The South Shore Press 3/25

From the NEWSROOM

BY ROBERT CHARTUK

Childhood Memories of Kahler’s Pond

Watching the state stock Kahler’s Pond with trout last week brought back memories of fishing there when I was a kid. I lived a quick bicycle ride from the old mill pond and spent many days catching sunnies, perch, and bass.

Boy’s Life magazine gave me the idea to set an overnight rig to catch something when you’re not even there. I found a tree branch hanging over the water and tied a line and hook to it, baited with a big nightcrawler. When I returned the next morning, the branch was bent down into the water. Whatever was on the line sensed my approach and fought frantically against the limb. The water swirled as a serpentine shape came to the surface. A snake!

A friend’s big brother had warned us about poisonous

snakes on Long Island, and I was sure I had a venomous water moccasin or cottonmouth on my hands. I grabbed the branch and carefully pulled it in, keeping my distance in case the creature lunged. As a kid whose playground was the outdoors, I thought I knew all the creatures of that pond—except for the one at the end of my line: not a vicious snake, but a slimy freshwater eel.

The waters of Kahler’s are still very clear, despite bird droppings that have closed it to swimming. From the dock by the waterfall, you could see sunfish hovering over the sandy patches they cleared for their nests. Chet Wilcox at B&B Tackle would gladly tell you everything you needed to know about fishing the pond, and he sold us tiny hooks perfect

for catching them. What he didn’t mention was what would happen if you put a sunfish on a hook and let it swim around for a while.

I got bored with my fish on a leash and set the pole down on the dock. The next thing I knew, it was being dragged toward the water, and I grabbed it just in time. What I had on the line was no sunfish, and I fought it all the way in. The culprit was a hefty largemouth bass, which I carried home in a pail of water. It was still alive when my dad drove me back to Kahler’s to return it to where it belonged.

In 1984, a determined angler named Dave Romeo made the Guinness Book of World Records by catching 3,001 bass at Kahler’s. I’m pretty sure that 15 years earlier, I had caught their great-grandfather.

State Stocking Brings Trout to Local Waters

By Robert Chartuk

Excited anglers looked on as Lauren Tuffy, a state fish and wildlife technician, supervised the release of 520 rainbow trout into Kaler’s Pond in Center Moriches. The fish, delivered from a state hatchery in the Catskills, were poured into the pond along its shoreline and quickly darted into the deeper waters of their new home.

Tuffy described the effort as a “putand-take” fishery, a Department of Environmental Conservation program designed to provide immediate fishing opportunities for the public. “Most of these fish will be caught,” she said, but some may survive and grow much larger over the next few years.

The stocking is part of the DEC’s

broader statewide program, which annually releases more than 2 million catchable-size trout into lakes, ponds, and streams to support recreational fishing.

Spring trout stocking typically begins in March and continues into early summer and the fall, with locations across Long Island regularly receiving fish to ensure consistent action for anglers.

Kaler’s, a popular local fishing destination, offers more than just stocked trout. The man-made millpond is home to a healthy mix of largemouth bass, sunfish, perch, and carp, making it a year-round spot for fishing enthusiasts. Freshwater eels have been known to be caught there as well.

Some anglers gathered during the stocking, watching as buckets of fish

were released into the water from a special tanker truck. The event heralds the start of the freshwater fishing season, which begins April 1. “I’m looking forward to getting out there with my Popiel pocket fisherman,” said Center Moriches angler Bryan Hellmer, a local legend who’s been plying area waters for the last 60 years. “Rainbow trout are very good eating,” said Hellmer, who goes by the moniker “Asphalt Angler.”

The DEC works with hatcheries and local partners to coordinate stocking efforts, ensuring fish are disease-free and suitable for New York waters before release. Other release locations include Southaven Park, West and Canaan lakes in Patchogue, and Yaphank’s Upper Lake.

COVERING ALL OF SUFFOLK

We hope you enjoy your complementary copy of the South Shore Press —our way of welcoming new readers to truly local journalism. In this edition, you’ll see what sets us apart:

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By Gov. Kathy Hochul

Climate Action, Affordability Can and Must Go Hand-In-Hand

All New Yorkers should be immensely proud that their home state is a national leader for clean energy and climate action. As Governor, I take that role very seriously, knowing it is our mission to leave our world better than we inherited it.

My worldview was shaped growing up in Western New York during the era of the toxic Love Canal, swimming in a Great Lake contaminated by industrial pollution, and breathing the orange smoke emitted from nearby smokestacks. That’s why leading the fight against climate change and protecting our environment is deeply personal for me.

Since I have been Governor, more than $88.7 billion has been invested in clean energy through programs that have made us an example for the rest of the nation.

We have the first-ever utility-scale offshore wind farm in the United States, and two more under construction that we have protected from Trump administration efforts to stop these fully-permitted projects dead in their tracks. Just one of those projects will power half a million homes in Brooklyn later this year.

My efforts to reduce emissions meant taking on tough fights, including stopping the White House from killing congestion pricing – a program that’s already delivering results, even as it faces fierce opposition from the President.

We met our 2025 solar goals a year early, positioning New York as a national leader, approved 31 large-scale solar and wind projects, and just last year allocated the largest investment to address climate change in state history

While other states wavered, New York remains a backbone of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and its early efforts to keep the multi-state climate partnership strong.

And in just a few months, the Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE) that I championed will become operational, delivering clean hydroelectric power to New York City, and helping to compensate for the increase in emissions driven by the shutdown of the Indian Point nuclear plant.

All of these actions have brought us closer to the goals of the Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act passed by the State Legislature back in 2019. And I remain fully committed to the blueprint for a sustainable future laid out in that landmark legislation.

But so much has radically changed since the Climate Act was enacted, necessitating common-sense adjustments that keep us on our path to a greener future in a way that is affordable for New Yorkers.

Post-COVID inflation and supply chain disruptions have created a far more challenging economic landscape. That has been compounded by federally imposed illegal tariffs that have driven up project costs, and a dramatic shift in Washington. We have moved from a federal government eager to partner on the clean energy transition to a White House under Donald Trump, aided by a Republican-controlled Congress, that launched a full-on assault on renewables and the tax incentives that encouraged companies to build and residents to convert.

President Trump has denied the science, calling climate change a hoax. Just this week, he again vowed to block all new offshore wind projects and is actively attempting to dismantle those already under construction. At the same time, the federal government is also canceling grants and tax credits for solar and wind, electric vehicles, heat pumps, and other pollution-reduction initiatives while rolling back key scientific findings and regulations that would have helped the nation move toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Without a federal partner, there is only so much states can do on their own. It is impossible to push new offshore wind projects and the clean energy they would produce when we have a President who prefers a “drill baby drill” mantra that focuses on oil and coal. And even within our own borders, we have been dealing with NIMBYism, moratoriums and outright bans that have made siting alternative energy facilities such as on-land wind, utility-scale solar and battery storage impossible in too many parts of our state.

Meanwhile, the war in Iran is driving up gas prices at the pump to the breaking point for too many New Yorkers. With energy demand growing and the state having retired far more fossil fuel plants than it’s been able to replace with renewable sources, our electric system operator is projecting potential energy shortages, particularly downstate, that could lead to brownouts and blackouts.

Put simply, something has to give.

It’s why I am pushing a Ratepayer Protection Plan that will hold utilities accountable, reform the process by which regulators consider rate hike requests, and make it easier for

working families to learn about and access the state’s Energy Affordability Programs.

And to make sure we keep the lights and heat on and costs down for New Yorkers, I have adopted an all-of-the-above approach to energy that includes more renewables, emission-free, reliable round-the-clock nuclear, and other needed power sources.

It’s also why, despite supporting the intentions of the Climate Act, I am pushing changes to the law as part of our budget discussions with the Legislature. This is solely out of necessity –to protect New Yorkers’ pocketbooks and economy. Despite all the headwinds and obstacles that could not have been foreseen when the law was enacted in 2019, advocates still took the extreme step of suing the state to force it to issue regulations to meet the Climate Act’s 2030 emission reductions targets.

A judge agreed and ruled that the state must swiftly issue regulations to achieve what now would be costly and unattainable targets, unless the law is changed.

I have repeatedly said that utility rates in our state are too high. And while the Climate Act is not the driver of the high energy prices we are experiencing, the undeniable fact is we cannot meet the Climate Act’s 2030 targets without imposing new and additional crushing costs on New York businesses and residents.

Absent changes to the law, the New York State Energy Research

and Development Authority found the impact of meeting the Climate Act’s 2030 targets would be staggering—more than $4,000 a year for upstate oil and natural gas households, and $2,300 more for New York City natural gas households. And gas prices at the pump would jump an additional $2.23 per gallon above where it would otherwise be.

As Governor, I can’t let that happen. While I am still committed to working toward our targets, with all the stress our residents are under, New Yorkers expect their elected officials to prioritize affordability. They are suffering from high costs every single day and I for one will not ignore their cries for relief.

The fact is, we will be dealing with a White House outright hostile toward renewable energy for at least another three years, making it impossible for us to meet our targets without imposing higher costs on homeowners, renters, and businesses.

We need more time, and so I am proposing we amend the law to require regulations to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions to be issued at the end of 2030. We are seeking to change what emission limits the regulations are tied to – including a new 2040 target as well as the existing 2050 statewide emission limits. Nothing else in the CLCPA is changing regarding the existing statewide emission limit targets and these new regulations would still require the state to make timely prog-

ress, ensuring long-term policy stability.

Additionally, we need to change the accounting methodology we use to count emissions to align with the international standards used by the global community and nearly every other U.S. state. Otherwise, these impossible emission reduction targets…only used by NY and one other state…will ensure our failure despite all of our efforts and billions of dollars spent.

These proposed changes preserve the intent of the law while realistically recognizing the economic and political challenges we face. Even with these adjustments – which bring us in line with other climate leading states like California, Washington, and Colorado – New York will still boast one of the most ambitious laws in the country. And it’s important to note that our state is not alone in dealing with these issues. A number of other states with aggressive climate goals are also struggling to meet them given the current federal headwinds and have had to make amendments.

I cannot make these changes alone. We need our partners in the Legislature to enact these needed and practical revisions. I look forward to working with lawmakers to achieve an outcome that will make our state both more sustainable and more affordable. The people of New York are counting on us to get this right.

LOCAL Suffolk Courts Launch Women’s History Month Panel

By Stefan Mychajliw

The Suffolk County Courts launched their 2026 Women’s History Month celebration with a Women in the Law panel at the John P. Cohalan Jr. Court Complex in Central Islip, drawing more than 100 female high school students from districts across the county.

The event, organized in partnership with the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York and the Suffolk County Women’s Bar Association, marked the first of three programs planned to highlight the achievements and leadership of women in the justice system.

A diverse panel of professionals, including judges, court administrators, a court officer, an interpreter and a court reporter, shared their personal career journeys and offered guidance to students interested in legal and public service careers.

“The courts are honored to host this program and to highlight the many different careers that exist within our court system,” said District Administrative Judge Hon. Andrew Crecca in welcoming remarks. “It is wonderful to see so many students here to learn about the various paths that are open to you.”

Panelist Hon. Cheryl Joseph, Acting Supreme Court Justice and Supervising Judge of Matrimonial Parts, emphasized the importance of representation and

mentorship.

“Programs like this help students see that there are many meaningful paths to serving the public through the justice system,” Joseph said. “I was honored to share my experiences with the next generation and encourage students to pursue their goals.”

Additional panelists included Hon. Mary Kate Mullen, Rachel Landkam-

Family

By Stefan Mychajliw

The Women’s History Month observance continues March 16 with a ceremony recognizing female court officers in leadership roles, and concludes March 26th with a grand celebration featuring awards, a keynote address, musical performances, and a luncheon reception.

Service League

Names New CEO Kerri Smith

Family Service League (FSL), a longtime Long Island nonprofit providing essential human services, has announced the appointment of Kerri Smith as its new President and Chief Executive Officer.

Smith succeeds Karen Boorshtein, who is retiring after a distinguished tenure leading the organization and expanding its reach across Long Island. In announcing the leadership transition, Boorshtein said Smith’s experience, vision, and leadership style closely align with the organization’s mission and future direction, making her the standout choice following a comprehensive selection process.

Smith brings more than 20 years of experience in human services, combining legal, social work, and executive leadership expertise. She holds a law degree from South Texas College of Law and is admitted to the New York Bar. She also earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from the University of Texas, where she received the Dean’s Award for the Promotion of Social Justice.

Most recently, Smith served as Chief Operating Officer at Little Flower Children and Family Services of New

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York, overseeing programs and operations across Long Island and New York City. She also held leadership roles at the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the New York City Administration for Children’s Services.

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LOCAL

By Stefan Mychajliw

The Suffolk County Water Authority experienced a historic surge in water main breaks during the recent winter season, as extreme cold placed unprecedented strain on the region’s aging infrastructure.

From December through February, SCWA crews responded to 504 main breaks, marking the highest number recorded during that three-month period in at least ten years.

The spike in incidents closely tracked with plunging temperatures, particularly during February 2026, which alone accounted for 245 breaks. January also proved demanding, with 121 repairs completed, including a single week in which crews addressed 44 sepa-

SCWA Crews Tackle Record Winter Water Main Breaks

rate breaks. Officials attributed the increase to deep freezes that drove frost lines further into the ground than usual, causing soil movement and placing significant pressure on older cast iron pipes.

Despite harsh and often dangerous conditions, SCWA crews worked continuously to maintain water service for approximately 1.2 million residents across Suffolk County. Workers frequently operated in sub-zero temperatures, navigating icy terrain while performing urgent repairs.

“The work our crews performed was truly heroic,” said SCWA Chairman Charlie Lefkowitz, emphasizing the physical demands and commitment required to sustain operations during the severe weather.

In response to ongoing chal-

lenges, the authority continued its infrastructure renewal efforts, replacing roughly 20 miles of aging water main with more durable ductile iron pipe. The upgraded material is designed to better withstand temperature fluctuations and reduce the likelihood of fractures. Replacement efforts focused on areas with recurring break patterns, aiming to strengthen the system’s long-term reliability.

SCWA Chief Executive Officer Jeff Szabo praised employees for their dedication, noting that their efforts ensured uninterrupted service during a particularly difficult winter. He also highlighted expanded hours at the Customer Contact Center, which helped address increased service inquiries during peak cold periods.

The Suffolk County Water Authority operates as a public-benefit corporation, providing water service on a not-for-profit basis

without taxing authority, and continues to invest in improvements to meet the needs of the communities it serves.

Long Island Music Awards Celebrating Second Year

By Donna Rolando

The Legends of Long Island Music Awards is entering its second year celebrating the backbone of the local music community on Tuesday, March 31, in Lake Ronkonkoma.

Event sponsor Rich Branciforte, who founded the Long Island Music Business Organization (LIMBO), anticipates roughly 200 fans will gather in support of four iconic bands as well as 20 music-related businesses. The event, which kicks off at 6 p.m. at Anthony’s On The Water, also honors restaurant owner Anthony Pellegrino, known for his live summer events.

“It’s a nice event. It’s a sitdown dinner, cash bar and we

introduce each honoree and have them come up and do an

acceptance speech, and we do a little history on the band,” Branciforte said.

These iconic bands—Decadia, Funk Filharmonik, The Liverpool Shuffle and Benoir—each stand out in their own way.

Decadia, for instance, can be counted out to draw crowds to summer concerts in the parks, and Funk just celebrated its 35th anniversary, united with a band of 12. What they all they all have in common is longevity. “Iconic means they’ve been around for a while. Some of these guys have been in business for 30 and 40 years, which is really hard,” said Branciforte.

Besides the music awards and LIMBO, which acts as a Chamber of Commerce, Branciforte

is founder of Good Times Magazine, celebrating its 57th anniversary on April 1 and an inductee into the Long Island Music Hall & Entertainment Fall of Fame. “I started it to get free tickets to Woodstock and free albums thinking I was going to do it for a year or two,” Branciforte recalled. He even launched it on April Fool’s Day so if it flopped, he could pass it off as a joke. No need it’s a survivor, and continues to support the industry with 700 listings of upcoming shows.

Although he once turned down a job for Jimmy Hendrix, Branciforte has no regrets. For tickets, priced at $53, call 516-280-2100 or email gtmag@ optonline.net.

Ritual Animal Killing Suspected in Bellport Woods

By The South Shore Press

The sadistic ritual of sacrificing animals has reared its ugly head with the discovery of a mutilated goat in Bellport.

Officials said the body of a white baby goat, believed to be less than a month old and weighing about eight pounds, was found near an underpass along the Long Island Expressway. The animal had been decapitated, and authorities believe the killing may be linked to ritualistic activity.

According to officials, the goat was discovered by a passerby who alerted authorities.

Investigators are now working to determine whether the animal was killed at the scene

or brought there after the act. The area continues to be canvassed for evidence.

Authorities indicated that such incidents tend to increase during the spring season, though similar discoveries have occurred throughout the year. Officials familiar with these cases reported that ritual sites often include candles arranged in patterns, along with items such as food offerings, money, and colored cloths.

