The Times of Smithtown - November 2, 2017

The Times of

smiThTown

Fort salonga east • kings park • smithtown • nesconset • st james • head oF the harbor • nissequogue • hauppauge • commack Vol. 30, No. 36

November 2, 2017

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Local Election Info For our official endorsements, see page A22

Election Day guide Read up on local races before heading to the polls Nov. 7

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STAC Member Artist Showcase returns

Also: Photo of the Week, Art exhibits on the North Shore, SBU Sports, review of ‘Cornelius & the Cowlick’

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Who’ s next?

Smithtown voters have three options for supervisor — Story A10, Endorsements A22

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PAGE A2 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • NOVEMBER 02, 2017

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Residents interested in knowing what’s happening inside Nissequogue River State Park have a chance to sit down with state officials this week.

Two community meetings will be held Nov. 2, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m., where parkgoers will have the chance to learn about Phase 3 of the Nissequogue River State Park revitalization plan at the Kings Park firehouse.

The meeting, held jointly by the state office of parks and recreation and the state Department of Environmental Conservation, will feature a presentation on the demolition of unsafe structures as well as making park improvements for use, according to Wayne Horsley, the Long Island regional director of the state office of parks

and recreation.

“There will be demolition of several buildings burnt in the fires last year as well as building No. 40, the old child care center,” the parks director said.

Two new items to be discussed are plans for construction of a new marine fisheries laboratory that Horsley said he expects will add more than 100 jobs to the local economy, and a brand new marina.

The regional parks director said state officials are interested in hearing input and comments from residents, and will likely be holding a Q&A period at the end of their presentation.

The Kings Park firehouse is located at 2 E. Main St. in Kings Park.

— SaRa-MegaN WalSh

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NOVEMBER 02, 2017 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A3

TOWN

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Vincent Trimarco Jr., 48, of Smithtown, was arrested by the FBI Oct. 27 for alleged activities including money laundering, mail fraud and wire fraud.

Feds claim Smithtown attorney stole $2M in wrongful death settlement

By Sara-Megan WalSh Sara@TBrneWSpaperS.cOM A Smithtown attorney is facing federal charges for allegedly stealing $2 million from a young girl whose father died while in police custody.

Vincent Trimarco Jr., 48, of Smithtown, was arrested Oct. 27 by FBI agents and charged with 19 federal indictments that include money laundering, mail fraud, wire fraud and other crimes. Trimarco had allegedly concocted the scheme with a partner to use the $2 million to invest in a Patchogue nightclub and several luxury cars, according to federal officials.

Trimarco was hired to represent the family of Scott Eriksen, a man who died in 2005 from a head injury received while in the custody of Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, in a federal wrongful death lawsuit. The suit was settled in September 2011 for $3 million, of which $1 million was to go to the attorney for his legal services and the remaining $2 million to Eriksen’s family, according to federal officials.

In 2012, Eriksen’s daughter came forward and was, after court proceedings, found to be the sole heir to the $2 million settlement.

Trimarco was legally ordered to recoup the funds from his partner, not identified by name in the indictment but confirmed by lawyers to be the girl’s grandfather, and was barred from “removing or otherwise transferring or reducing the funds.”

From October 2011 to August 2017, Trimarco and his partner used $800,000 to invest and purchase ownership in the Emporium, a Patchogue nightclub that

closed in May 2017.

The remaining funds were used by the pair to purchase several luxury vehicles including a 2007 Jaguar XKR convertible for $57,000 and a 2007 Ferrari F430 Spider for $200,000, along with real estate properties in Hauppauge, Nesconset and Ronkonkoma, according to the indictment.

These purchases were allegedly made

by Trimarco and his partner under several different shell companies, including Gavin Scott Development Corp.; South Shore Catering & Events, doing business as the Emporium; and FoFo’s Toy, also doing business as the Emporium, in efforts to try to conceal their identities, according to federal officials.

It was also suggested by federal officials that Trimarco was duping his partner.

The indictment states Trimarco managed to gain a majority share in Patchogue’s Emporium for “a nominal amount,” while his partner did not have any ownership stake despite having invested more than $800,000.

Trimarco has pleaded not guilty to all 19 charges in Central Islip court and has been released on bail.

“When the facts are borne out, the government will see that they are mistaken,” said his attorney William Wexler of North Babylon.

Miller Place-based attorney John Ray, who is one of two legal representatives for Eriksen’s daughter, a minor who is not named in the indictment, said his client has yet to receive a penny of the $2 million from the wrongful death settlement.

“We certainly wish there is some restitution or full restitution for the money that was taken,” Ray stated for his client.

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NOVEMBER 02, 2017 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A5

STATE

Civic hosts debate on constitutional proposal

By Donna newman As amended in 1846, the New York State Constitution includes a mandatory requirement that every 20 years state voters be offered the opportunity via a ballot proposal to convene a constitutional convention — called “Con Con” by those familiar with state politics — to review and revise the existing document. If a majority votes Yes, delegates are elected to serve at a convention held in Albany.

A recent meeting of the Three Village Civic Association was devoted to informing the public about the proposal to be presented to New York State voters on Election Day with the debate titled “Shall there be a convention to revise the constitution and amend the same?”

Two guest speakers were invited to present opposing views of Proposal 1, the first of three proposals that will appear on the reverse side of the ballot listing the candidates for office Nov. 7. The civic association’s Vice President George Hoffman moderated the debate at the Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket.

The ballot question was last posed in 1997, when a majority of those voting said No. The last Con Con was held in 1967 and the voters later rejected all of the proposed changes. If a majority votes Yes this time around, three delegates from each state senatorial district and 15 at-large statewide delegates will be elected in November 2018, according to the State Board of Elections website, www.elections.ny.gov.

“The delegates will convene at the Capitol in April 2019,” according to the website.

“Amendments adopted by a majority of the delegates will be submitted to the voters for approval or rejection in a statewide referendum to be held at least six weeks after the Convention adjourns. The delegates will determine whether to submit proposed amendments as separate questions.

Any amendments that the voters approve will go into effect on the January 1 following their approval.”

Anyone may run to be a delegate.

Anthony Figliola, vice president of Empire Government Strategies of Uniondale, a governmental consulting firm representing a variety of clients seeking liaisons in Albany, New York City or local municipalities, recommended a No vote.

Figliola’s primary argument is that a constitutional convention is an extremely expensive and risky way to affect change, especially when the document itself provides an alternative.

“The referendum process has been more

Photo by Jonathan Kornreich; Image from Suffolk County Board of elections

above, anthony Figliola and al Benninghoff participated in a debate about the constitutional convention at a recent Three Village Civic association meeting. Below, the voting for the constitutional convention will be on the back of the ballot. successful as compared to Con Con,” he said. “There have been 600 amendments passed by the voters in our history. This year there will be a question on the ballot as to whether pensions should be taken away from any state legislator convicted of a felony. In 2013, there were six constitutional amendments proposed. Five of them were approved. The good government groups are coming from a good place. They are [working] to enact change and they are trying to move the legislature and get the public at large involved in the process.”

Figliola also spoke about the last Con Con, held in 1967, calling it “an utter failure.”

“Of the delegates elected 80 percent were politically connected,” he said. “And 45 percent were either sitting [or retired] elected officials ... collecting — or in the pension system. This allowed them to take two salaries, as there is no prohibition against it in the constitution. In addition to doubling their income, pension credits accrued by doing this raised their pension payouts.”

In the end, all of the proposed amendments to the constitution were submitted for

voter approval in one package — which the voters rejected.

Al Benninghoff is a campaign manager for the Committee for a Constitutional Convention and also with New York People’s Convention. A longtime political strategist and reform advocate, he recommended a Yes vote.

Benninghoff’s case can be summed up in two words: It’s time.

The last time a Con Con question was proposed to voters in 1997, the New York City Bar Association called for a No vote and suggested: “Let’s give the legislature a chance to reform itself. We gave it 20 years and nothing has happened,” he said.

“Frankly, enough is enough,” Benninghoff said. “The legislature holds all the power. If the legislature doesn’t want to find it within itself to give us the opportunity to vote on an amendment to the constitution, then they can absolutely withhold it. And they have done that a lot.”

