The Times of Smithtown - December 8, 2022

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Suffolk County grapples with shortage of pediatric amoxicillin

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

from the pharmacy.

“When the pediatrician does a viral test and you get a positive, you know what it is,” she said. “When they do a throat swab for strep and it’s negative, you know what it’s not.”

watchful waiting, but for children who are younger, like 4 months old, parents should use antibiotics.

HEALTH

Like the rest of the state and country, Suffolk County is grappling with a shortage of pediatric amoxicillin, the drug most often used to treat bacterial infections such as strep throat and ear infections.

In the last few weeks, parents have gone to their local pharmacies, only to find that the liquid form of the medicine that’s suitable for their children is out of stock.

“There is a shortage,” said Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, who estimates that the medicine isn’t available about half the time the hospital prescribes it. “We worry that it’s going to continue to happen.”

As more children are around their friends and family before and during the holidays “it’s going to get worse,” she added.

This, doctors said, is not a Long Island or even a New York state problem. It’s national.

Nachman’s granddaughter needed amoxicillin in Florida. Her daughter drove around from pharmacy to pharmacy until she found one that had the medicine.

Doctors suggested that a number of factors have contributed to the shortage. For starters, some urgent care centers and doctors around the country are prescribing amoxicillin when children have viral infections. The medicine not only isn’t helping with sore throats or other viral symptoms, but it also isn’t as available for the children who have bacterial infections.

Nachman urges parents to make sure their children have an infection for which amoxicillin or any other drug works before picking it up

Nachman told parents to ask whoever is prescribing antibiotics like amoxicillin if their children really need the medicine.

“If there is a silver lining, it’s forcing clinicians to try not to over prescribe it,” said Dr. James Cavanaugh, director of Pediatrics at Port Jefferson’s St. Charles Hospital.

Finally, the stock of amoxicillin is low nationally.

For parents, the effect of the shortage has ranged from the expected anxiety over a limited resource to an awareness of a new reality.

Indeed, earlier this year, parents struggled to find baby formula.

“They are accepting of it, given the climate we’ve been in with formula,” Cavanaugh said. “Parents are unfortunately getting used to it.”

Other infections

With viruses like respiratory syncytial virus, the flu, and COVID-19 prevalent and increasing in communities around Long Island, children and adults are increasingly getting sick and exhibiting the kind of general symptoms that could be viral or bacterial.

Stony Brook Children’s Hospital continues to have a steady stream of patients.

“We were full before Thanksgiving, full on Thanksgiving and full after Thanksgiving,” Nachman said. “As soon as a bed opens, another child comes in.”

While strep throat is easy to diagnose, ear infections can be either viral or bacterial.

Pediatric associations offer various guidelines. For children who are 9 and over, parents can do

While childhood forms of amoxicillin are limited, adult supplies, in the form of pills and capsules, are not. Children as young as 7 years old can take pills as long as the milligrams of the pills to the kilograms of the child’s weight are appropriate for the dosage.

Nachman said Stony Brook Children’s Hospital has been doing a lot more calling to pharmacies near where patients live to ensure they have amoxicillin.

“That takes extra time,” she said. Those efforts could mean that families may have to wait longer in the emergency room.

The amoxicillin shortage can be worse for families that don’t have cars.

“How are they getting their prescriptions filled?” Nachman asked. “This is just one more worry.”

Alternatives

Area doctors and pharmacists suggested that there are alternatives to the pediatric form of amoxicillin. Children who are old enough and meet weight requirements can take a pill.

Alternatively, with careful medical guidance, parents can open up the right dose for capsules and mix it with applesauce or some other foods, according to the American Association of Pediatrics.

Doctors can also prescribe other broad spectrum antibiotics, such as augmentin and omnicef.

Using these other antibiotics, however, increases the risk of developing antibiotic resistant infections later.

“The next infection may be harder to treat,” Cavanaugh said.

These other antibiotics also may eliminate some of the good bacteria in the gut,

causing diarrhea.

As doctors have increasingly prescribed some of these other medicines, pharmacies have seen the supply of alternatives decrease as well.

“Everyone follows the same algorithm” in prescribing medicine, which means the demand for other prescriptions is increasing, Cavanaugh added.

Immune boost

Doctors said children can enhance their overall health and immune systems with healthy eating and sleeping habits and by making sure they are up to date with available preventive measures.

“Get vaccinated,” Cavanaugh said. He also urged good hand washing routines.

Cavanaugh added that children exposed to cigarette smoke in a house are also at a higher risk of ear infection.

As for what constitutes enough sleep for a child, doctors recommend between eight and nine hours per night. That, doctors said, is tough to get for children who sleep with a cell phone near their beds.