Previous investigations across Suffolk County have uncovered similar scenes, including animal remains placed near cemetery headstones, decapitated chickens left in public areas, and multiple goat heads found along roadways.

In one case, officials reported that a cow’s tongue had been nailed to a tree with a threatening message.

Officials stated that while certain forms of animal slaughter may be legally permitted if conducted humanely and for consumption, the circumstances in this case do not meet those standards. The killing has been described by investigators as an intentional and particularly cruel act.

Experts say such rituals are sometimes used by adherents as an offering to Satan.

A reward totaling $4,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Anyone with information relating to the decapitated

goat, and any other information about ritualistic acts of animal cruelty, is asked to

calls will be kept confidential.

SANTOS UNCENSORED

BY GEORGE SANTOS

Let me tell you something, folks: what we are witnessing from Kathy Hochul isn’t just hypocrisy. It’s political desperation dressed up as leadership.

This is the same governor who, back in 2022, puffed out her chest and told conservatives, business owners, and anyone who didn’t fall in line with her progressive orthodoxy that they should pack their bags and leave New York because they didn’t represent “New York values.” Remember that? Of course we do. Because it wasn’t subtle. It wasn’t nuanced. It was a political purge masquerading as moral superiority.

And now? Now she’s practically standing on a street corner waving a white flag down in Palm Beach, begging wealthy New Yorkers to come back. Come back? After what, Governor? After you drove them out with crushing taxes?

After you vilified success and punished ambition? After you turned the Empire State into an economic exit ramp? Give me a break.

This is the political equivalent of setting your own house on fire and then asking the neighbors if they’d like to move back in once the ashes settle.

Let’s be very clear about what’s going

STATE

on here. New York is bleeding financially, economically, and culturally. The tax base is shrinking because the very people who fund this state—the high earners, the job creators, the investors—have had enough. They went to places like Florida, where they’re not treated like villains for being successful.

And now Governor Hochul suddenly realizes: “Oops, we need those people.” No kidding. But here’s the problem: you don’t get to insult, demean, and exile people one year and then beg for their return the next. That’s not leadership. That’s panic.

You told them they weren’t welcome. You told them they didn’t belong. You told them, in no uncertain terms, that their values were incompatible with New York. And now you’re shocked they took you seriously?

This is what happens when ideology replaces common sense. For years, Albany Democrats—led by Hochul—have treated wealth like a crime and success like something to be regulated out of existence. They pushed policies that made it more expensive to live, more difficult to do business, and more dangerous to walk the streets. And when people responded rationally by leaving, Hochul doubled down with rhetoric

Hochul’s About-Face: From ‘You’re Not Welcome’ To ‘We Need You Back’

that basically said, “Good riddance.”

Fast forward to today, and suddenly the tone has changed. Now it’s all: “Please come back, we need you.” Of course you do. Because without those taxpayers, your entire system collapses. The spending, the programs, the bloated bureaucracy—it all depends on the very people you told to leave.

And let me say this as plainly as possible: New Yorkers are not stupid. The high-net-worth individuals Hochul is now chasing down in Palm Beach didn’t leave by accident. They left because they were pushed out—by policies, by taxes, and yes, by rhetoric exactly like hers.

You don’t rebuild trust by snapping your fingers and pretending the past didn’t happen. You rebuild trust with consistency. With respect. With policies that reward hard work instead of punishing it. And Kathy Hochul has shown none of that.

Instead, what we’re seeing is a politician caught in her own contradictions—a governor who thought she could virtue-signal her way into moral high ground, only to discover that budgets don’t balance on applause lines. So now she’s left doing damage control, trying to lure back the very people

she alienated. It’s embarrassing. It’s transparent. And frankly, it’s too late.

Because once you tell people they’re not welcome, once you brand them as outsiders in their own state, once you govern with contempt instead of competence—they remember. And they don’t come back just because you ask nicely.

New York deserves better than this kind of leadership. It deserves a governor who understands that prosperity isn’t something you chase away and then beg to return. It’s something you cultivate, protect, and respect. Kathy Hochul did the opposite. And now she’s paying the price.

NYS Nonprofit Scandal: SSP Columnist Sounds Alarm

By The South Shore Press

A growing controversy surrounding a multi-million-dollar New York State nonprofit is intensifying after new revelations and a radio interview raised fresh concerns about oversight and accountability.

The story was first broken by South Shore Press columnist George Santos, whose reporting uncovered troubling financial irregularities at Buffalo’s Seneca Babcock Community Association.

Public records reviewed by the South Shore Press indicated years of missing required nonprofit

LOCAL

By Donna Rolando

The Center for Environmental Education and Discovery (CEED) in Brookhaven will be unlocking the mysteries of nature photography with a workshop on Friday, April 10, designed for both beginners and novices.

The class will be taught by Calverton resident Chris Paparo, also known as Fish Guy Photos, whose experience spans both land and ocean, the latter as a marine biologist. The time is 7–8:30 p.m. at 287 South Country Road. Sign up on the CEED website, at 631-803-6780, or via email at info@ceedli.org.

“I will talk some about the

filings, including gaps in audited financial statements and IRS Form 990 tax returns.

The impact was immediate and dramatic.

Within 24 hours of the Santos and South Shore Press investigation becoming public, Executive Director Brian Pilarski resigned and the organization shut down operations.

Programs serving children, seniors, and working families were halted, and buildings were closed, sending shockwaves through the community.

South Shore Press columnist Stefan Mychajliw, appearing on

“The Financial Guys” on NewsRadio 930 WBEN, called the situation “heartbreaking,” emphasizing the real-world consequences for vulnerable residents.

“This is devastating,” Mychajliw said. “This isn’t just paperwork. This is a daycare disappearing, seniors losing services, and families left scrambling.”

The controversy began gaining traction after a viral TikTok video alleged the nonprofit had failed to file required federal tax forms for years.

Further reporting revealed the organization had filed required financial disclosures with the New

York State Attorney General’s office only twice since 2004.

Mychajliw questioned how what was initially described as “sloppy paperwork” could escalate so quickly into a complete shutdown.

“You don’t go from missed forms to ‘we have no money and we’re closing everything’ overnight,” he said. “That doesn’t pass the smell test.”

Mychajliw stated only a federal investigation could determine whether the collapse was due to mismanagement or potential fraud.

“The only way we get answers,” he said, “is if the feds step in.”

Learn Nature Photography at CEED Workshop

basics of photography and what makes a good picture. You don’t need a $1,000 camera,” Paparo said. He suggested that even a cell phone could take a good shot if properly composed.

Nature photography can be a challenge with the unpredictability of wildlife, but Paparo teaches how the “woods come alive” when one slows down and really looks. “The longer you just kind of sit still, you’ll start seeing things come out from hiding…or maybe it’s tiny mushrooms or some lichens growing on the bark of a tree.”

Getting low to the ground— one time he got down on his belly and crawled up to a frog— makes for the best vantage

point. “I got level with the beast and looked right into his eyes when I took the picture,” he said. “It just makes it a much more interesting image.”

Photography was never a first love for Paparo. For him, it was the ocean, so he pursued marine biology and today manages the Marine Sciences Center at Stony Brook University, Southampton Campus. He got into photography to enhance his many talks on marine life.

Today, he’s also known as Fish Guy Photos, and he’s on a mission. “My business is to get people to slow down and appreciate wildlife around them,” he said. It also makes for great photos.

By Stefan Mychajliw

Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio joined disability advocates and service providers at a rally in Brentwood calling for increased state funding to support individuals with developmental disabilities and their caregivers.

Representatives from organizations across Suffolk County gathered alongside Giglio, who serves as the ranking member of the Assembly Committee on People with Disabilities, to highlight ongoing challenges and press lawmakers for action.

“Protecting our friends and neighbors who are among the most vulnerable is something all lawmakers in Albany should

Assemblywoman Giglio Joins Rally for Disability Funding

strongly rally around,” Giglio said.

“A final state budget should prioritize funding and policies

that recognize the unique challenges our communities face.”

Giglio emphasized that nearly 70% of New Yorkers with de-

velopmental disabilities live in community settings, underscoring the need for expanded local services.

“Nearly 70% of people with developmental disabilities in New York live in the community, in our neighborhoods, schools and workplaces,” she said.

“That means our policies must focus on strong community support, housing opportunities and care coordination so individuals can live full, independent lives.”

She also pointed to recent progress in state budget proposals driven by advocacy from families and service providers.

“Because of the advocacy of families and organizations across the state, the Assembly and

Senate budget proposals have increased the targeted inflationary adjustment for providers to 4%,” Giglio said. “That is an important step forward, but our work is not finished.”

Giglio added that continued investment is needed to strengthen the workforce and ensure families can access services without unnecessary barriers.

She said she will continue working with colleagues to secure additional funding and improve support systems statewide. Organizers said the rally reflected growing momentum among advocates seeking long term investment in disability services across Long Island and beyond.

Small Business Owners Press Albany on Costs, Taxes, Regulations

By C.R. Mercer

Small business owners from across New York gathered in Albany to press lawmakers on rising costs, taxes, and regulations they say are straining Main Street.

Hosted by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), Small Business Day brought more than 60 participants to the Empire State Plaza to advocate for changes they argue are critical to staying afloat in a challenging economic climate.

Business owners called for tax relief, lower auto insurance costs, and reforms to state energy policies and environmental

regulations. Many also pointed to the burden of compliance with the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and other mandates that add time and expense to doing business in New York.

Senator George Borrello of Western New York, a small business owner and NFIB member, and Assemblymember Marianne Buttenschon of the Mohawk Valley, chair of the Assembly Small Business Committee, were among the legislators lobbied by the group.

The effort concluded with business owners meeting directly with lawmakers in their Capitol offices, sharing firsthand accounts of the challenges they face and urging action during

the current budget process.

“It’s great that Main Street is here in the Capitol to communicate directly with legislative leaders on how expensive and difficult it is to do business in New York State,” said Assemblyman Joe DeStefano. “They need a constant reminder how their policies affect businesses in one of the highest taxed and regulated states in the nation.”

“Small Business Day recognizes the vital importance of small business owners to our state,” said Ashley Ranslow, NFIB’s New York State director. “It serves as a needed reminder to lawmakers that small businesses’ challenges are directly affected by legislative action or inaction.”

Ranslow added that small

businesses are essential to job creation and community affordability, calling the group’s agenda “critical to the sustainability of Main Street.”

As the meetings took place, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released a report underscoring the sector’s economic impact.

According to the report, small businesses generated nearly $1 trillion in sales and employed 3.7 million people in 2023, accounting for close to 45 percent of jobs statewide.

Despite that influence, the report found New York lags behind other states in business creation and employment growth, highlighting ongoing challenges for small business owners.

Democrat Standoff Causes Airport Chaos

By C.R. Mercer

For those traveling through U.S. airports, the Democrat move to shut down Homeland Security in favor of reinstating their open-border agenda is making it harder and harder to get where they need to go.

As the shutdown stretches into its second month, delays at airport security checkpoints have become increasingly common, with reduced staffing from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) slowing passenger screening at major hubs and regional airports alike.

Airlines are urging travelers to arrive earlier than usual, warning that longer lines and staffing shortages are creating ripple effects across flight schedules. Missed departures and extended wait times have been reported from New York

to Los Angeles, particularly during peak travel hours.

The disruption stems from the broader shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which has left more than 100,000 employees with -

out pay. While TSA agents and other essential personnel remain on the job, the financial strain is beginning to affect workforce reliability and morale.

President Trump sharp -

ly criticized Democrats for prolonging the standoff. “For over a month, Democrats have shut down the Department of Homeland Security — inflicting pain on over 100,000 American families missing paychecks and causing widespread disruption to millions of travelers across the country,” he said.

“Democrats are openly admitting they are ‘making people hurt,’” the President added, while pushing what he called “unserious, extreme demands.”

The administration says it has negotiated in good faith to restore funding but argues that proposals tied to border policy have stalled progress. Democrats are holding out for mandatory body cameras on ICE agents, changing warrant requirements to arrest criminal aliens, and prohibiting agents from wearing masks

during removal operations. Democrats, whose border policies under former President Biden flooded the country with millions of illegal immigrants, are doubling down on their strategy to keep them in the country to change the voting demographic in their favor. Sanctuary states and cities such as New York are spending billions on immigrant services to develop a new voting bloc to ensure their success at the polls. Keeping non-citizens from voting is a major component of the Save America Act, legislation being vigorously opposed by Democrats. With no resolution in sight, travel experts warn conditions could worsen, especially as spring travel increases. For now, passengers are advised to plan ahead, expect delays, and monitor airline updates closely.

By Robert Chartuk

As if responding to the very concerns raised in a South Shore Press investigative series on financial irregularities at a New York nonprofit, President Trump announced the creation of a new federal task force charged with rooting out corruption by organizations that receive taxpayer money.

The new federal initiative, formally titled the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, comes as questions continue to grow in New York following the South Shore Press investigation into the Seneca Babcock Community Association in Erie County.

That reporting found the government-funded nonprofit had apparently failed for years to file required audited financial reports with the New York Attorney General’s Charities Bureau. Records reviewed by the newspaper appeared to stop after 2004 and did not resume until 2020, when the organization filed a report covering the 2017 tax year.

That filing included a severe warning from auditors at Bonadio & Co. LLP, who issued a “disclaimer of opinion,” stating they could not verify the organization’s finances because “detailed accounting records have not been maintained and supporting data was not available.”

Within hours of the South Shore Press report, Executive Director Brian Pilarski resigned. The nonprofit soon announced it would shut down most of its operations.

Trump Fraud Task Force Puts New York on Notice

President Trump’s task force order described exactly the kind of breakdown in oversight now under scrutiny in New York.

“American taxpayers fund a vast benefits system for citizens in need,” the President wrote, warning that “illegal aliens, criminals, foreign gangs, bureaucrats, state and local officials, non-governmental organizations, and ineligible providers exploit these programs” because of weak controls.

He said the result has been “widespread fraud, waste, and abuse at the expense of the American taxpayers.”

For New York, the order carries particular weight. President Trump explicitly named New York among the states where “there is also strong reason to believe that similar problems exist,” placing Albany squarely in the national spotlight as federal authorities intensify scrutiny of public-benefit spending and nonprofit oversight.

The order creates the task force within the Executive Office of the President. Vice President J.D. Vance is to serve as chairman, with the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission as vice chairman. Representatives from the Treasury Department, Justice Department, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Homeland Security, Education, Agriculture and other agencies are to participate. Its mission is broad. President Trump said his administration “will use all available resources and authorities to fight fraud, close loopholes, enforce eligibility rules, and pro-

tect benefits for eligible Americans.”

The task force is directed to improve eligibility verification, develop controls before funds are disbursed, identify major fraud trends, share data across agencies, disrupt fraud networks, audit vulnerable programs, and examine whether federal funds should be withheld from jurisdictions that fail to adopt adequate anti-fraud safeguards.

That focus mirrors concerns raised by Assemblyman Joseph DeStefano after the South Shore Press investigation. In a formal letter to Attorney General Letitia James, DeStefano called for a broader review of similar nonprofits across New York, warning that the Buffalo collapse may point to a larger systemic failure.

He wrote that if one major nonprofit in Western New York could go years without proper audited filings, state officials should determine how many others may have done the same.

President Trump’s order repeatedly emphasized that fraud flourishes when officials “fail to police these programs” and, in some cases, “willfully turn a blind eye to fraud, waste, and abuse within them.”

That language is likely to resonate in New York, where critics have questioned how a taxpayer-funded nonprofit could allegedly operate for years without complete records and still avoid early intervention from regulators.

The order gave agencies 30 days to identify transactions most susceptible to fraud,

60 days to coordinate minimum anti-fraud requirements, and 90 days to submit implementation plans.

President Trump framed the initiative as both a financial and moral issue, writing that fraud and mismanagement amount to “theft of the hard-earned tax dollars from Americans paying into these programs, and of the benefits owed to Americans who need them.”

For New York taxpayers, the timing is striking. A local newspaper uncovered serious warning signs in Buffalo. A state lawmaker called for a sweeping probe. Now the White House has launched a national task force with New York specifically in its sights. If Albany will not fully investigate the warning signs raised by the South Shore Press, Washington now appears ready to do what state officials would not.

HISTORY LESSONS

BY RICHARD ACRITELLI

The 1980s was an incredibly dangerous time for the national security of the United States. While President Ronald Reagan fiercely opposed the Soviet Union to help end the Cold War, America had many challenges in the Middle East. Whereas this nation is currently fighting against Iran to end this oppressive regime, for the last several decades every American president has been tied to this volatile region.

Libyan Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi took control of this North African nation in 1969 with the goal of exerting further control over the Mediterranean Sea against American naval dominance. Qaddafi viewed himself as a leader of Arab nations to oppose peaceful agreements like the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt. He expected to emerge as a strong figure in the Third World to oppose American and Western expansion by using weapons, money, and terrorism. This former dictator funded Muslim groups, Palestinian guerrillas, the Irish Republican Army, and, locally, the Black Panthers.

