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Thursday, September 10, 2026 ~ Volume 138 ~ Issue Number 43 ~ $1.00
‘No Tax Increase’ Romaine Delivers State of the County Address By Matt Meduri Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) delivered the 2026 State of the County Address in Hauppauge last Thursday, providing updates to the County Legislature and key stakeholders on what the county looks like halfway through his third year in office. Continued on page 4
County Executive Romaine delivers the State of the County address in Hauppauge last Thursday. (Credit - Matt Meduri)
Town Highlights Pediatric Cancer for Monthly Mission By Matt Meduri The Town of Smithtown brought community stakeholders together for their eighth annual recognition of Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. Local groups involved include the Daniela Conte Foundation, Thomas Scully Foundation, Relay for Life, and the Smithtown Children’s Foundation. All joined in lighting the tree on Town Hall’s front lawn gold for the month of September. The annual efforts intend to keep pediatric cancer in the public eye, encourage support for affected families, and bring awareness to continued research into more effective and less toxic treatments for childhood cancers. Continued on page 10
Community leaders bring awareness to pediatric cancer at Town Hall (Credit - Matt Meduri)
FULL STORIES ON:
GOP Claws Back Lawsuit Expenses Page 5
Small Business Spotlight: Smithtown PAC Page 8
Smithtown Goes Back to School Page 12
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Messenger Papers Thursday, September 10, 2026
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SUMMER EVENTS Sayville Farmers Market at the Islip Grange: Every Saturday until November, 9:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. Port Jefferson Farmers Market: Every Sunday until November, 9:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. Islip Farmers Market at Town Hall: Every Saturday, 7:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. Suffolk County Farmers Market at the H. Lee Dennison Building: Thursdays through October 1, 10:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. Tiny Tots – “Nature Discoveries”: Every Thursday, 10:30a.m. to 11:30a.m. through September at Nissequogue River State Park Artist Spotlight Frida Khalo Workshop (Family Program 12+): Sunday, September 20, 10:30a.m. to 12:00p.m. at Nissequogue River State Park.
Just a Hike (Serpentine): Sunday, September 13, 9:45a.m. to 12:45p.m. at Caumsett State Park. Historic Clubhouse and Grist Mill Tours (Family Program): Sunday, September 20, 1:00p.m. to 3:00p.m. at Connetquot River State Park. Dockside Family Festival at Captree State Park: Saturday, September 12, 11:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. (rain date September 13). Geology Rocks: Nissequogue River State Park, Thursday, September 24, 10:30a.m. to 11:30a.m. Pitch & Putt Tournament at Robert Moses State Park: Open to first 72 registrants. Tee-off is 10:00a.m. on Sunday, October 4. Rain date for Sunday, October 11. Entry fee is $40 per person, $160 per foursome. Deadline is September 25.
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Town News
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
Smithtown Artist Featured at Apple Bank Exhibition Smithtown Township Arts Council is pleased to announce that the works of Smithtown artist Richard Wilkinson will be on view at Apple Bank, 91 Route 111, Smithtown September 7 – November 4, 2026. The exhibition, part of STAC’s Outreach Gallery Program, can be viewed during regular banking hours. Born in Oklahoma in 1952, Richard moved to Long Island in late 1957. He grew up in Floral Park Queens and later moved to Smithtown.
“I have always loved drawing and painting all my life and after retiring I continue to work my colors. I always loved the north and south seashores, along with the nautical history and sea life of Long Island.” STAC is grateful to Apple Bank for its continued support of culture in our communities. Smithtown Township Arts Council is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization supported in part by Town of Smithtown, public and private donations. (Learning to Read) Very Curious OctopusWatercolor (Left) Graff Rig Sailboat Soft Pastel (Right)
(Enjoying The Salad) Sea Turtle - Watercolor
(Taking a Breath) Baleen Whales - Watercolor
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Smithtown Messenger September 10, 2026 (USPS No. 499220) is published weekly for $35 per year by Messenger Papers Inc., 558 Portion Road, Suite B, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779. Periodicals postage paid at Ronkonkoma, NY and additional mailing offices.
The Smithtown Messenger is a community newspaper serving Smithtown, Kings Park, St. James, Nesconset, Hauppauge, Commack, and Stony Brook
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Suffolk Matters
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Continued from front cover
‘No Tax Increase’ - Romaine Delivers State of the County Address The proceedings started with Romaine’s presentation of a painting to Presiding Officer Anthony Piccirillo (R-Holtsville). The painting was done by Bohemia artist Elaine Faith Thompson, depicting William Floyd in front of his Mastic estate in its heyday. The gift to the Legislature’s Hauppauge building is in light of the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, and pays homage to Floyd, the only signer of the Declaration of Independence to have hailed from Long Island. Finances: “No Tax Increase” Romaine said that upon taking office in 2024, he and the Legislature have since “made great strides in improving County finances.” At the time, Suffolk was ranked last for fiscal stability out of New York’s 62 counties. Since Romaine took office in 2024, Suffolk’s bond ratings have been upgraded five times. Standard & Poor’s (S&P) gives Suffolk a AA rating with “stable outlook,” its highest possible municipal credit rating, while Fitch has given the County a AA rating with “positive outlook,” also its highest possible rating. The creditors cited “improvements in liquidity, record reserves, strong management practices, conservative budgeting, and forward-looking fiscal planning,” according to Romaine. The hallmark of the address, however, was Romaine’s announcement of “no tax increases” in the forthcoming 2027 budget. He complimented the Legislators on a good working relationship to realize that objective. Moreover, Romaine announced historically strong County reserves of $800 million - an all-time high. “There may come a day when you [the Legislature] may need it. I would like you to hold on to those reserves as much as possible. I know there’s a temptation to go after that and start programs; I want to be as fiscally responsible as possible.” Romaine took the opportunity to respond to Legislature Democrats’ calls for a cap on the County’s gas tax to reduce pain at the pump amid the Iran War. Romaine said he is “happy” to work with the Legislature on this, but called for the State to suspend their gas tax that is “triple” the County’s tax. He said he’d consider a proposal if an offset in County revenue can be identified. He also credited Presiding Officer Piccirillo for leading the charge against the red-light camera program, saying, “sometimes, government overregulates.” “We inherited a lot of lawsuits from the previous [Bellone] administration,” said Romaine of red-light cameras, as well as law enforcement detentions regarding illegal immigrants, giving him and the Legislature a boomerang in settling these cases while remaining fiscally stable. Infrastructure “Nothing improves the productivity of a region than investment in infrastructure,” said Romaine, owing to an adage from his adjunct days at Dowling College. Part of Romaine’s 2023 campaign pitch, and a component of his broader infrastructure overhaul while in office, has been to renovate County buildings and possibly shuffle some municipal offices to cut down on the County’s overhead. He mentioned the renovation of the Medical Examiner’s lab, as well as the Crime and Environmental labs. Of the Environmental lab, Romaine said upgrades are necessary to continue rigorous water testing so as to get the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to act as quickly as possible in
remediation. The DEC has a reputation for working slowly, and Romaine said that water tests around Wainscott are “not looking good” after the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility in the Town of East Hampton suffered a fire in 2023. “We need to continue testing our water and drinking water so we can determine the extent of the problem,” said Romaine. “The [County] Health Department’s data is made public. I wish that were true for the DEC; it is not.” Romaine is also looking for a new police headquarters, as the current facility in Yaphank was retrofitted from its days as a Social Services center. The County was able to purchase the former John J. Foley Center in Yaphank. The building has been gutted and the County is looking to gradually move police operations next door. Once that transition is complete, Romaine said the current headquarters could be renovated to allow government agencies to set up shop rent-free to reduce the County’s rent bill. Romaine mentioned the rebuilding of the Ponquogue Bridge in Westhampton, the Smith Point Bridge in Mastic Beach, and the Stump Pond Dam in Smithtown as key infrastructure projects of this year. On sewers, projects in Smithtown and Oakdale are “definitely getting done,” and the County is “looking” at St. James, West Islip, West Babylon, Deer Park, North Bellport, Montauk, Hamptons Bays, Wheatley Heights, and the rest of Mastic Beach. “I want to make sure that the densely populated areas of our county have sewers.” Romaine lamented the lack of Environmental Bond Act money from the State. Although Suffolk supported the $4.4 billion act, the County has received $0 from that fund. Improving mass transit remains a goal of Romaine’s, although he acknowledges existing infrastructure and a lack of State funds makes that job difficult. The ondemand bus service runs in places like Ronkonkoma, East Hampton, and Kings Park, but Romaine wants State subsidies for buses. “Nassau County got $110 million in State aid; they’re a third of the size of Suffolk. Suffolk got $44 million. We should at least have parity with Nassau so we could provide a better bus service.” Connecting the buses to the trains, Romaine says, is another part of that puzzle, but revamping the rail system entails electrification, which currently stops at Babylon, Ronkonkoma, and Huntington. He called for a “double rail” to run trains in both directions simultaneously to give East Enders more options and to get more freight trucks off the roads to reduce traffic. “Anywhere else in the United States, about 20% of freight is moved by rail,” said Romaine, compared to about 1% for Suffolk’s freight. He mentioned working with the MTA to build a “freight center” as a hub for agricultural products to be exported and as a receptacle for goods and materials coming into Suffolk by rail. Security Suffolk County is leading New York in suppressing violent crime, Romaine said, adding that “we need God more now than ever” in modern times. “We are seeing across-the-board reductions in virtually every category of crime and we are adhering to these trends despite upticks in other jurisdictions in the region. Suffolk has the only regional crime rate that has decreased over the past five years, and the only crime rate to reduce by more than half since 2000.” He added that compared to other New York regions,
Suffolk is “leading the way” in combatting robberies. He compared Suffolk to Staten Island (60 robberies per 100,000 homes) and Nassau and Westchester counties (38 per 100,000). Suffolk’s rate sits at 15 per 100,000. Romaine recounted that one of his first actions as County Executive was to hire 200 police officers and 50 detectives, among other organizations. “We’ve invested $20 million into state-of-the-art body cams and tasers,” said Romaine, adding that $36 million has been invested into new public safety vehicles and equipment. Romaine recalled the 2022 cyberattack that crippled County services for months, only for the Legislature and investigators to learn that the County did not have cyber insurance. Romaine, having served five terms as Brookhaven Town Supervisor, said that most municipalities had such insurance, but that he “could not believe” that Suffolk County did not. “Shame on those who should have been in charge of this and did not do their job. We do now have cybersecurity insurance, and the one thing I focused on is making sure that we have cybersecurity defenses.” Romaine said that under his administration, the County has invested in “core digital infrastructure,” is “using technology to deliver better services to residents,” and all County employees have been required to take cybersecurity training. The County has also digitized over 10 million records to not only be “more secure,” but more accessible and easier to retrieve on the user/constituent end. Romaine praised IT Director John McCaffrey, who has credentials in Illinois and several Upstate counties before coming to Suffolk. The 311 service, Romaine said, has been bolstered by call center technology to connect residents with the correct services/departments. Open Space Romaine has centered his political career on preserving open space, particularly farmland. In representing eastern Brookhaven, the North Fork, and Shelter Island in the Legislature during the 1980s and mid-2000s, Romaine never voted against a bill to preserve such lands. He remains steadfast to that ideology. “We put $15 million each year into farmland preservation from our Capital budget, which is much more than has been done in the past,” said Roamine. “We have 11,000 acres of farmland that have been permanently protected.” He remembers during his time in the Legislature when Suffolk County was the number-one county in the state for the value of agricultural exports. He reiterated his commitment to keeping Suffolk an agricultural hub, true to the county’s roots, and in preserving “working waterfronts” from beachfront development. He cited that Suffolk is home to the state’s three largest fishing fleets: Montauk, Shinnecock, and Greenport. “We have about 40,000 jobs that are supported by commercial fishing, agriculture, and boating, and in the Capital Budget this year, we committed $95 million to buying the waterfronts.” On open space and forestry, the County has preserved over 20,000 acres since Romaine took office. The County has over 60,000 acres of parks in their stock, and the County has started a new forestry staff to prevent fires and seek “climate resilience.” Romaine unveiled an initiative to be realized by next year to overhaul County campgrounds to deliver Wi-Fi to campers, electric hookups, and platforms for pitching tents.