He went on to list things he believes should have already been addressed.

“There have been no ethics reforms;

independent redistricting in name only, not in actuality; no term limits; and no campaign finance reform,” he said. “There’s still a tremendous loophole with LLCs [limited liability companies]. If a person running for state legislative office wants to take campaign donations from an infinite number of LLCs created by one person, or one company, they can do so. That’s a campaign finance loophole big enough to drive a truck through. What it does is empower the political status quo.

It takes all the power away from the people — and that is exactly what a New York State Constitutional Convention changes.”

In New York State history there have been nine constitutional conventions.

The longest gap between conventions has been since the last one in 1967. It’s been 50 years. The last one did not produce any changes, arguably because all the proposals were lumped together in a single vote.

As moderator of this informational session and the Q&A period that followed it, Hoffman remained clearly impartial. But in supplying additional data after the event he said he formed an opinion.

“I take the question to hold a constitutional convention very seriously and I am leaning to supporting it,” Hoffman said. “I see it as a solemn responsibility to periodically review our state constitution. I think it’s clear to most that many things need to change in Albany and a constitutional convention might be the only way to bring that change. I would seriously consider running for delegate if the constitutional convention is approved.”

For more information on the New York State Constitutional Convention, visit www.rockinst.org/nys_concon2017.

PAGE A6 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • NOVEMBER 02, 2017

Police

Photo from SCPD

Police suspect the man, pictured above, of stealing electronics from a Commack store in October.

Police: Commack thief wanted Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police 4th Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who stole goods from a Commack store.

A man stole two iPads from Walmart, located on Crooked Hill Road, Oct. 20 at approximately 3 p.m. The stolen iPads

have a combined value of $658.

Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 800-220-8477 (TIPS). All calls will be kept confidential.

— Sara-Megan WalSh

Cops: Robber had child in tow Suffolk County Police arrested a woman for robbing an Islandia bank Oct. 28 while she left her daughter in a waiting taxi.

Diana Marini, of Brentwood, entered Chase bank, located on Veterans Memorial Highway, and presented a note demanding cash. The teller complied and the woman fled in the waiting taxi at approximately 1:05 p.m.

A 4th Precinct Police Officer James Tobin responded and located the taxi, the suspect and the suspect’s 6 year-old daughter.

Major Case detectives charged Marini, 28, with one count of first-degree robbery and one count of endangering the welfare of a child. She was held overnight before being arranged in Central Islip court.

The child was released to family members and Suffolk County Child Protective Services was notified.

— Sara-Megan WalSh

Photo from SCPD

Dawn Marini, 28, of Brentwood, was arrested by police Oct. 28.

Police raid Hauppauge spa

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Suffolk County police arrested a woman for prostitution during a massage parlor raid in Hauppauge Oct. 26 at about 2:35 p.m.

In response to numerous community complaints, Suffolk County Police 4th Precinct Crime Section officers, county detectives, agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and a Town of Islip fire marshal conducted an investigation into illegal activities at the Charming Spa, located on Motor Parkway.

Yunok No, 54, of Central Islip, was charged with unauthorized practice of a profession, a class E felony under the New York State Education Law and prostitution under the New York State Penal Law. The fire marshal also issued six summonses for occupancy and town code violations.

No was arraigned in Central Islip court and released on $1,000 cash bail. The investigation is continuing, according to police.

— Sara-Megan WalSh

Photo from SCPD

Yunok no, 54, of Central Islip, was arrested by police Oct. 26.

NOVEMBER 02, 2017 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A7

County

DA charged by feds, plans to retire before term ends

By Alex Petroski alex@tbrnewspapers.com

File photo

suffolk County District Attorney tom spota, who did not plan to run for re-election, was indicted oct. 25 and will retire prior to the completion of his fourth term in office.

Commissioner James Burke, who was charged in December 2015 after assaulting and thus violating the civil rights of a Smithtown man who had been arrested for breaking into Burke’s police department issued vehicle. He was also charged with conspiracy to obstruct the investigation. Burke was sentenced to 46 months in prison almost exactly one year ago.

“Prosecutors swear oaths to pursue justice and enforce the law,” acting U.S. Attorney Bridget Rohde said in a statement following the indictment. “Instead of upholding their oaths, these defendants allegedly abused the power of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, attempted to cover up the assault of an in-custody defendant, and attempted to thwart a federal grand jury investigation.

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Since allegations against Burke came to light and he pleaded guilty in February 2016, Spota’s resignation has long been discussed by members of both political parties.

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Suffolk County residents and lawmakers have known since early 2017 there would be a new district attorney for the first time since 2001, but thanks to a federal indictment, the timeline for that to take place has moved up.

Thomas Spota (D), the sitting Suffolk County district attorney, was charged by a federal grand jury in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York Oct. 25 with four counts relating to his involvement in the obstruction of a federal civil rights investigation. Christopher McPartland, the chief of investigations and chief of the government corruption bureau of the DA’s office, was also indicted.

Spota released a statement Oct. 26 announcing his intentions to step down “at the earliest opportunity after the resolution of normal administrative matters relating to my retirement.” Emily Constant, the chief assistant district attorney, will serve as the interim district attorney until the winner of the 2017 campaign for the seat is sworn in next January.

The four charges were conspiracy to tamper with witnesses and obstruct an official proceeding; witness tampering and obstruction of an official proceeding; obstruction of justice; and accessory after the fact to the deprivation of civil rights. The initial civil rights violation investigation was examining the actions of former Suffolk County Police

governmentally and politically in a way that we can ensure this doesn’t happen again. If you fail to do so, I will call on the governor to exercise his authority under the constitution to remove you from this office.”

Bellone renewed his call Oct. 25, before Spota’s announcement the next day.

“The person holding the awesome power to decide whether people go to jail or not cannot effectively serve under federal indictment for corruption,” Bellone said in a statement.

The indictment detailed some of the specifics of Spota’s and McPartland’s actions that led to the charges.

“Between December 2012 and the present, defendants Spota and McPartland, together with others including Burke and other members of the SCPD, had numerous meetings and telephone conversations discussing the assault of John Doe, John Doe’s allegations against Burke and the federal investigation,” it reads. “During those meetings and telephone conversations, defendants Spota and McPartland, and Burke and other members of the SCPD, agreed to conceal Burke’s role in the assault and to obstruct and attempt to obstruct the federal investigation in order to protect Burke.”

Bellone has been criticized by Republican legislators and others for his role in Burke’s promotion, and some have also called for his resignation during the last year.

Spota, 76, of Mount Sinai, and McPartland, 51, of Northport, were arraigned Oct. 25.

PAGE A8 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • NOVEMBER 02, 2017

Smithtown hiStory

Photos from Smithtown Historical Society

Above, a historic photo of St. Joseph’s Parish Center and, above, St. Joseph’s Church in Kings Park

St. Joseph’s Parish reflects changes of Kings Park

By MAriAnne HowArd

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The churches and schools of Kings Park reflect the changes of societal demands on the town. Tidal waves of immigrants, the surge in population and changing needs of the community combined to influence the way the populace assembled, worshipped and studied.

St. Joseph’s Parish, which sits at the corner of Church Street and Old Dock Road, celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2015. Charter members of the parish came from Ireland during the 1830s. At first, the Society of St. Johnland hosted Sunday Mass in a sun parlor of a building used to increase its Roman Catholic Irish staff, but it soon became apparent that a Roman Catholic church needed to be formed.

Kings Park established its church in 1891, and the current church was petitioned in 1953 and dedicated in 1958 by the Rev. Robert Charpentier, the Rev. Robert Mulligan and the Rev. James Hannon.

The first resident pastor assigned to the parish was Father Thomas McCaffrey in 1892. At that time, the first rectory was constructed on the same site as the present one. In the meantime, the rectory was a small frame house originally rented and then purchased by McCaffrey for $3,000. The current rectory was built between 1919 and 1920 by the Rev. John Smith.

St. Joseph’s most recent pastor is Father Sean Gann, appointed in 2008. His family, also Irish immigrants, began work at Kings Park State Hospital, and he is the 16th pastor of the parish.