Qaddafi illegally stated that the entire waters of the Gulf of Sidra were Libyan, near the city of Misurata, toward the western part of the Benghazi Gulf. This government considered encroachment beyond these Libyan borders as “the line of death” against all opposing nations, of which they considered their territorial limit twelve miles off this boundary line. The major powers never recognized the legitimacy of Qaddafi’s maritime proclamations, which were challenged by the presence of American aircraft carriers. Tensions between the two nations turned deadly in August 1981, when two American naval F-14

FOG OF WAR AND HUMANITY

BY RICHARD ACRITELLI

The Fog of War and Humanity, hosted by Richard Acritelli for the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, presents a powerful conversation with Irving “Irv” Adler, tracing his family’s journey from the Holocaust to a rebuilt life in America.

Adler begins with his upbringing in Brooklyn, where his parents, immigrants from Czechoslovakia, created a stable, working-class life within a decade of arriving. His father, once orphaned at age eight and forced to survive alone, became a successful businessman. Yet behind that success was a past never

fighter jets downed two Libyan SU-22 fighters some sixty miles off their coast.

Numerous times, American planes crossed the Libyan “line of death” to fly operations beyond this created Libyan line. Later, Qaddafi headed in a patrol boat to oppose the American Sixth Fleet as it conducted its own operations near Libya. There was an early pattern of Libyan terrorism, from the 1979 attack on the American Embassy in Tripoli to the planned threats by Qaddafi to kill the American ambassadors in Khartoum, Sudan, and Cairo, Egypt.

Conditions worsened between these two nations, as Libya was targeted for the terrorist killing of five Americans at the Rome and Vienna airports. Reagan blamed Qaddafi, froze Libyan assets, and, on March 24, 1986, American naval forces destroyed four enemy boats. About ten days later, the Libyans were tied to the bombing of the La Belle discotheque in West Berlin that killed one and injured fifty American military members. In 2001, four people were convicted in Berlin of carrying out this 1986 terrorist attack.

By April 14, Reagan ordered a massive air attack against Tripoli and Benghazi by fourteen A-6E fighter planes and eighteen F-111 bombers from England. They were forced to fly 2,600 miles more, as the French government refused to allow American aircraft to fly over their nation for this operation. “Operation El Dorado Canyon” used two hundred American aircraft and sixty tons of bombs to hit military facilities; one of Qaddafi’s residences, barracks, runways, and weapons were all targeted. Reagan responded toward the protection of Americans: “When our citizens are abused or

Terrorism Against Americans in the Middle East

attacked anywhere in the world, we will respond in self-defense. Today we have done what we had to do. If necessary, we shall do it again.” While Libya was hurt by these strikes, a terrorist organization tied to Qaddafi quickly authorized the killing of three Americans who worked for the American University in Beirut.

On March 16, 1984, William Buckley, a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) station chief in Lebanon, was abducted by terrorists on his way to the American Embassy. Before his capture, Buckley met with a senior figure from the Mossad, where they planned to take Israeli and American Green Berets from Tel Aviv to a Lebanese seaport. Buckley was a Korean War company commander of the 1st Cavalry Division and was awarded a Silver Star for his bravery in taking a North Korean machine gun. Later, in the Vietnam War, his vigor against the enemy earned him two Purple Hearts, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, and the Combat Infantry Badge. Against the Viet Cong, Buckley carried out secret operations

against their top leaders.

Lieutenant Colonel Buckley was a specialist in military and intelligence operations on how to thwart hostile forces. Before being stationed in Beirut, Buckley was a CIA officer who grasped the importance of international terrorism. The Incident Response and main parts of the Counterterrorism Team were created from his covert actions in Cambodia, Egypt, Lebanon, Pakistan, Vietnam, and Zaire. He was expected to lead a top-secret mission to overcome the terrorists and free the hostages. The American intelligence operatives in Lebanon opposed the growing actions of the terrorists, who had already killed and captured members of the CIA, the State Department, and military figures.

From 1982–1992, thirty Westerners were taken in Lebanon; some died in captivity, and others were released back to their home nations. Buckley was stationed in Beirut, in this historically beautiful area that became one of the most dangerous for Americans to reside. It is believed that Buckley was a high-value target who was detained in Lebanon, taken through Syria, and given to the Iranians. He died on June 3, 1985, of torture by the terrorists and the Iranian government. This senior specialist, Buckley, was from Medford, Massachusetts, and he was one of nine Americans who were taken by mostly Iranian-backed terrorists. Enduring terrible abuse, Buckley was forced to write a confession about his responsibilities in the Middle East.

After 2,454 days of being held as a prisoner by Hezbollah, American journalist Terry Anderson was released on December 4, 1991. A longtime reporter for the Associated Press, he

played tennis with his co-worker and photographer Don Mell. At his friend’s home in Beirut, he was taken by gunmen. As one of the few Western journalists in Lebanon, Anderson was intently watched by Hezbollah for his reporting on this terrorist organization. This abduction was carried out by the pro-Iran Islamic Jihad group, which continually carried out plans to take Americans in retaliation for its presence and policies in the Middle East.

For over six years, Anderson was moved around Lebanon, held in captivity, beaten, threatened with death, and held in solitary confinement. Being a hostage who understood the culture of the Middle East, Anderson argued with his captors, demanded better food, and taught other hostages how to use sign language to communicate. He had a strong wit and devotion to helping his fellow hostages; whereas, as a combat journalist during two tours in Vietnam, this service helped him handle the rigors of confinement. Anderson was blindfolded, chained by his hands and feet, and later stated that he “almost went insane,” but his strong faith in Catholicism prevented him from committing suicide. Returning home, Anderson gave speeches, taught journalism at major universities, operated a blues bar and a Cajun restaurant, and enjoyed operating a ranch. But the years of torment caused him to deal with severe post-traumatic stress disorder. Later, Anderson was given millions of dollars from frozen Iranian assets to compensate him for his many years of captivity. He spent the rest of his life on a small horse farm in the rural countryside of northern Virginia.

From Holocaust to Hope in America

fully spoken, only revealed in fragments—most visibly in the number tattooed on his father’s arm.

That past came into sharper focus as Adler learned of his parents’ wartime experiences. Married in 1940, they were quickly separated when his father was sent to forced labor. By 1944, Nazi forces had reached their region, forcing Jewish families into ghettos before deporting them in crowded cattle cars to Auschwitz.

Upon arrival, Adler’s parents were separated. Both were selected for labor, a decision that saved their lives. In one of

the most devastating moments, Adler’s mother, holding her infant daughter, was quietly told to give the child to her own mother if she wanted to survive. She never saw them again.

Adler’s father endured multiple labor camps and brutal evacuations as the war neared its end, surviving freezing transport conditions that killed many. His mother was forced into hard labor in munitions camps. Survival, Adler emphasized, was not strength, but luck—being in the right place at the right moment.

After liberation by Allied forces, the two eventually found each other through scattered

survivor networks. They briefly returned home but fled again as Soviet control tightened, arriving in the United States in 1948 with nothing.

In America, they rebuilt. They embraced opportunity, religious freedom, and security, though the trauma never fully left them.

Adler described a life shaped by both resilience and lingering fear.

His message is clear: survival carries responsibility. Remember history, oppose hatred, and protect the freedoms so many fought to reclaim. To see the entire interview, visit hmTV.

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP

BY KARL GROSSMAN

This month, the State Assembly unanimously passed—yes, even in these polarized times, it unanimously passed—a bill sponsored by Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni providing for reinstatement and acknowledgment of the Montaukett Indian Nation.

It now goes to the State Senate which, like the Assembly, has overwhelmingly passed the bill seven times. Yes, seven times. But Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed it four times. And her predecessor, Governor Andrew Cuomo, both Democrats, vetoed it three times.

“The people of the Montaukett Indian Nation are a rich part of the Long Island community,” declared a statement issued by Schiavoni’s office with passage of his 2026 measure on March 9. But, “After several attempts to advance legislation which would recognize and acknowledge the Montauketts, New York State has continued with the precedent set in 1910 to deny them their right of existence in the eyes of the state. Despite the 1910 Pharaoh v. Benson case, when the court declared them to be extinct while their leaders and 75 members of the nation sat in the courtroom, the Montaukett Indian Nation has continued to thrive and govern itself. The wrongful removal of their state recognition remains uncorrected.”

Schiavoni commented: “I am grateful to my colleagues for again unanimously voting to pass this measure.” He said he would be “following through on my pledge to continue to prioritize the reinstatement of state recognition of the Montaukett Indian Nation, which was wrongfully stripped of its rights to exist more than a century ago.”

Montaukett Recognition Fight Returns to Albany

Schiavoni, a Sag Harbor Democrat, took office in the Assembly in January 2025. The 2026 Montaukett recognition measure, and earlier bills, were sponsored in the State Senate by Senator Anthony Palumbo, a Republican from New Suffolk. It passed the Senate 50-to-1 in 2025.

In her veto message this past December of the 2025 measure, Hochul again pointed to the 1910 ruling in a case titled Pharaoh v. Benson. In it, State Supreme Court Justice Abel Blackmar, sitting in Riverhead, sided with the descendants of Arthur Benson, a developer, in awarding them Montaukett tribal lands. Hochul noted that “in my previous veto message,” in 2024, “I pledged to work with the Montaukett community regarding this issue. I take seriously the responsibility of determining whether to recognize a Native American tribe, which would be a sover -

BY KATHRYN NOCERINO

When I was a little kid, my father used to drive west from Shirley along Montauk Highway through Blue Point. On the north side of the road, next to a gas station, was a small skating rink whose center of interest was a concrete sphinx. It was painted pink: ergo, the pink sphinx. Later, someone moved it to the south side of the highway, to a cement company in Bayport, where it now sits. It has a round head and a naïve, wideeyed presence, so I used to call

it “Vito the Sphinx.” I think I am the only person who remembers this early location. Weird LI says Vito originally stood by the Anchorage Inn. Mae West, early Hollywood temptress and double entendre expert (“Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”), once tried to buy this inn, but it burned down. Vito was created in 1897 by the inn’s owner, an immigrant from Belfast, Ireland, called Captain Will Graham. People like Teddy Roosevelt,

hold that up as the justification for this veto is just crazy.”

“An error doesn’t become a mistake until you refuse to correct it,” Thiele said. “Instead of rejecting the noxious rationale of Benson, [Hochul’s] veto affirmed it. I am ashamed of our state government.”

an tribe.

eign nation. However, at this time there are still outstanding questions and issues concerning the Montauketts’ eligibility for recognition according to traditional criteria.” So, “I am constrained to veto this bill.”

Schiavoni succeeded Fred W. Thiele, Jr., a member of the State Assembly for nearly 30 years, who sponsored the earlier Montaukett measures in the Assembly.

After Hochul cited the Pharaoh v. Benson case in a veto of the 2023 bill, Thiele, a Sag Harbor Democrat, said he was shocked that the governor would reference the ruling in the Pharaoh v. Benson case, which involved “one of the most racist decisions in the history of New York jurisprudence. The prior vetoes were unfortunate, but the language in this one was stunning. To take the Benson case, which has language in it that would embarrass the Proud Boys, and

The case was an effort by Montaukett Chief Wyandank Pharaoh to undo the taking of Montauk lands by Benson. Justice Blackmar rejected Pharaoh’s claims, asserting that the Montaukett tribe was “extinct” and its members lived “shiftless” lives as hunters, fishermen, and farmers. This was despite a 1906 memorandum filed in the case by C.F. Larrabee, then acting commissioner of Indian Affairs for the U.S. Department of the Interior, who wrote that the Montauketts were “an existing Indian tribe” and those attempting to annex the tribe’s land, including Benson, should be “forever” restrained.

The case was part of a larger picture. As Newsday reporter Mark Harrington noted in his article on the 2025 Hochul veto: “Newsday in a 1998 investigation found that the process by which developers and the Long Island Rail Road annexed Montaukett and Shinnecock Indian Nation lands over the past 200 years was rife with ‘deceit, lies and possible forgery.’”

In the bill vetoed in 2025 by Hochul—and in the current and prior measures—is a passage saying Blackmar’s “arbitrary ruling ignored earlier U.S. Supreme Court decisions defining Indian Nations according to criteria under which the Montaukett Indian Nation qualified as an existing sovereign tribe and giving Congress, rather than the courts, power to decide the status” of an Indi -

What about an override of the governor’s veto by the State Legislature considering the extent of support for the Montaukett legislation? A twothirds vote would be necessary. However, as New York Focus reported last year, “it will be up to the Senate and Assembly whether to lock horns again over the bills Hochul rejected this year,” but “direct overrides…are unheard of in Albany.” New York Focus describes itself as “an independent nonprofit newsroom investigating power in the Empire State,” publishing “in-depth journalism that explains how the state really works.”

The Montaukett situation has attracted attention beyond Long Island. A New York Post article this past December after Hochul’s 2025 veto said it “had Democratic legislators and some Montaukett leaders fuming.” It quoted Sandra Brewer-Walker, executive director of the Montaukett Indian Nation, saying: “The governor just doesn’t get it—she lacks an understanding of Native American history and is upholding an illegal, racist ruling.”

Senator Palumbo, on the floor of the Senate, has decried the ruling in the Pharaoh v. Benson case, which he termed “likely racist,” and spoke of how the tribe “was recognized for years prior” to the case. He declared: “Now is the time to correct this injustice and provide the Montaukett Indian Nation with the status they deserve.”

The Montauketts were one of the original great tribes of Long Island—and are still here. A journalism student of mine was Peter Pharoah, a proud Montaukett. They thoroughly deserve restoration of their recognition.

Pink Sphinx - A Quirky Concrete Relic with Roots in Long Island Lore

Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks stayed there. Who knew? There was something about the place that made it irresistible. I suspect it was Vito.

The area today is nondescript: you drive by small private homes, a Greek Orthodox church, a dog-breeding business, and various ethnic restaurants. Until you reach Bayport, there is nothing that really catches the eye. As Marilyn Monroe once said about New Jersey, “There’s

no there there.” (Contrasting viewpoints welcome!) I’m not sure if that local restaurant has preserved its memorial to the late Gabby Petito, shown as an angel with butterfly wings.

The sphinx, no longer pink, bears the inscription, “She who climbs to the Sphinx’s head a millionaire will surely wed.” At its base is a sign which reads, “Climbing prohibited.”

I used to own a concrete scale model of Vito, but I have no idea what happened to it.

We are delighted to welcome our new café vendor,

* Opening Saturday, February 21 * Grand Opening Celebration: Saturday, March 7

ASK NANCY

BY NANCY BURNER, ESQ.

Q: My spouse has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and may soon need nursing home care. I’ve been told that if my spouse goes into a nursing home, I could lose our house and most of our income. Is that true?

A:This is one of the first concerns families raise, and fortunately, the answer is no. Many people come in worried that everything they have worked for will have to be spent down before care can be approved. The reality in New York State is that the law is designed to protect the spouse who remains at home. When one spouse requires nursing home care, Medicaid recognizes that the other spouse is still living in the community and still needs financial support. The spouse at home, often referred to as the “community spouse,” is not expected to become impoverished just because their partner needs care.

In 2026, the community spouse is allowed to keep their own income and, if necessary, receive a portion of the nursing home spouse’s income, up to approximately $4,066.50 per month. This is meant to ensure that basic living expenses such as housing, utilities, food, and other day-to-day costs can continue to be paid. For many families, this is an important

Will

I Lose My Home if My Spouse Needs Nursing Home Care?

protection that allows the spouse at home to maintain stability.

There are also important protections when it comes to assets. While the spouse applying for Medicaid is limited to maintaining $33,038 in their own name, the spouse at home can retain approximately $74,820, or up to one-half of the couple’s total assets, with a maximum of $162,660. The applying spouse can also have retirement accounts as an additional asset. Beyond that, the primary residence is typically protected as long as the spouse, or a minor or disabled child, continues to live there. This often comes as a relief to families who are concerned about losing their home.

Another important point is that assets can be transferred to a spouse without triggering a penalty period. This is different from transfers to other individuals, which can result in a period of ineligibility. Because transfers between spouses are allowed, there are often opportunities to protect assets even when planning has not been done in advance.

New York also permits a strat-

TIME OF LOSS

egy known as “spousal refusal.”

While the name can sound concerning, it is simply a way for the spouse at home to retain assets and income in their own name while the spouse in need of care applies for Medicaid. In many cases, this allows families to preserve significantly more than they initially expected. It is also important to understand the cost of care. Nursing homes in the New York area can cost approximately $15,000 per month, and in some cases even more, depending on the facility. Without proper planning, these costs can quickly deplete a family’s savings. Even in a crisis, families often

have more options than they realize. Planning ahead is always best, but there are often still steps that can be taken when care is needed.

Alma Muharemovic, Esq. is an associate attorney at Burner Prudenti Law, P.C., focusing her practice on estate planning. Britt Burner, Esq. is the managing partner at Burner Prudenti Law, P.C., focusing her practice on estate planning and elder law. 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.

