The South Shore Press 12/11/24

GARY POLLAKUSKY, ROCKY POINT SOUND BEACH CHAMBER PRESIDENT WITH SANTA AT ROCKY POINT 40TH ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING

From the

NEWSROOM

BY STEFAN MYCHAJLIW

If you asked most folks across the South Shore if they’ve ever heard of Thomas Stephen Monaghan, many would simply shrug their shoulders.

Yet at some point you’ve more than likely chowed down on a pizza his company made or have benefitted from how he revolutionized the speed of hot food delivery across America.

You see, Mr. Monaghan not only owned the Detroit Tigers, but he founded Domino’s Pizza.

From a purely financial standpoint the former CEO and now current Catholic philanthropist has been wildly successful, having sold his pizza empire in 1998 for $1 billion.

The biggest mark Monaghan now wants to make on the world centers

on his devout faith and a 5,000-acre patch of land about an hour east of Fort Myers, Florida. What he’s built there is a modern-day miracle. It’s a place and pilgrimage I try to take once a year to live, breathe, feel, and experience the beauty of Catholic action.

Monaghan had a tough life. He built his business empire from scratch. He most definitely wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Monaghan’s father died when he was just four years old. Two years later his mother had to place him and a younger brother in a Catholic orphanage in Michigan.

After attending a Catholic High School, the budding entrepreneur served in the Marines and then entered architecture school. To support his education. Monaghan

BY GEORGE SANTOS

The battle for New York City’s identity feels more visceral than ever, especially in the wake of the high-profile assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. He was gunned down in broad daylight outside a Manhattan hotel, a chilling reminder of an era many thought the city had left behind.

The audacity of the act — in a bustling public space with bystanders witnessing the event — underscores a deep sense of lawlessness and tension gripping the city. This wasn’t a random crime; evidence suggests meticulous premeditation. Investigators are combing through hours of security footage, witness statements, and digital footprints, yet the suspect remains elusive. Authorities believe the killer fled the city shortly after the execution-style shooting, evading one of the most intensive manhunts the NYPD and FBI have launched in recent years.

Ave Maria, Florida

changed the name to Domino’s, and the rest is history.

Yes, he achieved fiscal and monetary success beyond his wildest dreams despite the challenges of a rough childhood. According to his biography, business pursuits would sometimes “get in the way” of living his Catholic faith with passion and purpose. Strongly pro-life, Monaghan for the most part parted with his businesses, sold it off, and focused on a faith-based challenge from an old nun who raised him.

“He recalled the kind words of Sister Berada from his days at the orphanage. Was he being the kind of Catholic that Sister Berarda would want him to be? He knew he needed to do much more,” stated his bio on Ave Maria University’s website.

Continued on page 4

Healthcare CEO Assassination Rocks Big Apple

Mayor Eric Adams and Police Chief Jessica Tisch are under immense pressure to restore public confidence in safety and security.

In a recent press conference, Adams remarked, "We cannot allow this kind of violence to take hold of our city once again," a sentiment echoed by law enforcement officials who warn that failure to apprehend the

suspect could embolden future attacks. The optics of this incident — a powerful CEO gunned down amidst the skyscrapers that symbolize corporate dominance — feed into larger fears that anyone, regardless of status, can become a target.

What’s unsettling isn’t just the

brazen nature of the crime but the polarized public reaction that followed. Social media exploded with commentary, revealing deep divides in how the event is interpreted. On platforms like X and Reddit, many users expressed horror and sympathy, with comments such as "No one deserves this, no matter who they are" and "This is a shocking reminder that violence solves nothing."

However, interspersed with these reactions were posts that applauded the act, framing it as a form of “people’s justice” against corporate corruption. One viral tweet stated, “The system failed us long before anyone pulled that trigger.” Another post, liked thousands of times, read, “Corporate greed has a price, and maybe they’re finally paying it.”

These responses lay bare a troubling fracture in public sentiment. Some see this killing as a desperate, if misguided, reaction to a healthcare system viewed as

exploitative and profit-driven. Thompson’s role as CEO of a major health insurance company, synonymous with rising costs and denied claims, made him a symbolic target in the eyes of those feeling betrayed by the system. This act has become a potent symbol of the growing resentment against unchecked corporate power and widening inequality. As one user on TikTok commented, "People are dying because they can't afford care, and now the tables have turned."

Yet, this normalization of violent retribution challenges fundamental societal values. While understandable frustrations exist, cheering for an assassination undermines the principles of justice and democracy. Violence as a form of protest risks a descent into chaos, eroding the very fabric that holds communities together. A popular Instagram post aptly captured this tension: “We can’t fix a broken system with more brokenness.”

Continued on page 5

took out a loan of $900, bought a pizza shop called

Ave Maria, Florida

Credit: Stefan Mychajliw

ByMichaelJ.Reistetter

Saturday Spectacular: Rocky Point Hosts '40th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting'

Proud, local eagles flew into quite the festive show of holiday cheer in Rocky Point on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 7th.

The town’s 40th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting was mass-attended by eager residents

and intrigued neighbors alike.

Sponsored as always by the Rocky Point-Sound Beach (RPSB) Chamber of Commerce, the ceremony took place on the corner of Broadway and Prince Road.

Though rainfall befell the

region earlier in the week, the streets ceased to be wet, and the cold-air breeze was neither overbearing, nor did it impede upon the collective energy of the crowd of hopeful onlookers.

Santa Claus made a hero’s entrance; so too did the Rocky Point Fire Department, Troop Members of Rocky Point’s local Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts of America chapters, Bugle Greg Efimetz, and Rocky Point High School’s Brass Ensemble and Jazz Band.

For all on hand, hot chocolate and candy canes were issued out to keep warm, quenched, and ever in the holiday spirit.

In a statement, the RPSB Chamber members tabbed to coordinate yet another resoundingly successful Christmas Tree Lighting paid a special thanks to: Sunburst Tree Experts; Streeff’s Tree Services; Ann Olenick and Shasho Pole of Broadway Market; the

SCPD's Fifth Precint in the Holiday Spirit

BySouthShorePressStaff

The Fifth Precinct was rocking with the holiday spirit this week as kids belted out holiday songs

while helping light a Christmas tree and menorah for Hanukkah.

The freezing cold and Dinosaur Grinch were no match for Santa Claus and the local Girl Scouts.

Town of Brookhaven Hosts Christmas Tree Lighting

Rocky Point Rotary; the Rocky Point Civic Association; VFW Post 6249; Commander Joe Cognitore, of the Rocky Point

Historical Society; and Malcolm Wade and Amy Schecher of the Rocky Point School District, for all their efforts.

Rocky Point HS Band rings in the holiday season.

Dave Jenkins owner of Sunburst Tree Experts, Holly Bunin and members of their team along with Streeff Tree employees, volunteers and RPSB Chamber President Gary Pollakusky gather in front of the Rocky Point Tree after it was dressed, tested and lit.

Credit: Gary Pollakusky

Credit: Gary Pollakusky

BySouthShorePressStaff

The Holtsville Ecology Site was home to the 2024 Town of Brookhaven Christmas Tree Lighting, where Santa ditched his sleigh and decided to make a grand appearance by helicopter to countdown the celebration.

Credit: SCPD

Credit: Town of Brookhaven

ByMichaelJ.Reistetter

'A Christmas Carol' in Syosset: Dec. 7th - Jan. 5

The Cultural Arts Playhouse (CAP) in Syosset presents its community theater adaptation of Charles Dickens’ timeless classic “A Christmas Carol,” with shows running from Dec. 7th through Jan. 5th.

Directed by Carmela Newman (also the musical director and costume designer), several members of the production's main cast also had roles in the Ronkonkoma-shot supernatural mystery film The Lady of the Lake, which released earlier this year.

This includes Raffaela Capp (Emily); comedian Christopher Brian Roach (Christmas Present); Michael Newman (Ebenezer Scrooge); and Debbie D’Amore (Mrs. Fezziwig).

Per the Millie D’Agostino Scholarship Fund, an annual event coordinated in honor of

Carmela’s late mother, who left behind a noteworthy acting legacy on the local front, a special performance of Newman and Company’s “A Christmas Carol” will take place on Dec. 22nd. The Sunday matinee is set for 3 p.m.

"It is truly an honor to be leading this production with a performance dedicated to the memory of my mother, Millie D'Agostino, a longtime resident of Ronkonkoma,” Carmela Newman, also the president of the Millie D’Agostino Scholarship Fund, said. “It is also a gift to be directing such talent at my home away from home (The CAP of Syosset).”

D’Agostino passed away on Aug. 14th, 2017, at the age of 78. The Broadway musical and Golden Age classic film lover grew up in East Harlem the daughter of a seasoned violinist father and a professional radio singer mother. Millie herself

Suffolk County's Top Cop Spreads Christmas Cheer

sang in the St. Cecilia’s Church choir before being accepted into a prestigious summer stock program. She later performed in “Madam Butterfly” at the Lincoln Center-located Metropolitan Opera House in Manhattan.

The 5-time cancer survivor was married to Thomas J. D’Agostino for 55 years. She performed in over 150 theatrical productions across Long Island during that time. An arts, and overall community advocate, Millie regularly partnered with the theaters she performed at to raise funds for and through honorable service programs such as Meals on Wheels, Operation Christmas, and the Knights of Columbus’ sister organization, the Columbiettes.

Capp (granddaughter), Carmela Newman (daughter) and Michael Newman (sonin-law) continue the local arts influence of D’Agostino’s family across multiple storytelling forums.

"I am blessed to have worked with Millie‘s daughters on several different projects,” said Christopher Brian Roach, who co-starred in “The Lady of the Lake” for Carmela Newman’s sister, Maria Capp. “Their passion and dedication to their work is a testament to their mother’s love and tutelage."

“Playing the role of Scrooge is made even more special by the involvement of friends and family,” said Michael Newman.“I am sure she [Millie] is watching us and beaming with pride and admiration."

"Dear Grandma, I will always love you,” said Capp. “Thanks for sharing THIS world with me."

The Millie D’Agostino Fund itself supports future thespians in taking that extra leap beyond mere curiosity — setting in motion the opportunity for said performative hopefuls to learn about their desired craft as part of their higher education studies.

"To My Dearest Millie: I am grateful for the opportunity to be a small part of the legacy you left behind. The love, kindness, sweet friendship and best hugs ever will always live on in my heart, my memory and my life forever,” said D’Amore.

Sponsored by Syosset Hospital, ticket prices for the Dec. 22nd show are now available for $50. Seats can be reserved at www. culturalartsplayhouse.com or https://cap.booktix.com/dept/ main/e/md24.

Raes, baskets and “munchies”

Ave Maria, Florida...

Continued from page 2

The “much more” he had in mind was building a massive Catholic University and community to beat back antiChristian sentiment creeping into American culture, a place where Catholic values could be nurtured, shared, valued, and fought for.

At first his new Catholic University was going to be built in his native Michigan. The good Lord and Ann Arbor Charter Township had other plans. They denied his zoning request to build on existing property at Domino’s headquarters.

That’s when Monaghan focused on a patch of land, at the time 750 acres, in the “middle of nowhere” of inland Florida, outside of Naples and Fort Myers.

He literally built a massive “Catholic City” in the middle of Florida that is now home to Ave Maria University, an incorporated town with a population of 6,242 according to the most recent census, and a bustling community of supermarkets, shops, schools, centered by a 60,000 square foot church.

“The Oratory” at Ave Maria University can seat more than 3,000 congregants and serves as the heart of Ave Maria, Florida.

My first trip to Ave Maria was back in 2010, a few years after it was founded. My wife Ashley and I have many friends living in this neck of the woods, so we try to visit the area once a year.

If you happen to hit the road for Florida in the weeks and months ahead, your drive to Ave Maria

will

“Thanks to my CAP family, especially Bruce Grossman and Tony Frangipane, for their unwavering support in hosting our annual fundraising event,” Carmela Newman adds.

“And thank you to Ronkonkoma residents Mike Newman, Chris Roach, Debbie D'Amore, and Raffaela Capp for their talent, love and friendship in sharing the stage to honor Millie's legacy. Through our scholarship fund, her legacy, passion and love of the arts is able to live on and continue to be shared with generations to come."

Visit the milliedagostinofund. com for more information on the scholarship program.

from Naples or Fort Myers is anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes depending on the traffic. You most certainly don’t have to be Catholic to visit this impressive masterpiece.

In the same way Monaghan built Domino’s Pizza into a massive business empire from nothing, he’s now built a beacon of faith, hope, and light where there was none just a touch north of “Alligator Alley.”

It’s a beautiful place where I try to recharge the spiritual batteries once a year. I’d encourage you to do the same, regardless of your spiritual beliefs. It’s a blessing to see the power of what one person can do, the positive impact they can have on our world, by putting action behind our Christian faith.

be featured. The theater itself is located at 170 Michael Drive in Syosset.

(L to R): Debbie D' Amore, Mike Newman, Christopher Brian Roach and Raffaela Capp.

Credit: Maria Capp

BySouthShorePress

Suffolk County Sheriff Dr. Errol D. Toulon, Jr. Toulon participated in the Christmas tree lighting

ceremony hosted by the Greater Gordon Heights Chamber of Commerce, spreading Christmas cheer and community spirit.

Credit: SCSO

Greater Gordon Heights Chamber of Commerce Tree Lighting Ceremony

ByRobertChartuk

Christmas Parade Lights Up MasticShirley

The holiday season was brightened Sunday by the 53rd Annual Christmas Parade hosted by the Chamber of

Commerce of the Mastics & Shirley. Montauk Highway became a winter wonderland of floats and Christmas characters. Everyone got into

the act including marching bands, fire departments, and many local businesses and organizations. Chamber President Frank Montenez

organized the popular event with help from the Chamber Board. Keith and Cassie Caputo were this year’s Grand Marshalls.

Healthcare CEO Assassination...

Continued from page 2

New York is now at a critical juncture, caught between escalating crime rates, social inequality, and ideological fragmentation. Addressing this moment of crisis demands far more than aggressive policing or swift arrests. It requires a commitment to confronting the

root causes of this discontent — decades of systemic inequality, corporate overreach, and an ever-growing wealth gap. Sociologists point out that such violent outbursts often emerge from a pressure cooker of frustration, hopelessness, and perceived injustice. As one commentator on LinkedIn

noted, “We need more than accountability for the shooter. We need accountability for the conditions that made this seem justified to anyone.”

Until these deeper socioeconomic rifts are acknowledged and repaired, the city’s sense of unity and safety will remain fragile. The soul of

The South Shore Press Newspaper

New York — and by extension, the nation — hangs in the balance, teetering between justice and chaos. The choice to rebuild or further fracture lies in how we respond: with empathy, systemic reform, and a rejection of violence, or with reactionary measures that may only widen the divides.

or USPS# 019051) published weekly by:

Periodicals Postage Paid at Center Moriches, NY and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Mailing Address

news@southshorepress.com

Notices: legals@southshorepress.com

sports@southshorepress.com

Fredrick Miller, Rich Acritelli, Michael J. Reistetter, Tara D’Amato

Proofreader Kaitlyn Bankson

$9.00MonthlySubscription

$100.00OneYearSubscription(Print, Digital & Newsletter)

$150.00OneYearPremiumSubscription(ALL ACCESS - Print, Digital, Exclusive Digital & Newsletter)

First Copy Free. Each Additional Copy is 75¢ Copyright© 2024 South Shore Press, LLC. All rights reserved. Material appearing herein may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form. Copying part or all of the editorial or graphic arts in any machinereadable form, making multiple printouts thereof or other uses of the work product contained herein is expressly prohibited and is inconsistent with all applicable copyright laws. Advertisers purchase space and circulation only. All property rights to any advertisements produced for the advertisers by South Shore Press, Inc. using art work and/or typography furnished or arranged by South Shore Press, LLC. shall be the property of South Shore Press, LLC. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced or assigned without the express written consent of South Shore Press, LLC. South Shore Press, LLC. assumes no financial responsibility for errors beyond the cost of the actual space occupied by the error. Postmaster: Send address changes to P.O. Box 431, Shirley, N.Y. 11967.

South Shore Press, LLC. is a proud member of the following community organizations: The Greater Mastic Beach Chamber of Commerce, The Rocky Point Sound Beach Chamber of Commerce, The Mastic/Shirley Chamber of Commerce, The Moriches Chamber of Commerce, The Bellport Chamber of Commerce, The Manorville Chamber of Commerce, The Medford Chamber of Commerce and The New York Press Association.