The country is experiencing a shortage of pediatric amoxicillin used to treat bacterial infections. Pixabay photo

Suffolk County Legislature launches special committee for cyberattack investigation

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

County legislators convened at the William H. Rogers Legislature Building in Hauppauge on Monday, Dec. 5, announcing the formation of a bipartisan special committee to investigate the recent cyberattack against the county government.

A confirmed ransomware event was first reported in early September. [See story, “Suffolk County cyberattack offers a window into the dangers of the digital age,” Nov. 17, TBR News Media website.] The attack crippled the county’s IT infrastructure, shutting down the system for over a month, with systems slowly coming back online.

The county press release relating to the new committee indicated that, “Information regarding the effects of the attack continues to be made public, including the admission that the personal information of as many as 470,000 residents and 26,000 past and current employees has been stolen by the hackers.”

Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), presiding officer of the county Legislature, announced the appointment of Legislator Anthony Piccirillo (R-Holtsville) as chair of the newly formed special committee. With these two legislators, the rest of the committee will comprise Minority Leader Jason Richberg (D-West Babylon), and Legislators Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai), Jim Mazzarella (R-Moriches) and Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga).

“The purpose of this committee is to do one thing and one thing only, and that is to find out what happened and how we can prevent that from happening again,” McCaffrey said.

The presiding officer described the impact

felt by county officials and residents alike due to the cyber event. He stated that sensitive information of county employees was likely accessed, with many details still unknown.

“There’s been an impact on each and every one of our residents,” he said, adding, “Employees, including myself, have now found out that our Social Security numbers have been compromised. We need to make sure that this doesn’t happen again.”

Piccirillo outlined his priorities and intended goals as chair. He regarded the Legislature as a coequal branch of the county government with a constitutional obligation to conduct oversight activities.

“We’re going to execute our constitutional duty of oversight,” he said. “We passed a procedural motion that we now have subpoena power to call witnesses under oath and bring them in if they refuse to come in.”

The committee chairman added, “I do expect full cooperation from anyone that we ask to come in, but we do have that tool in our toolbox, where if people start to refuse to speak to the Legislature then we can have them here under subpoena.”

Piccirillo maintained that openness and transparency would be necessary to restore government operations and public trust.

“The best disinfectant is sunlight, so we’re

going to open the windows and let the sun in here to shine and make sure that we get the truth,” he said. “We’re going to follow the facts and conduct the thorough investigation that the residents of Suffolk County deserve.”

Richberg detailed the collective shock and disbelief experienced by county officials when reports first circulated of the cybersecurity breach. He said a proper diagnosis of the problems leading up to the attack would help thwart a similar scenario from unfolding.

“I think understanding and diagnosing the problem from the beginning and having a bipartisan approach to asking the questions in the sunlight … is really important,” the minority leader said. “Most importantly, we need full structures for us to move forward, so this doesn’t happen again and that we are appropriately protected from anything that could happen to us in the future.”

In an interview, Anker discussed the gravity of the moment and the importance of the government coordinating its response correctly. “I know we’re spending up to $12 million to address this, if not more,” she said. “We need to get all the experts in the field to address what we’re dealing with and how to best deal with it.”

Anker also addressed the criminal nature of this cyber intrusion and the need to grasp

cybercrime trends and criminal culture online.

“The dark web, that’s where all of this stuff is happening,” the county legislator said. “It’s the Wild, Wild West of our times, and if we don’t address that in a more aggressive way, it’s going to ripple throughout our country.”

While the committee’s work is just getting underway, McCaffrey said the process will culminate in a report detailing its findings. “We expect to be able to roll this out and tell a good story about what happened from beginning to end,” he said.

At podium, Suffolk County Legislator Jason Richberg (D-West Babylon), minority leader of the county Legislature, during a press event at the William H. Rogers Legislature Building in Hauppauge announcing a bipartisan special committee investigating the September ransomware attack against the county government. Below, Legislators Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) and Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) are members of this special committee. Photos by Raymond Janis

‘The best disinfectant is sunlight, so we’re going to open the windows and let the sun in here to shine and make sure that we get the truth.’

— ANTHONY PICCIRILLO

Local dancer kicking it with the Rockettes

BY RITA J. EGAN RITA@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

A Head of the Harbor native is proving that dreams really do come true.

Courtney File, 24, is among the newest members of the Rockettes who are kicking their way through the holiday season, performing multiple shows in Radio City Music Hall’s “Christmas Spectacular.”

Seeing the Rockettes staple at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan has been an annual tradition for File since she was 6 years old.

“I just fell in love with it immediately,” she said.

Her parents were nervous about taking her and her brother Connor when they were younger, but she said her parents told her she was mesmerized by the show.