LIBRARY LIVING

BY TARA D’AMATO Assistant Library Director

Seed and Spice Library –Free Seeds, Sample Spices So many people love gardening, and the library is here to help you grow your own vegetables and flowers. Home grown vegetables taste great and are a fun family project. At each branch we have a SEED library where you can get free seed packets to grow at home. Visit any MMSCL branch in person and choose from a selection of seasonal seed varieties. All have been selected to grow in our area. All you need is a library card. You can take a limited number of packets per visit, just head to the Adult Services Desk to get some seeds. They are yours to keep and grow. We will also be highlighting a variety of seasonal and international spices throughout the year. If you enjoy cooking and exploring new recipes, check out the spice library at the Main branch. Past spices we have explored include zaatar, pink pepper, and dill. Sign out a packet of spice, grab a free recipe booklet that includes a history of the spice and its origins, and try out your cooking skills with a new spice.

DIGITAL RESOURCES

Access our digital collection at www.communitylibrary.org/digital

We’re Here to Help!

We’ll get you all set up to borrow library digital content, from eBooks to eMagazines & music. Call: (631) 399-1511 x2023 to schedule a free one-on-one tech help appointment.

Free Streaming Music & Free Downloads to Keep

Freegal is a music service from your library that provides two great ways to enjoy your favorite music. All you need is your library card number. Freegal offers access to about 3 million songs, including Sony Music’s catalog of legendary artists. You can download and keep 5 tracks per week and listen to streaming music for up to 8 hours per day.

Thousands of newspapers and magazines. One app.

Read online or download more than 7,000 of the world’s top newspapers and magazines from 150 countries (popular titles include The Guardian, Newsweek, Der Tagesspiegel, El Razon, and China Daily) and in more than 60 languages. No limits on downloads. They’re yours to keep forever.

Take your favorite magazines with you wherever you go with our fully interactive digital magazine service! Browse our collection of popular titles with no holds, no checkout periods, and no limit to the number of magazines you can download. View free issues on your computer, smart phone, or tablet.

Enjoy free access to thousands of movies with your library card. Watch up to 10 critically-acclaimed movies, inspiring documentaries, and award-winning foreign films each month.

Your library has thousands of ebooks and audiobooks that you can borrow, instantly, for free, using the device in your hand. Libby is the one-tap reading app for borrowing digital books and audiobooks from your library. It takes just a few taps to find and borrow a book. Libby has a ground-breaking built-in ebook reader, and a beautiful audiobook player. If you prefer, you can send books to your Kindle.

Use your library card to instantly borrow popular digital movies, TV shows, music albums, eBooks, audiobooks, comic books, and even children’s read-along books, without any holds or wait periods.

When Oil Spiked, Trump Called The Marines

By Neil W. McCabe

There are two Marine-supporting naval task forces steaming toward the Strait of Hormuz, seeking to open up the critical choke point and, perhaps permanently, put it under U.S. control.

In the last two weeks, the Iranians have attacked more than 25 merchant ships, and 150 merchant ships are standing off, waiting for the crisis to pass.

The Strait of Hormuz is easily the most important choke point in the world, since 20 percent of the world’s crude oil passes through it before passing through the Straits of Malacca between Malaysia and Indonesia toward Northeast Asia, or through the “Gates of Hell,” Bab el-Mandeb, the straits that lead to the base of the Red Sea and eventually through the Suez Canal to Europe.

West Texas Intermediate Crude, a benchmark in the oil commodity markets, was trading at $65 per barrel Feb. 26, just on the eve of Operation Epic Fury, and now it trades at or around $100. Oil affects almost everything else, so control of the Strait of Hormuz is not just a war aim; it is an economic shock to the world economy.

President Donald J. Trump has used naval and air power flawlessly, but boots on the ground have always been the other shoe to drop. The president told the Kurdish militia to stand down, and he has seemed to rule out a march on Tehran. However, faced with an oil crisis, the president is ready to call the Marines.

At or around March 13, USS Tripoli and its retinue, operating out of Okinawa, were patrolling off Taiwan when they were diverted to the passageway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Traveling roughly 20 knots per hour, the task force is expected to be on station by early April.

The Tripoli-led task force functions as a miniature version of the super carrier strike groups, with Tripoli,

a 45,000-ton big deck, roughly the same size as France’s Charles de Gaulle carrier, with F-35Bs, MV-22 Ospreys, and AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters, in addition to 2,500 personnel assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

A MEU is a self-contained and supporting demi-brigade with a full infantry battalion, artillery, and engineers. As a true aircraft carrier, Tripoli does not have Marine air-cushioned landing craft, so those are carried on USS San Diego and USS New Orleans, which can also launch and land the MV-22s.

Joining the Tripoli-led task force is the USS Boxer-led task force, with a similar configuration, which was underway from its San Diego homeport March 18. It is expected to arrive on station by the middle of April.

Once the Marines are in place, they will have a range of options, specifically to seize the islands and/or seize mainland territory along the Hormozgan Province coast, which faces both sides of the strait. On the east end of Hormozgan, the city of Jask is the site of major Iranian naval and drone facilities, along with military headquarters.

In another time, the Portuguese controlled the strait for 155 years from their fort on Kharg Island, which is now an Iranian hub of oil transportation and military infrastructure, however severely degraded by U.S. attacks. Other islands in the strait, such as Qeshm, Larak, and Greater and Lesser Tunb, offer places where Marines can set up a base camp for further operations.

The key is stopping the attacks on merchant shipping, and these attacks are coming from island-based drones, small boats, and missiles launched from Hormozgan proper. U.S. forces have made tremendous progress against the Iranian regime with naval and air forces, but to have a lasting impact, you need boots—and here they come.

LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES

Public Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE

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 April 28,2026, at 9:00AM, premises known as 4 Laurel Crescent a/k/a Laurel Cresent, Manorville, NY 11949.

All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in Manorville, Town of Brookhaven, County of Suffolk and State of New York, 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. J. Edward Gathman, Jr., Esq. LOGS Legal Group LLP

Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792 Dated: February 13, 2026

L16481- 3/25/2026, 4/1/2026, 4/ 8/2026, & 4/15/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT- COUNTY OF SUFFOLK

WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR FINANCE OF AMERICA STRUCTURED SECURITIES ACQUISITION TRUST 2018-HB1, Plaintiff, AGAINST CHRISTOPHER DALY, AS EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF NANCY DALY, et al. Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale duly entered on April 29, 2025. I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville NY 11738 on April 22, 2026 at 9:00 AM premises known as 18 Winnie Road, Center Moriches, NY 11934. Please take notice that this foreclosure auction shall be conducted in compliance with the Foreclosure Auction Rules for Suffolk County, and the COVID 19 Health Emergency Rules, including proper use of masks and social distancing. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Center Moriches, Town of Brookhaven, County of Suffolk and State of New York. Section

944.00, Block 3.00 and Lot 42.000. Approximate amount of judgment $357,910.78 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment. Index #624676/ 2017. Mark Goldsmith, Esq., Referee, Aldridge Pite, LLPAttorneys for Plaintiff - 40 Marcus Drive, Suite 200, Melville, NY 11747

L16482- 3/25/2026, 4/1/2026, 4/ 8/2026, & 4/15/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF SUFFOLK

SUMMONS AND NOTICE

Index No. 604731/2025 Date Filed: 2/21/2025

Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, not in its individual capacity buy solely as Owner Trustee of CSMC 2019-RPL7 Trust, Plaintiff, -againstAny unknown heirs, devisees, distributees or successors in interest of the late Robert A. VonSinca a/k/a Robert VonSinca, if they be living or, if they be dead, their spouses, heirs, devisees, distributees and successors in interest, all of whom and whose names and places of residence are unknown to the Plaintiff; Clerk of the Suffolk County Traffic & Parking Violations Agency, and "JOHN DOE", said name being fictitious, it being the intention of Plaintiff to designate any and all occupants of premises being foreclosed herein, and any parties, corporations or entities, if any, having or claiming an interest or lien upon the mortgaged premises, Defendants. PROPERTY

ADDRESS: 141 Elenor Avenue, Mastic, NY 11950 TO THE ABOVE NAMED

DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or a notice of appearance on the attorneys for the Plaintiff within thirty (30) days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may appear within sixty (60) days of service hereof. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint.

TO THE ABOVE NAMED

DEFENDANTS: The foregoing Summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Hon. S. Betsy Heckman Torres, a Justice of the Supreme Court, Suffolk County, entered March 18, 2026 and filed with the complaint and other papers in the Suffolk County Clerk’s Office.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT

THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is to foreclose a Consolidation and/or Modified Mortgage (hereinafter “the Mortgage") to secure $140,349.43 and interest, recorded in the Suffolk County Clerk's Office on January 3, 2018, at Liber M00022889 of Mortgages, page 910 covering premises known as 141 Elenor Avenue, Mastic, NY 11950 a/k/a District 0200, Section 910.00, Block 03.00, Lot 025.000. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. Plaintiff designates Suffolk County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the mortgaged premises is situated.

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME IF YOU DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE MORTGAGE COMPANY WHO FILED THIS FORECLOSURE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT, A DEFAULT JUDGMENT MAY BE ENTERED AND YOU CAN LOSE YOUR HOME. SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY OR GO TO THE COURT WHERE YOUR CASE IS PENDING FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON HOW TO ANSWER THE SUMMONS AND PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY.

SENDING A PAYMENT TO YOUR MORTGAGE COMPANY WILL NOT STOP THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. Dated: January 16, 2025 Andrew Loete, Esq. Associate Attorney LOGS LEGAL GROUP LLP Attorneys for Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (585) 247-9000 Fax: (585) 247-7380 Our File No. 24095998 #102876

L16485- 3/25/2026, 4/1/2026, 4/ 8/2026, 4/15/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF SPECIAL DISTRICT MEETING OF THE SOUTH COUNTRY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN, SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW YORK ON BEHALF OF THE BROOKHAVEN FREE LIBRARY

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a Special District Meeting of the qualified voters of the South Country Central School District, Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York will be held at the Brookhaven Free Library,

273 Beaver Dam Road, Brookhaven, New York on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., prevailing time, for the purpose of voting by paper ballot upon the following items: To adopt the Annual Budget of the Brookhaven Free Library for the fiscal year 2026/2027 and to authorize that the requisite portion thereof be raised by taxation on the taxable property of the South Country Central School District. To elect two (2) Trustees of the Library to fill a five-year term commencing July 1, 2026.

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that for the purpose of voting at such meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, the polls will be open between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., prevailing time, and voting will be held at the Brookhaven Free Library, 273 Beaver Dam Road, Brookhaven, New York; and

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a copy of a statement of the amount of money which will be required for the ensuing year for the Brookhaven Free Library’s purposes exclusive of public monies, may be obtained by any resident of the District during the fourteen (14) days immediately preceding said meeting except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from the Library located on Beaver Dam Road, Brookhaven, New York during regular business hours and from the School District between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Monday- Friday) at the District’s Administration building located at 189 Dunton Ave., East Patchogue, New York.

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that petitions nominating candidates for the office of Trustee of the Brookhaven Free Library must be filed at the Brookhaven Free Library, 273 Beaver Dam Road, Brookhaven, New York, no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 16, 2026; such petitions shall be filed between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Monday - Friday) prevailing time; each petition must be directed to the Director of the Library, must be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the School District, and must state the residence address of each signer and the name and residence of the candidate. Vacancies on the Library Board are not considered separate, specific offices, and the nominating petitions, therefore, shall not describe any specific vacancies upon the Library Board for which the candidate is nominated.

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN, that personal registration of voters is required either pursuant to § 2014 of the Education Law or pursuant to Article 5 of the Election Law. If a voter has theretofore registered pursuant to § 2014 of the Education Law and has voted at

any Annual or Special District Meeting of the South Country Central School District within the past four (4) years, such voter is eligible to vote at this election; if a voter is registered and eligible to vote pursuant to Article 5 of the Election Law, such voter is also eligible to vote at this election. All other persons who wish to vote must register. Registration shall be conducted for the purpose of registering all qualified voters of the District pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law through Thursday, April 9, 2026, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., prevailing time and on all regular days during which the Office of the District Clerk is in operation at the Office of the Clerk located in the South Country Central School District Administration Building, 189 Dunton Avenue, East Patchogue, New York, at which time any person will be entitled to have his or her name placed on such register, provided that at such time he or she is known, or proven to the satisfaction of said Clerk to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at such Special District Meeting for which the register is prepared. The register so prepared pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law will be filed in the Office of the Clerk of the School District in the Administration Building, and will be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the District beginning on each of the five (5) days prior to the date set for the meeting and shall be available between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., prevailing time, weekdays and on Saturday, April 11, 2026, by pre-arranged appointment by contacting the District Clerk at (631) 730-1542 or by email to cflynn@southcountry.org. In addition, the registration list shall be available in the Brookhaven Free Library on the day of the vote.

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that applications for absentee and early mail ballots will be obtainable from the office of the Clerk of the School District (Administrative Offices, 189 Dunton Ave., East Patchogue, New York) between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., prevailing time, during all days on which the School District is in session. Completed applications must be received by the District Clerk no earlier than March 16, 2026, and by April 7, 2026, if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter. If the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter at the office of the District Clerk the completed application must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 13, 2026. No absentee or early mail voter’s ballot shall be canvassed unless it shall have been received in the office of the Clerk of the District not later than 5:00 p.m. on the day of the vote/election. A list of all persons to whom absentee and

early mail ballots shall have been issued will be available in the School District Clerk’s office between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on each of the five days prior to April 14, 2026, and on Saturday, April 11, 2026, by pre-arranged appointment by contacting the District Clerk at (631) 730-1542 or by email to cflynn@southcountry.org. A challenge to an absentee ballot may not be made on the basis that the voter should have applied for an early mail ballot. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military voters who are not currently registered may apply to register as a qualified voter of the South Country Central School District by requesting and returning a registration application to the District Clerk in person, or by email to cflynn@southcountry.org or fax sent to 631-286-2457. The request for the registration application may include the military voter’s preference for receipt of the registration application by either mail, fax, or email. Military voter registration application forms must be received in the office of the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on March 19, 2026. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military voters who are qualified voters of the South Country Central School District, may request an application for a military ballot from the District Clerk in person, or by email to cflynn@southcountry.org or fax sent to 631-286- 2457. In order for a military voter to be issued a military ballot, a valid military ballot application must be received in the office of the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m., on March 19, 2026. Military ballot applications received in accordance with the foregoing will be processed in the same manner as a nonmilitary ballot application under Section 2018-a of the Education Law. The application for military ballot may include the military voter’s preference for receipt of the military ballot by mail, fax, or email. A military voter’s original military ballot application and military ballot must be returned by mail or in person to the office of the District Clerk at South Country Central School District, 189 Dunton Avenue, East Patchogue, NY 11772. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military ballots shall be canvassed if they are received by the District Clerk (1) before the close of polls on April 14, 2026, showing a cancellation mark of the United States Postal Service or a foreign country’s postal service, or showing a dated endorsement of receipt by another agency of the United States Government; or (2) not later than 5:00 p.m. on April 14, 2026, and signed and dated by the military voter and one witness thereto, with a date which is ascertained to be not

later than the day before the election. Dated: January 21, 2026 East Patchogue, New York BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION SOUTH COUNTRY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN, SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW YORK Christine Flynn District Clerk

L16457 - 2/25/2026, 3/11/2026, 3/25/2026, & 4/8/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF SPECIAL DISTRICT MEETING OF THE SOUTH COUNTRY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN, SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW YORK ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTH COUNTRY LIBRARY NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a Special District Meeting of the qualified voters of the South Country Central School District, Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York will be held at the South Country Library, 22 Station Rd., Bellport, New York on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., prevailing time, for the purpose of voting by paper ballot upon the following items: To adopt the Annual Budget of the South Country Library for the fiscal year 2026-2027 and to authorize that the requisite portion thereof be raised by taxation on the taxable property of the South Country Central School District, pursuant to section 259 of the Education Law; and To elect two (2) Trustees of the Library to fill three-year terms commencing May 21, 2026, and ending May 20, 2029.

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that for the purpose of voting at such meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, the polls will be open between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., prevailing time, and voting will be held at the South Country Library, 22 Station Rd., Bellport, New York; and FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a copy of a statement of the amount of money which will be required for the ensuing year for the South Country Library’s purposes exclusive of public monies, may be obtained by any resident of the District during the fourteen (14) days immediately preceding said meeting except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from the Library located at 22 Station Rd., Bellport, New York during regular business hours and from the School District between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Monday - Friday) at the District’s Administration building located at 189 Dunton Avenue., East Patchogue, New York.

