The South Shore Press 7/31/24

ROMAINE: NO COUNTY CONTRACTS FOR

Photo Credit: Robert Chartuk

BY STEFAN MYCHAJLIW

With the Democratic Party potentially nominating Vice President Kamala Harries as their candidate for president, you could make the argument that this is a case of “meet the new boss, same as the old boss.” Meaning Harris is really no different than mentally incapacitated President Biden at the top of the ticket.

This is a dangerous train of thought for the Grand Old Party if they are to send President Trump back to the Oval Office for a second term.

The Democrats dumping Biden for Cackling Kamala is more like “meet the radical Progressive new boss who makes AOC look conservative, very different than the frail old boss.”

Yes, it’s easy to poke fun at the bizarre and socially awkward way the vice president laughs uncontrollably in certain situations. Republicans can even make an issue of her past relationships with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown or talk show host Montel Williams.

This is a losing strategy. It will backfire badly.

This is the victorious path: Correctly brand Harris as an out of touch, radical Progressive, San Francisco liberal that she is.

Simple. Use her own words and support of extremist policies that makes "The Squad" proud.

Right now, Harris is seeing a surge in national polling based on a bit of a “honeymoon” phase following her coronation as the Democratic nominee, once the swamp staged a political coup to kick President Biden out of the race.

The vice president will ride another wave of positive press when her VP nominee is selected, followed by the Democratic National Convention, starting on August 19th.

Don't Underestimate Cackling Kamala

It will be an artificial bump in polling that will not last, if Republicans play their cards right.

That’s because most folks are not completely familiar with Harris’s core California liberal beliefs that cater to woke extremists, not average Americans.

The vice president’s radical Progressive policies and beliefs echo fellow extremists Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and AOC. This is the harrowing Harris record:

She coddles criminals and fights to spring hard core bad actors from prison by supporting a Minnesota bail fund following the George Floyd riots there. One convict Kamala helped get out of jail went in to kill an innocent bystander standing on a train platform.

Harris supports Bernie Sander's federal takeover of your health care, which would cost taxpayers at least $32 trillion. Think about it: Kamala Harris wants to eliminate private health insurance and replace our current system with one managed by bureaucrats.

She wants to eliminate the use

killing the Keystone Pipeline, resulting in the loss of 11,000 jobs.

As Joe Biden’s “Border Czar,” Harris refused to visit the southern border and fought to keep it wide open, resulting in fentanyl, gangs, drugs, bad actors, and illegal aliens flowing to every corner of America.

She vehemently opposed

President Trump’s tax cuts, which provided a family of four $2,000 in tax relief. Harris also called AOC’s plan to implement a 70% to 80% top tax rate as “fantastic.”

Not only did Harris vote against pay raises for military members, she supported the controversial Iran nuclear deal, which pumped $150 billion to one of America’s and Israel’s biggest enemies.

of fossil fuels. That’s right, Harris doesn’t just want to wean America off the use of fossil fuels, she doesn’t want them used at all in the United States.

The presumptive Democratic nominee for president supported

There you have it. The Harris record should scare the daylights out of every single American, other than those who want to defund the police, wipe Israel off the map, implement governmentrun healthcare, support burning our flag, want AOC’s “Green New Deal” to become law of the land,

and forces us to become even more dependent on bad actors for oil.

The race for the White House really begins in earnest after Labor Day. Until then, I don’t fear polls that show Harris with a “two-point” lead over President Trump in national polls.

Keep in mind, Hillary Clinton had a four-point lead over Trump in national polls back in 2016, and 'thankfully' she lost the Electoral College vote to him.

So if the vice president is “only” up by two points nationally, to me that points to an Electoral College landslide for President Trump.

For that to become reality, I hope and pray Republicans rip her record of being a radical Progressive San Francisco liberal.

If that happens, Donald J. Trump will become the first commander in chief to serve two nonconsecutive terms since the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, Grover Cleveland, served in the White House from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897.

Former Suffolk Police Commissioner, Smithtown Councilman, Robert Creighton, 86

ByRobertChartuk

Robert Creighton joined the Suffolk County Police Department in 1961, soon after it was established, and rose through the ranks to become its commissioner. His storied career included service as a sergeant, detective, district attorney investigator, and Smithtown councilman before he passed away at age 86.

"Commissioner Creighton

dedicated his life to public service, and he should be remembered for his commitment to public safety working in both the police department and the District Attorney's office,” Suffolk’s Acting Commissioner Robert Waring said. I extend my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time to his family and department members who are mourning his loss."

Continued on page 4

Photo Credit: Open Art AI

Photo Credit: The Creighton Family Robert Creighton

Kamala Harris is known for her awkward laugh.

ByStefanMychajliwand RobertChartuk

When asked whether or not convicted felons or those under indictment for financial crimes will ever receive a taxpayer-funded contract to do business with Suffolk, County Executive Ed Romaine slammed the door on the possibility.

“That will not be permitted. As County Executive, we’re not going to enter into any contract with anyone who has been convicted of a felony,” Romaine stated. “We just think that’s the wrong thing to do.”

The question of whether or not Suffolk County will ever award a future taxpayer-supported contract came up in a wide-ranging interview with reporters from local newspapers, including the South Shore Press. .

The topic came up in comparison to the other side of the state, where the City of Buffalo awarded a $175,000 Public Works contract to a developer currently under federal indictment, accused of misapproating $3 million in COVID relief funds. When taxpayers cried

No County Cash for Felons: Wide-Ranging Ed Romaine Press Conference

foul, developer Hormoz Mansouri willingly withdrew his winning bid.

Romaine then doubled down on his defiance of ever awarding a Suffolk County contract to anyone under indictment for financial crimes or anyone convicted of a serious fiscal crime like bribery or tax evasion.

“I can refer to my experience as Brookhaven Supervisor for 12 years. We never gave any contracts to people who were either under or had been convicted of a felony such as embezzlement,” added Romaine.

Sewers, transportation, solid waste, and a wide range of other issues were also covered Friday on the call with the County Executive.

Speaking from his office at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge, Romaine discussed his plan to “really start putting our sewer infrastructure on steroids,” noting that 70% of the county uses cesspools, a major source of the nitrogen that is polluting Long Island waters.

He said billions of dollars will be devoted to new sewers and septic upgrades over the next few years if voters approve a November referendum to increase the sales tax for wastewater projects by an eighth of a cent.

Romaine emphasized that he will also account for road runoff in any sewer plan, pointing out that many Suffolk beaches have to be closed when it rains. “I have a drain right in front of my house,

and it flows right into Moriches Bay,” the Center Moriches resident pointed out. “When we have heavy rain and high tides, my driveway floods because the drain backs up.”

Romaine favors tertiary treatment systems that discharge water into the ground to replenish the aquifer rather than piping the water out to sea.

Romaine also highlighted his Coastal Resiliency Program, which includes recently announced efforts to restore wetlands in Westhampton Beach and East Islip.

“We are restoring our marshes, which act as sponges to help protect us during storms,” he explained, adding that the coastal wetlands filter contaminants and provide habitat for wildlife. The county, which has received federal funds for coastal fortification, is looking to tackle 14 resiliency projects over the next few years.

The county executive said getting Suffolk’s fair share of state and federal funds is a priority, especially in the area of transportation. He plans to take the train from Ronkonkoma to Greenport with

other officials to mark the 180th birthday of the Long Island Rail Road and will emphasize the fact that all three of Suffolk’s rail lines still use diesel trains. Pointing to the state’s $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act and the $1 trillion federal transportation fund, Romaine quipped, “Why do we have to put up with dirty diesel?—Absolutely incredible. I just don’t see that money flowing to Long Island for necessary projects,” he said, noting that Nassau County gets $103 million in aid for its public bus system, while Suffolk receives only $40 million.

Romaine identified Sunrise Highway as it comes into Southampton as the county’s most congested area. He is waiting for the results of a study that started before he took office to identify solutions. The daily tie-ups caused by contractors and service workers who can’t afford to live in the Hamptons could be eased by adding more lanes, traffic circles, or additional bus and rail service.

Local Fire Companies Cry Foul Over Crippling Federal Mandates

ByDeborahWilliams

Using the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as a battering ram, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking aim at volunteer fire companies across Suffolk County and New York State.

OSHA introduced a new safety and health standard to replace the Fire Brigades Standard (1910.156), proposing 22 additional rules for all fire departments – volunteer, combination, and paid.

Local volunteer fire companies are now crying foul, claiming the cumbersome and costly federal mandates will cripple their cash flow and force them to close.

These include mandatory facility upgrades and increased training requirements that would break the backs of volunteer fire companies and cost New York taxpayers over $5 billion.

“If the OSHA rule as written goes into effect any volunteer company north of the Hudson will be out of business the next day,” said Bill Theis, Chairman of the Nassau/ Suffolk Fire District Legislative Committee.

This unfunded mandate comes in the guise of safety and will apply to every volunteer fire department in New York despite the significant financial and operational limitations of these communitybased volunteer fire departments.

The 608-page document released by OSHA outlining the proposed changes would incorporate costly health and safety standard mandates and expose municipal fire departments to litigation and

costly settlements.

“These rules will make it even more difficult to recruit and retain volunteer firefighters,” said Joseph DeStefano, a commissioner with the Medford Fire District. “Without enough volunteers to perform critical emergency functions in our communities, departments will be forced to pay for these services.

Long Island is barely affordable as it is thanks to government mandates like these. The OSHA rules could very well be the last straw.”

“The last thing our volunteer fire companies need is more unfunded mandates added to already financially stressed volunteer fire departments,” Theis said How are paid firefighters and unions involved?

Not surprisingly, the Transportation Trades Department, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (TDD-AFLCIO) also referred to as America’s Transportation Unions, favor the new OSHA rules.

TDD said on X, “We welcome OSHA-DOL’s (Department of Labor's) updated safety and health standards for emergency responders, which better serve IAFF (International Association of Fire Fighters) heroes and the communities they protect.”

It is widely believed that these rule changes are intended to price community-based, volunteer companies out of business and pave the way for union-backed, municipal fire departments to take over.

Bill Theis and Bill Biondi, Mastic

Beach Fire District Commissioner, share the view with many of their colleagues that this effort is 100% driven by the paid municipal firefighters to drive volunteer fire companies out of business and have all of the fire companies be government-run.

Theis said, “This is entirely backed by the paid firefighters. They want these jobs to add to their rolls and it will be on the backs of the taxpayer in a big way.”

Biondi said, “The people making these rules are looking to turn them all into municipal jobs controlled by the government”.

How do volunteer fire companies save taxpayer funds?

If this rule goes into effect, a large financial burden will be passed to the already cash-strapped taxpayer. Right now there is a tax levy of about $150 per household for equipment for the volunteer firefighters but the time spent in training and responding to emergency calls is borne by the volunteer firefighters themselves.

There are about 10,000 volunteer firefighters in Suffolk County and 8,000 in Nassau County. The Terryville Fire Department, where Theis serves, fields about 4,500 calls a year. Multiply that by all of the volunteer fire departments across the state and nation and you have more hours and people than you can count.

Theis said, “Volunteer fire companies save the taxpayer roughly $5 billion a year in NY alone. That is just the salary that would otherwise be paid by the

taxpayer.”

Theis points out that the $5 billion does not include associated benefits such as pensions and health care that substantially escalate the costs to the taxpayer for retirees in the out years.

The New York Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) issued a statement blasting the new federal mandates, saying, “This one size fits all approach could cripple already fiscally strapped departments and further negatively impact the recruitment and retention efforts of struggling volunteer fire departments. NYCOM fully supports measures that will protect responder safety. However, there needs to be a balanced approach that takes into consideration the realities of each department.”

What does the proposed OSHA rule do?

There are many changes

proposed but the main ones are that every tire on a fire truck must be replaced, no matter their condition, every 7 years. Biondi said they just replaced 10 tires on a 100-ft tower ladder truck and that cost $8,000. Fire companies want to change tires when needed, but not based on an arbitrary rule.

Biondi said, “Keep in mind, every truck is certified and inspected every year and gets a NY Inspection sticker just like your personal car does. There are companies that specialize in inspections for emergency vehicles and certify their operational safety.”

Since all fire trucks get a state certification inspection every year that should be enough. If the tires were bad, it would be noticed at inspection and they would be changed out no matter how old they were. A seven-year rule mandate makes no sense.

Terryville Volunteer Fire Department

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine

Photo Credit: suffolkcountyny.gov

Photo Credit: Facebook

LOCAL

ByRobertChartuk

Warrior Ranch Keeps Cool Thanks to Caring Community

Veterans and others who served their country now have a cool place to hang out, thanks to the donation of a new air-conditioning system at the Warrior Ranch in Calverton.

“America's Heroes Rescuing America's Icon” is the motto of the ranch, which offers “Equine Therapy” and envisions a world where “veterans and rehabilitated rescue horses realize their productive future in society.”

The new AC system in the ranch’s clubhouse started with a phone call by Suffolk Legislator Nick Caracappa, who quickly lined up local contractors who volunteered their time and equipment. “I wish everything were this easy since everyone asked to help jumped right in,” Caracappa recalled. “This

is a wonderful place for people who have served to come together and be at peace.”

The effort caught the eye of officials with Rheem, the company that manufactured the new chillers. They were so impressed they ponied up $10,000 to support the ranch’s operations. “Our Difference Maker Award recognizes Pro Partners who go above and beyond to support the causes they care about in their communities,” said Paul Mudd, Rheem sales manager. He singled out Sparrow Heating and Air Conditioning, DC Electric, and MCN Distributors for their support of the project.

“This foundation is built on the love of country, the love of horses,” noted Eileen Shanahan, who founded the Warrior Ranch

five years ago. They operate on a 6.25-acre plot leased from Suffolk County. “Seeing local businesses chipping in to recognize our vets and volunteers is amazing.”

Frances Lewandowski-Nowak is an army vet who’s been volunteering at the ranch for the last two years. “It means a lot to have a place we can come to be around fellow veterans and the beautiful horses.” She watched as Sully, a rescued standardbred, was put through his paces by trainer Juliette Hackett. The former trotter and workhorse bears scars and is missing an eye from its previous lives. “Sully shares a bond with the veterans,” Hackett said. “It seems like he knows what they’ve been through.”

“We started at Eileen’s kitchen table. We both had horses and

Water Rescue Squad at the Ready

ByRobertChartuk

Water rescue drills were conducted by the members of the Mastic Beach Fire Department on Wednesday, including practice with a new sonar device that allows them to see underwater.

“It’s very effective at locating bodies,” explained district Commissioner Bill Biondi as the AQUAEYE camera located a submerged scuba diver, volunteer firefighter Rick Dippa, about 75

feet away. He was marked as an X on the screen, giving rescuers his exact location. The sonar eye can also pick up boats, cars, Jet Skis, and other objects underwater.

