The South Shore Press 6/17

From the NEWSROOM

BY STEFAN MYCHAJLIW

There are no accidents.

What many people call coincidence, I call providence. A coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.

I was reminded of that truth at the Strength of America dinner hosted by Weaponization Watch at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C.

Before dinner began, I noticed Angela Stanton-King speaking with former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. There was something striking about her presence. It was the quiet strength of someone who had survived hardship and emerged with purpose.

When the program started, we went our separate ways.

Then came the first coincidence.

When dinner began, Angela’s assigned seat was next to mine.

As we talked, she shared parts

of her remarkable story. Imprisoned years ago, she endured the unimaginable horror of giving birth while chained to a hospital bed. No woman should ever have to welcome a child into the world in shackles. Yet she survived and thrived. President Trump pardoned her. That daughter just graduated from MIT.

She told me about another painful chapter. Homeless, broken, and overwhelmed by despair, she reached a point where she considered taking her own life and the lives of her children. Then came another “coincidence.” Someone handed her a bus token and directed her to a homeless shelter in Atlanta. There, a compassionate woman took her in, listened, cared, and ultimately helped save her life. One act of kindness changed everything.

When God Chooses Anonymity at the Waldorf

As a Catholic involved in prison ministry, I have met many people who believe their mistakes define them forever. Angela’s story is a powerful reminder that redemption is real and that God often works through ordinary people at extraordinary moments.

Then the coincidences began piling up.

She asked where I was originally from.

“Buffalo.”

Her eyes widened. Her family came from the same neighborhood.

We started naming churches from Buffalo’s East Side. Saint Gabriel’s. Familiar streets. Familiar memories. Places where we’ve both knew and have been.

Then came another surprise. Members of her family currently live around the corner from where my mother-in-law lives.

She asked where I went to high school.

“Performing Arts High School.”

Her jaw dropped.

“Do you know Lee Matthews?”

Of course I knew Lee Matthews. I was the play-by-play announcer for our high school basketball team. Lee was our star center, and a friend.

Lee Matthews is Angela’s brother.

I was floored.

Then came the moment that left us both speechless.

When we exchanged phone numbers, I discovered hers was already in my phone. No idea how. I can’t remember where.

But Angela’s name and number was already programmed in my cell.

I’ve spent decades in journalism and politics. I’ve attended more fundraisers, banquets,

campaign events, and “rubber chicken dinners” than I can count. Most are forgotten while I’m still in the room.

This one was different.

Before the evening ended, Angela agreed to join me on the soon-to-be-launched South Shore Press Podcast, and we promised to stay in touch.

Some people will call what happened coincidence.

I won’t.

County Unveils New Cupsogue Beach Pavilion

By Stefan Mychajliw

After more than a decade without a permanent beachfront facility, the new Suffolk County Cupsogue Beach Pavilion is officially open, marking a major milestone for one of the county’s most popular oceanfront destinations.

County Executive Ed Romaine announced the opening this week, calling the project a top priority for his administration.

“My administration made it a priority to restore this precious gem in our Suffolk County Parks system,” Romaine said. “Thanks to the dedication of our Suffolk County Parks Department and Suffolk County Public Works personnel, a beautiful new pavilion is open for our residents to enjoy.”

The new pavilion replaces the original structure that was destroyed by a fire in 2014. Since then, visitors have relied on temporary facilities while county

officials worked toward a permanent replacement.

The new facility features a restaurant and bar operated by The Beach House,

restrooms, changing rooms and an expansive deck offering sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean and Moriches Bay.

“This new facility houses a vibrant

and decadent restaurant and bar operated by The Beach House with delicious food to enjoy, restrooms and changing rooms, and a scenic deck area with sweeping views of the surrounding area,” Romaine said.

The project also drew praise from Suffolk AME, which recognized the county workers responsible for rebuilding the pavilion.

“Suffolk AME is proud to recognize and express our sincere gratitude to the hardworking members of our Department of Public Works and Parks Department who collaborated tirelessly to plan, rebuild, and improve the beloved Cupsogue Beach Pavilion,” the organization said in a statement.

The group noted that county employees spent years maintaining temporary facilities after the fire and credited Public Works and Parks workers with helping restore one of Suffolk County’s most treasured beachfront destinations.

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 Neil W. McCabe

Four Decades After Aipac Took Gop Scalps, Republicans Are Ready To Challenge Israel Again

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the 76-year-old juggernaut, who has dominated his country’s politics since 1993, put down his marker June 11, regarding the end of the Third Gulf War–and when President Donald J. Trump ignored him, it was the watershed moment. It Trump confirmed the shift, it will be a rejection of the Republican Party’s committed to Israel forged 40 years ago with the scalps of three senators and a senatorial candidate.

The story begins in 1981, when the new administration of President Ronald W. Reagan proposed to approve the sale of five Boeing 707 airframes modified into the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System, or AWACS.

Originally priced at $5.8 billion, by the time the deal was approved by Congress, and some fuel tanker aircraft, spare parts and other facilities were thrown in, the price was roughly $12 billion. It was easily to largest foreign military equipment package purchase to that date.

To block the sale, each chamber would have to vote a resolution of disapproval.

At the time, Reagan defended the AWACS deal as necessary to bolster Saudi Arabia from Soviet or Soviet proxy aggression, but everyone understood that it was also a way to cement a positive relationship with a powerful oil producer

less than 10 years after the oil shocks of the mid-1970s.

Leading the opposition was the America-Israel Public Affairs Committee, and the full-weight of the Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Begin flew to Washington to lobby Reagan and members of Congress.

In the end, Reagan, who won the White House with 44 states and had survived a March 1981 assassination attempt, was too strong, and the deal was completed.

Then, came the retribution. In the 1984 midterms, AIPAC targeted and helped defeat Sen. Charles H. Percy (R.-Ill.), then-chairman of the the Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. W. Roger Jepsen (R.-Iowa) for their support of the AWACS sale.

Both men lost despite Reagan winning both of their states on his way to a 49-state victory.

In 1986, AIPAC took down three more GOP senators and strong senatorial candidate. Losing those six seats, cost the Republicans the Senate, which meant for the last two years of his administration, Reagan had a Democratically-controlled Capitol Hill.

After losing the Senate in 1986, Republicans came to appreciate that AIPAC was responsible for those scalps, and for the next 40 years no national Republican has come close to challenging Israel or its

interests.

That might all be changing now.

For the first time since the 1986 ballots were counted, Republicans are lining up against Israeli interests, and there are similar voices in the administration, including the president, who has made no secret of his anger at Netanyahu, including his use of profanity to make his point.

All of this is a polar opposite of how it all started.

The founding of the State of Israel in 1948 was a project of the Democratic Party, led by President Harry S. Truman and leaders of the American Jewish community. It was meant to be both a homeland for Jews, a lesson learned from the just-ended Second World War, and a socialist paradise.

It was not a new idea for there to be a Jewish State, but as Americans were busy reconfiguring the world and its borders, Israel was just another project on the list.

As Republicans tended to practice neo-isolationism, it was the Democratic Party that pursued a robust foreign policy throughout the Cold War, partly out of conviction and partly as a function of the party’s dominance of the White House, Capitol Hill, and all the foundations and think tanks.

For decades, the New York State Democratic Presidential Primary was an absurd exercise of Democratic presidential

OP-ED

hopefuls.

That time has passed as well.

Now, Democrats compete with each other to blast Israel, and some of that could be that Israel is no longer the socialist state that was envisioned in 1948.

Or it could be that the Republican noquestions-asked support for the Jewish State left no room for Democrats to maneuver, so they took the field the GOP abandoned.

The Third Gulf War started in large part as an exercise to finally secure Israel, but it might end up uniting Republicans and Democrats against her.

The Navy Has Earned the Public’s Distrust

By South Shore Press Editorial

For years, residents of eastern Long Island have been told that the contamination migrating from the former Grumman aircraft plant in Calverton is being studied, monitored, and addressed. For years, the public has been asked to trust the process.

That trust is now running dangerously low.

The latest presentation before the Restoration Advisory Board did little to reassure residents that the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command understands the urgency of the problem or appreciates the concerns of the communities living with the consequences of decades-old pollution.

The contamination is not theoretical. PFAS “forever chemicals,” 1,4-dioxane, and other pollutants have been detected in groundwater, surface waters, fish tissue, and areas extending toward the Peconic River and Peconic Bay. Swan Pond has been closed to fishing because of the contamination. These chemicals do not simply disappear. They persist in the environment and are considered cancer-causing.

Yet despite spending approximately $78.5 million, the Navy still faces serious questions about what has actually been accomplished. Riverhead Water District Superintendent and RAB member Frank Mancini flatly accused the Navy of fraud in the way the millions were spent.

Just as troubling is the growing perception that local experts and stakeholders are being sidelined rather than welcomed into the process.

The decision to remove Suffolk

Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command In charge of the Grumman cleanup is the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command.

County Health Department hydrogeologist Andrew Rapiejko from the technical stakeholder process raises legitimate concerns. Rapiejko has been one of the most knowledgeable independent experts studying contamination at the site. Excluding expertise rarely inspires confidence. Nor did the Navy help itself by tightly controlling public participation during the community RAB meeting. Citizens Campaign for the Environment Executive Director Adrienne Esposito noted how unusual the restrictions were for a public forum, as did the board’s co-chair, Vincent Racaniello. Transparency should not be treated as an inconvenience. It should be the foundation of any cleanup effort.

The Navy’s proposed “funnel and gate” treatment system may ultimately prove effective. But when local officials, environmental advocates, and technical experts are openly questioning whether the plan will work, the burden falls on the Navy to provide answers, not demand blind faith.

LOCAL Distrust, Transparency Concerns Overshadow Navy Pollution Strategy

By Robert Chartuk

It was an important part of the U.S. defense industry that employed thousands of Long Islanders and built aircraft such as the Navy’s F-14 fighter jet and A-6 Intruder. But Grumman’s Calverton plant left another kind of legacy: chemicals migrating off the property have polluted local waters and have reached the Peconic River, one of the state’s most vital estuaries.

Distrust and allegations of fraud spilled over during a Tuesday meeting of the Restoration Advisory Board as the Navy announced its plan to stem the migration of PFOS, 1,4-dioxane and other toxic substances from the former aircraft manufacturing facility.

While pollutants have been detected throughout the 6,000-acre site, of particular concern is a fire training pit where toxic fuels were burned and firefighting foams were used to extinguish them.

Cancer-causing “forever chemicals” that do not break down in the environment have forced the closure of nearby Swan Pond to fishing and have been detected in fish and surface waters extending toward the Peconic Bay. Critics contend that the Navy knew elevated levels had been found in fish tissue for roughly a year before informing Suffolk County officials.

The Navy’s newly unveiled cleanup proposal centers on a “funnel and gate” treatment system. Under the plan, an underground barrier would be installed to direct contaminated groundwater toward a treatment gate containing filter media designed to remove PFAS chemicals.

According to a presentation from Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command based in Norfolk, Va., the treated water would then continue flowing through the aquifer while the filter media would be replaced as needed.

Additional treatment technologies outlined by the Navy include activated carbon filtration systems and a foam fractionation process that uses air bubbles to concentrate PFAS into foam for removal and destruction. The Navy also reported that previous groundwater remediation efforts at one contaminated area treated 184 million gallons of water and removed 55 pounds of volatile organic compounds.