Suffolk Matters Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
County GOP Affirms ‘No Tax Increase’ Plan, Lawsuit Transparency By Matt Meduri Following County Executive Ed Romaine’s (R-Center Moriches) State of the County Address, the Republican majority of the Suffolk County Legislature, led by Presiding Officer Anthony Piccirillo (R-Holtsville) (pictured right), reaffirmed Romaine’s plan on “no tax increases” in the forthcoming budget. “The Republican majority is committed to working with the County Executive in adopting an operating budget with a 0% property tax increase,” said Piccirillo. He added that the historic, all-time high of $800 million in reserves is a marked turnaround from the County’s administration under Democratic rule. “We were very careful about how we spent federal dollars. Other municipalities rifled through that money very quickly, starting new programs, hiring thousands of more people. Suffolk County did the opposite. We paid down long-term debt, increased our bond rating, and put $800 million in reserves to strengthen the fiscal stability of this County after years of mismanagement.” Before Republicans took control of Suffolk in 2023, Piccirillo said, Suffolk ranked last of New York’s 62 counties in fiscal stability. “I think that tells the whole story. When Wall Street tells you you’re doing the right thing, you should listen.” In concurrent news, Legislator Greg Doroski (D-Mattituck) alleged “corruption” by Republican officials for misappropriating taxpayer dollars on high-end dining and recreation by legal teams tasked with litigating the State’s even-year election law. The lawsuit, while already funded by the taxpayer, had its expenses grown in scope by frivolous expenses, such as stays at the Garden City Hotel, black-car Uber services, and a one-night rental of the Glen Cove Mansion.
The Legislature’s Ways and Means Committee heard comments on the bill from County Attorney Chris Clayton at their Riverhead meeting last Thursday. Clayton challenged Doroski’s allegations of “corruption” and “lack of transparency.” He took issue with Doroski and company’s eagerness to jump to conclusions and alert the press instead of first consulting with him. “I have made myself available to every member of this legislative body…regardless of political affiliation,” said Clayton. “Not once before making public accusations did anyone reach out to speak to me. Not a single call.” Clayton said that had Legislators contacted him, they would have been informed of “successful efforts” by
Romaine and Piccirillo in “negotiating drastically reduced legal fees.” “If you had taken the time to reach out and make a call, I could have told you that we shared certain concerns over certain litigation expenses and that we were actively and successfully addressing them. Unredacted copies of our legal bills have been provided upon request.” Doroski doubled down on his claims and added the legislation in question could be used to the end of clawing back extraneous funds. “Everyone on the other side of the aisle runs to me when you want raises for your staff, but you refused to pick up the phone for something like this,” said Piccirillo, adding that the provision of unredacted files dispel claims of lack of transparency. “When we see something we believe is out of bounds, we make sure taxpayer money is protected,” Piccirillo told The Messenger. “Our first reaction when we heard of these expenses was to start clawing back those funds. We’ve already gotten a reduced billing agreement.” Piccirillo believes that the lawsuit, despite the opulent expenses, was conducted on sound merits. “At the very least, Suffolk should have been able to hold a referendum for this law.” “New York City got to have a referendum, but Suffolk didn’t? In what world is that fair? New York City voted overwhelmingly against it.” Piccirillo added that despite the unnecessary expenditures and the loss at both the State and federal levels, the lawsuit was worth fighting, “You win some, you lose some.”
County Democrats Call for Gas Tax Cap By Matt Meduri Amidst rising gas prices due to the war in Iran, Democrats of the Suffolk County Legislature are pitching a bill to cap the County’s gas tax. The caucus, led in this initiative by Legislator Sam Gonzalez (D-Brentwood) (pictured right), says that since February 28, the day the war started, gas prices in Suffolk have risen by “more than 43%, climbing from an average of $2.85 per gallon to $4.20 per gallon.” “Amidst this increase, oil companies have reported record high profits,” said Gonzalez, adding that Suffolk County has the largest number of registered vehicles of any county in New York at more than 1.3 million vehicles. He said that in 2025, Suffolk collected about $85 million in gas tax revenues. With the price hikes, it’s estimated that by the end of 2026, the County will end up with $40 million more than 2025. “That situation is simply unfair and unacceptable.” Instead of calculating the sales tax to the raw price per gallon at the pump, the County would establish a cap on the amount subject to tax, per Gonzalez. He cites the same route taken by Rockland and Dutchess counties during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Gonzalez says that his Republican colleagues in the Legislature “argued that the $17 million” generated by the red-light camera programs was an “unfair burden” on taxpayers, urging them to take the same prerogative on the gas tax. He argued $37 million generated in higher taxes due to the rise in cost of fuel is “significantly more of an unfair burden” on constituents. “$17 million was generated from the red light cameras in 2025. It is estimated that they made $85 million from this gasoline tax in 2025 at $2.29 a gallon at that time. Now, it’s $4.23 - almost doubled. So, we’re
[the County] going to make over $40 million more. Really? You’re talking to me about an offset?” Minority Leader Jason Richberg (D-West Babylon) recommended a cap at $3.30 per gallon. He anticipates that if the war continues and prices surge to $5 or $6 per gallon, the taxpayer wouldn’t be on the hook for extra sales taxes paid. Minority Whip Rebecca Sanin (D-Huntington Station) said that while the spike in prices was not caused by local government, the local government can “step in and offer solutions” in cutting taxes. Gonzalez told The Messenger he couldn’t answer why the bill has not been taken up by Legislature leadership since he submitted it in March.
“I want this thing to move forward now,” said Gonzalez. “It’s imperative.” He mentioned witnessing families pay for cheap takeout meals and that lines for food and school supply drives are longer than ever. Presiding Officer Anthony Piccirillo (R-Holtsville), however, says that no bill was ever formally filed by Gonzalez and company and that the onus is on the presenting party to find the budgetary offset. “Revenues from the gas tax go to the General Fund, which goes to pay police officers, detectives, AME workers, public health nurses,” Piccirillo told The Messenger. “They can come back to me when they find a $35 million offset in the budget and they’re serious about governing and not having a political, theatrical moment.” He added that Gonzalez’s characterization of the red-light camera program in relation to the proposed gas tax cap is “apples to oranges.” “The red-light camera surcharge was illegal. We didn’t need an offset because we had $1 billion ARPA money when the illegal fee ended in 2022. The program didn’t end until 2024. It went from $20 million to $7 million a year after the fee ended.” Piccirillo said that it was Legislature Democrats who instituted the program and the fee, despite the surcharge’s illegality. He says the administration then kept it in place because the County was “bankrupt.” “The County Executive and the Republican majority in the Legislature inherited millions in legal fees and a bankrupted county.” In his State of the County address, County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) said he was amenable to a gas take cap, but that he would need to be presented with reasonable offsets to those costs.
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Editorial Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, September 10, 2026
One Year Since Charlie Kirk. What Have We Learned? It’s been one year since the world witnessed in real-time the most high-profile political assassination of the modern era. Charlie Kirk was shot dead while doing his classic debate format at a Utah college on September 10, 2025. We here at The Messenger remember it all too well. It’s difficult to imagine it’s already been one year. We recall going about our usual Wednesday business when suddenly, it seemed the nation stood still for a moment. In our conversations, we recount that every office seemed to cease working after about 1:00p.m. that day, taking in each headline hoping for a miracle outcome. Additionally, we distinctly remember mapping out the timeline from the 1960s assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. It was at that moment we realized, not many people alive today had bore witness to such a gigantic political flashpoint. We remember the vigils that were ubiquitous not only across the nation but across the world. We remember the churches that had not seemed so packed in such a long time the weekend after Kirk’s murder. We remember ultimate lines in the sand drawn between those who couldn’t fathom celebrating or justifying such a public ritual and those who believed Kirk was only all deserving of it. The calls for turning down the temperature came pouring in, from the White House to Town Hall. It seemed like a stunning reality check for a population so gripped by fear of the unknown, fear of the world, and fear of each other, all mired by nearly a decade of constant political polarization and relentless propaganda from those who claim to be “journalists.” For once, it seemed that Americans were truly cognizant of just how delicate the nation’s situation is and just how far a few are willing to go. One year later, it seems that Americans haven’t learned much, we’re sad to say. It seems that the assassination of Charlie Kirk, for years an unconscionable circumstance of a backsliding republic, became nothing more than a blip on the
radar, as Americans quickly returned to their vices and only saw it as an excuse to double down. Most disappointing, we find, is that President Donald Trump (R-FL), who initially called for significant unwindings of tensions, spared no expense in blatantly mocking the deaths of Rob Reiner and Robert Mueller, the latter because Trump was investigated by him, and the former simply because Trump was disliked by him. It’s not Trump’s fault he isn’t perfect. Who is? And it’s also not his fault that the current state of the union requires near-perfection in a leader to guide it out of its mess. But it’s incredibly disheartening to see such a flagrant disregard of what many unanimously called “basic human empathy” after watching a 31-year-old man, who very likely, in our view, would have been president within another decade, be publicly executed in a split-second. Trump has always been a warthog with his words, but it’s the stunning hypocrisy he and others have committed by turning back on their valid thoughts on how inhumane celebrating Kirk’s death was. Moreover, we see many questions asked by commentators, including Kirk’s widow, Erika, what Charlie “would have thought” about the latest political discourse, namely the Iran War. It’s almost as if Charlie Kirk was perhaps the most recorded and documented individual over the last decade. Why does it seem that so many people have forgotten just how influential he was? Why does it appear that they’d rather hypothesize Charlie’s words and values when there’s thousands of hours of footage of him articulating exactly what he thought? It’s sad. We had imagined that the country’s morale would be on the upswing. Instead, it seems that many seized the moment to pontificate, others to politically proselytize, and others to move on and let Charlie’s words die with him. And they all forget that only the most influential people are the ones assassinated in such a cowardly manner.
