The Times of Middle Country - December 23, 2021

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TIMES of MIDDLE COUNTRY C E N T E R E AC H • S E L D E N • L A K E G R O V E N O R T H

December 23, 2021 MCCSD

Vol. 17, No. 36

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Hard work pays off!

IDA approves new Gitto project New apartments coming to Upper Port

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Featured Artist of the Month: Marlene Weinstein Also: Theatre Talk with Jason Allyn

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Middle Country school superintendent honored for leadership

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On Monday, Dec. 6, the Suffolk County Boy Scouts of America chapter acknowledged and honored Superintendent of Schools Roberta Gerold’s accomplishments with their first annual Excellence in Education award.

“I have been an educator for over 40 years and nothing brings me greater joy than being the superintendent of such an exceptional

school district,” Gerold said. “Thank you to the Suffolk County Boy Scouts of America for honoring me as their first award recipient. I am truly humbled to have received this recognition.”

In addition to the presentation of the Excellence in Education award to Gerold, the night’s event was punctuated by musical performances by student musicians and

performers from Newfield High School and Centereach High School.

Vibrant, colorful student artwork was also on display for attendees to view and enjoy throughout the evening.

Gerold came to Middle Country in 2006 after serving as the superintendent of schools at the Farmingdale School District.

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A rendering of the new mixed-use complex to be built on the corner of Main Street and North Country Road in Port Jefferrson. Photo from The Gitto Group

BY JULIANNE MOSHER JULIANNE@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM The Gitto Group is one step closer to starting the construction on its latest project in Upper Port.

Vice President Rob Gitto said that earlier this month the group received approval from the Village of Port Jefferson and the Town of Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency to finally close on an economic development package that will assist as the developer constructs a mixed-use project on the corner of Main Street and North Country Road. Gitto said the complex will include 36 rental units and two retail spaces below. It is to be located where the PJ Lobster House originally stood, as well as a former florist shop.

“We’re excited to have another project in the village,” Gitto said. “It’s a very important corner and we’re looking forward to building a nice product.”

The Gitto Group has built another development uptown, The Hills at Port Jefferson Village, which has been at a steady full capacity since opening. These projects are part of the continuous plan to revitalize Upper Port.

According to the IDA, Port Development, an affiliate of The Gitto Group, plans to demolish the two buildings, 4,400 square feet and 1,800 square feet respectively, and replace them with a three-story building totaling 48,660 square

feet, spending $15 million to replace the nowvacant buildings.

The complex will have 32 one-bedroom apartments of approximately 750-850 square feet each and four two-bedroom units of about 1,200 square feet.

Resident amenities will include a fitness room, lobby and lounge spaces, an indoor garage, and a private outdoor patio and lawn/ garden area.

The ground level of the proposed building, within walking distance of the LIRR’s Port Jefferson station, will include 1,800 square feet of commercial/retail space.

“There is currently a high demand for rental housing in the Town of Brookhaven and the Port Jefferson area and this project will add to the supply,” said Frederick C. Braun III, chairman of the Brookhaven IDA. “Also, this development will make a positive, long-term economic impact on the village and further the revitalization of Upper Port.”

The project is expected to generate 133 construction jobs and five full-time equivalent permanent jobs. Construction is expected to take 18 months.

Gitto added that people will begin to see more movement on the property now that approvals have been secured.

“We are starting the preliminary work,” he said. “We’re getting ready for demolition but we won’t be able to start construction until March.”

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PAGE A4 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • DECEMBER 23, 2021

A face-to-face event cheers Temple Isaiah members on a rainy day

BY DONNA NEWMAN DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM On Dec. 18 about 30 congregants attended an in-person event at Temple Isaiah of Stony Brook to learn about and celebrate the synagogue’s 56year history. It was the first such event planned since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Small groups of fully vaccinated, masked and socially distanced participants rotated through four talks around the building.

“In suggesting and coordinating this program, I had several objectives in mind,” Rabbi Paul Sidlofsky said. “Giving the opportunity for members to gather safely in our building; creating an alternate Shabbat day experience that would attract members; and highlighting the rich history and tremendous resources, both human and facility, of Temple Isaiah.”

He added he is grateful the event was a resounding success and appreciates all those who came to lead and participate.

Founding members Barbara and Jerry Fine presented the temple’s origin story, which began in early 1965 when a small notice appeared in the Three Village Herald. Eli Kahn, said Fine, was the prime mover of the plan to establish a Reform Jewish congregation. He was seeking like-minded people.

“Several members of the [existing] Conservative Jewish Center were looking for

a more liberal synagogue,” said Fine. His wife, Barbara, shared her view that it was definitely needed. Having grown up in an Orthodox Jewish home, she wanted to be part of a religious group that viewed females as equals, she said.

Rabbi Emeritus Stephen Karol, who displayed a photo of the sanctuary as it appeared when he joined the temple in 2006, spoke of the changes made over the years and his emotional connection to the space.

“This room is filled with objects created by members of the congregation and that adds to the soul of this sanctuary,” he said. “Only the ner tamid [eternal light] suspended before the ark [the cabinet that holds Torah scrolls] and the menorah appear in this old photo.”

The menorah, crafted by artist Joe Donnelly, has become a symbol of Temple Isaiah. The ner tamid was created by Ludwig Yehuda Wolpert, a world-renowned, German-born, Israeli metalwork designer.

Congregant gifts include a tapestry by artist Lydie Egosi; two additional pieces of wall-mounted art created by Donnelly – Holocaust Memorial and a depiction of the Ten Commandments; a marble-topped candlelighting table built by Steve Hiller; a Torah stand constructed as an Eagle Scout project by Shawn Countess; handmade Torah covers by Deborah Fisher; and Torah binders quilted by Joan Korins.

Attendees visited the Adam D. Fisher Library,

Approximately 30 congregants came together at Temple Isaiah of Stony Brook Dec. 18 to celebrate the synagogue’s 56-year history. Photo from Donna Newman

named for Temple Isaiah’s longest serving, and now, rabbi emeritus – an appropriate honor for an author of liturgy, educational books, poetry and fiction.