When the curtain came down, she turned to her mother and said, “That’s what I want to do, and it never changed my whole life.”

The 2016 Smithtown High School East graduate attended Chorus Line Dance Studio in St. James until she was 11. She then started training at the Broadway Dance Center in Manhattan, where she was part of its Children & Teens Program for four years.

File said her parents, Richard and Wendy, have always been supportive of her dreams and would drive her into the city when she was in middle and high school.

“My parents have been unbelievable since I was younger and really decided that I wanted to commit myself to dance,” she said.

The dancer was also taking acting classes in addition to the CTP program. Sometimes she would audition or take a master class.

While she juggled a busy schedule, after being on Smithtown’s kickline team in middle school, she could not be on the Whisperettes, the high school kickline team at Smithtown East. While she wanted to, she said it would have been difficult with her schedule, and she would have missed some practices and games.

“That was probably one of the hardest things that I had to give up,” File said.

She added once in a while she was able to catch a game to see the kickline team perform

“I always supported them, and I thought they were great,” File said. “It was so fun to sometimes be able to watch.”

Standing 5 feet, 8 inches tall, her height fits in perfectly with the Rockettes’ range of 5 feet, 5 inches to 5 feet, 10 1/2 inches. The minimum requirements were recently changed from the previous 5 feet, 6 inches tall.

File, who was part of the Rockettes Conservatory program this summer, said among her fellow rookie Rockettes are a few dancers who were able to audition due to the new height requirements.

“They have made a lot of amazing strides to open up the opportunities to a bunch of different

women this year,” she said, adding 17 of the 18 new dancers were from the conservatory program.

File said she was honored to be invited to participate in the program, which enables dancers at no cost to work with the Rockettes as well as performers with Alvin Ailey Dance Theater and Syncopated Ladies, a female tap dance band.

“It was a really awesome opportunity that the Rockettes gave, to give us a real life experience of what their day-to-day kind of looks like.”

This year wasn’t her first audition, though. She first aimed to be a Rockette when she was 18, and she was cut. In total, she has auditioned six times for the coveted spot.

“It was my dream, and I couldn’t give up on it,” she said.

She was home with her mother and brother when she received the call telling her she had made it. File said she kept asking her mother and brother if it really just happened.

“It was an unbelievable moment that I will never forget for the rest of my life,” she said.

A typical day for File now involves waking up every morning in her apartment and stretching. She said eating enough is also important as the dancers burn a lot of calories.

As a part of the gold cast, she performs in the evenings. The number of shows in one day can vary, and she recently had her first fourshow day.

The “Christmas Spectacular” began Nov. 18 and runs through Jan. 2, meaning dancers worked Thanksgiving and will be performing Christmas and New Year’s Day, too. Fine said she doesn’t mind as the cast and crew have become like family to her since they have been working regularly together from the beginning of October.

She added she’s lucky that her own family lives close to the city, and it’s easy for them to come to Manhattan to see the show. They have attended the show three times so far this season.

Among her favorite dances is a lyrical number called “Dance of the Frost Fairies,” where each of the 36 Rockettes has a different costume that includes fairy wings that easily work during the complex, athletic number.

Another highlight, Fine said, was performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and she also attended the premiere of the Hallmark Channel movie “A Holiday Spectacular,” which features two current Rockettes with speaking parts.

While living a dream come true, File had advice for young people regarding their goals.

“Never give up,” the Rockette said. “Every day in the audience, I see little girls that are looking up at the stage like how I did when I was 6 years old. Just work hard and never give up. Dreams do come true. I’m very lucky to be able to say that. Just keep going because all the hard work will be worth it.”

This year one of the new Rockettes is Head of the Harbor’s Courtney File. Photo from MSG Entertainment

Man found dead off Smith Point Park

Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the apparent drowning death of a man who was reported missing on Nov. 18 and located off of Smith Point County Park on Nov. 30. Pierre Morris, an employee of H&L Contracting of Hauppauge, was working on a boat at Smith Point Marina when he is believed to have gone overboard on Nov. 18 and was reported missing by a coworker at approximately 3:20 p.m. that day. Marine Bureau officers were called to Smith Point County Park at approximately 11:40 a.m. on Nov. 30 after a man, who has been positively identified as Morris, was found unresponsive off East Concourse. Morris, 45, of Far Rockaway, was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives are asking anyone with information to call the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392.

