The Times of Smithtown - February 10, 2022 by TBR News Media

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TIMES of SMITHTOWN

F O R T S A LO N G A • K I N G S PA R K • S M I T H TO W N • N E S C O N S E T • S T J A M E S • H E A D O F T H E H A R B O R • N I S S E Q U O G U E • H A U P PA U G E • C O M M A C K Vol. 34, No. 51

February 10, 2022

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Soaring to new heights Smithtown East cheer wins large school division; heads to county championship — A7

Talking sewers Local officials comment on county lawsuit, future of Kings Park sewers

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PAGE A2 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • FEBRUARY 10, 2022

Obituary

Herman Karl Kretzschmar

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Herman Karl “Dutch” Kretzschmar of East Northport passed away on Feb. 6. Herman was the beloved husband of the late Helen; loving father of Karl Kretzschmar, Kurt (Patricia) Kretzschmar and Kathleen (Salvatore) Kretzschmar-Dovi; and devoted grandfather of James, Andrea, Gustavo, Karen, Michael, Steven and Julia. A funeral service was held on Feb. 9 at Nolan Funeral Home in Northport, with Rev. Msgr. Peter C. Dooley, officiating. Interment followed at Genola Rural Cemetery in East Northport.

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FEBRUARY 10, 2022 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A3

Virtual therapy for kids, the future of digital learning in the internet age

BY CHRIS MELLIDES DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM Growing up with video games was commonplace for many children and teens throughout the 1980s, 90s and beyond. But what if these pixelated worlds weren’t designed to spoil your mind as so many parents would insist on, following Saturday morning cartoons and bottomless bowls of Cap’n Crunch cereal? What if, instead, video games helped repair those young, developing minds? Regarding the topic, 33-year-old East Northport resident and licensed clinical social worker, Joe Conlon, and founding partner Mary Hind, a clinical social worker and therapist herself, answer back with their business Virtual Therapy for Kids. The service they created is built around the most accessible and widely consumable media in the world — video games, where some of the more popular titles include online available juggernauts such as Fortnite, Minecraft and Roblox, according to Conlon, who leaps out of his therapist’s chair and into a virtual world where “meeting the clients where they’re at” is paramount, and where playing alongside them holds its own blend of fun and incremental learning, according to him. Conlon recalls a time before COVID-19 when parents of children with developmental disabilities would be running late only to request a phone session for their child and Conlon would simply refuse to make the appointment. “I just cannot do it over the phone,” he said. “It’s so hard to connect with the kids, especially

[when] audio and video wasn’t even a thought.” Hind offers her own insight, which aligns with her business partner. Hind hails from Babylon, graduated from Hunter’s Silberman School of Social Work in 2019 with a focus on Children and Adolescents and Child Welfare and is a fierce advocate for the mental health of the children she serves. “Working with a niche population and being virtual, allows me as a therapist, to capitalize on kids having sessions in the comfort of their own space,” said Hind. “This means allowing kids to create a therapeutic environment, with far less pressure than a traditional therapy setting.” The focus is on engaging with children and adolescents between the ages of 4 and 17 in a way where cognitive behavioral treatment transforms into online gaming therapy — a concept that the young entrepreneur credits to the children that altered his view of what remote learning could become. It’s hard to believe that as founding members, Conlon and Hind have yet to meet in person, and though they are apart, together they forge a business partnership intended for the betterment of children and the parents that require the help of professionals. “I’m taking the symbolism in the game and making parallels to life,” Conlon said. “Kids say you’re much more yourself when you’re in these digital worlds.” He added, “I’m trained to see where the kid has anxiety based on what the parents tell me. Kids with ADD [attention-deficit disorder] and ADHD [attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder], for example, are overly emotional.” And so they

Joe Conlon, above left, and Mary HInd, above center, are the founding partners of Virtual Therapy for Kids. The service is built around video games. Photos from Joe Conlon

require interaction with Conlon and Hind, who log on and set goals for their kid clients to complete on a weekly basis within a particular video game title. In Fortnite, Conlon will instruct his clients to complete a seemingly difficult task, such as building a wall to guard against oncoming attacks from other competing online players. The response to the goals that the two licensed therapists set have been very positive, according to Conlon, who also said that his clients get excited completing a complex task requiring concentration, and that the parents of these children are overjoyed in sharing with a child’s achievement. In what seems like an endless pandemic, business partners Conlon and Hind see potential for the growth of their business and for aiding their communities both on and offline where therapy and consultation rates start at $45. Their

website is www.virtualtherapyforkids.com. Older parents attempt to understand a generation growing into the next evolutionary cycle of the internet, and what that means for the emotional health and well-being of their children can be distressing, according to Conlon. “How they cope in an ever-changing world where digital avatars and virtual gaming has become the norm, fitting in and navigating tenuous relationships is harder than it has ever been before,” Conlon said. “Diagnosing kids is what led me to diagnose myself,” he said. “Having ADHD, we’re more likely to keep thinking outside the box.” “When you’re stuck in the storm, you go and get some bandages, go find a safe spot and go back into battle,” Conlon said, which is perhaps a lesson in gaming and life in general.

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PAGE A4 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • FEBRUARY 10, 2022

Huntington and Smithtown officials criticize Hochul’s accessory dwelling unit proposal BY RITA J. EGAN RITA@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

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Local elected officials are joining forces to tell Albany that their towns and villages will not lose zoning control. During her State of the State address, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) spoke of creating more affordable housing options. When the 2022 State of the State book was released, the proposed plan, found on pages 130 through 131, stated that it would require all towns and villages in New York state to allow accessory apartments, which in turn would effectively eliminate single-family zoning laws. The proposed plan spurred Town of Brookhaven officials to call a press conference Feb. 3, while others have spoken out via statements. The proposed legislation would require municipalities to allow one accessory dwelling unit using backyard cottages, attics, garages and basements. The plan is one that the State of the State describes as providing “an affordable multigenerational housing option that helps families live closer together.” While local municipalities would still have a say in minimum and maximum size requirements, local zoning authorities would not be able to prevent reasonable new construction, the governor said.

Huntington

In the Town of Huntington, accessory apartments may be allowed when someone listed on the deed resides at the dwelling. The living space cannot be less than 300 square feet or more than 650 square feet and must have two bedrooms or less. The accessory apartment must be attached to the home. Supervisor Ed Smyth (R) is against Hochul’s plan. “This is an election year overreach by the governor that no one in their right mind should support,” Smyth said. “It has bipartisan opposition at all levels of government for good reason: It would eliminate local control of development and hand it off to extremists in Albany.” At press time, Huntington announced they would be part of a county press conference on Feb. 10 to comment further on the issue.

