The Times of Smithtown - August 22, 2019

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TIMES of SMITHTOWN

F O R T S A LO N G A • K I N G S PA R K • S M I T H TO W N • N E S C O N S E T • S T J A M E S • H E A D O F T H E H A R B O R • N I S S E Q U O G U E • H A U P PA U G E • C O M M A C K Vol. 32, No. 26

August 22, 2019

Town victim of theft

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Deepwells hosts Woodstock tribute — A4

Artist of the Month: Peter Hahn Also: ‘Blinded by the Light’ reviewed, Greek Festival returns to Port Jefferson, Photo of the Week

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PAGE A2 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • AUGUST 22, 2019

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The Smithtown Senior Citizens Department offers a home-delivered meals program for residents ages 60 and over residing within the Town of Smithtown. Hot, nutritious meals are delivered by volunteers to the frail homebound elderly Mondays through Fridays.

Each meal consists of one-third of the current recommended dietary allowance for the 60 plus age group. Regular diets are provided, however accommodations for low sodium and diabetic diets can be fulfilled upon request. Food service is contracted with Zan’s Kosher Deli in Lake Grove.

To be eligible for Meals on Wheels, applicants must be: ● Able to accept responsibility for consumption of meals. ● Assessed in-home by the Meals on Wheels assessor. ● Have no family or other persons capable of providing adequate meals. ● Physically or mentally unable to prepare or provide for their own nutritional needs. ● Unable to attend a congregate setting and have no alternative through which their nutritional needs can be met.

Currently, 115 Smithtown residents participate daily in the home-delivered meals program.

A recommended contribution of $2.50 per meal is suggested. Contributions are used to expand services and are returned back to the program.

There are no required costs to participate in this program. Funding for this program is provided by the U.S. Administration for Community Living, the New York State Office for the Aging, Suffolk County Office for the Aging and the Town of Smithtown.

For further information regarding this and other senior programs, call the Senior Center at 631-360-7616. Meals on Wheels is meant to be a temporary service, and reassessments are administered on a semiannual and as-needed basis.

No emergency services are provided through this program.

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AUGUST 22, 2019 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A3

Town

Cash and checks stolen from town offices

BY DONNA DEEDY DEEDY@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

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The Town of Smithtown has been the victim of several after-hours thefts at town hall in the clerk’s office, tax receiver’s office and at the senior center located on Middle Country Road.

Money and/or personal belongings were stolen after all offices were locked, Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) said.

Suffolk County Police Department officials said they are investigating two incidents: an envelope with cash and checks reported stolen on July 9 from the Smithtown Senior Center and checks stolen from Town Hall that were reported missing on July 23.

Six blank checks and 200 electronically deposited checks were reportedly stolen. The town considers the items non-negotiable.

“The way we process tax payments ensures residents are not penalized for something they have no control over,” said press officer Nicole Garguilo.

A police official said they don’t release the value of stolen property, and the town spokesperson could not elaborate on other details because the investigation is ongoing.

No arrests have been made for what is considered after-hour robberies. The town has taken action against potential alleged culprits.

“Upon reports to the board, we notified public safety immediately to take statements and involve the Suffolk County Police Department,” Wehrheim stated. “We retrieved all keys from the cleaning service and notified the owner of the immediate termination of the contract.”

The town had used OneService Commercial Building Maintenance, located in Bohemia.

The company’s website states it’s a trusted, local, family-owned and operated business.

No details on the name of owners are listed on the website or on New York State’s business registry. The registry states that the business was founded in 2014 and based in North Babylon.

The company did not respond to messages left on its answering machine. Messages sent to its published email address were returned stating that the email address does not exist.

The town has hired a new cleaning team.

“We are currently looking at our security measures and reviewing policies to ensure this never happens again,” Wehrheim stated.

Detectives have instructed the town to keep its updated security measures confidential.

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PAGE A4 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • AUGUST 22, 2019

County

Deepwells hosts musical tribute to Woodstock Deepwells Mansion on Route 25A in St. James held an outdoor music tribute to Woodstock Aug. 17 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the historic concert. An estimated 1,100 tickets were sold, earning roughly $10,000 for the Deepwells Farm Historical Society. Funds will be used to restore the mansion and to support other community events throughout the year, according to David Dircks, concert promoter and board member.

The tribute show included six acts. Katie Pearlman opened the show performing Joni Mitchell and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Lisa Polizzi performed the music of Janis Joplin. The Kerry Kearney Band played the songs of Jimi Hendrix and Jefferson Airplane. Reckoning produced the sounds of the Grateful Dead. Dear Prudence rocked the stage with the music of The Who, Santana, Ten Years After, Mountain and the Beatles.

Randy Jackson of Zebra performed Woodstock tributes as well as some of Zebra’s hits.

Deepwells has hosted monthly music concerts for the last 14 years but has scaled back its music events. The next music event is an outdoor concert, which will feature the music of the ’70s, is planned for next summer on the mansion’s front lawn.