While a private school was established at the parish with the influx of Irish immigrants to the area with the growth and development of St. Johnland, it ultimately closed due to the increased cost of lay teachers and declining enrollment in the 1970s. Catholic schools throughout the diocese were reorganized in 1992, and St. Joseph’s Parish became one of four sponsoring schools for Holy Family Regional School in Commack.

The Parish Center was renovated in 1951 and today houses the ministries of the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Daughters of America, St. Vincent de Paul Society as well as youth ministries. St. Joseph’s partnered with the Ancient Order of Hibernians to create an outdoor shrine and plaza in honor of Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland.

Marianne Howard is the executive director of the Smithtown Historical Society. For more information on the society, its events or programs or on becoming a member, visit www. smithtownhistorical.org or call 631-265-6768.

NOVEMBER 02, 2017 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A9

Local Election Info For our official endorsements, see page A22

PAGE A10 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • NOVEMBER 02, 2017

TOWN

Photos by Alex Petroski

Smithtown councilman edward Wehrheim (R), independent candidate Kristen Slevin and democratic candidate William Holst are racing for Smithtown supervisor nov. 7.

Three-way historic race for Smithtown supervisor

By Kevin Redding kevin@tbrnewspapers.com As a promise of change hangs over the Smithtown supervisor election, residents will have three very different options when they enter the voting booth Nov. 7.

On the heels of his victory over 40-year incumbent Pat Vecchio in the Republican primary in September, Councilman Edward Wehrheim (R) faces off against Democratic candidate William Holst — an assistant county attorney and former Suffolk County Legislator — and Independent candidate Kristen Slevin — a local business owner and political newcomer — as the race for the top position enters its final stretch.

The three candidates sat down at the TBR News Media office in Setauket Oct. 19 to discuss their stances on a variety of Smithtown-related issues.

Wehrheim, a lifelong Smithtown resident who has voiced his discontentment with the way Vecchio has run town hall for the past five years, is halfway through his fourth term on the board. He vows to get more work done than his predecessor, if elected, and proposed all elected town officials be considered fulltime employees.

Wehrheim said he will hit the ground running and work diligently to make sure long-dormant downtown revitalization initiatives — like bringing sewers to Kings Park, apartments to Smithtown and working with civic groups to turn the New York Avenue school property into something fitting for the town — are pushed forward as

quickly as possible.

Wehrheim also wants to make Smithtown’s government more transparent for residents.

“We need to have information or public relations officers there so the public has more access to the work sessions and they know what’s going on,” he said. “Right now, it’s not clear what’s going on in the agendas.

The agenda has 75 items, labeled A to ZZ, and nobody understands that. We need more clarification. Whoever is elected to supervisor has to do what’s right for the community.”

Admitting that Smithtown has “a very closed board,” the Republican candidate said he will advocate for more teamwork and openness to allow board members to push legislation of their own. He proposed a business advisory council made up of members from the chamber of commerce, civic groups and local businesses to make new development plans.

“The problem, though, has been that the current town board and the supervisor, in particular, either do nothing or come up with plans that are totally unrealistic in terms of what is appropriate for the area,” Holst said in response to the town’s lack of downtown revitalization. “I think it takes somebody with my background — one who understands land use, knows what is going to be possible in a certain area and has a sense of community.”

Holst, who was president of the Smithtown school district board from 1992 to 1993, touted his experience consolidating two high schools into one to fix declining enrollment. He said, similarly, in down-

town Smithtown, “you have to sell off existing [town] buildings and consolidate them to New York Avenue.”

The Democrat also cited that he created the Downtown Revitalization Citizens Advisory Panel during his term in the Suffolk County legislature representing the 12th district. As a former vice president and president of the Greater Smithtown Chamber of Commerce, Holst said he worked to get paved public parking behind stores on the north side of Main Street — an example of his revitalization experience.

“I think I’m the best person for the job to get people to come to a consensus and make things happen,” Holst said.

He questioned the commitment of Slevin, the 40-year-old owner of Yottabyte Craft Chocolate and Candy in Smithtown, who got on the ballot after gathering more than 1,500 voter signatures across party lines this past summer. She has freely admitted to never setting foot inside town hall.

“I’m an outsider — a regular person,” Slevin said. “When I decided I wanted to get involved with the town, I started watching everything online.”

Slevin said she never entered this race thinking she would actually win but is proud to be a voice for the 75 percent of people, mostly young adults, who don’t vote in the local elections or involve themselves in politics at all. She pointed to Vecchio’s reign as “a perfect example” of depriving an entire generation of the opportunity to lead and bring new ideas forward.

It’s [not that] my generation that

doesn’t care about local politics. It’s because we’re taking care of our kids, our parents, struggling to hold onto a job, continuing our education, and getting advanced degrees,” she said. “When you have [Vecchio] running the town for 40 years, — my entire life — you just take it for granted. Then one day, you’re like, ‘Oh my goodness, the whole house is falling down. How did I miss it?’”

If elected, she wants to implement term limits and proposed council districts for board members to improve elected officials’ accountability. Slevin said she’d like to see Smithtown be, “a small town USA that maximizes our spot on the Washington Spy Trail” with elements of Sag Harbor and Northport Village — mixed communities that are walkable, bikeable and pet-friendly.”

Even if she is not elected, she hopes any and all Republicans and Democrats out there feeling disenfranchised by local governments continue to stay active in their parties.

The three candidates stood on common ground in regard to the prevalence of opioid and heroin in the town. Wehrheim said local government has a role in it and plans to make education seminars and hearings on the topic mandatory among town council members, while Holst agreed it was a problem that needed to be addressed.

Slevin said although in Smithtown “we don’t talk about these things,” she’s glad there has been an open dialogue on it within the last year. She wants to not only address people’s access to the drugs but also the psychology behind why they’re taking them.

Six candidates compete for two Smithtown board seats

By SARA-MegAn WAlSH sara@tbrnewspapers.com Voters will have six diverse options when they step into the voting booth to select two candidates to represent them on Smithtown Town Board Nov. 7.

In a sit-down Oct. 26 at the TBR News Media office in Setauket, the six candidates stated their positions on downtown revitalization, traffic and what the biggest issue the town faces looking ahead to 2018.

Incumbent Councilman Thomas McCarthy (R), who is also the deputy town

supervisor was first elected to the board in 1997. Incumbent Councilwoman Lynne Nowick (R), a St. James resident and former Suffolk legislator for 12 years, is also seeking re-election.

McCarthy and Nowick said they are proud of the work they have done to push forward the downtown revitalization of Lake Avenue in St. James. The issue in other areas, the incumbents said, is sewers for the town’s business districts. With New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) promising $40 million in state funds, it’s a project they said is slowly but steadily moving forward.

“We need to continue what we are doing,” McCarthy said. “We have a five-year plan that is the best five-year plan we’ve ever had.”

During her first term in office, Nowick said residents have reached out to her primarily regarding quality of life issues. If re-elected, she said she plans to focus on addressing the continuous need to improve the town’s roadways, sidewalks, parks and beaches; areas where she feels she can make a difference, as she said her ability to push revitalization is limited.

“I am frustrated with the landlords of

these [downtown] buildings,” Nowick said.

“We can’t have a community that’s alive unless the buildings have stores. What can we do to entice the landlords to bring in new businesses?”

Their Republican primary challengers have kept their names on the ballot because they said they believe the town needs sweeping change. Nesconset resident Bob Doyle, who served for more than 37 years in law enforcement and is a U.S. Army veteran, has joined with Tom Lohmann, of Smithtown,

TOWN BOARD continued on page A11

NOVEMBER 02, 2017 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A11

Town Board Continued from page A10 a former member of the New York City Police Department and current investigator for the county district attorney’s insurance crime bureau. The pair is still running on the Conservative party line.

“First and foremost, the first thing you have to do is a comprehensive master plan done with the inclusion of the community,” Lohmann said. “By far, the biggest topics of concern are the downtown business district is dying and traffic.”

The Conservative candidates, if elected, said they want to update the town’s comprehensive master plan to include all hamlets, in consultation with civic groups and local businesses. Lohmann said to do this he would start up quarterly community meetings in different hamlets so town officials could sit down with residents to hear concerns and get feedback. Doyle vowed to seek a traffic study in conjunction with state and county officials, using the latest technology to find a solution to improve flow on Smithtown’s roadways.