Suffolk Republicans Prove Their Worth Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) gave the annual State of the County Address last week, updating the County Legislature on what the last three years of his administration have looked like, and what lies ahead as he rounds out his first term. But a rather stunning claim was made, one that requires a deep dive of its own: Suffolk County has an alltime high of $800 million in reserves. Compare that to just under a decade ago, when the County was hovering over “junk bond” status and nearly bankrupt. Additional programs and surcharges were creatively introduced in a poor attempt at straightening the County’s finances, just as standing in a bucket and lifting oneself up by the handle is obviously illogical. We think it’s no coincidence that the County’s finances and services have improved under Republican leadership. In 2021, Republicans took control of the County Legislature for the first time since 2005, and in 2023, Romaine became the first Republican elected County Executive since Robert Gaffney (R-Miller Place) won his third and final term in 1999. Since then, the County’s bond ratings are the highest possible according to S&P and Fitch, respectively, the superfluous red-light camera program and its illegal surcharge are now defunct, and reserves have never been higher. Republican leaders in the County Legislature reaffirmed their plan, alongside Romaine, to not increase taxes in this year’s Capital Budget. It’s a glaring reminder, we find, to separate national from local politics. While we’re immensely disappointed, and even outraged, at some of the actions taken by the Republican Congress and the Trump Administration, we can compartmentalize the fatigue of the national political duopoly from the “all politics is local” adage that we think continues to ring true. Suffolk Democrats, meanwhile, are responding in a way that we think, while not ill-intentioned, is mostly political. We think they come from a good place on capping the gas tax, but it seems there are some missing parts, namely how they will fill a large budget shortfall while simultaneously not asking the Governor of their own party to greatly suspend or reduce State gas taxes. The State taxes on fuel are about triple what Suffolk’s are. But it obfuscates the bigger picture: local Republicans seem to have done a much better job at budgeting and governing than the Democrats did under Steve Bellone (D-West Babylon) and nearly 15 years of dominance in the County Legislature. We can’t fault the current Democratic caucus, however, for the faults of their predecessors.
The longest-serving Democrat still on the horseshoe is Legislator Tom Donnelly (D-Deer Park), who is perhaps the last “blue dog” left in Suffolk and has stayed away from the latest political theatrics. Nonetheless, local Democrats are naturally looking to capitalize in a national environment where the wind is to their backs and amidst a civil war that will be decided with the Suffolk Democratic Committee’s chairmanship election later this month. Finally, we think it’s disingenuous to compare the offset from a hypothetical gas tax cap to an offset left behind by the red-light camera program. The revenues were nowhere near what the gas tax brings in, and the program was unnecessary, ineffective, unpopular, and a move to pad the budget when Democrats ran the County’s finances into the ground. The surcharge was illegal from the get-go, yet Legislature Democrats passed it anyway, leaving Romaine and company on the hook for the legal bill. Their bigger problem, however, was the smoking gun on the even-year elections lawsuit. We expressed reservations in last week’s editorial until we got more information on the matter. It appears that the frivolous expenses on absurdly opulent amenities - stays at ritzy hotels, banquets, and black-car Uber rides - are already being clawed back by the Presiding Officer, Anthony Piccirillo (R-Holtsville), the County Attorney, and other parties. This week’s Ways & Means Committee meeting saw some of these revelations come to light. When Piccirillo fired back at Legislator Greg Doroski (D-Mattituck), who appears to be positioning himself for a larger political campaign in the near future, Doroski capitulated. To us, it seems that the Democrats in the Legislature kept a nest egg for themselves to score political points to make the year go even better for them, rather than alerting their colleagues. Moreover, Doroski has been a staunch and early supporter of Casey Quigley (D-Southold) in her run to overthrow Democratic Chairman Rich Schaffer (D-North Babylon), who has served in that capacity for over 20 years. We imagine Doroski will be handsomely rewarded in a political sense should Quigley stage the ultimate upset later this month. It is this paper’s view that this week, the County GOP was able to hold the line on taxes, often a core promise of the GOP that isn’t always realized, and correctly hold parties accountable for the fiscal malfeasance related to a municipal lawsuit that only arose due to political gamesmanship and partisan damage control from Albany.
Op-Ed Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
Never Forget: Teaching the Next Generation About 9/11 and the American Spirit By Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine Never Forget. Those two words have become synonymous with September 11, 2001 — a day that forever changed our nation and our world. Twenty-five years later, they carry an even greater responsibility. For those of us who lived through that terrible morning, the memories remain vivid. We remember watching the World Trade Center towers fall, seeing smoke and fire rise from the Pentagon, and learning that United Flight 93 had crashed in Pennsylvania after brave passengers fought back against their hijackers. We remember the firefighters, police officers, emergency workers and ordinary civilians who ran toward danger while others ran from it. We remember the thousands of innocent people who lost their lives that day — and the thousands more who have died in the years since from illnesses connected to the attacks.
But we also must remember something else: the extraordinary unity that followed. American flags appeared on homes and storefronts. Strangers comforted strangers. We mourned together, prayed together and found strength in one another. For a moment, the things that divide us seemed far less important than the things that unite us. Today, a new generation is growing up without personal memories of September 11. For many young people, it is a date in a textbook — another event in American history. It must be more than that. Our schools have an important responsibility to ensure that the lessons of September 11 are not lost to time. Teachers should help students understand not only what happened, but also the human stories behind the tragedy: the lives that were lost, the families that were forever changed, the first responders who sacrificed
everything, and the courage displayed by ordinary Americans in extraordinary circumstances. Teaching September 11 is not about creating fear or division. It is about teaching history, courage, sacrifice, resilience and the importance of standing together as Americans and providing evidence that this country has come together at the most important times in our history. On the 25th anniversary let us come together to remember, to honor and to teach the next generation why September 11 must never become simply another date in a history book and what America looks like when pride rules over the noise of the divisive news organizations and social media platforms. Twenty-five years later, our obligation remains the same: Never Forget. God Bless America.
County Executive 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.
This Labor Day, Protect the Long Islanders Who Build New York By Senator Anthony Palumbo A fellow Long Islander, Peter Zepf was an ironworker with Local 361, when he was crushed to death by a load of steel joists which were improperly released and rolled from a truck while he was working on the Barclays Center. While we celebrate labor this weekend, we cannot forget that Labor Day is also a solemn reminder of why workplace protections like New York’s Scaffold Safety Law matter to a region that supports more than 80,000 construction jobs. The law requires contractors and property owners to provide proper safety protections for workers performing dangerous work at heights and holds them responsible when their failure to do so causes an injury. The Scaffold Safety Law helped provide the financial security that allowed Mr. Zepf’s wife and young children to remain in their home after his untimely death. After Superstorm Sandy devastated our communities, homeowners discovered that engineering reports used to evaluate hundreds of flood claims had been altered to minimize or deny coverage. Nassau and Suffolk have accounted for nearly 60% of all
federal flood insurance payments made in New York since 1978. Long Islanders know firsthand what is at stake when an insurance claim stands between a family and financial ruin. Yet insurers and their allies are again asking Albany to weaken New York’s Scaffold Safety Law and limit their liability, claiming it will lower costs for contractors. New data compiled by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners shows that liability costs in New York are no higher than in states without the Scaffold Safety Law, including Illinois, which repealed its comparable worker protection more than 30 years ago, only to see workplace injuries rise without delivering the promised savings. According to the New York Center for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH), 55 construction workers died on the job in 2024. Over the past decade, at least 587 construction workers have been killed while on the job. We all agree that New York should build more housing and examine why insurance premiums are so high. We should also look to eliminate unnecessary costs and regulations that
do not make people safer. However, there is an important distinction between eliminating red tape and eliminating accountability. Long Island’s building trades are helping to build our families’ future. Workers should not have to trade their safety for the hollow promise that someone else’s insurance premium might someday go down. On Labor Day, we thank workers for what they have built. The rest of the year, we should make sure the law protects them while they are building it. Senator Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) has represented the First District in the State Senate since 2021. The First District contains the entire townships of East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton, and Southold. Within the Town of Brookhaven, the district includes Belle Terre, East Setauket, East Shoreham, Miller Place, Mount Sinai, Old Field, Poquott, Port Jefferson, Port Jefferson Station, Rocky Point, Setauket, Shoreham, Sound Beach, Stony Brook, Strongs Neck, and Terryville, as well as parts of Centereach, Coram, Middle Island, Ridge, Selden, and Wading River.
Senator Palumbo serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Codes Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee. He also serves on the committees on Environmental Conservation; Ethics and Internal Governance; Investigations and Government Operations, and Mental Health. The First District office is located at 400 West Main Street, Suite 201, in Riverhead and can be reached at 631-461-9100.
