. My business in Nesconset right off NY-347 and Lake Ave South. I’ve owned the firm since 2007.
Q: What are some of your priorities if you are elected?
A: Find a way to get term limits. This isn’t a career job for me; I think it’s important to get new, fresh, young voices, and different perspectives every few years. We need transparency in government and to move some of these meetings to the evenings so that people who work all day can get to those meetings. My wife is a teacher; she could never get to those meetings during the afternoon.
We also need to find ways to intelligently develop these downtowns. There’s so many ways to incentivize some of these landlords to fill these vacant stores and for them to fix up the facades.
In terms of downtowns, we could look at offering some tax credits for landlords for those who offer a lower rent. I was looking to move my business last year, but the rent was so high, it made no sense for me to move downtown. These tax write-offs these landlords receive far outweigh the benefit of filling the stores. For facades, if stores are vacant for a certain period, we should start fining them. When the write-offs are greater than the benefit of renting, then why ever rent? Other places have pop-up stores. In the windows, we could have local artists and put their artwork up or have local breweries.
The Tanzi project in Kings Park is, to me, a large building with the hope that somehow these businesses come into the town and these
stores will be filled. That’s not the case. We can see that with Lofts at Maple and Main in Smithtown. A bunch of stores there continue to remain vacant. We don’t need to put these large apartment complexes downtown, which will increase traffic. I’d like to see apartments above stores and condos that can keep our children here in town. We should incentivize these young first-time homebuyers by providing credits to purchase a house or a condo.
I’ve talked to a couple of building owners who say that their permits had been languishing for four years. Why are permits to fix up downtown buildings sitting for four years? Those are things we need to rush through and make sure we’re enabling these owners of these buildings to fix them up and beautify downtown.
Q: In an October 2022 school boarding meeting, you criticized a fellow trustee as a “horrible person”, which led to your reprimand by the State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa. What can you say about your temperament as it relates to your potential service on the Town Council?
A: Leading up to that meeting, my son happened to be up for approval through the Athletic Placement Process (APP) processevery other school district doesn’t approve this process. As long as they pass the APP test, it’s automatic; as board members, we’re not able to deny that process. There was a request to get specific test scores for my son and a request for the athletic director to sit down and talk to us about two kids’ test scores. I took offense to that and I took it as an attack on my son. I was angry. In the subsequent meeting, I apologized for being angry like that. I have to be better than that. I called another trustee a “horrible, horrible person.” Did I have a right to be angry? Absolutely. But I was wrong in saying that.
Q: Also during your time on the board, you were found to have liked Twitter posts that called Smithtown a “historically, extremely racist town.” Do you hold that position?
A: Smithtown was all over the news with people waving Confederate flags and fighting in the streets late at night. I was scrolling on Twitter and wasn’t reading every single thing. There were probably a couple dozen posts that I went through and liked that day. It doesn’t mean that liking a post means I agree with every word of that post. I was born and raised here. I wouldn’t move my children back to this town if I thought that of this town. I love this place, always have.
Q: What’s your favorite quote, motto, or work ethic?
A: Theodore Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena.”
Q: How do you like to connect with your community and what do you do in your spare time?
A: Establishing and growing my business in Smithtown has allowed me to help out a lot of people in the community. My son has severe food allergies and has had two anaphylactic episodes. We were able to start a non-profit to donate to the hospitals to find better treatment plans. You get so much back for volunteering for your community. I show my children that you give back to the community what’s given so much to you.
My kids are athletic, so we’re traveling all over the place and enjoying the kids right now. Mosaic in St. James and Chop Shop in Smithtown are two of our go-to places. We travel as often as we can, different locations. We recently did over two weeks in Europe - Italy, Greece, and London.
The Messenger thanks Michael Catalanotto for his time for this interview.
Councilwoman Lynne Nowick
By Matt Meduri
Candidate:
Councilwoman Lynne Nowick
Residence: St. James
First Elected: 2013, re-elected 2017, 2021 Department Liaisons: Senior Citizens Center, Horizons
Previous Offices: Smithtown Tax Receiver (1996-2001), County Legislature, LD-13 (2002-2014)
Party Endorsements: Republican, Conservative
Councilwoman Lynne Nowick is rounding out a decade on the Town Council, now running for a fourth term. Her running mate is Councilman Tom McCarthy (R-Nissequogue) in the at-large race for the Council this year.
Councilwoman Nowick sat down with The Messenger for this candidate spotlight interview.
Q: What are some of your accomplishments for the town over the last four years?
A: As part of this Town Board, our accomplishments are many, and I know this town so well. The most important thing is quality of life. We’ve not only renovated the parks and ballfields for the kids, but the renovations at Long Beach, Short Beach, Callahans Beach, and Schubert’s Beach all won awards for their engineering. Our constituents deserve up-todate bathrooms and beautiful beaches, just as I did when I was kid in Smithtown.
We bought the Oasis Club on NY-25; it was hideous. That was the “welcome” building to Smithtown right on Jericho Turnpike - a topless bar. That’s going to be a beautiful welcome centre that Smithtown deserves. That’s where you’ll have the young people go to rent kayaks and canoes, buy bait and tackle for fishing. Rentals, and brochures about the Town. It will be a complete welcome center. The outside is beautiful. They still have to finish the bridge, but what a difference already.
We’ve completed the Town Comprehensive Master Plan. Kings Park is at the top of my list; the Nowick family were Kings Park farmers. Smithtown hamlet is on its way; St. James is on its way. Once sewers come in, there’ll be more restaurants. We’ll have the classic walkable downtowns, where people can walk to Dirty Cheesecake in Smithtown and then go see a show at the Smithtown Theatre. I know what it’s like to be a store owner when no one is walking in the downtowns to use the stores; they go out of business. I want to see families walking to the ice cream stores. I don’t want to see Huntington or Patchogue; I want to see quaint St. James.
I’m the Liaison to the Senior Citizens Center - which is named after my father. It offers so many more activities than you can imagine. We have dancing, lunches, specials, and trips from Shelter Island to the City - and why not?
Seniors have paid their taxes here forever. They deserve that quality of life.
There’s a lot of important things we do in Smithtown, and everyone talks about the new buildings, parks, beaches - all very importantbut Horizons offers to our community a solution to a “quiet problem” - addiction. It’s a place to go. We’ve also formed the Opioid and Addiction Task Force, which I am on; it’s brand-new. Very often, I run into people who don’t know where to go. I can’t tell you how fulfilling that is to bring someone to Horizons, whether it’s a loved one or neighbor.