But many participants questioned whether the latest proposal would actually work. Riverhead Water District Superintendent and RAB member Frank Mancini was among the most vocal critics.

“I accused them of fraud,” Mancini said following the meeting, referring to approximately $78.5 million spent so far on environmental work at the site. “While they did get some work done, $78.5 million is an enormous amount of money.”

Mancini contrasted the Navy’s progress with cleanup efforts at Brookhaven National Laboratory. “Brookhaven was given $200 million. They took apart three nuclear reactors, dredged the Peconic for mercury and pumped and treated groundwater for decades. The Navy’s got next to nothing done. It seems fraudulent to me.”

He also questioned whether the funnel-and-gate concept would effectively capture contaminated groundwater.

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“You have water moving through the ground like a river,” Mancini said. “You put a wall up and a small opening. I don’t understand what’s going to force all this water through a smaller opening. It’s just going to build up and go around the wall untreated.”

The meeting also highlighted growing tensions between the Navy and Suffolk County. Several speakers objected to the Navy’s decision to remove Suffolk County Health Department hydrogeologist Andrew Rapiejko from the technical stakeholder process. Rapiejko has studied contamination at the site and played a key role in identifying PFAS and other pollutants through independent county testing.

RAB Co-Chair Vincent Racaniello pressed Navy officials for answers regarding Rapiejko’s removal and the agency’s handling of public participation.

Citizens Campaign for the Environment Executive Director Adrienne Esposito similarly expressed concerns about transparency, noting it was highly unusual for a public Zoom meeting to be so tightly controlled.

The dispute underscored what many attendees described as a growing breakdown in trust between the Navy and the local agencies that have spent years pushing for a more aggressive response to contamination migrating beyond the former Grumman property.

With PFAS detected in surface water, sediment and fish tissue, and with portions of the plume already extending beyond the site boundary, critics argued the Navy’s latest proposal raises as many questions as it answers.

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LOCAL

By Robert Chartuk

President Donald Trump is threatening to once again stop construction of the Sunrise Wind turbine project off Long Island, saying Gov. Kathy Hochul broke an agreement to support the long-stalled Constitution Pipeline and help deliver lower-cost natural gas to New England and upstate New York.

“The pipeline is being held up by the governor of New York,” Trump stressed. “She made a deal with us to allow us to build it and she’s holding it up and Connecticut is suffering and all of New England is suffering and upstate New York is really suffering.”

Trump said the agreement involved two offshore wind

Energy Dispute Puts Sunrise Wind In Jeopardy

projects, Sunrise Wind off Long Island and the proposed New England Wind project off Massachusetts. He indicated both could now be in jeopardy.

“We made a deal with the governor and she broke the deal,”

Trump said. “So I guess we’re withdrawing those windmills.”

The remarks revive a dispute that earlier this year resulted in a federal stop-work order on Sunrise Wind, one of the largest offshore wind projects in the country.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, a former Congressman and state Senator from Long Island, has also pushed for renewed pipeline construction.

“We believe that we should build a new Constitution Pipeline to deliver natural gas from

Pennsylvania to New England,” Zeldin said as he stood alongside Trump on the Kennedy tarmac. “We believe that New York should reverse its ban on the extraction of natural gas.”

Supporters of expanded natural gas infrastructure argue New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act has restricted affordable energy development while driving residents and businesses toward higher utility costs.

Critics contend the law’s aggressive mandates on fossil fuels, combined with opposition to pipelines and natural gas production, have contributed to some of the nation’s highest energy costs and raised concerns about grid reliability as electricity demand continues to grow.

Floyd CTE Seniors Celebrate Signing Day

By Stefan Mychajliw

More than 100 William Floyd High School seniors took a major step toward their futures as they were celebrated during the school’s annual Career and Technical Education Signing Day ceremony.

A total of 114 students were recognized for committing to continue along their chosen career pathways through college, technical training programs or direct entry into the workforce after graduation.

The event mirrored the excitement of a college athletic signing day, with students joining teachers, administrators and family members to sign certificates of commitment to the schools, training programs and employers they plan to pursue in the months ahead. Participants also signed a commemorative

CTE Signing Day poster honoring their accomplishments.

The growing Career and Technical Education program

offers students hands-on training and real-world experience in a variety of fields, including automotive technology, barbering, cosmetology, culinary arts, medical assisting, marine and motorsports technology, carpentry, business and engineering.

School officials said the programs are designed to prepare students for immediate employment opportunities while also providing pathways to college and industry certifications. Students can graduate with valuable credentials and skills that help them enter fields ranging from healthcare and construction to technology, business and personal services.

Since launching in 2013, the district’s CTE program has steadily expanded and now serves approximately 750 students.

The program is expected to grow again next school year with the addition of a new Mental Health Professions academy, a two-year New York State pilot program that will introduce students to careers in counseling, psychology and social work. Through partnerships with colleges and local organizations, students will gain hands-on exposure to the field and learn directly from industry professionals.

School officials congratulated the graduating seniors for their achievements and thanked the educators, administrators and staff members whose efforts helped guide students toward successful career pathways.

Brookhaven Launches Christmas in July Toy Drive

By F.C. McKinley

Christmas is coming early in Brookhaven.

Town officials are asking families to think holiday season in the middle of summer as the annual “Christmas in July” toy drive gets underway to help thousands of local children in need.

The monthlong collection effort, organized by the Town of Brookhaven Youth Bureau, runs from July 1 through July 27 and serves as the official kickoff to the 2026 INTERFACE Holiday Toy Drive.

Last year’s campaign delivered holiday cheer to 1,450 families and more than 7,300 children across Brookhaven, according to town officials.

“Brookhaven residents and

local businesses always show how kindhearted they are when it comes to helping their neighbors in need,” Supervisor Dan Panico said. “Contributions made during July help bring us closer to meeting the needs of families in December.”

Residents are encouraged to donate new, unwrapped toys at more than a dozen collection sites throughout the town, including local libraries, Brookhaven Town Hall, the Smith Haven Mall, parks and recreation facilities, and senior centers.

Officials say the summer drive gives organizers a head start on gathering enough gifts to meet the overwhelming demand that arrives during the holiday season.

The toy drive is part of the INTERFACE program, a part-

nership between the Town of Brookhaven, corporate sponsors, nonprofit groups and community organizations that provides assistance to local families facing hardship.

Nearly 100 businesses, nonprofits and civic groups participate in the INTERFACE network, helping provide everything from holiday gifts to essential services for struggling residents.

Town leaders are encouraging residents to clean out closets, pick up an extra toy during shopping trips, or organize workplace collections to help ensure every child has something to open during the holidays.

For more information about the INTERFACE program or the Christmas in July toy drive, residents can contact the Brookhaven

UFC 250 Celebrates America’s 250th Birthday

There are moments in American history that remind us exactly who we are as a people. UFC 250 was one of those moments.

As our nation celebrates 250 years of freedom, resilience, and unmatched greatness, millions of Americans gathered to witness something far bigger than a fight card. It was a celebration of the American spirit. It was a reminder that this country remains the greatest nation ever conceived by man under God’s grace.

Adding to the significance of the evening was the celebration of President Donald J. Trump’s 80th birthday. Love him or hate him, there is no denying that President Trump has become one of the most consequential figures in modern American history. To see him honored during America’s semiquincentennial celebration was a powerful symbol of an era defined by economic revival, national pride, and an unapologetic belief in American exceptionalism.

The atmosphere was electric. Flags waved proudly. Patriotic songs filled the air. Fans from every walk of life came together to celebrate not only the sport of mixed martial arts but the values that make America unique: competition, determination, courage, and the freedom to pursue greatness.

The UFC has always embodied the fighting spirit of this country. The athletes who stepped into the Octagon represented the same grit and determination that built this nation over two and a half centuries. They reminded us that success is earned, not given. That victory requires sacrifice. And that the American dream is still alive for those willing to work for it. What made UFC 250 truly

historic was that it captured a cultural moment. It wasn’t about politics. It wasn’t about division. It was about pride in our country and appreciation for the freedoms that allow events like this to exist in the first place.

As someone born and raised in New York and fortunate enough to have served in Congress, I couldn’t help but look around and feel grateful. Grateful for America. Grateful

for our Constitution. Grateful for the generations of men and women who built and defended this nation. And grateful that, 250 years later, we still know how to celebrate our country with enthusiasm, confidence, and joy.

America’s 250th anniversary is not just a birthday. It is a testament to the endurance of the greatest experiment in self-government the world has

ever known. UFC 250 served as a fitting tribute to that legacy.

The message of the night was simple: America is still standing. America is still leading. And America’s best days are still ahead.

Happy 250th birthday, America. And happy 80th birthday, Mr. President.

Washington Is Controlled By The Calendar, So The Calendar Ended The Third Gulf War

By Neil W. McCabe

Vice President James D. “J.D.” Vance is the last of the three prominent administration sceptics challenging the execution of the Third Gulf War, and Monday, he announced that the Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran was already signed digitally, making Friday’s signature ceremony, literally, ceremonial.

“What we fundamentally believe is that this is going to be a good deal for the people of Israel, for the people of the Gulf, the people of America, and again, potentially for the people of Iran as well,” Vance told “Good Morning, America” host George Stephanopoulos.

“There’s a lot of misreporting,” he said.

“I’ve seen this in the Israeli media about what’s actually in the deal. I think when the people of the region see what’s in the deal and see the kind of commitments the President of the United States is making, they’re going to see this is good for ev-

erybody,” the vice president said. “Peace and prosperity is good for everybody. That’s true for Israel. It’s true for Saudi Arabia and UAE and Qatar.”

There is a structural reason for the war with Iran to come to a close, because the most powerful force here has nothing to do with politics or policy; it is the calendar–and right now, the calendar is tight.

The World Cup games kicked off June 11, and President Donald J. Trump hosted an epic UFC fight card on the White House’s South Lawn Sunday. That last match and fireworks finished at or around 1:30 a.m., and the president was wheels up for the G-7 meetings in Évian-lesBains, France, by 3:15 a.m.

Trump told reporters he was not sure if he would stick around the MOU with Iran ceremony Friday, held across Lake Geneva in Geneva, Switzerland; after all, there is still Ukraine, Cuba and the July 4 celebrations of 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Indepen-

dence.

Wednesday was both the confirmation hearing for Jay Clayton, the president’s nominee to become the director of national intelligence and the first policy meeting of the Federal Reserve Open Markets Committee with new Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh.

The productive segment of the Capitol Hill calendar runs from the president’s State of

the Union Address, and it ends at the Fourth of July. Thus far, none of the president’s legislative objectives have been achieved, principally because so many items were included in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, though the SAVE America Act remains.

The SAVE America Act is the president’s landmark voter and election integrity legislation, which the Senate Republican

leadership and their Democratic allies have vowed to stop.

It looked hopeless for Trump until it came time to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. FISA is the full-on program to spy on foreign nationals, and by sleight of hand, on Americans. It was the program the Obama administration used to spy on the 2016 Trump campaign–and what the Obama holdovers and burrowed-in Obama loyalists used to spy on the Trump administration in 2017.

Sunday, hours before the UFC fights took place on the grounds of the Executive Mansion, Trump issued his own challenge on TruthSocial.

“I’m against FISA if it doesn’t come with The Save America Act (Full version!) firmly attached to it,” he Truthed. There it is.