The $8,000 unit has a range of about 165 feet and can look down 60 feet while operating off a dock, Jet Ski, or the department’s 25foot marine safe boat. Fire Captain Kevin Wittman attached a long handle to the $8,000 unit, giving it even more depth as rescue team members familiarized themselves

No County Cash for...

Continued from page 3

To expand rail service, Romaine said he recently joined local officials in calling on the MTA to build rail sidings to accommodate more trains by allowing them to pass each other.

Noting that garbage collection is the responsibility of Suffolk’s towns and villages, Romaine said he will nevertheless lead a regional approach to address solid waste issues, which will also include Nassau County. “We are in the middle of drafting a regional solid waste plan because we’ve given up on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which should be doing this, but they’re more interested in being regulators instead of innovators,” he said, noting that recycling glass and ash, opening new markets for reusable materials, requiring manufacturers to reduce packaging, and shipping waste off Long Island by rail are options they are exploring.

Romaine took a swipe at the past administration, saying he is in the process of filling police and detective positions that were budgeted but not filled by Steve Bellone, as well as purchasing new police vehicles. He also said he is improving mental health services for police and other county employees at a time when suicide rates for public workers are up.

Reforming the leadership of the Department of Social Services is high on his agenda, particularly in light of the Thomas Valva case, the young boy who died at the hands of his father after many complaints to Child Protective Services. Huge backlogs in the SNAP nutrition program, the worst in the state, are being addressed, according to Romaine, who also said the county’s 311 system has been improved “so you don’t have to wait an hour on the phone to get someone to help you.”

Touting his $535 million Capital Budget, the highest in Suffolk history, Romaine singled out a $34.8 million allocation for new voting machines and other improvements at the county board of elections. “We have a bipartisan board of elections that does an excellent job, which is why we’re investing all of this money,” he said. “I’ve been elected to office 19 separate times and l have to tell you, the board is one of the more professional organizations l have seen in terms of counting the vote, and I have confidence in their results.”

On the “Skip the Stuff” bill, which would require restaurants to provide plastic utensils and other nonbiodegradable items in takeout bags only upon request, Romaine said he would wait until the legislature worked out some issues before considering his support.

wanted to do something for the veterans,” explained Jen Baker, a retired Army Sergeant 1st Class.

“Equine interaction is a powerful therapy. It’s a gift to be out here in

with the device. It would have greatly assisted the team, Wittman said, when they spent hours searching for a dock worker who had fallen off his boat at the Shirley Marina in the winter of 2022. The Eye can see through ice and operate at -40 degrees F, he noted.

The AQUAEYE will be available to other South Shore departments as part of Mastic Beach’s participation in the Marine Incident Response Team, a group organized after the Coast Guard closed its East Moriches Station and put the burden of water rescues on the locals. “We’ve added a few more departments to the team and now cover the waters from Patchogue to Westhampton Beach,” Biondi said.

The Mastic Beach volunteers are up to the task, having a well-trained scuba team with a special fourwheel-drive truck to access Fire Island and other beach areas, a Jet Ski squad, and ocean-trained water rescue specialists. The department

such a relaxing atmosphere.”

“The Warrior Ranch and all of its volunteers and supporters change lives,” Caracappa summed up.

“They save lives.”

already had two drownings this summer in its jurisdiction, but it didn’t need the AQUAEYE as the victims were quickly recovered.

While the two dozen volunteers were training at the Mastic Beach Property Owners Lagoon, a drone appeared overhead and kept coming in closer and closer. It wasn’t part of the exercise. The drone had a long tail attached, and the firefighters saw that it had a note on it. When it got close enough, former Commissioner Charlie O’Connor could read it. “Thank you for your service,” he called out to the appreciative crowd.

Former Suffolk Police Commissioner, Smithtown...

Continued from page 2

Creighton earned his detective badge four years after joining the force and rose to detective sergeant a year later. He also worked as the district attorney's chief investigator on three separate occasions during his career before being elected to the Smithtown Town Board. After retiring in 1981, he returned to the department in 1992 and served as commissioner for seven months under County Executive Bob Gaffney.

"Bob Creighton served as a mentor and provided guidance and support to me while I was a police officer,” said Suffolk County Police Deputy Commissioner Belinda Alvarez-Groneman. "His

advocacy for fellow officers and commitment to their professional growth left a lasting impact, and his legacy continues to inspire and influence the next generation of law enforcement professionals."

One of seven children, Robert Creighton was born in Washington Heights to an Irish family. He graduated from La Salle Academy in Manhattan and served three years on the navy aircraft carrier USS Hornet before being honorably discharged in 1958. After moving to Kings Park, he met his future bride Geraldine on a blind date, and they married at St. Joseph's Church.

He started out working at the Kings Park post office and enrolled in the first class of the newly

formed Suffolk Police Department, which was created by combining the forces of the county’s western towns. He attended Farmingdale State College and earned a master's degree from SUNY Stony Brook in 1971. He also went through the FBI Academy in 1974. After his service with the county, he entered the private sector working in security.

Creighton is survived by his wife Geraldine of 65 years, son Robert, daughter-in-law Cathy Mallarkey Creighton; daughter Denise Creighton; daughter Deirdre Creighton and her husband Kevin Slattery; daughter Erin Creighton and her wife Paige Beal; daughter Kerry and her husband Tim McCormick, and nine grandchildren.

Photo Credit: Robert Chartuk

Captain Kevin Wittman leads the water rescue drill.

Photo Credit: Robert Chartuk

LOCAL

ByRobertChartuk

Surfer Remembered at Special Ceremony

A special surfer ceremony was held to remember Aaron Ferretti, a Great Gun Beach lifeguard and Suffolk County probation officer from Patchogue who passed away earlier this year.

Paddling from the Fire Island beach Aaron loved, the surfers linked hands and drifted in a huge circle to honor their friend. Prayers were made, and stories of his life on the water were shared. Aaron’s ashes were returned to the sea to continue the circle of

life his being will be part of for eons to come.

The waterman’s surfboard was on the beach for his friends and loved ones to sign. It said, “Aaron, as free as the ocean.” His sister spread the tiny hand

of her newborn, Kailoh Aaron, and traced it, a symbol of life’s renewal. His spirit will forever be with the surfers who will ride the waters that Aaron had ridden, always thinking of his gentle presence.

Local Fire Companies Cry Foul...

Continued from page 3

Also, every fire truck would have to be replaced at 20 years regardless of condition. Again, if a vehicle is well maintained and passes inspection, why force a volunteer fire company to bear the cost of a new truck? If this rule goes through as is, the taxpayer will on the hook for potentially unnecessary equipment replacements.

The medical physical every volunteer firefighter goes through each year has also changed without any adequate explanation. The cost of an annual physical went up from $140 to $800 per person.

Further, the new OSHA rule would raise the required yearly training hours from 250 to 389.

Theis said, “This will break the backs of their volunteers” many of whom already work two jobs to keep their families afloat.

Theis said, “Remember that 250 hours is just training hours, that doesn’t include responses to calls that can happen at any hour of the day or night.”

What do Volunteer Fire Companies want?

First, they want the implementation of the OSHA rule delayed and the federal comment period extended.

Second, they are calling for New York Governor Kathy Hochul to implement an immediate moratorium.

Volunteer firefighter associations want a Blue Ribbon

Panel created to fully vet and discuss all of the proposed changes and create a plan that recognizes both appropriate changes to safety standards and is reasonable and respects the volunteer fire company’s service and capabilities.

They want to work with Commissioner Jackie Bray, New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, Fire Districts Association, Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY), and the Fire Chiefs Association to work all of this out.

Calls statewide to reevaluate these rules and extend the public comment period have been made with no answer yet.

The South Shore Press Newspaper

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Why is this so important to local communities in New York and across America?

Volunteer fire companies are important to New York and the communities they serve. Over 75% of people surveyed want to keep their volunteer fire companies.

Volunteer fire companies don’t just save money for the taxpayer - $5 billion a year just in New York, they are community anchors and generational assets. Bill Theis’ firehouse for example is 150 years old. That is common in communities across New York where grandfathers, fathers, sons, and daughters have all served in their volunteer fire company.

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Photo Credit: The Ferretti Family

Credit: The Ferretti Family

Aaron Ferretti

Surfer and Suffolk Probation Officer Aaron Ferretti is remembered during a special ceremony at Great Gun Beach.

Surfer Remembered at Special Ceremony

Surfer Remembered at Special Ceremony

Surfer Remembered at Special Ceremony

Surfer Remembered at Special Ceremony

Surfer Remembered at Special Ceremony

Surfer Remembered at Special Ceremony

ByDeborahWilliams

Plates for Pisces but Not Gold Star Families

Are you a Pisces? There’s a plate for you. Are you a member of the Tesla Owners Club of America? There’s a plate for you. And, if you are a land surveyor, there’s a plate for you too. Love operating a ham radio? You can show your love for the airwaves with a customized license plate in New York.

Bean counters can get a specialized "CPA" license plate. If you drive a BMW you can let fellow drivers know in more ways than one that you have one. Yes, there is a "BMW Car Club of America" plate here in the Empire State.

bills in both the Senate and Assembly amending current law to include Gold Star Families as an option. It was sent directly to the Transportation Committee in both bodies never to receive a vote. Lawmakers have been trying to pass a bill to create a Gold Star Family license plate going all the way back to 2009, without success.

Gold Star Mothers can get a special license plate, but there is an effort underway to change that to include Gold Star Families as a general category.

law in New York changed so that his whole family, not only their Gold Star mom, could honor his brother Army Spc. Michael DeMarsico. Michael was killed by an IED in Afghanistan in 2012. The Families plate is meant for the immediate relatives of service members killed while on active duty.

DeMarsico reached out to Ethan Craft, a self-described license plate enthusiast who did a digital mockup of what the Gold Star Family plate could look like.

Everyone is in a holding pattern

You can get a special license plate for just about anything in New York. You can even order personalized vanity plates. But, you cannot get a Gold Star Family plate to honor and remember someone in your family who was killed while actively serving in the United States armed forces.

"speciesism," if you love bluebirds or the New York Mets, but are out of luck if you have a family member killed in the service of our nation.

You can get a plate right now if you are a PETA member and against

The NYS Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) offers dozens and dozens of special license plates in categories such as I Love NY Adventure Plates, Sports, Military and Veterans, Counties & Regions of NYS, Colleges, Fraternities, Sororities, Causes, Professions, Organizations, and Motorcycles. There are special categories for historical buildings, vintage cars, birds, flowers, and hobbies.

There are four categories of military-related plates with many individual plates within each category – Military Branches (23 types), Medals and Honors (5 types), Military and Veteran Communities (17 types), and Wars and Battles (7 types). Within this category, you can get a Gold Star Mother plate, but you cannot get a Gold Star Families plate.

Why can’t you get a Gold Star Families plate?

The process begins with the New York State Senate, Assembly, and Governor Kathy Hochul proposing then passing legislation making this a reality.

Republican members introduced

It has been left to languish in legislative limbo in the Transportation Committee since January of 2024.

Brother Hopes to Convince New York to Have a Gold Star Family License Plate

ByDeborahWilliams

Gold Star Mother license plates have been available in New York since 1991. Plates for many other military-related distinctions and organizations are available. You can order plates for everything else from zodiac signs, to bluebirds, and even for those against eating meat. Still, there is no plate in NY for family members who lost a loved one in the ultimate sacrifice to our country – Gold Star Families.

One man is trying to change that: Adam DeMarscio.

Adam wants to honor his brother, Army Spc. Michael DeMarscio, who was killed by an IED in Afghanistan in 2012. When he moved to Cohoes, New York, from Massachusetts and went to register his car, he was surprised to learn that the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) does not offer a Gold Star Family license

plate.

Adam is now on a mission to have a Gold Star Family plate available here in New York. He described his car in Massachusetts as a “rolling tribute” to his brother and he wanted that to be the case for him, his family, and every other Gold Star Family in New York if that’s what they want.

Frank Sanzone, Commander of VFW Memorial Post 400 in Farmingdale is all on board. Sanzone said, “My post is named after two servicemen who were killed in action. It seems absurd that only their mothers could get a special plate, but no other family member can. This needs to be changed, yesterday!” Post 400 is named after Jason Santora and Louis Bonacasa.

“It may seem like a little thing, a license plate, and it is a little thing. But that little thing becomes a big

deal when you see it every day and others see it too and remember your loved one. It means a lot to those left behind. It really does,” added Sanzone.

There are two ways to get a special plate made in New York and both are difficult. You can get an application for a “Custom Plate Development” from the New York DMV and start there. The application is straightforward and not long, it tells you all the specifications for dos and don'ts for slogans and artwork, and it is expensive

For the State DMV to begin developing your special plate you must pony up a $6,000 performance bond. If your design sells 200 plates within 24 months, you get your $6,000 back. There is good reason for this. It takes a fair amount of effort, time, and taxpayer expense to develop and make a new license plate. The state does need to have

some barrier to make sure a plate idea has some interest group that will buy them – otherwise a lot of taxpayer money would be wasted on plates for causes with a very small special interest group and maybe even a group of one.

None of this is an issue for large interest groups like Lovers of the Adirondacks, police and firemen, or Vietnam Veterans. But, for smaller,

very special groups, such as families whose loved one was killed in the service of our nation, this surety bond is a substantial impediment. That’s where the second way to get a plate comes in – getting legislative sponsors and passing a bill through both the Senate and Assembly. This is the route Adam DeMarscio is taking for the Gold Star Family plate.

Adam DeMarsico lives in Cohoes and grew up in North Adams, Massachusetts. When he went to register his car in NY, he realized he could not get a Gold Star Family plate. He started the effort to get the

until the majority in the state Senate and Assembly move the bill to the floor for a vote.

Photo Credit: Ethan Craft/@licenseplatetok

Photo Credit: NYS DMV

Photo Credit: NYS DMV

Photo Credit: NYS DMV

Photo Credit: NYS DMV

Gold Star Family Plate Mock-Up

Owners License Plate

Army Spc. Michael DeMarsico was killed by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2012

Photo Credit: Michael DeMarsico

STATE

ByStefanMychajliw

Gold Star Family Fights for Specialized License Plate in NYS

Michael R. DeMarsico was six months shy of his 21st birthday when he was killed by an IED while serving in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

An old armory turned community center in his native Massachusetts was named in Michael’s honor. His family went to the DMV in the Bay State and received specialized Gold Star Family license plates.

When his brother Adam DeMarsico tried to do the same here in New York State where he lives, the DMV told him they were not available in the Empire State.

The bill to make this happen has been tied up in “legislative limbo” since 2009. Albany lawmakers refuse to pass a resolution creating a Gold Star Family license plate here in New York.

Adam DeMarsico spoke to the South Shore Press about his efforts to change this.