— compiled by Donna Deedy

Clockwise above: 1. Randy Jackson of the band Zebra plays at Deepwells during an outdoor summer concert. 2. Guitarist Kerry Kearney of the Kerry Kearney Band plays Jimi Hendrix and Jefferson Airplane songs. 3. The crowd gathers on the lawn to enjoy the music of a bygone era. 4. Lisa Polizzi dresses the part for a Joplin tribute. Photos 1 and 3 by Mark Goldberg; 2 and 4 by David Ackerman

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AUGUST 22, 2019 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A5

Town

Lee Zeldin visits Setauket to sit down with constituents

BY RITA J. EGAN RITA@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM Residents of New York’s 1st Congressional District took time out of their busy schedules Aug. 20 to sit down with their congressman to discuss what’s on their minds.

U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY1) held mobile office hours from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Setauket Fire Department on Main Street Tuesday. Constituents were invited to sit down, either one-on-one or in groups, with Zeldin or one of his staff members.

While many declined to discuss their specific questions, other residents waiting to speak to Zeldin said they were prepared to bring up issues such as background checks when buying guns, how to curb easy accessibility to assaultstyle rifles, Medicare, providing for veterans, immigration, health care for preexisting conditions and mandated vaccinations. One attendee wanted to know whether or not Zeldin is in favor of slashing the payroll tax and, if so, what other methods would he suggest to fund Medicare and Social Security.

Among the 71 who attended, several parents had their children in tow to provide them an

example of civic engagement.

Sarah, 13, daughter of former Setauket congressional candidate Dave Calone, said this was the first chance she had to speak to an elected official about an issue.

“I wanted to talk with him about gun control,” she said while waiting to get an opportunity to speak with Zeldin. “I wanted to ask him about what measures the government is taking to ensure students are safe in school and other places as well.”

Kathleen Thornton, of Stony Brook, was with her son Jack.

“I thought it was good for him to get a sense of how government works,” the mother said.

The Stony Brook resident wanted to talk to Zeldin about the Excelsior Scholarship Program in New York and the income cutoff. She said the Excelsior funds also were not released until the initial payments to State University of New York schools were due, adding she only discovered issues with the scholarship program while helping her niece with her financial aid forms.

While waiting to meet with the congressman, she said she hoped that he would know the right people to connect with to address her issues with the program.

Congressman Lee Zeldin, left, meets with constituents at the Setauket Fire Department on Main Street. Photo from Lee Zeldin’s office

Barbara Kantz, of East Setauket, who waited around two hours to meet with Zeldin, said she came to him with advocacy issues related to the environment and was satisfied with the strategies Zeldin offered, including those she can use as a citizen. She said to him that she knows he is an environmentalist, and she wanted to know how, as a congressman, he translates that to action programs “when we’re living in a time when science is somewhat dismissed, and we have an EPA that actually doesn’t believe in some of the

notions of what an EPA should do.”

Three Village resident George Henik, before his meeting with Zeldin, said he would like to get a time frame from him about specific indictments.

“Why is [former FBI Director James] Comey still walking around and writing books and not in prison?” he asked.

Henik said he believes many have used the Congress as their weapon of choice and that some politicians, such as U.S. Reps. Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler, both Democrats, are out of control.

His wife Susan Henik said she also had questions for the congressman including concerns about voter fraud, especially on the federal level.

The couple were optimistic about meeting with the congressman and felt they were addressing issues that people from both parties are concerned about, such as justice and voter fraud.

“These two questions that we have, or topics of discussions that we brought up, no one would want their election being tampered with, no one wants a coup of the president,” Susan Henik said.

According to a press release from Zeldin’s office, those interested in participating in a future meeting, including after work or during the weekend, can call 631-289-1097.

University Stony Brook to receive over $70 million in energy efficient upgrades

BY DAVID LUCES DLUCES@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM In an effort to fight climate change, Stony Brook University will receive $79 million in energy efficiency improvements and upgrades throughout the campus.

New York State Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul was on hand at the school Aug. 19 to announce the planned upgrades in front of the university’s Center of Molecular Medicine.

The improvements build upon the State University of New York’s Clean Energy Roadmap, a partnership between SUNY and state energy agencies that aims to accelerate progress toward the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030.

The energy efficient upgrades will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 28,000 tons a year, which is the equivalent of taking over 5,000 cars off the road. It will also save the university nearly $6 million in energy and maintenance costs annually.

“As the largest single site employer on Long Island, Stony Brook University must remain committed to reducing our carbon footprint,” Interim President Michael Bernstein said.

The improvements, which will be financed

and implemented by the New York Power Authority, will include a number of energy-saving upgrades such as lighting, ventilation and building management upgrades at university buildings, including residence halls, science buildings and the hospital.

The planned upgrades continue the university’s effort to reduce its carbon footprint. NYPA and SUNY have already partnered to complete more than $50 million in energy efficiency improvements at Stony Brook. If all goes according to plan, expectations are for the removal of nearly 16,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere.