We’ve secured more than $80 million worth of grants. That will help St. James come online fully. The Calderone Theatre wasn’t a theatre for many years; many people didn’t know it
existed. It’s been put on the map and that will bring in people from all over. A dinner and show; that’s downtown revitalization. Kudos to Natalie Weinstein for revitalizing that project.
Q: The current administration has received criticism for overdevelopment. How has the Town been handling development?
A: The Town has a Master Plan, which took years and years to update. You have to allow development, but the Town has allowed development in blighted areas. Fieldstone at Commack was once a drug and prostitution pit. Now, it’s a 55-and-over community and I favor those because I know there are a lot of people in life who are older, they’re empty-nesters who want to sell the house but want to stay in Smithtown. There’s a lot of good things we’re doing and we’re only building in blighted areas, not right in your local neighborhood. A lot of places are seeing re-developments. They go to the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA); the Town Council doesn’t get to vote on that. The BZA is autonomous.
With private property, if it’s zoned a certain way, people have a right to sell their property and/or develop it. Sometimes, we can’t do anything about it.
Q: The proposed budget calls for piercing the tax cap to a tune of about 9-10%. What changed from last year when the Town didn’t pierce the cap.
A: For ten years, Smithtown never pierced the cap - never. Come 2025, mandatorily from New York State, the pensions costs to the Town have come up. The union employees, and retirement plan has to be paid for by the Town. Union contributions for retirement are up. Union contracts include raises every year. Inflation factors in, and the price of equipment for the Highway Department has doubled. So, this is the first time in ten years we’re proposing a budget that pierces the cap. There’s going to be a hearing, people will speak how they feel. We’ll look it over and cut what we can while not losing the services. If we cut enough, we lose the quality of life. You lose the things that people love. Beaches have fewer lifeguards and the concert series is pulled, for example. We are going to go over the budget line-by-line, it’s not completed yet. It has to go through the process.
Q: What is your favorite quote, motto, or work ethic?
A: “When is it the right time to do the right thing? It’s always the right time.”
Q: How do you like to connect with your community and what do you do in your spare time?
A: I connect everyday and all the time. I’m a walker, very often in St. James. Before the Town was revitalized, I used to take pictures of what needed to change. I learned that from my father, who also used to walk in town; you meet so many people. I shop in all the local stores, like King Kullen. I go every week to the concert series on the beach. I love all the restaurants in our downtowns as well.
Connecting to my community means I can listen to them, I can find out what their problem is, and I can navigate the system to help them. It’s very rewarding. That’s probably the best way to connect and the best part of my job.
The Messenger Nowick for her time for this interview.
Councilman Tom McCarthy
Candidate: Councilman Tom McCarthy Residence: Nissequogue
First Elected: 1997, re-elected 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021 Department Liaisons: Land Use, Engineering, Building, Planning, Environmental Works Party Lines: Republican, Conservative
Councilman Tom McCarthy is running for an eighth term on the Town Board, where he’s also served as Deputy Supervisor since 2003. Councilman McCarthy and Councilwoman Lynne Nowick (R-St. James) are running mates in this year’s at-large council race.
Councilman McCarthy sat down with The Messenger for this candidate spotlight interview.
Q: What are some of your accomplishments for the Town over the last four years?
A: We all work together on the board. The downtown revitalizations are our biggest priority. St. James is almost complete, Kings Park is moving along, and Smithtown is up-and-coming. We’ve also been cleaning up derelict structures around town, we rewrote and completed the Master Plan, and refurbished the majority of our parks, beaches, and recreation facilities. We also got rid of two bars, the gentleman’s club in Smithtown by the Bull on NY-25 and the old restaurant on Lake Avenue.
As Deputy Supervisor, I work hand-inhand with the Supervisor on any and all Town issues.
On the Council, as department liaisons, we not only work with all the department heads, but the other town board members to keep them advised of what’s going on. Upgrading the town and making it a better place.
The budget is hurt by unfunded mandates. Pensions costs, medical costs, matching Social Security, MTA tax - that’s $7 million, the cost of doing business in New York State. You can’t remove it from the tax cap, you have to try to figure it out within the tax cap. We’re running the Town with only 6 cents on every dollar, compared to 69 cents for the school districts.
If we made a bunch of cuts, we’d lose about 47 employees, and then go across the board line-by-line to cut out nonessential things first, hopefully you don’t have to cut
Q: The current administration has received criticism for overdevelopment. How has the Town been handling development?
A: I’d love to see where this “overdevelopment” is. I don’t see it. We replaced an abandoned hotel with a 55-over rental community in Commack. In Nesconset, we did the Preserve. I don’t see where this massive amount of overdevelopment is that is the cry of the other side. 46 units in Kings Park, which will be adjacent to the railroad station? You do the numbers; that’s not overdevelopment. If you add up all the units in the downtowns, it comes out to about 350 total units if every project is completed as proposed. The development isn’t in the residential areas, except for single-family homes. We’re trying to put people in the downtowns to revitalize them. It’s all a sham, a lie; there’s no massive overdevelopment. In fact, the Nesconset Preserve was originally proposed in 1996. We reduced the number of units from the original approved number. We made some units larger, some nicer, to knock down the total number. The Master Plan we adopted, which we worked on for five years, controls the heights of all buildings in all the hamlets. Most of the seniors in Commack and Nesconset are Smithtown seniors moving in to free up their houses for the market or their kidsthe next generation. Seniors don’t have to deal with the massive amount of work and upkeep for a home. It’s freedom they need and want so they can stay in Smithtown. In 2000, we actually did the first transitoriented development (TOD) project on Landing Avenue in Smithtown. It’s 62 units, and nobody even realizes it’s there. People love it.
We’ve also redeveloped blighted properties. The Oasis Club by the Bull, the CarMax Headquarters where the old concrete plant was, the Tesla dealership on NY-347, the Lofts at Maple and Main where the lumber yard was across from Town Hall.
Q: What is your favorite quote, motto, or work ethic?
A: Treat everyone as you wish to be treated; be fair to all.
Q: How do you like to connect with your community and what do you do in your spare time?
A: I take my grandchildren to all the
Civics 101
The Necessary Standard for American Education
Off-Year Gubernatorial Elections
By Matt Meduri
Since we’re intently watching the two gubernatorial elections held this November - Virginia and New Jersey - we’ll dig into why the state and territorial gubernatorial elections operate on the calendars they do.
As we’ve discussed in a previous iteration of this column, gubernatorial elections are cut from an entirely different political cloth than presidential, senatorial, and other statewide elections. We find three tenets that are key to governors’ elections: local issues, candidate quality, and retail politics. This makes for why both parties can find reasonable levels of success in all states. A quick example, Republicans currently govern the blue states of Vermont and Virginia - pre-2018, they had New Mexico, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Maryland - while Democrats currently hold Kansas, Kentucky, and North Carolina - pre-2018, they even had Montana, Louisiana, and West Virginia.