Serving the Communities of The Village of Bellport, Brookhaven, Center Moriches, Centereach, Coram, East Moriches, East Patchogue, Eastport, East Shoreham, Farmingville, Gordon Heights, Lake Ronkonkoma, Manorville, Medford, Mastic, The Village of Mastic Beach, Middle Island, Miller Place, Moriches, Mount Sinai, North Bellport, The Village of Patchogue, Port Jefferson Station, The Village of Port Jefferson, Ridge, Rocky Point, Ronkonkoma, Selden, Shirley, Shoreham, Smith Point, Sound Beach, Speonk, Terryville, Wading River, & Yaphank.

Credit: Robert Chartuk

LOCAL

ByRobertChartuk

The colors of the ocean, local scenes, and the memories of the lifetime of local artist Elizabeth "Betty" Jordan Dunlap (19262023) are on display at the Center Moriches Library.

“As a teenager, my mother filled her sketchbook with charcoal drawings of fashion designs,” said Betty’s daughter, Donna Dunlap Brown, who curated the exhibit. “She was stylish and always had quite the wardrobe. She also designed and sewed clothes for my brothers and me."

Betty’s artistic eye soon turned to the outdoors: rivers and lakes and especially the ocean. Many of her oil

Lifetime of Art at Library Exhibit

paintings are of waves breaking on boulders or cresting on the beach.

“She viewed her paintings as never done, considering them works in progress, often adding new details years later,” Dunlap Brown noted.

“She sought the perfect wave, the perfect light, the perfect gull in flight,” she said of her mom, who always had her wooden briefcase with painting supplies nearby.

Learning the names of colors in kindergarten, Dunlap Brown remembers that what her kindergarten teacher called "brown," the artist's daughter identified as "burnt umber."

Because Betty's father was a U.S. Coast Guard commander, she grew up in the coastal cities of

New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and Massachusetts. She met her husband when they were students at Boston University. He became a Methodist minister, so his career took them to various locations, including many days vacationing at Epworth by the Sea in St. Simons, Georgia GA.

Betty earned a bachelor's degree from Boston’s College of Practical Arts and Letters and a master's degree in counseling from Long Island University. In all, Betty lived in 32 cities and towns throughout her life, the last 48 years in East Moriches. During that time, for 17 years, she worked for the Suffolk County Office for the Aging, retiring as a supervisor.

Credit: Elizabeth "Betty" Jordan Dunlap Louisburg Square, Boston, Massachusetts

Sand Dunes and Red Fencing

Waves Breaking on Rocks

Barn and Farm Pond, Painted in Pawling, NY

Louisburg Square, Boston, Massachusetts

Snowy Boston Park

Three Sailboats with Yellow Sails

The artist’s daughter, Donna Dunlop Brown, curated the exhibit of her mother’s work at the Center Moriches Library.

Elizabeth “Betty” Jordan Dunlop

Apples and Strawberries

Fisherman in Boat with Birch Tree

Mt. Ranier Near Kirkland, Washington.

Live Oak Tree with Hanging Spanish Moss, St. Simon's Island, Georgia GA

ByRobertChartuk

Avery Museum Showcased at Tree Lighting Ceremony

The first holiday tree lighting at the historic Avery property in East Patchogue was a coming-out party for the estate’s magnificent museum, which showcases the area’s past.

The impeccable touch of curator Susan Shiebler was evident in every room of the majestic main house on the centuries-old property acquired last year by Suffolk County through the efforts of Legislator Dominick Thorne. “We are committed to keep going until all of the structures on this landmark property are renovated and restored,” Thorne said, noting that he worked with County Executive Ed Romaine to

budget $250,000 for the effort.

Proudly touring residents through the 1893 Victorian House museum, Shiebler noted the rich history of the Avery Family, starting with one of the original settlers of Patchogue, Humphry Avery, who acquired a huge tract in 1752 from a patent held by John Still Winthrop. Tracing back to a purchase by Connecticut Governor John Winthrop Jr. from the Unkechaug Sachem Tobacus in 1664, the original estate stretched from Bellport to Blue Point.

Family descendants include Tex Avery, who directed cartoons featuring Bugs Bunny, Donald Duck, and Porky Pig; R. Stanton Avery, founder of the label company that bears his name; and a pirate

who went under the alias Emry, Shiebler said. Charles Avery opened the 200-acre Swan River Nursery at the site in 1898, and his daughter, pursuing her love for miniature horses, ran the Peppermint Stik Farm. The homestead, loaded with antiques and historical items, including the blue ribbons won by Barbara’s horses, fell into disrepair after her death in 2017.

With its 1820 gambrel frame house, 1930 Dutch Colonial Revival-style barn, and hexagonal concrete fountain built by Charles Avery in 1921 to attract customers to his business, the property was listed on the Long Island List of Historic Places in 2019, a move that put it on a path for revitalization. The Queen

Ann-style Victorian that houses the museum was moved to the property in 1901, according to Steve Lukas of the Greater Patchogue Historical Society, which has partnered with the county to help manage the estate and run a gift shop to raise funds.

Lucas noted that the property is the second oldest in Suffolk County to have remained under the ownership of a single family.

Gardiners Island off Long Island’s east end is the oldest, according to the historian.

Legislator Thorne, who had a Park Rangers post established at the 11.5-acre asset for security, noted some of the improvements, including the rebuilding of the porch and the replacement of cedar

shingles. “They made exact replicas from plans found in the attic,” Thorne said of the craftsman with the county parks department. Another site preserved through Legislator Thorne’s advocacy was the Bianchi/Weiss property further down on South Country Road, which has been designated as a nature preserve. The Avery Estate sits along a historical gateway that passes through Patchogue, home to Lakeview Cemetery and Main Street, where the Carnegie Library and Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts stand. Working with Brookhaven Town, the county is supporting the revitalization of East Patchogue’s business corridor.

Credit: Robert Chartuk

Sitting around the tree in the Avery House parlor is Legislator Dominick Thorne, left, Joshua Melchior, Christa Melchoir, and Richard Martin.

Avery Homestead guests from left: Sarah Chartuk, Elissa Shiebler, and Christa Melchior.

Susan Shiebler shows off some of the pieces in the Avery Museum.

Pastoral holiday scene at the Avery Homestead.

Santa with some of the Suffolk County Park Rangers.

Avery tree lighting guests.

The Avery House in East Patchogue.

Christa Melchoir chats with Richard Martin at the Avery tree lighting.

Holiday Horse at the Avery Museum.

Kids with Santa.

Holiday tree illuminated at Avery. Humphrey Avery in front of the family homestead.

Pictorial History of Shirley LOCAL

ByRobertChartuk

Drive around Shirley today and you’ll still see glimpses of the way it used to be, when it was a fresh new seaside community promoted by its founder, Walter T. Shirley, as a “nice place to live.” It was a haven for beaches, boating, and fishing — a vacation paradise that became a thriving community.

It was originally called Mastic Acres and Tangiers after one of the area’s Colonial Settlers. Known as a “Town of Flowers,” it drew thousands from New York City starting in the 1950s with many of the original families still there to this day. Let’s take a look at Shirley’s early days courtesy of the photos collected by the Mastic Peninsula Historical Society.

Credit: Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library

Credit: The Trypuc Collection

Credit: The Trypuc Collection

Credit: Spooner Central

Credit: Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library

Credit: Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library

Credit: Shirley Jensen

Credit: Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library

Credit: Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library

Credit: Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library

Credit: Mastic Peninsula Historical Society

Credit: Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library

Credit: Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library

Credit: The Trypuc collection

Shirley boasted a small amusement park with a carousel on Johns Neck Road and Palmetto Drive in Shirley.

Early Shirley advertisement.

This Shirley welcome sign was located on the north side of Montauk Highway west of Carmans River.

The first Shirley post office was located on the north side of Montauk Highway at the corner of William Floyd Parkway, which was called Camp Upton Road at the time.

Walter T. Shirley built the Mastic-Shirley Railroad Station at the intersection of William Floyd Parkway and Northern Boulevard. It replaced the Mastic Station further down the tracks.

The Shirley Drive In marquee in 1955.

Robert Hall was a popular clothing store on the east side of William Floyd Parkway where the Chase Bank now stands.

Walter T. Shirley poses with the Shirley Baseball Team in front of his Shirley Land Office.

Walter T. Shirley, a former music promoter who had the vision to create the community that carries his name.

The Unkechaug Creek Canals gave Shirley residents access to Narrows Bay and then the Atlantic.

Miss Shirley contestants are admired by some military men at Shirley Ocean Beach.

Walter T. Shirley at the Grand Opening of the Shirley Drive In on Montauk Highway on July 1, 1953. Closed in 1988, the drive-in was built on a former horse farm and track. The space is now the South Port Shopping Center.

A home offered at the Shirley Model Village at the corner of Montauk Highway and William Floyd Parkway. The site included Walter T. Shirley’s sales office and a petting zoo for the kids.

Famous for its Italian bread and pastries was the bakery on Surrey Circle operated by Nancy and Anthony Cacciola.

LOCAL

ByStefanMychajliw

National Honors for Two SCPD Officers

Suffolk County Police

Detective Edwin Hugh and Police Officer Thomas Joy were among the recipients honored during the Seventh Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing ceremony in Washington D.C.

This prestigious award recognizes law enforcement officers who demonstrate exceptional dedication to strengthening trust, promoting community engagement, and enhancing public safety.

The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, and Tribal sworn officers, deputies, and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded individuals have demonstrated active engagement with the

community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations, or innovations in community policing. Twentyone people were honored in those categories.

Detective Hugh and Police Officer Joy were honored in the Innovations in Community Policing category for strengthening the department’s relationship with the Asian American community.

Ten years ago, the pair created a police fraternal nonprofit charity organization, the Suffolk County Police Asian Jade Society. The goal was to create an organization for Asian American police officers to collaborate, serve as liaisons, encourage Asian Americans to serve their community, and celebrate Asian American culture.

During the COVID-19

pandemic, community police officers, including Officer Joy and Detective Hugh, transported people with no transportation

Historic Meeting at the Manor

ByRobertChartuk

It was a historic meeting centuries in the making: the leader of the Unkechaug Nation returned to the Manor of St. George, a place where his ancestors first connected with the early English settlers and helped put Long Island on its path to prosperity.

TChief Harry Wallace is steeped in the history of the Manor, founded by Col. William Tangier Smith, who worked side by side with the Unkechaugs to make the Manor a success. He shook hands with Manor representative John Scott Prudenti, thus rekindling a relationship between the ancient inhabitants of the Mastic Peninsula and the English Lord. So close was their partnership, Smith saw to it that ancestral land was set aside for a reservation, Poospatuck, where Chief Wallace and generations of Unkechaugs live to this day.

Skilled in local farming techniques, hunting, and fishing, the Unkechaugs were central to the estate's longevity, which occupies a stunning 127 acres overlooking Bellport Bay. They

were accomplished whalers setting forth on voyages around the globe. They returned with the expertise to guide generations of Smiths in plying the lucrative trade.

Prudenti was chosen to represent the Manor by the estate of Eugenia Smith, the Colonel’s last descendant, who passed away in 1954 with the wish that the property remain open to the people of Brookhaven. Chief Wallace and Prudenti presided over a ceremony with three ears of corn, a reminder to the settlers that the original deeds still allow the native people access to the lands that would become Brookhaven Town.

As the Chief re-familiarized himself with the property, he told of the history between his ancestors and the Manor. When it was captured by the British during the American Revolution, they were there to assist Col. Benjamin Tallmadge in taking it back. A gunshop remains on the property, a place where the Indian gunsmith Treadwell furnished armaments and ammo to the Patriots. Harpoons and spears

were made to capture the animals rendered in cauldrons at Fireplace, another historic site just upstream on Bellport Bay. According to the Chief, the Nation’s first ministers, Peter John and Paul Cuffee, were trained at the Manor. They were known for bridging the gap between Native American traditions and EuropeanAmerican religious practices.

Chief Wallace shares the story of Unkechaug whaler William Cooper, who served with valor during the War of 1812, a conflict following the Revolution where the British attempted to take back control over the Colonies. Cooper had been conscripted to serve on a British Navy ship and jumped overboard in England’s Portsmouth Channel to gain his freedom. “The Red Coats forbid the Indians from bearing arms but the forge at the Manor burned the midnight oil to make sure they had what they needed,” Prudenti said. Cooper also ran a cooperage at the Manor to make barrels that shipped local goods to New York City and beyond, a building that still stands today.

The Manor housed an active trading post where transactions between the local tribe members and the colonists were recorded in a “Pigskin Book,” which the Manor still holds in its possession, along with documents pertinent to the founding of the nation, Prudenti notes.

During the Revolution, the Unkechaugs rescued Kitty Floyd and other family members of William Floyd, the Patriot signer of the Declaration of Independence, secreting them across the sound to Connecticut as the British closed in. Chief Wallace traces his lineage to another Patriot, Nathaniel

and mobility problems to and from testing sites. They also provided meals and other personal comfort items to testing site staff, law enforcement and other essential workers.

Detective Hugh and Officer Joy made themselves available to the Asian American community, and served as a liaison between the victims and the department and served as a support system to victims.

Officer Joy, being a recruitment officer for the department and having made close ties with the community through the Asian Jade Society, was successful in making recruitment information more available to Asian American communities. Those efforts doubled the number of Asian American and Muslim American officers.

Woodhull, whose heir married an Unkechaug princess. Wallace and Prudenti discussed the fate of Woodhull’s Colonial home in Mastic, which was dismantled and its wood used to build a house in Southampton. That home was dismantled, and the original wood is out there somewhere.

“We need to get that wood back,” the Manor rep exclaimed, and the Chief agreed, the two hoping that the sprawling Manor estate and its early working farm could be a home for other historic buildings. They would also like to see the renewal of the clam and oyster beds just offshore of the estate in waters that had been cleansed by the opening of the Old Inlet by Hurricane Sandy, a path to the ocean used by the British to seize the Manor.

Chief Wallace is one of only two people on Long Island—the other a member of the Shinnecock Nation—authorized to take specimens from whales washing

up along its shores. There have been more strandings than usual lately, possibly from activities related to wind turbine work, Wallace believes, and he is called to administer last rites for each one of them. “The whales are sacred in our culture,” the Chief explains.

“They represent the powerful being of our creator and bring peace and spiritual awareness to the shore.” The spirit is transferred to the turtle, then to the otter, and then to the people.

Twice a year, the Unkechaugs conduct a Whale Tail ceremony to keep the tradition alive, Chief Wallace notes, adding that he would like next year’s events to take place at the Manor, along with Pow Wows, oysterfests, and other Native activities.

No matter what the future relationship between the Unkechaugs and the Manor holds, the two men agree, it will most certainly harken back to the rich history of the Mastic Peninsula.

Credit: Robert Chartuk

Credit: Robert Chartuk

Manor of St. George rep John Scott Prudenti, left, and Chief Harry Wallace rekindle the centuries-old relationship between the Manor and the Unkechaug Nation.

The Manor House

Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing ceremony

Credit: SCPD

ByRobertChartuk

Sunrise Wind Cable Work Progressing

Work is moving along on the installation of the cable that will connect the mainland to the Sunrise Wind turbines off Montauk.

Trenchers are heading down William Floyd Parkway to Smith Point, where the 124-mile cable will make landfall. It will connect to a utility substation in Holtsville, where the wind energy will be distributed to 600,000 homes.

While the total estimated cost of the project is not being disclosed by its developer, the Danish corporation Ørsted,

it promises to generate $700 million in economic benefits to the region, including $170 million to Brookhaven Town and Suffolk County for hosting the 17-mile leg of the landward line.

Workers are installing an eight-inch sleeve to protect the cable, along with conduits for communication lines. Next on the to-do list is passing the lines under Moriches Bay to connect to Fire Island. The contractor, Haugland Group, has set up a base at the Shirley Marina to barge construction equipment to the barrier beach that is too heavy to pass over the Smith

Point Bridge.

State officials, who herald the project as part of their nationleading green energy initiative, assert that it will only add $1-$2 to the average electric bill. The Sunrise Wind effort will see the construction of 86 turbines 30 miles off Long Island’s southern tip and include a $37 million headquarters in East Setauket, a $5 million Research and Development Partnership with Stony Brook University, a $10 million National Wind Training Center in Brentwood, and a new Service Operations Vessel, the 262-foot Eco Edison, to be docked at Port Jefferson.

One Man's Story of Survival at Pearl Harbor

ByGailLynch-Bailey

James D. Eagle was born on July 18, 1919, in Lindenhurst. He and his brother William P. were sons of William G. and Christina J. Eagle, who had moved from Canada to the United States in 1917 or 1918. The family settled on a small farm in Coram, several hundred feet south of Middle Country Road, on a private drive that later became Homestead Drive.