There is a lot going on, and prosecuting a war in the Middle East was just getting in the way, so once again, the calendar won again.

By Stefan Mychajliw

A former Suffolk County employee who admitted taking cash bribes and manipulating official licensing records has been sentenced to prison for her role in a corruption scheme that prosecutors say undermined public trust.

Bribes, Bogus Licenses Lead to Prison Term

Brianna Hassett, 33, of Wading River, was sentenced to 1½ to 3 years in state prison after pleading guilty to Attempted Bribe Receiving in the Third Degree, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced.

According to prosecutors, Hassett worked as an office assistant in the licensing unit of the

Suffolk County Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs after being hired in June 2021.

Investigators said that in January 2025, Hassett and her husband, Esteban Bermudez, accepted cash bribes in exchange for falsifying a Home Improvement license application. Authorities also alleged that Hassett accepted a separate payment to provide questions and answers from a proficiency examination required to obtain certain vocational licenses in Suffolk County.

“Public servants hold a posi-

tion of trust, and any attempt to betray that trust through corruption strikes at the heart of fair and honest government,” Tierney said in a statement. “This office will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who seek to undermine our institutions through bribery or other corrupt acts.”

County Executive Ed Romaine praised the prosecution, saying government employees “work for the people” and should face consequences when they violate the public’s trust.

Hassett and Bermudez were

arrested on Feb. 13, 2025, following an investigation by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. Hassett resigned from her county position on May 14, 2025.

She pleaded guilty on March 25, 2026, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski. Bermudez, who was not employed by Suffolk County, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced on May 27 to five years’ probation.

The case was prosecuted by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Public Corruption Bureau.

Moriches Mail Man Faces Music in Rape Allegations

By Stefan Mychajliw

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that Jenry Buestan Gutama, 23, of Moriches, was indicted for Rape, Sexual Misconduct, and other related charges, for allegedly sexually assaulting two 15-year-old girls on separate occasions.

“The allegations against this defendant are deeply disturb-

ing,” said District Attorney Tierney.

“We thank the victims who bravely came forward, as well as the East Hampton Town Police Department for their swift action to bring this defendant to justice.”

According to the investigation, on May 11, 2026, Buestan Gutama was working as a United States Postal Worker when he allegedly drove past a

15-year-old girl who was walking from school.

Buestan Gutama, who knew the victim, allegedly offered her a ride to get food. Instead of taking the child to get food, he allegedly drove to a cul-de-sac, parked, and prevented the child from leaving the vehicle. Buestan Gutama allegedly grabbed the child’s wrists, pulled her to the back of the postal truck, and sexually assaulted her.

The victim walked back to her school and later reported the incident. On May 15, 2026, Buestan Gutama was arrested by the East Hampton Town Police Department.

Following local media coverage from Buestan Gutama’s arrest for that incident, a now 19-year- old family friend of Buestan Gutama contacted police and reported that when she was 15 years old, Buestan Guta-

ma allegedly sexually assaulted her in his car after parking near her home.

On June 10, 2026, Buestan Gutama was arraigned on the indictment before Acting Supreme Court ustice Karen M. Wilutis, a a multitude of felony and misdemeanor charges related to rape, sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, and endangering the welfare of a child.

LOCAL

Patchogue-Medford Library Director on July 4th Parade: ‘We’re

hoping to get a great turnout’

By Donna Rolando

The Patchogue-Medford Library is providing free decorating supplies to residents ahead of the Village of Patchogue’s July 4 parade as part of the America 250 celebration.

The library is giving away ribbons, pinwheels, garlands and other décor so kids can prepare their wagons and bikes for the parade, which kicks off at noon in the Village of Patchogue.

“We’re asking our patrons if they’d like to march with us. Anyone who is looking to march in the parade can pick up a decorating kit at the library any time this month, and they can decorate a wagon or bike or

anything that they would like to use to celebrate,” said Library Director Danielle Paisley.

Lineup for the Lions Club-sponsored parade begins at 11 a.m. at West Avenue and Main Street, she said, with float judging at 11:15 a.m.

“We’re hoping to get a great turnout,” Paisley said. “We have a bunch of families that are going to join us but we could use more.”

Also in the spirit of America 250, both the Patchogue and Medford sites have been providing kits for family art projects, which will be displayed throughout the summer.

The library has been hosting a wide variety of 250-themed

events since April, she said. Still to come this month are Hometown Explorers: A Tour of Patriot Graves on Saturday, June 13; and Patriotic Paper Wreaths on Saturday, June 27.

Some July highlights will be The Savvy Sightseer program on Wednesday, July 1, featuring national sights of interest like Washington, D.C.; and 1776 Comes to Life: A Soldier’s Story, an interactive experience on Saturday, July 11, in Medford.

For more on 250 offerings and signup requirements, visit the library website. Details on the parade and 250 events can also be found on the Greater Patchogue Foundation website.

Mastic Beach Conservancy to Host Kelp Harvest, Art Workshop

By Donna Rolando

Mastic Beach Conservancy

will host a volunteer sugar kelp harvest and an art workshop later this month, giving residents two opportunities to learn about the marine plant’s uses and environmental benefits.

The kelp harvest is a volunteer-driven event that begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 27, and is entering its second year, according to Operations Manager Christie Jones.

“Kelp is really good to offset climate change, to help keep the water clean, and it supports healthy lawns and the growing of plants,” Jones said. “It’s really an incredible crop.”

A crew will first pull the kelp from the water by boat. Volunteers for this work must be at least 12 years old and able to lift

at least 35 pounds. A land-based team will then carry the kelp to a drying rack at Violet Cove, where it will eventually be turned into eco-safe fertilizer, according to Jones.

Waders are recommended for water work, and rubber boots are recommended for landbased work.

Unlike nitrogen-based fertilizers that can pollute waterways,

kelp supports the ecosystem, Jones said. Although native to Long Island, it must be cultivated.

The public is also invited back to Mastic Beach on Sunday, June

28, at noon for Ecology Art Lab: Blueprints of the Bay.

The hands-on workshop for all ages will explore cyanotypes, also known as blueprints, and how they can create images similar to camera-less photography.

“We’re going to gather natural materials that are found on Long Island,” Jones said, citing different grasses, shells and even kelp. Participants are also welcome to bring their own objects, such as feathers and flowers, for the experiment led by founding member Aeriel Brown.

Mastic Beach Conservancy is a nonprofit organization founded during the COVID-19 pandemic with a mission to conserve 6.5 miles of publicly accessible waterfront and create a nature trail.

For more information, visit the organization’s website: masticbeachconservancy.org.

Historic Surf Boat Finds New Home at Manor

By C.R. Mercer

A retired Suffolk County surf boat has found a new home at the Manor of St. George, where it will help tell the story of Long Island’s maritime and whaling heritage.

The vessel was donated by the Suffolk County Parks Department and recently transported to the historic Mastic estate with assistance from Tim Delaney and Suffolk County lifeguards from Smith Point.

John Scott Prudenti, a representative of the Manor of St. George, said the boat will serve as an educational exhibit connecting visitors to an important

chapter of local history.

“We are very grateful to the Suffolk County Parks Department for this gift,” Prudenti said. “The surf boat is a wonderful addition to the Manor and helps tell the story of the people who lived and worked along these waters for generations.”

Prudenti explained that surf boats evolved from the whale boats used by early Long Island whalers, who depended on sturdy vessels capable of enduring rough seas and dangerous conditions.

“These boats had to withstand some of the toughest conditions imaginable,” he said. “When a whale was harpooned, the

boat could be pulled through the water at tremendous speed, creating what became known as a ‘Nantucket sleigh ride.’”

While Nantucket is often associated with the American whaling industry, Prudenti noted that whaling was firmly established on Long Island long before the Massachusetts island rose to prominence.

“Whaling was prevalent in Brookhaven and Southampton well before Nantucket became the epicenter of whaling,” Prudenti said. “This history happened right here in our own backyard.”

The boat’s arrival also highlights another unique aspect of

the Manor’s history. The estate’s forge, which remains operational today, produced harpoons, swords, hinges, and other metal hardware used throughout Brookhaven and western Long Island.

“Our goal is to preserve and share the history of this remarkable property,” Prudenti said.

“The surf boat helps bring that history to life and gives visitors another reason to learn about the rich maritime heritage that shaped this community.”

HISTORY LESSONS

BY RICHARD ACRITELLI

Returning to America at the end of 1939, Lieutenant Colonel Eisenhower was situated in unfamiliar waters. As a main assistant to General Douglas MacArthur, he understood the hostile tensions and expansionist goals of the Japanese within Asia and the Pacific Ocean. Eisenhower also kept a watchful eye on Hitler’s drive to take territories in the late 1930s, and like many older officers, he believed that war was inevitable for America. But he was not confident that the Army had a place for him under the new leadership of Chief of Staff George C. Marshall.

During the next three years, through a series of positions, Eisenhower received his chance to lead as Marshall and President Franklin D. Roosevelt pushed for military preparation. After Eisenhower left Fort Ord, California, for Fort Lewis, Washington, he was the chief of staff for General Thompson, the commander of the Third Division. Around this time, Eisenhower watched as the German Wehrmacht turned against the French after the “Phony War” to quickly defeat France’s large army, which lacked the will to fight another brutal war. American military leaders were astonished at the quick French surrender and the superiority of the German forces. From 1939 to 1941, American trade and foreign policy concerns gravitated toward the British, who fought for survival under Prime Minister Winston Churchill as they sought to hold out against the Third Reich.

Eisenhower had not originally known Marshall, who was in the midst of rebuilding the United States military. When the war began, the American Army was the seventeenth-largest in the world, behind Romania, with 190,000 soldiers. Like at the

FOG OF WAR AND HUMANITY

BY RICHARD ACRITELLI

A childhood fascination with military history, stories of family members who served in war, and years spent listening to veterans helped inspire Smithtown attorney David DePinto’s remarkable Omaha Beach diorama.

During a recent appearance on The Fog of War and Humanity podcast with historian Richard Acritelli, DePinto discussed his Long Island upbringing, family legacy of service, and his mission to preserve the stories of the Greatest Generation. His interest in World War II

start of World War I, Marshall endured the problem of American forces being grossly unprepared for war, with older officers, poor equipment, and a lack of modern military thinking. As the United States initiated the Selective Service draft to increase the strength and training capabilities of the Army, there were only 14,000 officers. Many of these officers ranged from captain to lieutenant colonel and averaged forty-eight years old. Although there were numerous outstanding officers who later held many responsible positions in Europe and the Pacific during World War II, none of them, at this point in 1940, had ever commanded large columns of soldiers, outside of MacArthur. From the disastrous Neutrality Acts, the American military lacked modern weapons, did not have enough anti-aircraft guns to defend a single American city, and was vulnerable as the Germans conducted a masterful blitzkrieg. Marshall was concerned that there were too many older officers who were beyond their prime to command against the tenacity of the Japanese and Germans. Even General George S. Patton feared that he would be forced to retire through Marshall’s youth movement, which sought to retire older officers

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 19391941 Rise to Leadership Prominence

and replace them with younger ones. While Patton was an armor specialist, there were only 464 tanks in the Army, with older officers still advocating for the cavalry at the same time that Germany and Japan seemed invincible.