The full video interview can be found on our “X” or Twitter page @ SSPNewsroom or at our Facebook page @TheSouthShorePress. The exchange below has been edited for the print edition of our newspaper.

South Shore Press News Director Stefan Mychajliw (SM): Can you share with the South Shore Press about your brother, about the beauty of the man he was.

Gold Star Family Member Adam DeMarsico (AD): We grew up in a small town. He had a plan, right after 9/11, to join the army. He went to basic training in Georgia. Six months later, he was shipped to Afghanistan for his first deployment.

SM: How was he killed in Afghanistan?

AD: He became an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Tech, searching for land mines. He stepped on one. That’s what ultimately killed him.

SM: How passionate of a patriot was your brother Michael?

AD: As young as eight years old, he wanted to serve. He loved his country and defended it.

SM: America can never, ever repay the debt or say thank you enough for his sacrifice. They did name an armory after him in your native Massachusetts. How special was that?

AD: The armory was a reserve base back in the day. It’s where Michael grew up and played sports. It meant the world to my family. There’s a rock with a plaque on it that tells every kid that goes there what his legacy was. It’s a blessing. Every time we drive by it, we smile.

SM: Your family is in Massachusetts. You live in New York. How easy was it to get a Gold Star Family license plate in the Bay

State?

AD: We are part of a Gold Star Family Group. They said, “Massachiusetts now has a plate for Gold Star Families.” We went to the DMV. Showed them a slip from the military, the equivalent of a death certificate. It was an eerie feeling. But that was it.

I was then having a conversation with a New York State Senator and he remarked that “we don’t even have that.”

SM: In a very small way, that marker, that plate, is it a reminder for drivers that “someone in that car lost a family member in the field of battle”?

AD: It’s the most important thing I’ll ever put on a vehicle. That being on my plate, it’s us knowing he is always with us. It’s important to me.

SM: How surprised or disappointed are you that you can’t get that in New York?

AD: It was definitely a shock. I broke down. I thought about going back to Massachusetts to register

Brother Hopes to Convince...

Continued from page 6

Senate Bill S1835 (A2062), sponsored by Senator Joe Griffo (R-C-53) would amend existing vehicle and traffic law to provide for “distinctive license plates for gold star family members” and eliminate the registration fee for gold star mother and gold star family member license plates. The bill is co-sponsored in the Senate by Sens. Jacob Ashby (R-43) and George Borrello (R-C-57)

Sen. Griffo said in a conversation with South Shore Press, “This bill is important to the families of those service members who lost their lives in the service of our nation. There should be nothing controversial about passing this legislation. It’s something we can easily do to impact the lives of those left behind who want to honor their much-loved family member in this small way.”

Griffo added, “This is a no-brainer. It should have passed immediately.

It should not be a partisan issue. If it's a matter of credit, we will hand it off. The important thing here is not the credit, it’s about getting it done. Let’s do it, now!”

Currently, there is only a Gold Star Mother license plate allowed under the law. The amendment adds the language “or any gold star father or the spouse of a gold star father, or the widow or widower of a fallen service member, or any child, stepchild, brother, sister, step-brother, step-sister, or grandparent of a fallen service member…”

Adam has lots of support for his effort. The plate has sponsors in both the state Senate and Assembly and bills have been written and introduced. That’s where things stalled earlier this year. The bills were sent to the Transportation Committee in both houses and there they sit. No debate, no vote, no action.

This doesn’t sit well with many legislators and veterans. “People

my truck there. To me, it means everything. Not having it here, I feel disconnected. It doesn’t sit well with me. This is going to change.

SM: In New York State there’s a custom plate for PETA, ham radio operators, podiatrists, Tesla Club Owners, zodiac signs, but not one for Gold Star Families.

AD: It’s crazy to me. They’ve been trying to pass this since 2009. It’s still in limbo. I don’t get it. I even have a mock-up of the license plate. It drives me crazy. There all these other license plates, but not one for Gold Star Families. It blows my mind.

SM: You would think this is the farthest issue from being as “political” as possible.

AD: I don’t care if a Democrat or Republican signs the bill. I just want it passed. There’s so many Gold Star Families in New York who want this done. For some reason, New York doesn’t want to get this done.

SM: What would you say to lawmakers about passing this?

AD: This has nothing to do with politics. It makes us feel, in a small way, that our relatives are still with us. I’m still at a loss for words at why this is bottled up in Committee (in the Legislature).

SM: The fact is, this is the last thing you want to fight for. Never in a million years or your worst nightmares, did your family even want to be in a position to ask for a Gold Star Family plate. What are your next steps?

AD: We are working with a law firm to take this fight on. If I didn’t push for this, we’d still be at the first step. I have a design, I made plates, and I will never stop fighting until this is done. I will do anything and everything it takes to get this done.

SM: Any last thoughts on what a great man that your brother was?

AD: He was a great person. He died six months shy of his 21st birthday. Holidays are difficult. Many years later, we still feel the hurt and burden of it. We’re ready to get this done. We are going to push for it.

New York State Police Warn of E-ZPass Text Scam and Scam Calls Impersonating Police

ByDeborahWilliams

New York State Police (NYSP) is warning people of two scams happening right now in Suffolk County and around New York.

can get vanity license plates that say practically anything, but we have to jump through hoops to get this for Gold Star Families,” commented Senator Dean Murray. “Like Gold Star Mothers, the families of our military heroes should have this special recognition.”

“Bottling up the bill to acknowledge the sacrifices of Gold Star Families is unfortunate,” said Assemblyman Joseph DeStefano. “In addition to giving them their own special license plates, we should honor and thank them every chance we get.”

"Gold Star Families are very deserving of this recognition," said Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio. "There's no reason to hold it up. Once we're back in Albany, I'll push my colleagues to get this done."

During the process, DeMarscio partnered with Ethan Craft, a selfdescribed license plate enthusiast, who designed the mock-up of the Gold Star Family plate.

Scammers attacked Cortland County residents most recently, but it is happening across the Emire State. Everyone should be vigilant and aware about phone calls and texts from unknown numbers and anyone asking for personal information or telling a story to get money.

NYSP Investigators received calls from many people that someone from a police department is calling them and demanding money so they don’t get arrested. The caller typically mentions something about the person needing to pay for a warrant or that they found drugs in packages shipped to their address and need to pay immediately so that they don’t go to jail.

These phone numbers are spoofed and not coming from the local police department. These scammers rely on fear and a sense of urgency from regular and wellmeaning people.

The police will never call you and demand or ask for money over the phone. They will not ask you to pay with crypto or Google Play or gift cards. NYSP stresses that this is a scam, please do not

fall for it.

“NYSP urges the public to spread the message of this scam. Do not ever wire money, send cash, use gift cards, or send cryptocurrency to someone who you don’t know. Do not give the person on the other line any financial or personal information if they call you, text, or email you. Caller ID’s can be faked so don't rely on that - but if you ever have a question stop by a local police agency or call their non-emergency line,” said the NY State Police in a statement.

The second scam NYSP is warning about involves E-ZPass. The scam texts tell you that you have an unpaid toll invoice and you must settle it right then on the phone. They say if you don’t, it will cost you an extra $150 in penalties.

Troopers said, “E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail will NEVER send anyone an email or text requesting sensitive personal information such as credit card numbers or users’ names and passwords.”

NYSP strongly stresses that if you get one of these texts, delete it and block the number immediately. Do not respond.

If you have any questions about these scams, you can check their website for additional information.

Photo Credit: Facebook.com

Army Specialist Michael R. DeMarsico

State Closes Prisons as Crime Runs Rampant

ByRobertChartuk

As crime runs rampant across the state, New York’s Progressive Democrats march ahead with their pro-criminal policies. Their latest move is the closure of the upstate Sullivan and Great Meadow prisons.

“The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision announcement is troubling,” the Assembly’s Republican Conference said in a statement. “The intention to close these facilities further exposes New York Democrats’ commitment to undermine law enforcement any chance they get.”

New York communities have become dramatically less safe after the Democrats eliminated bail and aggressively pushed a defund-the-police agenda. Their anti-law enforcement stance put police in the crosshairs, leading to numerous assaults on people in uniform, critics say.

“Albany’s steady drumbeat of pro-criminal policies such as prison closures and the HALT

Act have also led to a dramatic rise in violence within New York’s correctional facilities,” noted Assemblyman Joseph DeStefano, a member of the Committee on Correction. “Closing prisons sends a message both to the criminal element and the men and women of law enforcement who believe state leaders don’t have their back."

“The men and women who work in these facilities deserve far better treatment than what they’ve received from New York Democrats,” said Assemblyman Will Barclay, the house’s GOP leader. “The professionals at the state’s correctional facilities do an incredibly difficult job in extremely dangerous conditions. While prison closures were offered in the 2024 State Budget, specifics were not. Providing these families roughly 90 days’ notice to upend their entire lives is insulting.”

"The governor is quick to cite a reduction in the aggregate prison population. That's a reflection of the collapse of our criminal justice system, her

failed policies, and a rogue parole board,” state Senator Jake Ashby charged. “When criminals don't feel like they have to even show up for their arraignment when cop-killers are released, and when police officers don't feel like the government supports

their efforts to just do their jobs, you're talking about a crisis, not an accomplishment.”

Assemblyman DeStefano pointed to the dramatic decrease in crime in El Salvador after the election of a new president who prioritizes public safety.

“President Bukele stopped all major construction in his country until a new mega-prison could be built,” DeStefano said. “He locked up thousands of gang members and other criminals and made his country one of the safest in South America.”

Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Andrew Cuomo's Legal Fees

ByDeborahWilliams

Former Governor Cuomo spent $67,700 on a poll testing the waters of a potential political comeback. He also received a $565,000 check from the New York State comptroller for legal fees he spent defending himself against charges that did not result in a conviction. Why did Gov. Cuomo receive a reimbursement from NYS? Well, in the United States, you are innocent until proven guilty, and in New York, there is a law that requires the state to reimburse legal fees to elected officials who have been accused of crimes that don’t result in convictions. In other words, like Cuomo or not, he was not found guilty of anything and he can’t be financially punished by being forced to absorb the legal fees for his defense under NY law.

Cuomo’s recent campaign finance report shows he has $7.8 million on hand. The report also shows he has spent $6.9 million in legal fees since 2021 when the Assembly filed impeachment charges against him.

Cuomo has spent money defending himself from a variety of charges, including allegations of sexual misconduct and misuse of state resources to write his

pandemic memoir. Not all expenses will be reimbursable, but he is expected to be reimbursed several million dollars when everything is finalized.

In other Cuomo campaign fund activity, the former governor seems to be engaged in an effort to resurrect his political career with a run for mayor of New York City. He may have reason to be hopeful, as a recent poll shows that only 16% of likely voters in NYC would vote for Mayor Adams again. Cuomo’s campaign paid $67,700 for what was listed as “polling costs”.

It’s anyone's guess whether Cuomo will take the plunge into a campaign for mayor, but it seems clear he wants to be back in the public eye engaging in policy discussions and making the rounds where media outlets will have him. He recently appeared on Bill Maher’s Real Time where Maher tried to get Cuomo to comment on whether he'd ma.

Earlier this year, Cuomo spent a similar sum with Bulldog Strategies, owned by Cuomo’s former director of communications, for campaign consulting services.

"Rome is Burning" but NYS Passed Hug a Sheep Day

ByDeborahWilliams

Amid the crush of a financial crisis, a crime crisis, and an illegal immigrant crisis the New York State Legislature and the Governor took the time to create a series of resolutions creating “Commemorative Days” for New York.

We all like a good Hallmark holiday and even a funny one, so what does New York State have planned for us?

Coming up soon is Onion Appreciation Day on August 21st, “the official commencement date of the onion harvest season in this great Empire State” says the resolution. Onions, they say, “have numerous medicinal purposes, some of which include the treatment of coughs, colds, wounds, ulcers, and hypertension."

Did you know you can clean a

barbecue grill with an onion? Or that onions can grow your hair back? Onions can also boost your libido!

Next up is New York Sneakers Day on October 9th, which coincides with National Sneakers Day. It is meant to increase awareness of American-made products. In case you didn’t already know, the bill says sneakers “are shoes designed for use in sports or for other types of physical exercise, but are often also used as an informal shoe for everyday use”. An interesting fact for your next game of trivia - KEDS were the first US sneaker 131 years ago. Hug a Sheep Day comes on October 26th. Who doesn’t like a nice, wooly sheep? Hug a Sheep Day is a unique celebration that brings people closer to these fluffy, lovable farm animals, says NY. Despite the old wives’ tale

that sheep can’t swim, they are actually pretty good at it. Sheep are also immune to snake venom. Find a farm near you on October 26th and cuddle with your favorite sheep!

You won’t want to miss, or

maybe you will, Chucks-N-Pearls Day on October 28th paying homage to vice-president, and now presidential candidate, Kamala Harris. She is well known for her Converse sneakers and pearl necklace look in Vogue and on the campaign trail.

As if Bring Your Kid to Work Day wasn’t interruption enough, Bring Your Parents to Work Day comes up on November 4th. Parents can now watch their grown children drink lattes and make memes all day! The bill says, “Linkedin research found that 35% of parents are not familiar with their children's job responsibilities” and would like to know more about what they do. Other days in 2024 were Thesaurus Day, Love Your Pet Day, Day of Calm, Mount Everest Day, and Intern Appreciation Day. If you have an idea for a Commemorative Day for New York in 2025, contact your local Assemblymember or Senator and pitch your idea. Every special day’s resolution is carried by a legislator. Who knows, your idea for "Love My Gas Stove Day" might make it on the list for 2026.

Photo Credit: Poststar

Photo Credit: Modern Farmer

Great Meadow Prison

Hug A Sheep Day

Photo Credit: X

Former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo

ByDeborahWilliams

Suffolk County Judge Blocks Outside-Income Ban for Legislators

Suffolk County state Supreme Court Judge Alison Napolitano temporarily struck down an outside income ban for legislators set to take effect in January 2025. The outside income ban was part of a larger, previously passed pay raise package. The deal required a limit of $35,000 in outside income in exchange for the pay raise. The outside income limit part of the deal is now on hold due to the judge's ruling.

In 2022, the Legislature passed a $32,000 salary increase for state legislators, bringing their base salary from $110,000 to $142,000. This whopping 29% salary bump in just one year brings the New York State legislature to the outrageous title of being the highest-paid state legislature in the country. The salary increase came with a catch – there would be a phased-in cap on outside income of $35,000 from nongovernment sources.

Who wants to block the outside income limit and why is this important to governance?

Eleven Republican lawmakers sued to block the income limit claiming it violates the state constitution. The plaintiffs point to the constitution that clearly lists the requirements for a

legislator - U.S. citizenship, five years of state residency, and one year living in the district – and that’s it. There is no constitutional provision or intent to effectively make someone sell their business or quit their job to be a legislator.