“We built it as a gift for him, and he gifted it right back to the congregation,” said member Carole-Anne Gordon. In retirement, Fisher has overseen and curated the library – and even built furniture for it.

“This is one of the most extensive collections of Judaica existing in a synagogue library,” said Fisher proudly, as he listed the multitude of items available.

A fourth presentation was given by long-time temple member Steve Weitzman, who told the group about the supervising organizations that oversee and assist Reform Jewish congregations, how they have changed over the years and how liturgy has evolved.

For the most part, Temple Isaiah has held services and B’nai Mitzvah virtually via Zoom or livestreaming since pandemic restrictions eased after the initial lockdown. Dec. 18 provided an afternoon of smiles for those who attended. If only life could return to a semblance of normalcy.

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DECEMBER 23, 2021 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • PAGE A5

Heritage Trust partners with North Shore Youth Council

BY JULIANNE MOSHER JULIANNE@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM The Heritage Center in Mount Sinai will soon have new owners, but that doesn’t mean that things are going to completely change.

As of Dec. 1, North Shore Youth Council took over the operations and activities of Heritage Trust.

Victoria Hazan, president of Heritage Trust, said that for the last two decades, the center and its grounds were run by a devoted set of board members and volunteers, but it was time for the center to have a new life.

“We were looking for it to be transferred to another nonprofit,” she said. “We loved their mission — NSYC is awesome and are community oriented like we are.”

Based primarily out of Rocky Point, NSYC has been prominent within its community since the early 1980s.

The organization was born out of concern for the high rates of substance abuse and teenage runaways on Long Island at the time.

Driven by the desire to save as many youths as they could from drugs and alcohol, these individuals spawned an innovative model for youth prevention programming that continues to this day. Eventually NSYC began to expand and offer additional services along the North Shore including summer camps, after-school programs

and mentorships.

Robert Woods, NSYC’s executive director, said that the organization always had a close connection to Heritage Trust.

“This partnership will allow us to bring in more resources to the community and affords new and exciting opportunities for thousands of residents to enjoy and partake in,” he said. “With this expansion and increase of space for NSYC, we’ll be able to do more of what we love and serve youth and families in greater capacities.”

This doesn’t mean that NSYC will be closing or eliminating their Rocky Point presence, either.

“We’re expanding our services to reach families in other communities,” he said. “We are thrilled for this next chapter of our organization to expand into the heart of the North Shore communities and build upon the center’s 20year legacy.”

Lori Baldassare, founder and a board member with the trust, said NSYC was always affiliated with the group — her late husband Jaime was president of the NSYC board for a decade.

“They share a mission that was similar to ours,” she said. “It just made sense.”

While the deal is not completely closed yet — Woods said it should be finalized within the next month — NSYC has begun hosting events and taking on the operations that Heritage is known for including the annual tree lighting and breakfast with Santa.

SCPD says goodbye to acting police commissioner Cameron Members of the Suffolk County Police Department said goodbye to Acting Commissioner Stuart Cameron during a walkout at police headquarters in Yaphank Dec. 17.

Cameron retired after a nearly 37-year career with the SCPD. Cameron’s most recent assignment was acting commissioner, a title he held on two separate occasions since 2018. Cameron has been the SCPD chief of department since 2015, a title he earned after serving as both the chief of Support Services and assistant chief of Patrol.

He began his career Feb. 25, 1985, and served the residents of the 2nd Precinct upon graduation from the academy. Cameron

rose through the ranks, reaching the rank of captain in July 2000, taking over as the commanding officer of the Planning and Community Services Bureau. A year later, he moved to Highway Patrol Bureau as the executive officer before spending a decade in the Special Patrol Bureau as both the executive and commanding officer.

Cameron was honored in 2016 with the department’s Daniel P. Guido Leadership Award and was named the department’s Cop of the Year in 1990. He also earned Cop of the Month three times during his career along with numerous command and department recognitions.

— Photos from Suffolk County Police Department

The Heritage Center at Heritage Park.

Photo by Julianne Mosher

“It’s great for NSYC to have a brick-andmortar space for them to host events and use that they didn’t have before,” Baldassare said.

Heritage Park, and the center inside it, began 25 years ago when the open land was slated for construction of a new Home Depot located at 633 Mount Sinai-Coram Road. Baldassare was a member of the Mount Sinai Hamlet Study for the Town of Brookhaven at the time.

“People said they didn’t have a central meeting place in the area — not just for Mount

Sinai, but the whole North Shore community,” she said. “The Heritage Center and park have been able to create a sense of place.”

Not only will the center host Heritage events in the near future, but Woods said they will be able to bring more activities for residents including LGBTQ youth programs and behavioral art classes.

“It was bittersweet,” Hazan said. “But at the end of the day, it was the best thing we could’ve done for the park.”

PAGE A6 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • DECEMBER 23, 2021

Health

With COVID at highest level in over a year, county plans to open new testing sites

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM The Greek letter versions of the variants are beating up on Suffolk County, just as families prepare to gather during the holidays and New Year.

Suffolk County reported a 13.6% positive testing rate on Dec. 20, which is the highest rate in over a year, according to County Executive Steve Bellone (D).

“The omicron variant is, without question, powering a surge in cases here,” Bellone said on a conference call with reporters. “We are seeing that play out in long lines for testing as the holiday season continues and as Christmas and New Year’s approach.”

Indeed, Bellone announced that he is using his emergency powers to create three new testing sites on Long Island. The county will open a site at Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach on Dec. 27, in West Sayville on Dec. 27, and in the Sound Beach area on Jan. 4.

Bellone said he chose these sites near locations where the positivity rate is higher.

Bellone encourages residents to visit the county’s website, at suffolkcountyny.gov/ covid19 to get details about signing up for

tests at these new locations.