Eisenhower desperately wanted to serve with the troops, believing that this was the best way to stay in the Army. He was assigned to Lieutenant General John L. DeWitt’s Fourth Army as a staff officer, a position he reluctantly accepted. When Eisenhower planned maneuvers for this Army, he came across Marshall, who was present to observe the forces, and Marshall asked him how he was adapting to life away from the Philippines. Shortly later, Eisenhower was ordered to command the 15th Infantry at Fort Lewis, Washington, where the future five-star general desired to command an infantry battalion. Eisenhower always feared that he would be left out of the coming war and believed that his best way to avoid the purge of older officers was to be in the field leading soldiers.

At Fort Lewis, Eisenhower easily made friends and was accepted into a weekly poker game, where he showcased his ability to defeat the opposition. Writing to Colonel Omar Bradley, Eisenhower was pleased to be with the soldiers and stated, “…. I could not conceive of a better job; except, of course, having one’s own regiment, which is out of the question because of rank…” Eisenhower was never sure of his placement in the Army, as he fully believed that Patton would be quickly promoted into a leadership position. Patton informed Eisenhower that he would request him as a chief of staff or as a regimental commander. Responding to Patton, Eisenhower

wrote that he would “….do a damn good job of commanding a regiment…” Years later, when Eisenhower had difficulty with Patton, he admitted that it had once been his goal to serve under his leadership. Again, Eisenhower did not serve with the troops but was ordered to work on the General Staff’s War Plans Operations. Eisenhower was not pleased with this position, but over the next year he was promoted to colonel and was requested by Lieutenant General Walter Krueger to become his chief of staff. Moving up the ranks and into new assignments, Eisenhower was sent to Fort Sam Houston and prepared for the massive Louisiana Maneuvers. Now commanding an Army of about 1.5 million soldiers, Marshall observed the skills of officers, how they handled adverse combat operations, their ability to attack, and how they cared for their soldiers. Even with strong isolationist feelings in the nation, both Marshall and President Franklin D. Roosevelt felt that America continually had to train for war.

Americans read newspaper accounts of the fighting that developed between the “Red” and “Blue” forces that opposed each other in Louisiana. Eisenhower provided masterful planning, observed that many officers were not ready for modern warfare, and was considered a rising star. His tent became a main thoroughfare for officers and reporters alike to discuss military matters, as one writer claimed that a “certain Colonel Eisenhower makes more sense than any of the rest of them.” Eisenhower was known for having a short temper, but he was highly regarded for his ability to understand the larger military picture and communicate those views to other officers.

These domestic war games created and destroyed careers through Marshall’s observations and his willingness to promote younger officers to key positions. Marshall enjoyed watching Patton’s 2nd Armored Division outflank the enemy by moving 350 miles to assault and capture the Red Force. Marshall weeded out officers, some of whom were his friends, with thirty-one out of forty-two Army corps and division commanders being replaced, demoted, or retired. Eisenhower survived this command onslaught and was increasingly brought to Marshall’s attention, leading to his promotion to brigadier general. There were moments when Marshall made so many changes that damaged the careers of older friends that he asked Roosevelt to accept his resignation, but the President refused.

Respect for Eisenhower continued to grow as Marshall was advised that he was capable of leading a division. During the Carolina Maneuvers, Marshall spoke to General Mark Clark and asked him to name ten officers to head the War Plans Operations Division. Clark responded with one name — Eisenhower. Several days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Colonel Walter Bedell Smith called Eisenhower and, at Marshall’s direction, ordered him directly to Washington, D.C. Eisenhower was promoted and gained respect, but he feared becoming only a planner instead of a combat leader. He told his wife, Mamie, “I will be home in a couple of days.” After she responded that he could be gone longer, Eisenhower erupted, “That would be just my luck to sit out this war too!”

Next week: Command stories of Eisenhower in Europe during the war.

Bringing The Greatest Generation To Life

history began long before he built the detailed Omaha Beach diorama on display at the military history museum in Rocky Point. Raised in North Bellmore and later North Babylon, DePinto grew up in a crowded multigenerational household. His family’s military history reached back to the Civil War. His great-great-grandfather, Horatio Nelson Young, served in the Union Navy and received the Medal of Honor for volunteering to carry a tow line by rowboat under Confederate fire

after the USS Lehigh became trapped near Charleston Harbor.

World War II history also surrounded DePinto’s family. His uncle Harold was at Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack while serving aboard the USS Trevor, a minesweeper and destroyer escort. He later served in major Pacific campaigns, including Guadalcanal, the Philippines and the Solomon Islands.

Those family stories helped spark DePinto’s early interest in military models, planes, ships and tanks. But his interest deep-

ened through his work as an elder law attorney, where he often met members of the Greatest Generation and asked about their wartime experiences.

One client, Eugene Reichenthal, made a lasting impression.

A retired music educator, he had served with the 101st Airborne on D-Day, in Operation Market Garden and at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. DePinto said Reichenthal was humble and reluctant to talk, but eventually shared firsthand memories of Normandy and the brutal cold at Bastogne.

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP

BY KARL GROSSMAN

As a result of a countywide referendum last year, the terms of members of the Suffolk County Legislature have been extended from two to four years.

With this new arrangement now in place, some history of governance in Suffolk County might be helpful.

The Suffolk County Legislature is a relatively new county governing body, established in 1970. It replaced the Suffolk County Board of Supervisors, formed when Suffolk County was founded in 1683.

I’m the only journalist still around who covered both the Suffolk County Legislature and the Board of Supervisors — somewhat later than 1683! I covered the Board of Supervisors in the 1960s.

New to it then was the involvement of a Suffolk County executive. That position came into being when H. Lee Dennison was elected in 1960.

The office of county executive and the establishment of a charter form of government were largely a result of what were called the “Suffolk Scandals.”

In the middle and late 1950s, New York State conducted investigations and took legal action against corrupt Suffolk County public officials.

I first became a reporter in Suffolk County in 1962, and the impacts of the “Suffolk Scandals” were still reverberating.

Warren Liburt, who passed away last year at 95 years old, wrote a book (under the pen name William Young), published in 2019, “Suffolk County Scandals Investigations: A Reminiscence.” I interviewed him after his book was released.

Liburt, an attorney and a Republican from Huntington, was a law assistant in the Suffolk County Surrogate’s Court from 1956 to 1959. He then ran for the Huntington Town Board and lost. He relates in his book that in 1959, GOP politicians

The Road to Suffolk’s County Legislature

in Suffolk were in the opposite position from what had existed previously.

In the early 1950s, “the Republican Party in Suffolk County,” he writes, “held all the countywide elected offices, the congressional seat for the county and all the county’s seats in the State Legislature. Of equal, if not greater, importance for the organization, we held seven out of the 10 town supervisorships.”

If you were a Republican and “you were nominated, you would get elected.”

But “in the election of 1959, we lost control of the Board of Supervisors … winning only four of the 10 town supervisorships, and losing other town elective offices across the county.”

“The genesis of the debacle” came, he says, when W. Averell Harriman, a Democrat, was elected New York governor in 1954. Harriman appointed J. Irwin Shapiro, a former assistant district attorney from Queens who had become a New York City magistrate, to head the State Commission of Investigation. A special focus, said Liburt, was Suffolk County.

Those charged included Suf-

UNDERCOVER NEW YORK

BY KATHRYN NOCERINO

In Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, police began chasing an allegedly impaired driver. To evade pursuit, the driver dove into a nearby swamp.

An alligator promptly swam toward him. A champion chomper, the gator then bit the alleged perp, a Mr. Garcia, age 40, on the extremities. Police rescued the fugitive by dragging him out of the water.

The arrest report shows an understandably disturbed Mr. Garcia in extreme close-up and

also contains a picture of a grinning alligator dressed in a police uniform. That image is labeled, “Al E. Gator.”

Here are my inevitable questions:

a) Can local police departments deputize non-humans?

b) If so, what is the procedure?

c) Does the local police department have to pay them?

d) If so, how much?

e) Is the local PD responsible in any way for injuries to alleged

folk County Office of Civil Defense Assistant Director William Hart, for selling furniture “for county offices” through “intermediaries,” and State Assembly member John A. Britting of Babylon, who formerly, as deputy county treasurer, “participated” in “land deals” that “cheated Suffolk County taxpayers out of millions of dollars.” A long list of investigations is detailed in Liburt’s book.

The New York Times, Liburt notes, ran an editorial the day after the 1959 election declaring: “The sordid history of corruption and malfeasance that has been undergoing a long process of exposure in Suffolk County, ancient stronghold of Republicanism, was sufficient reason for the voters of eastern Long Island to give control to the Democrats.”

In 1960, Dennison, although an enrolled Republican, was elected county executive on the Democratic ticket. He had arrived in Suffolk from upstate in 1927 and worked in the county’s then-Highway Department but was fired after writing a report saying Suffolk government was so mired in partisan politics that

it was “doing nothing to encourage adequate county planning.”

Dennison then began a private engineering practice in Port Jefferson.

Suffolk Democrats invited him to run for county executive, and he happily agreed, later recalling: “I would have done anything to fight the abuse of one-party power.”

In the 1960s, its last decade in existence, the Suffolk County Board of Supervisors met in the county seat of Riverhead, as it had for centuries. Hauppauge would later become an alternate county center because of the mid-20th-century population boom in western Suffolk.

The board’s gatherings began with a pre-meeting session, to which reporters were welcome. Discussed were the resolutions at hand. Then came the regular meeting that included public hearings and voting by the 10 town supervisors of which the board consisted.

The supervisors were administrators of their respective towns, with a patchwork, as still exists in Suffolk, of two- and four-year terms. They functioned as a kind of board of di-

Al E. Gator

rectors of the county, but mainly their focus was on their towns.

Some were extraordinary officials, especially the last two chairmen of the board, Shelter Island Town Supervisor Evans K. Griffing and then-Smithtown Town Supervisor John V.N. Klein, both Republicans. Other strong members of the panel in my time were Huntington Town Supervisor Jerome Ambro and Islip Town Supervisor Harry Kangieser, both Democrats.

The interplay of the supervisors with independent and reform-minded Dennison, who was committed in the wake of the “Suffolk Scandals” to creating an honest county government, and who took many actions in this regard, was always interesting and often newsworthy. Dennison was reelected in 1964 and 1968.

How did a Suffolk County Legislature come about? There were a series of one-person, one-vote rulings in the 1960s, starting with the U.S. Supreme Court and then involving other federal courts.

The Suffolk County Board of Supervisors faced a legal challenge brought by I. William Bianchi, a Democrat from Bellport and subsequently a State Assembly member for 22 years, and Quentin B. Sammis, also an attorney and a Republican from Huntington and a former Huntington Town supervisor. Their lawsuit focused on the sharp contrast between Suffolk’s East End towns having a small fraction of the populations of the western Suffolk towns, yet each of the 10 supervisors on the Board of Supervisors had one vote. This was in violation of the one-person, one-vote decisions based on population.

This litigation led to the formation of the Suffolk County Legislature, with elected legislators representing 18 districts of sought-for equal populations.

perps caused by the non-human deputies?

In a very real way, this is great because it tells us that you don’t have to be human to get a well-paying job and earn respect in the community.

Needless to say, people do the darndest things while under the influence. A few have gotten onto riding lawnmowers and entered public highways. People drive in the wrong direction. People have fallen asleep in the middle of the road. (I could go

on, but I won’t. The sky’s the limit.)