The eleven Republican lawmakers that brought the suit make it clear that the raise/ income cap deal puts in jeopardy the fundamental American ideal of "citizen legislator" as the Founders intended. Spending a lifetime working for the taxpayer was never what was intended as our country began and limiting outside income and making the legislative salaries high incentivizes career politicians. The concept of citizen legislator goes back to Greece and continues today. The idea is that to serve your fellow man you ought to have some "fellow man" experiences yourself.

Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt offered support for the lawsuit saying, “Our founding fathers supported the idea of citizen legislators over career politicians. This ruling affirms that principle and protects the ability of citizens from all walks of life to serve in the state Legislature.”

We have all seen modern-day career politicians being made

fun of when they have no idea what a gallon of milk costs or can’t figure out how to scan an item in a self-checkout. Because regular working Americans are familiar with all of these day-today things, these examples show a level of "out-of-touchness" that rings flat in the ears of the common man.

It is not an unreasonable thing to want the people making rules and laws for you to follow to have similar day-to-day experiences with all the difficulties and hurdles that business owners, moms, and regular working Americans deal with every day. Having these regular experiences of owning a business, being a parent, or working in the supermarket grounds a person

and gives them perspective - a perspective that is important when you are considering laws that your community will be expected to obey.

“The attempt by Albany Democrats to disqualify citizenlegislators in favor of fulltime politicians raises serious constitutional questions. The court recognized these concerns and ruled appropriately yesterday,” said Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay.

The lawmakers claim in their suit that the dramatic salary increase coupled with a limit on outside income creates a permanent platform for "career politicians" rather than "citizen lawmakers." This creates an outof-touch, often elitist political

class that easily loses touch with regular Americans. Lawmakers should be a little hungry and not just sit on the fat salary from the taxpayer. They should have some outside, regular-folk employment.

The judge said in her ruling that the lawmakers had a “strong likelihood of success.” The judge also said that enforcing the cap during the legal proceedings could harm lawmakers and candidates who might have to make permanent decisions about their outside employment or businesses.

In other words, a potential candidate could have to make a decision to sell their car dealership, give up their insurance agency job, or close their day care center if they wanted to run for office. This begs the question of whether you should have to quit your job or sell your business if you want to serve in your government. The answer for many is no.

The state attorney general may choose to appeal the state Supreme Court’s decision to the Appellate Division.

The state attorney general may choose to appeal the state Supreme Court’s decision to the Appellate Division.

Hochul Signs Eight E-Bike and Lithium-Ion Battery Laws

ByDeborahWilliams

Governor Kathy Hochul signed a package of eight bills aimed at raising awareness about the safe use of e-bikes and products that contain lithiumion batteries. The bill package is part of the statewide effort called, “Buy Safe, Charge Safe."

The use of e-bikes has surged in popularity and with that so have many issues including fires. Hochul said, “In New York City alone, lithium-ion batteries have sparked 268 fires that have injured 150 people and claimed 18 lives. Do you know what the number was just a couple of years

ago? Zero. Zero people lost their lives.”

The goal of the legislative package is to educate New Yorkers on how to best store and use lithium-ion batteries in hopes of preventing these fires that endanger the consumer but also put firefighters at risk.

The Uniformed Firefighters Association President Andrew Ansbro said, “That the unprecedented increase in fires, serious injuries, and deaths due to unregulated or remanufactured e-bike batteries needed to be addressed.”

“This legislation that prohibits

the sale of Lithium batteries that are not up to industry standards will protect the health, safety, and well-being of both New Yorkers and New York Firefighters," Ansbro added.

Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie

Bray said, “As the use of these batteries continues to grow, so does the potential for more fires caused by them. New York State Fire has trained nearly 5,000 firefighters statewide on lithium-ion battery emergencies and we will continue to expand these educational tools that will save lives and property.”

State Closes Prisons...

Continued from page 8

Residents of this once crime-riddled country cheered President Nayib Bukele’s war on crime, which has led to the arrest of more than 64,000 individuals, mostly gang members. Pictures of the tattooed inmates lined up at the prison by the hundreds, their heads shaved to reveal gang insignias, are stunning. After his decisive action, murders and violence in El Salvador dropped dramatically.

The inmates were responsible for the types of crimes that have been on the rise in the U.S. after

This multiagency effort hopes to educate consumers about how to properly purchase, use, charge, and maintain devices with lithium-ion batteries and their potential dangers. The details of each of the eight bills and how they might affect you can be found on the New York State website.

President Biden threw open the border and the Progressive policies took hold. Between Gov. Kathy Hochul and her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo, 24 state prisons were closed.

New York Mayor Eric Adams is also moving ahead with the closure of Rikers Island, the

city’s central prison.

According to data released by the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, the state’s prison population reached nearly 73,000 in 1999. As of this year, it’s about half that at just over 33,400.

Politicians and money. Should they have a job?

Lithium-Ion Battery Fire

Photo Credit: X

Photo Credit: © Lindaelizabeth | Dreamstime.com

Photo Credit: New York Prison Roster Great Meadow Prison

ByRobertChartuk

Hamas Supporters Target Capitol

Protesters in favor of the terrorist group Hamas descended on the Capitol this week, burning U.S. flags and defacing national monuments. They timed their destruction with a speech before a joint session of Congress by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called the protesters “Useful Idiots.”

Israel has been locked in a war with Hamas since October when the Islamist military organization crossed from Gaza and killed hundreds of civilians in a massive terrorist attack that shocked the

world. The Washington protesters are calling for Netanyahu to cease his effort to root Hamas out of Gaza and free the hostages, some of which are Americans, they took during the October incursion.

The issue is a prickly one for the Biden administration, which has seen its humanitarian relief efforts appropriated by Hamas for its militant operations. The president is also using U.S. military assistance to dictate Israeli policy and force a ceasefire. During his trip to the States, Netanyahu also visited former President Donald Trump, a staunch supporter of

Israel, and Vice President Kamala Harris, his Oval Office opponent, who is seen as soft on the country’s closest Middle East ally.

The Biden administration failed to provide more support to the U.S. Park Police Officers’ Union when it asked for help handling the unruly crowd, which spraypainted the Christopher Columbus Monument at Union Station and defaced a replica of the Liberty Bell. U.S. flags were replaced by Palestinian banners. The park police had only 29 officers available during the protests, and they called on Congress to address a staffing crisis at the agency.

The Washington Metropolitan Police arrested more than two dozen protesters and is offering a $1,000 reward for information on a masked man who injured an officer with a hurled object. The Palestinian Youth Movement took credit for releasing maggots, crickets, and other bugs at the Watergate Hotel, where Netanyahu is staying. House Speaker Mike Johnson called for protesters breaking the law to be “arrested and sent to jail.”

Following their riot at Union Station, the mob headed to the White House to protest Netanyahu’s meeting with President Biden and Harris. The veep kept a cold shoulder to the prime minister, saying that while she "will always ensure that Israel is able to defend itself, including from Iran and Iran-backed militias such as Hamas and Hezbollah,” she expressed her “serious concern about the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the death of far too many innocent civilians.” She called for an end to the war and the release of all hostages held by

A National Disgrace

The flag burning and defacing of our national monuments in Washington are a disgrace. The people responsible are cheering on Hamas, the terrorists who invaded Israel in October, killing and raping hundreds of civilians. Americans are still being held hostage.

The protestors have the singular goal of sowing anarchy. It’s a wellfinanced, devious plan orchestrated by those who hate democracy and want to fundamentally change our country. They are hardened Socialists, many of them paid professionals in masks with a timetested arsenal of chaos.

We have seen these tactics before. In the 1960s and 1970s, radicals also inflamed the nation with political violence. Their attacks included

bombings, bank robberies, and the assassination of police officers who symbolized public safety. Despite what you’re told by the mainstream media, these radicals do not believe in the basic tenets of our Constitution.

Hopefully, history will repeat itself. The anti-American radicalism of a past generation led to the unabashed patriotism of the Reagan era. Their violence ushered in a president who gave us peace and prosperity. The American people instinctively know what’s going on today; that’s why millions cheer when President Donald Trump says, “Fight, Fight, Fight.”

Trump’s opponent, Vice President Harris, is as radical Left as you can get. She raised money to bail the destructive BLM rioters out of jail. She aggressively pushed to defund the police and comes from a state that has hit rock bottom with high taxes, homelessness, and rampant crime.

Hamas.

Following his meeting with Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago, Trump stated: “You are closer to a third World War right now than at any time since the Second World War. We've never been so close because we have incompetent people running the country."

During his speech to Congress, Netanyahu described what he called the worst assault on the Jewish population since the Holocaust. “Three thousand Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel. They butchered 1,200 people from 41 countries, including 39 Americans,” he recounted. “Proportionately, compared to our population size, that’s like 20 9/11s in one day. And these monsters, they raped women, they beheaded men, they burnt babies alive, they killed parents in front of their children and children in front of their parents. They dragged 255 people, both living and dead, into the dark dungeons of Gaza.” Israel responded by attacking Gaza and promising to stay there until Hamas is driven out and the hostages freed.

Charging that Iran is sponsoring the pro-Hamas disruptions,

Netanyahu added, “I have a message for these protesters:

When the Tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots.”

Hamas sympathizers have been disrupting life in the U.S. and across the globe for months. Shouting “Death to America,” proPalestinian protesters shut down the Brooklyn Bridge, New York City Hall, and other sites across the nation in a coordinated attack on U.S. institutions on Tax Day, April 15. Demonstrators snarled rush hour traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge and forced travelers to walk to their terminals at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, one of the nation’s busiest. Police arrested hundreds of demonstrators at New York’s Columbia University, Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, and Sea-Tac Airport in Washington who were part of a global “economic blockade to free Palestine” that took place in more than 30 locations in various countries, including Australia, Canada, and Venice.

As the so-called “Border Czar,” Harris invited in millions of illegal aliens who are wreaking havoc in our communities. The fentanyl she does nothing about is killing Americans at epidemic levels, and the high inflation caused by her policies is wiping out the low-middle class, the younger generations and the seniors she purports to represent.

A Harris administration will take over our healthcare system and destroy Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security by adding millions of illegal immigrants to the programs that hardworking Americans paid for all their lives. They’re doing this to harvest votes and change the very nature of our electorate. We will suffer the effects of this for years to come.

Americans, including countless traditional Democrats and Independents, are rallying around President Trump’s call to defeat the "Deep State" and "Drain the

Swamp." He gave us peace and prosperity and has the strength and perseverance to do it again.

The radical destruction of today’s Progressive Democrats has struck a powerful nerve, and we’re no longer going to stand for it. We will take our country back.

The Columbus Memorial defaced

the course of three days

parades, concerts and fireworks gathering tens of thousands of people from all over the

Photo Credit: File Photo

Photo Credit: File Photo

Op-edby Assemblyman JoeDeStefano

by the anarchists is a public artwork by American sculptor Lorado Taft, located at Union Station. The centerpiece of Columbus Circle, it was unveiled in 1912 and celebrated over

with

world.

Photo Credit: File Photo

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Speech

ByBenjaminNetanyahu

As anti-Israel protesters defaced national monuments and burned flags in Washington, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a speech to a joint session of Congress, breaking the record at four, for a foreign leader to appear before both houses. Here is his July 25, 2024, address:

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Senator Ben Cardin, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senators, Members of Congress, Distinguished guests,

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank you for giving me the profound honor of addressing this great citadel of democracy for the fourth time.

We meet today at a crossroads of history. Our world is in upheaval. In the Middle East, Iran’s axis of terror confronts America, Israel, and our Arab friends. This is not a clash of civilizations. It’s a clash between barbarism and civilization. It’s a clash between those who glorify death and those who sanctify life.

For the forces of civilization to triumph, America and Israel must stand together. Because when we stand together, something very simple happens. We win. They lose.

And my friends, I came to assure you today of one thing: we will win.

Ladies and gentlemen, like December 7th, 1941, and September 11th, 2001, October 7th is a day that will forever live in infamy.

It was the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. It began as a perfect day. Not a cloud in the sky. Thousands of young Israelis were celebrating at an outdoor music festival. And suddenly, at 6:29 a.m., as children were still sleeping soundly in their beds in the towns and kibbutzim next to Gaza, suddenly heaven turned into hell. Three thousand Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel. They butchered 1,200 people from 41 countries, including 39 Americans.

Proportionately, compared to our population size, that’s like 20 9/11s in one day. And these monsters, they raped women, they beheaded men, they burnt babies alive, they killed parents in front of their children and children in front of their parents. They dragged 255 people, both living and dead, into the dark dungeons of Gaza.

Israel has already brought home 135 of these hostages, including seven who were freed in daring rescue operations. One of those freed hostages, Noa Argamani, is here in the gallery, sitting near my wife, Sara.

On the morning of October 7th, the entire world saw Noa’s look of desperation as she was violently abducted to Gaza on the back of a motorcycle. I met Noa’s mother, Liora, a few months ago. She was dying of cancer. She said to me, “Prime Minister, I have one final wish. I wish to hug my daughter

Noa one last time before I die.”

Two months ago, I authorized a breathtaking commando rescue operation. Our Special Forces, including a heroic officer named Arnon Zmora, who fell in this battle, rescued Noa and three other hostages.

I think it’s one of the most moving things, when Noa was reunited with her mother, Liora, and her mother’s last wish came true.

Noa, we’re so thrilled to have you with us today. Thank you.

Many hostage families are also here with us today, including Eliyahu Bibas. Eliyahu Bibas is the grandfather of those two beautiful red-headed boys, the Bibas boys, toddlers. And they were taken hostage with their mother and Eliyahu’s son. The entire family was taken hostage. Two beautiful redhaired children were taken hostage. What monsters.

And with us also is Iris Haim, whose son Yotam bravely escaped Hamas captivity with two other Israelis, and tragically, they were killed making their way back to our lines.

We have with us also the families of American hostages. They’re here.

The pain these families have endured is beyond words. I met with them again yesterday, and I promised them this. I will not rest until all their loved ones are home— all of them.

As we speak, we’re actively engaged in intensive efforts to secure their release, and I’m confident that these efforts can succeed. Some of them are taking place right now.

I want to thank President Biden for his tireless efforts on behalf of the hostages and for his efforts to the hostage families as well.

I thank President Biden for his heartful support for Israel after the savage attack on October 7th. He rightly called Hamas “sheer evil.” He dispatched two aircraft carriers to the Middle East to deter a wider war. And he came to Israel to stand with us during our darkest hour, a visit that will never be forgotten.

President Biden and I have known each other for over forty years. I want to thank him for half a century of friendship to Israel and for being, as he says, a proud Zionist. Actually, he says, a proud Irish American Zionist.