History and Purpose
This column will seek to address the long-forgotten concept of civics and how it relates to American government in general, from the federal level to the local level. This column will explore Constitutional rights, the inner workings of government, the electoral process, and the obligations and privileges of citizens.
The primary reason that many states have historically held their elections in off-years - those not aligned with presidential contests - is so that the states can operate within separate political vacuums, more or less removed from the nationalized politics that tend to dominate presidential elections, especially in the modern era.
Other states have more nuanced reasons. The two states up this year have interesting historical reasons for their gubernatorial and state legislative contests held in the years immediately following a presidential race.
New Jersey once had even- and odd-year elections. One-third of its Senate - whose members served unusual three-year terms - while its House was elected annually. The governor also served three-year terms, so the gubernatorial contest alternated between even- and oddyear elections. The 1947 State Constitution formalized the process, setting the Assembly terms to two years and Senate and gubernatorial terms to four years.
That constitutional change was largely due to then-Governor Alfred E. Driscoll (R) urged the convention that state elections should not coincide with presidential races, saying, “the problems confronting the state are frequently distinct from those confronting the nation.” Virginia, on the other hand, has been holding odd-year elections since 1851. The rewritten constitution called for elections every two years. Since the first elections were held that year, the tradition has been carried on ever since.
In Louisiana, which holds state elections in years immediately preceding presidential elections, their revised state constitution in 1974 organized the elections for those years. A large reason was because of Louisiana’s then-solidly Democratic profile. Parties held their primaries in odd-year winters, with necessary runoffs held the following January. Since Republicans were such a political minority in Louisiana from Reconstruction until the 1980s, Democratic primaries were more or less coronations of a virtually guaranteed victor. The primary system was scrapped in 1975, with the general election system replacing it that year.
But Mississippi was the first state to organize an odd-year schedule, starting in 1817. The state constitution required annual elections for the entire House and a third of the Senate. By 1832, two-year terms for both chambers were then adopted.
It’s also worth mentioning that many states have shifted their gubernatorial term limits throughout the years. Many more states were once held in both gubernatorial and presidential years as their governors served two-year terms. In the modern, four-year terms is the status quo in all but two states. Rhode Island is the most recent state to shift from two-year terms to four-year terms, having made the change in 1994.
Presidential-Year Gubernatorial Contests
Currently, eleven states and two territories hold their contests in presidential years - consult the map above for which states elect
governors in which years.
These states are arguably in the most nationalized environment, although ticket-splitting has been recent. The GOP has governed Vermont, Missouri, and New Hampshire since they flipped those seats in 2016. West Virginia and Montana elected Democratic governors in 2016, despite Donald Trump (R-NY) winning both states handily. That same year, Democrats flipped North Carolina, even as Trump won a state seen as crucial to his path to 270. Four remaining statesWashington, Utah, North Dakota, and Delaware - have been electing one party since the 1980s, while Indiana has stuck with Republican governors since 2004.
Midterm-Year Gubernatorial Contests
These are where the lion’s share of gubernatorial seats are. Thirtysix states and three territories are on the ballot in these years. These include crucial swing states, solidly red and blue states, and the territories of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The District of Columbia also holds its mayoral election in midterm years.
The midterm-year contests can be susceptible to partisan wave elections, but it’s important to note that gubernatorial politics are incredibly idiosyncratic. Many states elect their governors on a twoterm basis - that is, one party serves two terms, then the other party gets two terms. Many states operate on this like clockwork, including Michigan, Kansas, Wisconsin, and New Mexico.
2010 saw a big gain for the GOP in gubernatorial contests. They picked up twelve states, while Democrats picked up five. Interestingly, that year saw the GOP flip Wyoming, perhaps the reddest state in the union, and the Democrats flip Hawaii, one of the bluest - a testament to how removed from national overtones gubernatorial politics can beand often is.
2018 was another wave election, this time for the Democrats. They picked up seven seats, while the GOP only flipped Independent-held Alaska. Many of these governors are term-limited or retiring for 2026: Michigan, Illinois, Maine, Kansas, New Mexico, and Wisconsin are the pickups Democrats made that year. The GOP still managed to score landslide wins in deep-blue Maryland, Massachusetts, and Vermont that year, while Florida kept its GOP gubernatorial voting streak alive with Ron DeSantis (R) - perhaps the earliest harbinger of Florida becoming a Republican stronghold nowadays.
But these two elections also saw a significant convergence: termlimitation of incumbents amidst wave elections. There’s evidence that many states in 2010 and 2018 would have flipped to the opposite party, regardless of the environment. National environments certainly do help, but it’s not the basis for many gubernatorial contests.
Here’s a good benchmark of comparison. In 2018, Democrats won the House popular vote 53.4%-44.8% - about nine points. That same year, Democrats won the Senate popular vote 58.2%-38.7% - a massive twenty-point gap owing to the twenty-four seats they had up that year,
compared to the GOP’s nine.
But they won the gubernatorial popular vote 51.39%-48.28% - just about three points. The GOP had twenty-six seats up compared to the Democrats’ nine, but the contrast in popular vote compared to the national environment is markedly different. This is yet another reason that gubernatorial contests are of a different breed of politics altogether.
Contests Held in Years Preceding Presidential Elections
Three states hold contests in years before a presidential race: Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi. All three have seen political whirlwinds. Republicans flipped Louisiana in 2023, after eight years of arguably one of the nation’s most moderate, pro-life Democrats, John Bel Edwards (D). Part of his election in 2015 was upon Bobby Jindal’s departure from office as one of the most unpopular governors in the country.
Democrats ousted another unpopular governor in Matt Bevin (R-KY) in 2019. Andy Beshear (D-KY) managed to oust him primarily on state education policy, and survived a close re-election bid in 2023. He’s now seen as a formidable presidential candidate in 2028 as one of the nation’s most prominent moderate Democrats, although he lacks name recognition compared to his counterparts. This is a great example of how off-year elections, held sans national moods, can elevate one to presidential ambitions.
Finally, Mississippi, which hasn’t elected a Democratic governor since 1999, saw a close election that saw incumbent Tate Reeves (R-MS) narrowly re-elected in 2023. Reeves won a close race in 2019, and faced Brandon Presley (D), the second-cousin of the late, great Elvis Presley, as an interesting sidenote.
Contests Held in Years Following Presidential Elections
You are here. Virginia and New Jersey are the only two states holding gubernatorial elections this year.