As I have often remarked, there is a group that issues an annual series called The Darwin Awards. There is an awards ceremony, and you can get each year’s list. The Darwin Awards go to those individuals who, due to their inherent whatever, remove themselves from the gene pool, ensuring that their poor biology cannot transfer itself to future generations.

We do not have alligators

on Long Island. But we definitely have police. Their job is especially hard here because they have no alligators to assist them. Pit bulls are everywhere, but they tend to pose a threat rather than offer a solution. Deer ticks and skeeters just don’t cut it. Has anyone referred this incident to the Darwin Awards committee, or is it the responsibility of Al E. Gator himself?

—Kathryn Nocerino

ASK NANCY

BY NANCY BURNER, ESQ.

Q: I am updating my estate plan and have a substantial IRA. Is it better to leave my IRA directly to my children or to my trust?

A:Retirement accounts are different from most other assets in your estate for two reasons.

First, they generally pass by beneficiary designation rather than under your Will or Trust, and outside of probate. If no beneficiary is named, or if all named beneficiaries have predeceased the account owner, the account may become payable to the estate and then pass according to the terms of the Will, or if there is no Will,

under the laws of intestacy. Second, most qualified accounts are funded largely with pre-tax dollars, so the income tax on the account has not yet been paid. Whoever inherits the account inherits that tax obligation along with it, and the rules governing how quickly the funds must be withdrawn—and taxed—depend on who is named as beneficiary. Both of these features shape the choice between naming children directly and naming a trust.

This is why beneficiary designations are such an important part of estate planning. Even a carefully drafted Will or Trust cannot override an IRA beneficiary designation; if the two say different things, the beneficiary designation will control.

For married couples, the surviving spouse is usually named as the primary beneficiary of an IRA. A spouse has options that are not available to most other beneficiaries, including the ability to roll the inherited IRA into his or her own IRA. This allows the account to continue growing tax-deferred and often

What Happens When Children Inherit an IRA?

provides the surviving spouse with the most flexibility. Children are often named as contingent beneficiaries, meaning they inherit if the spouse has predeceased. However, the rules for children inheriting retirement accounts changed significantly with the passage of the SECURE Act in 2019.

Before the SECURE Act, many beneficiaries could “stretch” distributions from an inherited IRA over their lifetime. Today, most adult children who inherit an IRA must withdraw the entire account within ten years of the account owner’s death. The funds do not necessarily need to be withdrawn all at once, but the account must generally be fully distributed by the end of the tenth year. Because each withdrawal is taxed as ordinary income, this rule can compress decades of deferred taxes into a ten-year window—often during the child’s peak earning years, when the additional income is taxed at the highest rates. There are exceptions for certain beneficiaries, known as “eligible designated beneficiaries.” These include a surviving

spouse, a minor child, a disabled or chronically ill individual, and an individual who is not more than ten years younger than the account owner.

Minor children of the account owner receive special treatment, but only for a limited time. A minor child may be able to take distributions based on life expectancy while the child is still a minor. Once the child reaches the applicable age of majority, the tenyear rule generally begins.

A trust may be considered when the account owner does not want a beneficiary to receive the inherited IRA outright. For example, a trust may be appropriate if a beneficiary is a minor, has special needs, receives government benefits, struggles with financial management, or if the account owner wishes to provide protection from creditors or divorce.

Rather than receiving the inheritance directly, the beneficiary’s share can remain in trust and be managed by a trustee according to the instructions contained in the trust agreement.

However, naming a trust as beneficiary of a retirement account requires careful drafting. A trust does not avoid the SECURE Act rules, and if the trust is not drafted properly, it may create unintended income tax consequences or accelerate distributions.

It is also important to distinguish between naming a trust as beneficiary and transferring an IRA into a trust during lifetime. An IRA is not retitled into a trust while the account owner is living. Instead, the owner keeps the IRA in his or her own name and designates who should receive it at death. Because retirement accounts can often represent a significant portion of a family’s wealth, but also come with tax implications and distribution guidelines that are beneficiary-dependent, beneficiary designations should be reviewed whenever an estate plan is created or updated.

The right choice depends on the account owner’s family, the income tax cost of the distribution rules, and whether the beneficiaries need the added protection or structure of a trust.

LIBRARY LIVING

BY TARA D’AMATO Assistant Library Director

Summer is a great time to relax, explore new interests, and keep the fun of reading going! Here are five easy ways to help kids stay connected to books all summer long:

1. Let Kids Pick Their Own Books

Graphic novels, joke books, sports stories, spooky tales, Pokémon guides—it all counts! Kids are more excited to read when they choose what interests them. https:// communitylibrary-suffc.na.iiivega.com/

2. Read a Little Each Day

Even 10–15 minutes before bed, during car rides, or after camp can help keep reading part of the routine.

3. Try Audiobooks and eBooks

Audiobooks are perfect for road trips

and quiet time, and your library card gives you access to digital books and more through Libby! https://libbyapp. com/library/livebrary

4. Visit the Library

A trip to the library can spark excitement for reading, new series, fun programs, and discovering favorite authors.

5. Keep Reading Fun

Summer reading shouldn’t feel like homework. Reading together, laughing over silly stories, and exploring favorite topics all help build lifelong readers.

And don’t forget—our Summer Reading Club starts on June 25!

By Robert Chartuk

Suffolk County is intensifying its independent investigation of contamination linked to the former Grumman-Navy property in Calverton, with County Executive Ed Romaine calling the Navy’s newly announced cleanup plan “inadequate” and criticizing what he described as years of delays and a lack of transparency.

“The Navy plan is inadequate, far too late,” Romaine said following a recent Restoration Advisory Board meeting. “They haven’t addressed the contamination that they caused over the many years.”

The county has already conducted its own groundwater testing and is now expanding its efforts. Romaine said Suffolk will begin testing water at mul-

County to Test Peconic River, Fish as Contamination Spreads

tiple locations along the Peconic River and will also analyze fish to determine whether contaminants have entered the food chain.

The additional testing comes after contamination was discovered in fish from Swan Pond, which was subsequently closed to fishing. Romaine said county

officials were frustrated that information about contaminated fish was not disclosed for approximately a year.

“Our tests will be made public,” Romaine said. “We have nothing to hide except to protect the public.”

County officials are particularly concerned about a plume

containing PFAS “forever chemicals,” 1,4-dioxane and other contaminants that has been migrating toward the Peconic River for years. The river is part of the Peconic Estuary, one of the nation’s most significant estuarine ecosystems and a vital resource for eastern Long Island.

The dispute has also highlighted growing tensions between Suffolk County and the Navy. Romaine said the county was prevented from presenting its own findings during a recent Restoration Advisory Board meeting, prompting officials to hold a separate public meeting at the Manorville Firehouse where contamination data collected through county testing was shared with residents.

According to Romaine, coun-

ty testing found contamination in areas including Swan Pond, Day Pond, the Peconic River and surrounding locations. He said the county’s findings raised questions about the scope of the Navy’s testing efforts and the information being shared with the public.

Romaine also criticized the removal of Suffolk County Health Department hydrogeologist Andrew Rapiejko from the RAB process. Rapiejko played a key role in the county’s independent investigation and helped identify contaminants beyond those being examined by the Navy.

“Tell me about transparency again. Tell me about honesty,” Romaine said. “All he’s doing is presenting information from the Health Department.”

Five-finger Discount Ends for 18 Accused Crooks

By Stefan Mychajliw

Suffolk County District

Attorney Ray Tierney says his aggressive anti-shoplifting initiative is producing results, with 18 alleged repeat offenders now facing felony charges after a sweeping crackdown targeting retail theft across the county.

The suspects are accused of committing 80 thefts from major retailers, causing more than $110,000 in losses, according to prosecutors. The arrests stem from Tierney’s Retail Protection Partnership, a program launched in October 2023 to combat rising shoplifting incidents and target repeat offenders.

“What we are doing differently in Suffolk County

is charging alleged recidivist theft defendants with felonies wherever possible in order to deter them from committing repeated thefts,” Tierney said. “We are making it clear that in Suffolk County, you cannot steal without consequence.”

The partnership brings together prosecutors, police, federal authorities and major retailers, including Walmart, Target, Home Depot, CVS, Walgreens, Kohl’s, Macy’s and Best Buy. Investigators share information to identify and track alleged serial shoplifters responsible for repeated thefts.

One strategy allows prosecutors to aggregate multiple misdemeanor thefts into felony charges. Authorities also use trespass notices that can lead

Donation

By Stefan Mychajliw

A Lindenhurst man has been accused of repeatedly targeting a donation box at a beloved Manorville Catholic shrine, allegedly stealing money intended to support the religious landmark and its mission.

Piotr Nerkowski, 49, was arrested following an investigation into a series of thefts at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Island, a well-known spiritual destination on Eastport Manor Road.

to burglary charges if offenders allegedly return to stores after being barred.

Officials say the effort is showing results. Suffolk recorded 6,041 petit larceny cases in 2024 and 5,774 in 2025. The county is currently trending below last year’s pace in 2026.

Among the 18 defendants charged in the latest roundup, three face second-degree robbery charges after allegedly using force while stealing merchandise. Others face burglary and grand larceny charges.

Suffolk Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina praised the initiative’s impact.

“While retail theft may not always receive the same attention as other crimes, its impact is significant affecting everyone

from businesses to our communities,” Catalina said. “The decrease in shoplifting incidents demonstrates that our efforts are working.”

All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Box Bandit Busted at Manorville Shrine

According to Suffolk County Police, detectives from the Major Case Unit investigated multiple incidents in which cash was allegedly stolen from a donation box at the shrine during several nights between March 29 and April 19.

Authorities said Nerkowski was taken into custody at a CVS

Pharmacy in Lindenhurst after detectives, working alongside the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, identified him as the suspect.

Police charged Nerkowski with Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, Attempted Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, Resisting Arrest and two counts of Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree.

Investigators allege the thefts targeted donations made by visitors to the shrine, which has served as a center of Catholic prayer, Marian devotion and spiritual reflection for decades.

Nestled on more than 100 acres in Manorville, the Shrine of Our Lady of the Island attracts worshippers from

across Long Island and beyond. The site was established by the Montfort Fathers and is known for its peaceful grounds, religious retreats and towering statue of the Virgin Mary.

Nerkowski was held overnight at Suffolk County’s Third Precinct and was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday at First District Court in Central Islip. The charges are accusations, and Nerkowski is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

For many faithful visitors, the allegations struck close to home, as the donations help support the operation and preservation of one of Long Island’s most cherished religious destinations.

Community Time Capsule

THURSDAY, JULY 2 AT 12 PM

For more information please call 631-399-1511 x2035. Photographs may be taken at any of the library’s programs. These photos may be used in library publicity, including but not limited to the library newsletter and web page. If you do not want photos taken of you or your child(ren), be sure to inform the library staff member overseeing the program before the program begins. All photographs are the property of the library. If you will be joining us for a meeting or program, please let us know in advance if you need an accommodation that will make the event accessible to you

LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES

Public Notices PUBLIC NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF SUFFOLK

Rocket Mortgage, LLC s/b/m Nationstar Mortgage LLC, Plaintiff, -againstAdnan Arshad, if living and if any be dead, any and all persons who are spouses, widows, grantees, mortgagees, lienor, heirs, devisees, distributees, or successors in interest of such of the above as may be dead, and their spouses, heirs, devisees, distributees and successors in interest, all of whom and whose names and places of residences are unknown to Plaintiff, Sajida Adnan, if living and if any be dead, any and all persons who are spouses, widows, grantees, mortgagees, lienor, heirs, devisees, distributees, or successors in interest of such of the above as may be dead, and their spouses, heirs, devisees, distributees and successors in interest, all of whom and whose names and places of residences are unknown to Plaintiff, United States of America, Town Supervisor-Town of Brookhaven, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, United States of America- Internal Revenue Service, Tyrone Johnson, sha John Doe #1, “John Doe #2” (Refused Name). “John Doe #3" (Refused Name), Defendants.