As for holiday preparations, Bellone and Dr. Gregson Pigott, commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, suggested residents could continue with their holiday gathering plans as long as they take adequate precautions.

“It’s important to be vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna,” Pigott said. “It’s more important to get that third shot, that booster shot, that’ll give you the maximum protection.”

Infectious disease experts urged residents to remain vigilant about the virus during the current surge and as people prepare to visit families.

“I would suggest making sure that everyone test for COVID and receive a negative test result” before family gatherings, Sean Clouston, associate professor in the Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine, explained in an email.

“This is especially true for those in which there are individuals who are either unvaccinated, or those where attendees either are vaccinated but aged 60 and older.” Hospitals in the area have seen a dramatic increase in emergency room visits from residents who contracted COVID. “The number of COVID hospitalizations has tripled in the last three weeks,” Dr. Adrian

Popp, chair of Infection Control at Huntington Hospital/Northwell Health, wrote in an email.

Popp explained that patients who have been vaccinated have a milder form of COVID, while unvaccinated patients have suffered more severe symptoms. About two thirds of hospitalized patients are unvaccinated at Huntington Hospital, while several patients are in the intensive care unit.

With the increase in omicron cases, Popp explained that “we are all concerned that we may be overwhelmed if too many sick patients will show up all at once in the emergency room.”

To be sure, even with the increase in hospitalizations from the fall, the number of people batting the disease in the hospital remains well below peak levels. As of a year ago, 526 people battled COVID in the hospital. This week, that number stood at 326.

“The numbers are increasing, but they are still less than they were,” Bellone said.

Dr. Sunil Dhuper, chief medical officer at Port Jefferson’s St. Charles Hospital, suggested a three-pronged approach to defending against the next phase in the spread of COVID. Getting vaccines and boosters is the first and most important step. Treating vulnerable residents with monoclonal antibodies is the second, and

testing and wearing masks is the third step.

GlaxoSmithKline’s monoclonal treatment, called sotrovimab, works the best against omicron, Dhuper said.

At this point, the supply of that treatment, however, is limited. Dhuper hopes to get the supply issue resolved this Monday.

Until that is resolved, however, only people who are unvaccinated and who are vaccinated and immunocompromised or over 65 are eligible for this treatment, which is what the National Institutes of Health and Department of Health have recommended, Dhuper said.

The shortage of monoclonal antibodies is “an issue that needs to be addressed at the state and federal levels,” Bellone said. “I’m encouraged by what we’ve seen happening there. It’s an issue that we’ve heard from hospitals. With this surge, we’re seeing all of the capacity tested once again.”

Indeed, hospitals remain prepared to increase their staffing levels, particularly in January when people return from traveling and visiting family members.

“Everybody is aware that we may call upon any employee at any time, even if they are on vacation if we begin to see that the system is getting overwhelmed,” Dhuper said.

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PAGE A8 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • DECEMBER 23, 2021

University

Winter SBU graduation features surprise

Students, families and the Stony Brook University community celebrated newly earned degrees at Stony Brook’s Winter Commencement ceremony on Dec. 17 and witnessed a sweet surprise.

More than 1,600 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students become members of the more than 200,000 Stony Brook University alumni worldwide. Graduates ranged in age from 19 to 72-years old.

Among the graduates was Alyssa O’Hara who received her diploma in math. O’Hara thought her husband, U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Justin O’Hara, would be watching the ceremony via the university’s live stream. He is currently stationed in Alaska.

According to a press release from SBU, for two months, Justin O’Hara was figuring out how he could surprise his wife and be there for the graduation ceremony in person.

“Alyssa, we have a special surprise for you today,” said Marianna Savoca, Stony Brook’s director of Career Services at the Career Center, who also announced the names of the graduates.

As Justin O’Hara snuck out from behind the stage, his shocked wife walked to meet him.

The couple saw each other last in August, prior to the beginning of the semester. Justin O’Hara has served three years in the Air Force, mostly in Alaska, but was also deployed overseas for

eight months.

“I’m so happy to see him,” Alyssa O’Hara said as she walked off the stage and embraced her husband.

Pictured clockwise from above, Justin O’ Hara suprises his wife, Alyssa, during graduation; graduates wait for thier diplomas; and the O’Haras after graduation.

— Photo upper left by Greg Catalano; all others from SBU

History Close at Hand

Historian shares holiday postcards

BY BEVERLY C. TYLER DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM Greeting postcards were becoming popular in the United States by the 1870s, and by the 1880s, they were being printed in the millions.

During the late 1800s and early 1900s, humor was a favorite theme for postcards and Christmas postcards were no exception.

The lower price of postage — one cent for a postcard — was one of the reasons for their popularity. The greeting postcard was most popular between 1895 and 1914, when the craze for collecting cards was at its height.

By the end of the first decade of the 20th century, the collecting of picture postcards was the most popular hobby in the world.

Pictured left to right, Santa’s Gift series postcards were popular at Christmas time especially with a child waiting for Santa to bring a gift. This one is a series of three scenes. Other stories featured many more scenes.

— Postcard images submitted by Beverly C. Tyler

DECEMBER 23, 2021 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • PAGE A9

Perspective

Faith leaders concerned about far-right extremist groups

SUBMITTED BY THREE VILLAGE INTERFAITH CLERGY ASSOCIATION Over the last several weeks, members of the Proud Boys, a violent extremist hate group, have marched through the streets of Patchogue, Bay Shore and Rockville Centre.

While we would prefer not to give them or their views any more attention or press, this moment in time demands clear and unified moral opposition to groups that espouse Islamophobia, misogyny, white nationalism, anti-Semitism and other expressions of hate.

As faith leaders from many traditions and members of the Three Village Interfaith Clergy Association, we stand together to say unequivocally that our religious beliefs are wholly incompatible with views that seek to divide, intimidate or threaten. In each of our traditions, love of neighbor is foundational and a commitment to peace is paramount.