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In the Town of Smithtown legal accessory apartments with a valid mother/daughter permit from the Building Department are the only ones permitted with limited exceptions including older two-family homes that were grandfathered in. Rules differ in the town’s villages. Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) said in a statement he fears stripping local zoning control “would only result in a mass exodus.” “The harsh reality is that Long Island, especially Suffolk County, lacks the modern infrastructure to handle the population increase

which this proposal would create,” the supervisor said. “The environmental impacts alone should terrify every Long Islander. We have outdated wastewater systems underground, roads in major need of repair, archaic stormwater infrastructure and in the near future will have nowhere to put our trash. These are the issues that require resolution from the state, not removing local zoning control. This proposal will create a strain on the school system, increased property taxes, amplify traffic and burden local resources which are already stressed. Furthermore, people move out to the suburbs because the perception of the American Dream is still that quaint neighborhood home, picket fence and all, where they can raise a family. As public servants, it’s our duty to preserve and protect that dream.” In Head of the Harbor, Mayor Doug Dahlgard echoed the sentiments. “Taking away local zoning control with a broad brush is not acceptable and will be met by opposition claiming the character of our communities will change for the worse,” the mayor said. “Starting a conversation about how to allow generations of a family to stay together on Long Island, on the other hand, makes sense.” Wehrheim agreed that the issue of affordable housing needs to be discussed and would welcome a task force consisting of local, county and state officials using proven studies and incorporating successful methods that could create affordable housing options in appropriate areas such as a downtown business neighborhood near a train station.

Congressmen support local officials

Town officials have received moral support from their congressmen. U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY3) in a press release criticized Hochul. Suozzi will run in the Democratic primary for governor in June against Hochul “Governor Hochul’s radical proposal would take away zoning control from municipal governments, erode local government authority and end single-family housing across New York,” Suozzi said. “Hochul’s plan to eliminate home rule is not what we need. I support affordable housing, building up around downtown train stations and helping the homeless. I oppose eliminating home rule and ending single-family housing.” The presumptive Republican nominee for New York State governor, U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY1) said in a joint statement with Brookhaven officials that Hochul “isn’t focused on real solutions.” “This blatant attack on suburban communities will end single-family housing as we know it, strip local control away from the New Yorkers who live there, tank the value of their homes, overcrowd their previously quiet streets, and on top of it all, not do anything to solve our affordable housing problem,” Zeldin said.

FEBRUARY 10, 2022 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A5

Town

Suffolk County sued over Kings Park sewer district rate hikes BY RAYMOND JANIS DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM Attorneys representing the Kings Park Community Association and the Long Island Pine Barrens Society have filed a $198 million lawsuit against Suffolk County over a sewer fund they claim was unlawfully depleted. The Assessment Stabilization Reserve Fund was originated as part of the Suffolk County Drinking Water Protection Program, which was established in 1987. The program addressed ballooning sewer rates and volatility across sewer districts using a 0.25% sales tax to subsidize ratepayers and cap rate increases at 3%. After a 2020 voter referendum, the county reformulated the rate structure in Suffolk County Sewer District #6 – Kings Park, increasing rates by 452%, according to Michael Rosato, president of the community association. In explanation, Peter Scully, deputy county executive for administration, said in a phone interview, “The prior rate structure was inequitable and would have disadvantaged residential property owners in the sewer district. The changes rectified that and made sure sewer ratepayers generating significantly more sewage paid their fair share.” In a letter sent to Sewer District #6 homeowners Dec. 7, 2020, County Executive Steve Bellone (D) had justified raising sewer rates to mitigate wide discrepancies in operating costs across Suffolk. “Property owners in the district have been undercharged for years, and revenues collected do not come close to covering operating expenses,” Bellone said in the letter. “The average Suffolk County sewer ratepayer paid $585 in sewer charges this year,” adding, “By comparison, the average homeowner in Sewer District #6 was billed $78.74.” Rosato, who is also a part-time aide in the office of county Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga), claimed Bellone illegally raised rates in Sewer District #6 beyond the 3% threshold, violating the terms of the program. “In 2020 Bellone put a very misleading referendum on the ballot that he felt allowed him not to pay that fund back and to continue taking money out of it to pay for operating expenses,” Rosato said in a phone interview. “After raiding $198 million out of the fund, he raised Kings Park sewer rates 452%.” The Pine Barrens Society is a named plaintiff in the lawsuit and has sued Suffolk County repeatedly since 2011 over this sewer fund. According to Rosato, the county demonstrates a pattern of budgetary mismanagement, sewer fund meddling and legal stonewalling. “In 2011, County Executive [Steve] Levy [D] took $29 million out of that

Kings Park’s downtown district, above during Summer Nights in the Park: Monday on Main last July, will soon see the addition of sewers. Photo by Rita J. Egan

sewer stabilization fund to cover budget holes,” Rosato said. “He was sued by the Pine Barrens Society and the Pine Barrens Society won that lawsuit. Bellone became county executive soon afterward and he subsequently took $171 million out of that fund for operating expenses.” In the current lawsuit, the Pine Barrens Society challenges Proposition Two, which was the 2020 referendum that authorized the county to use the sewer fund to effectively avoid service cuts and layoffs. Paul Sabatino, co-counsel representing the Pine Barrens Society, said the referendum had no legal basis. “Proposition Two, when you cut through all the smoke, does two things. It unilaterally repudiates the judgement for $29 million and it unilaterally repudiates the balance of the [$171 million] payment.” Sabatino said in a phone interview. “A county cannot pass a charter law that unilaterally reverses a judicial decree and it cannot adopt a charter law that unilaterally repudiates a settlement agreement. Whether you do it with or without the voters, there is no authority.” Scully disagreed with this legal reasoning. He said the Pine Barrens Society insisted in prior litigation that voter approval is paramount but is now reversing course completely. “What’s going on here, ironically, is that the Pine Barrens Society is taking the position that voter approval should be disregarded and that the voters’ approval of Proposition Two in 2020 should be overturned,” Scully said. “I’ve been involved in government for 37 years and this is probably the most bizarre lawsuit I’ve ever seen.” County voters approved Proposition