Small Business Spotlight
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Smithtown Performing Arts
By Diane Caudullo Although this story has been told West High School. before, it is a classic that needs to be told, Michael Mucciolo, Board President, said over and over, ensuring it reaches the one of the best things that SPAC offers is masses of every generation. an environment where everyone is The Smithtown Performing Arts Center, welcome, and everyone is accepted. The originally a movie theatre built in 1933, school-age students who attend right had an interesting claim to fame even through to the most senior of the actors all back then. They marketed that their understand the assignment: it takes the theatre was fireproof following the whole SPAC village to put on a show. It’s destruction of a few other local theatres. hard to be a star if the spotlight isn’t on you Talk about a selling point. or if there is no one in the seats. There is a This and other building features gave true understanding of how everyone’s proof that they were ahead of their time unique talents and personalities bring the and in it for the long haul. stage to life. Last week, The Messenger’s Smithtown The current board also thinks out-ofedition covered the placement of their the-box to further benefit the community. SPAC Production of Newsies in 2024 (Credit - Matt Meduri) new digital replica of the original marquee They create their own sets, props, and - a long-awaited and very big deal. costumes, and then rent them, at Whereas the history and evolution of this theatre and the hard work that has gone reasonable prices, for the local schools to use. A win - win for both of the theatre into its restoration is such a significant story unto itself, the focus now is all that is programs. SPAC also assists in fundraising efforts to assist those in the local community. happening within. You can even rent out the theatre for a private event. Smithtown Performing Arts Center, (SPAC) at the spry age of 93, is alive and well. It The final scene is simply to state that Smithtown Performing Arts Center puts on is a true performing arts center where live performances of all kinds are taking place. such amazing musicals, where all the moving pieces come together. It is such a great Known for putting out professional-level musical main stage productions, it also has night out for the whole family, and they keep the costs to the public intentionally low. concerts, comedy nights, dance recitals, and more. Ticket prices stay between $28 and $32 to ensure accessibility for most. Upcoming Not only are they a staple in the community for a great night out at a very reasonable shows are Once Upon a One More Time (musical based on the music of Britney Spears) price, but they are a second home to hundreds of people each year who are called to opening September 19, Bon Jovi Tribute Band September 26 (concert), and The the arts. About 500 kids each year take part in the many classes to hone their craft that Godfathers of Comedy. The year will wrap up with everyone “letting it go” with Elsa and are offered or take part in a show. Many may take the stage, but there are just as many Anna of Frozen. off-stage, mastering the art of creating the costumes, stage management, set design The Messenger is proud to support and sponsor the Smithtown Performing Arts and construction, lighting and sound crew, and, of course, the musicians. Center and cannot encourage everyone enough to get down there and take in a show. Even the producers, directors, and conductors are all the better through this The Smithtown Performing Arts Center is located at 2 E Main Street in opportunity for experience. They are currently expanding their Master Class Series as Smithtown and can be reached at (631) 724-3700. well as establishing a technical theatre program for actual class credits at Smithtown
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This Week Today Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
National, State, and Local Temperature Checks By Matt Meduri National
the more populous, yet slightly redder, part of the state that includes Manchester, the state’s largest city. Sununu, on the other hand, will look to associate his name with the recency of his brother, Chris Sununu, who served four terms as governor from 2017 to 2025 and was regularly ranked as one of the most popular governors in the country. The GOP hasn’t won a Senate race in New Hampshire since 2010, and while the state leans blue at the federal level (and red at the state level), Republicans might have a shot at flipping the open seat this year. Polling has shown Pappas with thin but consistent leads all summer, but a University of New Hampshire poll this week found Sununu +2 in a head-turning survey. Sununu also benefits in the mavericky state from criticizing President Trump on the current trade war with Canada. He trails, however, in fundraising. Sununu has raised about $4.1 million so far this year to Pappas’ $15.3 million. On the House side to fill Pappas’ seat, former Portsmouth City Councilor Stefany Shaheen (D), the daughter of retiring Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), won a close contest over eight other candidates for the nomination. She barely edged out Maura Sullivan (D), the Vice Chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party and Obama-era Defense Department public affairs liaison. The nine-candidate field pit progressives against establishment Democrats, somewhat emblematic of similar battles across the country. In NH-02, taking in the western, rural, bluer parts of the state, a rematch is afoot between one-term Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (D) and Lily Tang Williams (R), who ran a closer-than-expected contest in 2024. Both of New Hampshire’s seats are favored to be retained by the Democrats this autumn. State
Former Senator John Sununu (R-NH) (pictured above), the son and brother of former governors of a notable New Hampshire political dynasty, easily won his primary over former Senator Scott Brown (R). Brown is known for winning the 2010 Massachusetts special Senate election that fomented the 2010 red wave. He lost that seat to nowSenator Elizabeth Warren (D) in 2012, and lost a 2014 Senate race in New Hampshire. Brown also served as Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during Trump’s first term. Sununu, endorsed by Trump, has largely been seen as the more electable candidate over four-term Congressman Chris Pappas (D, NH-01), who also won his primary easily over progressive challenger Karishma Manzur (D) and three other candidates. Pappas hails from
A new poll shows Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R-Atlantic Beach) (pictured right) trailing Governor Kathy Hochul (D-Hamburg) by just 4 points. The latest McLaughlin & Associates survey, sponsored by the Blakeman campaign, finds Hochul in the lead 49%45%, with about 5% of respondents undecided. The poll surveyed 800 likely voters from August 27-31. The McLaughlin poll also found that 55% of voters have an unfavorable view of Hochul; 56% said it’s time for a new governor. Only 38% said Hochul deserves re-election. “The results show New York voters are dissatisfied with the direction of the state and Governor Hochul continues to miss critical benchmarks for a safe incumbent, leaving the opportunity for Bruce Blakeman to defeat Kathy Hochul this November,” said pollster John McLaughlin in a statement. According to the survey, Hochul leads Blakeman 60%-33% in New York City, while Blakeman leads Hochul 53%-43% on Long Island and 51%-46% Upstate. Blakeman still suffers from
name recognition lag, as McLaughlin found that 30% of respondents either had never heard of Blakeman or had no opinion of him. Hochul continues to lead in fundraising. Latest reports show $21 million cash-on-hand for her campaign, while the State Democratic Party has about the same amount in its coffers. Blakeman has reported $11 million in total fundraising, not accounting for outside groups spending on his behalf. “At this point in time, the incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul has very high negatives, Bruce Blakeman is favorable, and the close gap on the ballot is surmountable given the electorate’s desire for new leadership,” McLaughlin said in a statement. “With enough resources, Bruce Blakeman can define himself to the electorate and defeat Kathy Hochul in November.” Credit - Matt Meduri
Credit - wikipedia
The world watched in horror this weekend The global situation deteriorates further as several western allies of Israel have announced sanctions on goods coming from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The United Kingdom, France, and Canada on Tuesday announced the sanctions as Israel continues to ostracize itself over their conduct in the Gaza War and over settler violence in the West Bank. In response, Israel is closing the British Consulate General in East Jerusalem. The consulate was first founded in 1839. British officials say that Israel is committing the “ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the areas of the West Bank - perpetrated by settler terrorists.” They add that the Israeli government has “turned a blind eye to this and worse.” Ed Miliband, a British Member of Parliament, said that he makes the announcement as a “proud British Jew” who maintains his “unwavering” support for the state of Israel. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R-FL) has said that the sanctions could undermine deescalation in the occupied territories. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee (R-AR) said that British firms could face restrictions from some U.S. states that penalize boycotts and divestments against Israel. The U.S. House this week passed H.R. 4795, the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act. It would prevent colleges and universities who engage in a “nonexpressive commercial boycott” of Israel and Israeli-aligned entities from receiving federal student aid. The bill passed 237-169, with 33 Democrats joining Republicans to pass it. Only 2 Republicans voted against it, Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Warren Davidson (R-OH). The bill now sits in the Senate as the U.S. attempts to bolster Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) activity against Israel. Bezalel Smotrich, Israeli Finance Minister and one of the nation’s top promoters of West Bank settlements, said that Israel should expel the British ambassador, while Itamar BenGvir, Israel’s Defense Minister, said that Israel should recognize Argentina’s claim to the Falkland Islands, long an ownership dispute in the South Atlantic between the U.K. and Argentina. The developments are a mixed bag for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has a contentious election next month while his approval ratings are underwater. Some say the sanctions strengthen his political position, while others point to reporting in Israeli media that Netanyahu had received explicit warnings from the United Arab Emirates and Egypt that Hamas was planning the deadly October 7, 2023, attacks. Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper, alleges that Netanyahu failed to act on those warnings received in the preceding weeks before the attacks. The tumultuous 2026 midterms cycle got a major surprise just before the campaign’s unofficial Labor Day Weekend kickoff. Missouri is now in a full-on constitutional crisis, as the State Supreme Court, upheld by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, ruled that the state must pause its use of the newly-drawn map to net Republicans an extra seat in the midterms. However, a federal judge in St. Louis ruled that the new map must remain in place as primaries have already been decided under those lines with just under two months until Election Day. As part of the mid-decade redistricting
“arms race” that kicked off last August in Texas at the behest of President Donald Trump (R-FL), Missouri was the second state, after Texas, to gerrymander their map by slicing up eleven-term Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver’s (D, MO-05) Kansas City-based seat. The Harris +23 seat in the 2024 election would have been a Trump +18 seat with lines drawn by Missouri Republicans. The GOP had not yet had a successful redistricting effort come under litigation. Although state Republicans resisted efforts in Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, and South Carolina, all Republican-redrawn maps in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Texas remain in place. Democrats, after redrawing California in November and fresh off a favorable court decision in Utah, had obtained a redraw in Virginia, but it was overruled by the courts. During the contentious gerrymandering process, voters began circulating a referendum petition to put the map up for approval at the ballot box. The People Not Politicians group collected more than 300,000 signatures. The Missouri Supreme Court found that Secretary of State Denny Hoskins (R) had rejected the petitions, which had been submitted sufficiently. Missouri voters will now be able to vote on the map’s fate in November, but Attorney General Catherine Hanaway (R) has appealed the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the new shift after party primaries have already been held has “thrust” the state into a “full-fledged constitutional crisis.” Republicans, however, caught a big break in the Granite State on Tuesday night as their preferred Senate nominee cruised through his primary.
Local A Lake Ronkonkoma man was indicted on Wednesday for a crash in Nesconset that killed a roadside worker. Thomas Lobianco, 26, was indicted for Aggravated Vehicular Homicide and 17 other charges after allegedly driving while impaired by drugs. He collided into three construction workers on Townline Road at 6:43a.m. on August 10. Surveillance video shows Lobianco’s 1999 Toyota Camry crashing into Joel Sican Porix, 38, and two other workers who were standing on the sidewalk and wearing reflective safety vests. Sican Porix was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was pronounced dead from his injuries. The other two workers were treated for serious leg injuries that required emergency surgery. Responding officers found Lobianco exhibiting signs of impairment. They recovered cannabis, clonazepam, and drug paraphernalia from his backpack. Surveillance videos from a local 7-Eleven, where Lobianco had been working an overnight shift, show him stumbling and nodding in and out of consciousness during the shift. He was held on a $7.5 million cash bond. He faces eight and one-third to twenty-five years if convicted on the top count.
Smithtown Matters
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Continued from front cover
Kings Park Street Renamed for Local Legend
Anthony and Katia Conte founded the Daniela Conte Foundation in 2020 in memory of their daughter, Daniela, who passed away from Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma on March 2, 2020. The Foundation works to fund research into less toxic and more targeted childhood cancer treatments—with a particular focus on Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma—and provide financial assistance to pediatric cancer patients and their families during treatment. Founded in 2017 in honor of Thomas Scully, the Thomas Scully Foundation works to bring “A Little Bit of Happiness” to children with cancer supporting initiatives for cure. The Foundation provides A Little Bit of Happiness care packages to children undergoing treatment in New York hospitals and awards A Little Bit of Hope grants to New York families seeking innovative treatments for their children. For 40 years, Relay For Life supporters have helped advance the American Cancer Society’s vision of ending cancer. Relay For Life events celebrate survivors, recognize caregivers, and remember loved ones lost. Finally, the Smithtown Children’s Foundation assists local families in crisis with needs ranging from medical and household expenses to medical equipment not covered by insurance. The organization also administers scholarships, provides school supplies, and holiday assistance, and works closely with local social workers to serve Smithtown families facing extraordinary circumstances. Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R-Kings Park) was joined at Town Hall on Tuesday evening by members of these organizations, as well as the Smithtown Central School District, St. Catherine’s of Siena Hospital, and Councilmembers Lisa Inzerillo (R-Kings Park), Tom Lohmann (R-Smithtown), and Lynne Nowick (R-St. James), as well as Town Clerk Tom McCarthy (R-Smithtown). “September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, but as so many families here tonight know all too well, cancer doesn’t take a day off,” said Wehrheim. “Tonight we let every parent and caregiver, every child who has faced this battle, know you are never alone. Your Smithtown family
Dr. Simmons
Relay for Life girls
Katia Conte is here to lift you up, stand beside you, to laugh, cry, pray with you, and to keep fighting for better treatments, kinder care, and hopefully, one day, a cure.” Wehrheim credited the aforementioned organizations for ensuring that those suffering “never have to walk this path in isolation.” The tree on Town Hall’s front lawn is adorned with gold-colored lights and ribbons, which Katia Conte says represents “children who have lost their lives to cancer, those who are currently fighting, and those who are in remission.” “Our family never saw childhood cancer coming. Before Daniela’s diagnosis, cancer was something we thought only happened to adults, but we quickly learned how devastating child cancer can be, not only emotionally, but financially,” said Conte. She added that the American Cancer Society reports that in 2026 alone, nearly 9,700 American children will be diagnosed with cancer. The most common childhood cancers include leukemia, brain tumors, and lymphomas. While about 85% of children with cancer survive at least five years, cancer remains “one of the leading causes of death among children.” “Behind every statistic is a child, a child who should be going to school, playing with their friends, playing sports, celebrating birthdays, and dreaming about their future,” said Conte. “Instead, children with cancer can spend months or even years going through chemotherapy, radiation, surgeries, hospital stays, and treatments that can have a lifelong effect. And while their child is fighting for their life, parents are often fighting a different battle, trying to keep
their family financially afloat.” The Conte Foundation helps families deal with “hospital stays, transportation, meals, lost income, rent, mortgage, utilities, and everyday expenses, all while trying to be there for their child,” said Conte. She reiterated the need for investment into pediatric cancer research, as childhood cancers represent about 4% of cancers diagnosed each year in the United States. Krissy Lonetto, Executive Board member for the Smithtown Children’s Foundation (SCF), said that her group was founded in 2008 in honor of Kaylee Rivers, who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at just 5 years old. “The foundation was initially created in order to support her family through this terrible time,” said Lonetto. “Afterwards, the founders [of SCF] realized that they could keep the Foundation in place in order to support more families and more of our community.” She added that fellow board member, Laura Cook, lost her son, Sean, to cancer in 2013, but that she was “determined to channel the emotions and her energy into something positive.” Cook later launched Smiles for Sean, a chapter under the umbrella of the SCF. “That chapter not only provides financial support, but also knowledge and to provide emotional support for many of the obstacles that these families are faced with along the way,” said Lonetto. “That kind of knowledge and support really can only come from a parent who’s experienced something similar.” The SCF is hosting their annual golf outing on October 1. Proceeds go completely to the chapter fighting pediatric cancer. Dr. Kevin Simmons, representing the Smithtown Central School District, said that his organization is continuing to fundraise and generate awareness throughout the month’s sports contests.