We are deeply concerned about the rising bravado of far-right extremist groups across the country, their unwelcome presence in our communities, and their desire to recruit and gain strength locally. Their participation in events like the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol are more than enough evidence of who they are and what they want. Though their brand of radicalism is not new, we are witnessing the dangerous seepage of their violent, crass, racist rhetoric into the mainstream.

We support free speech. Our democracy depends on the right of all people, including those who hold abhorrent views, being able to speak and assemble freely. But the Proud Boys are here on Long Island because they think they will gain a foothold. They, and any who think like them, need to meet a groundswell of our collective voice with this

The Rev. Kate Jones Calone Setauket Presbyterian Church The Rev. Cooper Conway Caroline Episcopal Church Imam Abdullah Islamic Association of Long Island, Selden Masjid The Rev. Steven Kim Setauket United Methodist Church The Rev. Frank Kotowski Summerland Church of Light, NSAC Elaine Learnard Conscience Bay Friends Meeting The Rev. Ashley McFaul-Erwin Setauket Presbyterian Church Sr. Edith Menegus Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk, U.S. Province Rabbi Paul Sidlofsky Temple Isaiah The Rev. Lisa Williams Bethel AME Church

message: You will not stop our work to end the injustices that divide us.

Together, we can work to build communities and a nation that thrive because we love and uphold one another.

And so together, let’s all stand firm against the currents of destabilization that seek to destroy our common bond. Our faith traditions call us to speak and act, with courage and conviction, on the side of love.

The Three Village Interfaith Clergy Association: The Rev. Margaret Allen Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook The Rev. Dr. Linda Anderson Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook Rabbi Aaron Benson North Shore Jewish Center

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PAGE A10 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • DECEMBER 23, 2021

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PAGE A12 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • DECEMBER 23, 2021

WE ARE:

CONTACT US:

BASIC AD RATES • FIRST 20 WORDS

The Village TIMES HERALD The Village BEACON RECORD The Port TIMES RECORD The TIMES of Smithtown The TIMES of Middle Country The TIMES of Huntington, Northport & East Northport

TBR News Media 185 Route 25A (Bruce Street entrance) Setauket, NY 11733 Call: 631-331-1154 or 631-751-7663

1 Week $29.00 4 Weeks $99.00 DISPLAY ADS Call for rates.

SPECIALS*

tbrnewsmedia.com ©98619

*May change without notice REAL ESTATE FREE FREE FREE ACTION AD 20 words Merchandise DISPLAY ADS $44 for 4 weeks under Ask about our for all your used $50 15 words Contract Rates. merchandise 1 item only.

EMPLOYMENT GARAGE SALE Fax•Mail•E-mail Buy 2 weeks of ADS $29.00 Drop Off any size BOXED 20 words Include Name, ad get 2 weeks Address, Phone # Free 2 signs with free placement of ad

GENERAL OFFICE 631–751–7744 Fax 631–751–4165 This Publication is Subject to All Fair Housing Acts OFFICE HOURS Monday–Friday 10:00 am–4:00 pm

INDEX

OFFICE • IN-PERSON

(40¢ each additional word)

MAIL ADDRESS TBR News Media Classifieds Department P.O. Box 707 Setauket, NY 11733

EMAIL class@tbrnewsmedia.com CONTACT CLASSIFIEDS:

(631) 331–1154 or (631) 751–7663 Fax (631) 751–4165 class@tbrnewsmedia.com tbrnewsmedia.com

The Classifieds Section is published by TIMES BEACON RECORD NEWS MEDIA every Thursday. Leah S. Dunaief, Publisher, Sheila Murray, Classifieds Director. We welcome your comments and ads.

TIMES BEACON RECORD NEWS MEDIA will not be responsible for errors after the first week’s insertion. Please check your ad carefully. • Statewide or Regional Classifieds also available - Reach more than 7 million readers in New York’s community newspapers.

Line ads 25 words : Long Island region $69 - $129 – New York City region $289 - $499 – Central region $29 - $59 – Western region $59 - $99 - Capital region $59 - $99 – all regions $389 - $689 words. $10 each additional word. Call for display ad rates.

The following are some of our available categories listed in the order in which they appear.

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Call 631–331–1154 or 631–751–7663 • TIMES BEACON RECORD NEWS MEDIA • tbrnewsmedia.com

DECEMBER 23, 2021 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • PAGE A13

Place your ad today Call 631.751.7663 or 631.331.1154

E M PL OY M E N T / C A R E E R S Help Wanted

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MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL DISTRICT School District Aides and Custodial Substitutes, positions available throughout the district, please email resume to: Maureen Poerio at mpoerio@mtsinai.k12.ny.us.

PART-TIME GROUNDSKEEPER I General job duties include: Performs a variety of light and heavy manual laboring tasks in the maintenance of the grounds at all four Library Buildings.

Tasks to be performed use hand and power tools.

Interested candidates please email a letter of application, and your résumé to smithjob@smithlib.org PLEASE SEE OUR DISPLAY AD FOR MORE INFORMATION

P/T SALES/CUSTOMER SERVICE Inside position selling advertising for an award-winning community news media group, Fax resume to 631-751-4165 or email resume to Class@tbrnewspapers.com.

See our display ad for more information.

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MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL DISTRICT School District Aides & Custodial Substitute Positions available throughout the District

Please email resume to : Maureen Poerio @ mpoerio@mtsinai.k12.ny.us

HELP WANTED SPECIAL! Display Ads Buy 2 Weeks - Get 2 FREE

Call Classifieds for sizes and pricing.

631–331–1154 or 631–751–7663 NOTICE OF AVAILABLE POSITION

MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL DISTRICT

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small space

MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL DISTRICT Substitute Registered Nurse needed, Please email resume to: Scott Reh at sreh@mtsibai.k12.ny.us

Please email resume to: Scott Reh at sreh@ mtsinai.k12.ny.us

Part-time Groundskeeper I General job duties include: • Performs a variety of light and heavy manual laboring tasks in the maintenance of the grounds at all four Library Buildings. Tasks to be performed use hand and power tools.