New Jersey is one of those states that tends to elect two terms of one party, followed by two terms of another, more or less. This makes for a good harbinger for Jack Ciattarelli (R) to flip the state red, although it’s not ironclad. Given New Jersey’s long-held blue hue, this is usually seen as a good temperature check against the White House party’s electoral fortunes for the following midterm. Although, the GOP has picked some 200,000 new registered voters in the Garden State since 2021, and New Jersey’s presidential race last year was the closest it’s been in decades.
In Virginia, a built-in political institution dominates its gubernatorial politics. In every election since 1977, except for 2013, Virginians have elected a governor opposite the White House party. Its reliably contrarian streak was thought to be dead in 2021, owing to thenPresident Joe Biden’s (D-DE) historic ten-point win in the Old Dominion in 2020, and Virginia’s overall bluer profile.
But Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) proved that contrarian streak to be alive and well, which leads most prognosticators - including The Messenger - to assume that that streak will benefit former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (D).
Term Limits
Like their election years, states have varying regulations on term limits, with some having none at all, to others barring one from serving for life after two terms.
No Term Limits, Four-Year Terms: Eleven states, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico
No Term Limits, Two-Year Terms: Vermont and New Hampshire
One Term, Re-Eligible After Four Years: Virginia
Two Terms, Re-Eligible After Four Years: Twenty-three states, three territories
Two Terms, Re-Eligible After Eight Years: Four states.
Two Terms, Limited for Life: Nine states, one territory.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Our Town Was Once Proudly Known as the
‘Most Treed Town in the USA’
Dear Editor,
As a lifelong Republican, I never thought I’d see the day when I’d be ashamed of my own party’s leadership… but here we are.
Our town, once proudly known as the most treed town in the USA, is being carved up and paved over. Bit by bit, the peace, the green canopy, the sense of community that made Smithtown special are being bulldozed to make room for more gas stations, strip malls, and yes, another 7-Eleven.
And the insult to injury? They’re using my tax dollars to do it.
The only real chance we had to stop this mess was lost when Rob Trotter [sic] lost the primary to Ed Wortheimer [sic]. Rob was the one guy willing to say, “Enough. Let’s keep Smithtown, Smithtown.”
Now, I’m stuck with a choice that makes me sick to my stomach: Do I not vote at all? Do I cross the line and vote Democrat just to save what’s left of this town?... Or do I write in Rob Trotter’s [sic] name as a protest as a statement that I’m done watching our leaders use our money to turn Smithtown into Queens?
I’ve always believed in conservative values, fiscal responsibility, local control, and preserving what makes our communities worth living in. But somewhere along the line, the definition of “conservative” got lost in a haze of campaign contributions and overdevelopment deals.
At this point, it’s not about party. It’s about preserving what’s left of the town. If being a Republican now means paving paradise for another convenience store, then count me out.
Legislator Leslie Kennedy demonstrates the hard work, tenacity, and knowledge of government to get things done.
She is the sponsor of the Veterans hardship fund, providing heating and utility assistance to those in need. She also sponsors Capital Budget initiatives to bring Med CAT assistance to all seven of Suffolk County’s Police Precincts. In total, Leslie Kennedy has secured over $30 million in Capital Project funding for the years of 2024 and 2025 for the Twelfth Legislative District.
More locally, she has collaborated with County Executive Ed Romaine to secure $8 million to rebuild the Stump Pond Dam. She has also obtained additional money for Smithtown Sewers, Centereach/Selden Sewers, and the Maple Avenue flexible Weir at Maple Avenue.
She understands the importance of preserving peaceful suburban life, and has worked to create and pass legislation that impose harsher penalties and fines for illegal street races and car meet-ups.
Having worked as a nurse for over thirty years, she has a background in health that makes her perfect for her position as Chair of the Legislature’s Public Health Committee, and is a member of the County’s Board of Health.
Legislator Kennedy has maintained her district office in the North County Complex, saving more than $1 Million in
Regrettably, Fred Gorman Nesconset
16
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Local History
Thursday, October 23, 2025
Ronkonkoma Motor Speedway
By Ellyn Okvist B.Sc.
The “temporary” end of the Long Island Motor Parkway to Ronkonkoma Lake, known as the Eastern Terminus completed in 1911, was momentous - another over-the-top creation of William “Willie K” Vanderbilt.
Was all of this grand pageantry predecessors of the final building plan of Willie K? Could the Ronkonkoma Motor Speedway have become his greatest accomplishment?
William Kissam Vanderbilt II (1878-1944) was an American motor racing enthusiast and yachtsman, and a prominent member of the Vanderbilt Family, but there was a dash in his blood - the love of racing.
The Mercedes speed record, which was the founding of the six Vanderbilt Cup Races held here on Long Island from 19041910, were the greatest sporting events of the day along with being the first international automobile road races held in the United States. The races had a far-reaching impact on the development of American automobiles and parkways. Although the roar of the races never passed east of Round Swamp Road, Nassau County, the excitement and huge attendance was worldwide for the competition. Racers and their racecars came from all over the world to compete in the Vanderbilt Cup Races. The Vanderbilt Cup Races are known as the first United States Grand Prix, the first Formula 1 races.
He followed in the keystone’s shoes, Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877), nicknamed “the Commodore”, was an American business magnate who built his wealth in railroads and shipping. He was fortunate to have built an empire that had more money than the United States Treasury. By the time Willie K presented himself on the scene, there was less money, but the same Vanderbilt drive for excellence.
Sailing took second place to his enthusiasm for fast cars. In 1904, Willie set a new land speed record of 92.30 mph in a Mercedes-Benz at the Daytona Beach Road Course at Ormond Beach, Florida. Willie K twice set the world land speed record. The first time Vanderbilt claimed the record, he was driving a Mors Model Z, he was clocked at 76.08 mph August 5, 1902. The second time Vanderbilt took the record, he used a Mercedes Simplex 90 PS to run 92.3 mph on January 27, 1904, at Daytona Beach, Florida.
That same year, he launched the Vanderbilt Cup, the first major trophy in American auto racing. At the age of only 26, William K. Vanderbilt Jr. proposed the first international road race to be held in the United States by donating the Vanderbilt Cup made by Tiffany.
An international event, designed to spur American manufacturers into racing, the race’s large cash prize drew the top drivers and their vehicles from across the Atlantic Ocean who had competed in Europe’s Gordon Bennett Cup. Held at a course set out in Nassau County, the race drew large crowds hoping to see an American car defeat the mighty European vehicles. However, a French Panhard vehicle won the race and fans would have to wait until 1908 when 23-year-old George Robertson of Garden City, New York, driving the Locomobile, became the first American to win the Vanderbilt Cup. The Cup Races were the greatest sporting events of the day.