My friends, for more than nine months, Israel’s soldiers have shown boundless courage.

With us today is Lieutenant Avichail Reuven. Avichail is an officer in the Israeli paratroopers. His family immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia. In the early hours of October 7th, Avichail heard the news of Hamas’ bloody rampage. He put on his uniform and grabbed his rifle, but he didn’t have a car. So, he ran eight miles to the frontlines of Gaza to defend his people. You heard that right. He ran eight miles, came to the frontlines, killed many

terrorists, and saved many, many lives. Avichail, we all honor your remarkable heroism.

Another Israeli is with us here today. He’s standing right next to Avichail. This is Master Sergeant Ashraf al Bahiri. Ashraf is a Bedouin soldier from the IsraeliMuslim community of Rahat. On October 7th, Ashraf too killed many terrorists. First, he defended his comrades in the military base and then rushed to defend the neighboring communities, including the devastated community of Kibbutz Be’eri.

Like Ashraf, the Muslim soldiers of the IDF fought alongside their Jewish, Druze, Christian, and other comrades in arms with tremendous bravery.

A third hero, Lieutenant Asa Sofer, is also here with us. Asa fought as an officer in the tank corps and was wounded in battle while protecting his fellow soldiers from a grenade. He lost his right arm and the vision in his left eye. He’s recovering, and incredibly, within a short time, Asa will soon return to active duty as a commander of a tank company.

I just learned there’s a fourth hero here – Lieutenant Yonatan, Jonathan Ben Hamo, who lost a leg in Gaza and continued to fight.

My friends, these are the soldiers of Israel—unbowed, undaunted, unafraid.

As the Bible says, “עם

—they shall rise like lions. They’ve risen like lions, the lions of Judah, the lions of Israel.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the men and women of the IDF come from every corner of Israeli society, every ethnicity, every color, every creed, left and right, religious and secular. All are imbued with the indomitable spirit of the Maccabees, the legendary Jewish warriors of antiquity.

With us today is Yechiel Leiter, the father of one of those Maccabees. Yehiel’s father escaped the Holocaust and found refuge in America. As a young man, Yechiel moved to Israel and raised a family of eight children. He named his eldest son Moshe after his late father. Moshe became an exemplary officer in one of our elite commando units. He served with distinction for two decades while raising six beautiful children of his own.

On October 7th, Moshe volunteered to return to combat. Four weeks later, he was killed

when a booby-trap mine exploded in a tunnel shaft right next to a Mosque. At his son’s funeral, Yechiel said this: “If the State of Israel had not been established after the Holocaust, the image engraved in our collective memory would have been the photograph of that helpless Jewish boy in the Warsaw Ghetto holding his hands up in the air with Nazi rifles pointed at him. But because of the birth of Israel,” Yechiel continued, “because of the courage of soldiers like my son Moshe, the Jewish people are no longer helpless in the face of our enemies.”

Yechiel, please rise so we can honor your son’s sacrifice. And I pledge to you and to all the bereaved families of Israel, some of whom are in this hall today, the sacrifice of your loved ones will not be in vain. It will not be in vain because, for Israel, “never again” must never be an empty promise. It must always remain a sacred vow. And after October 7th, “never again” is now.

My friends, defeating our brutal enemies requires both courage and clarity. Clarity begins by knowing the difference between good and evil. Yet, incredibly, many anti-Israel protesters choose to stand with evil. They stand with Hamas. They stand with rapists and murderers. They stand with people who came into the kibbutzim, into a home, the parents hid the children, the two babies, in the attic, in a secret attic. They murdered the family and the parents, they found the secret latch to the hidden attic, and then they murdered the babies. These protesters stand with them. They should be ashamed of themselves.

They refuse to make the simple distinction between those who target terrorists and those who target civilians, between the democratic State of Israel and the terrorist thugs of Hamas. We recently learned from the U.S. Director of National Intelligence that Iran is funding and promoting anti-Israel protests in America. They want to disrupt America. So, these protesters burned American flags even on the 4th of July. And I wish to salute the fraternity brothers at the University of North Carolina who protected the American flag, protected the American flag against these anti-Israel protesters.

For all we know, Iran is funding the anti-Israel protests that are going on right now outside this building—not that many, but they’re there—and throughout the city.

Well, I have a message for these protesters: When the Tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting, and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots.

It’s amazing, absolutely amazing. Some of these protesters hold up signs proclaiming “Gays for Gaza.” They might as well hold up signs saying “Chickens for KFC.”

These protesters chant, “From the river to the sea.” But many don’t have a clue what river and what

sea they’re talking about. They not only get an F in geography, they get an F in history. They call Israel a colonialist state. Don’t they know that the Land of Israel is where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob prayed, where Isaiah and Jeremiah preached, and where David and Solomon ruled?

For nearly four thousand years, the land of Israel has been the homeland of the Jewish people. It’s always been our home; it will always be our home.

It’s not only the campus protesters who get it wrong. It’s also the people who run those campuses. Eighty years after the Holocaust, the presidents of Harvard, Penn, and I’m ashamed to say my alma mater, MIT, couldn’t bring themselves to condemn the calls for the genocide of Jews. Remember what they said? They said it depends on the context. Well, let me give these befuddled academics a little context.

Antisemitism is the world’s oldest hatred. For centuries, the massacre of Jews was always preceded by wild accusations. We were accused of everything from poisoning wells to spreading plagues to using the blood of slaughtered children to bake Passover matzos. These preposterous antisemitic lies led to persecution, mass murder, and ultimately to history’s worst genocide, the Holocaust.

Now, just as malicious lies were leveled for centuries at the Jewish people, malicious lies are now being leveled at the Jewish state. No, no. Don’t applaud. Listen. The outrageous slanders that paint Israel as racist and genocidal are meant to delegitimize Israel, to demonize the Jewish State, and to demonize Jews everywhere. And no wonder, no wonder we’ve witnessed an appalling rise of antisemitism in America and around the world.

My friends, whenever and wherever we see the scourge of antisemitism, we must unequivocally condemn it and resolutely fight it without exception.

And don’t be fooled when the blood libels against the Jewish State come from people who wear fancy silk robes and speak in lofty tones about law and Justice.

Here’s a case in point: The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has shamefully accused Israel of deliberately starving the people of Gaza. This is utter complete nonsense. It’s a complete fabrication. Israel has enabled more than 40,000 aid trucks to enter Gaza. That’s half a million tons of food, and that’s more than 3,000 calories for every man, woman, and child in Gaza. If there are Palestinians in Gaza who aren’t getting enough food, it’s not because Israel is blocking it; it’s because Hamas is stealing it.

So much for that lie, but here’s another: The ICC prosecutor accuses Israel of deliberately targeting civilians. What in God’s green earth is he talking about?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Photo Credit: Government of Israel

Continued from page 11

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Speech...

The IDF has dropped millions of flyers, sent millions of text messages, made hundreds of thousands of phone calls to get Palestinian civilians out of harm’s way. But at the same time, Hamas does everything in its power to put Palestinian civilians in harm’s way. They fire rockets from schools, from hospitals, from mosques. They even shoot their own people when they try to leave the war zone. A senior Hamas official, Fathi Hamad, boasted – listen to this – He boasted that Palestinian women and children excel at being human shields. His words: “excel at being human shields.” What monstrous evil.

For Israel, every civilian death is a tragedy. For Hamas, it’s a strategy. They actually want Palestinian civilians to die so that Israel will be smeared in the international media and be pressured to end the war before it’s won.

This would enable Hamas to survive another day and, as they vowed, to carry out October 7th again and again and again. Well, I want to assure you that no matter what pressure is brought to bear, I will never allow that to happen.

The vast majority of Americans have not fallen for this Hamas propaganda. They continue to support Israel, and I want to say: Thank you, America, and thank you, senators and house members who continue to support us, continue to support Israel, continue to support the truth, and see through the lies.

But as for the minority that may have fallen for Hamas’s con job, I suggest you listen to Colonel John Spencer. John Spencer is head of urban warfare studies at West Point. He studied every major urban conflict, I was going to say, in modern history, but he corrected me. No. In history.

Israel, he said, has implemented more precautions to prevent civilian harm than any military in history and beyond what international law requires.

That’s why, despite all the lies you’ve heard, the war in Gaza has one of the lowest ratios of combatants to non-combatant casualties in the history of urban warfare. And you want to know where it’s lowest in Gaza? It’s lowest in Rafah. In Rafah. Remember what so many people said? If Israel goes into Rafah, there’ll be thousands, maybe even tens of thousands of civilians killed. Well, last week, I went to Rafah. I visited our troops as they finished fighting Hamas’s remaining terrorist battalions. I asked the commander there, “How many terrorists did you take out in Rafah?” He gave me an exact number: 1,203. I asked him, “How many civilians were killed?” He said, “Prime Minister, practically none. With the exception of a single incident, where shrapnel from a bomb hit a Hamas weapons depot and unintentionally killed two dozen people, the answer is practically none.” You want to know

why? Because Israel got the civilians out of harm’s way, something people said we could never do, but we did it.

These heroes here today, the heroic soldiers of Israel, should not be condemned for how they’re conducting the war in Gaza. They should be commended for it.

I want to thank all of you here today who have forcefully opposed the false accusations of the ICC and stood up for the truth. These lies are not only libelous. They’re downright dangerous. The ICC is trying to shackle Israel’s hands and prevent us from defending ourselves. And if Israel’s hands are tied, America is next. I’ll tell you what else is next. The ability of all democracies to fight terrorism will be imperiled. That’s what’s on the line. So, let me assure you, the hands of the Jewish state will never be shackled. Israel will always defend itself.

My friends, in the Middle East, Iran is virtually behind all the terrorism, all the turmoil, all the chaos, all the killing. And that should come as no surprise. When he founded the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khomeini pledged, “We will export our revolution to the entire world. We will export the Islamic revolution to the entire world.” Now, ask yourself, which country ultimately stands in the way of Iran’s maniacal plans to impose radical Islam on the world? And the answer is clear: It’s America, the guardian of Western civilization and the world’s greatest power. That’s why Iran sees America as its greatest enemy.

Last month, I heard a revealing comment, ostensibly about the war in Gaza, but about something else. It came from the foreign minister of Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah, and he said this: “This is not a war with Israel. Israel,” he said, “is merely a tool. The main war, the real war, is with America.”

Iran’s regime has been fighting America from the moment it came to power. In 1979, it stormed the American embassy; it held scores of Americans hostage for 444 days. Since then, Iran’s terrorist proxies have targeted America in the Middle East and beyond. In Beirut, they killed 241 U.S. servicemen. In Africa, they bombed American embassies. In Iraq, they supplied explosives to maim and kill thousands of American soldiers. In America, they actually sent death squads. They sent death squads here to murder a former secretary of state and a former national security adviser. And as we recently learned, they even brazenly threatened to assassinate President Trump.

But Iran understands that to truly challenge America, it must first conquer the Middle East. And for this, it uses its many proxies, including the Houthis, Hezbollah, and Hamas. Yet in the heart of the Middle East, standing in Iran’s way is one proud pro-American democracy—my country, the State of Israel.

That’s why the mobs in Tehran chant “Death to Israel” before they chant “Death to America.” For Iran, Israel is first, and America is next. So, when Israel fights Hamas, we’re fighting Iran. When we fight Hezbollah, we’re fighting Iran. When we fight the Houthis, we’re fighting Iran. And when we fight Iran, we’re fighting the most radical and murderous enemy of the United States of America.

And one more thing. When Israel acts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, nuclear weapons that could destroy Israel and threaten every American city, every city that you come from, we’re not only protecting ourselves. We’re protecting you.

My friends, if you remember one thing, one thing from this speech, remember this: Our enemies are your enemies, our fight is your fight, and our victory will be your victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, that victory is in sight. Israel’s defeat of Hamas will be a powerful blow to Iran’s axis of terror. Another part of that axis, Hezbollah, attacked Israel on October 8th, a day after the Hamas attack. It has launched thousands of missiles and drones against us. Eighty thousand of our citizens in northern Israel evacuated their homes, becoming effectively refugees in their own land. We are committed to returning them home. We prefer to achieve this diplomatically. But let me be clear: Israel will do whatever it must do to restore security to our northern border and return our people safely to their homes.

Last Friday, a third Iranian proxy, the Houthis, attacked Tel Aviv with a deadly drone. It exploded a few hundred feet from the American consulate, killing one person and injuring nine. On Saturday, I authorized a swift response to that attack.

All our enemies should know this. Those who attack Israel will pay a very heavy price.

As we defend ourselves on all fronts, I know that America has our back. And I thank you for it—on all sides of the aisle. Thank you.

My friends, for decades, America has provided Israel with generous military assistance, and a grateful Israel has provided America with critical intelligence that saved many lives. We’ve jointly developed some of the most sophisticated weapons on Earth. I choose my words carefully: We’ve jointly developed some of the most sophisticated weapons on Earth that help protect both our countries. We also help keep American boots off the ground while protecting our shared interests in the Middle East.

I deeply appreciate America’s support, including in this current war. But this is an exceptional moment. Fast-tracking US military aid can dramatically expedite an end to the war in Gaza and help prevent a broader war in the Middle East.

In World War II, as Britain fought on the frontlines of civilization, Winston Churchill appealed to Americans with these famous words: “Give us the tools, and we’ll finish the job.” Today, as Israel fights on the frontlines of civilization, I, too, appeal to America: “Give us the tools faster, and we’ll finish the job faster.”

My dear friends, the war in Gaza could end tomorrow if Hamas surrenders disarms, and returns all the hostages. But if they don’t, Israel will fight until we destroy Hamas’s military capabilities and its rule in Gaza and bring all our hostages home.

That’s what total victory means, and we will settle for nothing less.

The day after we defeat Hamas, a new Gaza can emerge. My vision for that day is of a demilitarized and deradicalized Gaza. Israel does not seek to resettle Gaza. But for the foreseeable future, we must retain overriding security control there to prevent the resurgence of terror to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel.

Gaza should have a civilian administration run by Palestinians who do not seek to destroy Israel. That’s not too much to ask. It’s a fundamental thing that we have a right to demand and to receive.

A new generation of Palestinians must no longer be taught to hate Jews but rather to live in peace with us. Those twin words, demilitarization and deradicalization, those two concepts were applied to Germany and Japan after World War II, and that led to decades of peace, prosperity, and security.

Following our victory, with the help of regional partners, Gaza's demilitarization and deradicalization can also lead to a future of security, prosperity, and peace. That’s my vision for Gaza.

Now, here’s my vision for the broader Middle East. It’s also shaped in part by what we saw in the aftermath of World War II. After that war, America forged a security alliance in Europe to counter the growing Soviet threat. Likewise, America and Israel today can forge a security alliance in the Middle East to counter the growing Iranian theat.