Krissy Lonetto In fact, a quartet of girls from High School West put on the Relay For Life event to fundraise for the American Cancer Society. Last year, they raised over $83,000. Their next event is June 5, 2027. Ella Patane, Mary Saul, Molly Hyland, and Isabella Russo represented their group and their tremendous undertaking at the Town’s event.
Long Island Locavore Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, September 10, 2026
11
How Do You Like Them L.I. Apples? - Celebrating LI Apple Season By Nancy Val | Long Island Locavore
TAKE A LONG ISLAND APPLE TRAIL You don’t necessarily have to head all the way out east for a taste of orchard season. Richters Orchard in Northport is celebrating its 120th anniversary and remains an old-fashioned local source for apples and fresh cider. Among the varieties associated with the orchard are Macoun, Empire, SnapDragon, Cameo and Granny Smith. Macoun is one to seek out while you can. Crisp, juicy and aromatic, it has a devoted following for eating straight from the tree but also performs beautifully in baked goods. Empire, a cross between McIntosh and Red Delicious, is another versatile New York favorite—firm enough for baking but sweet enough for the lunchbox. Head east and the choices multiply. Lewin Farms Apple Picking in Calverton offers a more traditional pick-your-own experience. Lewin is a fourth-generation family farm and describes itself as Long Island’s first pick-your-own farm. Apple varieties change as the season progresses, so check what’s being picked before making the trip. Harbes Orchard in Riverhead, there are 27 apple varieties ripening from September through late October. Early September brings apples such as Ultima Gala, Zestar, Sansa, Blondee, Gale Gala and Ruby Mac. Honeycrisp, Daybreak Fuji and Crimson Crisp follow around mid-September, with Golden Delicious, Crown Empire and SnapDragon arriving later in the month. Honeycrisp is difficult to resist right out of hand, exceptionally crisp and juicy with that wonderful sweet-tart balance. Crown Empire is slightly tart and well suited to cooking and baking. Snapdragon has a particularly nice New York story: it was developed by Cornell University for New York growers. Sweet, juicy and crisp, it’s an excellent snacking and salad apple. Then there’s Woodside Orchards in Jamesport, where apple lovers can really have some fun. Woodside grows 28 varieties, including familiar favorites as well as apples you may not routinely find in the supermarket. Its U-pick season runs through September and October, with varieties changing as they ripen. Look for Cortland in September and early October. Its slightly tart white flesh is slow to brown, making it one of my favorites for an apple salad or cheese board. Macoun, arriving around late September, works for eating, salads, sauce and baking. Later comes Mutsu, also called Crispin a large, juicy, sweet-tart apple that makes terrific applesauce. And keep Woodside in mind later in the season. Northern Spy is a classic baking apple. There’s even an old saying, “Spies are for pies.” Golden Russet, meanwhile, is dense, rich and prized for cider. For a South Fork apple adventure, Milk Pail U-Pick Farm in Water Mill offers another interesting assortment. The Halsey family grows more than 20 apple varieties, with dwarf trees that make the fruit easier to reach. Among the varieties grown are Gala, Empire, Fuji, Braeburn and Gold Rush, along with New York varieties such as SnapDragon and Ruby Frost. As of early September, Milk Pail was picking Jonamac, McIntosh and Zestar, a perfect reminder of just how quickly orchard availability changes. PICK THE APPLE FOR THE JOB Here’s my quick Locavore cheat sheet: For eating right out of hand: Honeycrisp, Macoun, SnapDragon, Fuji, and Gala. For salads and cheese boards: Cortland is a standout because it is slow to brown. Honeycrisp, SnapDragon, and Fuji add plenty of crunch. For applesauce: McIntosh will cook down beautifully. Macoun and Mutsu are also good choices. Better yet, combine two or three varieties for more complex flavor. For pies and tarts: Look for firm apples that can stand up to heat Empire, Northern Spy, Granny Smith, Braeburn, and Gold Rush. For baked apples: Choose an apple with enough structure to soften without collapsing. Empire, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or a firm Golden Delicious are good places to start. 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 connect: DM @lilocavore495 on Instagram or email lilocavore495@gmail.com
And remember: the apple you picked from a Long Island tree may taste remarkably different from the same variety that has traveled across the country and spent months in storage. CINNAMON BAKED ORCHARD APPLES After a day of picking, this may be one of the simplest ways to turn your haul into something special. The kitchen smells incredible while they bake, and they’re equally at home on the breakfast table or served warm for dessert. INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4): 4 large, firm local apples 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans 2 Tbs brown sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon Pinch of nutmeg Pinch of salt 2 tsp softened butter 1 Tbs pure maple syrup 1/3 cup apple cider or water DIRECTIONS: Heat oven to 375°F. 1. Wash the apples and remove the cores, being careful not to cut completely through the bottoms. Place the apples snugly in a small baking dish. 2. Combine the oats, nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Work in the softened butter and maple syrup until the mixture is crumbly. 3. Generously fill the center of each apple with the cinnamon mixture. Pour the cider into the bottom of the baking dish. 4. Cover loosely with foil and bake for about 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking another 15 to 20 minutes,
Credit - Nancy Vallarella
September brings a familiar rhythm back to Long Island. School buses return to the roads, farm stands begin their transition from summer tomatoes and corn to pumpkins and winter squash, and our local orchards are filling with one of fall’s greatest pleasures—the apple. And what better fruit to celebrate? The apple is New York’s official state fruit, a lunchbox staple, the traditional gift for a favorite teacher and the inspiration behind that bit of nutritional advice we’ve heard since childhood: An apple a day keeps the doctor away. While an apple can’t guarantee fewer trips to the doctor, there’s good reason for its healthy reputation. Apples provide fiber, vitamin C and beneficial plant compounds. And before you reach for the peeler, don’t! The skin contributes fiber and contains many of the apple’s plant compounds. Just give your locally grown apple a good wash and enjoy it from stem to core. But one of my favorite things about apples is that no two varieties are quite alike. Sweet, tart, crisp, tender, spicy, or almost floral. There is an apple for practically every purpose. Choosing the right one can make the difference between a great snack and an exceptional pie. Fortunately, we don’t have to travel far to discover them.
or until the apples are tender but still hold their shape. Spoon some of the warm cider from the pan over each apple before serving. 5. Serve them as they are, add a spoonful of Greek yogurt for breakfast or, for dessert, don’t even think twice about adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream. MAKE A DAY OF IT Apple season is relatively short, and every variety operates on its own schedule. A variety available this weekend may be finished by the next, while another is just beginning to ripen. Always check directly with the orchard before heading out for U-pick. And while you’re there, bring home more than apples. Fresh cider, cider doughnuts, pies, apple butter and other farm-made treats help support the growers who keep Long Island agriculture alive. Pack up the kids, grab a bag, and pick a few extra for the teacher. Apple season has arrived on Long Island.
News
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
New School Year Begins for Smithtown Central SD Students in the Smithtown Central School District returned for the new school year on September 2. From kindergarten to middle school to high school, students brought their smiles and their Chromebooks as teachers, principals and Superintendent Dr. Secaur greeted them.
Sweet Success for Smithtown High School Musicians More than 150 golfers, friends and family members of late Smithtown High School West history teacher Greg Sill gathered on August 17 for the fifth annual Greg Sill Foundation Golf Outing, helping make the event a tremendous success. Held at Wind Watch Golf and Country Club in Hauppauge, the outing was organized by Sill’s wife, Elizabeth; daughters Emily, Isabella and Natalie; and Smithtown High School West social studies/special education teacher and coach Ashley Marchese. The event honors the legacy of Sill, a beloved history teacher who passed away in March 2021. Following his passing, Elizabeth created a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for what is now known as the Greg Sill “Be the Coffee Bean” Memorial Fund. Each year, the foundation awards $5,000 scholarships to one Smithtown High School East senior and one Smithtown High School
West senior, as well as a $1,500 scholarship to an English Language Learner (ELL) student. The Sill family is also taking the “Be the Coffee Bean” message to a new level with the upcoming winter launch of its coffee company, March 73. Named after Greg’s birthday, the company was inspired by the mantra he shared with so many of his students: “Be the coffee bean.” “My dad told a lot of students about being the coffee bean,” Natalie said. “When you’re put in hot water, change the environment around you and spread your positivity, spread your flavor and turn into coffee.” Proceeds from every bag of March 73 coffee will support the Greg Sill “Be the Coffee Bean” Memorial Fund, helping the family continue Greg’s legacy of positivity, generosity and support for students. The company is expected to launch this coming winter.
School Highlights Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, September 10, 2026
A National Honor for Smithtown HS East’s Zeitlin
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For more than 20 years, Smithtown High School East Science Research Coordinator Maria Zeitlin has been a leader in science research on Long Island. Now, her dedication to chemistry, research and student discovery has earned her one of the highest honors a high school chemistry educator can receive in the United States. Zeitlin has been named the recipient of the prestigious 2027 James Bryant Conant Award in High School Chemistry Teaching by the American Chemical Society. Supported by an endowed fund established by the Journal of Chemical Education and ChemEd X, the national award recognizes outstanding chemistry educators who have made a transformative impact on students, advanced innovative approaches to chemical education and demonstrated exceptional dedication to the field. “It’s very special,” Zeitlin said. “It’s recognizing all of what I do with science so it honors chemistry, but it also recognizes the role I played within the research community…I am so proud to represent East.” Principal Paul McNeil, who praised Zeitlin’s lasting impact on the school community, said, “Ms. Zeitlin’s tireless work in both chemistry and scientific research at Smithtown High School East continues to inspire our students and staff. Having her exceptional teaching recognized on a national stage is an incredible milestone for our entire school community.” Smithtown Central School District Director of Science Dr. Stephanie O’Brien added, “Some educators teach science, but a rare few transforms how students approach it. By building a thriving culture of research from the ground up, she hasn’t just opened doors to discovery; she has created a lasting legacy that will shape students for years to come.”