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that petitions nominating candidates for the office of Trustee of the South Country Library must be filed at the South Country Library, 22

Station Rd., Bellport, New York, no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 9, 2026; such petitions shall be filed between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Monday - Friday) prevailing time; each petition must be directed to the Director of the Library, must be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the School District, and must state the residence address of each signer and the name and residence of the candidate. Vacancies on the Library Board are not considered separate, specific offices, and the nominating petitions, therefore, shall not describe any specific vacancies upon the Library Board for which the candidate is nominated; and FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that personal registration of voters is required either pursuant to § 2014 of the Education Law or pursuant to Article 5 of the Election Law. If a voter has heretofore registered pursuant to § 2014 of the Education Law and has voted at any Annual or Special District Meeting within the past four (4) years, such voter is eligible to vote at this election; if a voter is registered and eligible to vote pursuant to Article 5 of the Election Law, such voter is also eligible to vote at this election. All other persons who wish to vote must register. Registration shall be conducted for the purpose of registering all qualified voters of the District pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law through Wednesday, April 8, 2026, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., prevailing time on all regular days during which the Office of the District Clerk is in operation at the Office of the Clerk located in the South Country Central School District Administration Building, 189 Dunton Avenue, East Patchogue, New York, at which time any person will be entitled to have his or her name placed on such register, provided that at such time he or she is known, or proven to the satisfaction of said Clerk to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at such Special District Meeting for which the register is prepared. The register so prepared pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law will be filed in the Office of the Clerk of the School District in the Administration Building, 189 Dunton Avenue, East Patchogue, New York and will be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the District beginning on each of the five (5) days prior to the date set for the meeting and shall be available between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., prevailing time, weekdays and on Saturday, April 11, 2026, by pre-arranged appointment by contacting the District Clerk at (631) 730-1542 or by email to cflynn@southcountry.org. In

addition, the registration list shall be available in the South Country Library on the day of the vote; and FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that applications for absentee and early mail ballots will be obtainable from the office of the Clerk of the School District (Administrative Offices, 189 Dunton Avenue, East Patchogue, New York) between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., prevailing time, during all days on which the School District is in session. Completed applications must be received by the District Clerk no earlier than March 16, 2026, and by April 7, 2026, if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter. If the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter at the office of the District Clerk the completed application must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 13, 2026. No absentee or early mail voter’s ballot shall be canvassed unless it shall have been received in the office of the Clerk of the District not later than 5:00 p.m. on the day of the vote/election. A list of all persons to whom absentee and early mail ballots have been issued will be available in the School District Clerk’s office between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on each of the five days prior to April 14, 2026, and on Saturday, April 11, 2026, by pre-arranged appointment by contacting the District Clerk at (631) 730-1542 or by email to cflynn@southcountry.org. A challenge to an absentee ballot may not be made on the basis that the voter should have applied for an early mail ballot. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military voters who are not currently registered may apply to register as a qualified voter of the South Country Central School District by requesting and returning a registration application to the District Clerk in person, or by email to cflynn@southcountry.org or fax sent to 631-286-2457. The request for the registration application may include the military voter’s preference for receipt of the registration application by either mail, fax, or email. Military voter registration application forms must be received in the office of the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on March 19, 2026. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military voters who are qualified voters of the South Country Central School District, may request an application for a military ballot from the District Clerk in person, or by email to cflynn@southcountry.org or fax sent to 631-286-2457. In order for a military voter to be issued a military ballot, a valid military ballot application must be received in the office of the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m., on March 19, 2026. Military ballot applications

received in accordance with the foregoing will be processed in the same manner as a nonmilitary ballot application under Section 2018-a of the Education Law. The application for military ballot may include the military voter’s preference for receipt of the military ballot by mail, fax, or email. A military voter’s original military ballot application and military ballot must be returned by mail or in person to the office of the District Clerk at South Country Central School District, 189 Dunton Avenue, East Patchogue, NY 11772. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military ballots shall be canvassed if they are received by the District Clerk (1) before the close of polls on April 14, 2026 showing a cancellation mark of the United States Postal Service or a foreign country’s postal service, or showing a dated endorsement of receipt by another agency of the United States Government; or (2) not later than 5:00 p.m. on April 14, 2026 and signed and dated by the military voter and one witness thereto, with a date which is ascertained to be not later than the day before the election. Dated: January 21, 2026 East Patchogue, New York BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION SOUTH COUNTRY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN, SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW YORK Christine Flynn, District Clerk

L16448 - 2/25/2026, 3/11/2026, 3/25/2026, & 4/8/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF SUFFOLK PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff AGAINST JOSE A. LOPEZ, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered February 13, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738 on April 23, 2026 at 10:30 AM, premises known as 3 Park Avenue, Medford, NY 11763. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Brookhaven, County of Suffolk and State of New York, District 0200 Section 867-00 Block 01.00 Lot 040.000. Approximate amount of judgment $648,132.28 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #613544/ 2023. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. Thomas McNally, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 22-

LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES

004335 89201

L16480- 3/25/2026, 4/1/2026, 4/ 8/2026, & 4/15/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice of Formation of ETL Advisors, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 202602-19. Office location: Suffolk County. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to INC AUTHORITY RA, 42 BROADWAY, FL. 12200, NEW YORK, NY, 10004, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

L16469- 3/4/2026, 3/11/2026, 3/ 18/2026, 3/25/2026, 4/1/2026, & 4/8/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

AVISO DE REUNIÓN ESPECIAL DE DISTRITO DEL DISTRITO ESCOLAR CENTRAL DE SOUTH COUNTRY MUNICIPIO DE BROOKHAVEN, CONDADO DE SUFFOLK, NUEVA YORK, EN NOMBRE DE LA BIBLIOTECA GRATUITA DE BROOKHAVEN POR LA PRESENTE SE NOTIFICA que se celebrará una Reunión Especial de Distrito de los votantes cualificados del Distrito Escolar Central de South Country, Municipio de Brookhaven, Condado de Suffolk, Nueva York, en la Biblioteca Gratuita de Brookhaven, ubicada en Beaver Dam Road, 273, Brookhaven, Nueva York, el martes 14 de abril de 2026 a las 10:00 a. m., hora vigente, con el fin de votar mediante papeleta sobre los siguientes puntos:

Aprobar el Presupuesto Anual de la Biblioteca Gratuita de Brookhaven para el año fiscal 2026/2027 y autorizar que la parte correspondiente se recaude mediante impuestos sobre la propiedad imponible del Distrito Escolar Central de South Country. Elegir a dos (2) Fideicomisarios de la Biblioteca para un mandato de cinco años a partir del 1 de julio de 2026. SE NOTIFICA ADEMÁS que, para la votación en la reunión del martes 14 de abril de 2026, las urnas estarán abiertas entre las 10:00 a. m. y las 8:00 p. m., hora vigente, y la votación se llevará a cabo en la Biblioteca Gratuita de Brookhaven, 273 Beaver Dam Road, Brookhaven, Nueva York. y

POR LA PRESENTE SE NOTIFICA que cualquier residente del Distrito podrá obtener una copia de la declaración del monto que se requerirá para el año siguiente para los fines de la Biblioteca Gratuita de Brookhaven, excluyendo fondos públicos, durante los catorce (14) días

inmediatamente anteriores a dicha reunión, excepto sábados, domingos y festivos, en la Biblioteca ubicada en Beaver Dam Road, Brookhaven, Nueva York, durante el horario de atención habitual, y en el Distrito Escolar, de 9:00 a. m. a 4:00 p. m. (de lunes a viernes), en el edificio de Administración del Distrito, ubicado en 189 Dunton Ave., East Patchogue, Nueva York.

POR LA PRESENTE SE NOTIFICA que las peticiones de nominación de candidatos para el cargo de Fideicomisario de la Biblioteca Gratuita de Brookhaven deben presentarse en la Biblioteca Gratuita de Brookhaven, 273 Beaver Dam Road, Brookhaven, Nueva York, a más tardar a las 5:00 p. m. El lunes 16 de marzo de 2026. Dichas peticiones deberán presentarse entre las 9:00 a. m. y las 5:00 p. m. (de lunes a viernes), hora vigente. Cada petición deberá dirigirse al Director de la Biblioteca, estar firmada por al menos veinticinco (25) votantes calificados del Distrito Escolar e indicar el domicilio de cada firmante, así como el nombre y la residencia del candidato. Las vacantes en la Junta de la Biblioteca no se consideran cargos separados y específicos, y las peticiones de nominación, por lo tanto, no deberán describir ninguna vacante específica en la Junta de la Biblioteca para la cual se nomina al candidato.

SE NOTIFICA ADEMÁS que el registro personal de votantes es obligatorio, ya sea de conformidad con el artículo 2014 de la Ley de Educación o con el artículo 5 de la Ley Electoral. Si un votante se ha registrado hasta el momento de conformidad con el § 2014 de la Ley de Educación y ha votado en cualquier Reunión Anual o Especial del Distrito Escolar Central de South Country en los últimos cuatro (4) años, dicho votante es elegible para votar en esta elección; si un votante está registrado y si es elegible para votar de conformidad con el Artículo 5 de la Ley Electoral, dicho votante también es elegible para votar en esta elección. Todas las demás personas que deseen votar deben registrarse. El registro se llevará a cabo con el propósito de registrar a todos los votantes calificados del Distrito de conformidad con el §2014 de la Ley de Educación hasta el Jueves, 9 de abril de 2026, entre las 9:00 a. m. y las 4:00 p. m., hora vigente, y en todos los días regulares durante los cuales la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito esté en funcionamiento en la Oficina del Secretario ubicada en el Edificio de Administración del Distrito Escolar Central de South Country, 189 Dunton Avenue, East Patchogue, Nueva York. En ese momento, cualquier persona tendrá derecho a que su nombre se incluya en dicho registro, siempre que en ese

momento se sepa, o se demuestre a satisfacción de dicho Secretario, que tiene derecho a votar en ese momento o en lo sucesivo en la Reunión Distrital Especial para la cual se prepare el registro. El registro, preparado de conformidad con el artículo 2014 de la Ley de Educación, se archivará en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito Escolar, en el Edificio Administrativo, y estará disponible para su inspección por cualquier votante cualificado del Distrito a partir de los cinco (5) días previos a la fecha fijada para la reunión. Estará disponible de 9:00 a. m. a 4:00 p. m., hora vigente, entre semana y el sábado 11 de abril de 2026, mediante cita previa. Para ello, comuníquese con el Secretario del Distrito al (631) 730-1542 o por correo electrónico a cflynn@southcountry.org. Además, la lista de registro estará disponible en la Biblioteca Pública de Brookhaven el día de la votación.

SE NOTIFICA

ADICIONALMENTE que las solicitudes de voto en ausencia y por correo anticipado podrán obtenerse en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito Escolar (Oficinas Administrativas, 189 Dunton Ave., East Patchogue, Nueva York) entre las 9:00 a. m. y las 4:00 p. m., hora vigente, durante todos los días de sesiones del Distrito Escolar. Las solicitudes completas deberán ser recibidas por el Secretario del Distrito a más tardar el 16 de marzo de 2026, y a más tardar el 7 de abril de 2026 si la papeleta se envía por correo. Si la papeleta se entrega personalmente al votante en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito, la solicitud completa deberá ser recibida por el Secretario del Distrito a más tardar a las 5:00 p. m. El lunes 13 de abril de 2026. No se examinará ninguna papeleta de voto en ausencia ni de voto anticipado por correo a menos que se haya recibido en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito a más tardar a las 17:00 h del día de la votación/elección. La lista de todas las personas a quienes se emitieron papeletas de voto en ausencia y de voto anticipado por correo estará disponible en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito Escolar entre las 9:00 h y las 16:00 h durante los cinco días previos al 14 de abril de 2026 y el sábado 11 de abril de 2026, mediante cita previa. Para ello, comuníquese con el Secretario del Distrito al (631) 730-1542 o por correo electrónico a cflynn@southcountry.org. No se podrá impugnar una papeleta de voto en ausencia alegando que el votante debería haber solicitado una papeleta de voto anticipado por correo.

Y, ADEMÁS, SE NOTIFICA que los votantes militares que no estén registrados actualmente pueden solicitar su registro

como votantes cualificados del Distrito Escolar Central de South Country. Para ello, deben presentar su solicitud de registro personalmente al Secretario del Distrito, enviarla por correo electrónico a cflynn@southcountry.org o enviarla por fax al 631-2862457. La solicitud puede indicar la preferencia del votante militar de recibirla por correo postal, fax o correo electrónico. Los formularios de solicitud de registro de votantes militares deben recibirse en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito a más tardar a las 17:00 h. 19 de marzo de 2026.

Y, ADEMÁS, SE NOTIFICA que los votantes militares que cumplan los requisitos para votar en el Distrito Escolar Central de South Country pueden solicitar una boleta electoral militar al Secretario del Distrito en persona, por correo electrónico a cflynn@southcountry.org o por fax al 631-286-2457. Para que se emita una boleta electoral militar, la oficina del Secretario del Distrito debe recibir una solicitud válida de boleta electoral militar a más tardar a las 17:00 h del 19 de marzo de 2026. Las solicitudes de voto militar recibidas de conformidad con lo anterior se procesarán de la misma manera que las solicitudes de voto no militar, según la Sección 2018-a de la Ley de Educación. La solicitud de voto militar puede indicar la preferencia del votante militar de recibir la boleta por correo postal, fax o correo electrónico. La solicitud original de voto militar y la boleta militar deben entregarse por correo postal o en persona a la oficina del Secretario de Distrito del Distrito Escolar Central de South Country, 189 Dunton Avenue, East Patchogue, NY 11772. Y ADEMÁS, SE NOTIFICA que las boletas militares serán escrutadas si son recibidas por el Secretario de Distrito (1) antes del cierre de las urnas el 14 de abril de 2026, mostrando una marca de cancelación del Servicio Postal de los Estados Unidos o del servicio postal de un país extranjero, o mostrando un endoso de recepción fechado por otra agencia del Gobierno de los Estados Unidos; o (2) a más tardar a las 5:00 p.m. el 14 de abril de 2026, firmado y fechado por el votante militar y un testigo, con fecha que se verifique no posterior al día anterior a la elección. Fecha: 21 de enero de 2026 East Patchogue, Nueva York POR ORDEN DE LA JUNTA DE EDUCACIÓN DEL DISTRITO ESCOLAR CENTRAL DE SOUTH COUNTRY, CIUDAD DE BROOKHAVEN, CONDADO DE SUFFOLK, NUEVA YORK Christine Flynn Secretaria de Distrito

L16458- 2/25/2026, 3/11/2026, 3/25/2026, & 4/8/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

ANNUAL BUDGET VOTE AND ELECTION 2026 MASTICS MORICHES SHIRLEY COMMUNITY LIBRARY TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN, SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW YORK

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Special District Meeting of the qualified voters of the William Floyd Union Free School District, Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York, will be held at the Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, Shirley Branch, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, Suffolk County, New York on the 14th day of April, 2026, between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 9:00 P.M. prevailing time, for the purpose of voting upon a proposition adopting the annual budget for the support and maintenance of the Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library for the fiscal year 20262027 and authorizing the appropriation of the amount necessary to be raised by a levy of a tax upon the taxable property within the William Floyd Union Free School District, Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York; and NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN of the election of one (1) Trustee of the Board of Trustees of the Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library at such Special District Meeting; the term of such office to run as follows: one candidate to be elected to a full term for the period of July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2031; the incumbent being Joseph Maiorana NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that candidates for the office of Trustee of the Board of Trustees of the Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library shall be nominated by petition, which petition shall be directed to the Clerk of the Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library and shall be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the District; shall state the name and residence of the candidate and shall state the residence of each signer. Said petition shall be filed with the Clerk of the Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, Business Office, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, Suffolk County, New York Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9 A.M. and 4 P.M., prevailing time, but not later than 5 P.M., Monday, March 16, 2026; and

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Board of Registration will meet at the Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, New York on the 7th day of April, 2026, between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 9:00 P.M. prevailing time, at which time the Board of Registration shall prepare the register of the School District,

LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES

and any person shall be entitled to have his/her name placed upon such register, provided that at such meeting of the Board of Registration she/he is known or proved to the satisfaction of the Board of Registration to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at the Meeting for which such register is prepared; that the register prepared pursuant to Section 2014 of the Education Law, shall be filed in the office of the Clerk of the District at the District Administration Office, 240 Mastic Road, Mastic Beach in said William Floyd Union Free School District; and that the said register shall be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the District on each of the five (5) days prior to and the day set for the Meeting (except Saturday and Sunday) from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., prevailing time; and

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required for the year 20262027 for Library purposes, may be obtained by any resident in the District during the fourteen (14) days immediately preceding such Special District Meeting and on the day of such Special Meeting, except Sundays or holidays, at the Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, New York, in said District, during the hours in which the Library is regularly open for business; and NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that pursuant to the provisions of Section 2018 of the Education Law, voting will be permitted by way of early voting and absentee balloting. Except for those persons whose registration record has been marked permanently disabled by the Board of Elections, pursuant to the provisions of the Election Law, applications for early voter and absentee ballots must be received by the Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, in person at the Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, New York or by mail c/o Business Office, Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, New York at least seven (7) days prior to the vote by end of business closing 5:00 p.m. (prevailing time) if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election by end of business closing 5:00 p.m. (prevailing time), if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter. A list of all persons to whom absentee ballots have been issued will be available in the office of the Library Director of the Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library on each of the five days prior to April 14, 2026, except Saturdays and Sundays. In order to be canvassed, early mail and absentee ballots must be received by the Mastics