On October 21, 1940, Jim Eagle enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was sent to Newport, Rhode Island. The enlistees were taken to a gym and told to pick a wall with the name of a battleship on it. One wall said Arizona, another West Virginia and the final two were Oklahoma and Tennessee. For whatever reason, Jim chose the wall that said Tennessee. He had no idea what impact this decision would have a year later. After six weeks at Newport, Jim was sent to the state of Washington and assigned to the USS Tennessee.

The ship sailed to Hawaii and was at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked by the Japanese Air Force on Dec. 7, 1941. The Admiral in charge had been on the

Tennessee, but he transferred to the West Virginia. Thus, the two battleships had recently switched positions. The Tennessee was hit by two bombs but not severely damaged. The West Virginia was next to them and the Arizona was behind them. Nine torpedoes hit and sank the West Virginia. The Arizona exploded from a direct hit that killed 1,110 of its crew. The Oklahoma was also hit and sank.

That fateful Sunday morning, Jim Eagle and a friend were heading for church services; they were still on the deck of their battleship when the attack began at 7:48. Because the Tennessee had an inside berth, it was shielded from torpedo attack. The ship and much of its crew survived. Jim and his shipmates helped in the recovery of those sailors lost during the attack, which lasted less than two hours and took the lives of 2,335 servicemen and 68 civilians.

The Tennessee headed back to Washington State and was in the Puget Sound Navy Yard from Dec. 29, 1941 to Feb. 25, 1942, for repairs. After several months at sea, the Tennessee returned to

Puget Sound on Aug. 27, 1942, for modernization. On October 4, 1942, Jim returned home from his ship in Seattle on a 12-day furlough. He had become a First Class Petty Officer and turned down a promotion to Chief Petty Officer so he could attend school in Washington, D.C.

Jim had another reason to stay on the East Coast. On March 3, 1945, E/M 1/C James Eagle, USN, married Virginia Goldstein in Middle Island. After being honorably discharged, he returned to Coram, where he and Virginia raised their family. Jim worked in the construction trade and taught Sunday School at the local Methodist Church. He was a dedicated volunteer firefighter with the Coram Fire Department for over 50 years.

Returning to Pearl Harbor 50 years after the attack, Jim Eagle remembered where his ship was moored on Dec. 7th. He was overcome, reliving the sights and sounds of that day. He had to walk away.

"I remember him telling the kids as he flew into Pearl Harbor a half-century later, he felt nothing," explains Paul Infranco, who hosted Mr. Eagle in his Longwood Middle School classroom. "It wasn't until he walked to the water's edge that it hit him. Looking at the water, he saw the faces of the two young sailors whose lifeless bodies he pulled out. It took him minutes to get his composure back after he told us that story.”

Mr. Eagle's tale proved so riveting it sparked a renewed

interest in local, living history here in Longwood. Our young people, and then the community at large, realized that every veteran has an important story to tell, every veteran ought to be recognized, and every veteran deserves to be thanked and supported.

Students started doing research and writing veterans' biographies, and adults began fundraising and seeking grants. It took a few years, but the results will honor our war veterans and their families for centuries to come: eight granite monuments resting resplendently here at the heart of our Bartlett Pond Park.

May we never forget it started with one man's story!

Gail Bailey-Lynch is president of the Middle Island Civic Association.

WFSD Elementary School Student-Musicians

Selected

for Prestigious Festival

ByStefanMychajliw

Eighteen fourth-grade studentmusicians from the William Floyd School District were selected to be a part of the 16th Annual Suffolk County Music Educators Association (SCMEA) PEAK (Parents, Educators And Kids) Festival.

Many students from across Suffolk County are nominated by their teachers for consideration and only 200 of them are selected to participate.

“It is a big honor to be chosen for this event,” said SCMEA PEAK Festival Co-Chairs Cristen Salisbury and Jennifer Fischer in a congratulatory letter to parents. “You should be quite proud of your child’s musical accomplishments.”

The William Floyd studentmusicians that were chosen to

participate attended a conference at Northport High School in late October along with all of the other selected student-musicians. At this conference, students had the opportunity to create music with their teachers and parents through a variety of workshops and games overseen by some of the most innovative music

teachers on Long Island. These activities included “drumtastic” drums alive, folk dance, singing games, world music drumming, chorus and much more. The students and members of their families had a great time participating in this festival.

Credit: WFSD WFSD Elementary School Student-Musicians and Staff

Installation of the Sunrise Wind cable is moving down William Floyd Parkway.

Pearl Harbor Veteran Jim Eagle with his dad in Coram.

Credit: Robert Chartuk

Credit: Family of Jim Eagle

ByRobertChartuk

Pearl Harbor Remembered at Special Event

At precisely 12:48 on Saturday afternoon, the “Day that will in infamy,” the attack on Pearl Harbor was remembered during a special ceremony at the Bartlett Pond Park war memorial in Middle Island. That was the moment in 1941 when the Japanese killed 2,335 American service members and 68 civilians in a cowardly assault that propelled the nation into World War II.

The remembrance was combined with a holiday tree lighting to recognize the many

service members who did not make it home that Christmas.

The event was organized by Middle Island Civic Association

President Gail Lynch-Bailey, who also coordinates a Memorial Day Remembrance, Gold Star Families Recognition Day, and Veterans Day Commemoration at the park to recognize those who helped make America great.

“This year's Pearl Harbor Day Commemoration's theme is Forging Ahead, emphasizing not only the historical significance but also the vital role of the younger generation in preserving and honoring this legacy,” Lynch-

Bailey told the crowd, which included local elected officials, area veterans, and VIPs. “As we commemorate this day, we must also look to the future and the role of the younger generation in carrying forward the legacy of the Greatest Generation.”

According to the civic leader, “It is essential for today's youth to understand and appreciate the sacrifices made during World War II, particularly in the Pacific theater, which began with the attack on Pearl Harbor. By doing so, they can draw inspiration from the courage and determination of those who came before them, understanding that the pursuit of peace requires the

same resolute spirit that was needed to fight and win the war.”

“These service members exercised absolute courage in standing up to defend Democracy and defeat fascism,” said Rochard Kollar, Middle Island Civic Association vice president. “They helped deliver a world grounded in peace and security.”

Also addressing the crowd were Senator Dean Murray, Legislator Nick Caracappa, and representatives of Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, Legislator Chad Lennon, and Congressman Nick LaLota. The Coram and Middle Island Fire departments

Man on the Street Asks About Women and Men

ByRobertChartuk

participated, as did members of the Longwood Alliance, Central Brookhaven Lions Club, Scout Troops 433 and 560, and the Longwood Central School District and Board of education. Thanks went out to Brookhaven Town for providing the live Christmas tree, which the community will ceremoniously light for generations to come.

Also in attendance were Tony and James Bocchimuzzo, Harold Bachmann, Matt Gropper, Dave Pfister, Danny Marstellar, Rudy Fusco, Ken Donnelly, Craig Tunjian, Chris Adamo, Steve Pastena, Andy Suderov, Paul Infranco, and Frank and Brendan Bailey.

on allowing boys in girls’ bathrooms and men in women’s sports, the South Shore Press

on the Street asked residents what they thought about the issue.

It’s wrong to let men compete against women in events that used to be for women only; it’s just not fair. And it’s ridiculous to allow boys in girls’ bathrooms at school. I don’t know anyone who thinks this is okay.”

Fred Mignone, East Moriches

I’m against it; it’s ridiculous. Men should compete against each other, not take over women's sports.”

Betty Mignone, East

Trans people have been going into women’s bathrooms for years, and you never knew about it. They just go in and do their business. Anyone dressing up as a woman just to go into the bathroom is a creep. As for the people concerned about men in women’s sports, I bet many of them haven’t even been to a women’s sporting event.”

I was an alternate for the 1996 Olympics in wrestling, and l can say without a doubt that it’s not humanly possible for men to compete fairly against women. Their strength, speed, and stamina are different. It's just not the same.”

Things have gone too far in the other direction. If you mix boys in girls’ bathrooms and men in women’s sports, you’re asking for trouble.”

Moriches

Laura L., Center Moriches

Susan Berghorn, Eastport

Jojo Bergen, Manorville

With the state Board of Regents waffling

Man

Elected officials, veterans, and VIPs at the Pearl Harbor ceremony.

Members of the Middle Island Fire Department pay their respects.

Credit: Robert Chartuk

Credit: Robert Chartuk

ByMichaelJ.Reistetter

Five Smithtown Boy Scouts Recognized in Eagle Courts of Honor Ceremony

Smithtown Troop 888 — a locally representative extension of the Boy Scouts of America — held its Eagle Scout Court of Honor on Saturday, Nov. 30th.

This ceremony honors those who have served in Boy Scouts from an early age, and have put in the ample legwork and consummate service to their respective communities required to earn the absolute highest rank that can be bestowed upon a scout.

Led by parent Bill Bauer, the troop honored five scouts for their exemplary service initiatives within the community.

Douglas Antasky renewed the “secret playground” at the Sweet

Briar Nature Center in Smithtown.

Sean Bauer created a memorial garden for the Angela’s House Foundation in Smithtown.

Tyler Liebold revamped the St. Patrick’s Youth Community Deck Hockey Rink in Smithtown.

Michael Power built various pieces of furniture for Ascent: A School for Individuals with Autism in Deer Park. And Anthony Zitoli refurbished several picnic tables and benches for Sweet Briar.

Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy and Legislator Leslie Kennedy were on hand for the ceremony. The legislators always make it a point to attend every local Eagle Scout ceremony. She is proud to serve a community that has a stronger scouting presence than

most.

“The grouping of these five young men are synonymous with excellence. You cannot find more hardworking, dedicated, and community-oriented individuals than these Eagle Scouts,” Leslie Kennedy told The South Shore Press.

Her husband matched these sentiments, saying: “I’m proud to support scouting throughout all of Suffolk County. I’ve had scouting Troop 888 grads as interns in my office, and they all do an excellent job. They’re well-prepared and interact with the public in a professional way. There’s no better program to prepare individuals to be the future leaders of Suffolk County.”

William Floyd High School Holds 1000-Coat

ByDeborahWilliams

William Floyd High School is at it again doing good deeds for the community. The William Floyd United Teachers (WFUT) recently hosted the second annual 1,000-coat giveaway. Teachers say the coat giveaway provides a little extra warmth during the colder months.

Community service is the heart and soul of the William Floyd community. Everyone came together for a great cause, donated 1,000 coats, Thanksgiving meals, winter hats, gloves, toys, books, ornaments and more.

“I am overwhelmed by the contributions throughout the district and our surrounding community,” said Mike Devenney, William Floyd High School English teacher and WFUT union president.

It was a true collaborative partnership between the school and community and an amazing event for all involved. All of the items were distributed within the first hour demonstrating the importance of this event and the need in the community.

In addition to the thousands of items that were given away on site, an additional four full bags of coats were donated to Billy Floyd’s closet, an in-school location available for William Floyd students who may need them.

This amazing community event is made possible thanks to the dedication and generosity of the William Floyd United Teachers and community partners, including: Helpsy; PJ Balzer of King’s Kids Christian Outreach; Kevin Donovan and Mutual Inc.; AFT’s “Reading

Drive

Opens the World” initiative; East End Screen Printing; Mitev Law Firm; AFLAC; Katherine Martin and Cetera Investors; Feldman/Kramer/Monaco, PC.; Lenny Bruno Farms; Rod Dayton and Jim Scheidel from VOYA Financial; and William Floyd teachers, custodians and students.

Clothing donations:

Helpsy, thanks to WFUT member and Safe Schools

Chairperson Mike Lacarrubba’s relationship and work with the organization, donated 1,000 winter coats to the community. Teachers donated winter coats and hand-knitted scarves and hats collected by William Paca Middle School teachers Kari Garfen and Melissa Abbatiello.

East End Screen Printing donated 1,000 winter hats and gloves.

Food donations:

One hundred fifty turkeys were purchased at a discounted rate from Cow Palace thanks to generous donations by Kevin Donovan (Mutual Inc.), Katherine Martin (Cetera),

Dominick Mautarelli (AFLAC), Rod Dayton/Jim Scheidel (Voya), Feldman/Kramer/Monaco, and Mitev Law firm. Special thanks to Shelley Milne for arranging this purchase.

PJ Balzer of the King’s Kids Christian Outreach in Mastic Beach donated an additional 150 turkeys. Special thanks to Nancy Kimmerling for helping to make this happen.

Thanksgiving potatoes for 300 families donated by Jakki Engasser and Focus Church.

Thanksgiving food packages for 300 families consisting of cranberry sauce, corn, stuffing purchased with WFUT member

monetary donations.

Amy Nardi and her family donated more than 300 brown shopping bags that were used to distribute the food.

Book, toy and ornament giveaways:

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) “Reading Opens the World” grant allowed WFUT to purchase more than 800 children’s books to distribute.

WFHS music teacher Michelle Seifert donated stuffed animals.

An anonymous high school teacher donated two bins filled with new children’s toys.

William Floyd High School CTE Carpentry students and Set Design students, under the direction of Matt Van Horne and Steve Rendino, crafted holiday ornaments and designed the elaborate Santa’s Corner booth. Volunteers:

Talented student musicians performed holiday classics for the enjoyment of attendees.

Science Honor Society students and Student Government students sorted and bagged 300 Thanksgiving food packages consisting of side dishes.

CTE Barbering, Skills USA, Student Government, and Science Honor Society students served the community as volunteers.

CTE Culinary students with instructor Rich Daly helped unload and store the frozen turkeys.

Aramark Food Services and WFSD facilities also provided storage for the frozen turkeys.

WFHS librarian Stacy Redmond designed the promotional flyers.

William Floyd custodial staff provided great assistance along the way.

WFSD Elementary School...

Continued from page 11

William Floyd Learning Center

(Teacher Allison Prestia): Murat Cetin, Jaylee Reyes and Kaleb Spencer

Nathaniel Woodhull Elementary School

(Teachers Chris Miranda and

John Sapanaro): Mia Lin, Mia Reinoso, Tristan Reyes, Julia Volpe and Killian Ziobro

William Floyd Elementary School

(Teachers Dara Wolfert and Maria Rueda): Emily Liberti, Serafina Lupo, Justin Pagano and Maddisyn Ramos

John S. Hobart Elementary School

(Teacher Thomas Bradbard): Amna Ahmad and Presley Bonner

Moriches Elementary School

(Teachers Zachary Carrillo and Jessica Salaway): Joylena Alston, Dylan Mejia Hernandez, Taylor Meye and Zachary Tucker

The official Eagle Scout motto is “Do a Good Turn Daily.” By all accounts: these Eagle Scouts do several.

Credit: Tom Lloyd Andrews, Aide to Legislator Leslie Kennedy. Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy and Legislator Leslie Kennedy pictured with Smithtown Troop 888 on Nov. 30th.

Coat Giveaway volunteers

Credit: Wm. Floyd School

ByRobertChartuk

It was on Election Day 16 years ago that I heard the mew of a little kitten in the bushes near my house. I lived next to a school and cringed at the crueI practice of people dumping off their unwanted pets. I spotted him, probably about a month old, cute and very scared.

When I tried to grab him, he ran under the neighbor’s car, jumping up into the engine to hide. He wouldn't come out, so I knocked on the door to tell him, by no means, don’t go anywhere. The only thing we had in the house to entice him to come out was tuna salad, and I put a bowl of it down below. After a few minutes, the little gray fur ball came down to eat. I let him get his fill and tried again. This time, he bolted across the parking lot, somehow scooted under the fence, and hid in the bushes by the school.

Instead of chasing him around all night, I changed tactics. I had a two-man fishing net and figured I could snag him with it. Only problem was I didn’t have a second man. Being it

LI Goes

Tuna the Cat

was Election Day, and voting was taking place at the school, there were people around, and I approached a senior citizen coming from the polls. I explained the situation and he agreed to be my wingman. The net was about 10 feet long with two poles on either end. If we played our cards right, we could surround the little fellow and bring him in.

Reminding my accomplice to keep the bottom of the net low to the ground, the same technique needed to catch fish, we approached. On my signal, we closed off his escape at either end and moved in. The kitten realized the jig was up and bolted, only to be snared in the net and delivered safely in my arms.

I left him in the shoe room momentarily while I went looking for something he could nest in. I came back and he was gone, impossible since both doors were closed. I looked in every shoe, all around the house, even went into the basement like he could get down there somehow. I was quite sure he didn’t run back out the door — I was very careful

about that — but nevertheless, I searched outside for a while to no avail. All of a sudden, I heard him mewing again, calling for his mommy. He was somewhere in the house!