The Motor Parkway Inn, later renamed The Petit Trianon, was built at the end of the Long Island Motor Parkway on the shore of Ronkonkoma Lake in Spring of 1911. Used as destination by motorists on the Motor Parkway for a rest stop, a meal, automobile repair, or an overnight stay on their journeys. No expense was spared in its construction. The Inn was managed by The Hotel Astor of New York City in its early years and indicated a high standard of service and cuisine, The clientele was Long Island’s smart social set. The menu offered high end items like filet mignon and Long Island roasted duckling, with a separate dining room and menu for chauffeurs. After various owners, the building succumbed to fire in 1958. Vintage automobiles celebrated the 104th anniversary of the opening of Petit Trianon on April 26, 2015, with “The Motor Parkway Sunday Drive to Ronkonkoma Lake”, where 82 vintage participants took to the Parkway, escorted by four separate Police Jurisdictions. The Sunday Drives take place from Cunningham Park, Queens, to Lake Ronkonkoma, and is hosted by the Lake Ronkonkoma Heritage Association.
The Ronkonkoma Motor Speedway would have rivaled the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (1909) in scale, size, and shape. There were two tracks in contention - either a three-mile or a fivemile track - the first in a sort of tri-oval shape (pictured above), the second of a more elaborate shape incorporating three loops, a hairpin, some sweeping turns, and a few good straightaways. While both would have included grandstands, which were to be re-located from Levittown, the latter would have included garages, a scoreboard, officials, and photographer stand, and would have accommodated as many as 53 vehicles on the track at once. Indianapolis to date only accommodates 33 cars. Plans were made and estimates written, as the Motor Parkway Co. had $500,000 to spend, the estimates came in under at $260,000 and $375,000.
Residents could only see but not understand the nearly 900 acres of now prime Long Island real estate dedicated to racing automobiles at a time before many people had even seen a race. But the track size ultimately ended up preventing the track from ever becoming reality. The effort to build the speedway, work to establish not only the eponymous race but also the Long Island Motor Parkway, was more than full-time. The race, first run in 1904 on public roads, quickly drew the eye of Long Island residents and public officials as early as 1906 the American Automobile Association demanded that Vanderbilt not conduct the race on public roads.
To do so, Vanderbilt began construction on the parkway as a private limited-access toll road extending from Queens to, initially, Bethpage. This was troublesome to deal with. Meanwhile, the Vanderbilt Cup races logged another two deaths in the 1910 event and Carl Fisher proved able to attract international talent and the country’s most technologically advanced cars to his oval in Indianapolis. It opened in 1908 and for three years hosted part of the Vanderbilt Cup race, though the races still relied on public roads for some sections. Only after the New York State Legislature banned racing anywhere but on a dedicated racetrack did Vanderbilt move the race to other venues throughout the country during the 1910s.
Vanderbilt held out hope for the Ronkonkoma speedway as late as 1913, but right-of-way issues dogged him even then. The parkway held on to the 890 acres in Ronkonkoma until late 1937, when real estate developer Walter Shirley bought much of the land and sold it off in quarter-acre lots. The Long Island Motor Parkway closed a year later when the State, owed back taxes, bought it. The Vanderbilt Cup continued through 1916 but never returned to the parkway. Things did not always go smoothly, Willie K’s son, William Kissam Vanderbilt III (1907–1933), only 26 years old, who inherited his father’s love of fast cars and exotic travel, was killed in an automobile accident in South Carolina while driving home to New York City from his father’s Florida estate while attending college. The Vanderbilt Cup auto races repeatedly had crowd control problems and at the 1906 race a spectator was killed, and two more in 1910.
In 2017, The Lake Ronkonkoma Heritage Association established the NYS Marker for the Eastern Terminus, and it is permanently displayed at the Lakeland Fire Station on Motor Parkway.
In 2025, Vanderbilt was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.
Thank you to Daniel Strohl at Hemmings Classic Car and Howard Kroplick. I strongly suggest vanderbiltcupraces.com for further reading
(inset)
(1904)
Long Island Locavore
Bell Peppers: LI’s Vibrant Harvest Meets a Halloween Twist
By Nancy Vallarella
As summer fades and local farm stands transition to fall’s bounty, bell peppers hold their ground—bright, crisp, and abundant across Long Island fields from mid-July through October. Whether you’re picking them up from a local farm, or your local farmers’ market, these glossy gems—red, orange, yellow, and green—add both beauty and nutrition to your autumn table.
The Nutritional Powerhouse
Bell peppers are as nourishing as they are colorful. Rich in vitamins A and C, they bolster immunity—perfect timing for the onset of cold season. The red variety contains 11 times more beta carotene than green peppers, offering potent antioxidants that support skin and eye health. Low in calories but high in fiber, they’re an ideal vehicle for stuffing with hearty, wholesome ingredients.
The Art (and Fun) of the Jack-O’-Lantern Pepper
For a festive family activity, swap out the pumpkin and carve a Jack-O’-Lantern Pepper! Choose large, firm orange or yellow peppers—colors that mimic the glow of a lantern. With adult supervision, kids can use a small, pointed paring knife to carve simple triangle eyes and a toothy grin. The tops can be trimmed and saved as whimsical “lids.” (pictured below)
Stuffing for Every Palate
What makes this recipe shine is its flexibility. Stuffing peppers (pictured inset at right) is like assembling a meal in miniature—each portion can balance protein, carbohydrates, vegetables, and sauce in one edible vessel. Try one of these combinations or mix and match your favorites:
• Protein: ground turkey, chicken or beef, lentils, crumbled sausage, black beans, or quinoa
• Carbs: rice, farro, bulgur, quinoa, or even riced cauliflower for a low-carb twist
• Veggies: diced zucchini, spinach,
mushrooms, avocado or corn
• Sauces: marinara, pesto, salsa, or creamy yogurt-based sauce
To Bake—or Not to Bake
Once filled, the peppers can be served raw for a crisp, refreshing texture or baked at 375°F for 20–25 minutes until tender and aromatic. A sprinkle of cheese on top before baking adds an indulgent finish.
If peppers aren’t your thing – these ingredients are wonderful served in a bowl!
For a Quick and Satisfying Halloween Dinner
Cook components ahead and reheat in microwave or bake in the oven. Sautee your proteins with aromatics and spice. Cook carb of choice. Clean, dice, or defrost veg of choice – leave avocado prep for just before serving. Place chosen ingredients inside carved pepper and bake or serve unbaked. Store bought sauces are a great on hand item for this dish or to have on hand in the pantry. For an added bump of flavor try a quick and easy chipotle sauce or one with an extra boost of protein:
Quick and Easy Chipotle Sauce
Ingredients:
1 c mayonnaise
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 Tbs adobo sauce from the can with peppers
Juice from ½ lime salt to taste
Directions:
Combine the mayo, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and lime juice in a small food processor.