• Gives minor routine maintenance service to groundskeeping equipment.

• Removes snow. Salts and sands driveways and sidewalks. Performs custodial tasks during winter months.

Applicants must possess and maintain a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State.

Entry 2022 level salary is $17.69 per hour.

Interested candidates please email a letter of application, and your résumé to smithjob@smithlib.org ©61690

PROF E S SION A L & B U SI N E S S Place Your Ad in the

Double size • $296/4 weeks Ask about our 13 & 26 week special rates

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COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now, Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details, (844) 947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET)

MANAGER OF GALLERY ATTENDANTS & SITE SAFETY The Long Island Museum Stony Brook, NY longislandmuseum.org Full-time, 35 hours per week Thursday- Sunday, 11:00 AM 6:00 PM Seven (7) additional hours on one additional day per week Salary commensurate with experience Position to be filled immediately, start date in January/February, 2022 SEE OUR DISPLAY AD FOR MORE INFORMATION

PART-TIME GROUNDSKEEPER General job duties include: Performs a variety of light and heavy manual laboring tasks in the maintenance of the grounds at all four Library Buildings.

Tasks to be performed use hand and power tools.

Gives minor routine maintenance service to groundskeeping equipment.

Removes snow. Salts and sands driveways and sidewalks. Performs custodial tasks during winter months.

Applicants must possess and maintain a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State.

Entry 2022 level salary is $17.69 per hour.

Interested candidates please email a letter of application, and your résumé to smithjob@smithlib.org

©62160

PUBLISHER’S EMPLOYMENT NOTICE: All employment advertising in this newspaper is subject to section 296 of the human rights law which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, disability, marital status, sex, age or arrest conviction record or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. Title 29, U.S. Code Chap 630, excludes the Federal Gov’t. from the age discrimination provisions. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for employment which is in violation of the law. Our readers are informed that employment offerings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis.

Help Wanted

©Fill000036

Help Wanted

Place your ad today Call 631.751.7663 or 631.331.1154

Blues Man Piano Tuning Brad Merila Certified Piano Technician 6 Barnwell Lane, Stony Brook

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PAGE A14 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • DECEMBER 23, 2021

Place your ad today Call 631.751.7663 or 631.331.1154

SERV ICES Decks

WIREMAN CABLEMAN Professional wiring services.

Free estimates. All work guaranteed. Call 516-433-WIRE (9473), 631-667-WIRE (9473) or text 516-353-1118. SEE DISPLAY AD FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Carpentry LONG HILL CARPENTRY 45 years experience All phases of home improvement. Old & Historic Restorations. Lic.#H22336/Ins. 631-751-1764 longhill7511764@aol.com

Cesspool Services MR SEWERMAN CESSPOOL SERVICE All types of cesspool servicing, all work guaranteed, family owned and operated since 1985, 631-924-7502.

Licensed and Insured.

Cleaning COME HOME TO A CLEAN HOUSE! Attention to detail is MY PRIORITY. Serving the Three Village Area. Call Jacquie 347-840-0890

Home Improvement

DECKS ONLY BUILDERS & DESIGNERS Of Outdoor Living By Northern Construction of LI. Decks, Patios/Hardscapes, Pergolas, Outdoor Kitchens and Lighting.

Since 1995. Lic/Ins. 3rd Party Financing Available.

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Fences SMITHPOINT FENCE. DEER PROBLEM? WE CAN HELP! Wood, PVC, Chain Link, Stockade. Free estimates.

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Floor Services/Sales FINE SANDING & REFINISHING Wood Floor Installations Craig Aliperti, Wood Floors LLC. All work done by owner.

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Furniture/Restoration/ Repairs REFINISHING & RESTORATION Antiques restored, repairing recane, reupholstery, touch-ups kitchen, front doors, 40 yrs exp, SAVE$$$, free estimates.

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ALL PHASES OF HOME IMPROVEMENT From attic to your basement, RCJ Construction www.rcjconstruction.com commercial/residential, lic/ins 631-580-4518.

BLUSTAR CONSTRUCTION The North Shore’s Most Trusted Renovation Experts.

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Suffolk Lic. #48714-H, Ins. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD FOR MORE INFORMATION. E L I M I N AT E G U T T E R CLEANING FOREVER! LeafFilter, the most advanced debrisblocking gutter protection.

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In Home Service!! Handy Howard. My cell 646-996-7628 NEVER PAY FOR COVERED HOME REPAIRS AGAIN, Complete Care Home Warranty, Covers all major systems and appliances. 30 day risk free. $200.00 OFF +2 FREE Months, 866-440-6501 THE GENERAC PWRcell, a solar plus battery storage system.

SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option. Request a FREE, no obligation, quote today. Call 1-888-871-0194 WIREMAN/CABLEMAN Flat TVs mounted, Phone, TVs & Computer wiring installed & serviced, camera & stereos, HDTV Antennas, FREE TV www.davewireman.com Call Dave 516-433-WIRE (9473) 631-667-WIRE (9473) or Text 516-353-1118

Home Repairs/ Construction GENERAL CONTRACTOR, TILE & MASONRY SPECIALIST. 20 years of experience.

Also clean-ups and junk removal. Call 631-232-0174. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE DISPLAY AD.

Lawn & Landscaping SETAUKET LANDSCAPE DESIGN Stone Driveways/Walkways, Walls/Stairs/Patios/Masonry, Brickwork/Repairs Land Clearing/Drainage,Grading/ Excavating. Plantings/Mulch, Rain Gardens.

Steve Antos, 631-689-6082 setauketlandscape.com Serving Three Villages

SWAN COVE LANDSCAPING Lawn Maintenance, Cleanups, Shrub/Tree Pruning, Removals. Landscape Design/ Installation, Ponds/Waterfalls, Stone Walls. Firewood. Free estimates. Lic/Ins.631-6898089

Landscape Materials SCREENED TOP SOIL Mulch, compost, decorative and driveway stone, concrete pavers, sand/block/portland.