Some of those projects included interior and exterior LED lighting upgrades, replacement of older HVAC equipment, pipe insulation and lab HVAC modernization.

PSEG Long Island provided more than $500,000 in rebates to Stony Brook University for projects underway.

“We have a moral responsibility to protect this Earth while it is in our hands,” said Hochul. “Forty percent of buildings owned by the state of New York are on SUNY campuses ... If we are going to make an impact this is where we start.”

SUNY and NYPA, together, have completed energy-saving projects at more than 600 SUNY

Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station), Sarah Salati, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Interim SBU President Michael Bernstein discuss energy effeciency improvements with NYPA’s Palwinder Singh. Photo by David Luces

facilities, reducing energy consumption by more than 6.2 megawatts, removing more than 48,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere, and saving $12.1 million annually, according to SUNY. The public college institution

and power authority are currently partnering to implement energy-saving measures at more than 30 additional SUNY buildings. Once completed, they expect it will reduce SUNY’s energy consumption by an additional 1.6 megawatts.

PAGE A6 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • AUGUST 22, 2019

County

Town

A mugshot of Mark Kimes of Hauppauge. Photo from SCPD

Hauppauge music teacher indicted for sexually abusing Town offers free paper shredding a 16-year-old student Photo from Town of Smithtown

Suffolk County police have arrested a Hauppauge High School teacher for allegedly sexually abusing a teenage boy at the teacher’s home in Moriches.

An 18-year-old male reported to detectives that when he was a 16-year-old student at Hauppauge High School, located at 500 Lincoln Blvd., he was sexually abused by his chorus teacher, Mark Kimes, at the teacher’s home. Following an investigation, 7th Squad detectives determined Kimes had inappropriate contact with the teen while serving as his teacher.

Kimes, 53, of Long Tree Lane, Moriches, was arrested at his home at approximately 6:45 p.m. on Aug. 13 and charged him with criminal sex act first degree and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He was held overnight at the 7th Precinct.

Kimes was arraigned Aug. 14 at 1st District Court in Central Islip and was held on $55,000 cash bail or $105,000 bond. The judge ordered a stay away order of protection for the victim. Kimes was due back in court Aug. 19.

He is still employed by the Hauppauge school district, but has been reassigned and is prohibited from being on school-district grounds and from interacting with students.

Parents were notified, via a letter from Superintendent of Schools Dennis O’Hara, of news regarding the alleged actions of a school employee just prior to the story breaking.

“When we learned a faculty member had been arrested by the Suffolk County Police Department, we immediately reassigned him to remain at home and directed him not to appear on district property,” O’Hara said in an email. “Although school is not currently in session, we did not want the individual to be on school grounds while athletes or other students may be present for summer activities.”

O’Hara said that the district will closely monitor this matter and continue to cooperate with the police in their investigation.

“Be assured that the health and safety of our students are always our first priority,” he said.

— Compiled by Donna Deedy

The Town of Smithtown Department of Environment and Waterways, in partnership with the Municipal Services Facility and the Department of Public Safety, will host the second Paper Shredding Event of the year on Saturday, Sept. 21. The event will be held at Town Hall, located at 99 West Main Street in Smithtown from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“Twice a year residents can safely and securely dispose of unwanted documents while helping the environment,” Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) stated. “The process is seamlessly orchestrated by DEW, MSF, and Public Safety. Residents get in and out fast and can go back to enjoying their weekends.”

In 2018, there were a total of 341 families who came down to shred sensitive documents in the Summer and Fall. The Town of Smithtown collected 10.1 tons of paper, approximately 19,700 pounds, to be destroyed by Hauppauge-based Data Shredding Service, Inc. “I absolutely love being a part of this event. The public is so pleased and grateful that we are providing a much needed service to local families and our environment,” said Councilman Tom McCarthy (R). “This year we planned the first event in April. We hope to have a bigger turnout than last year’s Summer event.”

Smithtown Library Notice of meeting board of trustees The Annual Budget Hearing meeting of the board of trustees of the Smithtown Special Library District has been rescheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 4 at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will take place in the community room of the Nesconset Building located at 148 Smithtown Boulevard, Nesconset.

Pursuant to Section 103 of the Open Meetings Law, the meeting is open to the general public.

AUGUST 22, 2019 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A7

School News

From left: Town council members Tom McCarthy, Lisa Inzerillo, Tom Lohmann, Supervisor Ed Wehrheim, Council member Lynn Nowicki and Christine Fitzgerald, co-founder of Smithtown Children’s Foundation. Photo from the Town of Smithtown

Town hosts school supply drive Photo from the Smithtown Central School District

Accompsett appoints new principal Smithtown Central School District has named Bryan Frank as principal of Accompsett Elementary School, effective July 22. He replaces Jeanne Kull-Minarik, who retired at the end of the school year.

Frank previously served as Smithtown Central School District’s director of social studies since 2017. Prior to that, he worked at Connetquot Central School District and Port Washington School District as director of business and social studies and social studies chairperson, respectively.