Puppy stolen from pet store

Suffolk County Police Second Squad detectives are investigating the theft of a puppy from a Huntington Station pet store. A man allegedly stole a male Havanese puppy from Selmer’s Pet Land, located at 125 East Jericho Turnpike, on Dec. 6 at approximately 12:35 p.m. by placing the dog inside a backpack. The man was described as white, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and was wearing a purple jacket and yamaka. He possibly fled on a bicycle. (See photo of man at https://tbrnewsmedia.com/crime) The puppy, which is approximately 3 months old, is microchipped. Detectives are asking anyone with information on this incident to call the Second Squad at 631-854-8252.

Pedestrian killed in hit-and-run crash

Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit detectives are investigating a hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian in Ronkonkoma on Dec. 5. A man was lying in the roadway of the LIE Exit 60E off ramp when he was struck by at least one vehicle, which then fled the scene, at approximately 8 p.m. The victim, Robert Twiford, 61, of Melville, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call Major Case Unit Detectives at 631-852-6553.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Wanted for Hauppauge Petit Larceny

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who allegedly stole a pair of Oakley sunglasses and other items from an unlocked 2020 Toyota Highlander parked outside a Busch Street residence in Hauppauge on Nov. 18 at approximately 4:40 a.m. For video of the incident, visit www.youtube.com/SCPDTV Click on Wanted for Hauppauge Petit Larceny 22-676688

Two men arrested for multiple larcenies

Suffolk County Police arrested Henry E. Sanders and Quintan Larkins on Dec. 2 after they allegedly stole multiple items of men’s clothing from Walmart in Islandia, Old Navy in Bohemia and Kohl’s in Ronkonkoma. Following an investigation, Fourth Squad detectives arrested Sanders, 39, of Central Islip and Larkins, 34, of Ronkonkoma, at their homes and charged them with Grand Larceny 4th Degree.

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.

The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police:

Do you recognize this man? Photo from SCPD — COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

Smithtown West 56 Mt. Sinai 51

Bulls nip Mustangs

BY BILL LANDON DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

The Mount Sinai Mustangs began the final eight minutes of play clinging to a 41-40 lead over the Bulls of Smithtown West in a nonleague early season contest at home.

With five minutes left, the Bulls

edged ahead to take their first lead of the game and sealed the deal at the charity strip in the closing seconds to escape with a 56-51 victory Dec. 1.

Smithtown West’s Cassandra Yanke led the Bulls in scoring with 15, and teammate Rebecca Gelman netted 12.

Ashley Sankey topped the scoring chart for the Mustangs with

three field goals, three triples and a free throw. Alexa Cergol banked 11, and Brielle Williams netted 10.

The Mustangs retake the court with another non-league contest Dec. 5 at home against Kings Park at 6 p.m., and the Bulls host their league season opener against Copiague on Dec. 6 at 5 p.m..

— Photos by Bill Landon

Clockwise from upper left, Smithtown West junior Rebecca Gelman drives the lane; Bulls sophomore Kayla Pardini on a fast break; Smithtown West junior Rebecca Gelman nails a three-pointer; and Bulls senior Laura Luikart battles down low.

Deepwells tree lighting ceremony fills the night with holiday fun

The St. James Chamber of Commerce hosted a community Christmas Tree Lighting celebration at Deepwells Farm County Park.

Origininally scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 3, it had to be moved to Sunday due to rain.

The event included pictures with Santa Claus, crafts, performances, hot cocoa and snacks. Among the performers were the Dogwood Fourth Grade Chorus and the Smithtown High School East Whisperettes kickline team.

Rain delays but doesn’t dampen Smithtown’s holiday cheer

Town of Smithtown officials rang in the holiday season with the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at Town Hall on Thursday, Dec. 1.

Originally scheduled for Nov. 30, the event was postponed to the next day due to inclement weather on Wednesday.

The parking lot of Town Hall was filled with residents sharing holiday cheer in the evening of Dec. 1. Performances included the William T. Rogers Middle School chorus, Hauppauge High School kickline, Great Hollow Middle School chorus, Smithtown junior varsity Whisperettes, Accompsett Middle School chorus, Smithtown West varsity Whisperettes, Smithtown West jazz choir and Sara Jean Dance Company.

Attendees also had the opportunity to enjoy holiday music, balloon sculpting, cookies and hot chocolate.

To top off the night, Santa Claus caught a ride with the Smithtown Fire Department and took photos with children before leading the countdown

along with state Sen. Mario Mattera (R-St. James) and Smithtown council members for the lighting of the tree.

— Photo above by Rita J. Egan: right photo by Joseph Cali

— Photos by Steven Zaitz

Suffolk’s two party leaders dissect midterm election results

In Suffolk County, I think voters were clear in demonstrating that they had great concerns about some of the issues out of Albany, issues revolving around public safety, law enforcement and affordability. I think [Republican gubernatorial nominee U.S. Rep.] Lee Zeldin [R-NY1] spoke to that, and that’s why you had the results you had where I think he gathered about 59% of the [Suffolk] vote.