Fertilizer and seed.

JOS. M. TROFFA MATERIALS CORP. 631-928-4665, www.troffa.com

Masonry CARL BONGIORNO LANDSCAPE/MASON CONTRACTOR All phases Masonry Work:Stone Walls, Patios, Poolscapes. All phases of Landscaping Design.

Theme Gardens. Residential & Commercial. Lic/Ins. 631-928-2110

Painting/Spackling/ Wallpaper ALL PRO PAINTING INTERIOR/EXTERIOR Power Washing, Staining, Wallpaper Removal. Free estimates. Lic/Ins #19604HI 631-696-8150. Nick BOB’S PAINTING SERVICE 25 Years Experience.

Interior/Exterior Painting, Spackling, Staining, Wallpaper Removal, Staining and Deck Restoration Power Washing.

Free Estimates. Lic/Ins. #17981.

631-744-8859 LA ROTONDA PAINTING & DESIGN Interior/exterior, sheetrock repairs, taping/spackling, wallpaper removal, faux, decorative finishings. Free estimates. Lic. #53278-H/Ins. Ross LaRotonda 631-689-5998 WORTH PAINTING “PAINTING WITH PRIDE” Interiors/exteriors. Staining & deck restoration, powerwashing, wallpaper removal, sheetrocktape/spackling, carpentry/trimwork. Lead paint certified. References. Free estimates. Lic./Ins. SINCE 1989 Ryan Southworth. SEE DISPLAY AD FOR MORE INFO. 631-331-5556 WORTH PAINTING “PAINTING WITH PRIDE” Interiors/exteriors. Staining & deck restoration, powerwashing, wallpaper removal, sheetrocktape/spackling, carpentry/trimwork. Lead paint certified. References. Free estimates. Lic./Ins. SINCE 1989 Ryan Southworth. SEE DISPLAY AD FOR MORE INFO. 631-331-5556

Power Washing EXTERIOR CLEANING SPECIALISTS Roof cleaning, pressure washing/softwashing, gutter maintenance. Squeaky Clean Property Solutions 631-387-2156 www.

SqueakyCleanli.com

Satellite TV BEST SATELLITE TV WITH 2 YEAR PRICE GUARANTEE, $59.99/mo with 190 channels and 3 months free premium movie channels, Free next day installation,Call 888-508-5313

Tree Work ARBOR-VISTA TREE CARE A COMPLETE TREE CARE SERVICE devoted to the care of trees. Maintenance pruning, water-view work, sun-trimming, elevating, pool areas, storm thinning, large tree removal, stump grinding. Wood chips.

Lic#18902HI. Free estimates.

631-246-5377 RANDALL BROTHERS TREE SERVICE Planting, pruning, removals, stump grinding. Free Estimates.

Fully insured.

LIC# 50701-H. 631-862-9291 SUNBURST TREE EXPERTS Since 1974, our history of customer satisfaction is second to none. Pruning/removals/ planting, plant health care.

Insect/ Disease Management.

ASK ABOUT GYPSY MOTH AND TICK SPRAYS Bonded employees. Lic/Ins. #8864HI 631-744-1577

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Cable/Telephone

DECEMBER 23, 2021 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • PAGE A15

Place your ad today Call 631.751.7663 or 631.331.1154

HOME SERV ICES BOB’S PAINTING SERVICE

INTERIOR • EXTERIOR

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REFERENCES GLADLY GIVEN

FREE ESTIMATES

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Construction

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PAGE A18 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • DECEMBER 23, 2021

Editorial

Staying safe this holiday With Christmas this weekend, families are looking to get together for some quality time.

Last Christmas, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, people quarantined with just those in their households. It was lonely for some, but they stayed safe, away from contact with other people.

Then 2021 came around and with the vaccines we saw some hope — we began slowly peeling off our masks and traveling again. Families became reunited.

But unfortunately, that was premature and now Suffolk County is at a 14% positivity rate as of Tuesday, Dec. 21.

To put it in perspective, municipalities across New York state were shut down at 5% in the spring of 2020. We have doubled the seven-day average compared to where we were at that time and have not shut down.

And there are reasons for that. Luckily more than a yearand-a-half later we have the vaccines, we have boosters and we know that masks work — we just need to continue using them and continue using common sense.

It’s sad to think that this is the second Christmas where some families might not be able to see their loved ones out of fear. It’s sad that we as a country were doing well and now have fallen back into old habits of not taking care of ourselves and of others.

If we continue not to listen to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, our health care providers and the science, Politicians insist we won’t go into lockdown, but what will happen if the infection rate goes to 20%? What will we do if the hospitals are overfilled again?

With the comfort we felt during this past summer, newly vaccinated with restrictions lifted, some might have forgotten what early 2020 looked like. Visits to grandparents were through a window. Restaurants were not allowed to have inside dining. Disinfectants and masks were impossible to find, while bodies were kept in outside trailers because the morgue was filled to capacity.

We don’t want to head back in that direction, especially with all of the resources now available to us. We have the vaccine, we have the booster, we have masks and we know how to combat this virus. We just need to collectively do it and not treat it lightly.

So, for this holiday season, and throughout the rest of the winter, please take care of yourself, take care of others and be cautious.

WRITE TO US … We welcome your letters. They should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style and good taste. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include a phone number and address for confirmation. Email letters to julianne@tbrnewsmedia. com or mail them to The Times of Middle Country, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

The opinions of columnists and letter writers are their own.

They do not speak for the newspaper.

Letters to the Editor Zeldin uses commonly known political tactic

I found Congressman Lee Zeldin’s [R-NY1] recent letter to the editor [Dec. 9 edition] to be insulting and, more importantly, a threat to our democracy.

Zeldin employed the unethical political tactic commonly known as “the straw man fallacy.” The way it works is this: The accuser makes negative, misleading statements about the behavior and/or intentions of those whom he would like to see criticized. He then condemns those individuals, provoking unwarranted criticism of those individuals by those who believe his allegations.