Moriches Shirley Community Library, not later than 5:00 p.m. (prevailing time) on April 14, 2026; and NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that military voters who are qualified voters of the William Floyd School District may request an application for a military ballot from the Library Clerk by mail c/o Business Office, Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, New York; or by email to kbertos@communitylibrary.org. In such request, the military voter shall indicate his/her preference for receiving the application via mail, or email. A military voter must return the original military ballot application to the Library Clerk by mail c/o Business Office, Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, New York. For a military voter to be issued a military ballot, a valid military ballot application must be received in the office of the Library Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 19, 2026. Military ballot applications received in accordance with the foregoing will be processed in the same manner as a nonmilitary ballot application under section 2018-b of the Education Law. The application for a military ballot should include the military voter’s preference for receipt of the military ballot by email or mail; and

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that a military voter’s original military ballot must be returned by MAIL to the Office of the Library Clerk c/o Business Office, Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley NY 11967. Military ballots shall be canvassed if they are received by the library election clerk (1) before the close of polls on election day and showing a cancellation mark of the US Postal Service or a foreign country’s postal service, or showing a dated endorsement by receipt of another agency of the U.S. government, or (2) not later than 5:00 p.m. on election day and signed and dated by the military voter and one witness thereto, with a date which is ascertained to be not later than the day before the election; and

NOTICE IS FURTHER HEREBY GIVEN that a qualified voter whose ability to appear personally at the polling place is substantially impaired by reason of permanent illness or physical disability and whose registration record has been marked “permanently disabled” by the Board of Elections pursuant to the provisions of the Election Law shall be entitled to receive an absentee ballot pursuant to the provisions of the Election Law without making separate application for such absentee ballot; and NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN to all persons who shall have

been previously registered for annual or special school district meetings and who have voted at any such annual or special meeting held or conducted any time within the four (4) calendar years prior to April 14, 2026, shall be entitled to vote at this Special District Meeting. In addition, all those who have registered to vote with the Board of Elections of Suffolk County pursuant to Article 5 of the Election Law shall be entitled to vote at this Special District Meeting notwithstanding their failure to have previously registered with the School District. Dated: February 25, 2026 Shirley, New York By order of the Board of Trustees of the Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, Shirley, New York

L16464- 2/25/2026, 3/11/2026, 3/25/2026, & 4/8/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

Supplemental Summons and Notice of Object of Action Supreme Court Of The State Of New York County Of Suffolk ACTION TO FORECLOSE A MORTGAGE Index #: 613545/ 2024 Towd Point Mortgage Trust 2018-2, U.S. Bank National Association, As Indenture Trustee Plaintiff, vs Kimberly A. Unger, County Of Suffolk, Jonathan Dembrow As Administrator And As Heir To The Estate Of Nat J. Dembrow, Jessica Zimmerman As Heir To The Estate Of Nat J. Dembrow If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, Any And All Persons Unknown To Plaintiff, Claiming, Or Who May Claim To Have An Interest In, Or General Or Specific Lien Upon The Real Property Described In This Action; Such Unknown Persons Being Herein Generally Described And Intended To Be Included In Wife, Widow, Husband, Widower, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assignees Of Such Deceased, Any And All Persons Deriving Interest In Or Lien Upon, Or Title To Said Real Property By, Through Or Under Them, Or Either Of Them, And Their Respective Wives, Widows, Husbands, Widowers, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assigns, All Of Whom And Whose Names, Except As Stated, Are Unknown To Plaintiff, People Of The State Of New York, United States Of America On Behalf Of The IRS John Doe (Those Unknown Tenants, Occupants, Persons Or Corporations Or Their Heirs, Distributees, Executors, Administrators, Trustees, Guardians, Assignees, Creditors Or Successors Claiming An Interest In The Mortgaged

Premises.) Defendant(S). Mortgaged Premises: 2909 Falcon Avenue Medford, NY 11763 To the Above named Defendant: You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Suffolk. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Jessica Zimmerman As Heir To The Estate Of Nat J. Dembrow, Defendant In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Susan Betsy Heckman Torres of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the TwentyFourth day of February, 2026 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Suffolk, in the City of Riverhead. The object of this action is to foreclosure a mortgage upon the premises described below, originated by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. dated March 11, 2008, executed by Kimberly A. Unger to secure the sum of $277,095.00. The Mortgage was recorded at Book 21690, Page 655 in the Office of the Suffolk County Clerk on April 2, 2008. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed December 9, 2015 and recorded on June 23, 2016, in the Office of the Suffolk County Clerk at Book 22713, Page 418. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed February 17, 2016 and recorded on June 23, 2016, in the Office of the Suffolk County Clerk at Book 22713, Page 419. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed February 20, 2018 and recorded on June 13, 2018, in the Office of the Suffolk County Clerk at Book 22934, Page 475. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed February 20, 2018 and recorded on June 13, 2018, in the Office of the Suffolk County Clerk at Book 22934, Page 476. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed January 11, 2019 and recorded on April 3, 2019, in the Office of the Suffolk County Clerk at Book 23016, Page 961. The mortgage was subsequently

assigned by an assignment executed December 4, 2020 and recorded on December 22, 2020, in the Office of the Suffolk County Clerk at Book 23211, Page 394. The mortgage was subsequently modified on November 18, 2022. The property in question is described as follows: 2909 Falcon Avenue, Medford, NY 11763 NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this Foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: February 27, 2026 Gross Polowy LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221 The law firm of Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 89338

L16471- 3/11/2026, 3,18/2026, 3/25/2026, & 4/1/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

AVISO DE REUNIÓN ESPECIAL DEL DISTRITO ESCOLAR CENTRAL DE SOUTH COUNTRY CIUDAD DE BROOKHAVEN, CONDADO DE SUFFOLK, NUEVA YORK EN NOMBRE DE LA BIBLIOTECA DE SOUTH COUNTRY POR LA PRESENTE SE NOTIFICA que se llevará a cabo una Reunión Distrital Especial de los votantes calificados del Distrito Escolar Central de South Country, Ciudad de Brookhaven, Condado de Suffolk, Nueva York, en la Biblioteca de South Country, 22 Station Rd., Bellport, Nueva York, el martes 14 de abril de 2026, a las 9:30 a.m., hora vigente, con el propósito de votar mediante boleta de papel sobre los siguientes temas: (1) Adoptar el Presupuesto Anual de la Biblioteca South Country para el año fiscal 2026-2027 y autorizar que la parte requerida del mismo se recaude mediante impuestos sobre la propiedad imponible del Distrito Escolar Central de South Country, de conformidad con la sección 259 de la Ley de

Educación; y (2) Elegir dos (2) Síndicos de la Biblioteca para cubrir períodos de tres años que comienzan el 21 de mayo de 2026 y terminan el 20 de mayo de 2029.

SE NOTIFICA ADEMÁS POR LA PRESENTE que, para votar en dicha reunión el martes 14 de abril de 2026, las urnas estarán abiertas entre las 9:30 a. m. y las 9:00 p. m., hora vigente, y la votación se llevará a cabo en la Biblioteca South Country, 22 Station Rd., Bellport, Nueva York;y

SE NOTIFICA ADEMÁS POR LA PRESENTE que cualquier residente del Distrito podrá obtener una copia de una declaración de la cantidad de dinero que se requerirá para el año siguiente para los fines de la Biblioteca South Country, excluyendo los dineros públicos, durante los catorce (14) días inmediatamente anteriores a dicha reunión, excepto los sábados, domingos y feriados, en la Biblioteca ubicada en 22 Station Rd., Bellport, Nueva York, durante el horario comercial habitual, y en el Distrito Escolar entre las 9:00 a. m. y las 4:00 p. m. (de lunes a viernes) en el edificio de la Administración del Distrito ubicado en 189 Dunton Avenue., East Patchogue, Nueva York.

SE NOTIFICA ADEMÁS que las peticiones de nominación de candidatos para el cargo de Síndico de la Biblioteca South Country deben presentarse en la Biblioteca South Country, 22 Station Rd., Bellport, Nueva York, a más tardar a las 5:00 p. m. del lunes 9 de marzo de 2026.; dichas peticiones se presentarán entre las 9:30 a. m. y las 5:00 p. m. (de lunes a viernes), hora vigente; cada petición debe estar dirigida al Director de la Biblioteca, debe estar firmada por al menos veinticinco (25) votantes calificados del Distrito Escolar y debe indicar la dirección de residencia de cada firmante y el nombre y la residencia del candidato. Las vacantes en la Junta de la Biblioteca no se consideran cargos separados y específicos y, por lo tanto, las peticiones de nominación no deben describir ninguna vacante específica en la Junta de la Biblioteca para la cual se nomina al candidato; y SE NOTIFICA ADEMÁS que el registro personal de los votantes es obligatorio de conformidad con el § 2014 de la Ley de Educación o de conformidad con el Artículo 5 de la Ley Electoral. Si un votante se ha registrado previamente de conformidad con el § 2014 de la Ley de Educación y ha votado en cualquier Asamblea Anual o Distrital Especial dentro de los últimos cuatro (4) años, dicho votante es elegible para votar en esta elección; si un votante está registrado y es elegible para votar de conformidad con el Artículo 5 de la Ley Electoral, dicho votante también es

elegible para votar en esta elección. Todas las demás personas que deseen votar deben registrarse. El registro se llevará a cabo con el propósito de registrar a todos los votantes calificados del Distrito de conformidad con el §2014 de la Ley de Educación hasta el miércoles 8 de abril de 2026, entre las 9:00 a. m. y las 4:00 p. m., hora vigente en todos los días regulares durante los cuales la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito está en funcionamiento en la Oficina del Secretario ubicada en el Edificio de Administración del Distrito Escolar Central de South Country, 189 Dunton Avenue, East Patchogue, Nueva York, momento en el cual cualquier persona tendrá derecho a que su nombre se coloque en dicho registro, siempre que en ese momento se sepa o se demuestre a satisfacción de dicho Secretario que tiene derecho en ese momento o en lo sucesivo a votar en dicha Reunión Especial del Distrito para la cual se prepara el registro. El registro preparado de conformidad con el §2014 de la Ley de Educación se archivará en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito Escolar en el Edificio Administrativo, 189 Dunton Avenue, East Patchogue, Nueva York y estará abierto para inspección por cualquier votante calificado del Distrito a partir de cada uno de los cinco (5) días anteriores a la fecha establecida para la reunión y estará disponible entre las 9:00 a. m. y las 4:00 p. m., hora vigente, los días de semana y el sábado 11 de abril de 2026, mediante cita previa comunicándose con el Secretario del Distrito al (631) 730-1542 o por correo electrónico a cflynn@southcountry.org. Además, la lista de registro estará disponible en la Biblioteca South Country el día de la votación; y SE NOTIFICA ADEMÁS POR LA PRESENTE que las solicitudes de boletas de voto en ausencia y de voto anticipado por correo se podrán obtener en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito Escolar (Oficinas Administrativas, 189 Dunton Avenue, East Patchogue, Nueva York) entre las 9:00 a. m. y las 4:00 p. m., hora vigente, durante todos los días en que el Distrito Escolar esté en sesión. Las solicitudes completas deben ser recibidas por el Secretario del Distrito no antes del 16 de marzo de 2026, y antes del 7 de abril de 2065, si la boleta se enviará por correo al votante. Si la boleta se entregará personalmente al votante en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito, la solicitud completa debe ser recibida por el Secretario del Distrito a más tardar a las 5:00 p. m. el lunes 13 de abril de 2026. No se examinará ninguna papeleta de voto en ausencia o por correo anticipado a menos

que haya sido recibida en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito a más tardar a las 5:00 p. m. del día de la votación/elección. Una lista de todas las personas a quienes se han emitido papeletas de voto en ausencia o por correo anticipado estará disponible en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito Escolar entre las 9:00 a. m. y las 4:00 p. m. cada uno de los cinco días anteriores al 14 de abril de 2026 y el sábado 511 de abril de 2026, mediante cita previa comunicándose con el Secretario del Distrito al (631) 730-1542 o por correo electrónico a cflynn@southcountry.org. No se puede impugnar una papeleta de voto en ausencia sobre la base de que el votante debería haber solicitado una papeleta de voto por correo anticipado. Y ADEMÁS, SE NOTIFICA POR LA PRESENTE que los votantes militares que no estén registrados actualmente pueden solicitar registrarse como votantes calificados del Distrito Escolar Central de South Country solicitando y devolviendo una solicitud de registro al Secretario del Distrito en persona, o por correo electrónico a cflynn@southcountry.org o por fax al 631-286-2457. La solicitud de la solicitud de registro puede incluir la preferencia del votante militar de recibir la solicitud de registro por correo postal, fax o correo electrónico. Los formularios de solicitud de registro de votantes militares deben recibirse en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito a más tardar a las 5:00 p. m. del 19 de marzo de 2026.

Y ADEMÁS SE NOTIFICA POR LA PRESENTE que los votantes militares que sean votantes calificados del Distrito Escolar Central de South Country pueden solicitar una solicitud de boleta militar al Secretario del Distrito en persona, o por correo electrónico a cflynn@southcountry.org o por fax al 631-286-2457. Para que se le emita una boleta de votación militar a un votante militar, se debe recibir una solicitud de boleta de votación militar válida en la oficina del secretario del distrito a más tardar a las 5:00 p.m. del 19 de marzo de 2026. Las solicitudes de boleta de votación militar recibidas de acuerdo con lo anterior se procesarán de la misma manera que una solicitud de boleta de votación no militar según la Sección 2018-a de la Ley de Educación. La solicitud de boleta de votación militar puede incluir la preferencia del votante militar de recibir la boleta de votación militar por correo, fax o correo electrónico. La solicitud de boleta de votación militar original y la boleta de votación militar deben devolverse por correo o en persona a la oficina del secretario del distrito en el Distrito Escolar Central de South Country, 189 Dunton Avenue,

East Patchogue, NY 11772. Y ADEMÁS SE NOTIFICA POR LA PRESENTE que las papeletas militares serán escrutadas si son recibidas por el Secretario de Distrito (1) antes del cierre de las urnas el 14 de abril de 2026 mostrando una marca de cancelación del Servicio Postal de los Estados Unidos o del servicio postal de un país extranjero, o mostrando un endoso fechado de recibo por otra agencia del Gobierno de los Estados Unidos; o (2) no más tarde de las 5:00 p.m. del 14 de abril de 2026 y firmadas y fechadas por el votante militar y un testigo de ello, con una fecha que se determine que no es posterior al día anterior a la elección.

Fecha: 21 de enero de 2026 East Patchogue, Nueva York POR ORDEN DE LA JUNTA DE EDUCACIÓN DISTRITO ESCOLAR CENTRAL DE SOUTH COUNTRY, CIUDAD DE BROOKHAVEN, CONDADO DE SUFFOLK, NUEVA YORK, Christine Flynn, Secretaria del Distrito

L16449 - 2/25/2026, 3/11/2026, 3/25/2026, & 4/8/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice of formation of Clear & Carry, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on February 7,2026. Office located in Suffolk. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process served against the LLC 36 Kent Drive Shirley, NY 11967. Purpose: any lawful

L16462- 2/25/2026, 3/04/2026, 3/11/2026, 3/18,2026, 3/25/ 2026, & 4/01/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF SUFFOLK CMG MORTGAGE, INC., Plaintiff, Against COREY LEMAY A/K/A COREY M. LEMAY, et al, Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 10/23/2017, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, at Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738, on 4/13 /2026 at 11:00AM, premises known as 30 Balsam Drive, Medford, New York 11763, 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 870.00 Block 03.00 Lot 030.002 The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $318,054.88 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be

sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 604459/2015 Thomas Joseph Demayo, Esq., Referee. MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573 Dated: 2/19/ 2026 File Number: 15-311761 CA

L16472- 3/11/2026, 3/18/2026, 3/25/2026, & 4/1/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice of Formation of SHIJIA QIAO AWAKENING COACHING LLC, a limited liability company. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of the State of New York (SSNY) on 12/01/ 2025. Office located in Suffolk County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process served against the LLC to SHIJIA QIAO, 96 ROSEMARY LN, CENTEREACH, NY, 11720, USA. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

L16473- 3/11/2026, 3/18/2026, 3/25/2026, 4/1/2026, 4/8/2026 & 4/15/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF SUFFOLK

Index No. 604396/2026 Date Summons Filed: 2/17/2026

MIRELLA G. CARCHI Plaintiff designates Suffolk County as the place of trial. The basis of venue is Plaintiff's residence. Plaintiff, SUMMONS -against-

Plaintiff resides at 52 Pauls Path, Coram New York 11727. EDWIN A CARCHI, Defendant. ACTION FOR DIVORCE To the above named Defendant: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer on Plaintiff's Attorney within twenty (20) days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service, where service is made by delivery upon you personally within the State of New York, or within thirty (30) days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. Dated: February 13, 2026

Jan Gomerman, Esq. Attorney for Plaintiff 807 East Jericho Turnpike Huntington Station, NY 11746 631-549-1777