Blend the ingredients until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Taste and season with more lime juice or salt as needed.
For the best flavor, transfer the sauce into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow for the flavors to meld.
Created by Nancy Vallarella, who brings farm-fresh recipes and local food knowledge to Long Island through farmers’ markets, demos, and more. For more recipes or to ask a question, DM @lilocavore495 on Instagram or email lilocavore495@gmail.com. Happy cooking!
This recipe contains more ingredients than the quick and easy version but provides a deeper more balanced taste with a higher protein value.
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove peeled
2/3 c Greek yogurt
2 Tbs mayonnaise
1 Tbs water
2 tsp honey
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 – 2 tsp adobo sauce
(from a can of chipotle chilies in adobo) salt to taste
Directions:
Place garlic clove in a mini food processor and process until coarsely chopped.
Add the next 7 ingredients. Process until smooth.
Add salt and adobo sauce to taste. For the best flavor, transfer the sauce into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow for the flavors to meld.
CreditNancy Vallarella
Creamy Chipotle Sauce
Legal Insights
Important Estate Planning Tax Topics: Estate and Gift Taxes
By Wayne R. Carrabus, Esq.
I have written prior articles about tax topics that routinely come up during my consultations that seem to be misunderstood or confusing to most people, and when there is overlap between different taxes, the confusion tends to worsen. An example of two taxes that can become entangled, are the Estate Tax and the Gift Tax.
Estate Tax
The estate tax is a tax on property that is passed from a deceases person’s estate to the heirs of the estate. In other words, before an heir can receive his or her inheritance, the estate must pay an estate tax. There is a federal estate tax, and some states, including New York, impose an estate tax, as well.
An exemption is available at both the federal and state levels, so if the value of an estate is less than the exemption amount, no estate tax is owed. For 2025, the federal and New York state exemptions are $13.99 million and $7.16 million, respectively. Because of these very high exemptions, the estate tax is not a tax that most people need to worry about.
One thing worth mentioning about the New York estate tax is the “cliff.” In the case of most taxes, like the federal estate tax, when there is an exemption offered, the tax is applied only to the amount that exceeds the exemption. That is not always the case for the New York estate tax. If the total value of the estate exceeds the “cliff” of $7.518 million (for example 5% above the exemption for 2025), the entire estate will be subject to the estate tax.
Gift Tax
The gift tax is a tax on assets transferred by one person (the donor) to another person (the donee), when the donor does not receive an asset of equal value in return. If there is a gift tax owed, it is the donor who is responsible to pay the tax. There is a federal gift tax. New York does not currently impose a gift tax.
The federal estate tax exemption ($13.99 million) also serves as a lifetime gifting exemption. This means that a person can transfer while they are alive, and/or at the time of his or her death, up to a total of $13.99 million without owing any gift or estate taxes.
Federal Gift Tax Return
The requirement under the federal tax code to file a gift tax return is often what triggers much of the confusion surrounding the estate and gift taxes. According to IRS rules, if a donor gifts more than the annual gift tax exclusion ($19,000 for 2025) to any one donee during a calendar year, the donor is required to file a federal gift tax return on Form 709. Because of this rule, most people mistakenly believe that they must keep gifts below the annual gift tax exclusion, or risk having to pay a gift tax. This is generally not true.
The annual gift tax exclusion is the gift amount that the IRS wants to know about so that the grantor’s lifetime gift/estate tax exemption can be reduced. If a gift exceeds the annual gift tax exclusion, the donor is required to file a gift tax return and the donor’s estate tax exemption is reduced by the amount that the gift exceeds the annual gift tax exemption.
Now, an example to illustrate how the federal gift tax works with the federal estate tax, applying the 2025 estate tax exemption and annual gift tax exclusion.
• Scenario #1: Person A gifts Person B $10,000.00.
• Scenario #2: Person A gifts Person B $100,000.00.
Under Scenario #1, since the gift amount is less than the gift tax exclusion, Person A does not need to file a gift tax return, and there is no reduction to Person A’s federal estate tax exemption. Under Scenario #2, Person A must file a gift tax return, and Person A’s federal estate tax exemption is reduced by $81,000.00 (the difference between the gift of $100,000.00 and the annual gift exclusion of $19,000.00) to $13,909,000.
Note, even though Person A made a gift in excess of the annual gift tax exclusion under Scenario #2, no gift tax resulted because Person A has plenty of the federal estate tax exemption left over after accounting for the gift. A gift tax would only result after Person A makes more gifts in excess of the annual gift tax exclusion, and those gifts completely deplete the remaining balance of the estate tax exemption. This is why I say above that, with the federal estate tax exemption as high as it is, most people don’t have to worry about federal gift and estate taxes because they simply don’t have enough assets to transfer (during life or at death) to create a tax obligation.
New York Gift Tax
I mentioned that under New York law, there is no gift tax. This means that a donor can gift unlimited amounts to unlimited donees during lifetime without incurring any state gift tax liability. Under certain circumstances, however, gifts can be clawed back into the donor’s estate if the gifts were made within three years of the donor’s death. Because there is a New York estate tax, the clawback is intended to prevent donors who may be over the New York estate tax exemption from giving assets away right before they pass away, to avoid paying state estate taxes.
Although the Estate and Gift Taxes may not apply to most people, it is important for anyone who is, or could become, wealthy enough to threaten the estate tax exemptions to undertake planning to reduce or eliminate the estate tax to the greatest extent possible. It’s also important to keep in mind that the tax laws, and specifically the exemption amounts, are subject to change. Even though the exemptions are currently very high, future changes can reduce the exemption amounts or impact the way in which the laws are applied.
One last point to be mindful of regarding gifting. Before making a gift, the tax consequences of a gift may not be the only consideration. Gifts can significantly impact eligibility for public benefits, like Medicaid. Just because a gift is “ok” from a tax perspective (i.e. the gift does not result in a taxable event or require a tax filing), that does mean the gift is without potential negative consequences. For example, Chronic (Nursing Home) Medicaid has a 5-year lookback on applications, and impermissible gifts made within the 5-year period can disqualify an applicant for a certain period of time. In this context, a poorly timed gift can end up costing the donor far more than the amount of the gift itself.
Whether you are interested in planning to address a potential estate tax obligation, or you are considering making gifts to family members, it is important that you consult with an experienced estate planning attorney so that you can fully understand your options, and the potential impact of your actions from a tax and benefits perspective.