All countries that are in peace with Israel and all those countries who will make peace with Israel should be invited to join this alliance. We saw a glimpse of that potential alliance on April 14th. Led by the United States, more than half a dozen nations worked alongside Israel to help neutralize hundreds of missiles and drones launched by Iran against us.

Thank you, President Biden, for bringing that coalition together.

The new alliance I envision would be a natural extension of the groundbreaking Abraham Accords. Those Accords saw peace forged between Israel and four Arab countries, and they were supported by Republican and Democrats alike.

I have a name for this new alliance. I think we should call it: The Abraham Alliance.

I want to thank President Trump for his leadership in brokering the historic Abraham Accords. Like Americans, Israelis were relieved that President Trump emerged safe and sound from that dastardly attack on him, dastardly attack on American democracy. There is no room for political violence in democracies.

I also want to thank President Trump for all the things he did for Israel, from recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights to confronting Iran’s aggression to recognizing Jerusalem as our capital and moving the American embassy there. That’s Jerusalem, our eternal capital, never to be divided again.

My dear friends, Democrats, and Republicans, despite these times of upheaval, I’m hopeful about the future. I’m hopeful about Israel because my people, the Jewish people, emerged from the depths of hell, from dispossession and genocide, and against all odds, we restored our sovereignty in our ancient homeland; we built a powerful and vibrant democracy, a democracy that pushes the boundaries of innovation for the betterment of all humanity.

I’m hopeful about America because I’m hopeful about Americans. I know how much the people of this country have sacrificed to defend freedom. America will continue to be a force for light and good in a dark and dangerous world. For free peoples everywhere, America remains the beacon of liberty its extraordinary founders envisioned back in 1776.

Working together, I’m confident that our two nations will vanquish the tyrants and terrorists who threaten us both. As Israel’s prime minister, I promise you this: No matter how long it takes, no matter how difficult the road ahead, Israel will not relent. Israel will not bend. We will defend our land. We will defend our people. We will fight until we achieve victory. Victory of liberty over tyranny, victory of life over death, victory of good over evil. That’s our solemn commitment.

And we will continue to work with the United States and our Arab partners to transform a troubled region from a backwater of oppression, poverty, and war into a thriving oasis of dignity, prosperity, and peace. In this noble mission, as in many others, Israel will always remain America’s indispensable ally. Through thick and thin, in good times and in bad, Israel will always be your loyal friend and your steadfast partner.

On behalf of the people of Israel, I came here today to say, Thank you, America. Thank you for your support and solidarity. Thank you for standing with Israel in our hour of need. Together, we shall defend our common civilization and secure a brilliant future for both our nations.

HISTORY LESSONS

BY RICHARD ACRITELLI

"I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your president,"

- President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968

There has been a political shift within the White House as President Joseph Biden stepped aside for a second political term. Financial donors refused to endorse his candidacy and leaders from his political party urged Biden to step down. Since 1789, this type of situation has rarely occurred as Americans have mostly experienced presidents enter and leave this office either through winning election/ reelection, losing, death from sickness or assassination, or since 1951, reaching their two-term limit.

Vice President Kamala Harris will secure enough national delegates to be the choice of the Democratic Party, historically there are only a few examples of this political situation.

In 1945, as World War II was ending in Europe and the Pacific, Harry S. Truman was the new American leader after the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. As Truman approached this monumental victory, he had the difficulties of ordering the atomic bomb to end the war against the Japanese, restoring the economy toward a civilian one that had massive inflation, and the start of the Cold War against the Soviet Union. He recognized the State of Israel and desegregated the Armed Forces after World War II. Truman threatened to draft striking railroad and coal workers

Brotherhood is a relationship between people who are united by mutual respect and common ideals, sharing a common purpose and working together for mutual benefit. In the military, you are taught to be a brotherhood. You take care of each other, watch out for each other and fight together.

And that’s what makes us stronger as a unit. The brotherhood of the military is a sacred thing. It’s something that you take with you for life, and it’s something that binds you together forever. Brotherhood shouldn’t end when we take off the uniform. As veterans,

into the army if they did not return to their jobs and it was estimated that he would not win reelection in 1948. This president won a hotly contested election against New York Governor Thomas Dewey that saw this stubborn Missouri politician win this office in spite of being behind in the polls.

Truman had to contend with the fall of China to Communism, the rise of Senator Joseph McCarthy’s reign of suspicion against Americans and calling him weak on Communism, the Soviet creation of the atomic bomb, the start of the Korean War, and the unpopular move to fire General Douglas MacArthur. This president faced numerous problems, where there were practically no precedents to help guide his decisions. With a sagging economy, being at war in Korea, and the continued rise of McCarthy, Truman did not run for the presidency in 1952. At first, he supported General Dwight D. Eisenhower, but both men grew to detest each other, and this popular military leader became the Republican choice to oppose Democrat Adlai Stevenson. With his trademark grin, use of the first television campaign advertisement, Eisenhower easily won his primaries and Stevenson was no match during the presidential victory in 1952. While it was likely that Truman would not have been reelected, these were unfamiliar political waters for our leaders and people during these tumultuous moments.

In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson was already five years into the presidency, after taking over after the death of John F. Kennedy

Presidential Turmoil and Change in American History

in 1963 and winning his own political term. Through his “War on Poverty” and the “Great Society,” LBJ passed more legislation to help Americans than FDR. A powerful politician from Texas, who served during World War II, LBJ emerged from poor beginnings, as he later promoted important social, economic, political, and racial reforms. Winning by a huge margin of votes in 1964, by the end of this term, LBJ was completely fatigued from the social and military pressures that hurt his presidential legacy.

When LBJ listened to the news report of noted journalist Walter Cronkite questioning his policies in Vietnam, the president stated that if he lost Cronkite, that he lost the nation. This once highly popular president faced his demise through the escalation of the Vietnam War and the major anti-war and Civil Rights protests that engulfed this nation by 1968. The North Vietnamese and the Vietcong utilized the ferocity of the Tet Offensive that was seen on a nightly basis on American televisions.

Before this major enemy assault, about 50% of Americans believed that the United States was on the right leadership course in Vietnam, during and after Tet, these numbers deteriorated to less than a third. It did not help LBJ that Robert F. Kennedy made speeches that America should seek a peaceful resolution in Vietnam. Even as LBJ inherited the start of Vietnam from JFK, by 1968, America was in a quagmire over this unpopular war.

Whereas LBJ was the vice president under JFK, both men were from different backgrounds, and they hated each other, as Kennedy’s pursuit toward the White House in 1968 only reignited this resentment within their own political party.

This was one of the harshest years in American history, as 1968, watched the shooting death of Martin Luther King, RFK, the refusal of LBJ to run again, and the reemergence of Richard M. Nixon.

As cities were burning from riots, with no clear path in Vietnam, this nation was at a harsh crossroads.

Through this chaotic election between Vice President Hubert

H. Humphrey, Nixon, and George Wallace, Americans also watched the major protests, violence some 56 years ago when police handled violent crowd disputes during the Democratic Convention in Chicago. Whereas, Nixon won this election through his goals of ending the Vietnam War and restoring law and order, there are some similarities that are seen today. There are the major differences in candidates through former President Donald Trump's desire to cut taxes to stimulate business, expanded oil drilling, pressure on NATO nations to spend more money on their own defense, opposition toward paying for the Ukrainian War, and the concerns of the border that has been practically open. Harris is a proponent of the Green New Deal, has been at odds over the war in the Gaza Strip, as she was not present to hear Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech, has at times sided with protestors, holds opposing views on the stability of the border and law enforcement authority, and believes that more money should be spent on social programs.

Like in 1968, we are witnessing different politicians, who share the same message that democracy is in peril. While this is not the case, history has demonstrated both in 1952 and 1968 that our country will traverse hazardous social, economic, and political conditions, but America will continue to endure. As Biden is considered a “lame duck” figure, the next couple of months to the general election will surely be an interesting moment that will not be easily forgotten by our citizens.

The Robust Bonds of Military Brotherhood

many need the relationship of brotherhood even more than they did as military personnel.

According to the Disabled American Veterans, one of the chief contributing factors to veteran suicide is the loss of mission, purpose and community.

Veterans are driven by the mission, and when they are connected to a community of fellow veterans, research shows that it helps with depression, grief and other psychological conditions. Peer support and motivation are also key to helping veterans and civilians succeed, and they have been

proven to reduce costs for mental and physical health services.

If the majority of veterans spent more time building each other up and helping each other out, you wouldn’t see half of the problems you see our fellow veterans struggling with.

When a veteran is discharged from the service, he usually goes back to his hometown, where he will look for home, job and family. Unfortunately, many do not find what they need and end up in the street or worse.

They do not realize that

there is a veteran organization near wherever they are that can help them. The veteran organizations were formed to give the veterans an opportunity to replace the brotherhood they had on active duty. Their missions are to help other veterans returning to civilian life and help and build their communities.

As a member of the Suffolk County American Legion post, (Arthur H. Clune, 1533) in Mastic Beach, I know that brotherhood does exist in the posts. But more importantly, the posts get information every week from the county, giving

updates on the VA changes and listing of employment opportunities.

The employment information includes civil service and local employment. This information is a great help to the veterans just returning to civilian life. It also includes updates on the G.I. bill and housing.

The returning veteran needs to realize that the veterans in the various organizations have been through what they are facing and can be of great help. So please do not hesitate to allow your brothers to work with you and your problems.

BY REV. FREDERICK MILLER, PH.D. VETERANS WAY

Photo Credit: File Photo

BY NANCY BURNER, ESQ.

In addition to opening an ABLE (Achieving a Better life experience) account, a person with disabilities may want to create an SNT. Both SNTs and ABLE accounts allow people with disabilities to save money without affecting their eligibility for public benefits, such as SSI. An individual may choose to open one or the other, or both, depending on the amount of money they have and the anticipation of future funds from earnings or inheritance.

There are two main types of SNTs. A first-party trust is selffunded by the beneficiary of the trust. To create a first-party SNT, the beneficiary must be younger than 65 years old. New funds may not be deposited into this SNT after the beneficiary turns 65. A third-party trust is funded by someone else, such as a parent or grandparent. There are no limits to the amount that can be contributed

New York ABLE Accounts - Part II

into either of these per year, and there is no limit to the total asset balances in the trust.

Because the trust owns the assets, the beneficiary can remain eligible for benefit programs that

have an asset limit, such as SSI. A trustee will be designated to control the assets in the trust and oversee the management and disbursement of its funds. SNTs allow the beneficiary to use the funds for

expenses not paid for by public benefits. Such expenses can include clothes, entertainment, educational and recreational expenses, and transportation. SNTs may not be used for everyday expenses, such as groceries.

While SNTs do not have contribution or balance limits as ABLE accounts do, they have more complicated rules for what the funds can be used for, they can be expensive to set up and complicated to manage. ABLE accounts are easier to set up and manage, but there are limits on the amount of money you can contribute each year and limits on the overall balance. A qualifying individual does not need to choose between the two accounts. An SNT can be established for purchases and expenses not covered by public benefits, and an ABLE account can be set up for basic cost of living expenses and everyday expenses.

Britt Burner, Esq, is an attorney at Burner Prudenti Law, P.C., focusing her practice on Elder Law and Estate Planning. Burner Prudenti Law serves clients from Manhattan to the east end of Long Island with offices located in East Setauket, Westhampton Beach, New York City and East Hampton.

Photo Credit: Wutthichai Luemuang | Dreamstime.com

LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF SUFFOLK

U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR LSRMF MH MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST II, Plaintiff AGAINST DORA W. CHAN, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered February 2, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738 on August 13, 2024 at 10:30AM, premises known as 20 West Lake Drive, Patchogue, NY 11772. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Patchogue, in the Town of Brookhaven, County of Suffolk and State of New York, District 0204, Section 012.00, Block 04.00, Lot 003.000. Approximate amount of judgment $469,615.02 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #610027/2018. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the District and SUFFOLK County Auction Plan in effect at this time. Only Bank or Certified check payable to the Referee will be accepted for the downpayment. No thirdparty check or cash will be accepted. Andrea Denicola, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 16-003669 81366

L15969 - 7/10/2024, 7/17/2024, 7/24/2024 & 7/31/2024

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF SUFFOLK, US BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR VRMTG ASSET TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. DEBORAH DAWSON AKA DEBORAH DAVAN, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee’s Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on April 23, 2024, I, the undersigned

Referee will sell at public auction at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738 on August 13, 2024 at 1:00 p.m., premises known as 489 Carnation Drive, Shirley, NY 11967. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Brookhaven, County of Suffolk and State of New York, District 0200, Section 615.00, Block 04.00 and Lot 007.002. Approximate amount of judgment is $392,962.32 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #208227/2022. Cash will not be accepted. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale.

Brooke J. Breen, Esq., Referee

Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff

L15970 - 7/10/2024, 7/17/2024, 7/24/2024 & 7/31/2024

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF SUFFOLK COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS, INC., Plaintiff AGAINST NATALIYA BABINSKY, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered July 26, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738 on August 14, 2024 at 10:00AM, premises known as 121 Richmond Avenue, Medford, NY 11763. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Brookhaven, County of Suffolk, State of New York, District 0200, Section 868.00, Block 01.00, Lot 018.001. Approximate amount of judgment $411,773.40 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #011846/2008. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance

with the District and SUFFOLK County Auction Plan in effect at this time. Louis C. England, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 18-000324 81385

L15971 - 7/17/2024, 7/24/2024, 7/31/2024 & 8/7/2024

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF SUFFOLK, WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., Plaintiff, vs. KENNETH LYONS, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on January 11, 2019, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738 on August 15, 2024 at 9:30 a.m., premises known as 34 Woodberry Road, Patchogue, NY 11772. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Brookhaven, County of Suffolk and State of New York, District 0200, Section 984.10, Block 05.00 and Lot 005.000. Approximate amount of judgment is $334,522.10 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #617406/2016. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale.

Paul R. Feuer, Esq., Referee

Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No. 190209-2

L15972 - 7/17/2024, 7/24/2024, 7/31/2024 & 8/7/2024

REFEREE'S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF SUFFOLK JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff - against - STANLEY DABROWSKI, et al Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on January 12, 2023. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738 on the 14th day of August, 2024 at 9:30 AM. All that certain plot, piece, or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Lake Grove, Town of Brookhaven, County of Suffolk and State of New York.

Premises known as 3 Bower Court, Lake Grove, NY 11755.

(District: 0208, Section: 004.00, Block: 04.00, Lot: 007.073)

Approximate amount of lien $80,723.51 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Index No. 617257/2018. Donna England, Esq., Referee.

McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 840 New York, NY 10170 Tel. 347/286-7409

For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www. Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832

Dated: June 14, 2024

During the COVID-19 health emergency, bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of sale including but not limited to, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6-feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit and at any subsequent closing. Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale. Auction Locations are subject to change.