We, the Democratic Party, need to do a better job on messaging. The governor [Kathy Hochul

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

In a year of narrow margins of victory and

slim majorities in the U.S. House and Senate, Republicans made steady gains in Suffolk County. Following

this outcome, TBR News Media spoke independently with Rich Schaffer and Jesse Garcia, respective

What is your initial reaction to this year’s midterm election results?

(D)] delivered record amounts of state aid for education, and nobody even knew about it. The governor delivered record amounts of infrastructure monies that fixed the LIE and various roads throughout the county, and nobody knew about it. The governor held up the state budget to have tweaks made to the bail reform and criminal justice issues that were passed by the Legislature earlier this year, and nobody knew about it. I think we failed at our messaging, and the Republicans did a better job on that.

I can’t speak to the county numbers because I don’t have all of them, but I’ve been looking at the Babylon numbers because I’m an elected official in Babylon.

We underperformed in terms of turnout. Republicans had their normal turnout in Babylon. Blanks [i.e., those not registered with any party]

I don’t know if it’s changing, but I would say that it’s always going to be a moderate to conservative place. The enrollment numbers are pretty much even, Democrat to Republican, and then there’s another third who are independent, blanks.

You are seeing ticket splitting because Democrats are getting elected in various places. If there’s an answer to your question about changing, I would say that Suffolk County voters are voting in a more

and Democrats had about 10% to 15% less turnout than we would normally have in a gubernatorial election year. That alone speaks to my answer to the first question, messaging. And two, in terms of turning out people who would normally turn out for us, we didn’t do a good job doing that. We have to find out why they didn’t turn out.

moderate to conservative way, whether they be a registered Democrat, Republican or not registered with any party. And maybe that’s to say that registration doesn’t determine how someone’s going to vote.

I think they’re going to come out and they’re going to vote based on how they feel about the particular issues of the day, and if you haven’t done your job on messaging then you’re not going to win that battle.

Absolutely. I think any time you make voting more accessible, you’re going to get a better response from people. We were always champions of communicating with people who are on permanent absentee [ballot status], those who are in nursing homes or who are not able to get out and vote physically.

Keep in mind, if someone requests a

More direct communication. I’ve told our party members that we have to get back to doing doorto-door. Obviously, COVID really knocked the you-know-what out of that. People have just given up on talking to people in an office, relying on text messages and emails. Mailings have kind of even dropped down now. It’s become who can get their message out on TikTok and Instagram.

I think people have become immune to that because they’re just pounded all day long with

ballot early, or with early voting as much as 10 days out, you have to kind of move up your communications schedule so that you don’t lose the opportunity to communicate with those people and have an impact. If there’s a change in strategy, it’s probably moving up the communication schedule and doing it earlier.

social media and technology, so I think we have to get back to more direct, one-on-one social interaction. The local election year next year, 2023, is a great year to do that because turnout does drop in ‘23 with a smaller group of people to communicate with.

I think it’s important to do that and to get the party people to do that, because that’s the best way to have an impact on getting your people out and getting people to buy into your message.

chairmen of the Suffolk Democratic and Republican committees, for their views on the local outcome.

I’m very proud of the reaction of the voters of Suffolk County and of the hard work of the Suffolk County Republican Committee members involved here. This is a process that began in the cold, wintery nights of February. It culminated with the night we call our Super Bowl, with a successful election night.

Our goal was to deliver 60% of the vote for Lee Zeldin. We did, we gave him a plurality of 100,000 votes. I couldn’t be more proud of the

Pictured below, Rich Schaffer (left) and Jesse Garcia (right). Left photo from Babylon Town website; right file photo from Suffolk GOP

We always set very lofty goals for ourselves. In my time as chairman of the Republican Party here in Suffolk County, in every election cycle we have flipped a blue seat. I have great confidence in this

efforts we put in in Suffolk County, Long Island and throughout the state. Because of our efforts, we knocked off a 40-year Democratic incumbent lawmaker [state Assemblyman Steve Englebright, previously a Suffolk County legislator (Setauket)] and we came very close in two other seats, AD-11 and the 4th Senatorial District.

All in all, it was a very successful night. More importantly, it was a successful night for the voters of Suffolk County.

committee. When we set our minds to a goal, we meet them. On Nov. 9 and 10, we were in our headquarters plotting out the next election cycle and setting goals there for our town and our county.

I think that it’s changing in a way that we are utilizing Republican governance as the proper way to govern at the town level, the county level, or the state and federal levels. I use our supervisors throughout the town, our Republican supervisors with Republican majorities, to show the voters that there’s a different way to govern, and I think that way is now being responded to.