Wayne R. Carrabus, Esq., C.P.A, at Futterman, Lanza, LLP with offices in Smithtown, Bay Shore, Melville and Garden City, NY, and clients throughout metro New York. He concentrates his practice on Elder Law, Medicaid Planning, Medicaid Applications, Estate Planning, Probate and Estate Administration and Estate Taxes.
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, October 23, 2025
Mamdani’s Damage Will Go Far Beyond the 5 Boroughs
By Nora Sullivan | AMAC Outside Contributor
“Together, we can tax the rich, heal the sick, house the poor, defund the police & build a socialist New York,” Zohran Mamdani tweeted in 2020. On his current mayoral campaign website, he calls for shifting the city’s tax burden to “richer and whiter neighborhoods.”
These aren’t slip-ups or stray remarks. They are at the heart of his campaign for mayor of New York City this November. And if he wins, the fallout won’t just be felt here. It will ripple far beyond the five boroughs, dragging down not only New York but the nation as well.
I know a lot of Americans will shrug and say: “Well, New Yorkers get what they deserve.”
I get that reaction. I really do. Everyone has seen the footage of the spoiled brats at Columbia University taking over buildings and shouting in the faces of cops, and thought these idiots should be put on a slow boat to Venezuela or some other socialist paradise.
But those people aren’t the ones who will bear the brunt of Mamdani’s experiment. Most of them aren’t even native New Yorkers. They’re mostly shipped in from leafy suburbs that are glad to get rid of them.
The real casualties will be New York’s middle class—the cops, firefighters, and nurses who hold this city together. My own family is full of them. I was born in the Bronx, surrounded by firefighters and police officers who worked brutal shifts and risked their lives every day for their neighbors. These men and women aren’t radicals. They’re the ones who keep the city running, and they’re the ones who will get squeezed the hardest.
Mamdani’s platform is as destructive as it is delusional: $10 billion in new taxes on high earners and businesses, a $30-an-hour minimum wage by 2030, rent freezes, so-called free buses, so-called free child care, and even city-owned grocery stores.
This isn’t some bold new vision. It’s the same tired socialism that has failed everywhere it’s been tried. And just like everywhere else, it risks hollowing out the very tax base that pays for everything else.
Here’s the thing: the top 1% of New Yorkers, those making around $800,000 and up, pay nearly half the city’s income taxes, per the 2023 NYC Independent Budget Office. If just 2% of them leave, the city could lose $5-$10 billion every year hedge fund manager Bill Ackman estimates.
Who makes up the difference? Not the wealthy, who can relocate to Florida or Texas with ease. Not the poorest, who qualify for welfare and public housing.
The burden falls squarely on the middle class. On the firefighters, cops, nurses, and small business owners who can’t simply pack up and leave.
And when the city runs short? It’s not Mamdani’s leftist base that suffers most. It’s working families.
But the danger doesn’t stop at the five boroughs. New York isn’t just any city. It’s America’s economic engine, producing $1.1 trillion in gross domestic product last year alone. The city is also a cultural beacon. The skyline, Broadway, the Met, the museums, and the energy that has always stood as a symbol of American ambition.
If Mamdani’s socialist experiment drives away wealth and enterprise, New York could spiral into decline. Businesses will fail, jobs will disappear, the economy will shrink, and America will lose far more
than tax revenue. We’ll lose a piece of our national identity. A city that once represented freedom and opportunity will become a cautionary tale about what happens when ideology trumps reality.
There’s a better path. New York doesn’t need to punish success to support its workers. It needs leadership that understands wealth isn’t the enemy. It’s the engine of opportunity. Smart tax policies, incentives for businesses, and targeted relief for the middle class can keep the city both compassionate
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and competitive.
Because if New York falls, it won’t just be New Yorkers who suffer. We will all be worse off. And as someone whose family has given their lives and labor to this city, I can tell you: We can’t afford to let that happen.
Punishing success punishes everyone. Mamdani’s vision might appeal to radicals who think money grows on trees. But for the middle class that actually makes the city run, it’s a disaster. And for the country, it’s a warning. If America’s greatest city falls to socialist decline, nobody wins.
WORD OF THE Week
Etymology: late 15th century (as indeleble): from French, or from Latin indelebilis, from in- ‘not’ + delebilis (from delere ‘efface, delete’). The ending was altered under the influence of -ible.
INDELIBLE
adjective
Pronounced: /in·deh·li·bl/
Definition: (of ink, a pen, etc.) making marks that cannot be removed; (sense 2) not able to be forgotten
Example: “His career left an indelible mark on the nation’s political history.”
Synonyms: permanent, lasting, ingrained
Antonyms: unremarkable, forgettable
Source: Oxford Languages
See how many words you can create. Must have center letter in word and can use letters more than once. 4 letter word minimum.
LEVEL: Hard
See bottom of page for the answers (please don’t cheat!)
October 23, 2015: Adele releases her single “Hello,” becomes the first song with more than a million downloads in its first week
October 24, 1962: Soviet ships approach but stop short of the U.S. blockade of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
October 22, 1962: “Rebel Without a Cause”, directed by Nicholas Ray, starring James Dean and Natalie Wood, is released.
October 28, 1886: Statue of Liberty is dedicated by President Grover Cleveland (D-NY),
Source: Onthisday.com.
October 26, 1861: Pony Express (Missouri to California) ends after 19 months.
October 29,1929: Stock market crash on Wall Street, known as “Black Tuesday,” triggers the Great Depression.
October 25, 2017: Chinese Premier Xi Jinping unveils his new ruling council in the Great Hall of the People; none of the five members are young enough to succeed him.
By PJ Balzer
Standing on Someone Else’s Sidelines
This past weekend I attended a football game at my hometown high school. This week specifically was a really big game, one we’ve been anticipating all year. The stage was set for two of Suffolk County’s best football teams to call the coin toss and then get straight to business. Nerves, emotions, and some rivalry tensions were definitely running high.
As I found my usual spot in the stands and glanced out onto the field, I saw something different to the prior weeks. There was some familiar faces from years past, out on the sidelines standing next to our current players. There was a nostalgic variety of varsity jackets being proudly sported of championship teams of years past. Some were green jackets with white lettering. Others were a more faded, older green with yellow lettering. But there was a common denominator and uniformity in all of them. They were there to cheer, coach, encourage and help push our young boys in one of the biggest games of the season. They were standing on someone else’s sidelines as a source of support.