I went back inside and looked in the one place he could impossibly be: my coat hanging on a hook. I felt one of the arms, and there was a little lump. The clever critter had somehow jumped up into the coat and hid in the sleeve.

Now he was warm and safe,

Hollywood: The New Yorker

and it didn’t take long before he wasn’t afraid anymore and was chasing a ball across the floor. We gave him a nice bath and brought him to the vet for a checkup and shots. We got him neutered, and he grew up into a big, happy Maine Coon cat. We named him Tuna after the salad used to help catch him. After a few years, we adopted a brother and sister. He readily accepted them, and even though he was bigger, he always turned the other whisker when they got

catty with him.

They were indoor cats and liked to look out the window; sometimes, at the outdoor cats we also took care of. One day, the door was left open a crack, and Tuna made his move. Instead of running away, he went after the black cat that came around and roughed him up.

Tuna gave us a lot of love over the years, always up for a head scratch or a comical roll in the catnip. His urinary tract got all jammed up once, and he needed an operation. I could have gone without that bill or the time he decided to pee all over the washing machine. After many years, he probably generated a Mt. Olympus-sized pile of cat litter and was behind more hurls and hairballs than I would rather not have cleaned up. But it was all worth it. Tuna was a faithful cat and was always there with a warm purr when you needed it. I found him stretched out comfortably on his little bed, resting peacefully. He didn’t suffer and was in good company right to the end. RIP Tuna the Cat: 2008-2024.

Names "Christmas Eve

in Miller's Point" 2nd Best Film of the Year

ByMichaelJ.Reistetter

Now available on Amazon, Apple TV+ and AMC+ after a select theatrical run, “Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point” is, according to its official plot description: the tale of “a rambunctious extended family” who “descends upon their small Long Island hometown for the holidays.”

However, “before the evening is over, two teenage cousins (Matilda Fleming and Francesca Scorsese) take advantage of the chaos to sneak out into the wintry night and make the holiday their own.”

The Smithtown-shot and inspired, quirky and offbeat “two-for-one” special that Variety called “an instant holiday classic” has another major outlet to thank for keeping the holiday cheer rolling.

Described by writer-director Tyler Taormina (“Ham on Rye,” “Happer’s Comet”) as a “warm hug on a cold night,” The New Yorker critic Richard Brody said the following in his No. 2 entry in his 2024 top films ranking: “...the clichéd premise of a memory-rich family drama set during the holidays yields a comprehensively original

film. Its mosaic-like structure and epigrammatic dialogue are propulsive, its characterizations high-relief yet finely etched, its performances prickly yet tenderly observed, and its overall style as colorfully enticing as it is subtly ambivalent.”

“Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point” is only surpassed by the post-Holocaust historical epic, “The Brutalist,” starring Adrien Brody, in The New Yorker’s latest yearly ranking.

After world-premiering at the second-to-none in prestige Cannes Film Festival in France, the highest scaled effort from rising indie sensation Taormina and his Omnes Films collective — who also plugged the men’s league baseball dramedy “Eephus” in Cannes — has inspired a flurry of comparisons to the cinematic language and style of industry giants.

“Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point” was marketed as the first 20 minutes of the John Hughes-penned “Home Alone” meets the hangout aesthetic of Richard Linklater’s “Dazed and Confused.” Other Hughes and Linklater offerings like “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” and “Boyhood” also come to mind for many professional

critics and online commenters — the latter also being an IFCdistributed film.

Additional notable directors Taormina has earned comparison per his merry ensemble commitments as a grand scheme weaver, intimate proclivities as an individual scene constructor, and deftness in meticulous soundtrack selection throughout, include: Robert Altman, Wes Anderson, Ingmar Bergman, John Cassavetes, Terence Davies, The Safdie Brothers, and Martin Scorsese.

“Anora” director Sean Baker also serves as one of the many “Miller’s Point” champions.

Notable local locations to look out for include the old St. James Dairy Barn — now Red Acre Farms; the Nesconset Plaza, Cella Bagels of Selden, and additional familiar sights all along Smithtown and Selden’s Main Streets.

The low-key–nay, high-key— trippy “Firetruck Parade” scene in particular, shot in contended collaboration with the Smithtown Fire Department, featured so many extras that if you look close enough, you just may recognize somebody you know.

Credit: IFC Films, Omnes Films and The

Collage

Scenes from "Christmas Eve in Miller's Point" coupled with Richard Brody’s review.

“Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point” stars: Matilda Fleming, Ben Shenkman, Maria Dizzia, Lev Cameron, Gregg Turkington, Francesca Scorsese, Sawyer Spielberg, and Michael Cera (also a producer); and an eclectic cavalcade of mostly local hires making their big-screen debut or earning their big break

in a film with annual revisitation in its make-up and forecast.

As of Dec. 3rd, “Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point” can be rented or purchased on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+. It is also available to stream on AMC+. Keep a lookout for additional intheater screenings in and around NYC.

Tuna the Cat

Credit: Robert Chartuk

New Yorker.

courtesy of The South Shore Press

ByDeborahWilliams

New York Board of Regents Again Avoids Vote on Boys in Girls Sports

Rather than take the principled stand voting a solid NO to allowing males to compete in sports against female athletes in New York school sports, the New York Board of Regents punted the issue again.

The proposal would require schools to allow transgender girls and boys to try out for any sports team if their school did not offer separate teams in that sport for girls and boys. By extension, schools would also be required to allow male or female athletes to use the locker rooms of the opposite sex.

With this cowardly move, the Board of Regents indefinitely leaves children and their families who participate in school sports flapping in the wind with regard to basic fairness in sports — not to mention safety on the playing field and in the locker room.

The Board of Regents and Gov. Hochul have the opportunity in the Dec. 9-10 Regents' meeting to resolve this issue, but it seems they will kick the can down the

road yet again.

“Exactly like Congestion Pricing, this governor cannot be trusted. She has more angles than the Pentagon,” says Gerry Kassar, chairman of the New York State Conservative Party.

It remains to be seen what the governor and regents have in mind as their next move to advance their radical progressive agenda, but ending this now with a "no" vote is not on the list. It is more likely that they are looking for ways to pass it in the future when with the political cover the governor and legislature need in this new post-election political environment.

Kassar further said, “The unelected State Board of Regents should leave girls' sports alone. The radical policy enactment would effectively end girls' sports as we know it.

“Poll after poll has shown that the public wants traditional, girls-only sports protected in New York, but the genderbending social engineers in Albany are oddly determined to

erase all distinctions between the sexes (good luck with that.) Frankly, it's hard to believe we're even having this conversation. The future of girls' sports is on the line. The public deserves to know that."

Bob Vecchio, executive director of the Nassau Suffolk School Boards Association says, "We support local control for Boards of Education to decide about mixed competition in their district."

Ed Cox, chair of the New York GOP said this proposal is part of “radical progressives' relentless assault on fairness and opportunity” and that it “undermines fairness, safety, and the opportunities of female athletes. It's a radical move that flies in the face of science and common sense. Since 1975, every member of the Board of Regents has been chosen on a partisan basis by the assembly speaker. The Democratic Party and state teacher unions essentially control the election of regents members — their actions should surprise no one.”

Highway Robbery for Long Island Roads

ByRobertChartuk

Fresh off budgeting $2 billion for illegal migrants, Gov. Kathy Hochul has ponied up a comparatively paltry $100 million to fix up state roads across New York, with Long Island getting money for only one small project.

“The entire state is getting 20 times less for its roads than what the governor shelled out for the thousands of illegal aliens she invited into our communities,” noted Assemblyman Joe DeStefano. “The fact that we’re getting only $7 million to repave a service road is a total insult to the Long Islanders who pay enormous taxes and fees and hardly get anything in return.”

The repaving of a four-mile section of the Sunrise Service Road between Pond Road and Nichols Road in the Town of Islip is the only project in either Nassau or Suffolk to end up on Democrat Hochul’s road list, leaving many to wonder if she’s punishing Long Island voters for their overwhelming support of President Donald Trump.

Senator Dean Murray pointed out that the two counties received less than nearly every other region in the state. “Adding insult to injury is the money that should be going to our roads and many other needs, such

as housing homeless veterans, senior citizens who can’t make ends meet, and solving the garbage crisis, is going to illegal immigrants. Two billion dollars is a huge chunk of money that the governor rerouted from what we really need.”

Hochul tied her release of funds from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to Progressive policies, stating her commitment to revamping and revitalizing New York’s aging infrastructure was being made in the face of global climate change. “The state Department of Transportation is already responding to snow and ice events all across New York State,” the governor stated. “Paving investments in the face of extreme weather help ensure that state highways remain in good repair and have the added benefit of making it easier for department staff to perform snow and ice operations across New York more effectively and efficiently.”

Congressman Paul Tonko, who represents the state's Capital Region, doubled down on the climate change angle, noting in a press release, “I’m proud to celebrate this significant investment that will help communities across our state withstand the increasing

The New York Department of Education proposed the plan and recommended that the regents support it back in September when the vote was postponed for the first time. At that time, the regents cited hundreds of comments on the proposal that needed to be considered. No

challenges presented by extreme weather.”

The road money flowed through Albany from the socalled “bipartisan” infrastructure act, a borrowed trillion-dollar fund pushed by President Joe Biden and supported by Long Island congressmen. Both defenders and detractors of the bill wondered just how much would be funneled to Long Island.

The funds, aimed at bolstering state roads against winter

conditions, will go to highways in 70 locations across New York. A total of 551 lane miles in every region of the state will be repaved at an average cost of $181,448 per mile.

“Between extreme heat in the summer, devastating winter storms, and the ongoing saga of freeze-thaw cycles, New York’s roads take a pounding from extreme weather in all seasons, and this investment takes direct aim at rejuvenating some of the state highways most impacted by

reason was given for a second delay in voting.

The Board of Regents comprises 17 members elected by the Democrat-led State Legislature for 5-year terms: One from each of the state's 13 judicial districts and four members who serve at large.

extreme weather,” Hochul said. “Keeping our infrastructure in a state of good repair is a sound investment that not only increases resiliency but spurs economic development and tourism across New York.”

Here’s the road spending breakdown:

• Mid-Hudson Region: $16.5 million

• Finger Lakes Region: $13.5 million

• Southern Tier Region: $12.9 million

• Central New York Region: $10.8 million

• Western New York Region: $10.6 million

• State Capital Region: $10.4 million

• North Country Region: $9.9 million

• Long Island Region: $7 million

• Mohawk Valley Region: $4.3 million

• New York City Region: $4 million

“Portions of the Long Island Expressway, Sunrise Highway, and other state roads in our region are in terrible shape,” DeStefano said. “We pay billions of dollars in taxes for everything except getting our roads fixed.”

Boys in girls' locker rooms postponed for now

Gov. Kathy Hochul wrangled $2 billion from the state budget for illegal aliens but left Long Island motorists high and dry.

Credit: Meta AI

STATE

ByDeborahWilliams

Hochul Proposes Tax Rebate for 8.6 million New Yorkers

Governor Kathy Hochul has made her first priority for the 2025 State of the State a proposal for New York State’s first-ever Inflation Refund.

The refund would return about $3 billion to New York taxpayers in direct payments to around 8.6 million New York taxpayers statewide in 2025. Those eligible would receive payments of $300 to single taxpayers who make up to $150,000 per year, and a payment of $500 for joint tax filers making up to $300,000 per year.

Of the 8.6 million New Yorkers eligible for the rebate, 1.344 million are in Long Island. With

– over 1.3 million Long Islanders

the median household income in Suffolk County at $120,695, many in Suffolk County will be eligible for the rebate should the proposal pass the legislature.

Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick (R,C,I-Smithtown) said he had not yet seen the specifics of the Governor's proposal but offered, “It's always good getting money back from the government that it doesn't need. I appreciate the governor doing that and, assuming there are no strings attached, it looks like it wouldn't be hard to support.”

This $3 billion collected sales tax revenue that was substantially higher than expected because inflation jacked up the prices for

Daniel Penny: Not Guilty

ByDeborahWilliams

Daniel Penny is found not guilty of criminally negligent homicide in a unanimous jury verdict.

New York State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt said, "Daniel Penny, a Marine Corps veteran who served his country honorably, did not deserve this prosecution. His only crime was getting on the NYC subway in Alvin Bragg's jurisdiction. While justice has been served with this not guilty verdict, it is a travesty that the Manhattan District Attorney's office even pursued this case. While gangs and violent criminals bring chaos to the city, Alvin Bragg chose to prosecute a veteran for doing what he refuses to do —protect the public."

Daniel Penny was found not guilty just days after the top charge of second-degree manslaughter was dropped when jurors remained deadlocked. The judge sent the jury back to deliberate on the lesser charge and, after a short time Monday morning, they came back with a not guilty verdict.

Penny had been accused of causing the death of a threatening subway passenger, Jordan Neely, by using a chokehold to subdue him. The jury for the criminal case returned a not guilty verdict, but Penny will still face a civil trial from Neely’s father.

daily living items. When the cost of everyday items goes up, the associated sales tax goes up, too, scraping more and more money out of the wallets of every family into the state’s coffers.

“I'm sure some of the more radical progressives would like to hold on to that money, but it's always better in the hands of the people.” Fitzpatrick said he’d have to wait and see, “if it will be tied up in the budget or is it going to be a standalone type of thing. If it's tied up in the budget that might complicate things, but if it's a standalone I imagine it would maybe fly through.”

Assemblyman Doug Smith (R-Holbrook) said, “I agree with and support Gov. Kathy Hochul’s

proposed 'Inflation Rebate.' Inflation has increased prices, which has increased the amount of sales tax the state has made. There’s a $3 billion surplus in sales tax revenue — I agree, it should go back to New Yorkers!

“It’s not a fortune — but this can help cover the skyrocketing cost of groceries for families in New York. It’s your tax dollars and better to be returned & spent by you directly,” Smith added.

“The same people who stuck New Yorkers with the highest taxes and fees in the nation now want to give a tiny fraction of it back,” said Assemblyman Joe DeStefano. “How about instead they support some of the Republican bills to cut taxes and

fight inflation?”

Hochul says this is just one of many proposals she will make in her State of the State to address the high cost of living for New Yorkers.

“Because of inflation, New York has generated unprecedented revenues through the sales tax — now, we're returning that cash back to middle-class families,” Gov. Hochul said. “My agenda for the coming year will be laserfocused on putting money back in your pockets, and that starts with proposing Inflation Refund checks of up to $500 to help millions of hard-working New Yorkers. It's simple: the cost of living is still too damn high, and New Yorkers deserve a break.”

Hochul Signs Law Allowing Absentee Ballot Boxes in New York

ByDeborahWilliams

The big election is over, but fiddling round with how the vote is cast and safe guarded is far from over. New York Democrats continue to whittle away at election integrity.

The Democrat-led New York state legislature passed bills last year (S610/A7243) authorizing the state board of elections to establish protocols for absentee ballot drop-boxes. The governor waited until a few weeks after the election to sign the bill into law.

Reaction across the board widely praised the verdict and denounced that the prosecution ever took place.

Vice-president-elect JD Vance reacted to the verdict saying, “I have not said much about this case out of fear of (negatively) influencing the jury. But thank God justice was done in this case. It was a scandal Penny was ever prosecuted in the first place.”

"New York City jurors are a lot wiser than progressive New York City district attorneys, and thank God for that. An extraordinary injustice was almost done to a good samaritan, thanks to the twisted pro-criminal leanings of Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg," said New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerry Kassar. "Mr. Bragg has no business being in that office, and we're hopeful that city voters will agree in November. Daniel Penny is owed thanks — and an enormous apology — from the City of New York. This is not how heroes should be treated."

“The acquittal of Daniel Penny is clearly the just and correct verdict. I must admit I was skeptical that a jury in New York City would reach a unanimous not guilty verdict, and the jury deserves credit for doing the right thing. Meanwhile, is there a worse prosecutor in America than Alvin Bragg?” said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

This is a classic example of New York "fixing" a problem with a law where no problem exists and, indeed, some think this could pave the way for election/ballot security issues.

Several states saw ballot boxes set on fire during the last election cycle. Ballot vandalism raises obvious security concerns over the locations and integrity of ballot drop boxes.

It doesn’t take a giant leap to see that ballot drop boxes placed in outside locations could be sabotaged. If someone wanted to sway a close election, it wouldn’t take a big calculation to figure which drop boxes in which neighborhoods, if destroyed, could make the difference. One California congressional race in this last cycle was won by a mere 187 votes. Someone might be able to vandalize that many votes in just one drop box.

South Shore Press spoke with election lawyer Joe Burns, partner at Holtzman Vogel, to get his take on the introduction of absentee ballot boxes in New York state.