“Traffic, bar none, is the biggest issue,” Doyle said. “Residents are extremely frustrated with the flow of traffic in Smithtown.”

His sentiments were echoed by Nowick and two other challengers.

Democratic candidates Amy Fortunato, a Smithtown resident of 30 years, and Patricia Stoddard, a retired Smithtown school district teacher, are both eyeing seats on the town board. They said the main issues of Smithtown are downtown revitalization,

traffic and government reform, much like their opponents.

“I think we need an overall town survey,” Fortunato said. “What type of stores do we want? What do we want to see downtown? We need a comprehensive master plan that would distinguish the business district using town code.”

McCarthy countered that there is funding proposed to be set aside in both 2018 and 2019 to help update and overhaul the town’s codes, which have not been updated in decades.

However, Stoddard said the need to update town code is similar to the need to update the town’s master plan — something citizens have begun on their own.

“We need a master plan so we have something to build toward,” Stoddard said, pointing to Smithtown United Civic Association’s recently released draft proposal that focused on the district’s New York Avenue building. “It seems like a really good start using smart growth.”

Both Democratic candidates said the Smithtown town board has been more adversarial than cooperative, with town board meeting agendas being difficult to understand and public details on capital projects hard to come by. They vowed to improve transparency through increased communications on the town website and social media.

The two candidates elected to the town board will each serve a four-year term and receive an annual salary of $68,500 based on the proposed 2018 budget, posted on the town’s website.

Photos by Kevin Redding

Clockwise from top left, Tom McCarthy, Lynne Nowick, Tom Lohmann, Amy Fortunato, Patricia Stoddard and Bob Doyle are looking for seats on Smithtown town board.

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PAGE A12 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • NOVEMBER 02, 2017

County

Suffolk’s budget crisis, drugs key issues in 12th District

By Kevin Redding kevin@tbrnewspapers.com Two candidates vying to represent Suffolk’s 12th Legislative District Nov. 7 share a common ground on several key issues, making for a very respectful debate between a oneterm incumbent Republican and her Democratic challenger.

Suffolk County Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset), a longtime nurse and former small business manager who was elected in 2015 to succeed her husband and now-county Comptroller John Kennedy Jr. (R), pledged to continue serving in her position “fulltime,” drawing businesses to the region and working to control as much county spending as possible.

Her Democratic opponent is Lake Ronkonkoma resident Kevin Hyms, a former environmental, health and safety engineer and prior Brookhaven Town board candidate who wants to put community ahead of politics.

“I want to protect and preserve our precious environment, provide incentives, career opportunities, workforce and affordable housing to keep our youth from migrating off here,” Hyms said during an Oct. 20 sit-down with Kennedy at the Times Beacon Record News Media office. “I believe in doing the right thing for Suffolk County and the community.”

Kennedy said she initially ran for office out of frustration seeing elected officials not doing

Photos by Kevin Redding

democrat Kevin Hyms is challenging incumbent Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R) to represent Suffolk County’s 12th district. what’s needed to improve Suffolk.

“It’s because I love where I live — I’ve lived in my district since 1958 and have no intention of ever retiring to Florida,” she said. “I don’t want to see this place destroyed, and more and more I see it becoming impossible to live here.

We have to make drastic changes and have to start by developing the ability to say ‘no’. Now that we do not have a penny left to our names, I think the majority is getting it.”

Since being elected, Kennedy said she has voiced her concerns over the county’s financial problems by voting against all fee hikes introduced in the budget from mortgage fees

to false home alarms which have been labeled “backdoor taxes.”

“I don’t lie to people,” she said. “We keep spending other people’s money and it makes me crazy. I don’t think a majority of people can afford this … and it’s our job to smack people into living within their means.”

Hyms, who has served on a number of community groups including the board of the Ronkonkoma Chamber of Commerce and Sachem PTA Council, agreed with Kennedy. He proposed further consolidating services within the county to minimize budget shortfalls and debt. The Democratic candidate wants

to control the cost of the police department; provide overtime to younger officers instead of older, higher-salaried ones; and hopes to tackle the county’s drug problem by providing better prevention and treatment programs to elementary school students.

“We have to impact the children when they’re younger because by the time they hit middle school, that’s when the real problems occur,” Hyms said. “I don’t think we’re doing as good a job today as we used to with the DARE program.”

Kennedy acknowledged the opioid and heroin issue as well, pointing to her 30 years of experience as a nurse and medical experience treating gang members.

“With education on drugs, we definitely have to start earlier, but we also have to teach our kids self-confidence and self-esteem,” the legislator said. There’s more pressure on children today created by their parents and society, and they’re being taught they must be superachievers.”

Both candidates share similar views on the environment. Hyms addressed a need to install new types of sanitary systems to replace old concrete cesspools to greatly reduce the nitrogen contamination that enters the groundwater. Kennedy has pushed for projects that aim to clean up the county’s water supply. Both candidates strongly advocated for the importance of sewers as a way to improve not just the environment but the economy of downtown areas as well.

Trotta seeks re-election to third term in county seat

By Kevin Redding kevin@tbrnewspapers.com After two terms at the helm of Suffolk County’s 13th District, Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) remains extremely critical of how the county functions — specifically its handling of finances.

The Republican incumbent has called the current system “broken,” “totally corrupt” and “horrible.” If re-elected Nov. 7, he said he plans to keep fighting to control spending and shed light on government mismanagement.

“I don’t want to see people struggling — I want this to be a prosperous place but it’s not a good situation we’re in,” Trotta said in a discussion at the TBR News Media office in Setauket, with the editorial staff Sept. 22.

He talked about his plans moving forward as the representative of his district, which encompasses Smithtown, Fort Salonga, Kings Park, Nissequogue, St. James, Head of the Harbor and portions of Commack and East Northport.

First elected in 2013, he is running for another two years as legislator against Democratic challenger Colleen Maher, who did not respond to a request for an interview.

Trotta said the legislative bills that he’s passionate about pushing through will ultimately “die in committee.” They include a law to limit Suffolk County “backdoor taxes,” or fee permits and registrations imposed on residents, to 2 percent per year — a reflection of the state’s cap for property

tax increases — in order to make living on Long Island cheaper for residents; one that imposes justification for a fee increase; and a campaign finance bill to limit the amount of money in donations elected officials running for office can accept from contractors and public employee unions within the county.

Trotta said the campaign finance bill is the most crucial one because it will serve to clean up the “cesspool” of county government and curb money being tossed around in campaign contributions.

“Campaign finance is the root of all evil,” the legislator said.

A member of the Suffolk County Police Department for 25 years, Trotta pointed to County Executive Steve Bellone’s (D) 28.8 percent pay increase to the police department as a prime example of the county’s “out-of-control” spending.

“We’re in debt, we have to cut spending,” he said. “I see the county budget as a pie.

Cops came in and ate everything and left the crumbs for everybody else. Why would you give them a $400 million increase? It’s because they gave him $3 million to get elected.”

Trotta overall outlined a grim portrait of the future of the county, especially for young people looking to stay and start families here.

“If it wasn’t for Manhattan, we’d be dead — we’d be finished,” the legislator said. “I want young people to be able to buy houses here but … a third of the people in their 20s are moving. People always say, ‘Oh the beaches.’ How many times in the last year

‘I don’t want to see people struggling — I want this to be a prosperous place but it’s not a good situation we’re in.’

— Rob Trotta

were you at the beach? Apartment buildings popping up are a last resort.”

He also spoke out against the county’s Red Light Safety Program, which he has long advocated against, chalking the system of cameras at traffic signals to ticket cars that run red lights up to a “money grab” by the county against residents that’s only causing more damage along busy intersections.

The day before the debate Oct. 17, Trotta publicly called for an investigation into the county’s annual report of the program, accusing it of purposefully, and illegally, eliminating data on car accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists.

“Cameras are at 100 locations and accidents are up at about 46 of them, some as much as 100 percent,” he said. “Now, if it’s

Photo by Kevin Redding

Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta (R) is running for re-election to his third term.

about safety, wouldn’t you shut those cameras down immediately? It’s not about safety. It’s about money … it’s not a happy place to live.”