You and I are pretty much conditioned to try to nestle next to the powerful people. We so easily set out to fully support celebrities, strangers, and people that we really don’t know and vice versa. We post them, share them and gladly rally around them and their cause. Meanwhile, they don’t even know our name and probably never will. Nevertheless, we find ourselves going all out for their projects, their ideals and their pursuit of power. We cheer them on and help to fluff up
their already full pockets. We are so much less likely to support the “little people.” Our all too familiar childhood friends who are starting their little business, pursuing their lifelong dreams and passions. We have neighbors selling homemade hand soaps, cutting the ribbon at their first storefront or struggling to get a new idea off of the ground. These little people are hoping that someone will come alongside them, stand behind them to cheer or help them to stay afloat. Yet we’re often busy cheering for the big people who are adding brick to brick with all the support in the world.
Many of the young men that were on the field supporting the current players are currently away at college. Some of them are playing college football and are themselves mid season. Other’s were older men with families, children who play sports, packed parental schedules and a tremendous amount of responsibility. Yet they took three hours out of their weekend, some drove down from SUNY Brockport and Cortland to come stand on the sidelines of the younger players. Just to offer their presence, words of encouragement and more football insight.
We ended up winning the game and I’m completely convinced that these guys standing on someone else’s sidelines play a substantial role in the victory. The current players needed every ounce of support for this one.
Get out there and clap for a friend.
Congratulations Natalie Affenita: Top 40 Under 40
Natalie was recently Honored in a special edition of the Long Island Real Producers Magazine as being one of the Top 40 Under 40 Licensed Real Estate Agents
Natalie Affenita has never been one to follow a straight path. In fact, she’s taken more detours than most-including captaining a collegiate dance team, traveling the world, working as a travel agent in Florence, and selling stone in a mason’s yard before realizing that real estate was where she was meant to be.
Her journey into the industry was anything but conventional. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was working with her father in construction when a customer walked in, looking for materials. Natalie didn’t just sell him a piece of stone-she sold him on her talent. So much so that he took her to lunch the next day, not to discuss masonry but to convince her to get into real estate. After a few conversations and some paperwork, she was officially in the business, and she hasn’t looked back since.
Real estate has tested her in ways she never expected, especially when health complications forced her to undergo surgery to insert a cardiac monitor, which Natalie still has today. But slowing down? Not an option. Even during recovery, Natalie found a way to keep her deals moving, show properties, and stay present for her clients-thanks to an incredible support system of family, colleagues, and sheer determination. “Real estate doesn’t pause, and neither do I,” she says with a laugh.
Now, with Douglas Elliman Real Estate, She’s laser-focused on breaking into the luxury market, expanding her network, and making a difference through her extensive charity work. And if her track record proves anything, it’s that no matter what life throws at her, Natalie will always find a way to turn it into an opportunity.
Hauppauge Eagles Soar
During Homecoming 2025
The Hauppauge school community came together on October 18 to celebrate an unforgettable homecoming filled with community pride and a commanding football victory.
The day began with a highenergy parade that made its way from Central Office down Lincoln Boulevard to Hauppauge High School. Hauppauge police cars, ambulances, firetrucks, along with classic and exotic cars led the way, honking their horns and flashing their lights. The Hauppauge High School pep band kept the energy up with lively music, while the kickline and cheer teams marched alongside, pumping up the crowd. Each school in the district was represented with banners and smiling students waving to family and friends. Several clubs and organizations also joined in, making the parade a true showcase of Hauppauge spirit. Members of the homecoming court, including
Mr. Hauppauge, Joel Mathew, and Miss Hauppauge, Katelyn Oliveto, waved to cheering crowds lining the sidewalks.
As the game was set to begin, Hauppauge High School’s chamber choir delivered a moving performance of “God Bless America” while a Suffolk County police helicopter soared above the field in a patriotic flyover. The football team made a powerful entrance with each player running onto the
field carrying an American flag.
Throughout the evening, students, families, faculty and alumni enjoyed the many food trucks and local vendors offering snacks, treats and school spirit gear.
After an action-packed first half, the halftime show kept the energy going with performances by the pep band, kickline team and color guard. The show wrapped up with an upbeat routine from Hauppauge Middle School’s Eaglette kickline team.
The energy in the stadium reached its peak as the crowd cheered on the Hauppauge Eagles in their matchup against Harborfields High School. The Eagles delivered a standout performance, securing a 53-16 victory that capped off an already memorable day. The celebration ended on a high note as a dazzling fireworks display lit up the night sky, marking the end of a homecoming to remember.
Credit - Hauppauge Union Free SD
The Last Push Before the Playoffs
By PJ Balzer
As we come around the last lap of the regular season in high school football, this past weekend definitely didn’t disappoint and will have implications in just a few short weeks when the playoff brackets are released. In some of the most anticipated games around the county, there were some upsets, games that came down to the very last snap and others that we thought would have ended closer than they did.
Half Hollow Hills East was ranked one of the top ten teams on the island before the season started this year. To everyone’s surprise they lost their first two games of the season and started off the year 0-2, leading people to prematurely count their season out as a disappointment. They have won their last few games and capped it off this weekend by convincingly beating a strong East Islip team last night 21-7. East Islip was undefeated this season up until meeting Nick Sevilla (QB) and Daniel White (RB) of Hills East. The Redmen drop to 5-1 while Hills East improves to 4-2. There’s a good chance for these two teams to face each other in the playoffs, possibly even the Suffolk County championship game for division 2. Hills East is the epitome of the saying, “It’s not how you start but how you finish.”, with Bayport-Blue Point beating Babylon in each of their matchups since 2018. The Panthers came into this game with much more to prove than just the final numbers on the scoreboard. They were here to prove that they aren’t to be looked over as an easy win. Aidan Winters, Babylon’s stud running back, stepped up
and answered the call as he ran for 345 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 27-6 win over Bayport-Blue Point. This win for Babylon also broke Bayport’s 33 game regular season winning streak.
On Saturday late morning the Ward Melville Patriots loaded a bus and headed south into Colonial territory to take on William Floyd. This was the first time the two teams faced off since last year’s Suffolk County championship game at Stony Brook University. Both teams were coming in 5-0 with most local sports analysts predicting Ward Melville to beat the defending Suffolk County champs William Floyd. Floyd’s defense stepped up in a serious way against a Ward Melville offense that truly runs like a well-oiled machine. The Colonials defense caused five turnovers, three coming at crucial moments in the fourth quarter. Ja’Quan Thomas ran for over 200 yards and four touchdowns to put the Colonials over the Patriots at the final whistle. Thomas is currently the leading yard rusher in all of Suffolk and number two on the island. There’s a good chance that these two powerhouses could meet again later in the playoffs, even back at the large school championship game.
Keep an eye out for some tough teams and underdogs that could make a statement in the upcoming playoffs by beating any team on any given day. Sachem North, Huntington, East Hampton/ Bridgehampton and Bellport. A really big shout-out to Northport who is also currently running an undefeated season for the first time in nearly 15 years!