Even deep blue seats in the strongholds of the Democratic Party — whether it be Babylon Town

or in the 1st [Council] District of Brookhaven — we have had historic victories this year. While we’ve had successes at the townwide level, this year we finally broke through that ceiling and were successful at the [state] level by defeating Assemblyman Englebright.

I believe that the voter trends that we’re seeing are the results of the political infrastructure, on one hand. On the other hand, residents are recognizing the difference between Republican and Democratic governance.

I made a commitment to our leaders, to our candidates, our elected officials, our committee people and to the voters of Suffolk County that I will adapt.

I will make sure that this party has the wherewithal to adapt to any and all shenanigans on the electoral side set forth by the Democratic majority in Albany.

We continue to do that on an annual basis, and this year — unlike in previous years — the absentee ballots were not as disastrous.

As I said, I adapt each and every year our tactics, our approach and our strategies to any electoral shenanigans that the Democrats in Albany put into place.

We’re going to continue doing what we’re doing. We’re going to expand and grow our coalitions. We’re going to learn from the successes we had in 2022. Those areas that we think we can improve upon, we will.

My goal right now is to reelect the incumbents in Brookhaven Town, in my

capacity as Brookhaven Town [Republican Committee] chairman.

And then to set my sights on the county executive’s seat, filling it with a Republican for the first time in 20 years, and to expand and maintain the Republican majority elected last year [in the county Legislature].

Did your party meet expectations?

Based on these results, how is voting behavior in Suffolk County changing?

Has your party altered its political strategy with respect to voting by mail? Do you foresee mail-in ballots playing a greater role in the future?

What does your party have to do to win over more voters?

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Intelligent, focused, and

Letters to the editor

vital services such as Medicare and Social Security are funded and available for Long Islanders young and old.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to bring positive changes to our communities on Long Island. It won’t be easy, but I will work every day to bring these issues front and center.

Nick LaLota Congressman-elect (R-NY1)

Zeldin’s successes and Hochul’s take on violent crime

Take it easy this season

Here we are in the midst of the holiday season.

In the Nov. 24 TBR News Media article, “Check in with each other, yourself before approaching holidays, local doctors urge” by Daniel Dunaief, medical professionals stressed the importance of people visiting or calling loved ones and taking note of their moods.

The doctors had additional excellent advice: Check in with yourself during this busy season, too.

The last few weeks may have been overwhelming for many people with preparing the house for company, decorating and ensuring there’s a special gift for everyone.

While stressing about how clean the house is or if it’s decorated enough, sometimes what gets lost in the mayhem is that this is the season when people make more of an effort to gather, to stop for a bit and to catch up. In the grand scheme, our home doesn’t need to look like it’s ready for a photo shoot with Homes & Gardens to spend quality time with our loved ones.

It’s the time of year when we tend to reach out to those who don’t live near us, too. Whether it’s a call, text, letter or card, it is wonderful when we reconnect and take a trip down memory lane.

As for the stress of gift giving, it doesn’t have to get out of control. Following a budget and avoiding charging presents can go a long way regarding our bank balances. In addition to exchanging presents, there are so many ways to show we care.

People can also share their talents or skills by gifting a picture they painted or a poem they wrote. A loved one may need help painting a room or raking the leaves. Why not offer the gift of time?

Sometimes the gift of time is the most cherished present of all, and many people, especially parents and grandparents, would appreciate some one-on-one time put aside for them, whether it involves a free or inexpensive activity or just talking over hot beverages.

There’s a sacred side of this season, too, that sometimes gets lost in the hustle and bustle. Just sitting and thinking of the miracles represented by Christmas and Hanukkah can bring much-needed stress relief.

This time of year should be about hope and starting fresh in the new year. The holidays are a time for joy and laughter, a moment to celebrate the many blessings in life. Materialism and commercialization of the holidays and competing with our neighbors over holiday displays may create unnecessary pressures for us, perverting the meaning of the season.

Here’s to a relaxing holiday season filled with family and friends, from TBR News Media.

Congressman-elect LaLota outlines his priorities

The 118th Congress will convene soon, and I’m honored to be representing you and Long Island as your next congressman.

With my Jan. 3 swearing-in fast approaching, I wanted to share with you some of my top priorities that I hope to champion in the halls of Congress:

• Improving Long Island’s economy by tackling inflation, cutting spending, reducing prices of goods and services like groceries and energy, and restoring our state and local tax deduction.

• Creating a safer nation by fighting crime, supporting our brave law enforcement officers, securing the border and bringing lawbreakers to justice.