Two by a margin of 54% to 46%. However, county Legislator Trotta said voters did not understand the intent of the ballot measure. “The law is very clear about how a referendum has to be put on the ballot,” he said in a phone interview. “It has to be clear and concise, but most people had no idea what they were voting for. Politicians pride themselves on using uninformed voters and manipulating them.” Scully contended that Trotta and the Pine Barrens Society conducted a lengthy media campaign against Proposition Two in 2020, but voters approved the ballot measure anyway. “In the weeks prior to the referendum, Legislator Trotta and others were very vocal in bringing their concerns to the attention of the public through the media,” Scully said. “The voters appeared to summarily reject those concerns. People seemed to understand clearly what they were voting on. They voted for financial stability and they spoke with a very clear voice.” The lawsuit comes on the heels of a major initiative to bring sewers into downtown Kings Park. The sewer stabilization fund and the downtown extension are fiscally unrelated, sourced from separate revenue streams. Scully said that while construction can move forward as planned, the modified rate structure will impact the business district when the project is complete. “The project can move forward but the rate structure continues to be at risk,” Scully said. “Had the Legislature not modified the rate structure, residential customers in the sewer district would end up in some instances paying higher rates than businesses

that generate significantly more sewage.” Trotta accused the administration of intentionally muddling these two distinct sewer issues to confuse community members and generate fear that the extension project may be derailed. “They’re totally unrelated,” he said. “What this administration tries to do is tie them together to scare people. They use scare tactics.” Acknowledging that the two issues remain separate for now, Sabatino implied that the legal principle at stake could affect the downtown sewer extension in the future. “The legal principle of this lawsuit is important because if they believe they have the ability now to unilaterally evade the 3% cap for Kings Park, then what will stop them from doing that for the extension five years from now?” Sabatino said. Sabatino argued that fixed-rate increases and rigid percentages were put in place to prevent county officials from depleting the fund at will. He said this lawsuit will determine whether or not those officials remain bound by these requirements. “If you don’t tie up the hands of elected officials, over time when they see a large pot of money it’s going to be gone,” he said. “You have to tie their hands and do it in a way that is truly effective. It’s the law of political human nature.” Scully said the Pine Barrens Society has lost credibility due to this lawsuit. “It’s really kind of sad what has happened with regard to the Long Island Pine Barrens Society, which is no longer a credible voice for environmental protection in Suffolk County,” he said.

PAGE A6 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • FEBRUARY 10, 2022

Make a Statement...

The following incidents have been reported by the Suffolk County Police. Commack Wanted for questioning

■ A resident on Tamarack Street in Commack reported that his 2019 Acura ILX was stolen from his property on Feb. 1. The vehicle was valued at $30,000.

■ A resident on Buhl Lane in Commack reported that a pocketbook was stolen from an unlocked vehicle parked in front of their home on Feb. 1. An unidentified man was seen running away from the driveway.

■ Ulta Beauty on Veterans Highway in Commack reported a shoplifter on Feb. 4. A man allegedly stole women’s perfume valued at approximately $1200.

■ A woman shopping at Shoprite on Garet Place in Commack reported that a man allegedly stole a wallet out of her purse on Jan. 31. ■ A resident on Essex Place in Commack called police on Feb. 2 to report that someone had stolen both license plates off of his car. ■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported a shoplifter on Jan. 31. A man allegedly stole a Nintendo Switch and a set of earbuds. The total value of the items was $550.

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■ A resident on Huntsman Lane in Commack reported that a catalytic converter was stolen from a 2004 Honda on Feb. 2.

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■ A resident on Atlas Way in Commack reported that their car was broken into on Feb. 1 and a ski jacket, ski goggles and speakers were stolen. The value of the items was approximately $850.

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■ A resident on Tamarack Street in Commack called police on Feb. 1 to report that his 2020 Acura MDX valued at approximately $40,000 was stolen from the driveway.

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■ Home Depot on Jericho Turnpike in Commack reported that a man allegedly stole approximately $945 worth of electrical wire on Feb. 4.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk county Police Second Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate a man who entered Dick’s Sporting Goods, 6070 Jericho Turnpike, Commack at approximately 5:10 p.m. on Jan. 23 and allegedly stole a jacket and clothing. The merchandise was valued at approximately $350. ■ A resident on Truxton Road in Dix Hills

called police on Jan. 28 to report a wallet stolen from an unlocked vehicle on their property.

Greenlawn

■ A resident on Jamaica Avenue in Greenlawn called police on Feb. 2 to report that a catalytic converter had been stolen from his 2005 Honda Accord.

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Hill Road in Commack on Feb. 3 and allegedly stole spools of yellow Rolex wire and white Rolex wire valued at approximately $2350.

■ A resident on Northern Blvd. in St. James reported the theft of tools from his property on Jan. 30. Assorted tools, including a screw gun, drills, and a sawzall were taken with a value of approximately $2500.

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■ Three men entered Home Depot on Crooked

■ A resident on Wildwood Drive in Dix Hills

reported that various items including clothing and toys were stolen from an unlocked vehicle on Feb. 1. 68510

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■ Two pair of sunglasses valued at $400 were stolen from an unlocked vehicle parked on Hallock Avenue in Smithtown on Jan. 31. — COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.

FEBRUARY 10, 2022 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A7

Sports

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Smithtown East Bulls land on top BY BILL LANDON DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM Smithtown East cheerleaders led the way in the large school division in a multi-school cheer competition at Centereach High School Feb. 5.

The Bulls placed first with a score of 86.75 ahead of West Islip and Connetquot. The Bulls look to build on this momentum for the Suffolk County Championship finals at Hauppauge High School Feb. 19. — Photos by Bill Landon

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PAGE A8 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • FEBRUARY 10, 2022

Long Island artists demand to be recognized BY JULIANNE MOSHER JULIANNE@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM The Long Island Arts Alliance is asking artists, performers and creators to share their stories amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Lauren Wagner, executive director of LIAA, said that over the last two years, the group has been asking creatives to share the experiences pre-pandemic and onward in hopes that new legislation will be created to further help the art and culture sector locally. “The percentage of job losses in the arts is three times worse than other nonprofit organizations,” she said. LIAA serves as an alliance of and for the region’s not-for-profit arts, cultural and arts education organizations. LIAA promotes awareness of and participation in Long Island’s world-class arts and cultural institutions in both Nassau and Suffolk counties. Formed in 2003, LIAA offers leadership and diverse support services to arts organizations, serves as an advocate for arts education in our schools and collaborates on strategies for economic development and community revitalization. An advocate for artists, painters, sculptors, dancers, performers and musicians, Wagner added that when things were shut down two years ago, LIAA decided it wanted to reach out to its community to find out how people were handling the stressful changes. That’s when LIAA came up with surveys to give a platform for creators to explain what’s going on in their lives. “The surveys are to poll everyone’s status,” Wagner said. “Then, we use those numbers to go back to our new legislators and say, ‘Hey, this is what’s going on and we need help.’” Most recently, a 2022 update has been posted to the LIAA website. This is the third survey to make its way around the arts community. The survey states, “As COVID-19 extends into 2022, it is important to secure updated information about the continuing impact of the pandemic on the creative sector and creative workers. The information you provide is critical to advocacy efforts for the arts and culture sector across Long Island.” Wagner said the more creatives who participate, the better. “Artists/creatives were — and remain — among the most severely affected segment of the nation’s workforce,” she said. “The arts are a formidable industry in the U.S. — $919.7 billion (pre-COVID) that supported 5.2 million jobs and represented 4.3% of the nation’s economy.” She added that they have not seen significant relief funding earmarked for the arts from the local government despite the impact the sector has on the local economy. “The American Rescue Plan provided $385,003,440 to Nassau County, $286,812,434 to Suffolk County, and an additional $170

Thomas Manuel inside The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook. Photo by Julianne Mosher

million to our local townships,” she said. But when it comes to the higher levels of government, Wagner said that things often get “skewed” because of the Island’s proximity to New York City. “I hate to say compete with the city, but we do,” she said. “We’re a great economic driver on Long Island and we get forgotten about.” She said the surveys could “paint a real picture of what it’s like to be an artist on Long Island.”