Flying High at Smithtown Elementary Learning can take one to new heights. That was definitely the case for students at Smithtown Elementary School who recently learned the importance of bike safety and a healthy lifestyle thanks to a very special visit from the Freestyle Connection BMX stunt team on September 8. The team performed several awesome stunts—including several over Principal Gagliardi and teachers Mrs. Cusati, Mrs. Doig and Mrs. Krause. This visit was courtesy of the Smithtown Elementary PTA.
Artists Reception
Saturday, September 12 • 2:00 pm - 4:00pm 148 Smithtown Blvd • Nesconset NY 11767
631.360.2480 • www.smithlib.org
Civics 101
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
The Necessary Standard for American Education The Constitution - Article I, Part 1
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
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.
By Matt Meduri Last year, we went through each of the 27 amendments to the Constitution. We return to the Constitution this year to go article by article, clause by clause and break down what’s in it. Editor’s Note: We will effectively paraphrase each of the articles by sifting through the legalese and Colonial Era jargon to get straight to the point of what each section stipulates, requires, or prevents. In a Nutshell Article I is the first of seven articles of the Constitution. Article I has ten sections and is concerned primarily with creating the legislative branch (Congress) and what powers and privileges they receive. This is important as it is the foundation of the federal government. Article I sets up the Congress and institutes the rules that must be followed. This week, we’re looking at the first five sections. We’ll pick up the latter five next week. Section 1 Section 1: All legislative (law-making) powers of the United States’ federal government are vested within the Congress that consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. This sets up what’s called a bicameral (two-house) legislature (lawmaking body). Interesting Note: The word “House” is used interchangeably in the original texts, between the House of Representatives and the generic “house,” describing either one of the two chambers of Congress. For our purposes, the word “House” refers to the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Congress. We refer to the House and Senate as “chambers” of Congress. Section 2 Section 2, Clause 1: House members are elected every two years. Section 2, Clause 2: House hopefuls must be at least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and must be a resident of the state they run to represent by the time of the election. Interesting Note: Article I, Section 2, Clause 2 only requires House candidates to live in the state in which their district is located. It does not require candidates to live in the district they seek to represent. Theoretically, a candidate seeking office in NY-01, which makes up most of Suffolk County, could live fulltime in Buffalo, and not be constitutionally barred from running for a Long Island seat. Neither the Congress nor the states can add additional residency requirements. This was affirmed by the Supreme Court in Powell V. McCormack (1969) and U.S. Term Limits, Inc. V. Thornton (1995). This also brings to light another interesting point: there is nothing stopping a candidate from Kentucky, say, from running for a House seat in New York, so long as that candidate establishes residency before Election Day. Section 2, Clause 3: The quantity of House districts per state and direct tax levies are apportioned to the states by population. This is why California, Texas, Florida, and New York have the most congressional districts, as they are the most populous states. Clause 3, in the early days of the republic, specified that the population is determined by all “free persons,” those “bound to service for a term of years” (indentured servants and apprentices), excluding untaxed Indians, while all others are counted as “three-fifths” of one person. Clause 3 also stipulates that the first enumeration would take place within the first three years of Congress’ first meeting and every ten years thereafter. The Census continues to be taken on a decennial basis; that’s the first step in determining population shifts and which states lose or gain congressional seats. Furthermore, Clause 3 sets the ceiling on the number of House members. Congress cannot create more than one House seat for every 30,000 people in the country. Interesting Note: This clause is subject of intense debate. The average district now has around 750,000 people, far north
of the constitutional minimum of 30,000. Those in favor of lifting the cap on House members say that the current U.S. population constitutionally allows for more than 11,000 members of the House under this rule. There are currently 435 members of the House. Congress has not updated this cap since 1911 when New Mexico and Arizona became states. Clause 3 also gave each of the 13 original colonies set numbers of representatives until the first enumeration was made. Section 2, Clause 4: State governors are tasked with scheduling special elections to fill House vacancies. Section 2, Clause 5: The House of Representatives chooses their Speaker and other officers. They have the sole power of impeachment in the federal government. Interesting Note: Candidates for Speaker of the House are not required to be incumbent members or to have ever served in the House. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) earned a vote for Speaker in the 2023 election, even though he had left Congress that year. There is also no rule requiring the Speaker to be of the party that holds the majority in the chamber. Historically, no nonHouse member has ever been elected Speaker. Votes for such candidates are often protest votes by House members. Section 3 Section 3, Clause 1: Each state gets two Senators chosen by their respective state legislatures for six-year terms. Interesting Note: Senators were elected by state representatives as the state’s lobbying arm in the federal government. Imagine the New York State Assembly and Senate voting for a U.S. Senator; that’s how it always was. The people did not directly elect Senators until the 17th Amendment was ratified in 1913. Section 3, Clause 2: Divides the Senate seats into three classes to stagger elections. This way, about one-third of the Senate is on the ballot every two years. Clause 2 also stipulates that the governor of a state has appointment powers to fill a Senate vacancy from their state. Section 3, Clause 3: Senators must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least 9 years, and must reside in their state of candidacy by Election Day. Section 3, Clause 4: The Vice President is the President of the Senate. He/She casts no votes unless the Senate is tied. Section 3, Clause 5: The Senate chooses their own officers and a President pro tempore to act in the absence of the Vice President. Section 3, Clause 6: Just as only the House has impeachment powers, only the Senate has legal powers in an impeachment hearing. When the President is tried in an impeachment case, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the case, effectively turning the Senate into a courtroom. No one impeached by the House can be removed
from office unless two-thirds of the Senate votes to convict. Section 3, Clause 7: Judgements in cases of impeachment are not to extend further than removing the person in question from office and disqualifying them from holding federal office again. The party is liable and subjective to indictment, trial, judgment, and punishment according to law. In other words, punishments beyond removal from office and disqualification from future office is not a power the Senate has. Interesting Note: Disqualification from future office is not automatic with a conviction. The Senate may, but is not required to, vote on whether that happens. Senate practice has treated this with just a simple-majority vote. Additionally, if the Senate does vote to disqualify a defendant from future office, it only applies to federal office. There is nothing stopping an impeached and removed figure, the President, say, from holding a state or local office. Section 4 Section 4, Clause 1: States handle the day-to-day logistics of elections - date, locations of polling places, and voting procedures. However, Congress ultimately has the final say and can override the states. Interesting Note: Section 4, Clause 1 was invoked by many during the COVID-19 Pandemic as states scrambled to adapt their voting practices during the emergency. Section 4, Clause 2: Requires Congress to meet at least once per year, specifically, the first Monday in December, unless they appoint a different day. Section 5 Section 5, Clause 1: The House and Senate, separately, are in charge of their own caucus elections. A majority of each chamber constitutes a quorum required for business. However, a quorum less than a majority can adjourn from “day to day,” and is authorized to compel the presence of absent members in whatever manners chosen by each chamber and under whatever penalties each chamber imposes on their members. Section 5, Clause 2: The House and Senate, separately, determine their own rules, punish their own members, and expel their own members - the last with a two-thirds vote. Section 5, Clause 3: The House and Senate, separately, keep journals of their proceedings and publish those journals. They reserve the right to redact what they feel “require[s] secrecy.” The voting records of each member on any bill or question - the Yeas/Nays - shall be entered into the journal, with the consent of one-fifth of the members present. Section 5, Clause 4: Neither the House nor the Senate can adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other. One chamber cannot move their meeting to another place without the consent of the other. This is to keep the two chambers working at the same time and in the same place.
Around Town Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
Smithtown Pet of the Week: Adopt Dash! Meet the Smithtown Animal Shelter’s Pet of the Week, Dash! Dash is a gorgeous Rottie mix with a sweet nature and plenty of love to give. At just four years old, this beautiful black and brown girl came to the Animal Shelter when her dad fell on hard times and could no longer care for her. Sweet, loving and obedient, Dash is happiest simply being by your side. She is a lowkey girl with a playful side who loves going for car rides, playing fetch and following her favorite people wherever they go. She can be a little clingy, but that is just Dash’s way of making sure you never have to wonder how much you are loved. Dash would do best in a home with older children and as the only pet. While she may prefer not to share her home with other animals, she has more than enough love and companionship to fill it all on her own. If you are looking for a loyal best friend who will happily join you for a ride in the car, a game of fetch or a quiet day at home, Dash may be the girl you have been waiting for. If you are interested in meeting Dash, please fill out an application to schedule time to properly interact with her in a domestic setting, which includes our Meet and Greet Room, the dog runs, and our Dog Walk trail. Additional Foster Opportunity If you have no other pets or young children at home, and are looking for a way to serve your community, please consider signing up to be a foster. Foster parents provide temporary care for cats, kittens, and dogs in their own homes. Some animals need as little as two weeks of care, while others may need care for extended periods of time. The shelter provides: food, litter, litter box, large crate, bedding, all veterinary care and medicine for foster animals, foster training and plenty of continuing support to foster parent volunteers. Download the Foster Application at: https://www.smithtownny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4325/Foster-Application Thinking About Adoption? The Smithtown Animal Shelter’s primary concern is finding the perfect home for each animal that finds his/her way to us. The Animal Control Officers and Kennel
D A S H Attendants at the Smithtown Animal Shelter will go out of their way to ensure both the rescued and rescuer are made for one another. Residents who have other pets can arrange to bring your four-legged family member to the shelter or set up an at home meet & greet to see how your prospective family member does with other family, pets and the household itself. Please allow yourself an hour minimum to meet with your potential new family member. Hours at the Smithtown Animal Shelter are currently Monday through Saturday from 10:00a.m. to 3:00p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings: by appointment only). While we are open to the public, we ask that you call ahead to schedule an appointment. To inquire about the Pet of the Week or to meet your potential soulmate, please call the Smithtown Animal Shelter at 631-360-7575.