• Fighting for more freedoms for Long Islanders by putting parents back in charge of their children’s education and investing in high-quality, affordable and bureaucracy-free health care.

• Holding our government leaders accountable by holding focused hearings on vital issues such as drug trafficking, government corruption, the Afghanistan withdrawal and making sure that

Few political observers would have expected the kind of Republican successes Congressman Lee Zeldin [RNY1] spearheaded in New York state. Flipping four congressional seats was the difference in the GOP’s control of the House. At the state level, Assembly and Senate seats, some “blue” for 30 years, went red. Zeldin’s unrelenting focus on crime and a need to adjust bail and raise the age laws struck a chord with Republicans, Democrats and Independents.

Some of the most influential Dems involved in NY law enforcement found common cause both with Zeldin and, by extension, those who were running downballot races on his ticket. New York City Mayor Eric Adams [D], Albany District Attorney David Soares [D] and NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell are some of the more noteworthy names. For excitable racial bean counters, the latter three are all people of color, while many of our successful GOP Long Island candidates, with whom they share a similar noble purpose, are white.

That kind of bipartisan agreement over something so critical should be celebrated by all, especially those who fancy themselves champions of minority communities, suffering the most violence.

Maybe if it had been Gov. Kathy Hochul [D] blazing that trail. But she did not. “Kat” frequently ignored calls from Adams, Soares and Sewell to

reconvene the Assembly and address the street crime crisis. Perhaps worse, Hochul was wholly unmoved by pleas from desperate constituents.

Roughly 70 mostly Democratic Latino supermarket owners fed up with shoplifting and deadly threats, met with Hochul early on. But, as Carlos Collado put it, “our complaints fell on deaf ears.” So they held a fundraiser for Zeldin. As Collado said, “We surpassed $80,000 in 48 hours.”

Tammy Hudson suffered a parent’s worst nightmare, after which she publicly blamed Hochul for the murder of her daughter, Keaira Bennefield. The 30-year-old, wearing a bulletproof vest, was fatally shot in front of her three children less than 24 hours after Keaira’s estranged husband was released from custody without bail for allegedly beating her.

Hochul’s cold-hearted response was, “The system absolutely failed her.”

According to Kat, the “system” over which she reigns is the problem, yet she still shows no urgency to fix said system. Recently, Hochul cozied up to defund-the-police antagonist U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez [D-NY14] and the far-left Working Families Party.

Subsequently, remarks she’s made prompt speculation that the governor will fold bail reform, judicial discretion and “raise the age” into negotiations over the state budget due April 1. Enough time for another Keaira Bennefield?

Before Election Day, Nov. 8, I wrote, “Given the kind of arrogant indifference to their constituents’ concerns over New York’s growing culture of violent crime Kathy and company shouldn’t be surprised if … voters express their great displeasure.”

Following Zeldin’s lead, energized, concerned voters did exactly that, with more of the same likely if Hochul and her party don’t crack down on crime.

Jim Soviero East Setauket

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: rita@tbrnewsmedia.com or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

The opinions of columnists and letter writers are their own. They do not speak for the newspaper.

Stock photo

Congressman-elect Nick LaLota during a November debate at the TBR News Media office . Photo by Rita J. Egan

A list of items I would include in a 2022 time capsule

As we round out the second week of December, I’d like to offer some suggestions for a 2022 time capsule.

— A Ukrainian flag. Ukraine, with help from Americans and many other nations, has fended off Russia’s ongoing military assault. The question for 2023 will be whether they can continue to defend the country amid a potential decline in international support.

announced he would be running for president in 2024. A previous ardent supporter of the former president, the Post may be leading the charge in another political direction to find a new standard bearer for the GOP.

— A red dot. Certainly, the Republicans taking over the majority in the house will have important consequences, with numerous investigations and a divided government on the horizon, but Republicans didn’t win as many national elections as anticipated.

that was worse than any flu I’ve ever had.

— The number 62. This, yet again, wasn’t the year the New York Yankees won the World Series. Nope, they didn’t even get there, yet again falling, this time without winning a single game, to the Houston Astros. It was, however, a wonderful chase for the American League home run record by Aaron Judge, who just signed a $360 million extension with the Yankees.

— A shark tooth. During the summer, Long Islanders worried about local sharks, who bit several area swimmers. The apex predator, which is always in the area, likely had higher numbers amid a recovery in the numbers of their prey, which are menhaden, also known as bunker fish and, despite the prevalence of the music from the movie “Jaws,” does not include humans.

D.