Frank holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Long Island University

Post as well as a master’s degree from LIU Post in secondary education. He also holds a master’s degree in liberal studies with a concentration in school administration from Stony Brook University and is currently a doctoral candidate in educational leadership from St. John’s University.

“My focus as the Accompsett principal is to ensure that we continue to have a rich nurturing environment with programs that develop the whole child,” Frank said. “I look forward to working diligently and collaboratively with the community, faculty and staff of Accompsett to make sure everyone who enters the school is excited to be here.”

The Town of Smithtown will serve as a collection point for back-to-school supplies for disadvantaged local children. From Wednesday, Aug. 21 through Tuesday, Sept. 3 residents and businesses can drop off extra school supplies in front of the mailroom at town hall, or at the Smithtown Parks Department and the Smithtown Highway Department buildings. School supplies will be collected and delivered to the Smithtown Children’s Foundation after the Labor Day holiday weekend.

If you are shopping for a child or grandchild and you have an extra notebook, ruler, backpack, etc. and you want to give back, the town welcomes your participation.

Online shoppers can ship school supplies to Smithtown Town Hall to the attention of: Smithtown Town Hall Attn: Town Clerk’s Office or Town Council’s Office 99 W. Main Street Smithtown NY, 11787

PEOPLE of the YEAR

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Nominate outstanding members of the community for

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY LAW HAVE EXTENDED THE TIME PERIOD IN WHICH TO FILE YOUR SEXUAL ABUSE CLAIM. ACT NOW TO GET YOUR CLAIM TIMELY FILED.

Each year, with our readers’ help, we honor the people who have contributed in the communities we serve. ❖ The honorees are profiled in a special edition at the end of the year. ❖ Nominate your choice(s) by emailing donna@tbrnewsmedia.com ❖ Please include your name and contact information, the name and contact information of the individual you’re nominating and why he or she deserves to be a Person of the Year. ❖ DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

Victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy or by authority figures at school have rights.

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PAGE A8 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • AUGUST 22, 2019

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LEGALS Notice of formation of New Thai Holding LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the office of the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 6/5/2019. Office located in Suffolk County. United States Corporate Agents, Inc. have been designated for service of process. United States Corporate Agents, Inc. shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC: 53 West Main Street, Smithtown , NY 11703. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

802 7/25 6x ts SUPREME COURT – COUNTY OF SUFFOLK JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff against GEORGE J. WATSON, et al Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Amended Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated on June 13, 2019.

I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the front steps of the Smithtown Town Hall, 99 West Main Street, Smithtown, N.Y. on the 6th day of September, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. premises described as follows: All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Smithtown, near Smithtown Branch, County of Suffolk, State of New York.

Said premises known as 101 Cambon Avenue, Saint

To Place A Legal Notice

Email: legals@tbrnewsmedia.com James, N.Y. 11780.

(District: 0800, Section: 187.00, Block: 02.00, Lot: 005.000).

Approximate amount of lien $ 293,417.70 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale.

Index No. 605317-15.

Patrick A. Sweeney, Esq., Referee.

McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 420 Lexington Avenue – Suite 840 New York, N.Y. 10170 (347) 286-7409 811 8/8 4x ts NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF SUFFOLK U.S. Bank, N.A. as successor trustee to Wachovia Bank, N.A. F/K/A First Union National Bank, as trustee for Long Beach Mortgage Loan Trust 2001-4, Plaintiff AGAINST Gennaro J. Jelinek; Stephanie Moser; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated February 22, 2017 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Smithtown Town Hall, 99 West Main Street, Smithtown, NY 11787 on September 18, 2019 at 11:00AM, premises known as 118 Elizabeth Avenue, Smithtown,

NY 11787. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Smithtown, County of Suffolk, State of NY, District 0800 Section 134.00 Block 02.00 Lot 029.000 & 030.000.

Approximate amount of judgment $301,790.58 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 062673/2014.

John B. Zollo, Esq., Referee Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792 Dated: July 26, 2019 839 8/15 4x ts Notice of formation of Professional Revision Assistance and Tutoring Services LLC. Arts of Org. filed with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 08/06/2019.

Office location: Suffolk County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall Mail a copy of the process to the LLC: 10 5th Street, Nesconset, NY 11767. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

851 8/15 6x ts

photo from the Town of Smithtown

Town offers medical monitors for senior citizens The Smithtown Senior Citizens Department now offers in-home medical alert monitoring services to its senior residents aged 62 and older.

Medical alert clients simply wear an easy-touch activator that can be worn as a pendant or on the wrist. When activated, professionally trained emergency response operators are available 24/7 to help. This medical alert system allows seniors to live independently, with the comfort and peace of mind knowing that help is just a touch away.

“Our objective with this personal emergency response system is to ensure the wellbeing of our seniors and enable them to remain safely in their homes,” said Laura Greif, Smithtown Senior Citizens Department program director. “Perhaps just as important, it provides seniors with the peace of mind knowing that if they ever need help, they will get it.”