The legislature approved hiring an outside contractor to perform a six-month study of the county’s red-light camera program at its Oct. 2 meeting.

NOVEMBER 02, 2017 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A13

BILL HOLST for

Town Supervisor Leadership for a Greater Smithtown

Bill Holst is:

Bill Holst

As a County Legislator, : • Delivered three years of County tax cuts • Fought to preserve local open spaces, such as Spectacle Pond and Hallock Acres • Initiated effort to revitalize our downtown areas including Smithtown, Kings Park, St. James and Nesconset with County funding • Voted to cut property taxes for Seniors • Obtained funding for Youth Programs • Championed Veteran’s issues • Secured County Funds for Historic Preservation in Smithtown

• U.S. Army Veteran • Former County Legislator • Municipal attorney with over 20 years experience • Formerly an attorney for a Fortune 500 Corp.

• Married 38 years to wife, Laura

Bill Holst

As our Town Supervisor, will: • Revitalize our downtown areas in St. James, Kings Park, Smithtown and Nesconset • Create a Citizens Advisory Committee to assist in determining capital improvements • Expand recreational programs • Enforce restrictions on topless bars

Smithtown needs

Join Our Team Smithtown Forward

Bill forHolst

 Town Supervisor



©154431



Contact www.holst.org 631-656-5684 PO Box 469 Smithtown, NY 11787



E

Bill Holst (our next Town Supervisor), Amy Fortunato and Patty Stoddard (our next Town Council Members) and Justin Smiloff (our next Town Clerk) will work with the community to protect and improve the character of our town, transform our downtowns, save tax dollars and end the backroom deals.

Paid for by Friends of Bill Holst and the Smithtown Democratic Committee

PAGE A14 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • NOVEMBER 02, 2017

county

Sini, Perini battle for Spota’s vacated position District attorney hopefuls spar over campaign ads, résumés and strategies for gangs, drugs and corruption

By Alex Petroski alex@tbrnewspapers.com In life, timing is everything.

Thanks to the indictment of current Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota (D) Oct. 25 for his alleged involvement in the cover-up of former Suffolk Police Commissioner James Burke’s civil rights violation — a charge the ex-police chief pleaded guilty to in 2016 — the highprofile race to be the next DA in Suffolk just got a brighter spotlight.

The next DA — be it Burke’s replacement in the police department, Democrat Tim Sini, or Huntington resident and criminal lawyer with more than 40 years of experience, Republican Ray Perini — will be tasked with restoring public faith in a position now synonymous with corruption. The two candidates have publicly traded barbs during the campaign, and that didn’t stop during their individual interviews at TBR News Media’s Setauket office in October.

Perini said a key distinction in this race is he is not a politician. His first attempt at political office came four years ago when Perini decided to challenge Spota because he said he was concerned the incumbent would be cross endorsed by both Republicans and Democrats.

“You’ve lost your moral ability to lead an office,” Perini said of Spota, after his announcement that he would be stepping down before the end of the year. “He had to step down for the good of the office.”

The challenger began his career as a lawyer in the 1970s in the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office, and he spent time working on both narcotics cases and homicides while in Brooklyn. In 1976, he moved to Suffolk County to head its narcotics bureau, where he tried one or two major cases each year, he said.

“There’s nothing I haven’t done as a criminal prosecutor, and I’m very proud,” he said.

“I believe I have had a very successful career.”

Perini said he believes his background suits him perfectly to be the next Suffolk DA. “It’s what I’ve trained my whole life to do,” Perini said. He added his experiences have prepared him to tackle two of the county’s biggest problems: drug addiction and gang infiltration. “I was successful because I actually worked on a daily basis with the [U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration] task force and you can’t do that kind of work without working with the FBI and the DEA.” Sini also got his foot in the door as a lawyer to the west. He was the assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York working as a federal prosecutor under

‘I have a proven track record of leadership in difficult situations.’

— Tim Sini

Photos above by kevin redding; file photo below

ray Perini and tim sini are campaigning to replace current suffolk County District Attorney thomas spota, below, on election Day 2017.

Preet Bharara, where he said he specialized in violent crime cases.

“I loved my job — I loved bringing justice to victims or family members of victims,” he said.

The Babylon resident said he always wanted to make his way back to Suffolk. He eventually returned to serve as the deputy county executive under County Executive Steve Bellone (D), specializing in public safety initiatives. As the successor to Burke, he said he has experience taking over a department in turmoil.

“I have a proven track record of leadership in difficult situations,” Sini said. “I — Ray Perini walked into the police department during a scandal and if I’m elected DA I’ll be walking into the district attorney’s office amidst a scandal.”

He explained why he thinks he’s a fit for the position.

“This is, in my opinion, the most important position in Suffolk County,” Sini said of the DA. “The level of responsibility that the district attorney has is enormous. I’m running for district attorney to restore integrity to the leadership of the district attorney’s office, which is sorely needed.”

Both were critical of the other’s assertions

‘There’s nothing I haven’t done as a criminal prosecutor, and I’m very proud.’

that their background has prepared them to serve as district attorney.

Sini pointed out Perini’s resignation from the narcotics bureau amid allegations of illegal wiretapping. A New York State Commission of Investigation report named Perini more than 100 times, according to Sini. The police commissioner has also been vocal about annual parties his opponent chartered for local district attorneys and judges, which Sini saw as a sign of impropriety.

Perini attributed the issues to two narcotics officers within his 12-person department who “went bad,” and said he investigated when allegations arose, eventually forcing the pair to resign, making no attempt at a cover-up. He defended his decision to host the boat parties as standard operating practice amongst defense attorneys, judges and prosecutors who work together closely.

“People have this image of a yacht and call girls — it wasn’t that,” he said. “We don’t do X-rated parties. I never thought it would be this kind of issue. Would I do it again? Of course not.”

Perini, in turn, swung back at Sini for claims the police commissioner’s campaign ads made about some of his accomplishments while working in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, saying they were inflated.

“I believe what he’s been doing has been to raise his profile,” Perini said. He referenced Newsday’s endorsement of Sini, which referred to him as “a low-level and

undistinguished” prosecutor.

Perini also criticized Sini for telling the Suffolk County Legislature he did not intend to run for DA when being confirmed as the police commissioner. Sini said at the time he didn’t intend to run for DA, but things changed.

The candidates did find some common ground on dealing with gang issues and drug addiction. The pair said they see prevention as the most effective method to deal with addiction, and both suggested plans to reach kids earlier before the problems spiral out of control. Each also preached interdepartmental cooperation and intelligence sharing as the primary solution to dealing with gang-related violence, especially by MS-13.

Perini suggested the county should utilize the existing “kingpin” statute, which sets sentences from 20 years minimum to life for dealers making at least $75,000 during a six-month span.

“Quite frankly, I think that has to be used more aggressively with less plea bargaining to get the word on the street that, ‘If you do this in Suffolk County, you’re going to pay dearly for it,’” he said.

Sini stressed the importance of reaching Suffolk County immigrants, who are recruited by gang members upon instruction from crew higher-ups in home countries, with programs and social service resources — prior to recruitment — as a means to stomp out gang activity.

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NOVEMBER 02, 2017 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A15

PAGE A16 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • NOVEMBER 02, 2017

county

Photo above from the Facebook page of Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; photos below by Kevin Redding

Below, Republican Larry Zacarese and Democrat Errol toulon are vying for the Suffolk County sheriff position, which includes overseeing the jail facility in yaphank, above.

Sheriff candidates discuss experiences, solutions

By Rita J. Egan rita@tbrnewspapers.com Both candidates for Suffolk County sheriff will bring more than two decades of public service experience to the position if elected. The race does not feature an incumbent, as current Suffolk County Sheriff Vincent DeMarco announced in May he wouldn’t seek re-election after 12 years in the position. On Oct. 13, Republican candidate for sheriff Larry Zacarese and Democrat Errol Toulon visited the TBR News Media office to discuss their experiences and how they would handle the position if elected.

Zacarese, assistant chief of police and director of the office of emergency management at Stony Brook University since 2009, who is also an attorney, has been a New York City police officer and is currently a volunteer paramedic.