SSP: What does this new law do?

Burns: It doesn't get too specific. It simply requires the state board of elections to establish

regulations for absentee drop boxes. I think a lot of the details on what's required, how it's to be secured, what types of boxes are authorized, and where they can be placed and for what hours is still unknown. We will have to see what the board eventually adopts.

SSP: When will we see the first ballot drop boxes?

Burns: Before long, discussions will start at the state level, but it could be a lengthy process. Anyone around when we were transitioning from lever machines to optical scan machines knows that these things can take awhile. And given the nature of the board, — where it's bipartisan, two Republican and two Democratic commissioners, — you need to have bipartisan agreement.

SSP: Once the state agrees on the rules, do all of the counties have to have absentee ballot box locations?

Burns: No, having drop boxes is optional. Each county has one Republican and one Democratic commissioner and both would have to agree to have drop boxes.

SSP: This is billed as an “increasing voter access” issue. Does it substantially broaden voter access while not sacrificing ballot integrity and safekeeping?

Burns: No. Unless the boxes are going to be inside of a bank or some other very secure and guarded place, having an unmonitored absentee ballot box opens the door to a lot of mischief occurring. I wonder if in light of some of these stories coming out of the 2024 election with drop boxes, if you're going to see commissioners of both parties be reluctant to allow them.

SSP: The law cites a “convenient alternative option to submit their absentee ballots” as a benefit. It is inconvenient to vote in NY?

Burns: Given the fact that anybody can already mail their ballot, drop it off at a board of elections, drop it off at a polling site on Election Day, or drop it at an early voting site, I’d say that New York has already made it exceptionally convenient to cast an absentee ballot. Adding unsecured drop boxes only increases ballot vulnerability.

Credit: Meta AI

Absentee ballot boxes bring risk to safekeeping of your ballot.

Daniel Penny found not guilty.

Credit: X

STATE

ByDeborahWilliams

Hochul Gets Support from Biden on Unpopular Congestion Pricing Scheme

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s on-again off-again Congestion Pricing scheme is now on again – for now. The tax is intended to raise millions in revenue for muchneeded maintenance, repair, and upgrades to New York City’s MTA transit system.

President Biden’s Federal Highway Administration approved Hochul’s plan, which will go into effect on Jan. 5, 2025 — just 15 days before Presidentelect Trump takes over the White House.

Trump has been vocal about his intention to “terminate” the program when he takes office. The Trump Administration is going to be making the rules going forward. And, Trump will also have the purse strings.”

"We are pleased to have received formal approval from the Federal Highway Administration for the phase-in

feature of the Central Business District Tolling Program,” Catherine Sheridan, president of MTA Bridges and Tunnels/ Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, said in a statement.

The Congestion Tax was originally scheduled to begin in June and charge $15 per car entering certain parts of Manhattan. Then, the Governor suddenly postponed the plan without any explanation. It is widely believed that Hochul was pressured to halt the wildly unpopular program by D.C. Democrats looking to take Congressional seats back in New York.

Now that the election is over, the Congestion Pricing Scheme is back. In an astonishing effort to fool the public, this time the governor marketed it as a 40% off sale charging $9 instead of $15 despite the fact that it is actually a 100% increase since there was no congestion tax before.

Scammers Target State Retirement System, Members Urged to Look Out for Fake Websites

ByRobertChartuk

Scammers have targeted the New York retirement system, creating a fake website aimed at tricking users into giving up login credentials, state officials warned.

Comptroller Tom DiNapoli warned members to be wary and only access the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS) through his office's website, www.osc.ny.gov/ retirement.

“First and foremost, we assure you your personal information in Retirement Online is secure,” DiNapoli said in a message to members. “We are not aware of any evidence at this time of any member, retiree, or beneficiary data being compromised.”

He cautioned against users attempting to access Retirement Online through a search engine that could provide links to unofficial sites designed to deceive them.

“Protecting the integrity of your personal information is our priority. We are actively working with the authorities and our IT staff to monitor the situation and identify anyone affected. We will update you on any developments,” the comptroller said.

In the meantime, if you think your Retirement Online account has been hacked, contact their Fraud Hotline at 888-6724555 or email the Division of Investigations at investigations@ osc.ny.gov.

Controlled by DiNapoli’s office, the NYSLRS has 1,236,057 members, including 713,802 active members, 476,770 retirees, and 45,485 beneficiaries. It has $285 billion under management. While the fund has realized an 11.99% return over the last fiscal year, local taxpayers are sometimes required to kick in funds when the system runs a deficit.

Gerry Kassar, chairman of the New York State Conservative Party said, “Congestion pricing was an extraordinary slap in the face of an overwhelming majority of New Yorkers. Only the most hawkish of people, the most left-wing progressive types, believe that the congestion pricing makes any sense. And, the lower figure ($9) is meaningless, particularly since they brag about how in the next couple years they intended to raise it anyways.”

When asked if he thought Hochul might moderate after the election, Kassar added, “A good example of not getting the message sent in the November election is Congestion Pricing. She will take actions that moderate a position if there is an end game that could involve the benefits for her politically.”

“She seems to think this is the time to do the opposite of moderation. This is the perfect

time for the governor to do these things because this is the longest period of time between now and when she is running for reelection,” said Kassar.

Kassar was clear that the move to implement Congestion Pricing is a big mistake, and he feels Hochul has ignored minority communities in the city.

The scheme will face lawsuits, and President-elect Trump has already signaled his opposition. But for now, January 5 is the day. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and the New York Trucking Association have already filed lawsuits in state and federal court seeking to overturn the tax scheme.

New York's Businesses Socked with Costly Mandates in the New Year

ByDeborahWilliams

New York state is already home to high taxes and onerous regulations and now two additional burdens to New York’s businesses will be added to the pile. The state’s minimum wage is going up – again, and a mandate requiring additional paid sick leave goes into effect.

Beginning in January 2024, the state is mandating a $0.50 increase to the state’s minimum wage raising the Long Island minimum wage to $16.50/hour. An additional $0.50 will be tacked on in 2026 increasing it to $17/hour. New York City and Westchester County also pay this rate while the rest of the state is $1/hour less.

In a difficult economy with inflation still cutting into the pocketbooks of regular working people, and many small and medium-sized businesses still not recovered from the losses during the government-enforced closures of their businesses, more unfunded mandates from Albany are the last thing our business community needs.

January also brings a new state-mandated requirement that businesses grant additional paid sick leave to any pregnant employee. The law states that any privately employed pregnant New Yorker will be eligible for an extra 20 hours of paid sick leave for pregnancy-related medical appointments on top of any existing sick leave benefit. Gov.

Business is frustrated with costly State mandates

Hochul praises this as a “first in the nation” program, but it’s easy to put things in place when someone else has to pay for them.

“No pregnant woman in New York should be forced to choose between a paycheck and a checkup — and that’s why I pushed to create the nation’s first paid prenatal leave policy,” Hochul said. “From raising the minimum wage to investing in affordable child care, we’re making New York the best and most affordable place to raise a family.”

Even where businesses might agree with the sentiment of a proposal, having it mandated without any regard for the ability

of a business to bear the cost and sustain it over time is just too much for many. One way or the other someone pays for these mandates. It could be in reduced hours for an employee or higher prices for customers. If mandates continue to cut into the margins of a business, eventually the business will be a lot less viable.

Businesses of all sizes have to manage costs, but smaller businesses are affected the most by these mandates. Consideration to cutting hours of employees, raising prices on products and services, and maybe even going out of business altogether have to be made. Customers and owners alike can only absorb so much.

Congestion Pricing tax set to begin on Jan 5

Credit: Meta AI

Credit: Office of the Comptroller

Credit: Meta AI

HISTORY LESSONS

BY RICHARD ACRITELLI

“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” – World War II Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

This was the Japanese figure who planned and carried out the assault against Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7th, 1941. Yamamoto extensively traveled in the United States and understood that the Japanese were unable to match the economic and industrial output of this country. Like American military figures, Yamamoto worked his way through the ranks, graduating from his nation's naval academy in 1904. Fighting in the Russo-Japanese War, he was wounded during the Battle of Tsushima. In 1913, Yamamoto studied at the Japanese Naval Staff College for three years, where he would be on the fast pace towards promotions within his military.

Between the inter-war period, Yamamoto was widely respected as a promising naval officer, and for two years, he studied English at Harvard University. Yamamoto was a talented poker Player. He saw American naval officers as being too leisurely and did not hold them in high esteem, but he feared the economic potential of this nation. He spent two years at the Japanese embassy in Washington D.C. as a naval attaché and was an aide to an admiral. Traveling to different parts of the United States, Yamamoto fully understood that

the Japanese had distinct economic disadvantages in productivity and resources.

During the totalitarianism of the 1930s, the rise as Nazi Germany grew stronger in Europe, Italy attacked Ethiopia, and the Japanese expanded its interests in Asia/ Pacific. As the United States had 25% of its population unemployed, fascism was on the rise in Europe and Asia. This country was fortunate that leaders like George C. Marshall, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Omar N. Bradley, George S. Patton, Chester Nimitz, Curtis LeMay, Chesty Puller, etc., all stayed in the military during the interwar years. The Japanese fought a brutal war in China and were determined to dislodge any opposition against them. In Europe, the Germans and Italians supported Franco’s fascist regime during the Spanish Civil War, as these nations prepared for warfare, the American military handed out shovels for the Civilian Conservation Corps. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s hands were tied through the hardships of the Great Depression and the prominence of the America First Movement.

Between 1939 and 1941, this hostility continued, as Germany invaded Poland, and England and France declared war on Hitler’s Third Reich on Sept. 3rd, 1939. Japan fought a brutal war in China and had no signs of halting its aggression in the Far East. Whereas

VETERANS

WAY

BY REV. FREDERICK MILLER, PH.D.

As stated in last week's article, the use of explosive materials has increased in the wars since World War I. The recent Iran and Afghanistan wars use land mines, car bombs and explosive bombs attached to people and children as major weapons. This has led to 11 to 20 percent of all veterans displaying symptoms of traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The U.S. Department of Defense estimates that tens of thousands of veterans and military service members deployed in Iran and Afghanistan have sustained TBI.

TBI is an injury to the brain that occurs as a result of a bump or blow to the head from blunt or penetrating trauma. During the impact, the brain moves back and forth within the skull resulting in bruising, bleeding, and the shearing of nerve fibers known as axons.

After the initial trauma, the brain will typically swell. This caused the

The Japanese Architect of the Attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941

the United States was slow to react to the aggressiveness of these Axis powers, Roosevelt refused to extend an oil agreement between Japan and the United States. The Japanese government purchased 80 percent of its oil from America and eventually the sale of steel and aviation fuel were also banned. These actions placed a huge burden on the ability of Japan to carry out its objectives. While they had many years of fighting in China and were hardened by major combat, they did not contain the necessary resources to wage a long-protracted war.

Relations continued to deteriorate in 1941 through the Japanese invasion of Indochina, as the British, Dutch, and French all band oil sales to the Japanese. The United States quickly followed with freezing of Japanese assets. Although the Japanese saved two years of oil, this figure did not account for the needs of the army, navy, and industry that used 400 tons every day. Most Japanese officers believed that war was inevitable and if they were to become the sole power in Asia, it would be through the destruction of the American navy in the Pacific. Yamamoto stressed to his government the importance to use all methods to resist carrying out a war against the United States. He reasoned that Japan had major disadvantages in resources and that it would be disastrous to fight a war of attrition.

Arguing against the beliefs of his

fellow officers, Yamamoto believed that his country had virtually no chance of winning and his government should pull its troops out of China to maintain peace. As Yamamoto was opposed to fighting this war, he was a loyal officer to his nation, and he believed, “If we are ordered to do it, then I can raise havoc with the Americans for the first six months or a year, but I have absolutely no confidence as to what would happen if it went on for two or three years.” Yamamoto estimated the only way that Japan could win a war against the United States was for it to destroy its aircraft carriers at Pearl Harbor. Yamamoto feared the distance to Hawaii, a possible American counterattack, and the shallow waters of Pearl Harbor limited the abilities of Japanese torpedo planes from sinking American naval vessels.

The irony of this treacherous plan

that was carried out by Yamamoto was that he promoted peace, but once he committed to this operation against Pearl Harbor, he threatened to resign if his government utilized a different plan. For several months, the Japanese planned this naval and air assault but hoped that America would reverse its trade policy. American Secretary of State Cordel Hull told his Japanese counterpart that this embargo would not be lifted until his nation withdrew from China and Indochina. This firm opposition proved to the Japanese “doves” in the government and military that peace had no chance of being attained between these two powerful nations. Through a massive propaganda campaign in Japan, its people were told that war was the only possible course of action, as the United States threated their economic and territorial goals.

Continued on page 19

Traumatic Brain Injury In Veterans, Part II

brain tissue to push up against the inside of the skull, which can lead to further bleeding and reduced blood circulation. If the swelling is not treated, parts of the brain can become starved of oxygen and other nutrients, leading to brain cell death. It is this cell death that typically causes the most common TBI symptoms. With our military, the blow is usually caused by these explosion waves.

There is another serious head injury that causes brain trauma.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a brain disorder likely caused by repeated head injuries, often occurring in contact sports and military combat. There is no evidence that an occasional blow to the head will lead to CTE. But there is strong evidence connecting CTE to repeated head impacts, whether or not they cause concussions. CTE symptoms do not develop immediately after a head injury.

Experts believe that they develop

over years or decades after repeated head trauma. They also believe that CTE symptoms appear in two forms. In early life between the late 20s and early 30s, the first form of

CTE may cause mental health and behavioral issues. Symptoms of this form include depression, anxiety, impulsive behavior and aggression.

The second form of CTE is thought

to cause symptoms later in life, around the age 60. These symptoms include memory and thinking problems that are likely to progress to dementia.

In basic training, members of the military learn to fire weapons spending most of that time on the range, training field, exposing them to many different shoulder weapons. The blast’s overpressure that is generated from the firing of these weapons may cause brain injury. The brain may be injured by the noise, which is produced when the weapon is fired. This is even more possible when the weapon is a shoulder weapon like rifles, bazookas or other shoulder weapon. The blast overpressure from these weapons occurs about a foot away from the head and the position on the head is such that the waves may easily enter the space between the head and helmet, increasing the damage.

BY NANCY BURNER, ESQ.

Determining the ownership of the property can be found on the deed, which is filed as a public record with the county in which you live. Joint title to real property can be held in different ways: (1) tenants by the entirety, (2) joint tenants with rights of survivorship, (3) tenants in common.

In New York, tenancy by the entirety is a means of ownership that is only available to married couples. This allows the surviving spouse to inherit the entire property immediately at the first spouse’s death, without probate. Additionally, it protects the property from the creditors of the deceased spouse. It is important to note that if a couple purchases a house before marriage and then gets married, their ownership of the house will remain as it was before marriage – the way in which the couple originally owned the property will remain

intact unless a new deed is signed and recorded.

For unmarried individuals that want to own a property together and for the survivor of them to own the property in full, they will be listed on the deed as joint tenants with rights of survivorship. This means that the individuals that own the property all have a stake in the entire property without limiting any owner’s access to any part of the property. Because of the right of survivorship, the property is distributed equally among the remaining owners when one owner dies.

If the deed to the property lists the names of multiple individuals without stating that they have rights of survivorship, they will own the property as tenants in common. Tenants in common may own equal or unequal percentages of the property as specified on the deed. For example, one owner may have a 75% share

Knowing How to Read Your Deed

while the other has 25%. If silent on percentage, the ownership is deemed to be in equal shares. When one tenant in common dies, that person’s share passes to the named beneficiaries in a will after probate is completed. If the deceased tenant did not have a will, the share of the property

The Japanese Architect of...

Continued from page 18

Emperor Hirohito refused to halt the war planning of his government and military that led to the start of a long bloody war between these two nations and the dropping of two atomic bombs. Within the early morning hours on Dec. 7th, 1941, as Americans expected to have a lazy Sunday, 200 miles off the coast of Hawaii, waves of Japanese fighter and torpedo planes swarmed over the army and naval bases of these islands. The American radar picked up these enemy aircraft, but the technicians were told not to worry, as bombers from the mainland were expected to land. Our citizens and military personnel were awakened by the continued strafing of the Japanese to hit every possibly army and naval target. Yamamoto’s planes were unable to hit the aircraft carriers, as they were out at sea. Once the smoke cleared, 2,403 mostly military were killed, 1,178 wounded, there were 18 operational warships with 84 and 78 enemy aircraft destroyed. Today, the USS Arizona is an extremely

solemn site, as only 34 out of the 400 sailors survived this bombing.