The artists

Patty Eljaiek, a visual artist from Huntington Station, said that many people might not realize the impact art has on the community — especially financially. “I think it’s part of the perception that art is not a business,” she said. “Art is a business.” Elijaiek added that if an artist is looking to share their expertise with the world, they are, in fact, a business. “Art has been something that people appreciate but they don’t know how to put value to it,” she said.

Wagner agreed. She said that early on during the pandemic, people looked to the arts for solace. “Artists are second responders,” she said. “First responders save lives, but artists put everything back together.” Alex Alexander, a musician in Rocky Point, said that people who work in the arts — such as being a working musician — don’t have the typical 9-to-5 routine. “You can plan with a 9-to-5,” he said. “I can’t plan my life as other people would.” And Tom Manuel, executive director of The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook and a musician himself, said that his venue was shut down for 15 months throughout the pandemic, but still continued to serve its community with outdoor shows despite the lack of revenue coming in. Manuel said that while big industries were being saved by the federal government, the nonprofit sector was “left out” and they had to look to their sponsors to help save them. “We were really blessed in that we had a lot of our donors and sponsors step up and say, ‘Hey, we know that you’re closed, but we’re going to

still give our sponsorship and don’t worry about programming, just stay open,’” he said. Board members at The Jazz Loft began raising money themselves for other artists who were struggling, raising nearly $20,000 worth of assistance. But the pain and struggle were still there as they helped their peers. “The statistics show of all the things that could close and not reopen, the most unlikely place to reopen after being shuttered is a performing arts venue,” he said. “That’s the data.” Manuel said that jazz is all about improvisation — which is what musicians did — and to work through the blues. “I think that one of the beautiful things that did come out of the pandemic is people realized how important the arts were to them,” he said. “I think there was a reconnection that was established, which is a beautiful thing.” Artists can participate in LIAA’s survey until Feb. 16 online now at longislandartsalliance.org. “People don’t realize this is their livelihood on the line,” Wagner said.

FEBRUARY 10, 2022 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A9

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PAGE A10 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • FEBRUARY 10, 2022

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Finds Under 50 Pets/Pet Services TENDER LOVING PET CARE, LLC. Pet Sitting Services. When you need to leave town, why disrupt your pet’s routine. Let your pets enjoy the comforts of home while receiving TLC from a PSI Certified professional Pet Sitter. Experienced, reliable. Ins/Bonded. 631-675-1938 tenderlovingpetcarellc.com

Schools/Instruction/ Tutoring

Health, Fitness & Beauty VIAGRA & CIALIS 60 pills for $99. 100 pills for $150. FREE shipping. Money back guaranteed, 1-855-579-8907

Housesitting Services

Limousine Services

PIANO - GUITAR - BASS All ages-levels-styles. Many local references. Recommended by all area s c h o o l s . To n y M a n n , 631-473-3443, 631-332-6005

A S S O R T E D VA L E N T I N E COLLECTIBLES from the 1950’s and 60’s $20 631.828.5344 NEW IN BOX, UNDER HOOD PAD 1966, 1967 GTO, Tempest Asking $45.00. Call 631-744-3722.

Elder Care COMPANION P/T Semi retired teacher available for Light cooking, light housekeeping, local driving, references. Call 631-331-5030. LOOKING FOR A PERSONAL CARE PROVIDER for my parents, day or night shift. Day and night jobs are F/T, $20/hr Caregiver’s work is 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, 10:00AM4:00 PM, Monday-Friday. Anyone who is interested email (gotsill244344@gmail.com) for interview.

Miscellaneous DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/23. 1-888-609-9405

Get DIRECTV, ONLY $69.99/ month, 155 Channels & 1000s of Shows/Movies OnDemand (w/SELECT All Included Package.) PLUS Stream on Up to FIVE Screens Simultaneously at No Additional Cost. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918

CLASSIFIED DEADLINE is Tuesday at noon. If you want to advertise, do it soon!

SCIENCE, MATH & SPECIAL ED TUTORING Experienced, references available and reasonable rates. Call 631-331-5030

Redecorating? Kids Growing Up? Exercise Equipment Taking Up Space? Make $ and Room By Selling Your Used Merchandise $44

4 Weeks 20 Words Call Classifieds @ TBR NEWSPAPERS

631–331–1154 or 631–751–7663

631.751.7663 or 631.331.1154

Rescued Animals For Adoption ©69600

CASH FOR ALL CARS AND CASH FOR JUNK CARS WANTED. No Key, No Title, No Problem. Free Pick-up. Habla Espanol. Call 631-445-1848. SEE DISPLAY AD FOR MORE INFORMATION.

JUNK CARS BOUGHT! We’ll Beat Any Price. Call 631-500-1015. SEE DISPLAY AD FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Musical Instruments

MULTI DEALER ANTIQUE SHOW Saturday, February 12th 9am-4pm S T. J A M E S E P I S C O PA L CHURCH 490 RTE 25A ST JAMES Antique jewelry and collectable’s, Masks Required

Automobiles/Trucks Vans/Rec Vehicles

Garage Sales

“Jack” is an adorable 8 month old Red Heeler. His owner abandoned him after a family tragedy. He was simply left in the apartment and signed over to the realtor. He deserves better. Can you give him a loving forever home?

608 Route 112 • Port Jefferson Station 631.473.6333 @saveapetanimalrescue @saveapetanimalrescue

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FEBRUARY 10, 2022 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A11

WE ARE:

tbrnewsmedia.com

• FIRST 20 WORDS

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

OFFICE • IN-PERSON

(40¢ each additional word)

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

SPECIALS* *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

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.