L16477- 3/18/2026, 3/25/2026, & 4/1/2026

LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES •

PUBLIC NOTICE

VOTACIÓN Y ELECCIÓN DEL PRESUPUESTO ANUAL 2026

MASTICS MORICHES

SHIRLEY COMMUNITY

LIBRARY CIUDAD DE BROOKHAVEN, CONDADO DE SUFFOLK, NUEVA YORK

SE INFORMA que se hará una asamblea extraordinaria del distrito de los votantes calificados del distrito escolar William Floyd Union Free, ciudad de Brookhaven, condado de Suffolk, Nueva York, en la Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, sucursal de Shirley, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, condado de Suffolk, Nueva York el 14 de abril de 2026, entre 9:00 a. m. y 9:00 p. m. hora en vigor, para el propósito de votar sobre una propuesta de adoptar el presupuesto anual para el apoyo y el mantenimiento de la Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library para el año fiscal 2026-2027 y autorizando la apropiación de la cantidad que se necesita recaudar por un gravamen de un impuesto sobre la propiedad gravable en el distrito escolar William Floyd Union Free, ciudad de Brookhaven, condado de Suffolk, Nueva York; y

ADEMÁS SE DA AVISO de la elección de un (1) fideicomisario de la junta directiva de la Biblioteca Comunitaria Mastics Moriches Shirley en dicha reunión especial del distrito; el mandato de dicho cargo será el siguiente: un candidato será elegido para un mandato completo para el período del 1 de julio de 2026 al 30 de junio de 2031; el titular es Joseph Maiorana

ADEMÁS SE INFORMA que los candidatos para el cargo de fiduciario de la junta directiva de la Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library se nominarán mediante petición, y esta se dirigirá al secretario de la Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library y la firmarán al menos veinticinco (25) votantes calificados del distrito; deberá mostrar el nombre y residencia del candidato, y la residencia de cada firmante. Dicha petición se presentará al secretario de la Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, Business Office, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, Suffolk County, New York, de lunes a viernes, entre 9 a. m. y 4 p. m., hora en vigor, pero no más tarde de las 5 p. m., el lunes, 16 de marzo de 2026; y ADEMÁS SE INFORMA que la junta de registro se reunirá en la Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, New York el 7 de abril de 2026, entre 9:00 a. m. y 9:00 p. m., hora en vigor, cuando la junta de registro preparará el registro del distrito escolar y cualquier persona tendrá derecho a que su nombre se incluya en dicho

registro, siempre que en dicha asamblea se conozca o se muestre a satisfacción de la junta de registro que la persona tiene derecho a votar en la Asamblea para la que se prepara dicho registro; que el registro preparado según la Sección 2014 de la Ley de Educación, se presentará a la oficina del secretario del distrito en District Administrator Office, 240 Mastic Road, Mastic Beach en el distrito escolar William Floyd Union Free; y que este registro estará abierto para inspección por cualquier votante calificado del distrito en cada uno de los cinco (5) días anteriores y el día fijado para la asamblea (excepto sábado y domingo) de 9:00 a. m. a 4:00 p. m., hora en vigor; y ADEMÁS SE INFORMA que cualquier residente del distrito puede obtener una copia de la declaración de la cantidad de dinero que será necesaria para el año 2026-2027 para la Biblioteca durante los catorce (14) días inmediatamente anteriores a la asamblea extraordinaria de distrito y el día de dicha asamblea extraordinaria, excepto domingos o días festivos, en la Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, sucursal de Mastic Beach, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, New York, en dicho distrito, durante el horario de atención al público habitual de la Biblioteca; y ADEMÁS SE DA AVISO de que, según las disposiciones de la Sección 2018 de la Ley de Educación, se permitirá la votación mediante votación anticipada y por boleta de voto en ausencia. Excepto para aquellas personas a las que la junta de elecciones marcó su expediente de registro como permanente deshabilitado, según las disposiciones de la Ley de Elecciones, la Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library debe recibir las solicitudes de papeletas por correo anticipado y boletas de voto en ausencia, en persona en Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, New York o por correo con atención a Business Office, Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, New York, por lo menos siete (7) días antes del voto para para el final del día laborable a las 5:00 p. m. (hora en vigor), si la papeleta se enviará por correo al votante o el día anterior a la elección para el final del día laborable a las 5:00 p. m. (hora en vigor), si la papeleta se entregará personalmente al votante. Una lista de todas las personas a las que se les expidieron boletas de voto en ausencia estará disponible en la oficina del director de la Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library en cada uno de los cinco días anteriores al 14 de abril de 2026, excepto los sábados y domingos. Para poder ser

escrutados, las papeletas por correo anticipado y las boletas de voto en ausencia se deben recibir en la Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, a más tardar a las 5:00 p. m. (hora en vigor) del 14 de abril de 2026; y ADEMÁS SE DA AVISO que los votantes que sean militares y que estén calificados para votar en el distrito escolar William Floyd pueden solicitar una papeleta para militares al secretario de la Biblioteca con atención a Business Office, Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, New York, o por correo electrónico a kbertos@communitylibrary.org. En dicha solicitud, el votante militar deberá mostrar su preferencia para recibir la solicitud por correo postal o electrónico. Un votante militar debe devolver la solicitud de papeleta para militares original al secretario de la Biblioteca por correo con atención a Business Office, Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley, New York. Para que a un votante militar se le expida una papeleta para militares, se debe recibir una solicitud de papeleta para militares válida en la oficina del secretario de la Biblioteca a más tardar a las 5:00 p. m. del viernes, 19 de marzo de 2026. Las solicitudes de papeleta para militares recibidas según lo mencionado arriba se procesarán de la misma manera que una solicitud de papeletas para no militares según la Sección 2018-b de la Ley de Educación. La solicitud de una papeleta para militares debe incluir la preferencia del votante militar para recibir la papeleta para militares por correo electrónico o por correo postal; y ADEMÁS SE INFORMA que la papeleta original de un votante de las Fuerzas Armadas se debe devolver por CORREO a la oficina del secretario de la Biblioteca con atención Business Office, Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, 407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley NY 11967. Las papeletas para militares se escrutarán si las recibe el secretario electoral de la Biblioteca (1) antes del cierre de los centros de votación el día de las elecciones y si tienen una marca de cancelación del Servicio Postal de los EE. UU. o del servicio postal de un país extranjero, o si tienen un acuse de recibo con fecha incluida de otra agencia del gobierno de los EE. UU., o (2) a más tardar a las 5:00 p. m. del día de las elecciones y firmado y fechado por el votante militar y un testigo del mismo, con una fecha que se determine que no será posterior al día anterior a la elección; y ADEMÁS SE INFORMA POR LA PRESENTE que un votante calificado cuya capacidad para presentarse personalmente en

el lugar de votación está sustancialmente impedida por motivo de enfermedad permanente o discapacidad física y que la junta electoral marcó su expediente de registro como "permanentemente discapacitado" según las disposiciones de la Ley Electoral, tendrá derecho a recibir una boleta de voto en ausencia según las disposiciones de la Ley Electoral sin presentar una solicitud por separado para dicha papeleta; y ADEMÁS, SE AVISA a todas las personas que hayan estado previamente registradas para las asambleas anuales o extraordinarias del distrito escolar y que hayan votado en cualquiera de dichas asambleas anuales o extraordinarias celebradas u organizadas en cualquier momento en los cuatro (4) años calendario anteriores al 14 de abril de 2026, que tendrán derecho a votar en esta asamblea extraordinaria del distrito. Además, todos aquellos que se hayan registrado para votar en la junta electoral del condado de Suffolk según el Artículo 5 de la Ley Electoral tendrán derecho a votar en esta asamblea extraordinaria del distrito sin importar que no se registraran antes en el distrito escolar. Con fecha: 25 de febrero de 2026 Shirley, Nueva York Por orden de la Junta de Fiduciarios de Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library, Shirley, Nueva York

L16465- 2/25/2026, 3/11/2026, 3/25/2026, & 4/8/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice of Formation of BROOKE FOLK MEDIA, LLC, a limited liability company. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of the State of New York (SSNY) on 12/02/ 2025. Office located in Suffolk County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process served against the LLC to 277 MIDDLE COUNTRY RD PMB 1004, SELDEN, NY 11784. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

L16467- 3/4/2026, 3/11/2026, 3/ 18/2026, 3/25/2026, 4/1/2026, & 4/8/2026

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THE FANTASY BASEBALL EXPERIENCE

Cheat Code Chandler

BETTING WITH BARTON

BY TOM BARTON

The opening weekend of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament has long been known for its chaos, upsets, and unforgettable Cinderella stories. But this year, a different narrative took center stage — one that has many fans and analysts wondering if those magical underdog runs are becoming a thing of the past.

For the second consecutive year, teams seeded No. 1 through No. 4 went a perfect 16–0 in the first round. While that may not seem shocking on the surface, the historical context tells a different story. Since the tournament expanded in 1985, this has only happened seven times — and never in back-to-back years until now. It is a striking shift for a tournament that has built its reputation on unpredictability. Even more telling, there were no wins by double-digit seeds in the opening round. To find a similar occurrence, you have to go all the way back to 1992. For fans accustomed to buzzer-beaters and bracket-busting surprises, the lack of drama was noticeable. Many of the games were decided early, with top-seeded teams dominating from start to finish.

In fact, 13 of the 32 first-round games were decided by 20 points or more. Several higher-seed-

By Tom Barton

For many longtime fantasy baseball players, there was once a time when a single player could dominate the stolen base category. Legends like Rickey Henderson and Vince Coleman made it possible to build an entire strategy around speed alone. While that era appeared to fade, a new name may be emerging as a modern-day equivalent: Chandler Simpson.

Simpson may not fit the mold of a traditional fantasy star, particularly in power-driven formats. He offers little in terms of home runs, which can limit his appeal in certain leagues. However, in rotisserie formats where categories carry equal weight, his value becomes much clearer. Simpson’s elite speed has the potential to single-handedly

swing the stolen base category in a manager’s favor.

In 2024, Simpson became the first minor or major league player since 2012 to record 100 stolen bases in a single season, a remarkable achievement that underscores his rare ability on the basepaths. That speed translated to the major league level as well, as he swiped 44 bases in just over 400 at-bats last season. With a full schedule and continued adjustments against major league pitching, Simpson could take another significant step forward. While 100 steals may be a stretch, totals in the range of 60, 70, or even 80 are within reach.

In today’s game, stolen bases have become increasingly valuable. Across Major League Baseball, there were 2,210 more home runs than stolen bases last season, highlighting the scarcity of elite base steal -

ers. In many fantasy leagues, it takes roughly 150 stolen bases to win the category, meaning one player like Simpson can account for a substantial portion of that total.

Despite being known for his speed, Simpson also brings value in other areas. He hit .295 last season and consistently posted strong batting averages throughout his minor league career. In addition, he scored 53 runs and is expected to move toward the top of the lineup, with the potential to eventually secure a leadoff role.

For fantasy managers, Simpson represents a unique opportunity. While others focus heavily on power, he offers a chance to dominate a scarce category at a relatively low cost. In roto formats, that kind of advantage can be a difference-maker.

Cinderella is Dead

ed teams not only covered large betting spreads but did so comfortably, often pushing scores into triple digits. The gap between the top programs and lower-seeded teams was difficult to ignore, and at times, the matchups lacked the competitive balance that typically defines March basketball.

Much of this shift is being attributed to the evolving landscape of college sports, particularly the influence of Name, Image, and Likeness opportunities and the transfer portal. With top talent increasingly concentrated among powerhouse programs, mid-major teams are finding it harder to retain the players needed to build Cinderella-caliber runs.

The trend is also forcing a shift in how fans and bettors approach the tournament. Traditional strategies centered around early-round upsets may need to be reconsidered. Instead, backing favorites, targeting team total overs, and recognizing the dominance of top-tier programs could offer more consistent results in today’s game.

While the idea of Cinderella may not be completely gone, it is certainly facing new challenges. For now, the glass slipper appears harder to find — and far less likely to fit.

By Tom Barton

Baseball has long been known as America’s pastime, built on nostalgia and a deep sense of history. This year, New York City is embracing that tradition once again, offering fans a unique way to step back in time on their way to Opening Day.

To celebrate the home openers of the New York Mets and the New York Yankees, the New York Transit Museum, in partnership with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), will operate special vintage trains for fans traveling to the games. The initiative gives riders a chance to experience historic subway cars while heading to the ballpark, blending the city’s rich transit history with its

Take a Train to the Past

By Tom Barton

The Long Island Ducks announced today the signing of infielder Alsander Womack, who will enter his first season with the club. The upcoming campaign will mark Womack’s second season in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and his fifth year in professional baseball.

“Alsander had a very impressive first season in the Atlantic League last year,” said Ducks manager Lew Ford. “He’s got a lot of talent, and we look forward to adding him to our lineup this season.”

Womack enjoyed a standout 2025 season with the Charleston Dirty Birds, ranking third

love for baseball.

The Mets will open their home schedule against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 1:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 26, at Citi Field. For the occasion, the museum’s eight-car Redbird train will depart from 34th Street–Hudson Yards station on the No. 7 line at 11 a.m.

The train will make several stops along the route, including Times Square–42nd Street station, Grand Central–42nd Street station, Queensboro Plaza station, and 61st Street–Woodside station, before arriving at Mets–Willets Point station, just steps from the ballpark.

The Yankees will follow with their home opener against the Miami Marlins at 1:35 p.m. on Friday, April 3, at Yankee Sta-

dium. Fans can board a combination of a four-car 1917 Lo-V train and a six-car Redbird train departing from Grand Central at 11 a.m. via the uptown No. 4 line platform. This special train will run nonstop to 161st Street–Yankee Stadium station.

Riders can take part in this experience at no additional cost beyond the standard subway fare, making it an accessible and memorable way to travel to the games.

By combining historic trains with Opening Day excitement, the event highlights both the city’s transportation heritage and its enduring passion for baseball, offering fans a ride that is as much about the journey as it is the destination.

Womack Joins the Flock

in the league in both hits (147) and games played (121). He posted a .297 batting average and a .792 OPS while adding

The

By Tom Barton

It may soon become more difficult for Long Island hockey fans to catch a glimpse of the future of the New York Islanders, as the organization’s American Hockey League affiliate is set to relocate. City officials confirmed this week that the team will move out of Total Mortgage Arena at the conclusion of its 25th season this spring.

The Islanders’ AHL franchise, currently known as the Bridgeport Islanders, is expected to relocate to Hamilton, Ontario, pending approval from the American Hockey League Board of Governors. The move would mark the end of more than two decades of professional hockey in Bridgeport connected to the Islanders organization.

Total Mortgage Arena,

16 home runs, 63 RBIs, and 66 runs scored. His offensive production also included 23 doubles, two triples, 30 walks, and

33 stolen bases. Womack was particularly effective against right-handed pitching, batting .339, and demonstrated his defensive versatility by appearing at all four infield positions. He spent most of his time at second base and recorded a .971 fielding percentage.

A native of Greensboro, North Carolina, Womack began his professional career in the Chicago White Sox organization, where he played from 2022 through 2024 and advanced as high as the Double-A level. Over 240 games, he compiled a .257 batting average and a .347 on-base percentage, along with 18 home runs, 112 RBIs, and 113 runs scored. He totaled 220 hits, including 25 doubles and two triples, while

Isles Are on the Move

which seats more than 8,000 for hockey and up to 10,000 for concerts, has been a central hub for sports and entertainment in the region. Over the years, the venue has hosted a wide variety of events, including performances by Bruce Springsteen and Elton John, as well as family shows and major touring attractions.

“We thank the New York Islanders and Oak View Group for bringing sports fans and concertgoers to Bridgeport for more than two decades,” said Joe Ganim, mayor of Bridgeport. “Bridgeport has earned the reputation as the ‘Arts and Entertainment Capital of Connecticut,’ and the arena has been a major part of that story.”

Ganim added that the city is committed to working with state partners on a public process to reimagine the

facility and continue building on Bridgeport’s identity as a destination for arts and entertainment.

Originally opened on October 10, 2001, as the Arena at Harbor Yard, the venue was part of a broader waterfront revitalization effort in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Designed as a modern, multi-purpose facility, it has played a key role in the city’s tourism and entertainment landscape.

For Long Island fans, the relocation represents a significant shift. The Bridgeport franchise has long served as the primary development team for the Islanders, giving fans a nearby opportunity to watch rising prospects. If approved, the move to Hamilton will mark a new chapter for the organization — and the end of an era in Bridgeport.

drawing 111 walks and stealing 17 bases. Defensively, he committed just 15 errors in 205 games, finishing with a .980 fielding percentage.

Womack also appeared in four games with the Lincoln Saltdogs of the American Association at the end of the 2024 season. He is the son of former Major League player Tony Womack, a 13-year veteran and 2001 World Series champion, and was originally signed by the White Sox in 2021.

“I’m excited to get out there with the guys,” Womack said. “I’m ready to play, show out, and win. The main goal this year, and every year, is the same — win games and have fun.”

SPORTS

By Tom Barton

The Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame recently unveiled its newest community exhibit at the Brentwood Public Library, celebrating Brentwood alumni and residents whose achievements have made a lasting impact on both the local community and the world of sports.

The exhibit is part of the Hall of Fame’s ongoing America 250 campaign, an initiative designed to expand public access to Suffolk County’s rich sports history through a growing network of displays across the region. This latest addition marks the seventh exhibit established by the organization, with several more planned throughout 2026.