Some 83 years ago, our citizens were awakened by news reports that Hawaii was repeatedly hit by this surprise attack and that our nation was at war. On Dec. 6th, there was a noticeable isolationist sentiment in this nation. By the next day, the American government and people would be fully engaged in a “total war.” Yamamoto’s plan gained a huge shock, and his fears became fully apparent through the ability of the United States to quickly rebound from this assault.

On Dec. 8th, Americans were saddened by the military losses, and furious against the Japanese, as they massively enlisted in the Armed Force. This attack awakened the “Sleeping Giant,” that by 1943 prevented the growth of the Japanese Empire and pushed it continually back towards its own home islands.

On April 18th, 1943, “Operation Vengeance” was carried out against the architect of the dastardly attack on Pearl Harbor.

The United States broke the Japanese code, was determined to find Yamato, and kill him for his efforts to destroy American aircraft carriers. Flying near the Solomon Islands, Yamamoto’s aircraft was overwhelmed by American aerial forces, they shot down his plane, and everyone including this admiral were killed. Often aircraft that were built by Long Island national defense contractors like Grumman initiated these aggressive operations against this enemy in the Pacific and Asia with some of these planes targeting the presence of this commanding Japanese leader. Yamamoto was correct that America would never rest until this war was won by its forces, even if it was at the cost of his own life. May other nations and groups who try to hurt the United States always understand that our government and people will always overcome tragic events that have hurt this country. Pearl Harbor is an example of the American spirit to overcome extreme adversity to win this historic war.

will pass to their legal next of kin through a court administration process.

There are many ways to hold title to real property in New York. It is important to understand the type of ownership you hold, so you can determine what will happen to the property when you die. Knowledge is power, and you deserve to have the power to decide who inherits your property.

Britt Burner, Esq. is a Partner at Burner Prudenti Law, P.C. focusing her practice areas on Estate Planning and Elder Law. Erin Cullen is a graduate of the Maurice A. Dean School of Law at Hofstra University. Burner Prudenti Law, P.C. serves clients from New York City to the east end of Long Island with offices located in East Setauket, Westhampton Beach, Manhattan and East Hampton.

Those who own their property in their sole name or as tenants in common may want to avoid a court process upon their death to pass along ownership. When a trust owns the real property, the trustee or successor trustee can sell the property or transfer it to the appropriate beneficiaries immediately after the death of the original owner without court intervention.

BY TARA D’AMATO

LIBRARY LIVING Assistant Library Director

Read Newspapers from Around the World with PressReader

The library has access to a great newspaper collection called Pressreader. This is a news and magazine online subscription that is the best place to read thousands of newspapers and magazines from around the globe, in full color and in over 60 languages. Library users get access to more than 7,000 of the world's top publications as soon as they're available on shelves, through the library’s website. You can read newspapers and magazines in their original format and language on your browser, through your phone, or by downloading the app. All you need is your library card barcode number. To start, have your

library card handy and open your web browser to: https://www. communitylibrary.org/ books-movies-music/ digital-collection/digitalmagazines/ Pressreader lets you read newspapers like USA Today, The NY Post, The Boston Globe, The Globe and Mail, the Guardian and more. Over 150 countries’ newspapers can be found in PressReader from Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America. With not just news articles but all the features, including crossword puzzles. Magazines include top titles like Rolling

Stone, Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, Vogue, Readers Digest and Forbes. But then there’s an amazing depth of specialty titles you’d only find in better bookstores or newsstands. Hobby titles like Golf Digest, PC Gamer, Family Handyman, Modern Dog, Practical Boat Owner, Birds and Blooms, Guitarist, Beer and Brewing and many more are sure to entice a second look. You can even download as many titles as you like and carry them on your own personal devices even after you walk out the library door. Downloaded publications never expire and remain saved until you decide to delete them. For help using Pressreader, call the library Reference and Adult Services staff at (631)399-1511 or stop by the nearest branch of your Community Library soon!

Happening at the

Teens

Unless otherwise noted, all programs are for teens in grades 6 through 12.

Register for programs three easy ways: In person, online at w ww.communitylibrary.org or contact the Teen Reference Desk at 631-399-1511 Ext. 2015 for the Moriches Branch, Ext. 1029 for the Mastic Beach Branch or Ext. 2025 for the Main Building.

Fun and Games

Fun and Games

Pin Pals

Pin Pals

Earn a pin each time you attend a teen program! You can also trade pins with teen staff while in the library. Use them to decorate your backpack or anything you want!

Earn a pin each time you attend a teen program! You can also trade pins with teen staff while in the library. Use them to decorate your backpack or anything you want!

Kahoot! Trivia - Virtual

Kahoot! Trivia - Virtual

Mondays, December 2 & 16 3:00 p.m.

Mondays, December 2 & 16 3:00 p.m.

Head on over to our Discord or Instagram and test your knowledge of various trivia topics! You have until Friday to participate.

Head on over to our Discord or Instagram and test your knowledge of various trivia topics! You have until Friday to participate.

D&D: Winter Campaign

D&D: Winter Campaign

Mondays, December 2, 16, 30; January 13, 27, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Mondays, December 2, 16, 30; January 13, 27, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Held at our Mastic Beach Branch.

Held at our Mastic Beach Branch.

Registration is open.

Registration is open.

Join Charlie, Teen Services Librarian, for a unique, custom-made D&D adventure that will span 5 epic sessions! Character sheets and dice will be provided.

Join Charlie, Teen Services Librarian, for a unique, custom-made D&D adventure that will span 5 epic sessions! Character sheets and dice will be provided.

Tabletop Wednesdays

Tabletop Wednesdays

Wednesdays, December 4 & 18, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Wednesdays, December 4 & 18, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Held at our Mastic Beach Branch.

Held at our Mastic Beach Branch.

Registration begins 11/27.

Registration begins 11/27.

Sign up for tabletop gaming adventures designed just for teens! For seasoned players and newbies, a fun and inclusive space to explore various tabletop games.

Sign up for tabletop gaming adventures designed just for teens! For seasoned players and newbies, a fun and inclusive space to explore various tabletop games.

Retro Gaming

Retro Gaming

Wednesday, December 11, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, December 11, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Held at our Main Building.

Held at our Main Building.

Registration begins 11/27.

Registration begins 11/27.

Friday, December 20, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Friday, December 20, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Held at our Mastic Beach Branch.

Held at our Mastic Beach Branch.

Registration begins 12/6.

Registration begins 12/6.

Pretend it is the arcade days with some retro NES games on the Nintendo Switch! Eat snacks and try to get the highest score!

Pretend it is the arcade days with some retro NES games on the Nintendo Switch! Eat snacks and try to get the highest score!

Mystery Video Game

Entertainment

Entertainment

Anime & Superheroes

Anime & Superheroes

Mondays, December 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Mondays, December 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Held at our Moriches Branch.

Held at our Moriches Branch.

Registration is open. Japanese cartoons, a few Marvel moments, snacks and plenty of awesomeness. Register for each session.

Registration is open. Japanese cartoons, a few Marvel moments, snacks and plenty of awesomeness. Register for each session.

After Hours: Teen Takeover

After Hours: Teen Takeover

Friday, December 13, 5:45 – 8:00 p.m.

Friday, December 13, 5:45 – 8:00 p.m.

Held at our Main Building.

Held at our Main Building.

Registration begins 11/29.

Registration begins 11/29.

Attention teens! Come to an engaging evening filled with video games, art activities and whatever else all while eating pizza!

Attention teens! Come to an engaging evening filled with video games, art activities and whatever else all while eating pizza!

Movie Night:

Movie Night:

Home Alone on a Loop Tuesday, December 17

Home Alone on a Loop

Tuesday, December 17

2:30 – 8:30 p.m.

2:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Held at our Main Building. This is a drop-in program.

Held at our Main Building. This is a drop-in program.

Drop-in and watch the classic Home Alone, all night long! Popcorn will be served.

Drop-in and watch the classic Home Alone, all night long! Popcorn will be served.

Movie Night: Elf

Movie Night: Elf

Thursday, December 19

Thursday, December 19

7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Tournament

Mystery Video Game Tournament

Saturday, December 14, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, December 14, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Held at our Moriches Branch.

Held at our Moriches Branch.

Registration begins 11/30.

Registration begins 11/30.

Think you’re a video game master? Put your skills to the test, as you won’t know which game you’re playing until you arrive for the tournament! The overall winner earns themselves a $20 Nintendo eShop Card!

Think you’re a video game master? Put your skills to the test, as you won’t know which game you’re playing until you arrive for the tournament! The overall winner earns themselves a $20 Nintendo eShop Card!

Harry Potter Trivia Night

Harry Potter Trivia Night

Thursday, December 26, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, December 26, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Held at our Main Building.

Held at our Main Building.

Registration begins 12/12.

Registration begins 12/12.

Test your knowledge of the Harry Potter universe and win awesome prizes!

Test your knowledge of the Harry Potter universe and win awesome prizes!

7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Held at our Moriches Branch. Registration begins 12/5.

Held at our Moriches Branch.

Watch Elf and eat popcorn!

Registration begins 12/5. Watch Elf and eat popcorn!

Pop Culture Club

Pop Culture Club Thursday, December 19

Thursday, December 19

3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Held at our Mastic Beach Branch. Registration begins 12/5.

Join Mr. Casper for a watch party! Watch a variety of current movies/series and stay for a discussion over pizza.

Held at our Mastic Beach Branch. Registration begins 12/5. Join Mr. Casper for a watch party! Watch a variety of current movies/series and stay for a discussion over pizza.

Reading Buddies

Mondays & Tuesdays, 7:00 – 8:45 p.m.

Held at William Floyd High School.

Teens in grades 8 through 12 read with younger children during the Library’s ENL classes. Potential volunteers must fill out an application before attending. Applications can be picked up in the Teen Department at the Moriches or Mastic Beach branches. Two hour of community service will be given for each session. This is an on-going program.

Color A Smile

Throughout December

Held at our Moriches Branch. Registration is open. Pick up a packet of “Color A Smile” coloring sheets from the Moriches branch anytime in December. Color all 8 pages at home to earn 2 hours of community service. Return the pages on 12/5, 12/12, 12/19 between 1 and 9 pm or 12/26 between 5 and 9 pm to the Moriches branch.

Your Library Loves to Help

OMU

Wednesdays, December 11 & 18

7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Held at our Mastic Beach Branch. This is a drop-in program. A place where any teen can come down to discuss any topic they want in a judge-free atmosphere. Where they will feel accepted and appreciated for the differences that make them unique. It is a place where teens can speak about what is on their minds and any troubles that they come across in their lives as teens.

Let’s Talk

Community service is for students in grades 6 through 12 that need the hours for religious studies, honor society or graduation. Teens must have an MMSCL library card in good standing.

Cards for Hospitalized Kids

Wednesday, December 4, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Held at our Moriches Branch. Registration begins 11/27.

Monday, December 9, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Held at our Mastic Beach Branch. Registration begins 12/2.

Wednesday, December 11, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Held at our Moriches Branch.

Registration begins 12/4.

Earn one hour of community service by designing holiday cards for hospitalized kids.

Holiday Greeting Cards

Thursday, December 5

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Held at our Main Building. Registration begins 11/27.

Friday, December 6, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Held at the Moriches Branch. Registration begins 11/29. Make holiday cards that will bring cheer to seniors living in nursing homes.

Teen Advisory Board

Tuesday, December 10, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Held at our Mastic Beach Branch. Registration begins 12/3. Earn one hour of community service and improve the library by sharing your opinions.

Wednesdays, December 11 & 18

8:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Held at our Mastic Beach Branch. This is a drop-in program. A unique program where teens get to pick topics that are of concern to them that will be discussed among their peers in a judgement free and open atmosphere. They will have the opportunity to learn about topics that interest them and are important to teens in our current world. Snacks will be served for all attendees.

Visit with a Therapy Dog

Thursdays, December 5 & 12

4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Held at our Moriches Branch. This is a drop-in program. Drop-in to pet a therapy dog, tell a story or read a few pages of your favorite book.

LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF SUFFOLK, WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, A FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK

D/B/A CHRISTIANA

TRUST, A DIVISION OF WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, SOLELY IN ITS CAPACITY AS TRUSTEE FOR AND ON BEHALF OF KNOXVILLE 2012 TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. DAVID RUSSELL GUGGENHEIM

A/K/A DAVID R. GUGGENHEIM A/K/A DAVID GUGGENHEIM, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on February 16, 2023 and an Order Extending Time to Calendar Foreclosure Sale duly entered on October 18, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738 on December 19, 2024 at 10:30 a.m., premises known as 381 Grace Street, Holbrook, NY 11741. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Village of Holbrook, Town of Islip, County of Suffolk and State of New York, District 0500, Section 152.00, Block 02.00 and Lot 021.000. Approximate amount of judgment is $537,835.53 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #613334/2018.

Annette Eaderesto, Esq., Referee

Taroff & Taitz, LLP, Attorneys at Law, 630 Johnson Avenue, Suite 105, Bohemia, NY 11716, Attorneys for Plaintiff

L16109 - 11/20/2024, 11/27/2024, 12/04/2024 & 12/11/2024

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT:

SUFFOLK COUNTY.

FEDERAL HOME LOAN MORTGAGE CORPORATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FREDDIE MAC SEASONED

CREDIT RISK TRANSFER TRUST, SERIES 2019-2, Pltf. vs. RONALD KOCSI JR, et al, Defts. Index #205792/2022. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered June 27, 2024, I will sell at public auction at Brookhaven Town Hall, One Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY on January 8, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. premises k/a 464 Carnation Drive, Shirley, NY 11967 a/k/a District 0200, Section 615.00, Block 05.00, Lot 017.00. Approximate amount of judgment is $253,630.60 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. STEVEN LOSQUADRO, Referee. MARGOLIN, WEINREB & NIERER, LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 575 Underhill Blvd., Ste. 224, Syosset, NY 11791. #101941

L16114 - 12/4/2024, 12/11/2024, 12/18/2024 & 12/25/2024

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF SUFFOLK, U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE OF THE CHALET SERIES IV TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. JENNIFER WAGNERAUERBECK A/K/A J.D. WAGNER-AUERBECK

A/K/A JENNIFER W. AUERBECK A/K/A JENNIFER WAGNER, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on August 3, 2023 and an Order Appointing Successor Referee duly entered on April 30, 2024 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738 on January 7, 2025 at 9:00 a.m., premises known as 24 Golden Gate 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 980.30, Block 01.00 and Lot 032.000. Approximate amount of judgment is $260,227.18 plus interest

and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #616260/2021.

John Bennett, Esq., Referee

Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff Firm File No.: 203392-1

L16115 - 12/4/2024, 12/11/2024, 12/18/2024 & 12/25/2024

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF SUFFOLK Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC, Plaintiff AGAINST

Sharon Klune a/k/a Sharon L. Klune; et al., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered April 2, 2024 I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the Front steps of Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738 on January 3, 2025 at 11:00AM, premises known as 4 Laurel Crescent a/k/a Laurel Cresent, Manorville, NY 11949. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in Manorville, Town of Brookhaven, County of Suffolk, State of NY, District 0200 Section 510.00 Block 05.00 Lot 029.031. Approximate amount of judgment $635,637.89 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 207406/2022. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the 10th Judicial District. Jacob Turner, Esq., Referee

LOGS Legal Group LLP

Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792

Dated: November 18, 2024 For sale information, please visit www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832

L16116 - 12/4/2024, 12/11/2024, 12/18/2024 & 12/25/2024

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF SUFFOLK

JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, Plaintiff AGAINST Richard Sapienza, a/k/a Richard A. Sapienza; Debra Sapienza, a/k/a Debra A. Sapienza; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered September 23, 2024 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Front steps of Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738 on January 13, 2025 at 1:00PM, premises known as 45 Crestwood Drive, Shirley, NY 11967. 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 NY, District: 0200 Section: 669.00 Block: 01.00 Lot: 003.004. Approximate amount of judgment $550,531.92 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 615251/2023. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the 10th Judicial District. John W. Doyle, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792 Dated: October 16, 2024 For sale information, please visit Servicelinkauction.com or call (866) 539-4173 83072

L16118 - 12/11/2024, 12/18/2024, 12/25/2024 & 01/01/2025

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF SUFFOLK U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST C/O U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff AGAINST MOHAMMAD ALTAF HAIDER AKA MOHAMMAD A. HAIDER, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment

of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered June 3, 2024, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738 on January 13, 2025 at 9:30AM, premises known as 11 Pinetree Drive, Shirley, NY 11967. 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 and State of New York, District 0200 Section 981.80 Block 05.00 Lot 038.000. Approximate amount of judgment $299,483.25 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #606508/2023. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the District and SUFFOLK County Auction Plan in effect at this time. Frank M. Maffei Jr., Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 22003185 83505

L16119 - 12/11/2024, 12/18/2024, 12/25/2024 & 01/01/2025

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE TO BIDDERS MANORVILLE FIRE DISTRICT

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that Board of Fire Commissioners of the MANORVILLE FIRE DISTRICT, Suffolk County, New York, will be accepting sealed proposals at Fire District Headquarters, 14 Silas Carter Road, Manorville, New York, and at a Regular Meeting to be held on January 6th, 2025, at 7:00 PM (prevailing time) at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud for the following: HVAC Preventative Maintenance & Emergency Service 1-year (renewable for up to 5 years) Contract for Manorville Fire District Headquarters and 2 SubStations.