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

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

Prepare for Power Outages & Save Money

INDEX The following are some of our available categories listed in the order in which they appear. • Garage Sales • Computer Services • Announcements • Electricians • Antiques & Collectibles • Financial Services • Automobiles/Trucks etc. • Furniture Repair • Finds under $50 • Handyman Services • Health/Fitness/Beauty • Home Improvement • Merchandise • Lawn & Landscaping • Personals • Painting/Wallpaper • Novenas • Plumbing/Heating • Pets/Pet Services • Power Washing • Professional Services • Roofing/Siding • Schools/Instruction/Tutoring • Tree Work • Wanted to Buy • Window Cleaning • Employment • Real Estate • Cleaning • Residential Property • Commercial Property • Out of State Property DEADLINE: Tuesday at Noon

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Product not available in all states. Includes the Participating (in GA: Designated) Providers and Preventive Benefits Rider. Acceptance guaranteed for one insurance policy/certificate of this type. Contact us for complete details about this insurance solicitation. This specific offer is not available in CO, NY; call 1-800-969-4781 or respond for similar offer. Certificate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150 (GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN). Rider kinds: B438, B439 (GA: B439B). 6208-0721

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New orders only. Does not include material costs. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Minimum purchase required. Other restrictions may apply. This is an advertisement placed on behalf of Erie Construction Mid-West, Inc (“Erie”). Offer terms and conditions may apply and the offer may not be available in your area. Offer expires March 31, 2022. If you call the number provided, you consent to being contacted by telephone, SMS text message, email, pre-recorded messages by Erie or its affiliates and service providers using automated technologies notwithstanding if you are on a DO NOT CALL list or register. Please review our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use on homeservicescompliance.com. All rights reserved.

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SELL YOUR USED MERCHANDISE & MAKE DOLLARS AND ROOM 4 wks/$44/20 words $.40 ea. additional word

6 Newspapers/Internet Site ~ Huntington to Wading River ~ Deadline: Tuesday at noon. Call 631–331–1154 or 631–751–7663 • TIMES BEACON RECORD NEWS MEDIA • tbrnewsmedia.com

PAGE A12 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • FEBRUARY 10, 2022

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

Help Wanted

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)

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The Village of Port Jeﬀerson Highway Department is seeking a

Heavy Equipment Operator

FREELANCE REPORTERS/WRITERS Seeking freelance reporters for news coverage for the townships of Huntington, Smithtown and Brookhaven.

Fax resume to 631-751-4165 email resume: class@tbrnewspapers.com Sales/Relationship Builder Are you an upbeat people person? Do you enjoy a fast-paced environment? If so, Old Country Tile would like to talk to you. Old Country Tile is a family-owned business, for over 40 years. We value our customers and recognize that our sales staﬀ needs to reflect our family values. We are looking for showroom help, both part time and full time, to assist our customers with their tile projects. Some tile/design experience is a plus, but not a must. We will teach the right person all they need to know to sell tile. We oﬀer a health plan, profit sharing, vacation time and salary commensurable with talent.

Please call Lou Rabeno at 631-928-7722; or e-mail Lou@OldCountryTile.com to set up an appointment.

F/T Medical Receptionist Miller Place Beneﬁts/PTO/401K To apply, visit our website: stonybrookmedicine.edu/ community-medical/careers

The Rocky Point Fire District is seeking the services of a part-time treasurer. Please call the district oﬃce for further information at 631-744-4102

Experience preferred. Must provide own transportation and digital camera.

TBR NEWS MEDIA

Submit resume and three writing samples to rita@tbrnewsmedia.com

FIRE DISTRICT TREASURER

Must possess and maintain a CDL B with Air Brake endorsement, as well as experience operating a front-end loader; 10-wheel dump trucks; backhoe; small bulldozers; large tractors with hydraulic accessories. Must be available to respond during and after hours to emergencies including snow, ice and ﬂooding. Starting salary is $37,976.56/yr. For consideration, please send your resume to sgallagher@portjeﬀ.com ©67870

Part-Time Sales/Customer Service

F/T MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST Miller Place Benefits/PTO/401K To apply, visit our website: h t t p s : / / w w w . stonybrookmedicine.edu/ community-medical/careers

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.

THE VILLAGE OF PORT J E F F E R S O N H I G H W AY DEPARTMENT IS SEEKING A HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR Must possess and maintain a CDL B with Air Brake endorsement, as well as experience operating a front-end loader; 10-wheel dump trucks; backhoe; small bulldozers; large tractors with hydraulic accessories. Must be available to respond during and after hours to emergencies including snow, ice and flooding. Starting salary is $37,976.56/yr. For consideration, please send your resume to sgallagher@ portjeff.com

FIRE DISTRICT TREASURER The Rocky Point Fire District is seeking the services of a part time treasurer. Please call the district office for further information at 631-744-4102.

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.

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

FEBRUARY 10, 2022 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A13

Place your ad today Call 631.751.7663 or 631.331.1154

SERV ICES 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.

Clean-Ups LET STEVE DO IT Clean-ups, yards, basements, whole house, painting, tree work, local moving and anything else. Totally overwhelmed? Call Steve @ 631-745-2598, leave message.

Home Improvement

REACT PEST CONTROL INC. Wasps, Yellow Jackets Nesting in your home! Protect your home before those pesky nests are built. SEE DISPLAY AD FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Fences SMITHPOINT FENCE. DEER PROBLEM? WE CAN HELP! Wood, PVC, Chain Link, Stockade. Free estimates. Now offering 12 month interest free financing. Commercial/Residential. 70 Jayne Blvd., PJS. Lic.37690H/Ins. 631-743-9797 www.smithpointfence.com.

Floor Services/Sales FINE SANDING & REFINISHING Wood Floor Installations Craig Aliperti, Wood Floors LLC. All work done by owner. 29 years experience. Lic.#47595-H/Insured. 631-875-5856

FINE SANDING & REFINISHING Wood Floor Installations Craig Aliperti, Wood Floors LLC. All work done by owner. 29 years experience. Lic.#47595-H/Insured. 631-875-5856

Decks 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. 105 Broadway, Greenlawn. 631-651-8478. www.DecksOnly.com

Furniture/Restoration/ Repairs REFINISHING & RESTORATION Antiques restored, repairing recane, reupholstery, touch-ups kitchen, front doors, 40 yrs exp, SAVE$$$, free estimates. Vincent Alfano 631-707-1228

Home Repairs/ Construction

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. 631-751-0751 We love small jobs too! Suffolk Lic. #48714-H, Ins. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD FOR MORE INFORMATION. LAMPS FIXED, $65. 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

YOUR AD COULD BE HERE! CALL 631.331.1154

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

ALL PRO PAINTING INTERIOR/EXTERIOR Power Washing, Staining, Wallpaper Removal. Free estimates. Lic/Ins #19604HI 631-696-8150. Nick 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

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

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

CLASSIFIED DEADLINE is Tuesday at noon. If you want to advertise, do it soon! 631.751.7663 or 631.331.1154

PROF E S SION A L & B U SI N E S S ALWAYS BUYING

AIRPORT LIMO SERVICE • Glassware • Military Items • China • Anything Old or Unusual

• Old Mirrors • Lamps • Clocks • Watches • Furniture LICENSED & BONDED

Call 631-633-9108

Restorations

Painting/Spackling/ Wallpaper

JFK, McArthur, LaGuardia and Newark Personal & Corporate Travel

LUX DEVELOPMENT GROUP Historical restorations, extensions & dormers, cedar siding & clapboard installation, basements, kitchens, doors & windows, finished carpentry & moulding, SEE OUR DISPLAY AD FOR MORE INFORMATION Call 631-283-2266.