Toulon began serving as a correctional officer at Rikers Island in 1982 and retired as a captain in 2004. For two years he was assistant deputy county executive for public safety in Suffolk and in 2014 he was named deputy commissioner of operations for the New York City Department of Corrections.

Toulon said he feels from day one he would be able to manage the sheriff’s office effectively and will attempt to save taxpayers’ dollars through technology training and equipment.

“I’ve been able to learn a lot on various levels inside of a correctional agency, and while that’s not the entire makeup of the sheriff’s department, it is a good portion of it,” Toulon said.

Zacarese said he believes his experience would be an asset, especially with a need for capital planning, budgeting and managing grants in today’s tough economic climate, he said.

“My role as an emergency manager at Stony Brook is really broad based,” Zacarese said. ”Not only am I involved in the day-to-day operations, planning, mitigation and response and recovery, but I oversee an office that

handles all the electronic physical security, design, installation and maintenance for the entire campus, which is over 250 buildings.”

Both cited combating gang activities on Long Island as a priority for the next sheriff.

Toulon said his team at Rikers would gather intelligence from inside the jail as far as calls, visits and social media interactions before incarceration and then would work with law enforcement agencies to gather and disseminate the information.

His team’s work brought down 37 members of the Bloods gang, he said. He said using a database to collect intelligence gathered and sharing it with other agencies is vital in rounding up gang members, and he said he thought his experiences could translate seamlessly to the Suffolk position.

Zacarese is also familiar with combating gang problems. A case he worked on while at a precinct in Jackson Heights involved the investigation of narcotics trafficking by members of the Latin Kings. He said the county lost critical ground in the fight against gangs when the FBI removed two

Suffolk County police detectives assigned to the bureau’s joint Long Island Gang Task Force by James Burke, former police department chief, who was found guilty of beating up a suspect and trying to cover it up.

“I have already had conversations and meetings with Homeland Security investigations, with people on the U.S. Marshals’ task force and making sure we have enough people on those task forces,” Zacarese said.

Toulon agreed with Zacarese that in addition to disseminating information, manpower is important.

“Task forces are very important, and keeping our members on these task forces is extremely important,” Toulon said.

The candidates touched on the subject of cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Both said while the sheriff’s office doesn’t get involved with immigration issues, it’s important to cooperate with the federal agency. Zacarese said many illegal immigrants are held in jails due to being violent predicate felons and people who return to the country illegally

after being deported. The two also agreed it’s important for law enforcement agencies to increase communication with immigrant communities to ensure law abiding citizens do not fear deportation from ICE agents, which makes building cases against gang members more difficult.

Both candidates said they want to work on getting more help for those with substance abuse problems while incarcerated, which may decrease the chances of being arrested again.

“There are people who are leaving the correctional facility without so much as a business card for a social worker or any outreach programs [now],” Zacarese said.

Toulon said while substance abusers are seen by a medical staff to be treated, he agreed when prisoners leave the jail, they need assistance with finding housing and jobs.

“What I propose is creating a resource map so in each particular town we would know where those particular resources are for an individual so when we give them a card or give them the information they would be able to connect and have someone in the sheriff’s they can call and be that conduit,” Toulon said.

Both agreed that combating the drug problem, especially opioid overdoses, needs to be a priority in the county. Better tracking of overdoses; where they are happening, how they’re happening and deaths due to overdoses to identify where people need help, were areas each candidate brought up as meaningful first steps.

Zacarese said he believes in enforcing the laws on the books and “strict enforcement for the suppliers, help for the people who are there in the middle and giving them long-term treatment options.”

Toulon pointed out that increasing monitoring of physicians who dispense pain management is also needed and fostering communication with communities “to actually acknowledge the problem that our family and friends are having so that we can get the correct treatment for them.”

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NOVEMBER 02, 2017 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A17

PAGE A18 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • NOVEMBER 02, 2017

Check TBR Newspapers and www.tbrnewsmedia.com, follow @TBRNewspapers on Twitter, and search #TBRVotes next week for full election results from all North Shore races.

NOVEMBER 02, 2017 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A19

School NewS The Knox School

Pancakes with pajamas

Smithtown High School West

Photos from The Knox School

On Oct. 9, students from The Knox School’s National Honor Society hosted a pajamas and pancakes day to raise funds that will support regions within the nation that are still facing hardship due to recent natural disasters. Under the leadership of National Honor Society advisor Donna Pergola, the students raised nearly $2,000, which will be used to buy goods that will be shipped to areas of Puerto Rico still left without supplies after Hurricane Maria hit the region in September.

The Knox honor society has partnered with the office of Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy Jr., to arrange for the distribution of goods purchased for this fundraising effort, to areas on the Island of Puerto Rico that are most in need.

Sending aid to Puerto Rico Students at Smithtown High School West in the Smithtown school district came together recently to help those affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. The students organized an essential items drive and collected baby formula, diapers, nonperishable foods, batteries, flashlights, first

Dogwood Elementary School

Photo from Smithtown school district

aid items and feminine hygiene products.

Many of the school’s clubs worked together to show a humanitarian spirit and help those in need. Some Spanish class students wrote messages of empathy and encouragement.

They also shared inspirational quotes and drawings to show their support.

Kings Park High School

Photos from Kings Park school district

Mathematics scholars United against bullying Dogwood Elementary School in the Smithtown school district came together in a sea of orange to celebrate Unity Day, Oct. 25. About 400 students and staff wore orange to send the unified message of peace

and friendship and to take a stand against bullying.

During the schoolwide assembly, each grade level shared their class pledge to put an end to bullying and to maintain a peaceful, friendly school. Students also sang a song

Photo from Smithtown school district

about friendship and went outside for a peace walk.

Dogwood students have been learning strategies for dealing with bullies, recognizing what bullying is, how to stand up for others and how to make friends.

The Institute of Creative Problem Solving for Gifted and Talented students at SUNY College at Old Westbury recently named Kings Park High School students Taryn O’Connor and Nadia Prasad Long Island Young Scholars of Mathematics. They were accepted by the institute to pursue mathematics and mathematical science applications.

O’Connor and Prasad were selected from a pool of 600 students. Selection implies they are among the top one-tenth of 1 percent in math, of all students in their grade, on Long Island.

Pictured above from left, O’Connor and Prasad with Lino Bracco, principal of Kings Park High School.

PAGE A20 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • NOVEMBER 02, 2017

The Times

003

Weekly

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185 Rt. 25A, PO Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

SPORTS

10/01/17 $49.00 L. Dunaief 631–751–7744

Same Leah S. Dunaief, 185 Rt. 25A, PO Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733 Desirée Keegan, 185 Rt. 25A, PO Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733 Desirée Keegan, 185 Rt. 25A, PO Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

The Village Times Inc. Leah S. Dunaief

185 Rt. 25A, PO Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

Photo from Smithtown school district

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Coaches vs. Cancer raises $3K Great Hollow Middle School in the Smithtown Central School District held its sixth annual Coaches vs. Cancer event Oct. 13. The school came together to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Thanks to donations from students, teachers, staff and parents, the event raised nearly $3,000.

With more than 240 student-athletes participating in a fall sport, and 278 student spectators, Great Hollow’s football, field hockey and boys soccer teams all competed while the cheerleading and kickline squads performed at halftime. Parents and students came out in full force to support the cause, while the members of the girls soccer and girls tennis teams walked around asking for donations. During the day, students wore yellow in honor of childhood cancer, and many of the students stayed after school to watch a game and support the cause.

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Sept. 28, 2017

Weekly 5819 20 4430 1269

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Photo from Smithtown school district

Section XI Coach of the Year Smithtown High School East’s girls field hockey coach, Ann Naughton, was recently named a Section XI New York State Public High School Athletic Association Coach of the Year.

Coaches are selected based on years of coaching, their win-loss records, participation in league/sectional committees, and

being a positive role model in their school and community.

Naughton was recognized at the Oct. 10 meeting of the Smithtown Central School District Board of Education. She is pictured, above center, with Gladys Waldron, a trustee of the board of education and Smithtown Superintendent James Grossane.