The Connect America medical alert program currently services 230 residents

within the Town of Smithtown. This service is available for a monthly monitoring fee of $18, which is paid directly to the monitoring company. There are no initiation fees, contracts or cancellation penalties.

All equipment is paid for by the Town of Smithtown through funding for this program, provided by a federal grant from Housing and Urban Development, awarded to the Town of Smithtown Community Development Department.

Eligibility Requirements: To be eligible for Medical Alert Services, applicants must: • Be a resident of the Town of Smithtown • Be aged 62 or older • Have a landline phone For further information regarding this and other senior programs, call the Senior Center at 631-360-7616.

Eligible residents can schedule a brief in-home assessment through the Smithtown Senior Citizens Department.

AUGUST 22, 2019 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A9

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PAGE A10 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • AUGUST 22, 2019

School News

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Smithtown’s younger generation of volunteers participated in the annual Town of Smithtown Pizza Box Top Project on Aug. 16. This youth-led initiative helps to prevent underage drinking, the sale of or providing alcohol to minors. Five pizza parlors participated in this year’s Pizza Box Top campaign. The youth volunteers adhered approximately 1,200 stickers to carryout bags. Gino’s Kings Park, MeMa’s in Commack, Monte’s in Smithtown,Three Bam-

binos and Branchinelli’s in Hauppauge took part by providing carryout bags for the project. The pizzerias are partners in the Youth Bureau/ Horizons Counseling and Education Center/Youth and Community Alliance of Smithtown effort to combat the buying of alcohol to minors. By allowing the prevention messaging stickers to be placed on carryout bags and beer cases for all customers to see, these pizza parlors help to provide a strong reminder: “Your actions matter! Preventing underage drinking is everyone’s responsibility.”

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Shining in summer Students in Sheri Fallacaro’s class in the Extended School Year Program in the Smithtown Central School District spent time this summer giving back to their local community. The program’s theme was Gratitude, Growth and Learning. The students wanted

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Opinion

Editorial

Letters to the Editor

Civics need your help Newspapers are not in decline from ‘bias’ As local journalists, we spend many hours attending meetings. Many, many meetings. Our goal is to know what’s happening in our communities at every level of government, from county to town to village.

A good way for people to become better engaged in community affairs is through civic groups. These groups, which are often overlooked, serve as the bridge between local government and residents.

They are the closest to the ground, with their ears toward local developments, both public and private. They are meant to represent the community. They ask businesses looking to develop the tough questions, mainly how the new Starbucks or Popeyes or hotel, just to name a few, will impact people in their daily lives.

Sadly, though, these civic groups often struggle with lack of participation. Groups like the Shoreham Civic Association publicly asked in a local Facebook group for people to show up, saying without participation their capacity for change goes out the window.

“Without Shoreham citizen participation we can do nothing,” the group wrote on Facebook.

If one were to get very Disney with their analogies, civics and civic participation are like … well, fairies. If one says out loud, “I don’t believe in fairies,” then the fairy dies.

Still, it’s clear why civics lack participation. Despite reports of a strengthening economy, people continue to work long hours and, in several cases, multiple jobs. Civic meetings often take place on weekdays and, understandably, the last thing one wants to do after getting home at 5, 6 or even 7 p.m. is rush out again to sit in another hour-long-plus meeting to discuss, for example, road issues.

When we attend these meetings, we see the demographics.

Most people who attend are older and likely have the time to sit and discuss the issues.

That’s not to say the younger generations don’t attend solely because of time constraints. In all likelihood, many community members don’t even know who their local civic leaders are, and when or where they meet.

If you are asking yourself: How can I have a hand in designing my community? Or, how can I keep taxes down? Well, it starts with the civics, so reach out to your local civic group.

It may also be time for civics to reach out more to their community residents, as well.

As reporters, we have noticed times when local elected officials, like in the Village of Port Jefferson, have actually become active in local Facebook pages. Some of these pages are full of comments, and often facts get misrepresented. If civics would take videos of their meetings, then upload them directly to these Facebook groups. It may be a means of bridging the knowledge gap. Civic leaders need to reach out by every means possible, including social media.

The issues aren’t going away. The only way to have your voice be heard is to get involved.

Letters … We welcome your letters. They should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style and good taste. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include a phone number and address for confirmation. Email letters to donna@tbrnewsmedia.com or mail them to The Times of Smithtown, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733.

In response to what I thought was a noncontroversial column by Leah Dunaief [Aug. 8] on the sad decline of local newspapers, a letter from Robert J. Parmegiani [“Newspapers have become too biased,” Aug. 15] claims that the cause of this decline is left-leaning bias. He couldn’t be further from the mark.

The primary reason for the decline is reduced advertising revenue. Advertising is how newspapers make their money. According to the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, revenue from advertising is down sharply since 2005 while revenue from circulation is slightly up. Print newspapers are declining for the same reason brick and mortar outlets of every description are: technological change.