For 37 years, I worked as a teacher, school building administrator and school district administrator here on Long Island.

Zeldin claims that educators want to impose “a racist, hateful curriculum.” He says that educators “promote radical ideas.”

Never, not once, did I encounter a situation where any one of my colleagues in any way promoted racist, hateful ideas. Long Island’s educators are caring, professional individuals. They implement curriculum without bias.

Zeldin says he agrees with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice [R] that our children should not be made to “feel that they are somehow bad people because of the color of their skin.” His implication, with no basis in fact, is that educators are making our children feel this way. To the contrary, in schools throughout Long Island, educators hold it as a priority to teach our children to respect and appreciate the racialethnic background of others, and to be proud of their own culture and heritage.

Teachers and administrators go out of their way to encourage parental involvement, contrary to what Zeldin has implied. To say that educators “discourage” parental input, as Zeldin alleges, is simply incorrect.

This straw man fallacy has been used throughout history to provoke animosity, to sow division and to incite right-wing vigilantism. We have seen it used time and time again, to weaken democracies and to promote authoritarian regimes. Let us remember that, just hours after the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, after a police officer was murdered and there were calls to execute our vice president, Zeldin acceded to the rioters’ demand that he vote against the certification of our duly elected president. All of us — Democrats, Republicans and Independents — must speak out when Zeldin engages in such misleading and provocative statements as those he presented in his letter. We must speak out to protect our democracy, because we care so much for our republic.

Robert Marcus Setauket

Zeldin hasn’t done his homework

The Dec. 9 edition of TBR’s newspapers features Congressman Lee Zeldin’s [R-NY1] letter on parental involvement. Zeldin shows a fundamental lack of understanding of public education and the collaborative partnership required of parents with educators for their children’s success.

Zeldin clearly has no idea how effective partnerships between teachers and parents work. As a veteran educator with over two decades of experience in both K-12 and higher education, I have always embraced the involvement of parents in their children’s education, as do my colleagues, because we know that when parents are informed and involved, and collaborate as partners with their children’s teachers, the student has a far greater chance at success.

As a parent, involvement in my children’s education is a daily ritual.

Each afternoon, I am required to sign my children’s agenda, so I am aware of what their homework is. I assist with projects, with reading, with school events. I’ve been in my children’s classrooms to present lessons on Hanukkah, to read to the class, to plan parties as the class parent. I’ve run after-school programs with the PTA and sit on districtwide curriculum committees. I am a collaborative partner in my children’s education, rather than an adversary, as Zeldin’s letter promotes.

He describes the education curriculum as “racist and hateful.”

Learning history as it happened is neither of these things. Reading the perspectives of diverse authors gives our children an understanding and empathy for those whose lived experiences are different than their own, attributes that Zeldin himself clearly lacks. He also describes an incident of sex education in a first grade classroom. What he fails to mention is that the school he’s discussing is The Dalton School, a private school in New York City that costs over $55,000 a year to attend.

That is not the educational or economic reality for the vast majority of New Yorkers, again showing how deeply out of touch Zeldin is with the electorate.

It seems that Zeldin is unaware of the hands-on experience that many parents have as partners with their children’s schools. It is understandable, given that being a career politician often keeps parents from that dayto-day engagement. But ignorance is not a plausible excuse, especially for a candidate seeking executive office. Zeldin’s fundamental lack of knowledge and understanding of public

education is why the New York State United Teachers, a public sector union with over half a million members, has never endorsed him. We educators recognize when someone hasn’t done their homework and lacks basic comprehension of the issue.

Shoshana Hershkowitz South Setauket

Schumer double counts

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s [D-NY] recent announcement that he has brokered a deal between Amtrak and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for repairs to the East River Tunnels and the Metro-North Bronx East Penn Station Access projects is full of more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese.

Schumer claims that the MTA will allocate $432 million toward repairs of the East River Tunnels. He neglected to mention that the Federal Transit Administration previously provided $432 million in June 2016 to the MTA. These funds were intended to be spent quickly for 2012 Hurricane Sandy-related work in the East River Tunnels to bring them up to a state of good repair. Six years later, these dollars are worth less due to inflation. They are not new money.

The original project cost estimate was $300 million. The cost has grown six years later by $1 billion to $1.3 billion today.

Schumer wants work on the East River Tunnels to begin next year.

Amtrak has previously said they would not start work until 2024. The East River Tunnels are just as old and in need of major repairs as are the Hudson River tunnels. Six years later, there is no evidence that these funds have been used for their original intended purpose. How many more years will go by before work is completed and these funds are fully spent?

Schumer, Amtrak and the MTA failed to make public a detailed recovery schedule for start-to-finish work along with a spending plan to bring all four East River Tunnels up to a state of good repair. The MTA and LIRR have yet to complete negotiations with Amtrak for how this work will be initiated. Amtrak wants to take one of four tunnels out of service at a time so work can proceed 24/7. With only three remaining working tunnels, there will be permanent combining and canceling of LIRR trains for two or more years before work is completed. This will make the previous LIRR Penn Station “summer of hell” work look like a walk in the park.

Larry Penner Great Neck

DECEMBER 23, 2021 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • PAGE A19

Opinion Celebrating the life of a holocaust survivor

H

e was a part of my wife’s family’s inner circle for years. He appeared at summer gatherings and at significant family events and celebrations.

With his white hair, his signature smile and a Polish accent that seemed as fresh in each conversation as it likely was the first time he arrived in the United States, Carl wandered in and out of conversations and rooms, often smiling and always listening.

He seemed as comfortable in his D. None own skin as anyone of the above I’d ever met, paying

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF close attention to his wife, interacting with his children and grandchildren and soaking up life the way everyone around him soaked up the

warm rays of the sun.

Carl watched one day almost 20 years ago when my daughter got too close to the pool’s edge, falling in before she could swim. I immediately jumped off the diving board and brought her back up, where, as I dried her off, she protested that it took too long for me to get her.