Proposals will be submitted in sealed envelopes, clearly marked "HVAC Contract", to District Headquarters at 14 Silas Carter Road, Manorville, New York by 6:30p.m. (prevailing time) January 6th, 2025, and shall

bear on the face thereof the name and address of the bidder.

Detailed Specifications regarding bidding, an equipment list, and building locations are available on or after December 2, 2024, at Fire District Headquarters, 14 Silas Carter Road, Manorville, New York, or by phoning 631-878-6614, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9:00a.m. and 3:00p.m. Bidders are advised that the successful bidder must be licensed by all appropriate agencies to do the work required under the proposal and shall be required to provide proof of professional liability, liability and worker's compensation (where applicable) insurance. The contract for the above item shall be awarded by the Board of Fire Commissioners to the lowest responsible bidder. In cases where two or more responsible bidders submit identical proposals as to price, the Board of Fire Commissioners may award the contract to either of such bidders. The Board of Fire Commissioners reserves the right to reject all proposals and re-advertise for new proposals at its discretion. No proposal may be withdrawn by any bidder for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of the bid opening.

Dated: December 2nd, 2024 BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS OF MANORVILLE FIRE DISTRICT, Towns of Brookhaven and Riverhead, County of Suffolk, New York.

Melanie Austin District Secretary

L16120-12/11/2024

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING OF THE MANORVILLE FIRE DISTRICT

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the 2025 Organizational Meeting of the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Manorville Fire District will be held on Monday, January 6th, 2025, at 7:00PM (Prevailing Time) at the District Office, 14 Silas Carter Road, Manorville,

New York.

Regular Meetings of the Board of Fire Commissioners will be held on the first and third Monday of each month at 7:00PM (Prevailing Time) during 2025. Should the first or third Monday of the month fall on an observed federal legal holiday, the regular meeting will take place on the following regular business day.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS OF MANORVILLE FIRE DISTRICT, Towns of Brookhaven and Riverhead,

County of Suffolk, New York.

Melanie Austin District Secretary

L16121-12/11/2024

Notice is hereby given that an On-Premises Catering Establishment-Liquor License, NYS Application ID CL-24-108012-01 has been applied for by 112 Hospitality LLC d/b/a The Meadow Club to sell beer, wine, cider and liquor at retail in an onpremises Catering-Liquor establishment. For on premise consumption under the ABC law at 1147 Route

112 Port Jefferson Station NY 11776.

L16122 - 12/11/2024 & 12/18/2024

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF SUFFOLK

WELLS FARGO

BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR OPTION ONE MORTGAGE LOAN

TRUST 2007-CP I, ASSETBACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-CP l,

Plaintiff,

Against PAUL WAGNER A/K/A PAUL J. WAGNER; Et al, Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 03/22/2023, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738, on 1/9/2025 at 11:00AM , premises known as 43 Adobe Drive, Shirley, New York 11967, And Described As

Follows:

ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town Of Brookhaven, County Of Suffolk And State Of New York.

District 0200 Section 967.00 Block 03.00 Lot 040.000

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $202,980.94 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index #

615765/2019

Erin M. McTiernan, Esq., Referee. MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 MIDLAND AVENUE, SUITE 205, PORT CHESTER, NY 10573

Dated: 11/8/2024

File Number: 19-301611 mbayram

L16123 - 12/11/2024, 12/18/2024, 12/25/2024 & 01/01/2025

Autos Wanted

***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS $Highest$ Ca$h Paid$. All Years/ Conditions! WE VISIT YOU! Or Donate, Tax Deduct + Ca$h. DMV ID#1303199. Call LUKE 516-VAN-CARS. 516-297-2277

Health

ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY

USERS! Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 888-514-3044

Attention: VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50 Pill Special - Only $99! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: 1-855399-2582

HEARING AIDS!! High-quality rechargeable, powerful Audien hearing aids priced 90% less than competitors. Tiny and NEARLY INVISIBLE! 45-day money back guarantee! 855-598-5898

THE CLASSIFIEDS

When veterinary care is unavailable or unaffordable, ask for Happy Jack® animal healthcare for cats, dogs, horses. At Tractor Supply® (www.happyjackinc.com)

Services

Help Wanted

HBCI SUPERVISOR FT: Seeking LCSW or LMSW for Crisis Intervention Program, Cedarhurst NY. 3+ yr exp, Supervision exp. $80K Annually + benefits Claufer@hamaspikkings.org 516-8758400 x144

Auto Donations

GOT AN UNWANTED CAR??? Your car donation to Patriotic Hearts helps veterans find work or start their own business. Fast free pick. Running or not! Call 24/7: 1-888-251-3135.

Travel Services

SAVE ON YOUR TRAVEL PLANS! Up to 75% More than 500 AIRLINES and 300,000 HOTELS across the world. Let us do the research for you for FREE! Call: 877 988 7277

TV Internet Phone

AFFORDABLE TV & INTERNET. If you are overpaying for your service, call now for a free quote and see how much you can save! 1-855-399-2803

DIRECTV - All your entertainment. Nothing on your roof! Sign up for Direct and get your first three months of Max, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, MGM+ and Cinemax included. Choice package $84.99/mo. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918

Get DISH Satellite TV + Internet! Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-866-782-4069

Home Improvement

BEAUTIFUL BATH UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Superior quality bath and shower systems at AFFORDABLE PRICES! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Call Now! 1-855-399-2076

Attorney

INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT? Don't accept the insurance company's first offer. Many injured parties are entitled to major cash settlements. Get a free evaluation to see what your case is really worth. 100% Free Evaluation. Call Now: 1-888-4544717. Be ready with your ZIP code to connect with the closest provider

Miscellaneous

Get Boost Infinite! Unlimited Talk, Text and Data For Just $25/mo! The Power Of 3 5G Networks, One Low Price! Call Today and Get The Latest iPhone Every Year On Us! 844-329-9391

Consumer Cellular - the same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No long-term contract, no hidden fees and activation is free. All plans feature unlimited talk and text, starting at just $20/month. For more information, call 1-844-919-1682

PEST CONTROL: PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-866-448-8311 Have ZIP code of property ready when calling!

THE BETTOR ANGLE TM

BY TOM BARTON

One of the greatest streaks in sports betting history ended a couple of years ago, and promptly re-began again last season. Sports fans look forward all year to the Super Bowl, NCAA Championship, Stanley Cup Finals, World Series and so on. But for sports bettors for the better part of the past two decades, the Army vs. Navy game has been the Holy Grail.

The streak began back in 2006 when Navy beat Army 26-14 in Philadelphia. That would kick off 16 straight unders in a row. That means 16 straight seasons the sports books around the world set the total for the rivalry at a certain number and it ended under that total.

Both Army and Navy use a triple option offensive attack, which means plenty of running, that also means a running clock. A running offense shortens the game and causes unders often, but the book makers know this. As the streak began to get more and more

attention the totals kept getting set lower and lower. Sports book directors across the world had to adjust and it still wasn't enough to get points on the board.

While the games at the beginning of the streak had end game totals of 40,41, and 34. Things got to an almost unreal point as the streak continued through the years. Beginning in December 2017 the ending totals landed on 27 two years in a row. We had a small spike to 38 in 2019 but the it cratered down to 15 points the year prior to that.

To put that into perspective if you had bet just bet $100 on the under at the beginning of the streak and rolled over your winnings every year (meaning betting what you won year after year), you would have made over $3 million dollars. Of course, you would have lost it all in 2022 when the streak ended, but what a magical run.

Two seasons ago the streak ended. The book makers set the

Is a New Streak Alive?

total at an unheard of 32 1/2 points, yet 60% of the money was coming in for the streak to continue. The streak ended but even then it needed double overtime and still only got to a total of 37.

Last year it was right back to the under as Army won 17-11. This

season many would argue that Army has the best offense they have had in generations, while Navy's offense also added a passing attack to the fold as well. The books know people are creatures of habit and have adjusted the line yet again this season, but as we have watched in the past, sometimes they simply

How Much Female Blood Needs to be Shed?

ByTomBarton

The idea of inclusion for everyone, despite the consequences, has wreaked havoc across girls and women's sports leagues all through America.

It has no longer become just an opinion that boys pretending to be girls should not be playing sports against girls, but there is now mounting evidence of the damage such decisions can have. In the face of those who applaud men playing against women, the athletes' literal faces have become the rallying cry to end this absurdity.

There are a number of times where girls are being injured and not reported, but the times we have tangle evidence is tough to watch. The mismatch and uneven playing field is something of a bad movie, yet you don't hear feminists calling for its end.

One of the more famous cases came in Massachusetts where there was a game between the Collegiate Charter School of Lowell and KIPP Academy in Lynn. A six-foot-tall male player, who was allowed to be on the girls' team because he called himself trans, injured multiple players in the game with the aggressive style and overwhelming size advantage he had. The player, donned with facial hair, injured so many of the girls that the Collegiate Charter School was forced to forfeit the game. While that story is enough to make you cringe there is video of the incident. The player

ripping the ball away, and the eventual injuries to the girls around him.

There was no media crying out to help the girls, no feminist movement protesting to protect the young women, and no one seemed up in arms enough to stop the lunacy that allowed this.

That is not an isolated incident, though. Again in Massachusetts a male playing a female sport knocked out a young lady's teeth when he threw a ball at her in a field hockey game. We watched a woman literally get her faced punched in by a man and her skull cracked when MMA fighter Fallon Fox fought her, and there were crickets.

Payton McNabb became famous when she was knocked unconscious by a man who spiked a ball at her

head and face during a volleyball game in North Carolina. McNabb now has permanent damage to her face and brain damage because they allowed a man to play against her. What's worse is even with these tangible injuries the problem has fallen on deaf ears. When McNabb wrote to Democrat lawmakers on X for denying the harm that trans women cause in sports Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat from Washington, responded during a House Judiciary Committee saying, "it is a tiny portion of people across the country that identify as trans, and not a single one of them is doing anything to harm you or your family. Stop it, we have better things to do in Congress," she said.

Women being injured by men in sports is not just an American problem either. A high school rugby

league in Guam watched three woman be injured when a trans athlete was allowed to play against them. Head coach Conrad Kerber said “Body size, body strength and the ability to apply force with that size and strength completely

can't set it low enough. So will the new streak reach two in a row or is it time for sports bettors to course correct? If there was any time to look for offense it would be this year, but those words have been written before only to see 3 yards and a cloud of dust offensive attacks rule the day.

dominate any girl that I have on my team. The aggressive nature that was witnessed clearly showed that it’s a definite issue that we have to deal with.” But, who will be the one to deal with this?

Miller Place Athletes Wear Their Future

ByTomBarton

The Miller Place School District recently held a National Letter of Intent signing day.

Miller Place has sixteen student athletes who will be continuing their athletic & academic careers after graduation. The student athletes showed up and took pictures with whichever school they have chosen to continue their

education and collage careers at. Sadie Hoffmann, Ava Zicchinelli, Abigail LoNigro, Hayden Young, Emma Synan, Gwen Smith, Lauren Durkin, Emily Lopez, Will Seppe, Cameron Golding, Nick Frusco, Jackson Thompson, Braeden Murphy, Ethan Monaco, Evelyn Paul, and Angie Efstathiou will all be moving on after graduation to these respective colleges.

Volleyball

Credit: AI South Shore Press

Credit: Miller Place School District | Facebook Miller Place Athletes

Army Navy Game

@ArmyNavyGame

SPORTS Women Take a Stand Against Trans Players

ByTomBarton

Women have had enough and have decided to take a stand against trans athletes across the country.

The ability for men to play against women has been a hot topic for a while now in the United States, but it seems that some female athletes have said enough is enough. If the system won't protect the girls from trans athletes playing against them, then they will take it into their own hands, and they have.

In North Carolina an all-girls high school volleyball team in the Cherokee County School District began forfeiting games in defiance because they did not want to be put

in harm's way and face a transgender player.

The girls made the decision after a player on the Hiwassee Dam High School team was injured by a ball spiked by a player on the Highlands School team in Chattanooga. The spike in question was done by what the Cherokee County Board of Education called a "biological male." One of the defenders of the girls, Steve Colemen, stated that the presence of a "biological male" posed risks to girls.

This is just one of many stances that the women athletes in America have taken a stand. More recently Stone Ridge Christian School in California boycotted their state

championship semifinal match because the opposing team had a male player on the team. This was not just a one-game forfeit, this ended their season and a chance at a state title.

The most famous has been in the Mountain West Conference where San Jose State has a biological male playing volleyball. The Spartans team won a total of seven games this season because their opponents refused to take the court against a man playing a women's sport.

The transgender player was called out by her own teammate, Brooke Slusser, who joined this class action lawsuit against the NCAA in September that states that the

Amazin': Soto Breaks the Bank

ByTomBarton

The wait is over and Juan Soto will be returning to New York, only this time as a New York Met.

All eyes this off-season were focused on where Juan Soto would land, but even more so what the uber talented 26-year-old's contract would look like. After Shohei Ohtani broke the bank and signed with the Dodgers, it had been speculated that Soto's deal could be even higher, and the speculation came to fruition Sunday night.

The outfielder and the New York Mets are in agreement on a 15-year, $765 million contract. That deal will now be the largest deal in professional sports history.

Soto’s deal includes no deferred money, unlike Ohtani, and even has escalators that can reach above $800 million. It is also being reported that Soto can opt out of the contract after the 2029 season or the Mets can void the opt out if they buy him out for $4 million more. That would raise the contract to $55 million per year for the remaining 10 years of the contract's span. If the void is exercised, the deal would then

turn into a 15-year, $805 million contract all told.

Soto is from the Dominican Republic and began his MLB playing career, at 19 years old. After his outstanding start to his career Soto turned down the Washington National's offer of a $440 million contract two years

ago. He was then traded to the Padres for a haul of prospects, and subsequently to the Yankees for the same sort of large trade deal before last season.

Soto hit a career-high 41 homers last season with the Yankees with a .288 average and one of the best batting eyes in the league.

They Put The "L" Back In LPGA

transgender athlete's participation in the sport violates Title IX.

Once it was known that a biological man was playing on the women's team that is when Mountain West teams began pulling out of games. Southern Utah was the first team to say that it would forfeit its match with San Jose State in October. That was followed by a conference game against Boise State. After that four more teams joined the forfeit. Wyoming, Utah State, Southern Utah and Nevada Reno have all stood in unison against allowing their female athletes to participate against San Jose State.

Many believed this would be nothing more than an in-season blip on the radar and once the conference tournament arrived, teams would relent, but Boise State took the stakes even higher and forfeited their postseason game.

When asked about the teams not wanting to put their girls in harm's way, San Jose State volleyball head coach Todd Kress responded by saying that the women sitting out games sent the wrong message and has been met with "appalling, hateful messages." Kress himself was named in the lawsuit by Slusser as giving "preferential treatment" to transgender player Blaire Fleming because of his beliefs.

The teams called for a resolution during the playing year but in district court, Judge S. Kato Crews, appointed by President Joe Biden, denied the emergency injunction

ByTomBarton

The LPGA has listened to their athletes and restored the L back in the title of their name.

The LPGA has updated its Gender Policy for Competition Eligibility, effective starting with the 2025 season. The policy will not allow men to play in the Ladies Professional Golf Association.

In a statement put out by officials they have said that they were "informed by a working group of top experts in medicine, science, sport physiology, golf performance and gender policy law — was developed with input from a broad array of stakeholders and prioritizes the competitive integrity of women’s professional tournaments

and elite amateur competitions.

This working group has advised that the effects of male puberty confer competitive advantages in golf performance compared to players who have not undergone male puberty."

What this all means is that if you are born a female, you are eligible to compete on the tour; if you are born a male, no matter what you deem yourself now, you will now be prohibited to compete against women on the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour, and in all other elite LPGA competitions.

“Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan.

request. He said the plaintiffs could have filed it much sooner, as they long had been aware of the trans player’s presence.