Online outlets have not only taken billions of dollars from newspapers in ad revenue, they’re also giving away for free what newspapers report. Think of aggregators like Google News, Yahoo or HuffPost. Trained journalists who dig deep and check facts and sources are expensive, but it’s easy and cheap for anyone with a computer to “report” unsubstantiated allegations, rumors and conspiracy

theories as “news.”

The letter writer gives two examples of purported left-leaning bias in newspapers. He claims that the Ohio shooter supported Elizabeth Warren, that the Florida school shooter supported Bernie Sanders and that not one newspaper reported this.

Regarding the first, actually newspapers including The Washington Post and USA Today, as well as the AP wire service did report this. Even so, unlike the El Paso shooting, no connection has been established between the Ohio shooter’s motives and his politics, which makes his politics less newsworthy than those of the El Paso shooter, who drove more than 600 miles for the express purpose of killing “Mexicans.”

As for the Florida school shooter’s supposed support for Bernie Sanders, the reason we haven’t read about it in the papers is because it’s not true. I challenge the letter writer to cite his source. What is true is that the shooter had significant psychological problems, that he was rabidly racist and anti-Semitic on social media, writing “I hate Jews, n----rs and immigrants” on Instagram, and that he used a legally purchased AR-15

to commit his crime.

As far as painting President Donald Trump (R) a racist, newspapers are not necessary. His own words and actions are sufficient.

So instead of newspapers, what news source would the letter writer have us rely on? Trending stories on Facebook and Twitter? “The abusive and often factually incorrect tweets of the president?” Websites that are little more than propaganda and simply echo partisan talking points?

The shouting heads, spinmeisters and self-appointed gurus on cable news?

The biggest “fake news” of all is the purported left-leaning bias of the press. Maybe the letter writer hasn’t heard of Rupert Murdoch, The Wall Street Journal or The Washington Times. For some, starting with Trump, “fake news” is anything that doesn’t reaffirm his greatness. No matter how firmly based in fact news reporting is, the letter writer apparently stands ready to accuse it of being “left leaning” if it doesn’t reconfirm his own political beliefs. There’s a name for this in sports. It’s called working the ref.

David Friedman St. James

Citizen environmental stewardship needed Amid the many individual human tragedies that we find ourselves inundated with, there are even broader issues of working to keep our bays and oceans healthy that are being marginalized.

Quietly, much federal legislation is being pushed that maximizes profits at the expense of the health of the public’s environment.

One such piece is an H.R. bill that is moving forward in the House and

threatens the scientists and marine fisheries they protect.

This is despite the fact it has been 40plus years since the Magnuson-Stevens Act was enacted, where the U.S. fishery management system has played a critical role in maintaining the viability of numerous important fish species stocks.

H.R.3697’s shortsighted approach would undermine that progress and risk the return to days when overfishing and depleted fish

populations were chronic problems. Please call your congressperson and help ensure that fishermen, coastal communities, oceans and future generations benefit from stable, abundant fish populations. Unless we take the time to let our representatives know we oppose this legislation, we can expect an even greater loss of our fisheries and the fishermen who depend on it.

Charles A. Perretti Setauket

The opinions of columnists and letter writers are their own. They do not speak for the newspaper.

AUGUST 22, 2019 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A23

Opinion

Reflections on the eve of the first college drop-off

A

m I going to cry? That’s the question I get so often when I talk to other parents who, like me, are about to send their first child off to college.

I’m sure I’ll be more reflective than tearyeyed. I’ll probably think about expected and unanticipated milestones. Like a montage or a video, pictures and memories of my daughter at various ages will pass through my head.

D. None I keep thinking of the above about her fourth

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF birthday.

The night before her party, she could barely sleep. She came into our room several

times to ask if it was time to get up yet. I told her to look out the window, past the streetlights of Manhattan, into the sky, where it was pitch dark. When it was lighter, she could get up and start preparing for the party.

As soon as we got to Jodi’s Gym, which was a wonderful padded room filled with age-appropriate apparatuses, my daughter raced around the room. The party planner asked us to wait in the entrance so we could greet her guests. While we were waiting, I chased her around the table, listening to the wonderful, happy screeches that came each time I either caught up to her or got close to her.

“You know,” the party planner said, “you might want to save some energy for the party.”

My daughter smiled at me, shook her head and ran away, expecting me to follow her. I continued to play the pre-party game, even as the party planner shrugged. After everyone arrived, my daughter led the way on every piece of equipment, delighted that she had the chance to run, jump and scream

without waking Maryann and Frank, who lived beneath us in our apartment. Even though she can’t picture Maryann and Frank today, she knows that those were the names we used whenever she got too loud early in the morning or late at night.

I also think about how enchanted my daughter was by her first grade teacher. Mrs. Finkel delighted her students and their parents with her soft voice, her ability to focus on each student individually and the class as a whole at the same time, and her control of the classroom. While Mrs. Finkel died incredibly young after a short battle with cancer, I know her legacy lives on with the students who are preparing for college and with her husband and daughter.