When my daughter felt comfortable and confident enough to walk away from me, Carl waited for me to make eye contact.

“That’s what you do when you’re a father,” he smiled.

I nodded and sighed while my blood pressure and pulse returned to normal.

Several times over the years, Carl and I sat next to each other, sharing buffet-style meals of chicken kebobs, pasta, and filets.

Carl didn’t have the numbers tattooed on his arm, but I knew some of the story of his life. I didn’t want to bother him or upset him with a discussion of what was a painful and difficult period.

Once, when we were alone inside a

screened-in area, I raised the topic.

“Hey, Carl, I understand you survived the holocaust,” I said.

When he looked me in the eyes, he narrowed his lids slightly, processing what I said and, likely, trying to figure out whether he wanted to talk.

“It’s okay,” I said, immediately backing off.

As a journalist, I have a tendency to ask questions.

I recognize, however, the boundaries that exist during social interactions and with family and friends. I wanted to speak with him to hear about what had been an unspoken part of his life.

“Yes, I survived,” I said.

“How? Where?”

“In the woods,” he said. “I lived in the woods when the Nazis came.”

He described how he was so hungry that he ate leaves, bugs and bark. That, however, was far preferable to being caught by the Nazis, who had murdered the rest of his family. Carl had been a teenager when he escaped to the woods, avoiding Nazi guards who were always searching for people they deemed enemies and who they

readily killed.

Surrounded by a collection of other people who might, at any given time, vanish forever, Carl survived for several years, emerging at the end of the war to try to restart a life shattered by violence and cruelty.

After a brief description of his experience, he told me how important he felt it was that people study the specifics of World War II and understand what really happened to him, his family and people in so many other countries. It angered him that people tried to ignore a history that took so much from him.

All those years later, Carl seemed so easy going and relaxed, so prepared to laugh and smile and to enjoy another bite of lunch or dinner.

Carl recently died. I’m sorry for the loss to his family. I’m glad to have known him and to have shared a few meals, a few smiles and a few stories. All those days, months and years of life, like initials carved into a tree, showed that he was, indeed, here and, having seen his family react and interact with him, that his life had meaning.

Thoughts for the last regular column of the year

A

s the year draws to a close, I think of the Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.” That would seem an apt description of the times we are living through today. Why do I say that? Let me count the ways.

For one, we have been tricked by the coronavirus. As spring faded into summer this year, we thought the pandemic was ebbing.

We gathered in groups again, even without masks, visited relatives, returned to restaurants, went on vacations.

Surprise! By the end of October, the virus Between you and me started making itself felt again, by November,

BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF it was led by the new variant, Omicron, and now it commands the front page of newspapers and the top of the network and

cable newscasts. Yes, we have made impressive progress with vaccines and precautions, but society is still in the grip of the disease, still with some 30 percent of the population unvaccinated, still with those refusing to don masks, and now lined up not for inoculating but for testing.

Testing and boosters are the new battle cry. Just as our grandparents, who were living through it, didn’t know when WWII would end, so we who are at war with the virus don’t know when the pandemic will fade into just another annoying wintertime contagion.

For another unprecedented way in recent memory that times are interesting, we have a country so divided and vehemently at odds that neighbors, friends and family members are afraid to talk politics with each other. It is such a contrast with the 9/11 era, when we all held doors open for each other, flew the American flag together and identified as one nation. “Democracy is at risk” is the new battle cry. And the threat of political violence and random shootings simmers just beneath the surface.

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EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Leah S. Dunaief GENERAL MANAGER Johness Kuisel MANAGING EDITOR Rita J. Egan EDITOR Julianne Mosher LEISURE EDITOR Heidi Sutton

Meanwhile, worthy issues involving any sort of social safety net and how to provide money for them, like pre-school education and acceptable child care enabling parents to work, lie undebated in a symbolically divided Congress. It’s no wonder that the national birthrate for this past year is the lowest since 1979. That’s not just due to the pandemic but has been a trend for the last six years.

Climate change is another subject that has driven itself to top of mind this past year. Fires, the likes of which never before seen, also floods, tornadoes and melting ice caps have changed the face of the nation and have killed many residents.

And then there is racism, the shadow that has always loomed over the United States since its inception and has burst forth to claim attention across the country, spawning marches and protests. Is it better for bigotry to come out of the woodwork and be viewed in all its aspects in the clear light of day? Perhaps that is a necessary step for it to be ultimately eradicated. Until then, the atmosphere is bitter with recriminations.

COPY EDITOR John Broven ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kathleen Gobos ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Elizabeth Bongiorno Robin Lemkin Larry Stahl Minnie Yancey SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER Kathryn Mandracchia

ART AND PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Beth Heller Mason PRODUCTION Janet Fortuna Sharon Nicholson CLASSIFIEDS DIRECTOR & SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Sheila Murray

There are some bright spots. Although the possibility of spiraling inflation has lately been a concern, unemployment is decidedly low and the economy has been growing. So has the stock market, while not the economy, is nonetheless a telltale of how their financial standing is perceived by residents. Stimulative monetary policy on the part of the Federal Reserve and equally generous fiscal action by the administrations of both presidents and Congress have kept civil unrest at bay. Savings rates are at a high. And the kinks in the supply chain, although most apparent now with the gift-giving demands of the holidays, will eventually be straightened out.

Furthermore, Dec. 21 is one of my favorite days because it brings with it the longest night of the year. After that, each day has a bit more light.

So I hope for whatever darkness we are presently living through to lift, and I am optimistic that it will.

Until the new year, wishing you all healthy holidays filled with devotion and love.

CLASSIFIEDS Joann Brady BUSINESS MANAGER Sandi Gross CIRCULATION MANAGER Courtney Biondo INTERNET STRATEGY DIRECTOR Rob Alfano

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Year After Year

PAGE A20 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • DECEMBER 23, 2021

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