The Leo P. Ostebo Kings Park Heritage Museum Presents Friday, September 25, 2026 - 7:00 PM Museum Opens at 6:00 PM
Spotlighting “Legends by Lantern Light”
Featuring Traditional Dance, Music & Song Traditional Irish Desserts after the performance in the RJO cafeteria Sponsored by Kevin Barry Div. 3 AOH & LAOH
Ciara Greene School of Irish Step Dancing RJO Intermediate School Auditorium 101 Church Street, Kings Park, NY Free Admission - Donations Appreciated Children Must Be Accompanied by a Parent kpheritagemuseum.net - 631-269-3305
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Technology News Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, September 10, 2026
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The Graph of You: The Digital Relationship Map Is Earned By Mollie W. Barnett For most of the Internet era, showing up in business meant winning a slot: rank higher on Google, adjust to the LinkedIn algorithm, get published where people would see your name. You could learn the code, beat the logic, even buy your way into “Top Spot,” “Best Of,” or “Most Preferred.” That linear game is breaking. Artificial intelligence doesn’t simply retrieve pages. It maps proof. Models connect a name to a company, a byline to a topic, and a claim to supporting evidence. Your online presence is now a graph: a network of entities and relationships a machine uses to decide who you are—and whether to trust you. In a recent Forbes article, personal branding expert William Arruda argued that competence alone is no longer enough. Clarity, differentiation, and a distinctly human voice are what cut through. If your voice could sit under anyone else’s name, it’s easy to summarize—and easy to skip. The split has happened: graph and rank. Rank is position in a list. The unit is the document. The graph bears weight. It is your identity in a network. Are you a recognizable person linked to a body of work, a company, and third-party proof? The unit is the entity. A high rank with a weak graph is a well-ranked stranger. A modest rank with a coherent graph is someone a model can still name when a buyer asks who actually understands the work. That shift is already visible. AI summaries increasingly become the first impression. The first version of you a prospect meets may not be your website. It may be a paragraph assembled from whatever public signals a model can reach. The Brand You Built—and the One Inferred There are two versions of every person online. The expressed brand is the one you intended: your headline, bio, website, and talking points. The inferred brand is the one AI builds from everything else: old interviews, reviews, conference listings, quotes, citations, and the way your name connects across the web. Psychologists call the distance between those two the inference gap. The inferred portrait doesn’t have to be false. It only must be incomplete, inconsistent, or written in the same beige register as everyone else. This is where much of today’s thought leadership quietly dies. Volume may improve rank, but it doesn’t strengthen a graph. Models look for corroboration: consistent identity, bylined work, citations, and themes that repeat because someone actually lives them. A stream of interchangeable posts teaches the machine a smoother, emptier version of you. Slop Is Not Cleanup The debate around authenticity often treats every use of AI as the same act. The market is drawing a distinction. AI “slop” begins with the machine. Prompt, tone, word count—and out comes a polished paragraph that could belong to anyone. The tells are familiar: stacked abstractions, no lived detail, and lessons that arrive too neatly. Slop is not always inaccurate. It is uninhabited. Nobody had to live it. Nobody had to decide it. AI cleanup is different. The thought comes first: the rough draft, the unfinished story, the opinion someone would defend in a meeting. The model then tightens grammar, removes repetition, or points out where a reader may get lost. Cleanup is an editor. “Slop” is a stand-in. Refusing the tool doesn’t make someone authentic. It often makes them late. Letting the tool invent the thought doesn’t make them efficient. It makes their node resemble ten thousand others. The useful question isn’t AI or human. It’s who owned the sentence before the polish. Industries have seen this before. The product was never the brand; trust was. Online,
“slop” is inventory. Cleanup is simply the spec sheet after the work already exists. Progress—or More of the Same This isn’t ultimately about branding. It’s about whether markets can still move. Sameness is what happens when an entire industry optimizes for rank using the same tools. Everyone prompts the same model. Everyone sounds competent. The customer still can’t tell one company from another. Progress requires a difference people can actually use: judgment, lived experience, and decisions that can be verified. That is why the individual still matters. A model can sound like an expert before breakfast, but it cannot take the call when the expert is wrong. It cannot sit with a customer who is leaving and decide whether to cut price, hold the line, or admit the product isn’t ready. Sameness has no one to call. Every opportunity begins with someone making a decision—a hire, a vendor, a partner, or a recommendation. They don’t need another average of the Internet. They need a person whose work they can verify. Authenticity, in this sense, isn’t confession; it’s coherence - the same person in the post, the pitch, and the decision. Performative vulnerability is “slop” with feelings attached. What Travels A few practices follow from how these systems actually work. Own the first draft. If the idea didn’t exist before the chat window opened, it shouldn’t go out under your name. Say clearly who you help, what you do, and why it is different coming from you. Vague people disappear into summaries. Keep your identity consistent - same name, same story, same proof. Machines reconcile entities. When they don’t match, they guess. Publish things that can be cited: bylined articles, interviews, talks, and specific stories. Give people—and models—something they can verify. The Internet will still draw a graph. Rank will still tempt shortcuts. The choice is whether that portrait is one you would recognize—or one assembled from leftovers and slop. Cleanup is allowed; substitution is not. In a market that can generate almost everything else, the scarce resource is still a human being willing to stand behind the work.
Mollie W. Barnett - is a decision architect and writer focused on how mid-sized leaders navigate strategy, systems, and intelligent execution.
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Messenger Perspectives Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, September 10, 2026
He Walks Through and Towards By PJ Balzer Let’s paint the picture for such a beautiful story… There’s this water well right in the center of town. The well is used frequently, especially by the women of the town and by the thirsty stranger who’s passing by. Due to the climate and often extreme mid-day heat, the women who use the well often do so early in the morning before the hottest part of the day. It’s not uncommon to see groups of women walking together early in the morning to fetch water for their children, their day’s cooking, and their animals. The town where this specific well is has a reputation for being dangerous, especially towards outsiders. It was known to be a hostile and violent town, yet also an impoverished and oppressed one. Poverty, hostility, and violence often mesh together by cause and effect, even today. The people who lived there weren’t exactly looked fondly upon by the surrounding towns. They didn’t physically look the same as their neighbors, nor did they talk or worship the same. Their looks, accent, and beliefs were their own and not highly esteemed. The main hostility and prejudices towards them came from the town directly next door. There was such a sharp cultural, political, and religious divide between the two, that it often turned into violent clashes and even sporadic bloodshed, with both sides at fault. The two neighbors also never minced their words towards each other. The tension between them was real and the dislike was out in the open. Actually, we can easily call it hatred, because that’s what it was. The town where this water well was located was known to be a little extra dangerous. The conditions of that area were a fertile breeding ground for crime. It was a place known to have
(631) 269-6421
thieves, criminals, and fugitives who sat idle waiting for easy prey to pass through. Most of the criminals were fleeing from other regions to hide out in this town. Many were from the surrounding towns and didn’t want to abide by the extremely strict religious and cultural laws of their town, so they fled to this one. The dusty roads leading up to this water well were known for the poverty, the struggle, robbery, and every man having to fend for themselves. Fending for yourself in an already struggling place can easily turn ugly. The story of the “Good Samaritan” most likely happened on this one road. When the residents of the safer neighboring town had to travel by foot or donkey, which they often did, they avoided the town next door at every cost. The danger was so pronounced in Samaria that most Jewish travelers would intentionally take a detour that doubled their travel time. The Jewish travelers much rather cross the Jordan River twice, many times with their donkey, family, possessions, and potential danger of the river, just to circumvent neighboring Samaria and
the Samaritans. Besides, the real threat of them being attacked or robbed was the possibility of being denied food, water, or lodging in that region. It’s the hottest part of the day and there’s no one currently at this water well in the part of town. The usual crowds have already stopped at the well for their daily water. Groups of Samaritan women have come and gone, most likely at home preparing lunch for their family. There’s no reason for any locals to be at this well now, while no one being around also makes it a little more likely for a crime to occur. Jesus, a Jewish Rabbi and carpenter by trade is traveling with some close friends of His. His friends of course, also being Jewish, know the very real danger that may await them in this town and specifically on a desolate road like this one that leads up to this well. His friends most likely suggested that they do what every other Jewish traveler does and travel around this town. The long way was much safer. Their reasons for avoiding Samaria were valid - the hostility, the tension, the sketchiness, and the threat. The people there weren’t like them; the town was known for being a safe bed for criminals and the “lowly folks.” The people there talked strange and didn’t worship the same way that the friends of Jesus were comfortable with. Jesus is different though and still is today. Jesus purposely and intentionally walked right through this town. He was on a mission and that mission was above His own safety and His friends’ opinions or fears. Jesus did and still does push back, bends and breaks all these walls and barriers that our sinful hearts have placed up, visibly exemplifying to us the heart and mind of God. Despite the town’s reputation and what His friends said, Jesus chose to walk through this town and directly towards the well. Once He arrived at the well, He sat at there and waited. He was in no hurry to leave or escape potential danger. There was someone He knew was on her way who He wanted to talk to - one specific person, a Samaritan woman coming to fetch water alone mid-day. She was the reason He took the dangerous path. His love for this individual was much greater than His own comfort, safety, reservations, or even His friends’ opinions. His love for one individual is that powerful, fearless, and selfless. This individual wasn’t the example woman to the other women in the town. She was the stark opposite. She was known for having many partners, many husbands, and a messy life that her whole town knew about. She was perfect for a modern-day Jerry Springer episode. That’s most likely why she had visited the well in the heat of the day when no one else was there. She was tired of the sneers, whispers, and degrading looks from the other women also using the well, and probably the lustful looks and comments from the men on the roadside too. Jesus sat there by Himself and waited for her. He set His heart on striking up a conversation with her. He told her that He knew all about her messy life, down to the very last detail, but He also knew that her heart was broken. She was disappointed with herself, her many bad decisions, and the way her life had panned out. This one encounter and conversation with Jesus changed everything. She left the well a different woman than when she arrived. The guilt, shame, and condemnation had been lifted off her heart. Jesus replaced it with forgiveness, a clean slate, and new reason to live. She ran back to town telling other people about the mercy she’d been shown from the Messiah Himself… …the Messiah who sat alone by the water well on the dangerous side of town in the heat of the day, waiting just for her. Jesus walked that day and still walks today right through the dangerous places and right towards the forsaken people. He came to shine a light into dark areas and rescue the people who the devil has worked overtime at destroying their lives. He doesn’t avoid the rough sections, impoverished buildings or hostile people. He won’t take the long way so He can avoid the places and people that others won’t be seen in or with. He walks right towards them. He came to seek and save those who are lost.