L15974 - 7/17/2024, 7/24/2024, 7/31/2024 & 8/7/2024

NOTICE OF SALE

Supreme Court County of Suffolk

US Bank National Association as Trustee for CMALT REMIC Series 2005-A1 - REMIC PassThrough Certificates Series 2005-A1, Plaintiff AGAINST

Nelson Medina, et al, Defendant

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated May 7, 2024 and entered on May 17, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY on August 21, 2024 at 1:30 PM premises known as 17 Nadworny Lane, Stony Brook, NY 11790. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the County of Suffolk, State of New York, SECTION: 247.00, BLOCK: 04.00, LOT: 009.003, District 0200. Approximate amount of judgment is $1,162,518.57 plus interests and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 616581/2018.

The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the District and Suffolk County Auction Plan in effect at this time.

Elyse Nicole Grasso, Referee

FRENKEL LAMBERT WEISS WEISMAN & GORDON LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706

L15977 - 7/24/2024, 7/31/2024, 8/7/2024 & 8/14/2024

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF SUFFOLK, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY IN ITS CAPACITY AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE OF CIM TRUST 2020-R6, Plaintiff, vs. KIMBERLY LIBBY, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on May 23, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction

at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738 on August 27, 2024 at 12:30 p.m., premises known as 28 Dressel Drive, Mastic, NY 11950. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Brookhaven, County of Suffolk and State of New York, District 0200, Section 823.00, Block 04.00 and Lot 028.000. Approximate amount of judgment is $392,963.83 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #604247/2023. Referee does not accept cash, only bank or certified checks made payable to Michael T. Clancy, Esq., as referee. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale.

Michael T. Clancy, Esq., Referee

Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No. 222277-1

L15978 - 7/24/2024, 7/31/2024, 8/7/2024 & 8/14/2024

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF SUFFOLK

HSBC BANK USA, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR THE REGISTERED HOLDERS OF RENAISSANCE EQUITY LOAN ASSETBACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-3, -against-

SCOTT LAZENBY A/K/A SCOTT T. LAZENBY, ET AL.

LEGAL POSTPONEMENT NOTICE OF SALE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Suffolk on April 30, 2024, wherein HSBC BANK USA, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR THE REGISTERED HOLDERS OF RENAISSANCE EQUITY LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES

LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES

2007-3 is the Plaintiff and SCOTT LAZENBY A/K/A

SCOTT T. LAZENBY, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the BROOKHAVEN TOWN

HALL, 1 INDEPENDENCE

HILL, FARMINGVILLE, NY 11738, on August 08, 2024 at 1:00PM, premises known as 99 SOUTHHAVEN AVENUE, MASTIC, NY 11950; and the following tax map identification, 0200882.00-01.00-041.000.

ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE COUNTY OF SUFFOLK, STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 605424/2017. Michael Clancy, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF

IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

L15983-07/31/2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE:

The following Self Storage unit contents containing household and other goods will be sold for cash by StorQuest Self Storage 2021 Lakeland Avenue , Ronkonkoma NY 11779 (631) 954-2026 to satisfy a lien on 08/14/2024 at approx. 12PM at www. storagetreasures.com: Stacey Travis -2022 , Erica Baez-2129, Antonette Pickersgill-3010, Madlyn Glazer-3060, Madlyn Glazer-3063, Tana Danisi-3063, Levani Gabedava-3157

L15984-07/31/2024

NOTICE OF SALE

Supreme Court County of Suffolk

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, as Trustee for the benefit of the Freddie Mac Seasoned Credit Risk Transfer Trust, Series 2019-4, Plaintiff AGAINST

Christine Nestor, Individually and as Administratrix of the Estate of Patrick Nestor, Jr., et al, Defendant

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated June 4, 2024 and entered on June 6, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY on August 28, 2024 at 9:30 AM premises known as 47 Hunter Lane, Centereach, NY 11720. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the County of Suffolk, State of New York, SECTION: 421.00, BLOCK: 04.00, LOT: 027.000; District 0200. Approximate amount of judgment is $312,599.62 plus interests and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 607797/2023.

The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the District and Suffolk County Auction Plan in effect at this time.

Donna England, Referee

FRENKEL LAMBERT

WEISS WEISMAN & GORDON LLP

53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706

L15985 - 7/31/2024, 8/7/2024, 8/14/2024 & 8/21/2024

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Notice of Complete Application

Date: 07/23/2024

Applicant: TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN 1 INDEPENDENCE HL FARMINGVILLE, NY 11738

Facility: SOUTHERN MASTIC BEACH RETREAT & RESTORATION 147 ACRES OF MASTIC BEACH|S/o Gooseberry Rd, E/o Laurelton Dr Brookhaven, NY 11951

Application ID: 1-4722-07147/00001

Permits(s) Applied for: 1 - Article 25 Tidal Wetlands

1 - Article 15 Title 5 Excavation & Fill in Navigable Waters 1 - Section 401 - Clean Water Act Water Quality Certification

Project is located: in BROOKHAVEN in SUFFOLK COUNTY

Project Description:

The applicant proposes to restore a saltmarsh ecosystem and reconnect it with a natural floodplain within the 128-acre project area in order to enhance and connect critical fish and wildlife habitat, and provide nature-based solutions to buffer against future flooding in upland residential areas. The project will also provide safe public access to the waterfront/wetland areas. Measures to be implemented include the following:

A 23.1-acre increase in overall wetland acreage within the project area including conversion of approximately 5.5-acres of existing roads (portions of Riviera Drive, Iris Road, and Violet Road) to tidal wetlands to establish hydrologic connectivity throughout the site.

A 6.6-acre enhancement of Tidal Wetlands by the installation of densely vegetated maritime hammocks and conversion of existing straight mosquito ditches into sinuous tidal streams to reduce daily flooding to residential areas.

The grading approximately 20 acres to fill mosquito ditches, excavate tidal channels and conduct minor grading to allow tidal flow in and out of the wetlands.

The removal of the top 3’ of soil from a total area of 2 acres to control invasives species such as common reed (Phragmites australis).

The placement of fill in a total area of 5-acres to provide a densely vegetated maritime hammocks.

The project also includes a revegetation plan which includes details for Spartina saltmarsh meadows and maritime woodland habitat, and a Monitoring Plan designed to examine and understand the success of the restoration areas. Additional information can be found at: https://www.brookhavenny.gov/1244/Mastic-Beach- Ecological-Restoration

The project is located in Southern Mastic Beach, extending south of Gooseberry Road starting at the shoreline adjacent to Riviera Drive, then extending west to Montauk Drive at which point the northern boundary becomes Riviera Drive, and the project then extends west to terminate at Laurelton Drive, all in the Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County.

Availability of Application Documents:

Filed application documents, and Department draft permits where applicable, are available for inspection during normal business hours at the address of the contact person. To ensure timely service at the time of inspection, it is recommended that an appointment be made with the contact person.

State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Determination

Project is a Type I action and will not have a significant effect on the environment. A coordinated review with other involved agencies was performed and a Negative Declaration is on file.

SEQR Lead Agency

Brookhaven Town Board

State Historic Preservation Act (SHPA) Determination

Cultural resource lists and maps have been checked. The proposed activity is not in an area of identified archaeological sensitivity and no known registered, eligible or inventoried archaeological sites or historic structures were identified or documented for the project location. No further review in accordance with SHPA is required.

Coastal Management

This project is located in a Coastal Management area and is subject to the Waterfront Revitalization and Coastal Resources Act.

DEC Commissioner Policy 29, Environmental Justice and Permitting (CP-29)

It has been determined that the proposed action is not subject to CP-29.

Availability For Public Comment

Comments on this project must be submitted in writing to the Contact Person no later than 08/15/2024 or 15 days after the publication date of this notice, whichever is later.

L15986-07/31/2024

Contact Person

KEVIN A KISPERT

NYSDEC

SUNY @ Stony Brook|50 Circle Rd Stony Brook, NY 11790-3409 (631) 444-0369

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Public Disclosure

NYU Langone Health is participating in a new research study that aims to improve survival in cardiac arrest patients by administering magnesium to reduce brain damage. Any adult who experiences a cardiac arrest within participating hospitals might be included in this study unless they explicitly choose to opt out. Hospitals participating in this study include NYU Langone Health Hospitals (Tisch Hospital, NYU Brooklyn, NYU Long Island, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue). Future participating centers may include NewYork-Presbyterian (Weill Cornell Medical Center), Stony Brook University Hospital, Montefiore Medical Center, and more. For more information or to opt-out of the study, please call 646-899-7325 or go to our study website at: https://med.nyu.edu/research/ parnia-lab/get-involved-our-research/cardiac-arrestresearch-studies/post-cardiac-arrest-neuroprotectionmagnesium

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NYU Langone Health is participating in a new research study that aims to improve survival in cardiac arrest patients by administering magnesium to reduce brain damage. Any adult who experiences a cardiac arrest within participating hospitals might be included in this study unless they explicitly choose to opt out. Hospitals participating in this study include NYU Langone Health Hospitals (Tisch Hospital, NYU Brooklyn, NYU Long Island, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue). Future participating centers may include NewYork-Presbyterian (Weill Cornell Medical Center), Stony Brook University Hospital, Montefiore Medical Center, and more. For more information or to opt-out of the study, please call 646-899-7325 or go to our study website at: https://med.nyu.edu/research/ parnia-lab/get-involved-our-research/cardiac-arrestresearch-studies/post-cardiac-arrest-neuroprotectionmagnesium

THE BETTOR ANGLE TM

BY TOM BARTON

As we head into the trade deadline season, it seems every team is looking for bullpen help. The shift in philosophies from bullpen players being a luxury to a must-have has happened in the past decade, yet some bettors still overlook that crucial shift.

While the Yankees with Rivera, Nelson, and Stanton set the standard for shortening the game, the Rays took it a step further and almost eliminated the need for a dominant starter when they began to institute the opener. Teams have since become quite happy with 3 good starters and patching the back end of the rotation together and even the front line starters' standards have gone down to just get us through 5 or 6 innings and allow the bullpen to take it from there. But again, many sports bettors have looked past this trend.

When lines are set, it's almost

always indicative of the starter versus starter and what those odds will show is the disparity in the two. Bullpens however are the slept-on commodity that smart bettors are starting to value even more than ever. Closers are at the forefront. You can go to a sportsbook any day of the week during the baseball season and you'll hear people talking about the starters and closers, but rarely do they mention the bridge to get between the two. So, let's take a look at the best bullpens in baseball.

Betting Bullpens = Big Bucks

At the top of the list, you'll see familiar teams who have successfully bridged that gap. The Indians have the best bullpen in baseball this year, and that is in line with their first-place run. Clase is one of the best closers in the game, but Gaddis, Barlow and a slew of others have been filthy in the back end. Bettors rarely have to worry about the pen blowing leads in Cleveland. The same goes for the Braves. While Atlanta has had some struggles this season, Iglesias, Jimenez and Minter have been able to put up the second-best bullpen in baseball, that includes a deep pen besides the names I even mentioned. The Brewers, Cardinals and Dodgers all have had great seasons as well, with the Brewers getting even stronger soon with the return of Devin Williams.

No Difference Between Biden and Harris

The flip side to this would be the teams where you might want to take first 5 inning plays, because you simply can't trust the pens to hold a lead for you. It should come as no surprise that the Rockies are the worst team in baseball when they make the call to the pen, but the Blue Jays, White Sox, Angels and Rays are all in the next grouping. The defending champ Rangers are not far behind that pack either and they have been favorites for more games than they should have this season. That's a team to watch in a live betting situation.

The trade deadline will certainly transform teams bullpens and while the starters will get the headlines, make sure to pay attention to who can hold your lead and not make you watch that slip away late, or for the glass half-filled bettor, bank on live betting when you know a bad bullpen will be entering the game.

Photo Credit:

@ThomasPaineBand | X

ByTomBarton

After watching the debate a few weeks ago, it seemed obvious to all of the world that Joe Biden was unfit for the presidency and immediately sportsbooks began to take notice. During the debate itself, Biden's odds were moving and continued to move all the way up until he officially bowed out. That left the country in a state of confusion about who would be the official nominee, but as they do most times, the books had already adjusted the lines to Harris.

As soon as Kamala Harris had officially started her campaign, the odds had shifted drastically in her favor to represent

the Democratic Party this November, and her odds to win the White House were also on the move. Before the debate, Joe Biden sat as the presumptive favorite to win reelection. The debate brought that number down to a slight underdog, and when there was an attempt on Donald Trump's life and the heroic aftermath, Biden's odds dipped once more. When the dust settled, Joe Biden was about a 2 to 1 underdog to Trump and falling.

The next week was chaos with the speculation about Biden's health. Harris is now the official nominee and sportsbooks look at her as a substantial underdog to win the election. Harris now sits at just under a 2 to 1 underdog across international and offshore sportsbooks. Odd makers still have President Trump as a -200 favorite, which was just as large as the day after the assassin's bullet missed him.

There are still markets for others to take the Democratic nomination, but the odds are certainly in Harris's favor. To beat Trump though the odds become Buster Douglas-like long shots. Michelle Obama can still be had at +2000 odds, Hillary is +4000, RFK is +5000 as is

Gavin Newsome and Gretchen Witmer.

If the odds tell us anything,

it's that Joe Biden's lowest odds to win the presidency is exactly what Kamala Harris's odds are now. She has some work to do

Trump's Eagle Settles It

ByTomBarton

During this year's presidential debate, there was an exchange between President Joe Biden and former President Trump about who's golf game was better. While it might have seemed immature and a nonfactor for voters, it was a declaration of competency among the candidates. That stamina question has been answered for Joe Biden, who because of health reasons, has bowed out of the presidential race. But Trump showed no matter what condition Biden was in, he was ready to go hole for hole with him on the course.

This week, President Trump played a round of gold with one of the world's best golfers in Bryson DeChambeau. Bryson and President Trump played a contest with an

in the eyes of the bookmakers if she wants any chance at chasing down #45.

attempt to break 50 from the red tees. The man who just about two weeks ago avoided an assassination attempt was on his A game for the contest, and the sports world took notice. President Trump not only looked good on the course, but he also scored a solo eagle. If you understand golf, you will understand how incredible of a feat that was.

The X universe (formerly known as Twitter), exploded with video of the 45th president's shot and the shocked and giddy reaction of DeChambeau matched the swing itself. For many golf insiders, an eagle is almost as difficult as a hole in one but for a 78-years-old that is an even more impressive shot. Trump continued to impress on the day, but all anyone will remember is that eagle. Joe Biden claimed to have a 6 handicap, but this all but settles the golf debate.