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS

Index No. 601198/2026

Filed: 5/27/26

Plaintiff designates Suffolk County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the Mortgage premises is situated.

TO THE ABOVE NAMED

DEFENDANT(S):

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 Summons, to serve a Notice of Appearance on the attorneys for the plaintiff within twenty (20) days after service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within thirty (30) days after service is complete if this 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.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT

THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure $342,475.00 and interest, recorded in the Office of the Clerk of the County of SUFFOLK on September 14, 2020, in Book Liber M00023173, Page 609, covering premises known as 166 River Road,

Shirley, NY 11967.

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.

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: Bay Shore, New York March 26, 2026

By: Robert Tremaroli, Esq. Frenkel, Lambert, Weisman & Gordon, LLP

Attorneys for Plaintiff 53 Gibson Street, Bay Shore, New York 11706

Bar #: 4946430 (631) 969-3100

Our File No.:01-102777-F00

L16535 6/10/26, 6/17/26, 6/24/ 26, 7/1/26

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF SUFFOLK WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST EDDIE ROMAN, CARMEN ROSADO, ET AL., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered September 26, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738 on July 20, 2026 at 10:00 AM, premises known as 254 Auborn Avenue, Shirley, NY 11967. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Township of Brookhaven, County of Suffolk, State of New York, District 0200, Section 746.00, Block 03.00, Lot 005.000. Approximate amount of judgment $238,215.88 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #603642/ 2018. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. Harvey B. Besunder, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 17006778 90310

L16536 6/17/2026, 6/24/2026, 7/ 1/2026, 7/8/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF SUFFOLK

U.S. Bank Trust National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as owner trustee for REO Trust 2017-RPL1

Plaintiff,

Against

William J. Barker a/k/a William Barker, as Administrator and Heir and Distributee of the Estate of Eileen A. Barker a/k/a Eileen Barker, Richard Barker, as Heir and Distributee of the Estate of Eileen A. Barker a/k/a Eileen Barker, Dawn Phelps a/k/a Dawn Phetts, as Heir and Distributee of the Estate of Eileen A. Barker a/k/a Eileen Barker, Admirals Bank, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, United States of America (Eastern District), Clerk of the Suffolk County District Court, Jefferson Capital Systems LLC, Andrew Messina, Clerk of the Suffolk County Traffic & Parking Violations Agency; John Doe #1 (Name Refused)

Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 09/05/2025, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, at Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738, on 7/14/2026 at 11:00AM, premises known as 12 Parkwood Drive, Mastic Beach, New York 11951, 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 Shirley, Town of Brookhaven, County of Suffolk, State of New York.

District 0200 Section 978.90 Block 11.00 Lot 018.000

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $304,869.99 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 619964/2024

Annette Eaderesto, Esq., Referee.

SHELDON MAY & ASSOCIATES Attorneys at Law, 255 Merrick Road, Rockville Centre, NY 11570

Dated: 5/22/2026 File Number: 38922 CA

L16538 6/10/2026, 6/17/2026, 6/ 24/2026, 7/1/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice of Public Sale: The following Self Storage unit contents containing household and other goods will be sold for cash by StorQuest Self Storage 393 Smith Road Shirley, NY 11967 (631)-729-6945 To satisfy a lien on 6/23/2026 at approx. 12:00pm at www.storagetreasures.com. Unit # 147 246 - 309 L16541 6/17/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT: SUFFOLK COUNTY. WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as trustee for the holders of Sutherland Commercial Mortgage Trust 2019-SBC8, Commercial Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2019-SBC8, Pltf. vs. JADE CASTLE INC., et al, Defts. Index #612603/2025. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered Jan. 13, 2026, I will sell at public auction at Brookhaven Town Hall, One Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY on July 23, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. premises k/a (i) 24 Grand Avenue, Shirley, NY a/k/a District 0200, Section 851.00, Block 03.00, Lot 004.000 & (ii) 52 McGraw Street, Shirley, NY a/k/a District 0200, Section 253.00, Block 03.00, Lot 008.000. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, lying and being situate in the Town of Brookhaven, County of Suffolk and State of New York, known and designated as Lots numbered 148, 155, 156 on a certain map entitled, “Map of Mastic Acres Unit 16”, and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Suffolk on October 31, 1947, as Map Number 1581. Approximate amount of judgment is $123,860.74 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. MICHAEL S. PERNESIGLIO, Referee. WESTERMAN BALL EDERER MILLER ZUCKER & SHARFSTEIN, LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 1201 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, NY 11556. #103018

L16540 6/17/2026, 6/24/2026, 7/ 1/2026, 7/8/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice of formation of GRACEFUL CONNECTIONS HOME CARE, LLC, a limited liability company. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of the State of New York (SSNY) on 5/05/26. 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 YANIQUE LEWIS, 68 CORBIN AVENUE, SHIRLEY, NY 11967, USA. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

L16523 5/13/2026, 5/20/2026, 5/

27/2026, 6/3/2026, 6/10/2026, & 6/17/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice of formation of StoryTechGo, LLC, a limited liability company. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of the State of New York (SSNY) on 4/23/26. 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 THE LLC, 40 Ashley Circle, Manorville, NY 11949. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

L16516 5/13/2026, 5/20/2026, 5/ 27/2026, 6/3/2026, 6/10/2026, & 6/17/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice of formation of ALLISON MISA NP IN FAMILY HEALTH, PLLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on February 27th, 2026. Office located in Suffolk County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the PLLC 18 Hickory Lane, East Moriches, NY 11940. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

L16534 6/3/2026, 6/10/2026, 6/ 17/2026, 6/24/2026, 7/1/2024, 7/ 8/2024

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION, Plaintiff AGAINST SHAWN SUTHERLAND AKA SHAWN A. SUTHERLAND, DIHEMIA GORDON-ABRAHAMS, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered March 27, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY 11738 on July 7, 2026 at 10:00 AM, premises known as 7 Floradora Drive, Mastic, NY 11950. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at Shirley, in the Township of Brookhaven, County of Suffolk, and State of New York, District 0200, Section 711.00, Block 01.00, Lot 001.000. Approximate amount of judgment $444,452.76 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #617381/ 2019. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. William Henry

Krause, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 19005176 89974

L16528 06/03/2026, 06/10/2026, 06/17/2026, & 06/24/2026

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INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT?

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L16528 06/03/2026, 06/10/2026, 06/17/2026, & 06/24/2026

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Cellular/Tv/Internet

Attorney

Misc. Services

L16528 06/03/2026, 06/10/2026, 06/17/2026, & 06/24/2026

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INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT?

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Vacation

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LIVING ON LONG ISLAND

BY LAURA BUDNEY

South Shore Success Stories: When the Market Makes History

If you’ve spent any time scrolling through real estate headlines lately, you’ve probably seen stories about record-breaking sales across Long Island. While the ultra-luxury market often grabs the attention, those headline-making transactions tell an important story for homeowners right here on the South Shore of Suffolk County.

This year, Long Island saw one of its most significant residential sales ever when Billy Joel’s Centre Island estate sold for $28.75 million, setting a record for the highest residential sale outside of the Hamptons. Meanwhile, the Hamptons luxury market continues to post eye-popping numbers, with multiple properties changing hands for tens of millions of dollars.

Now, before you start com-

paring your ranch in Patchogue or colonial in Shirley to a waterfront compound with a bowling alley, remember this: record sales at the top of the market often reflect confidence throughout the market as a whole.

Closer to home, South Shore waterfront properties continue to command impressive prices.

A bayfront estate in West Islip’s Oak Neck Estates recently sold for $3.5 million, while another spectacular waterfront property on Wagstaff Lane closed for $3.75 million earlier this year.

What’s driving these numbers? The answer remains simple: demand continues to outpace supply. Inventory across Long Island remains tight, and Suffolk County home values have continued to climb as buyers compete for desirable neighborhoods, waterfront access, strong schools, and the lifestyle that makes the South Shore so special.

South Shore Success Stories: When the Market Makes History

But the real story isn’t just about million-dollar waterfront homes. It’s about the family finally buying their first house in Medford or Port Jefferson. It’s about longtime homeowners in Babylon, Brookhaven, and Islip discovering their homes are worth more than they ever imagined. It’s about young families realizing that, despite higher prices, the South Shore remains one of the most desir

able places to put down roots.

Every market has its headlines. Some come with celebrity names and record-breaking price tags. Others come from neighbors achieving their dreams right here in our own communities.

And if the first half of 2026 has taught us anything, it’s that the South Shore continues to be one of Long Island’s greatest success stories.

Laura Budney is a Licensed Realtor with Prime Realty. Contact her at 917-670-9339.

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THE FANTASY BASEBALL EXPERIENCE

Not A Lot of Games, But Plenty of Production

By Tom Barton

Over the course of a fantasy baseball season, there are always a few players who slip through the cracks despite putting up strong numbers. Sometimes it is because they lack name recognition. Other times it is because they play a position that tends to be overlooked. Most often, however, fantasy managers simply forget about a player who missed time with an injury and focus only on the overall statistics.

That appears to be exactly what is happening right now with Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno.

Moreno has quietly been one of the more productive offensive catchers in baseball when healthy. After injuries limited him earlier this season, many fantasy managers moved on, creating an opportunity for savvy owners to scoop him up before the rest of the league notices.

The young backstop has consistently shown he can hit. He

batted .285 last season and .284 the year before, proving that his success is far from a fluke. Now healthy and back in the middle of Arizona’s lineup, Moreno is once again producing. He is often hitting third in a favorable hitter’s park and surrounded by quality bats, giving him plenty of opportunities to drive in runs and score himself.

His batting average continues to climb, while his on-base percentage remains strong. Moreno has also displayed more power this season, already hitting five home runs in fewer than 50 games. His OPS has been approaching .900 during the month of June, and he is averaging nearly a run scored or RBI every other game. For a catcher, that type of production can provide a significant advantage. If Moreno is available on your waiver wire, he deserves serious consideration.

Another player making a surprising impact is Kansas City Royals reliever Alex Lange. Remember him? Lange was once Detroit’s closer before

BETTING WITH BARTON

BY TOM BARTON

The New York Knicks’ championship run was not only historic and captivating for basketball fans, but from a sports betting perspective it proved life-changing for some fortunate bettors as well.

Before the series even began, many New Yorkers backed the Knicks to win it all despite being underdogs. Those preseason believers were rewarded handsomely, as New York’s championship odds paid better than 2-to-1. However, the biggest opportunities came during the games themselves, when the Knicks repeatedly found ways to overcome seemingly impossible deficits.

For bettors who never lost faith, the rewards were enormous.