San Jose State issued this statement: “All San Jose State University student athletes are eligible to participate in their sports under NCAA and Mountain West Conference rules. We are gratified that the court rejected an eleventhhour attempt to change those rules. Our team looks forward to competing in the Mountain West volleyball tournament this week.”

Upon hearing this from Crews the Mountain West Conference said its policies align with those of the NCAA and USA Volleyball. USA Volleyball requires trans women to have undergone at least a year of testosterone suppression before joining women’s teams. And San Jose State is in California, which has no law restricting trans girls and women in school sports.

Many familiar with the case believe it will go to the Supreme Court. Time is not something that athletes have, especially those in school. There is a very limited window to play sports at the high school and college level, but it seems the players believe their principles are just as valuable as the time lost. For now females of every age can only protect themselves by refusing to play the sport they love.

A final note, Colorado State eliminated San Jose State from the tournament last week.

This is a massive step for those who are looking for a more fair playing field for female athletes and this is the first league to take a step to protect the women. The Independent Women’s Forum said the announcement is a monumental directional change that acknowledges women deserve fair, single-sex athletics — calls on LPGA and USGA to further ensure participation policies are consistent with differences between the sexes at birth.

The LPGA was forced to address the issue in part because of the backlash they received when a biological male, Hailey Davidson, won an event this year and over 300 pro golfers spoke out.

San Jose State player and coach

Credit: @RealDanZak | X Hailey Davidson

Credit: @Riley_Gaines_ | X

Credit: @nut_history | X

Juan Soto

SPORTS Good Riddance: Juan Soto

ByTomBarton

When Juan Soto signed with the New York Mets this weekend the baseball world was abuzz about the length and size of the contract, and just as much talk was about Steve Cohen and his big, bold move. As a Yankee fan, I said "good riddance."

Look, I know that Juan Soto is a generational talent, and his loss will be a major hole in the middle of that very dangerous Yankee lineup for years but Soto leaving wasn't an overall loss for the bombers.

I, like many Yankees fans, for years have blamed Hal for being cheap, Cashman for constructing a bad lineup, and the Yankees as a whole as looking like a cheap knock-off of the Evil Empire that I grew up with, but this is not one of those cases.

Reports came in that the Yankees offer was above $700 million and might have been only a few million dollars short of the Mets' base offer, but billionaire Steve Cohen was not going to be denied. Cohen bought the Mets years ago and has been spending horribly ever since. There was no way he would let his big shiny prize walk away, and it only added fuel to his fire that he could take him away from the Yankees. But that doesn't mean that Hal and Cash failed here.

You will be able to read so many

glowing and great reviews about Soto and, for the first half of his contract, the pinstripe fans will be upset. But this is not as devastating of a loss as it might seem.

Juan Soto is a fantastic player, but history alone should tell us to be cautious of these long and massive contracts. Look at these examples.

Miguel Cabrera, a future Hall of Famer, has more than 3,100 hits, hit 511 home runs, drove in 1881 runs, won two MVP awards, and completed the triple crown in 2012 and signed a bad contract. In 2014, Cabrera signed an eight-year, $248 million contract extension with the Tigers. He still had two years left on his prior deal at $22 million per season when the new deal, so all in all Cabrera was under contract for 10 years at $292 million. The first three years of that deal were just what you'd expect from the man headed to Cooperstown, but it fell off quickly after that. In 2017, Carbrera hit just 16 home runs and he never again hit more in a season and never drove in more than 75 runs. The contract became an anchor on the franchise.

Albert Pujols may have been an even better player than Cabrera. Pujols finished his career with over 700 home runs while batting .296. He has been called the best player of a generation and a top 20 all-time player, but his contract was a bust.

In 2011, after playing 11 years in St. Louis, the Angels signed Pujols to a 10-year, $240 million dollar deal. Like Soto, he also had a kicker in the deal with a 10-year, $10 million personal services contract on it as well. Pujols did not finish the contract with the Angels. He was so bad that he was designated for assignment in the final year. The first five years of Pujols’ contract he was pretty good. He was never the Pujols of St. Louis, but it really came crashing down after five seasons. In 2017, Pujols hit 23 home runs and would never see that again. He also drove in 100 runs for the last time

in his career.

Sometimes it's not only about lack of production or "being older" that makes the contract a bust. A perfect example is Mike Trout. The superstar signed a 12-year, $426.5 million extension with the Angels in 2019. Trout's issues aren't production-based; it's a health issue. Trout was just 27 when he signed the deal. Much like Soto, he was also a generational talent. But since he put pen to paper, Trout has been limited to only 266 of 648 possible games from 2021-24. That's just 41%. Trout has had a calf strain in

2021, back trouble in 2022, a broken hamate in 2023, and a twice-torn meniscus.

The Angels were at it again with Anthony Rendon. Rendon finished inside the top 11 in the MVP race four times with the Nationals and then signed a seven-year, $245 million contract in 2019. The first year was typical of Rendon as he placed 10th in the MVP race. Since then Rendon has not played more than 58 games, his high water mark for home runs in an Angels uniform is nine and he hasn't had 35 RBI's yet.

The list can go on and on, but the pattern is clear. Giving large contracts and long years, to even the biggest superstars in the game, have proven to be detrimental to teams.

So this is not a bitter Yankees fan take, but rather a historical glimpse. Juan Soto is everything you will read he is, right now. He also looks destined to become a DH before 30 years old. He is now on his fourth franchise and has clearly put money above winning, which is a concern. The absence of Soto in the Yankees lineup will be felt for the next few years no matter what moves Cashman and Hal make, but if we look at the past, we can also see a future where the New York Mets are trying to navigate around an albatross of a contract for the better part of a decade.

Juan Soto

SPORTS Ducks Return Their Coaching Staff

ByTomBarton

As the Long Island Ducks enter their 25th Anniversary season, they have announced their coaching staff for the 2025 season.

The Ducks are bringing back Manager Lew Ford for a second year. Ford returns and will be joined by returning pitching Coach Bobby Blevins and former Ducks pitching coach Billy Horn, who will serve in the role of bench coach.

“I am greatly looking forward to working with Bobby and Billy this season,” said Ford. “We are all eager to put together a championshipwinning ballclub and celebrate a historic season for the Ducks organization.”

Ford was named the 15th manager of the Ducks last year. During that first season he watched an Atlantic League best 10 players have their contract purchased by a Major League organization or foreign professional league. He led the team to a 64-62 record despite

the roster turnover.

Ford played for the Ducks for nine seasons where he amassed 1,036 hits, good for the third-most in Atlantic League history. He ranks second all-time in franchise history for batting average at .318, games played with 877, RBIs, runs scored, doubles and total bases.

Ford now lives in Selden and played on the Ducks Atlantic League championship-winning teams in 2012, 2013 and 2019.

Blevins returns as pitching coach where he had six pitchers have their contract purchased during the 2024 campaign, three of which immediately reported to Triple-A. Blevins pitched five seasons for the Ducks and was a key part of Long Island’s back-to-back Atlantic League championship runs in 2012 and 2013.

Horn also enters his second season on the Ducks' coaching staff. During his 12-year coaching career, he has seen a total of 12 players reach the Major Leagues.

Coach Condon Gets The Call to The Hall

Credit: Shoreham Wading River Wildcat Athletic Booster Club | Facebook Joe Condon and team

Thomas Shares The Best RB In Suffolk Honors

ByTomBarton

William Floyd's junior running back Ja’Quan Thomas has won the coveted Joe Cipp award.

The Joe Cipp award goes annually to the best running back in Suffolk County and Thomas and Sayville's senior Kyle Messina split the award this season.

Thomas left little doubt that he should take home the award as he dominated down the stretch. Thomas finished the year as the county's top rushing leader as he ran for 2,594 yards and an incredible 37 touchdowns on less than 300 carries.

Thomas ended the year as hot as anyone in recent memory. He had seven 200-yard rushing games on the season. But once the playoffs hit, he elevated his game to an even bigger level. Against Sachem East in the Suffolk Division I quarterfinals, he rushed for over 300 yards and an unforgettable six touchdowns.

That was followed up by scoring multiple TDs in each of

the next few games, including the Suffolk county and Long Island Championship games. In that game against Massapequa it looked like he was a one-man wrecking crew at times and despite the loss, was able to steal the headlines in that game.

Thomas wrote of the accolades “I can’t wait to strive to improve even more and to aim for even higher awards and goals. Just wanted to thank God, my

family, supporters, coaches, and teammates. You help me in wanting to push myself everyday. Congratulations to my teammates on their awards to, truly amazing people, can’t wait to see what you’ll do in the next level, and congratulations to Kyle Messina for winning also.”

Thomas will return next season as the focal point of Paul Longo's offense, and be the favorite for this award yet again.

Suffolk Players Take Home Honors

ByTomBarton

This week at the Suffolk County Football Coaches Association awards dinner, at the Hyatt Regency in Hauppauge, awards were given out to the premiere players in the county.

Among them were William Floyd's Aaron Fisher winning the Bob Zellner Award as Suffolk's top lineman. Fisher was the main cog in the line that allowed Ja'Quan Thomas to lead the county in rushing yards and rushing TDs, and also protected AJ Cannet while going to the Long Island championship game.

Fisher also was a devastating twoway player racking up 90 tackles, 15 for loss, and added seven sacks. He played literally every down this season for Floyd and was a clear team leader.

Fisher also won the LaBue Award, presented to the county’s

top scholar athlete.

Longwood players took home three separate awards. Junior Kaden Reid won the Tom Cassese Award as the top defensive back. Reid ended the season with eight interceptions and returned two for TDs.

The Lions senior lineman Clint Chichester won the Tom Cutinella Memorial Leadership Award while wide receiver/linebacker Mike Warren shared the 12th

Man Award. That award is given annually to players that overcame adversity.

Warren shared the award with Bayport-Blue Point quarterback/ defensive back Brendan Mattimore.

Half Hollow Hills West's wide receiver Anthony Raio won the Paul Longo Award as the county’s most outstanding receiver. He finished the season with 60 catches for nearly 1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns.

ByTomBarton

Shoreham-Wading River's wrestling coach Joe Condon will be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in April.

Condon has been coaching for more than 20 years, and he is the sixth varsity coach in the history of the SWR Wrestling program. Condon has many accomplishments on his resume. With the Wildcats, he coached the team to a No, 3 overall rank in 2020 and during his tenure, the Wildcats have won four League

Titles and one Suffolk County Championship.

Condon has had over 90 All-County wrestlers, 18 County Champions, 23 AllState wrestlers, five NY State Champions, 18 All-Americans, and three National Champions.

Coach Condon attended/ wrestled for SWR and was a four-year varsity starter/ team captain. He was a three-time league finalist, two-time Suffolk county freestyle champion, and finished 2nd in the New York state freestyle championships.

How Much Female Blood Needs To...

Continued from page 27

Injuries like these are now becoming the norm. Ever since Education Secretary Miguel Cordona’s illegal interpretation of “sex” in Title IX to also include “gender identity or expression" we have watched more men pretending to be female take to the courts, fields, ice and arenas to compete against women.

Intrinsically, atheletes will always have the threat of being hurt while competing, — it's part of the game, — but for the same reasons sports governing bodies are very careful not to allow upper-age kids play against younger opponents, or regulators are strict for weight classes being adhered to, this must be controlled to protect the athletes.

Incident after incident has been countered with the notion that it's

only a small number of situations, so basically "deal with it." The question is how many more girls need to be hurt, or how seriously injured does someone need to be, before lawmakers come to their senses and do the obvious? Instead, many states are opening up the ability to allow this to happen even more, leaving many to wonder who will protect the young women of America?

Credit: @JaQuanThomas25 | X Ja'Quan Thomas

Ducks Coaches

Credit: Michael Polak

Credit: @JaQuanThomas25 | X Suffolk Award Winners

SPORTS Joe Filardi Named Suffolk's Best Player

ByTomBarton

This year's crop of outstanding talent is as deep as we can remember in Suffolk county and that is why the anticipation for who would bring home the coveted Carl A. Hansen Award was as great as ever at this year's awards ceremony.

The Hansen Award is given annually to Suffolk’s top football player, and has been the most sought after award for 64 years.

This year's award winner is Joseph Filardi from Half Hollow Hills West. The quarterback fell just shy of the award last season and vowed to come

Longwood

back even stronger in 2024. He did just that. Filardi lead Hills West to the Suffolk Division III championship game and his record breaking stats just kept adding up.

Filardi threw for 3,102 yards and his 43 touchdowns to just three interceptions showed his decision making and QB play was not that of a gunslinger, but a seasoned signal caller. Filardi didn't stop there as he was a true dual threat. He rushed for over 1,200 yards and had 12 more touchdowns on the ground. That is an incredible 55 TDs he was a part of on the year.

Hills West offense was

explosive all season averaging 47 points per game and he accounted for five touchdowns per game on average. He finishes his high school career with Long Island records for most career all purpose yards with 14,483 and his 151 touchdowns also set Long Island records.

Filardi is headed to Syracuse to continue his playing career.

The other finalists were Sayville senior halfback Kyle Messina and Floyd junior halfback Ja’Quan Thomas, who both shared in the Joe Cipp award, given to the best running back in the county.

Commits, Choose Their Next Destination

ByTomBarton

The Longwood High School athletic department hosted a signing day ceremony to celebrate the accomplishments of the Lions student-athletes who have committed to

continuing their athletic careers at their respective colleges and universities.

"Congratulations to our dedicated athletes," said Robert Neugebauer, director of Health, Physical Education, and

Athletics. "You have made us incredibly proud, and we look forward to hearing about the remarkable achievements you will accomplish throughout your college careers."

Here are the list of athletes and where they have chosen to continue their careers and education.

Brielle Belonzi - Dominican University, Women's Lacrosse

Kyle Connolly - Post University, Baseball

Ava Franco - Mercy University, Women's Lacrosse

Grace Galvin - Southern Connecticut University, Women's Lacrosse

Olivia Hollingsworth -

Costello Chooses Clemson

ByTomBarton

After leading Ward Melville's soccer team to back-to-back New York state championships senior defender Maddie Costello has decided on her next step.

Costello has chosen to continue her academic and playing career at Clemson University. The 10th ranked defender in the nation was also an excellent influence to her teammates as a multi-year captain.

Ward Melville's run of dominance has been nothing short of brilliant as they have now won three Long Island Championships in a row after finishing the season undefeated once again.

Clemson's head coach Eddie Radwanski said, “This recruiting class ranks up there as one of our best recruiting

classes. It is a diverse group of talented players who are not only very good, talented soccer players but very good people. They competed at the highest levels of youth soccer and several have valuable U.S. Youth National Team experience. We are excited to welcome them to the Clemson Family!”

According to Top Drawer Soccer, the 2025 Clemson

recruiting class is ranked No. 2 in the nation as they have four players in the Top 50 and eight players in the Top 200.

Costello said, “I chose Clemson because the campus feels like home to me. The coaches, staff, players, and environment are all so welcoming. The academics are amazing and the soccer program and facilities are unmatched.”

Campbell University, Women's Lacrosse

Olivia Kaelin - University of New Haven, Women's Lacrosse

Timothy Kaleb - University of Bridgeport, Baseball

Sophie LaCarubba - University of the Cumberlands, Women's Lacrosse

Brooke Morris -

Commonwealth University, Bloomberg, Women's Lacrosse

Ava Rivera - Mercer University, Women's Lacrosse

Luke Rizzi - American International College, Baseball

Justin Silon - Long Island University, Men's Lacrosse

Edward Wesche - Post University, Men's Lacrosse

Golden Eagles Stay Perfect

Credit: @SJLIAthletics | X Golden Eagles Win

ByTomBarton

This week's win for the St. Joseph's Golden Eagles women's basketball team secured the best start in women's basketball program history.

The Golden Eagles remained unbeaten after a down-tothe-wire win over St. Mary's College, 66-63.

The Golden Eagles had four players score double-digit points, with senior Isabella Sierra and junior Megan Spina each scoring 13 points and grabbing four rebounds while

Rebecca Vitale added 12 points with two steals.

Charlotte Twohig led the game with a high nine rebounds while putting in 10 points of her own. But her biggest basket came in crunch time as she hit a three-pointer to put the Golden Eagles up 60-58 with 2:38 remaining. No one was more clutch than Sierra who drove to the basket for a key layup with just 17 seconds remaining to give the Golden Eagles a 64-63 lead and the win.

Credit: Three Village Athletics | Facebook Maddie Costello Signs

Joe Filardi

Longwood Athletes

Credit: @josephfilardi | X

Credit: longwood.k12.ny.us