Photo Credit: @MLBNetwork | X Emmanuel Clase

Photo Credit: @Trumpgolf | X Donald Trump and Bryson DeChambeau

Kamala Harris

SPORTS North Shore Majors Little League Are Champs

ByTomBarton

North Shore All-Stars majors became the third team to represent the little league and Suffolk county in the state baseball tournament this past week.

The Majors All-Stars advanced to the sectional finals on the back of a tremendous pitching effort and some timely hitting. Their journey began in the District 36 Championship game against East Hampton. In that game you could see the toughness of the team shine through. They trailed 5-4 heading into the last inning only to have a massive comeback win to advance and claim the title.

The North Shore All-Stars then beat Huntington TriVillage 7-0, then took on Sayville and won a nail-biter 6-5. They moved on to a double result backto-back game set with Bethpage winning the first game 2-0 and

then the title game 5-1.

Pitching was the name of the game this season for North Shore as they were able to stifle a good Bethpage offense to claim the crown and advance to the next round in the process becoming the Section 4 champions.

At the state title game, the AllStars lost their first two contests to Massapequa and South Shore but fought in one of the most

Ex-Duck Back to the Bigs

ByTomBarton

The Tampa Bay Rays called up right-handed pitcher Tyler Zuber this week. Zuber began the 2024 season with the Long Island Ducks and was promoted to the Major Leagues by the Tampa Bay Rays to play against the Yankees in the Bronx.

“We are excited to see Tyler return to the Major Leagues,” said Ducks Manager Lew Ford. “He did an exceptional job for us earlier this year and is very deserving of this opportunity.”

Zuber appeared in six games for the Ducks this season and compiled a 1.58 ERA. The 29-year-old gave up just five hits and one walk while striking out 10 batters and recording two saves. He struck out at least one batter in each of his six appearances and held opponents to a .238 batting average.

exciting games of the year. They dropped an 11 inning thriller 6-5 to East Greenbush Castleton.

Coach Gus Mejia stressed to the team all season how to be mentally tough. It was the constant theme of the season and the coach went as far to show the kids an inspirational video by Ray Lewis to motivate them and keep them focused. Coach called this their "lion mentality" and mentioned how the work put in

He spent two seasons in the Major Leagues with the Kansas City Royals (2020-21), where he made 54 relief appearances, going 1-5 with a 5.29 ERA and 55 strikeouts over 49.1 innings pitched. Earlier this year, he also made seven appearances with the Cleveland Guardians during spring training.

Zuber becomes the first player on the 2024 Ducks

roster to return to the MLB level. Five others have had their contracts purchased by Major League organizations this season: outfielder Tyler Dearden (Minnesota Twins); infielder Rixon Wingrove (Minnesota Twins); righthanded pitchers Matt Seelinger (Detroit Tigers), Chris Ellis (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Dan Straily (Chicago Cubs).

would be a "grind," but the results paid off. Coach Mejia made sure to thank his coaches Justin and Jason as well as his special assistant Gus Jr. for helping keep that mindset up all season.

In a letter to his team, he told them that it has been 42 years since North Shore Little League Majors 12U has reached the state championships, that 42-year

stretch ended with this group of young men. Liam McGrath, Ben McNally, Logan McCarron, Aiden White, William Weingartner, Dylan Waltz, Jonah Rannazzisi, Huston Leighley, Nick O'Donovan, Harrison Miller, Jude Ryan, Dylan Zarella, and Rener Mejia ended a 42-year drought with a lion mentality and a lion heart followed.

Haasan Holds Out

ByTomBarton

Things have hit rock bottom with the New York Jets and their new acquisition, Haason Reddick. The Jets made a decision on Thursday announcing that they have placed Reddick on the NonFootball Injury/Did Not Report list.

This is just another step in the drama that has pitted Reddick against the Jets. New York sent a conditional 3rd round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles to get the big pass rusher and now are facing a season without any contributions from him.

It has been reported that Reddick and the Jets have some sort of verbal agreement in place with regards to his

contract and what they would work toward moving forward, those talks obviously soured quickly as Reddick refused to show up at OTA's and now will be fined $50,000 per day that he does not show up to camp. Reddick is entering the final year of his 3-year, $45 million contract, and is due to make a non-guaranteed $14.25 million in base pay, plus another $500,000 with incentives, but he wants an extension. The Jets believed that Reddick would play under his current contract as the details of an added contract were being discussed and were quickly let down.

The Jets head coach Robert Saleh said last week that he was not "overly concerned" about Reddick's contract.

Photo Credit: @wogueathletics | X

Photo Credit: @Haason7Reddick | X

Tyler Zuber

Haason Reddick

Photo Credit: @TylerZuber | X

North Shore Majors All Stars

SPORTS Jackie Bradley Jr. Goes from the Ducks to the Mets

ByTomBarton

Jackie Bradley Jr. has had quite the headline-making couple of weeks on the Island. After setting the franchise record for most consecutive games with a hit for the Long Island Ducks, a week later, the Ducks have announced that his contract has been purchased by the New York Mets organization.

“Jackie has been incredibly deserving of this opportunity,” said Ducks Manager Lew Ford. “He has been one of the Atlantic League’s best hitters this season, and we look forward to watching him continue pursuing his goal of returning to the Major Leagues.”

Bradley Jr. was in the middle of

that franchise best 28-game hitting streak when he got the call and now will report to the team’s Triple-A affiliate, the Syracuse Mets. The streak certainly opened up scouts' eyes and it was just three games shy of equaling the longest in Atlantic League history. During the streak, he has posted a .471 batting average with 56 hits and a .537 on-base percentage. He has reached base safely in 35 consecutive games, the longest on-base streak in the league this season, batting .437 with 62 hits and a .512 on-base percentage during the streak. For the season, he is batting a robust .400 with 12 homers, 35 RBIs, 36 runs, 66 hits, 14 doubles, two triples, 23 walks and a 1.203 OPS in 40 games.

Bradley's offensive output is a welcome addition to his renowned defensive play. Bradley is 34 years old but looks as good as ever. He played in the big league for 11 seasons with the Boston Red Sox (2013-20, 2022), Milwaukee Brewers (2021), Toronto Blue Jays (2022) and Kansas City Royals (2023). In 1,182 MLB games, he had a .225 batting average with 109 home runs, 449 RBIs, 514 runs, 839 hits, 69 stolen bases, 361 walks and a .303 on-base percentage. His highlights were an American

League Championship Series Most Valuable Player and a Rawling Gold Glove Award for center field in 2018.

Bradley Jr. becomes the ninth member of the 2024 Ducks to have his contract purchased by a Major League or foreign organization. He joins outfielder Tyler Dearden (Minnesota Twins, July 2), lefthanded pitcher Emilio Marquez (Pericos de Puebla, June 4), infielder Rixon Wingrove (Minnesota

Twins, May 24), and right-handed pitchers Matt Seelinger (Detroit Tigers, June 25), Tyler Zuber (Tampa Bay Rays, May 13), Chris Ellis (Arizona Diamondbacks, April 25), Dan Straily (Chicago Cubs, April 25) and Raynel Espinal (Rieleros de Aguascalientes, April 15). Since beginning play in 2000, the Ducks have had 31 players reach the Major League level after joining Long Island, and 116 have had their contracts purchased.

Tennis Camp at Connetquot

TomBarton

Every

popular sport

sport and to keep it fresh and new and tennis is no different. This week went a long way in bringing tennis to the children when Connetquot Tennis completed their Summer Prep Camp.

More than 60 kids signed up and participated in the weeklong camp at Connetquot High School. The camp was run by the boys' varsity head coach Ryan Cavanagh and girls' varsity head coach Amy Cohen along with program assistant Leslie Sewell.

American Legion Authur H, Clune Post 1533

Photo Credit: @LIDucks | X

Photo Credit: Long Island Tennis Magazine | Facebook

The Connetquot Summer Tennis Camp Kids

Jackie Bradley Jr.

ByTomBarton

North Shore Claims District and Sectional Titles

The North Shore Little League Minors All-Star team are the district and sectional champions. Those are massive accomplishments in themselves, but with this team, things run so much deeper than that.

The coaching staff of Mike Wolters, James Martin and Brian Reitan led this team of 9- and 10year olds, with one 8-year-old player on the team, to new heights this year and right into a state championship game, but their journey to get there is one for the books.

At the end of May, twelve kids, where only five of them even knew one another, had to trust three coaches, and each other in a very short time frame to accomplish their goals, and they did it. In speaking with the coaches they all brought up the word "believe" over and over. There had to be a belief in the process, a belief in each other and they had to believe that this would elevate them to win game after game. Believing in themselves and gelling as a team is hard enough, but to do that in such a short time period shows a true leap of faith and speaks to the character

of the players and the coaching staff.

Coach James Martin said that "game by game they grew closer to each other and you could see how they began to believe in themselves with every game."

That belief allowed them to win the District Championship with a win over Moriches Bay Little League. Throughout the tournament, every game was a tough, hard-fought battle, which brought them even closer. They upended Moriches 7-5 for the right to be called District Champions.

After another set of nail-biting and character-building wins, they then took on a very good Half Hollow Hills team in mid-July. That Half Hollow team had already beaten North Shore in the early bracket. That didn't stop this team from that word again, believing. Not only did they have to beat Half Hollow Hills, but they had to beat them twice in two days to claim the Sectional Championship. Facing their #1 ace pitcher, they grinded out a 5-4 win to hoist the title.

While Austin Young was brilliant in every start he made and Coach Wolters called his performances throughout the

tournament "phenomenal," each coach recognized this was a full team effort. Coach Brian Reitan said, "Every single one of these boys had a huge hand in this win." That sentiment was echoed by Coach Wolters who proudly exclaimed, "All of them had their hand in something that got us to the state tournament, everyone contributed in a big way."

This was a team composed mainly of 10-year-old players but three players were 9 years old and one was just 8. The coaching staff made it a point to say how impressed they were that the younger players stepped up and were not overshadowed. "They held their own with the older kids," said Coach Martin.

In the end, the gutty, gritty close game team lost a tough one. They dropped a heartbreaker in the state championships 2-1 in extra innings upstate near Binghamton.

Championship. Wolters said, "the loss hurts but you can look back and say we were one of 8 teams and hope they can appreciate it and won't happen too many times in your life." He went on to say, "They can look back at what was accomplished and know how proud they made the coaches and parents. There are not enough words to describe how proud we all are of them."

are champions forever.

ByTomBarton

When the spotlight comes on and the cameras are rolling, there will be many flaws in most organizations. The New York Giants are no different and this year's Hard Knocks program is proving that.

Hard Knocks has been a great show for the fans of the NFL to get a look inside how franchises go about their business during training camp and what it's really like to be on a professional team. But, as with most things under a spotlight, there seems to always be some drawbacks. Sure, the publicity can be great, but there is a reason teams don't want the cameras around all the time and Big Blue is feeling that backlash this year.

This version of Hard Knocks actually began taking place back in the winter when the G-Men were evaluating their free agents and predraft acquisitions. This is a sore spot for many New York fans because while they did gain a big

defensive piece in Brian Burns, they also lost a fan beloved piece in Saquon Barkley. Watching that unfold has only brought more pain and anger to Giants fans.

Hard Knocks has highlighted how General Manager Joe Schoen handled the Barkley situation and many have been vocal about his half-hearted attempt to keep one of the best players in franchise history. Barkley not only chose to leave New York, but he went to their division rival, the hated Eagles. More than once, the cameras showed owner John Mara explaining to Schoen that he would lose sleep if Barkley left, yet Saquon will be wearing green this season. Cost and age certainly played a role, but the inside look of losing a beloved player stung just a little more when fans watched it unfold.

Schoen never offered Barkley a contract and never tried to match the Eagles offer. Early on, you could see that Schoen had already pivoted in his idea about his backfield.

Coach Mike Wolters won't allow that to define the season though. This team can forever hold their heads high and say they were Sectional Champions, District Champions and were one of eight teams to play for the State Barkley later told the Athletic that he “never got a true negotiation” and he directed some anger toward Schoen who referenced on the show how trying the negotiations were the year prior saying, “if it took

Their names are now etched in the record books. Austin Young, Bruce Lennihan, Daniel McKiernan,

Hard Knocks Makes the Giants Easy to Knock

10 years off your life, what do you think it did for mine”.

The Giants are an organization in transition and both Schoen and Brian Daboll seem to be on the hot

The North Shore Little League, who were very supportive and generous to the team, are very proud of this collection of players and that they can bring those championships home. North Shore has now produced three teams that went on to represent them in the State Championships.

seat this year, along with their QB Daniel Jones. All three have been criticized heavily this offseason, and now that the cameras are rolling, it seems to only be adding fuel to the fire.

A Seawolf Heads Overseas

ByTomBarton

Stony Brook Basketball's Tyler

Stephenson-Moore is going pro. Moore was signed to play overseas in Germany for the Phoenix Hagen.

Stephenson-Moore began his career on Long Island and won the 2019 AA New York Federation Championship at Long Island Lutheran, was named to the 2019 All-Long Island Team and was MVP of the LuHi Postseason Invitational.

The Jamaica-Queens native made the America East Honor Roll as a freshman for Stony Brook. He then went on to make the All-CAA Third Team as a senior while averaging 14.3 points per game. That scoring led the team and ranked 10th in the CAA. His endurance was on full display that season, where he ranked fifth in the NCAA and first in the conference in minutes per game. He also was a coach's dream doing all the little things right. He ranked second in the CAA in freethrow percentage and is ninth in program history for career freethrow percentage.

As a graduate student, he made the All-CAA Second Team,

the NABC All-District Second Team, the All-Met Third Team and topped it off with a CAA All-Tournament Team nod.

Stephenson-Moore led the team in scoring average, field goals made, free throws made, threepoint field goals made, three-point percentage, free-throw percentage, and once again minutes played. He also dominated the conference again finishing first in the CAA in three-point-field-goal percentage, fourth in free-throw percentage,

fifth in minutes/game, sixth in 3FG/game and 8th in scoring average and field-goal percentage. He ended his career with most games played (140) in program history.

He now heads to Germany. The Phoenix Hagen is a German professional basketball team in Hagen, Germany, that was established in 2004. They play in the ProA, which is Germany's second division of professional basketball.

Enzo Morbillo, Giovanni Zieman, Jake McCarron, Jayce Martin, Mike Montpetit, Nick Orsino, Robert Stroh, Tyler Wolters, and Zack Reitan

Photo Coach Wolters, Martin and Reitan North Shore Minors All-Stars

Photo Credit: @saquon | X Saquon Barkley now wears Eagles green.

Photo Credit: @StonyBrookMBB | X Tyler Stephenson-Moore

A TRUE TEAM EFFORT BRINGS HOME THE CHAMPIONSHIP

The North Shore Minors All-Stars Go to the State Championship