Throughout the postseason, the Knicks developed a reputation for dramatic comebacks. In Game 1, New York erased a 16-point deficit and stormed back to victory. In Game 2, the Knicks found themselves trailing by 18 points before rallying once again. Then came Game 4, perhaps the most unbelievable comeback of the entire playoff

injuries and inconsistency led to a trip through the minors and eventually a change of scenery. Now with Kansas City, he has found new life and appears to have seized the closer’s role.

With Carlos Estévez still sidelined and Lucas Erceg struggling to lock down the ninth inning, Lange has stepped in and delivered. More importantly, he has looked comfortable doing it. Closing games requires a unique mentality, and Lange has the experience and confidence to handle the pressure.

For fantasy managers searching for saves, Lange is a worthwhile addition. Whether he keeps the job long-term or not, he is currently providing value in one of fantasy baseball’s most difficult categories to find.

Knicks Backers Who Had Faith Cashed Huge

run, as New York climbed out of a staggering 29-point hole to pull off a victory that will be remembered for years.

Even in Game 5, the Knicks trailed by 15 points before mounting another comeback and rewarding those who continued to believe.

For live bettors, these situations created incredible opportunities. In many of those games, the Knicks’ in-game odds ballooned to 8-to-1 or higher while they were trailing. A simple $100 wager at those odds would have produced substantial profits. Bettors who consistently backed New York during those comeback attempts saw some remarkable returns.

The numbers become even more astonishing when viewed as a hypothetical exercise. Had someone wagered $100 on each comeback victory and rolled over all of their winnings into the next live bet when the Knicks fell behind again, the payout would have reached well into the millions of dollars. While that scenario is largely theoretical, reports surfaced throughout the playoff run of

New York Knicks Champs

several large live wagers cashing as New York repeatedly defied the odds.

For Knicks fans, the championship delivered memories that will last a lifetime. For some bettors, it delivered much more

than that.

New York’s ability to overcome adversity became the defining story of the postseason. Every comeback strengthened the belief of the fan base and rewarded those willing to trust

the team when things looked bleak. In the end, the Knicks didn’t just bring a championship home to New York—they also created one of the most memorable betting stories in recent sports history.

SPORTS

By Tom Barton

Sunday night brought a unique spectacle to the nation’s capital as the White House and President Donald Trump hosted UFC Freedom 250 on the White House lawn, creating one of the most memorable sporting events of the year.

UFC President Dana White and President Trump promised a grand celebration, and by all accounts they delivered. The event was designed to commemorate the 250th birthday of the United States while celebrating the nation’s fighting spirit through one of the

It’s

By Tom Barton

The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball has announced a major honor for one of its founding figures and a proud Long Island native. The league’s championship trophy will officially be renamed the Frank Boulton Trophy in recognition of Atlantic League founder Frank Boulton and his lasting impact on independent professional baseball.

In addition to the trophy being renamed in his honor, Boulton has also been named the Atlantic League Board Chair Emeritus, recognizing decades of leadership and dedication to the growth of the league.

“The Atlantic League was the vision of Frank Boulton, and it has grown and thrived for 28 years under his leadership and guidance,” said Atlantic League

UFC Freedom 250 Delivers at the White House

world’s most popular combat sports organizations.

Leading up to the event, UFC Freedom 250 was promoted as a once-in-a-generation experience. The UFC described the celebration by saying, “From the Revolution to the Octagon, this historic event will connect fans through cinematic storytelling and unrivaled competition on the world’s greatest proving ground.”

While some observers questioned the event’s ambitious scope, the visuals alone made a lasting impression. The iconic backdrop of the White House paired with the UFC Octagon

created a scene unlike anything fans had seen before. Military flyovers soaring above the White House added to the patriotic atmosphere and provided memorable moments for those in attendance and watching around the country.

The event also attracted a star-studded crowd that included athletes, celebrities, public figures and honored guests. Combined with the unique setting and national significance of the occasion, the atmosphere felt more like a major national celebration than a traditional sporting event.

For many fans, the evening

represented a blend of sports, entertainment and patriotism. The combination of high-level UFC competition and the historic location created an experience that stood out from any previous UFC card.

Whether attending in person or watching from home, fans witnessed a night that will likely be remembered for years to come. Dana White and President Trump set out to create a signature event worthy of America’s 250th birthday celebration, and they succeeded in delivering a night filled with excitement, pageantry and unforgettable images.

Now Officially the Frank Boulton Trophy

President Rick White, who has served in the role since 2015.

Boulton launched the Atlantic League in 1998 after previously owning several affiliated minor

league baseball teams. His goal was to create a boutique-style professional league that would give former Major League and Minor League players an oppor-

tunity to continue their careers while also bringing professional baseball to communities underserved by affiliated franchises.

The Atlantic League officially began play on May 20, 1998, with teams located in Atlantic City, New Jersey; Bridgeport, Connecticut; Nashua, New Hampshire; Newark, New Jersey; Newburgh, New York; and Somerset, New Jersey. Since then, the league has expanded significantly and now includes 10 teams stretching from New York to North Carolina. The league is also expected to welcome its 50 millionth fan during the 2026 season.

Over nearly three decades, the Atlantic League has become one of the premier independent baseball leagues in the country.

More than 1,450 Atlantic League players have had their contracts transferred to Major League

organizations. That impressive list includes stars such as Rickey Henderson, Rich Hill, Ruben Sierra, Tim Raines, Jose Lima, and current Major Leaguers Huascar Brazoban, J.C. Escarra, and Ildemaro Vargas.

In 2019, Major League Baseball officially named the Atlantic League its first Professional Partner League, further validating Boulton’s original vision for the organization and its role in professional baseball development.

Currently, the York Revolution are the holders of the newly renamed Frank Boulton Trophy after capturing back-to-back Atlantic League championships in 2024 and 2025.

For Long Island baseball fans, it is another proud moment recognizing one of the region’s most influential figures in professional sports.

Answering the Call: New Umpire Program for Youth Baseball

By Tom Barton

Lasorda Legacy Park and the East Coast Umpire Association (ECUA) have announced a new initiative designed to address one of youth baseball’s most pressing challenges: the growing shortage of qualified umpires.

Across the country, youth sports organizations are struggling to recruit and retain officials. Declining participation has been driven by barriers to entry, limited access to training, and increasingly negative game environments. The shortage has impacted game availability, player development, and the overall experience for athletes, coaches, and families alike.

In response, Lasorda Legacy Park and ECUA are teaming up

to introduce a comprehensive umpire development program aimed at creating a sustainable pipeline of trained officials for the future of the game.

The initiative includes a free 2026 Spring Training Umpire Class, virtual NFHS rules instruction, on-field training and evaluations at Lasorda Legacy Park, and early game placement opportunities beginning June 29. The program is open to participants ages 14 and older and is designed to provide consistent mentorship, real-game experience, and a clear pathway into officiating youth baseball.

Organizers hope the program will not only help increase the number of available umpires but also improve the quality of officiating and create a more

supportive environment for new officials entering the sport.

Youth baseball programs throughout the region have continued to experience challenges finding enough umpires to cover games during busy tournament and league schedules. Officials say this partnership is an important step toward strengthening the future of local baseball while also creating leadership and employment opportunities for young people interested in staying involved in the game.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn directly from experienced officials while gaining hands-on experience in live game situations. The goal is to help aspiring umpires build confidence, improve commu-

nication skills, and develop a deeper understanding of the sport.

With the demand for qualified officials continuing to rise, the new program represents

a proactive effort to support youth sports and ensure that local athletes can continue enjoying the game in a structured and positive environment for years to come.

SPORTS

By Tom Barton

The Republicans once again proved they are the team to beat in the annual Congressional Baseball Game, delivering a commanding 11-2 victory over the Democrats and extending their winning streak to six consecutive years.

The yearly charity event, one of Washington’s most popular bipartisan traditions, brings members of Congress together on the baseball field to raise millions of dollars for worthy causes. While the game is about much more than the final score, the Republicans have made winning a habit, and this year’s contest was no exception.

Playing in front of more than 35,000 fans, the GOP turned the game into a rout with a massive

Republicans Win their 6th in a Row

eight-run fourth inning that broke things wide open. By the time the dust settled, Republicans had built an overwhelming 11-0 lead and were firmly in control. The Democrats managed two late runs, but the outcome was never seriously in doubt.

Leading the charge was Congressman Greg Steube, who delivered an outstanding performance on the mound. Steube kept Democratic hitters off balance throughout the evening and helped set the tone for one of the most lopsided victories in recent Congressional Baseball Game history.

The biggest highlight of the night belonged to Missouri Congressman Eric Schmitt. Patrolling left field, Schmitt made

a spectacular running catch along the foul line that instantly became the defensive play of the game. The grab drew cheers from the crowd and showcased athleticism rarely seen in a contest featuring lawmakers rather than professional athletes.

Schmitt’s all-around performance earned him Most Valuable Player honors and helped fuel another dominant Republican victory.

The six-game winning streak has become one of the defining storylines of the Congressional Baseball Game in recent years. What was once a competitive back-and-forth rivalry has recently belonged to the GOP, which has consistently found ways to come out on top.

While the game’s prima-

ry mission remains raising money for charity and bringing lawmakers together for a good cause, Republicans once again

left the field with both the trophy and the bragging rights after another convincing win on baseball’s biggest political stage.

Sachem Standout Wins Sportsmanship Award

By Tom Barton

Success in athletics is often measured by wins, championships, and individual accomplishments. However, one of the highest honors a student-athlete can receive is recognition for character, integrity, and respect for the game. This year, Sachem’s Leonardo Villacreses earned exactly that distinction.

Villacreses was recently named the 2026 Section XI Sportsmanship Award winner for boys tennis, an honor that recognizes student-athletes who exemplify outstanding conduct, leadership, and respect both on and off the court.

Throughout the season, Villacreses demonstrated that excellence extends far beyond athletic ability. While his talent and competitive skills helped make him one of the area’s standout tennis players, it was

his patience, discipline, and sportsmanship that truly set him apart. Coaches, teammates,

opponents, and officials alike witnessed a student-athlete who consistently represented the best values of high school athletics.

His exemplary conduct was especially evident during postseason competition. Villacreses proudly represented Section XI at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Championships, held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Competing on one of the sport’s biggest stages, he showcased not only his tennis abilities but also the respect and professionalism that have become hallmarks of his game.

The Section XI Sportsmanship Award is one of the most meaningful honors presented each year because it celebrates qualities that leave a lasting impact long after scores and

statistics are forgotten. Sportsmanship, integrity, humility, and respect are values that help define successful athletes and strong community members.

For Sachem, Villacreses served as an outstanding ambassador for the program throughout the season. Whether competing in a regular-season match or on the state championship stage, he represented his school with class and pride.

The recognition is a testament to the hard work, maturity, and character Villacreses displayed throughout his tennis career. His achievement serves as a reminder that true success in sports is measured not only by victories, but also by the way athletes conduct themselves while pursuing them.

Former Islander Makes Indoor Hockey Fun

By Tom Barton

Students at Charles E. Walters

Elementary received a special visit this week when former New York Islanders star Benoît Hogue stopped by to support the Islanders Floorball program, bringing plenty of excitement and hockey spirit with him. The visit was part of the Islanders’ ongoing effort to introduce students to the game of hockey through floorball, a fast-paced sport that emphasizes teamwork, movement, and skill development. The program provides schools with brand-new equipment and creates opportunities for students to stay active while learning the fundamentals of the game in a fun and inclu-

sive environment. Hogue spent time interacting with students throughout the day, joining them in floorball activities, answering questions, and sharing stories from his professional hockey career. Students were thrilled to have the chance to play alongside a former NHL standout and eagerly lined up for autographs and photos.