I am also recalling the many moments when a book captivated my daughter’s attention, causing her to read late into the night; when she caught blue claw crabs at a dock; or when she played board games with her brother and cousins at my mother’s house

during Thanksgiving.

Perhaps the most recurring memory, however, goes back to when she was learning to ride a bicycle. I pushed the bike for several seconds, let go, and watched her wobble unsteadily until she either fell or put her feet to the sides. Eventually, my back hurt so much that I couldn’t bend and run anymore.

“Let’s stop for now,” I gasped. “You don’t need to do it now. When you’re ready, you’ll do it.”

She paused and asked me to push her one more time. When I did, she slowly circled the parking lot and stopped, a triumphant smile plastered across her face. On the walk back home, I asked her how she was able to conquer the bike.

She told me she thought about how she wanted to be ready, so she did it.

While I probably won’t cry when I turn around and leave her at college, I will hope that she feels as ready as she did when she conquered her bike.

The art of creating a personal profile for a dating app

I

f you want to see what your kids really think of you and have some fun in the process, ask them to come up with a profile for you to use on an internet dating app. My children and a couple of grandchildren were here for a visit this past weekend, and that was one bit of interaction we enjoyed. I have never filled out such a profile before, and I turned to them — the generation that started using apps to find partners — for help. Here are some Between words they threw you and me out.

BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF Beautiful: Well listen, if your sons don’t think you are good looking, what was the point of all that maternal sacrifice? This one is just a given.

Energetic: Of course. You have to have some measurable degree of energy in order to put yourself out there. It’s certainly easier to lay back and watch endless television or read a novel every night. And I am leaving off the comments they threw out about double chins and still having my original teeth.

Good conversation: Yes, OK, but it takes two to tango. Willing to offer opinions on just about everything. And listening is at least as important.

Loves to travel: That probably narrows the field to about 90 percent of the female population.

Enjoys theater: Ditto.

Sense of humor: If you have to brag, not much hope. I would hate to be asked to say something funny. Probably more of a way of looking at life.

Likes sailing: Although I no longer ski or play tennis, because of knees that are given to protest.

That’s probably in a league with long walks on the beach. Not much personalization there. Come now, let’s find something unique.

Opera subscription: Only unique for the younger generation of Dunaiefs because they can’t

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imagine thousands of people gathering to hear some fat women screech. Little do they know that the women are no longer fat, and the human voice can be one of the most exquisite instruments delivering some of the most beautiful melodies ever written. Plus operas often have profound themes dealing with universal questions. What we have here is theater, concert and choir all in one offering. They are young yet, they may come upon the bargain that is opera one fine day.

Well read: That’s correct if measured by the amount of newspaper articles I feel it necessary to ingest every day. Books mostly have to wait for vacations.

Loves learning: Now we are getting somewhere. They say that journalists know things a mile wide but only an inch deep. That is true.

From one day to the next, we have to leap from subject to subject, spending only enough time on each one to be able to write about its newsworthiness correctly before moving on to the next.

And that suits me fine. Where I become more interested, I can always go back and dig deeper.

Meanwhile there are endless facts to absorb as I move along.

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Leah S. Dunaief GENERAL MANAGER Johness Kuisel MANAGING EDITOR Kyle Barr EDITOR Donna Deedy

LEISURE EDITOR Heidi Sutton ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kathryn Mandracchia ART AND PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Beth Heller Mason

Still working: Yes, that’s how one continues to learn.

Independent: You bet. That is definitely a truth about yours truly, and those children of mine are probably glad that I am. Being independent, not having to live up to anyone else’s expectations, including one’s own from long ago, is hard won and to be cherished. Not having to lean on anyone for support, unless by choice, is the ultimate liberation.

Loves raspberries and blueberries: Now we are getting to the heart of the matter. Yummy!

Adores flowers and nature in all its magnificence: Yes, yes, yes.

Good friends: You have to be one to have one. I certainly try.

Love my family: And I am close to them. A most important part of my life.

Optimistic and positive to a fault: I have always told my children that all things are possible.

They just have to work hard to succeed. They are the CEOs of their lives.

Romance: Ah, yes. What is life without an adoring someone? Worth searching for, I think.

INTERNET STRATEGY DIRECTOR Rob Alfano CLASSIFIEDS DIRECTOR Ellen Segal BUSINESS MANAGER Sandi Gross

CREDIT MANAGER Diane Wattecamps CIRCULATION MANAGER Courtney Biondo

PAGE A24 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • AUGUST 22, 2019

Monica Rubin’s Unique School of Rock Story Continues with Concerts, Tours and a Scheduled Third Location Opening Soon Young Musicians from the Rockville Centre and Huntington Locations Regularly are Booked to Perform shows in Brooklyn, New York City and Long Island and Many Recently Embarked on a Tour of venues in Ohio, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey as well. against school policy . An original artist in a touring band as young as 13, his hair was part of his image. The principal, the monsignor and the staff throughout elementary school and high school always targeted him because of his hair. The simple solution of having him tie it neatly would not satisfy administration. Aren’t we, the adults, supposed to encourage our kids to be themselves and let their individuality shine? They made those years very difficult for him over the length of his hair!”.