The unveiling was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by a panel discussion

Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame Unveils New Exhibit

featuring an accomplished group of Hall of Famers and Brentwood-connected leaders.

Among the panelists were Mitch Kupchak, a former Los Angeles Lakers standout, Super Bowl champion Gary Lee Brown, and longtime Brentwood coaches Clem Stancik, Ralph Napolitano, and Ron Eden. Also participating was Nick Schroeder, a Brentwood alumnus who has built a distinguished career in athletic administration across Suffolk County.

The initiative was spearheaded by Hall of Fame committee member and inductee Jamie LaBelle, whose leadership helped bring the exhibit to life.

“This exhibit represents everything the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame stands for — honoring local greatness, preserving our history, and connecting com-

munities through storytelling,” said Chris R. Vaccaro, president of the organization. “Brentwood has produced extraordinary individuals who have shaped sports and inspired generations. Through our America 250 campaign, we are committed to bringing these stories directly into our communities.”

Founded in 1990, the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization dedicated to recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to professional and amateur sports while representing Suffolk County. In addition to the Brentwood exhibit, the Hall maintains installations at Fairfield Properties Ballpark, home of the Long Island Ducks, as well as Huntington Town Hall, the Town of Babylon Annex, the Section XI offices in Farmingville, Long

Island Sports and Rehabilitation, and Long Island MacArthur Airport.

With continued expansion planned, the Hall of Fame’s

exhibit program aims to create more opportunities for residents to connect with local history and celebrate Suffolk County’s enduring sports legacy.

Sachem Heads to the Most Famous Arena

By Tom Barton

Students from Sachem High School East recently had the opportunity to step inside one of the world’s most iconic venues, Madison Square Garden, for a memorable, behind-thescenes educational experience.

Members of the school’s Sports & Entertainment Management program were given exclusive access to areas typically closed to the public, offering a unique look at how a premier sports and entertainment arena operates. From locker rooms to premium seating areas, students explored the many moving parts that go into hosting large-scale events in one of the

busiest venues in the world. The visit carried special significance, as it coincided with

the 100th anniversary celebration of the New York Rangers. Being inside the historic arena

where generations of athletes and performers have made lasting memories gave students a deeper appreciation for both the building’s legacy and its role in sports and entertainment history.

Beyond the excitement of the tour, the trip also served as a valuable hands-on learning experience. Students were able to connect what they have been studying in the classroom to real-world applications, including event operations, facility management, marketing, and career pathways in the sports and entertainment industries. Seeing these concepts in action helped bring their coursework to life in a meaningful way.

The experience also inspired

Former Eagle Soars as a Tiger

conversations about the future. Many students left the trip with a stronger interest in careers related to sports management, live event production, and the entertainment field. For some, the visit helped solidify goals, while for others, it opened the door to new possibilities they had not previously considered. Trips like this continue to highlight the importance of hands-on learning opportunities for students. By stepping outside the classroom and into real-world environments, Sachem East students are gaining valuable insight and inspiration as they prepare for future careers in an ever-evolving industry.

By Tom Barton

A group of Ivy League athletes delivered strong performances this past weekend at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, held at the Randal Tyson Track Center. In total, 11 Ivy League student-athletes and one relay team qualified for the national meet, showcasing the conference’s talent on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

Among those competitors was Alexandra Kelly of Princeton University, a former standout at Rocky Point High School. Kelly entered the competition in the long jump seeded 14th with a mark of 6.50 meters, but quickly exceeded expectations with an outstanding performance.

Competing against some of the top athletes in the country, Kelly

surged up the standings and ultimately finished third overall in the event. Her jump not only secured her a spot on the podium but also marked a significant personal achievement. Along the way, Kelly set a new personal record while also breaking the Princeton program record in the long jump.

The result was one of the most impressive performances by an Ivy League athlete at the meet and highlighted Kelly’s continued growth at the collegiate level. Her ability to rise from a lower seed to a top-three finish demonstrated both her competitiveness and composure under pressure on the national stage.

In addition to her podium finish, Kelly’s performance earned her First Team All-American honors, one of the highest individual distinctions in collegiate track and

field. The recognition places her among the elite athletes in the country and adds another milestone to an already accomplished career.

Kelly’s success also reflects the strength of Long Island’s track and field pipeline, as former local standouts continue to make an impact at the collegiate level. Her journey from Rocky Point to Princeton and now to the national podium serves as an example of the opportunities available to dedicated student-athletes.

With a record-breaking performance and All-American recognition, Kelly’s showing at the national championships stands as a defining moment in her career and a proud achievement for both her hometown and university program.

SPORTS

By Tom Barton

The Longwood High School cheerleading team continues to be recognized for its outstanding 2025–2026 season, as several student-athletes earned honors at the recent Section XI Awards Dinner.

After a strong year of performances and competition, Longwood’s cheerleaders were celebrated for both their athletic achievements and academic excellence. Delaney Dunn was recognized with Academic All-County honors, highlighting her commitment to success in the classroom as well as her contributions to the team.

Emma Labanowski earned All-Class recognition, an

Longwood Cheer Earns Suffolk Honors

honor that reflects her performance and impact throughout the season. Her efforts played a key role in Longwood’s success and helped set the tone for the team’s strong year.

Several other Longwood athletes were also recognized with All-County honors. Maggie Hart, Holly Jacobs, Julia Golden, and Leah Toscanini were all honored for their performances, showcasing the depth and talent within the program.

The recognition at the Section XI Awards Dinner reflects the dedication, teamwork, and hard work that defined Longwood’s season. From strong routines to consistent effort in practices and competitions, the team demonstrated what

it means to represent their school with pride.

Beyond the awards, the season will be remembered as one filled with growth and achievement. The individual honors earned by these student-athletes are a testament to the program’s continued success and the positive culture built by its coaches and team members.

As Longwood looks ahead, the future remains bright for the cheerleading program. With talented athletes returning and a strong foundation already in place, the team is well-positioned to build on this year’s accomplishments and continue competing at a high level.

Put It in the Books ... That’s a Career

By Tom Barton

Legendary Howie Rose, the longtime voice of the New York Mets, announced this past week that he will retire following the 2026 season, bringing an iconic broadcasting career to a close.

Rose has served as the Mets’ play-by-play announcer since 1996 and has been a constant presence for fans listening to games on the radio. His connection to the team runs even deeper, dating back to his childhood when he grew up watching games from the upper deck of Shea Stadium in the 1960s and early 1970s.

“Having grown up in Shea Stadium’s upper deck, my long career as a Mets broadcaster has been

the epitome of ‘living the dream,’” Rose said in a statement. “I have been honored and blessed to follow the lineage of Lindsey Nelson, Bob

Murphy, and Ralph Kiner, and I look forward to savoring and sharing every moment of the 2026 season with the greatest fans in

baseball.”

Mets owners Steve Cohen and Alex Cohen also praised Rose’s impact on the franchise and its fan base. “For nearly four decades, Howie Rose’s voice has been synonymous with New York Mets baseball,” they said in a joint statement. “Generations of fans have grown up listening to him call the game with authenticity, energy, and a deep appreciation for what this team means to our community.”

Since 2004, Rose has been the primary radio voice of the Mets, becoming known for his signature call, “Put it in the books,” which punctuates each Mets victory. His voice has narrated many of the franchise’s most memorable moments, creating lasting connections

Three Village Track Stars at States

with fans across generations.

A 2023 inductee into the New York Mets Hall of Fame, Rose has also played a prominent role beyond the broadcast booth, serving as emcee for major on-field ceremonies, including number retirements.

Before becoming the team’s lead play-by-play announcer, Rose began his Mets career in 1987, hosting pregame and postgame radio shows. A native of Bayside, Queens, his journey from fan to franchise voice has made his career all the more meaningful.

As he prepares for his final season, Mets fans will have one more year to enjoy the voice that has defined generations of baseball in New York.

By Tom Barton

Student-athletes from Ward Melville High School delivered a strong showing at the New York State boys and girls indoor track championships, with multiple competitors earning top finishes and allleague recognition.

Representing Ward Melville at the state meet were Aliya Leonard, Julia Schmitz, Lina Muy, Gabriela Del Carpio, Elizabeth Wright, Emma Failla, Isabella Horn, Joglanio Alcindor, Anthony Anatol, and Andrew Senf. The group competed across a variety of events, showcasing the depth and talent of the Patriots’ track and field program.

The girls 4x800-meter relay team turned in one of the top performances of the meet,

finishing seventh overall in the state. In individual events, Joglanio “J.J.” Alcindor placed sixth in the 55-meter dash, earning a spot among the state’s top sprinters. Anatol also delivered a strong performance, finishing sixth in the 3,200-meter race, while Senf placed 11th in the same event.

Anatol’s result marked significant progress from last season, when he finished 21st in the state championships. Both Anatol and Senf have been key contributors to Ward Melville’s distance program, including their participation in last year’s New Balance Nationals Indoor in Boston, Massachusetts. At that event, they were part of a relay team that shattered the school record in the 4x1-mile, posting an impressive time

of 17:51. Both athletes also earned All-League honors this season.

Beyond track, Leonard has also excelled on the national stage, representing the United States in U17 lacrosse competition. Meanwhile, Schmitz, Muy, Horn, and Wright each earned All-League, All-Division, and All-County honors this season, further highlighting the program’s depth.

Ward Melville’s performance at the state championships reflects a well-rounded and competitive team, with athletes contributing across sprint, distance, and relay events. The strong finishes and individual accolades underscore the continued success of the school’s indoor track program in New York.

SPORTS

By Tom Barton

Standout student-athlete Samantha Heyman of Half Hollow Hills High School East has been named the Class A New York State Flag Football Offensive Player of the Year for the 2025 season by the New York State High School Football Coaches Association.

Heyman’s recognition highlights an exceptional season in which she established herself as one of the premier offensive players in the state. Known for her leadership and playmaking ability, she played a key role in the success of the Hills East program throughout the year.

The honors did not stop there for Half Hollow Hills East. Head Coach Michael Lupa was also recognized as the Class A New

Heyman Wins Offensive Player of the Year

York State Flag Football Coach of the Year. Lupa’s leadership helped guide the team to a standout season, further solidifying the program’s reputation as one of the top flag football teams in New York.

Earlier this season, Heyman also received the prestigious News 12 Scholar Athlete Award, sponsored by FourLeaf Federal Credit Union. The award recognizes student-athletes who excel both on the field and in the classroom, underscoring Heyman’s commitment to academics as well as athletics.

Beyond flag football, Heyman has distinguished herself as a multi-sport athlete. She serves as a captain across three different sports, demonstrating her leadership and versatility throughout the school’s athletic

programs. In addition, she is an all-state doubles tennis player and has contributed to multiple county team championships during her career.

Heyman’s accomplishments reflect not only individual excellence but also the strength of the athletic programs at Half Hollow Hills East. With both a Player of the Year and Coach of the Year honor, the school has enjoyed a banner year in flag football.

As she continues her high school career, Heyman’s impact extends beyond statistics, serving as a role model for younger athletes and a leader within her school community. Her recognition at the state level further cements her status as one of the top student-athletes in New York.

Hills East Basketball Honored

By Tom Barton

Members of the Half Hollow Hills East girls’ varsity basketball team were recently recognized for their outstanding seasons at the Suffolk County Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (SCWBCA) dinner, held on March 12. The event celebrated the achievements of top players from across Suffolk County and highlighted both athletic excellence and academic success.

Several Hills East student-athletes were honored for their contributions on and off the court. Marisa Dominic earned both All-Conference and All-League recognition

following a strong season in which she played a key role for the team. Samantha Heyman,

a standout multi-sport athlete, was named All-League and Academic All-County, con -

tinuing to showcase her ability to excel in both athletics and academics.

Chloe Merchant also received All-League honors for her performance throughout the season, while Kasey Moffat was presented with the Unsung Hero Award, recognizing her important contributions that may not always appear in the box score but were vital to the team’s success.

In addition, Layla-Marie Greaves was named Academic All-County, highlighting her dedication in the classroom as well as her commitment to the program. Ava Agudio was also honored, receiving an SCWBCA Scholarship in recognition of her achievements and future potential.

The recognition of multiple players at the annual dinner reflects the strength and depth of the Hills East program this season. It also speaks to the culture of hard work, teamwork, and academic commitment that the team continues to build.

Events like the SCWBCA dinner not only celebrate individual accomplishments but also bring together the broader basketball community across Suffolk County. For Hills East, the evening served as a proud moment to recognize the efforts of its student-athletes and the impact they have made both on the court and in the classroom.

Long Island Wins Both State Titles

By Tom Barton

Long Island made a strong statement on the state stage this past week, capturing both the boys and girls Division I titles at the New York State bowling championships. The victories by Commack boys bowling team and East Islip girls bowling team showcased the depth and dominance of Suffolk County bowling programs.

The Commack boys team earned the state championship by rolling a combined total of 6,503 pins in an impressive team performance. The Cougars entered the tournament with momentum after winning the Suffolk County title and carried that success into the state com-

petition. Along the way, they defeated defending champion East Islip boys bowling team to advance, highlighting their ability to compete against the top teams in New York. While East Islip fell short on the boys side, the program responded in a big way in the girls competition. The East Islip girls bowling team captured the Division I state title, marking the program’s first championship in 12 years. The victory was the culmination of another outstanding season for the team, which has been one of the most consistent programs in the region.

The Redmen entered the state tournament as three-time defending Suffolk County cham-

pions and continued to build on that success at the highest level. They finished with a combined total of 5,637 pins, securing the state title and capping off a remarkable run.

Together, the championships highlight Long Island’s continued excellence in high school bowling. With both the boys and girls Division I titles returning to Suffolk County, the performances by Commack and East Islip reinforce the region’s reputation as one of the premier areas for bowling in New York. For both programs, the victories represent not only championship success but also the result of dedication, teamwork, and a commitment to excellence throughout the season.

SPORTS

By Tom Barton

The William Floyd Colonials girls’ varsity basketball team saw its memorable season come to an end this past weekend, but the impact of its historic run will be felt throughout the school community for years to come.

William Floyd energized its students, staff, and supporters with an exciting journey through the state tournament, building a strong foundation for the future. On the morning of the team’s departure for upstate New York, the entire school community came together to send the Colonials off in style. The William Floyd High School Pep Band, led by director Kimberly Hyland, filled the hallways with traditional fight songs as students, faculty, and staff lined the corridor from the west gymnasium to the north entrance. The celebration honored the team’s accomplishment as the New York State Class AAA Regional Champions and set the tone for their trip to the Final Four.

Once in the state tournament, the Colonials continued their strong play, earning a victory in the quarterfinal round before advancing to face the Aquinas

Colonials Energize the School

Institute girls’ basketball team in the semifinals of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association tournament. Despite their efforts, William Floyd fell 67–37 in a challenging matchup against a talented Aquinas squad.

Several players delivered notable performances in the semifinal. Savannah Pantry led the way with a strong allaround effort, finishing with 13 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block. Chloe Campbell added eight points, while Taleah Coppola contributed seven. Gabrielle Bell-Eleazer scored six points, Rosie Micucci added two, and Milania Farrow chipped in a free throw to round out the scoring.

Following the game, the school shared a message on social media celebrating the team’s accomplishments. “It was an amazing season — a AAA Regional Championship, two games in the NYSPHSAA tournament, one victory in the quarterfinals, and memories that will last a lifetime,” the post read.

While the season has concluded, the outlook for the Colonials remains bright. With a young and talented roster ex-

pected to return next year, the experience gained during this postseason run will be invaluable. The team’s success has not only elevated the program but

also brought the school community together in support of a shared goal.

As the Colonials turn their attention to the future, this

season will be remembered as a defining chapter — one that showcased resilience, teamwork, and the excitement of high school athletics at its best.

Farrow Nominated by Sports Illustrated

By Tom Barton

Sophomore standout Milania Farrow of the William Floyd Colonials girls’ varsity basketball team continues to earn recognition for her outstanding play, as she was recently nominated for the Sports Illustrated High School Girls’ Athlete of the Week honor.

Farrow’s nomination comes on the heels of a dominant performance in the quarterfinal round of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association girls’ basketball tournament. In that game, she poured in 30 points to lead the Colonials to a convincing 61–30 victory, helping secure the New York State Class AAA Regional Championship. Her scoring effort played a major role in propelling William Floyd deeper into the state tournament and showcased her ability to

perform on the big stage. Each week during the high school sports season, High School on SI compiles a list

of the top performances from across the country. The nominations are based on standout efforts submitted and

reviewed by fans, readers, and staff, highlighting some of the most impressive individual achievements in high school

athletics nationwide.

Farrow’s inclusion among the nominees reflects not only her individual success but also the strong season enjoyed by the William Floyd program. As one of the team’s key contributors, she has consistently delivered impactful performances and continues to establish herself as one of the top young players in the region.

Voting for the award remains open through Sunday, March 22, giving fans the opportunity to support Farrow and recognize her accomplishment. The winner will be announced in the following week’s National High School Girls Athlete of the Week feature.

For Farrow and the Colonials, the nomination adds another highlight to an already memorable season, while also bringing national attention to the program and its rising star.

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