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

Place your ad today Call 631.751.7663 or 631.331.1154

Blues Man Piano Tuning Brad Merila Certified Piano Technician

Professional Chauffeurs, Luxury SUV’s Sedans, Sprinter Vans, etc.

6 Barnwell Lane, Stony Brook

631.681.9723

Book Online Now!

bluesmanpianotuning@gmail.com bluesmanpianotuning.com

Suffolk Limo 800-364-7049 • Suffolklimo.com

Exterminating

Cable/Telephone

PAGE A14 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • FEBRUARY 10, 2022

Place your ad today Call 631.751.7663 or 631.331.1154

HOME SERV ICES

MULCH & TOPSOIL

DEER PROBLEM? WE CAN HELP. Specializing in all phases of fencing: Wood • PVC • Chain Link • Stockade Now offering 12 month interest-free financing

New Location

FREE ESTIMATES COMMERCIAL/ RESIDENTIAL

70 Jayne Blvd., Port Jeff Station (631) 743-9797

❆

Brick & Stone Veneer Concrete Pavers & Walls Bluestone Portland/Mortar Sand/Block/Gravel Railroad Ties & Tree Stakes Screened Topsoil Compost & Mulch Seed & Lawn Control Products

www.troffa.com

631-928-4665 PROMPT DELIVERY ALWAYS AVAILABLE

Winter is Here! Call our Classified Advertising Department

“We have had the privilege of advertising in The Village Times since the newspaper was ﬁrst published in 1976! After all those years, 45 to be exact, we have had amazing results thanks to their dedication and professionalism. Minnie and Joann are wonderful and are sure to come up with valuable ideas for your individual advertising needs. Every week, Leah Dunaief & The Village Times staﬀ provide an outstanding paper with factual and relevant information for the communities we all cherish. It is only natural to choose to advertise in their papers! We love you Times Beacon Record!”

• Surround Sound/Sound Bars • Computer Wiring • Stereos Installed • Commercial & Residential Repairs • Watch TV Free. Save$$$$

www.davewireman.com CALL DAVE All Major Credit Cards Accepted

at 631.331.1154 • 631. 751-7663

EXTRA! EXTRA!

• Flat TVs Mounted • HDTV Antennas Installed • Camera Systems Installed • Telephone Jacks & Cable TV Extensions Installed & Serviced

LIC. #54264-RE

516-433-WIRE (9473)

❆

516-353-1118 (TEXT)

TIMES BEACON RECORD NEWS MEDIA ADVERTISERS GET RESULTS! SUFFOLK TRANSPORTATION

STRATHMORE EAST EQUITIES

BOB’S PAINTING SERVICE

“For decades, the Village Times has been our paper to attract people who would appreciate our lifestyles in Port Jefferson and local towns. Efficient, affordable and reliable is the trademark of the Village Times. Thank You!”

“Times Beacon Record is a great paper in every way, especially if you are a community oriented individual. Fun facts are here, as well as information on hiring business people that take pride in their workmanship. A great success story!”

To Join Our Family of Advertisers, Call: 631.751.7744

Veterans 10% Off

FREE ESTIMATES All Work Guaranteed 631-667-WIRE (9473)

SQUEAKY CLEAN “I am a lifetime resident of Saint James who has been advertising in the Times Beacon Record Newspaper for the last 5 years. Through advertising with this local publication, I have been able to extend my exterior cleaning services to many local Long Island homes. It has been a pleasure working with such a professional advertising team, helping to keep our neighborhood houses looking Squeaky Clean!”

Snowplowing • Firewood • Chimney Cleaning • Oil Burner Maintenance

SPECIAL RATES NOW AVAILABLE

Black/Brown/Red Mulch Cobblestone-New & Used Drainage Supplies & Castings Boulders & Dive Rocks Wall Stone Cedar Mulch Playground Woodchips Super Peat Tools & Equipment

WIREMAN CABLEMAN

ADVERTISE YOUR SEASONAL SERVICES

JOS. M TROFFA MATERIALS

9| EAST SETAUKET NY 11733

OVER 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE

70 COMSEWOGUE RD. | SUITE

“It is a pleasure working with Times Beacon News Media. Sheila always keeps me informed of deadlines and is aware of what I am looking for pertaining to advertisement locations. With our hectic schedule it is nice to know she is my safety net . I am happy to advertise in the publication. I know my message is getting to my audience.“

TIMES BEACON RECORD NEWS MEDIA 185 Route 25A, Setauket NY 11733 • tbrnewsmedia.com

RCJ “We have been an advertiser for many years with the Times Beacon news for our home improvement company. The response of customers answering our advertisements has been very high steady. The representative we have been dealing with (Shelia) has been very helpful and is always there to advise me of the best advertising strategies. The cost is very aﬀordable too. I will continue to use this paper as we feel it’s been the best way along with the social media ads they run to reach our customers.” ©FILL000117

FEBRUARY 10, 2022 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A15

Place your ad today Call 631.751.7663 or 631.331.1154

HOME SERV ICES ALL PRO PAINTING

BOB’S PAINTING SERVICE

ALL WORK GUARANTEED FREE ESTIMATES

40 Y E A RS EX PER IENCE O wne r O pe rat ed S i n c e 19 78

FREE ESTIMATES

631-744-8859

Nick Cordovano 631–696–8150 LICENSED #19604-H & INSURED

GENERAL CONTRACTOR, TILE & MASONRY SPECIALIST

REFERENCES GLADLY GIVEN

Lic./Ins. (#17,981)

Since 1995 Family Owned & Operated

DECKS ONLY

BUILDERS & DESIGNERS OF OUTDOOR LIVING BY NORTHERN CONSTRUCTION OF LI INC.

All Phases of Installation and Repairs 20 Years Cultured Stone, Stucco, Brick Work, Experience Asphalt Driveways and Sealers, Patios, Sidewalks, & Concrete. Also Clean-ups and Junk Removal. Quality Work! Neat, Clean and Reliable. Lic#32372-H Call 631-232-0174 & Insured ©67240

“We take pride in our work” FREE ESTIMATES

Licensed/Insured

Since 1989

INTERIOR • EXTERIOR Taping Spackling

Licensed/Insured

(3rd party)

Wallpaper Removal

631-283-2266

Owner is a Three Village Resident for Over 30 Years Licensed #55203-H & Fully Insured

Decorative Finishes

Power Washing

Historical Restorations Extensions & Dormers Cedar Siding & Clapboard Installation Basement Renovations Kitchens & Bathrooms Doors & Windows Finish Carpentry & Moulding

• Free In-House 3D Design • Financing Available

45 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Ryan Southworth 631-331-5556

#37074-H; RI 18499-10-34230

105 Broadway Greenlawn 631.651.8478 www.DecksOnly.com

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PAGE A18 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • FEBRUARY 10, 2022