Rockville Centre, NY and Huntington, NY-- When you visit Monica Rubin’s School of Rock locations, the experience is different. Her unique approach is helping to truly foster the next generation of great artists and is redefining music education.

Through a performance-based curriculum, students are guided from the lesson room to the stage where they play real shows at authentic venues with their peers. School of Rock’s collaborative environment inspires students to learn and excel and instills a confidence they carry with them for the rest of their lives.

For instance, on July 1st thru July 7th 2019, several young artists from the Rockville Centre and Huntington schools got their first taste of what the rock star touring life is all about. The forward thinking and creative owner of these two School of Rock locations set up a string of shows in Ohio, DC, Berwyn, Wildwood and Easton. The tour is offered for their audition scholarship team - the house band who are carefully selected after an extensive audition process.

Monica has been the brainchild and the workhorse behind setting up these tours, as well as the thought leader for the many other unique and interesting initiatives that are in place year round - including previous performance dates for students at The Bitter End in New York City where they expertly performed everything from AC/DC, Aerosmith VS Guns N Roses, Brit Rock, 90’s Rock, Maiden vs Priest, NY State of Mind and Deep Purple.

The Performance Program is School of Rock’s hallmark music program, where tens of thousands of students enroll each year. It consists of a weekly private lesson and a group rehearsal where kids between the ages of 7 and 19 learn by playing rock music’s most iconic songs with a band composed of their peers.

Students are assigned songs and parts that are tailored to them based on their age, experience, and ability to learn new skills and concepts. Students then work through their parts in weekly private music lessons, and refine the skills and concepts ©160215

that those songs introduce. The goal of this curriculum is to prepare kids and teens for live performances. Every few months, Performance Program students take the stage and play at music venues in Manhattan, Long Island and/or Brooklyn.

The instructors at both locations hold impressive music degrees and are active touring musicians. Many are from well known New York bands The Inoculated Canaries, Craving Strange, In Loving Memory, Ellis-Ashbrook, the list goes on.

It is her passion for the program but more importantly for the students that sets her schools apart. Monica tells her story in her own words.

“I cannot tell you that from a young age I knew that this was where I wanted to be, but in truth, my life has always led me to this. I grew up in a talented home, that is everyone had musical talent except me.

My dad, a self taught musician, could play anything you put in front of him. I, on the other hand,was musically challenged.

I would sing (and still do) at the top of my lungs not really caring that I was pitchy and off beat. My parents sent me for piano lessons even though I wanted to play the drums. After the second month, the instructor told me he would pay me to stop going if I promised not to tell anyone I had been his student. True story!! Our son

Michael became interested in playing the guitar at a young age. When I say young I mean he literally played the guitar on my rib cage while I was pregnant with him!

My husband, Gene and I encouraged him to play but quickly realized that taking lessons just wasn’t enough. Coming home and practicing on his own wasn’t fun. We live in a society that encourages sports and supports athletes but musicians are usually forgotten”.

Monica continued, “Like most of you, I turned to my dear trusty friend Google to help us solve the problem. I asked Google what we could do to “help our child find other kids to play music with.” Google replied “School of Rock.” I was in disbelief.

Google had made a mistake! We all know that School of Rock was a movie, how would that help my child? What I didn’t know was that the movie resulted from an actual school. THE SCHOOL OF ROCK! We quickly scheduled an appointment thinking this was all just too good to be true. I had no idea that Google had not only changed my son’s life, but the life of my entire family!”

On her son, Ms. Rubin remarked, “Michael was the “different” one in the Catholic schools he attended. A straight A student never in trouble always on the verge of suspension because, unlike the others, he had long curly hair that somehow was

She added, “As a parent, as his mom, I wanted a place where Michael could be himself. I watch him today as a brilliant musician and his confidence both on the stage and in life. In my heart I know that his School of Rock experience was part of it.”

In closing Monica said, “Throughout Michael’s years at School of Rock I turned my photography toward the concert world.

I was not only fortunate to have met some incredible artists, but I am lucky to now call them my friends. They introduced me to the music business teaching me about recording, managing, touring, the list goes on. It was around this time that Michael’s band, The Inoculated Canaries started to develop into more than a garage band.

It was at this time that Gene told me he knew what my calling was, he was right!

We started our School of Rock knowing that it would change the lives of those who walked through our doors. Our school is a clubhouse for our students. They have a place to express themselves musically and are challenged by the incredible teachers that are here. Together, we are the School of Rock Rockville Centre, Huntington and soon to be Syosset/Oyster Bay family.”

For More on School of Rock Rockville Centre: https://locations.schoolofrock.com/ rockvillecentre For More on School of Rock Huntington: https://locations.schoolofrock.com/ huntington ADVERTORIAL