NOVEMBER 02, 2017 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A21

SportS

Photos by Bill landon

Clockwise from above, allie Brady sends the ball over the net past Patchogue-Medford blocks; Brooke Berroyer slams down one of her 11 kill shots; Felicity Hoffert reaches high above the net for a block; and Marissa oliveri sets up a play.

East Bulls slam home three-set win over Pat-Med

By Bill landon No. 3 Smithtown East’s girls volleyball team breezed through the opening round of the Class AA playoffs at home Oct. 30, taking down No. 14 PatchogueMedford in three sets 25-13, 25-16, 25-13.

Senior outside hitter Brooke Berroyer, who had 11 kills and was strong from the service line, said she was surprised by what the Raiders brought to the court.

“They were better than I was expecting them to be — they had really good defense, their blocks are pretty big, but I think our

Smithtown E 3 Pat-Med 0

Smithtown East won its last five games, and head coach George Alamia said he never doubted what his team is capable of, especially with his athletes’ experience.

“It’s a playoff game, it’s a mentality and we had that tonight,” he said. “We’ve been here before — a lot of these kids have been in long playoff runs — so they know that they can’t let up.”

Smithtown East was back in action Nov. 1 hosting No. 6 Ward Melville, but results were not available by press time.

“We’re pretty versatile with our offense ... not one person dominated our play,” Alamia said following the win over Pat-Med. “We’ll challenge them to get better in certain areas but our ball control is great, we pulled away with our defense in this game and that gives us a chance to win any round.”

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defense played really well today,” she said.

“Our setter, [senior Marissa Oliveri, who had 35 assists], was moving the ball around today, we had a lot of different hitters today, we were all hitting very effectively.”

Senior middle Steph Berdon went on a serve streak with Berroyer to put the Bulls out front 10-4 in the opening set, forcing Pat-Med to call the first timeout of the afternoon. The break didn’t help the Raiders though, as Smithtown East surged ahead 2111 as the visitors called for another pause.

Berroyer picked up where she left off in the second set, gaining more Bulls points from the service line until the score was 9-5.

Junior outside hitter Katy Curran slammed a kill shot from high above the net before Pat-Med asked for another timeout.

The Raiders were able to keep pace from there, trailing by four points until the Bulls stepped on the gas and broke out to a 23-15 advantage.

Senior outside hitter Allie Brady also noted Pat-Med’s defense despite the score.

“Their defense was amazing, it was tough to get the ball to hit the floor,” she said. “We had good communication and trust in each other and that built confidence.”

Oliveri continued to help set up plays as Smithtown East jumped out to an 8-1 advantage in the third, but pointed to her teammates, who she said lightened her load.

“I thought our passing was amazing — they were making my job easier, it easier for the hitters to get their swings on every ball,” she said. “They fought hard, and we had to step up our game and push through.”

With the help of junior right side hitter Felicity Hoffert, who finished with 10 kills, the Bulls edged ahead 19-11 before closing out the set.

631-751–5534www.2ndwindrunningshoes.com 1371 Rte. 25A, E. Setauket, NY

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PAGE A22 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • NOVEMBER 02, 2017

ENDORSEMENTS

A fresh start for DA’s office It’s no secret that Suffolk County’s District Attorney office is in desperate need of a culture change. The allegations-turned charges against Thomas Spota (D), who held the position since 2001, have created public distrust in a position that requires it. The district attorney decides who gets charged with crimes, and a lack of confidence in the integrity of the person leading that position creates a tangled web of problems Suffolk County residents shouldn’t have to worry about.

To that end, Tim Sini (D) has dealt with a startlingly analogous situation as police commissioner, which ironically features many of the same players, and he’s handled it as well as anyone could have asked. Real progress is being made on the

gang front, and we think his experience in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, coupled with his time as police commissioner are more than enough to put to bed concerns from people like his challenger about his age and relative inexperience.

On Ray Perini (R), we were mostly satisfied with his defenses of two scandals from his past brought to light during this campaign. However, at a time like this, the mere hint of possible wrongdoing in the position of district attorney is enough to continue damaging public perception of a position in need of a fresh start.

With all that being said, we’re endorsing Sini for Suffolk County district attorney.

We want Wehrheim to lead It will certainly be a tough road ahead for whoever takes the seat of Smithtown supervisor this November after Pat Vecchio’s (R) 40-year reign at town hall.

But we believe Councilman Ed Wehrheim (R), who has worked in town government for more than four decades, will serve the role with a great deal of insight, familiarity, openness and forward-thinking leadership. He’s somebody who’s not afraid to shake things up, as evident in his shocking victory over Vecchio in September’s Republican primary, and could make for significant — and much-needed — changes in how Smithtown operates.

Getting his start as director of parks, buildings and grounds in 1971, and serving on the town board since 2003, Wehrheim is well experienced in bringing business developments

to the villages and hamlets and helping to increase tax revenues to the town. He believes in righting the wrongs of how the government under Vecchio functioned, by moving ahead with stalled downtown revitalization plans, developing more residential housing, addressing the board’s lack of transparency between its members and making town hall a more approachable place for residents.

While we think Wehrheim is the right choice, we were extremely impressed by his independent opponent as well. Kristen Slevin, a young business owner with no government experience but plenty of initiative and energy to make up for it, is definitely someone to keep an eye on, and we hope that she considers running for town board or remains involved in politics in some capacity.

Trotta tackles Suffolk’s issues It’s important, and rare, in politics to have a watchdog in the ranks — a whistle-blower who’s not afraid to call out colleagues and issues for the greater good. And there’s perhaps nobody on the local level with a louder bark than Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga).

Trotta, a former county police officer, has for the last four years consistently fought in favor of making Suffolk County an easier and cheaper place to live for residents of all ages even at the expense of making enemies.

He’s become the face of exposing corruption in the county, whether it’s egregious hikes in fees or the connection between campaign contributors and elected officials. He’s also on the front line of the debate against the Suffolk County Red Light Safety Program, which has been proven to increase accidents at busy

intersections and seems to serve no other purpose than to collect more fees from residents.

His Democratic opponent Colleen Maher doesn’t appear to show any interest in campaigning and, as far as we know, is just a name to put on the ballot.

Trotta is brutally honest, a statistics and facts-based whiz and the very definition of a realist. He tells it like it is and actually backs up his accusations with ways to fix the problems.

As cynical as he is about the way the county runs, it’s apparent that Trotta still very much cares about the region and is rooting for it to turn around, especially for the sake of young people. He wants them to have an opportunity to grow and thrive here. And, with him serving more terms as legislator, there’s a chance they will one day.

New sheriff in the county

With two new candidates boasting impressive work backgrounds running for Suffolk County sheriff, Republican Larry Zacarese and Democrat Errol Toulon, it was difficult deciding who to endorse.

After much deliberation Zacarese gets our endorsement.

We believe Zacarese has done his homework when it comes to the job as sheriff and his experience at Stony Brook University as assistant chief of police and director of the Office of Emergency Management will be an asset. His position there is a well-rounded one. He is involved in operations, planning, mitiga-

tion, response and recovery and working with the installation of and maintenance of the electronic security system for more than 250 buildings.

He has also met with those on task forces dealing with the gang problems on Long Island to ensure that they are well staffed and good relationships between federal and local agencies are intact.

We hope that Toulon will continue to pursue a career in politics. With a great deal of experience in law enforcement including at Rikers Island, we can see him serving the county in the future, perhaps in a role such as police commissioner.

Nowick, Lohmann a good match The Town of Smithtown is on the brink of massive change, as the 40-year-reign of Supervisor Pat Vecchio (R) comes to an end, and a new board will have major decisions to make about how to move forward.

Councilwoman Lynne Nowick (R) has served one four-year term in town, enough to get an insider’s perspective, and speaks bluntly about the concerns of residents in terms of local roadways and parking. She was also one of the only candidates to speak out on the larger looming issue of opioid and heroin abuse in Smithtown. She also served 12 years in the Suffolk County Legislature, gaining invaluable experience that we expect her to continue to bring to Smithtown as a voice of change.