Editorial

Helping people: It’s an art

When people look back to spring 2020, they remember how the COVID-19 pandemic shut things down. Zoom became a regular form of communication, visits to grandparents were done in a drive-thru fashion and many people anxiously awaited their stimulus checks. While those checks from the U.S. government were sent, some people needed the money more than others. Many people lost their jobs, their businesses and their livelihoods. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in February 2020 — just before the pandemic hit the States — unemployment was at 3.5%. Just two months later, as the virus began to spread rapidly, unemployment rates skyrocketed to nearly 15%. But what many people might not realize is how impacted the local arts were during this time. We as a society leaned on our first responders out in the trenches. We listened to our elected officials on the news every day hoping to hear something good. We shopped locally to help our business-owning neighbors. However, something that we all enjoy one way or another — the arts — was shattered and not much was being done to help our local artists, performers and creators. According to Johns Hopkins University research, as of December 2021, the percentage of job losses at nonprofit arts organizations remained more than three times worse than the average of all nonprofits. Artists/creatives were — and remain — among the most severely affected segment of the nation’s workforce. The arts are a formidable industry in the U.S. — $919.7 billion (preCOVID) that supported 5.2 million jobs and represented 4.3% of the nation’s economy. And now, nearing two years since the 2020 shutdowns, artists on Long Island are voicing how it felt. Many believe that significant relief funding was not given to the arts and related nonprofits despite the impact they have on Long Island’s economy. Think about it. How many of us love to see a show at the local theater? How many of us hang artwork from nearby artists on our walls? How many of us enjoy live music as we dine at our favorite eateries? Those people had jobs, too. Sometimes we forget that the people working after a typical 9-to-5 shift are working, too. What some may call a hobby is a way of life for thousands of people. We still have a way to go, and unfortunately COVID will haunt us for a very long time in more ways than one. But the next time you’re out to dinner with a friend, drop a tip in the guitar player’s case. Splurge on a drawing from a local artist and support your neighborhood theater. The arts helped us during the pandemic. We found solace in other people’s creations. Now it’s time to pay back the artists and show them how much they are needed, wanted and loved. The opinions of columnists and letter writers are their own. They do not speak for the newspaper.

Letters to the Editor A second ‘big lie’

In Jim Soviero’s recent letter [“Cheering informed parents voting for change,” Village Times Herald, Jan. 20] he appears to push a second “big lie”: Communists, disguised as competent, dedicated if Democratic-leaning educators — who wish our children harm — have stolen our schools to inculcate Marxism and race hatred. Soviero’s “informed” parents have not astutely uncovered secret lists. They — and countless Republican legislators — have received slanted extracts of public documents, usually featuring Toni Morrison, Alice Waters and James Baldwin, from the usual deeppocketed right-wing sources like the Koch brothers. In his long letter, Soviero does not name a single author, title or targeted age group. With some chutzpah, he cites one school board that introduced a Marxist attack on the nuclear family even as it rejected “uplifting stories from Condoleezza Rice [R]” and none other than the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Trumpers have called the children’s book, “Heather Has Two Mommies” by Lesléa Newman with illustrations by Diana Souza, an attack on the nuclear family. God knows what King story Soviero meant. This MLK Day, Jan. 17, Republicans gave much lip service to one hopeful King comment that people be judged on their character not color. Yet during his lifetime, King was vilified as a Communist by the entire right wing for forcefully opposing the Vietnam war and promoting workers rights as well as human rights — he was murdered in 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee, while supporting striking sanitation workers. King advocated nonviolence but, like Gandhi, it was a disruptive, civil disobedience nonviolence. I don’t think Soviero had in mind King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” On MLK Day, King’s son was marching in Washington, D.C., pleading publicly with Sens. Joe Manchin [D-WV] and Kyrsten Sinema [D-AZ] to support the Freedom to Vote Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, knowing that not a single Republican would vote for the acts. “Condoleezza Rice” is a nice curveball, Jim. She’s the talented, whipsmart adviser and then secretary of state to President George W. Bush [R]. But it would be dishonest to omit her crowning achievement: She conspired with Vice President Dick Cheney [R] and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld [R] to get the United States to attack Iraq in 2003 on the basis of totally false claims that Iraq president, Saddam Hussein, had weapons of mass

destruction. (The poison gas and other weapons the U.S. gave our then-favorite dictator for his almost eight-year war against Iran — and the Kurds — were long gone after Desert Storm, as our government well knew and as the U.N.’s Scott Ritter and Hans Blix told the rest of us.) The war cost thousands of American lives, thousands with PTSD and at least $1 trillion so far. We didn’t count Iraqis — we left Iraq at the mercy of the Islamic State group. An ironic coda, the Rice-Cheney-Rumsfeld trio induced Gen. Colin Powell (R), the first Black secretary of state, to humiliate himself in a U.N. speech in which he repeated the lies, some of them disproved overnight. As he told the British newspaper, The Guardian, two years later, it was a still-painful blot on his career. Not too “uplifting.” Finally, the “informed” people Soviero has in mind, no doubt, include “The Long Island Loud Majority” and “Save Our Schools” Trumpers of Smithtown, who vociferously oppose both COVID-19 mitigating policies (“mask tyranny!”) and any mention of Black Lives Matter. Arnold Wishnia Setauket

The American crisis

“These are the times that try men’s souls” opening sentence from “The American Crisis” written by Thomas Paine, and first printed in pamphlet form in December of 1776. In a later writing by Paine, he described that he wrote that first and subsequent pamphlets in what he called “a passion of patriotism” after “seeing the deplorable and melancholy condition the people were in, afraid to speak and almost to think, the public presses stopped, and nothing in circulation but fears and falsehoods.” Fast forward to today, bringing Paine — who had previously authored “Common Sense” — in a time machine to the present. He would so eloquently describe the “American crisis” which we are experiencing today with history repeating itself: People “afraid to speak” for fear of repercussions; “and almost to think” (for themselves); “the public presses stopped” (censorship); “and nothing in circulation but fears and falsehoods” (media suppression of the truth).