AMAC Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Overview - AMAC The Association of Mature American Citizens
Republicans Blow the Lid off ‘Birth Tourism’ Epidemic
AMAC plays a vital role in helping build the services that will enrich the lives of America’s seniors. AMAC Action, a 501 (C)(4) advocates for issues important to AMAC’s membership on Capitol Hill and locally through grassroots activism. To Learn more, visit amac.us
By Sarah Katherine Sisk | AMAC Staff Writer A Miami doctor who runs a business called “Have My Baby in Miami” repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment last week when Congress questioned his involvement in a scheme to help foreign nationals give birth in the United States for the purpose of obtaining American citizenship for their children. Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) questioned Dr. Wladimir Lorentz, the founder and chief medical officer of Miami Medical Concierge Services, which does business as “Have My Baby in Miami,” at a House Oversight Committee hearing on birth tourism. Lorentz replied that a truthful answer could incriminate him. Gill then displayed the company’s website, which advertised maternity services for international patients and claimed more than 2,000 international deliveries. One line on Have My Baby in Miami’s public website stated, “Now, the dream of having a child in the United States is closer to reality than you ever imagined.” It offered a step-by-step guide for parents traveling to Miami for childbirth, as well as help with housing and legal consultations. Gill asked why the company modified or removed the site after the committee began investigating in May. He also asked whether Lorentz’s business had helped members of the Chinese Communist Party obtain U.S. citizenship for their children or facilitated childbirth for members of narco-terrorist organizations, including Tren de Aragua and MS-13. Lorentz invoked the Fifth Amendment each time. “Birth tourism” is the practice of exploiting American citizenship by treating it as a commodity that can be bought and sold. A family hires a company, like Lorentz’s, to arrange medical appointments, temporary living arrangements, international insurance, and other paperwork. The mother gives birth here. Having obtained citizenship for her child, she then returns home to raise her child abroad. In May, the House Oversight Committee requested the company’s marketing materials, service agreements, visa-related documents, and other guidance for clients applying at U.S. embassies or arriving at the border. This is not the first instance of potential birth-tourism related crimes. In 2024, a California jury convicted Michael Wei Yueh Liu and Jing Dong of operating a birthtourism scheme that charged Chinese clients tens of thousands of dollars to give birth in the United States and secure birthright citizenship for their children. The pair were convicted of conspiracy and international money laundering. Prosecutors said they coached clients to hide their pregnancies and their plans to give birth in the United States from visa officials. A foreign national may technically give birth in the United States, but the State Department can deny a visitor visa to an applicant traveling principally to give birth here so her child receives U.S. citizenship. An applicant who hides that purpose to obtain a visa may face charges of fraud or material misrepresentation. Birth tourism is a massive national-security threat. The children born through these arrangements often grow up overseas, with little connection to the United States. Yet they can enter the United States without first obtaining a visa, work in most jobs, receive public benefits, and, as citizens, qualify to seek a security clearance. The hypothetical scenarios are alarming. A Chinese Communist Party member could give birth in the United States, raise that baby in China, and then the child could return to the United States to vote in American elections or even run for office. At Tuesday’s hearing, Center for Immigration Studies research director Steven Camarota also warned that a child of a birth tourist may later sponsor his parents for green cards once he reaches adulthood. He told lawmakers that the practice gives families in China, Russia, and other countries an “escape valve” into the United States while creating risks Americans have every reason to take seriously. Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX) asked which countries appear to make the most use of birth tourism. Camarota said the available evidence, including criminal prosecutions, points most often to China and Russia, with many cases also tied to Turkey and Brazil. Rep. Brian Jack (R-GA) warned that the United States will face an even more difficult screening problem before the 2028 Olympics, when tourist-visa applications
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
are likely to rise. He asked how consular officers can tell legitimate visitors from birth tourists. Camarota told the committee that the current visa process makes it difficult to identify birth tourists before they arrive and harder to prosecute them later. He urged the State Department and border officials to ask applicants directly whether they intend to give birth in the United States. A lie would create a clear record of deception. The State Department already directs consular officers to deny visitor visas when they have reason to believe an applicant’s principal purpose is birth tourism. President Trump tried to close this loophole on his first day back in office. His 2025 executive order would have
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denied automatic citizenship to some children born here to parents in the country illegally or only temporarily, including tourists. The Supreme Court struck down that order in June, holding that children born in the United States to unlawfully or temporarily present parents are citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment. Trump responded in August with a narrower order aimed at birth-tourism schemes, including fraud and commercial transactions for citizenship. Birth tourism is not an inevitable side effect of immigration policy, and President Trump was right to target it. Congress cannot undo the Supreme Court’s decision with one hearing. But it can get the answers Lorentz refused to give and enforce the visa rules already on the books.
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By William Goldman Based on the Novel by Stephen King
JAN 14–FEB 28 M
NOV 12–DEC 27 C H I L D R E N’S
SEP 26–OCT 25
T H E A T E R
Frosty NOV 21–DEC 27
Bits & Pieces
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WORD OF THE
Week
Etymology: 1772, said to be “a Wiltshire word,” conjectured to be from an alteration (influenced perhaps by raucous) of a dialectal survival of Middle English contakour “troublemaker” (c. 1300), which is from Anglo-French contec “discord, strife,” from Old French contechier (Old North French contekier).
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, September 10, 2026
SUDOKU
CANTANKEROUS adjective Pronounced: /kan·tang·kr·uhs/ Definition:
habitually angry or annoyed.
Example:
“He’s very cantankerous before he has his morning coffee.”
Synonyms: irascible, prickly, quarrelsome Antonyms: cheerful, pleasant, good-natured Sources: Merriam-Webster, Etymonline.com.
See bottom left for the answers (please don’t cheat!)
This Week in History September 11, 1783:
September 10, 1894: London taxi driver George Smith is the first person fined for drunk driving.
WORD WHEEL S
W
September 14, 1960: Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela form the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
A
M E See how many words you can create. Must have center letter in word and can use letters more than once. 4 letter word minimum.
D H
Benjamin Franklin writes “There never was a good war or bad peace.”
September 13, 1501:
Michelangelo begins work on his statue of David, a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture.
September 16, 1997: Apple Computer Inc. names co-founder Steve Jobs as interim CEO.
September 15, 1835 HMS Beagle, with Charles Darwin on board, reaches the Galápagos Islands.
September 12, 1910: United States’ first known female police officer, Alice Stebbins Wells, is appointed by the LAPD. Source: Onthisday.com.
Bits & Pieces Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Thursday, September 10, 2026
NATIONAL Google Maps has updated the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America under President Trump’s executive order. Trump has also discussed renaming the state of New Mexico to New America. Democrats say it’s a distraction tactic. Russia has launched ballistic missile attacks on Kiev, Ukraine. Iran has launched a large-scale attack against U.S. bases in Jordan. Japan has sold U.S. treasuries to support the Yen. Germany has elected the first far-right party since WWII. China and Qatar are cooperating on energy investment and AI development. Activist and feminist icon Gloria Steinem died in New York City last Wednesday. She was 92.
STATE The New York State Fair in Syracuse temporarily closed to flooding. ICE’s Operation “Rotten Apple” produced 2,100 arrests across the state. State Police are investigating an Auburn crash involving bicyclists and three vehicles. NYS Archives awarded $4.1M to improve public records management. Rabbi and seven others were caught in a child-rape sting by State Police. New York City is banning AI in elementary and middle schools.
LOCAL Suffolk police are investigating the Sayville murder of Rachel Frislid, 62, who was found unconscious in her Pearl Court home last week. The Suffolk County Health Department is reporting West Nile virus activity across the county. Totals have climbed to over 100 positive samples. The Ronkonkoma Street Fair on Sunday was a huge success with massive turnout and beautiful conditions. Sayville native Jack Turner (‘21) was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 10th round of the MLB Draft. A local newspaper had far too many visitors during their Wednesday night print.
WORD SEARCH
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Sold / Miller Place $605,000
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East Islip Varsity Sports Honor 9/11 Hero During Red Bandana Week 23
By Ashley Pavlakis The ‘Man in the Red Bandana’ is a well-known phrase to many, especially in the sports world. Welles Crowther, a lacrosse player for Boston College, equities trader, and volunteer firefighter, tragically lost his life during 9/11 in a valiant effort to help save those inside the Twin Towers. This week, the East Islip School District honored Welles Crowther through its varsity sports programs. The following teams participated in honoring Crowther: girls’ field hockey, boys’ and girls’ volleyball, boys’ football, boys’ and girls’ soccer, and girls’ gymnastics. “Welles Crowther was a student athlete during his time at Boston College and exemplified the values that come from being a part of a team,” said Korin Scarles, a Humanities Director at East Islip. “Leadership, perseverance, bravery, and selflessness are values that are instilled in student athletes, including our own. This is a way that we can show the community that the lessons that sports are able to provide extend far beyond wins and losses; it’s about character and humanity. Welles demonstrated that how you respond, how you show up when someone needs you, matters.” Welles Crowther was often seen sporting a red bandana. The fashion piece dates back to his childhood where he’d see his father wrap his comb in a red/blue bandana that he kept in his pocket. At the age of six, Crowther’s father gifted him a red bandana of his own, thus forming the signature look we’ve come to recognize today. Crowther wore it under all his uniforms when playing sports. Crowther grew up in New York with dreams of becoming a firefighter. At 16, dreams became a reality, and he joined the Empire Hook and Ladder Company as a junior firefighter, working with his father. The New Yorker was off to Chestnut Hill to play Division I lacrosse for the Boston College Eagles. The Nyack native wore number 19 on the field and played the position of defender. Crowther’s former high school continues to honor his legacy by putting his number 19 on full display on their uniforms and even carrying around red bandanas. The Boston graduate earned his bachelor’s degree in economics in 1999. Crowther went on to work for Sandler O’Neill & Partners as an equities trader. The job prompted him to make the move to New York City, where he’d spent his working hours on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Welles Crowther leapt into action when United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower, hitting floors 77-85. With experience as a volunteer firefighter, his ability to remain calm and help others was instrumental to the 18 lives he was able to save. Crowther found a lone staircase that was still safe to use, leading people to safety and administering first aid. Through his efforts, Welles Crowther was seen with his signature red bandana covering his face to block the smoke from entering his lungs. The volunteer firefighter intended to become a full-fledged firefighter but hadn’t been able to complete his application. In 2006, he was posthumously named an Honorary New York City firefighter in recognition of his efforts during 9/11. In 2018, Crowther was posthumously named a recipient of The Spirit of Tewaaraton Award, tying back to his days as a lacrosse player. In 2026, Crowther was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“The Man in the Red Bandana” has become a phenomenon known around the world and continues to live on to this day. Boston College has honored Crowther’s legacy from that point forward, hosting an annual ‘Red Bandana’ football game every season since 2014. The Eagles have also hosted a 5k run in honor of Crowther each year since 2004. The Premier Lacrosse League named an award in his honor in 2021, deeming it the PLL Welles Crowther Humanitarian Award. The award aims to recognize those in the league who have made a meaningful impact on their community. When Crowther was given that red bandana at the age of 6, nobody would’ve thought anything of it. For Crowther, it was just a son wanting to be like his dad. What the red bandana turned out to be was a lifesaving tool used to save 18 lives. Everyone knows colors have a meaning, hence why there are specific colors for certain subjects for school notebooks. Regardless, the color red universally symbolizes passion, energy, courage, and strength - all four remarkable qualities that Welles Crowther exemplified that day. He was passionate about firefighting, he possessed the energy to keep going in a critical situation; he had the courage to leap into action even though he wasn’t properly geared up with anything except for his red bandana; and he had the strength to carry people down flights of stairs and guide them to safety. “For us at East Islip, the red bandana signifies the connection we have to the values we hope to instill from generation to generation. These students were not alive during the events of 9/11, however keeping the meaning behind the heroic and selfless acts, exemplified by Crowther and countless others, lives on in our red bandana games.” said Scarles. 25 years have passed since Welles Crowther performed heroic efforts to save others, and not a day has gone by where his efforts went unnoticed. A documentary, a children’s book, a charity- all things that have taken shape to continue to increase awareness and keep Crowther’s memory alive. Sports often serve as a platform to showcase something bigger than the game; it provides a unique spotlight that brings a wealth of attention. Custom uniforms, helmet decals, or commemorative t-shirts have proven to be tremendous in supporting a cause. Whether it’s high school, college, or professionally, sports have always had the ability to capture people’s attention. People tend to gravitate toward what their favorite team is trying to promote. “We as a district felt that it was meaningful to make this a recurring event. Throughout the week all varsity teams will be representing the cause, and we will have red bandanas available for a $2 donation to the Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust. This way, our students learned who Welles was, what the red bandana symbolizes, and what matters,” said Scarles. A ceremony is set to take place on Friday to tie the Red Bandana week together. “The ceremony on Friday is for all of our high school and middle school students. They will experience a ceremony from the East Islip and Islip Terrace fire departments as well as guest speakers such as Supervisor Angie Carpenter (R-West Islip),” Scarles told The Messenger. “Michael Barch, a close friend of Welles Crowther, will also be speaking. We feel that the ceremony will be a meaningful experience for all in attendance, and be the culmination of the learning, experiences, and exemplify the relevance of the events for the week.”
Published by Messenger Papers, Inc.
Messenger Spotlight
Ronkonkoma
Thursday, September 10, 2026
Labor Day Street Fair