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Thursday, August 27, 2026 ~ Volume 138 ~ Issue Number 41 ~ $1.00
State GOP Ticket Stumps in Suffolk By Matt Meduri With just about two months to go until Election Day, all bets are off in the tumultuous national environment and the crucial 2026 midterms. But in New York, a different battle is afoot - one against Governor Kathy Hochul (D-Hamburg), who is seeking a second full term, two other statewide officials, and the Democratic majority in the State Legislature. Democrats gained a trifecta in New York after the 2018 elections, when the Party of Jackson flipped 8 seats to take control of the chamber that had otherwise been institutionally Republican for decades. (Left to right) Comptroller candidate Joe Hernandez, Nassau Co. Exec. Bruce Blakeman, A.G. candidate Saritha Komatireddy in St. James on Thursday (Credit - Matt Meduri)
Continued on page 5
Main Street Gains Another Business By Matt Meduri The long-term strategy of Town Hall is to revitalize its downtown corridors, retain its youth, and attract new clientele to its vacant storefronts. The Lofts at Maple and Main are a prime example of Smithtown’s experiment with mixed-use zoning: apartments on the upper levels, commercial on the ground level. The complex already hosts Beauty Bomb and Dirty Cheesecake, and on Thursday, another business opened its doors just across the street from Town Hall. Taste Buds Kitchen offers not only an educational asset to the average passerby, but a unique venue that rewrites the typical party playbook. They offer cooking classes from its varied menu with a state-of-the-art kitchen and every tool and appliance a good chef needs, but those same services are offered for birthday parties, corporate events, one-on-one classes, or the average get-together. Taste Buds Kitchen opened its doors last Thursday, alongside a warm welcome from the neighborhood and officials. Continued on page 10
Taste Buds Kitchen opens their doors on Main Street in Smithtown on Thursday (Credit - Matt Meduri)
FULL STORIES ON:
State Reps. Push Bail Reform Page 4
HSW Junior Wins STEM Prize Page 13
Life-Saving Mom-Son Duo Honored Page 15