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF

— A waterlogged dollar. With inflation at decades-high levels, the dollar isn’t buying as much as it had been. — Florida man makes announcement. I would include a copy of the New York Post front page the day after former president Donald Trump, to no one’s surprise,

— A miniature replica of the Supreme Court, with the words Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in front of it. The Supreme Court case, which reversed the Roe v. Wade decision, removed the federal right to an abortion, enabling states to pass new laws and contributing, in part, to smaller midterm wins for Republicans.

On the much smaller personal front: — Throat lozenges. I got COVID-19 for the first time this year and my throat was so painful for a week that I couldn’t talk. The lozenges didn’t work, but they would highlight numerous efforts to reduce pain from a virus

— Wedding bells and a tiny nerf football. For the first time in years, my wife and I attended two family weddings this year. We loved the chance to dance, catch up with relatives, eat great food, and run across a college baseball field with a $7 nerf football we purchased from the hotel lobby store.

— A miniature swamp boat. On one of the more memorable trips to New Orleans to visit our son, my wife and I saw numerous alligators and heard memorable Louisiana tales from Reggie Domangue, whose anecdotes and personal style became the model for the firefly in the Disney movie “The Princess and the Frog.”

— A Good Steer napkin. My favorite restaurant from my childhood closed after 65 years, leaving behind an onion ring void and shuttering the backdrop to numerous happy family outings. If I had a way to retire expressions the way baseball teams retire numbers, I would retire the words “Burger Supreme” on a food version of Monument Park.

— A giant question mark. Scientists throughout Long Island (and the world ) constantly ask important questions. Some researchers will invent technology we may use all day long, like cell phones. Others may make discoveries that lead to life-saving drugs. Let’s celebrate great questions.

It’s not an addiction, exactly, but I do regularly watch “Jeopardy!” So do several of my friends and at least one son and daughter-in-law, who make sure they get home from work just as the television program begins. What is it, you might ask, that makes the program so alluring? There is no love interest, no spy adventure, no murder mystery, no serial episodes to coax one back each weeknight at 7 o’clock.

look at the answers to questions on a big board before them, just as the TV audience does, and as the moderator reads the answer. The first one to hit the buzzer after the moderator stops speaking then get to ask the question the answer poses.

It’s questions and answers in reverse. The questions range across six categories, and of course, each contestant tries for answers in the category most familiar to them. Each answer is worth a certain amount of money, and once in a while, one contestant will respond to all five in a single subject. There is single Jeopardy or part one for the first half, and then Double Jeopardy, in which the answers are worth twice as much.

that is required, the sort found in the card game, Poker. Each person needs a sense of the risk-taking tolerance of the opponents in order to determine how much to wager. Many games are won or lost during Final Jeopardy, on that last detail, alone. The winner is the one with the most money at the end and returns to play the following night until they lose.

persistent winner in a casino. But unlike a casino, there is the broad knowledge of trivia required to play competitively, and that makes for fun in our living rooms. We call out the answers along with the actual contestants, and we become contestants, too, among our group. When one of us has the right answer, the other or others offer congratulations. Most satisfying is when one of us knows the last question at Final Jeopardy, and none of the three on stage does.

That calls for a high-five and a “Wahoo!”

Well, maybe there is that last aspect. There are three contestants nightly, for those unacquainted with the format, and each stands behind a podium, separated from the one alongside. Each person has a buzzer in hand, and they

BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF

But there is more to the half-hour stint than just who-knows-more-about-what. There is also luck involved, because hidden among the answers on the board is a kind of Joker that enables the person, who unknowingly clicks on it and causes it to be revealed, to wager as much of their “earnings” in advance of what has to be answered next. There is also strategy

Now back to the serial appeal. When one contestant wins repeatedly, that person will attract more than the usual interest. He or she, and it is almost always a “he,” will develop a fan club among the viewers, who cheer him on each night from their living rooms. He, of course, cannot hear them, but after an especially long run, that person may become nationally known. In addition to the substantial amount of money they may have earned, sometimes enough to fully fund retirement, there are all sorts of further opportunities for them, like endorsements and sponsorships.

So we tune in to see how our winner is doing with each new night of games, as we might gather around a roulette table with a

“Jeopardy!” was invented by the game show king, Merv Griffin, and premiered in 1964. It had a successful daytime run until 1975, hosted by Art Flemming and running on NBC, until it was deemed no longer of interest. The series was then picked up in 1984 by CBS and hosted by Alex Trebek, and has been on the air five times a week since then. Currently, Ken Jennings has replaced the late Trebek. It airs in various international versions in more than 25 countries. I confess to being a member of the “Jeopardy!” cult.

None of the above

I confess to being a member of the “Jeopardy” cult

Guns are now the leading cause of death for kids—doesn't kill to ask.

Learn how at Northwell.edu/LockGuns