He would surely have noted that most Americans possess the “common sense” to realize that today’s lamestream media doesn’t cover the facts — they cover them up. He would also be visibly upset, I’m certain, by the lack of “a passion of patriotism” by the so-called progressive (leftist/ Marxist) movement, for example, and be utterly confused as to why they chose that name when their agenda is anything but progressive. Paine would be totally baffled as to why modern religious organizations among our midst would elevate their martyred alleged criminal (George Floyd) to hero status, while not protesting the senseless murders of police officers (real heroes) with the same vigor. In his time, all known facts from both sides of a conflict were communicated from the pulpit to a mostly illiterate congregation. Several members of church congregations today are blinded from the truth due to the spewing of disinformation and outright lies from the media, touting “racism” based on an incurable case of Trump Derangement Disorder (unfortunately, a terminal mental condition). Paine wouldn’t be able to comprehend the fact that so many Americans reelect politicians who do nothing for their constituents, instead enriching themselves and their families with American citizen taxpayer dollars. He would be absolutely livid that today’s Department Of “Justice,” the Supreme Court and others in our government aren’t looking into the facts regarding the real “insurrection” which took place on Nov. 3, 2020. A treacherous act which subsequently placed a puppet king, one of the aforementioned career politicians, in our White House and one who is worse than King George III. Paine was with the Continental Army when he witnessed the extreme suffering and ultimate sacrifices of those who helped to create our country. He would be in a state of disbelief while witnessing those who are attempting to destroy our country today. Once again, “these are the times that try men’s souls” indeed. Let “common sense” raise your awareness. Art Billadello East Setauket

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FEBRUARY 10, 2022 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A19

Opinion Eat chocolate, float off the ground and other advertisement observations

t the same time that TV advertisements often frustrate me because I’d like to find out what happens next in the show I’m watching, I appreciate the messages people are trying to send. Sometimes, the ad is such a loss for me that I figure I couldn’t possibly be the target audience. There’s that ad for a chocolate bar that makes a woman float in a store. Right, because eating that specific type of chocolate creates such a trippy, D. None LSD-type experience of the above that she not only feels BY DANIEL DUNAIEF incredible and floats above everyone else in the store, but the other customers see her floating.

“Look, up in the sky. It’s a bird. It’s a plane. Nope, it’s just another person who ate the trippy chocolate bar that lets them float to the ceiling!” Then there are all the ads for medical products that could cure something, but that have such severe side effects that the risks may not be worth the cure. “We might cure your hiccups,” the ad suggests, “or we might cause you to have such trouble breathing that you should stop taking our medicine and see a doctor.” That brings me to the ad for Truist. Have you seen their ads, with the pile of soft stuff that looks like an old collection of the stuffed animals my children used to win at boardwalk games or receive for birthday presents? This pile of soft things rolls along, helping people by recovering hats that blow off at the beach, bringing a spare tire to a man stuck on the side of the road, or delivering a flower to a

girl waiting on a bench with her mother. Being the OCD parent that I am, I would probably say to my daughter, “Don’t take anything from a blob that’s been rolling on the filthy street!” I imagine the idea for the rolling blob that cares could have originated in a number of ways. “George” might have forgotten that he needed to come up with an ad while he was racing to wake his daughter for school. Seeing the pile of stuffed animals he was supposed to help clean up in her room, he thought, “Hmmm, if I throw this in my car, it’ll look like I cleaned up and maybe I can use it as a part of my work.” Once he arrived at the office, he threw the stuffed animals on the table, hoping he wouldn’t get fired and, just as importantly, that he didn’t lose any of her treasured toys. Or, perhaps, “Andrea” couldn’t sleep the night before she had to present an idea. At

3:21 a.m. she watched an old western. There, in between the John Wayne dialog and the crescendo to a gunfight, she found inspiration. Rolling across the screen was the ubiquitous tumbleweed. “That’s it!” she thought, as she imagined Tumbleweed 2.0, the modern version of an iconic image of the Old West. Instead of a collection of dried out grass, the modern Truist Tumbleweed (at that hour, alliteration is awesome!) is composed of soft, plush stuffed animals. And, instead of being indifferent to the plight of the people it passes, the Truist Tumbleweed cares, lending a stuffed animal hand. “George” and “Andrea” may have moved on to other jobs. Or, thinking outside the box, they may have gotten a promotion. They could use some of that extra money to buy risky remedies or trippy chocolate. And, hey, if they have any problems, the Truist Tumbleweed is ready to show it cares.

and social media this week. We certainly love our pets, maybe because they can’t talk. And they are unfailingly loyal and forgiving. Well, dogs, are. I’m not so sure about cats. In some cases, we regard them almost as our children. A carpenter of undetermined ethnicity, who was doing some work in our house, once pointed to our golden retriever and proclaimed, “In my next life, I want to come back as an American dog.” We love our true friends, those who are there to prop us up when we fall as well as those who share our good times. We can also genuinely love our teachers. A caring teacher can make a profound difference in the direction of a child’s life. For example, my sixth grade teacher, in an unexceptional neighborhood elementary school in New York City, stayed after hours, for a few weeks, to coach half-adozen of us so that we might pass a citywide test for an exceptional junior high school. Two of us did, and to this day I love that woman, though after that year, I never saw her again. We can love members of our clergy, who are predictably there for us with advice at critical times and with solace at times of

deep loss. Yes, that is their job, but some do their jobs beyond measure. We can love our doctors, who take an oath to watch over our health, but again, some are deeply caring. For these people, we are more than grateful. They love us, and we love them back. We can love the natural world around us, a world that is filled with songbirds and butterflies, squirrels and foxes, wild turkeys and seagulls to delight the senses. We love the first sight of crocuses announcing the beginning of spring and the early flowering magnolia trees. If we are lucky, we can truly love our jobs. For us, they are more than a source of livelihood, more even than a career. They are a calling. They propel us out of bed in the morning and often are the subject of our last thoughts as we go to sleep at night. They coax out the best in us and provide us with unique satisfaction. Finally, we need to love our lives. Sometimes to do so takes re-contexting and perhaps re-adjustment. That love seems like a worthy goal.

The many loves of our lives

aybe it is a Hallmark holiday, but with St. Valentine’s Day approaching, love is definitely in the air. Perhaps Chaucer started it with his poetry about Valentine’s Day in the 14th century. There have been many iterations since. At the least, it’s a time to reflect on the loves in our lives. And there are many. Let us count them together. Saint Valentine’s Day has traditionally been associated with romantic love, as Between you and me people—give each other BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF material declarations of their affections. These start with cards, some of them originally composed and handwritten, others store bought and ceremoniously delivered. Red roses are the usual accompaniment and perhaps even generous amounts of chocolate. All of that helps to endure a cold winter’s day and night. It certainly helps

the local economy. So many other loves exist, some of them deeply in our hearts. The love we bear for our children makes for family bonding. It has been said that if children loved their parents as much as parents love their children, the human race would end because the children would never leave their homes. From the marvel at first sight of those tiny fingers and toes to the day we walk them down the aisle to start their own families, we love them, disregarding all the aggravations that happen in between. For most, this is an indissoluble love. And yes, most of us truly love our parents, the mother who taught us to read, the father who taught us to swim. We go from thinking they are all-knowing demigods to wondering if they are the stupidest humans on earth, and ultimately to respecting them for all they have given us despite their various shortcomings. We are awed by their indestructible love for us and at the same time acknowledge that they are but human. We have been impressed with the number of entries for our Love My Pet section that is running in the newspapers and on the website

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AwardWinning Newspapers 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

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PAGE A20 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • FEBRUARY 10, 2022