We believe it would serve both the town and its residents well if she were to work closely with Conservative candidate

Tom Lohmann. Lohmann speaks to public sentiment for a new comprehensive plan, improving traffic flow and also the need to address drug and gang issues. His experience as a former police officer and current investigator for Suffolk County lends a practical from-the-street insight much needed in the town.

It is our belief that this mixed team of Lohmann and Nowick could bring about the overhaul and revitalization Smithtown needs.

Conservative candidate Bob Doyle was similarly impressive with his ability to get directly to the heart of an issue and propose practical solutions for traffic, revitalization and violence issues. If he were to get elected instead of Lohmann, we are confident the residents’ best interests would be served.

We hope Doyle and Lohmann will continue to work together after the election.

Kennedy should keep at it As her first full term in the Suffolk County Legislature comes to a close, we feel that Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) has proven to be a passionate, effective and caring leader for the 12th District.

Kennedy, a longtime nurse, is not afraid to go toe-to-toe with her colleagues from both sides of the aisle, whether it’s regarding hikes in county fees or public safety projects, and seems to have the residents’

needs in mind with every decision she makes. It’s very clear she is rattled by the county’s current financial situation and is doing everything in her power to make sure families and constituents have the opportunity to grow and thrive. She has also done plenty of research on a wide variety of issues not only in her district but Suffolk County as a whole, and seeks to find a pragmatic solution to every one of them.

NOVEMBER 02, 2017 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A23

opinion A tale of a coveted trophy

W

hat would a victory be without a trophy? We faced that awful question this week.

In the championship game, my daughter’s volleyball team battled their opponent and their nerves to win that coveted trophy, to claim the top honors in their division, and to cap off a successful and rewarding season that involved floor burns, mishits, turned ankles and all manner

By Daniel Dunaief of emotional challenges as they went toe-to-toe with teams in gyms filled with exuberant fans.

Nothing went right in the beginning of the match. They gave away point after point, until the unflappable

D. None of the above

coach, whose only sign of anxiety was a few extra gulps of water, called timeout and told the team to relax and play their game.

They were down 12-2 in a 25-point game. Maybe, my wife and I thought, they’d make the first game respectable, get their bearings and then win the second and third games. The benefit of a best-of-three-game set is that they didn’t have to win the first game.

And then a funny thing happened on the way to a potential lopsided loss.

They pulled themselves together and they made important shots that landed just inside the line. Momentum, which is such an intangible, shifted quickly, forcing the other coach to call a hasty timeout.

Ultimately, they won that first set, 2523. The second set was closer throughout, but they also won that one, 25-20, leading to a euphoric celebration. They took turns holding a trophy, which had a volleyball figurine and a plaque.

The coach handed the trophy to my

daughter, who was the captain. She cradled it like it was an infant, passing it gently to her teammates who posed for their own pictures with the team’s prize. She got to take the trophy home for the weekend. I drove her friend and her to a diner for some celebratory curly fries and raced home to relatives who were eating a wider variety of food.

After the meal, I offered to take Uncle Jordan, who had come out from the city, back to the train. My wife graciously suggested he sit in the front seat. As soon as he sat down, he asked, “Hey, what’s that?”

Yup, he sat on the trophy, wounding our daughter’s “baby.” When I turned on the light in the car, I saw that the figurine was still intact, but the plaque dangled at an angle.

Jordan laughed. Our son was in hysterics. My wife, who was in the back seat, laughed nervously, while I considered going into panic mode, wondering if I should call the factory in Singapore to ask it to ship another

trophy overnight.

We thought about gluing the pieces back together, but that would be like bringing a messy art project to school. Maybe we could take it out of the car and run over it 20 times, and then say we lost it. No, destroying it wasn’t the answer.

“Take it to Home Depot,” Jordan suggested.

What if they couldn’t fix it? What would we tell our daughter?

When she got to our house that night, I did everything I could to keep her from asking about, or looking for, the coveted trophy.

The next morning, we raced to Home Depot, where a couple of goodhumored men at the tool rental section got to work. Fortunately, they repaired it. When we returned, we shared the story with our daughter who laughed, too, even as she compared the pictures of the trophy from the night before to the rescued object in her hand. Somehow, like her team, the trophy endured.

This is the year for critically important local elections

T

he issue of the newspaper that you now hold in your hands or are reading on an electronic device is an annual superstar. Only once in each year do we publish a comprehensive preelection section that speaks to the upcoming races. We invite the opponents together to our offices for each local race and pepper them with questions until we feel we have a good handle on them. This section is the distillation of many hours of interviews with the candidates and follow-up research, putting together the information that we are privileged

By Leah S. Dunaief to learn. Then we share that information with you.

We go even further. After careful consideration, sometimes over a period of many days, we will come to a conclusion as to whom to vote for and tell you what we think and why. These are our endorsements and may be found on

Between you and me

the editorial pages in the back of the paper. We also include a sample ballot so you can walk into your polling place and know the layout on which you will mark your choices.

We are the only community newspapers that span three towns in Suffolk: Brookhaven, Smithtown and Huntington. So as you can imagine, there are a good number of races in which we need to be involved. In two of these towns, there will be a new day for there are open seats at the top of the ticket for the first time in more than a score of years. In Huntington, longtime Supervisor Frank Petrone decided not to run again, and so Edwards is giving up her seat on the town board, as she and state Assemblyman Lupinacci compete to lead the town. Candidates for the two town board seats are incumbent Cuthbertson and challengers Smyth, Leonick and Rogan. Berland, too, is leaving her seat on the board and trying for a Suffolk County legislative seat, running against Gavilla. Kennedy is challenged

by Hyms for her seat in the legislature.

Smithtown Township has the same open top position since Vecchio lost the Republican primary and will not be running for supervisor for the first time in 40 years. Instead the residents will

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have Holst, Wehrheim or Slevin as their new leader. The voters will also choose two board members among Fortunato, Doyle, McCarthy, Nowick, Lohmann and Stoddard.

Brookhaven, in contrast, has no open seats but plenty of competition. Incumbent Romaine is facing a challenge from Harrington for supervisor. In our coverage district, incumbent Councilwoman Cartright is running against challenger Canale, and incumbent Bonner is being opposed by Goodman. For the county Legislature in our Brookhaven area, we have incumbent Anker versus Pollakusky and incumbent Hahn challenged by Flood. Also in play is the Brookhaven Town superintendent of highways position, as incumbent Dan Losquadro is challenged by Portesy.

Two of the most closely watched contests in Suffolk County are for district attorney and sheriff. Both of those positions are open seats. Police Commissioner Sini is running against Perini for DA and Stony Brook University Deputy Police Chief Zacarese is opposed by Toulon in the race for sheriff.

On top of our usual duties at TBR News Media, we interviewed them all. It was exhausting but exhilarating, as we learned more than we already

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Leah S. Dunaief GENERAL MANAGER Johness Kuisel MANAGING EDITOR Desirée Keegan EDITOR Sara-Megan Walsh

LEISURE EDITOR Heidi Sutton SPORTS EDITOR Desirée Keegan ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kathryn Mandracchia DIR. OF MEDIA PRODUCTIONS Michael Tessler

knew from the incumbents and a great deal about the challengers. We heard about the issues that are on the minds of the North Shore community. The electorate is concerned about the escalating opioid epidemic that is killing hundreds, particularly of our younger people. Residents also continue to be frustrated about high property taxes, public safety — especially as it relates to the insidious growth of gangs, the traffic in Smithtown, the homeless in Brookhaven and the brain drain that is the result of not enough high-paying jobs and affordable housing.

We also tell you our opinion of a constitutional convention. We oppose it, fearing a Pandora’s box containing many evils.

We are always impressed that residents will come forward to run for public office. Campaigns are a lot of work, and being a public servant has its tribulations. This year, more than most others, we are further impressed by the high quality of candidates. We urge you to do one of the two things you are allowed only if you are an American citizen. Please be sure to VOTE. P.S. The other is to serve on a jury.

ART AND PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Beth Heller Mason INTERNET STRATEGY DIRECTOR Rob Alfano CLASSIFIEDS DIRECTOR Ellen Segal

BUSINESS MANAGER Sandi Gross CREDIT MANAGER Diane Wattecamps CIRCULATION MANAGER Courtney Biondo

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