The event created a memorable experience for young hockey fans and introduced many students to the sport in an exciting and hands-on way. Teachers and staff also enjoyed seeing students engage with one of the game’s former stars while learning valuable lessons about teamwork and sportsmanship.

Hogue remains one of the most recognizable players from the Islanders teams of the 1990s. His years on Long Island were the most productive stretch of his NHL career. During his time with the Islanders, he scored 105 goals over three-plus seasons and became a fan favorite thanks to his speed, skill, and scoring ability before eventually moving on to the Toronto Maple Leafs. For the students at Charles E. Walters Elementary, however, the day was about much more than statistics. It was an opportunity to meet a professional athlete, learn about the game of hockey, and experience firsthand the positive impact sports can have on building confidence, friendships, and teamwork.

The Islanders Floorball program continues to make a difference in local schools, and Hogue’s visit helped create memories that students are sure to remember for years to come.

By Tom Barton

The Miller Place varsity softball team continues to build a dynasty.

The Panthers are once again Suffolk County champions after capturing their third consecutive Class A Suffolk County Championship, cementing their place among the top softball programs on Long Island.

Miller Place earned the title by defeating Kings Park in back-toback elimination games, winning 9-1 and 8-6 on consecutive days. Facing a difficult path to the championship, the Panthers responded with the kind of resilience and offensive firepower that has defined their successful run over the past several seasons.

In the first elimination game,

By Tom Barton

Rocky Point High School’s tennis program celebrated a historic achievement this season as Luke Mayola and Sena Donnelly capped off an outstanding year by competing at the New York State Tennis Championships in Flushing.

The freshman-sophomore doubles team etched its names into the school record books by becoming the first doubles team in Rocky Point history to qualify for and compete at the prestigious state tournament. Their remarkable season was filled with accomplishments and showcased the bright future of Rocky Point tennis.

Mayola and Donnelly established themselves as one of the top doubles teams in Suffolk

Miller Place for the Three-Peat

Miller Place’s offense came alive early and never looked back.

Laney Vomero provided one of the game’s biggest highlights with a home run, while Tiffany Clausen delivered a dominant performance in the circle. Clausen kept Kings Park’s hitters off balance throughout the contest, helping lead the Panthers to a convincing 9-1 victory and forcing a decisive winner-take-all championship game.

With the county title on the line the following day, Miller Place once again rose to the occasion.

The Panthers used a huge second inning to take control of the game and never relinquished the lead. Both Tiffany Clausen and Brooke Borkowski came through with clutch hits, each

driving in two runs during the inning to spark the offense and build an advantage that proved to be enough.

Kings Park battled back and kept the pressure on throughout the contest, but Miller Place answered every challenge and held on for an 8-6 victory to secure the championship.

Winning one county title is an accomplishment. Winning three in a row is a testament to the consistency, talent, and determination of the program. Throughout the postseason, the Panthers showcased strong pitching, timely hitting, and the confidence that comes from championship experience.

With another Suffolk County crown now added to the trophy case, the Miller Place Panthers

have once again proven why they remain one of the premier softball programs in the region.

Their latest championship

Rocky Point Duo Make History

County throughout the season.

The talented duo captured the Conference III doubles championship, demonstrating consistency, teamwork, and determi-

nation against some of the area’s best competition.

Their success continued into postseason play, where they earned a third-place finish at the

Section XI Doubles Championships. That performance secured them a coveted berth in the New York State Tennis Championships and placed them among the elite players in New York.

By qualifying for the state tournament, Mayola and Donnelly earned recognition as one of the top 16 doubles teams in the entire state. Competing against New York’s best players is an accomplishment few athletes achieve, making their run even more impressive considering their youth.

What makes the achievement particularly exciting for Rocky Point is that both players still have plenty of tennis ahead of them. As a freshman-sophomore pairing, Mayola and Donnelly have already reached a level of success that many programs spend years pursuing.

run will be remembered as yet another outstanding chapter in an already impressive era of Panther softball.

Their experience at the state tournament will undoubtedly serve as a valuable building block for future seasons.

Beyond the wins and accolades, the duo’s historic run brought pride and excitement to the Rocky Point community. Their hard work, dedication, and sportsmanship throughout the season helped elevate the program and inspire younger athletes who hope to follow in their footsteps.

Although their memorable season has come to an end, Mayola and Donnelly have already secured their place in Rocky Point tennis history. With a conference championship, a top-three Section XI finish, and a state tournament appearance, the future looks incredibly bright for this talented doubles team.

Hills East Wins First Ever State Championship

By Tom Barton

The Half Hollow Hills East girls flag football team has accomplished something no Suffolk County team had ever done before.

This week, the Red Colts made Long Island history by becoming the first Suffolk County flag football team to capture a New York State championship. The historic achievement capped off a perfect season as Hills East defeated Shaker High School 26-12 in the state title game.

From the opening kickoff of the season, the Red Colts established themselves as one of the premier teams in New York. Game after game, they showcased a combination of talent,

determination, and teamwork that made them a difficult matchup for every opponent they faced.

Their remarkable journey began with a Suffolk County championship, where they proved to be the best team in one of the state’s most competitive regions. They then added a Long Island championship to their growing list of accomplishments, earning the opportunity to compete for the ultimate prize on the state’s biggest stage. When that opportunity arrived, the Red Colts rose to the occasion.

Facing a talented Shaker squad in the state championship game, Hills East delivered another outstanding performance, earning a convincing 26-12 victory and

securing their place in New York sports history. The win completed an unbeaten season and cemented the team’s legacy as one of the greatest flag football teams Suffolk County has ever produced.

The accomplishment is significant not only for Half Hollow Hills East but for all of Suffolk County. As the first county team to win a state title in the sport, the Red Colts have set a new standard and opened the door for future generations of athletes to dream even bigger.

Championship teams are remembered for years, but history-making teams are remembered forever. This year’s Red Colts squad achieved both.

From Suffolk County champions to Long Island champions

and now New York State champions, the Half Hollow Hills East girls flag football team completed a perfect season in spectacular fashion. Their undefeated run,

historic accomplishments, and championship mindset have secured their place among the most memorable teams in Long Island high school sports history.

By Tom Barton

The Center Moriches Red Devils have officially earned the title of best Class B baseball team on Long Island.

This past week, Center Moriches captured the Long Island Class B Championship with a convincing 4-0 victory over Nassau County champion Oyster Bay. The win was powered by a spectacular all-around performance from standout pitcher Dan Gilroy, who tossed a complete-game shutout and contributed offensively as well.

The Red Devils entered the championship game with a 19-3 record and faced an Oyster Bay squad that also won 19 games during the season. However,

Center Moriches Red Devils are Long Island Champions

from the opening pitch, Gilroy made it clear that Center Moriches was ready for the moment.

The New Haven University commit struck out the first batter he faced and quickly settled into a dominant rhythm. Oyster Bay went down in order in the first inning, setting the tone for what would become a frustrating afternoon for the Baymen.

Center Moriches wasted little time providing run support. In the bottom of the first inning, Gilroy helped his own cause by delivering an RBI single to right field, scoring JT Bonventre and giving the Red Devils a 1-0 lead. That early run proved to be more than enough, but the offense continued to add insurance. Gilroy recorded his first

hit allowed in the fourth inning, but Oyster Bay was unable to generate any momentum against the hard-throwing right-hander.

The Red Devils expanded their lead in the bottom of the fourth. Gilroy led off the inning with a double to right-center field before designated hitter Nico Libretti drove him home with an RBI single. Later in the inning, David Spina added another RBI single to push the advantage to 3-0.

Center Moriches added its final run in the fifth inning. After another leadoff double, Gilroy once again delivered, this time with a sacrifice fly to bring home the Red Devils’ fourth run of the game.

By the time the final out was recorded, Gilroy had completed

one of the finest performances of his career, striking out 11 batters while allowing just two hits over seven shutout innings.

Now, with a Long Island

Students Turn STEM into a Golf Adventure

By Tom Barton

Learning came with a little extra fun at Moriches Elementary School recently as third-grade students combined science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to create their very own miniature golf course. Working alongside STEM teacher Mrs. Nicolle Ranieri, students became “Putt-Putt Engineers” as they tackled a handson project that brought classroom lessons to life. The young engineers explored important STEM concepts such as force, motion, kinetic energy, and potential energy while designing and building unique golf holes complete with creative obstacles and challenges. Using the engineering design

process, each third-grade class worked together to develop four original miniature golf holes.

Students brainstormed ideas,

sketched detailed blueprints, built prototypes, tested their designs, and made improvements through multiple rounds

of problem-solving and collaboration.

The project also introduced students to advanced technology. Through a partnership with school librarian Mr. Greg Amato, students learned how to use the 3D design platform Tinkercad to transform their ideas into digital models. Once their designs were complete, the students used 3D-printing technology to create targets, obstacles, and other course features that became part of their finished golf holes.

The exciting project culminated in a special outdoor community event where students had the opportunity to test out the course they created and enjoy the results of their hard work. Adding to the experience,

Back to States: Hills East’s Nicolaides Tees

By Tom Barton

Gabriella Nicolaides continues to make a name for herself as one of Suffolk County’s top young golfers after an outstanding performance at the Section XI Suffolk County Girls Golf Championship this past week.

The Half Hollow Hills East High School standout finished fifth overall in Suffolk County, earning a coveted spot to represent Section XI at the upcoming NYSPHSAA Girls Golf Championship this June. Along with qualifying for the state championship, Nicolaides also earned All-League, All-Conference, and All-County honors, adding even more accolades to an already impressive season.

For Nicolaides, this accom-

plishment is especially meaningful because it marks her second trip to the state tournament in just two years. She previously qualified for the championship as a freshman in 2024, a rare achievement in one of the most competitive girls golf regions in New York State.

Her consistent success has quickly established her as one of the premier golfers in Suffolk County and a rising star for the Hills East program. Competing against many of the county’s top players, Nicolaides once again showed poise, skill, and maturity beyond her years throughout the championship event.

The achievement is also another proud moment for the Half Hollow Hills East athletic community, which has contin-

ued to see student-athletes excel both individually and as teams throughout the school year. Nicolaides’ ability to return to the state stage demonstrates not only her talent, but also her dedication and hard work yearround.

Qualifying twice for the state championship before the end of sophomore year is a remarkable accomplishment and speaks to the bright future ahead for the young golfer. As she prepares to compete against the best players from across New York State this June, the Hills East community will certainly be cheering her on. With another standout season already in the books, Gabriella Nicolaides continues to build an impressive legacy in Suffolk County girls golf.

members of the William Floyd High School boys varsity golf team attended the event along with their coach, Tom Short, who also teaches fourth grade at Moriches Elementary. The high school golfers offered tips, encouragement, and plenty of support as the younger students showcased their creations.

More than just a fun activity, the project gave students a valuable opportunity to apply classroom concepts in a real-world setting. Through creativity, teamwork, and innovation, Moriches Elementary’s third graders gained hands-on experience in science, engineering, design, and technology while creating memories that are sure to last long after the final putt.