The Village Beacon Record - December 15, 2022

Photo courtesy Sarah Anker

Hahn, professionals and parents lead fight against local drug addiction

BY RITA J. EGAN RITA@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) joined forces with the Westburybased Long Island Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence to inform residents about the increased danger of opioidrelated deaths during the holiday season and the threat of street drugs.

The legislator, treatment providers and family members of those who have died from opioidrelated deaths, some holding posters featuring photos of their deceased loved ones, gathered at a press conference held outside Hahn’s Port Jefferson office on Tuesday, Dec. 13.

Steve Chassman, executive director of LICADD, said the area is “rich in resources, and we are going to need them.” He listed some of the organizations that provide services 24 hours a day for those dealing with drug use and their families, such as Seafield Center of Westhampton Beach and Hope House Ministries of Port Jefferson as well as LICADD.

“We are here because it is absolutely necessary to let Long Islanders know the drug supply, not just heroin — cocaine, amphetamines, ecstasy, pressed pills — are tainted with fentanyl,” Chassman said.

He added that the death rate due to drug overdoses continues to rise, and for many families the holiday season is not a season of peace and joy.

“For families that are in the throes of substance use or opiate-use disorder, this is a time of isolation. This is a time of stigma. This is a time of financial insecurity, and we know that the rate itself, that of self-medication, increases exponentially,” Chassman said. “We’re having this press conference to let families know they’re not alone.”

Hahn said according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, winter is when drug-related deaths spike, most likely due to

holiday gatherings or experiencing depression during the winter season.

“The months of March, January and February, respectively, are traditionally the deadliest of the year for overdoses,” she said.

Hahn encouraged families to take advantage of the resources available to them.

“Too many families already face empty chairs at their tables, but there is always hope,” the county legislator said. “Recovery is possible.”

Carole Trottere, of Old Field, lost her son Alex Sutton to a heroin-fentanyl overdose in April 2018.

She said the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration now refers to overdose deaths as poisoning. The DEA has stated that six out of 10 illegal pills tested had fentanyl.

“Using street drugs is the equivalent of playing Russian roulette with your life,” Trottere said. “It’s not if it will kill you, it’s when.”

Trottere advised parents not to “hide their heads in the sand.” She said to talk to their children about the dangers of drug use and to reach out to an organization for help when needed.

Anthony Rizzuto, Seafield Center director of provider relations, said, “When I first got involved in this advocacy fight, we were at about 74,000 [deaths],” he said. “We’re looking at each other, how can we let this happen? We are now at 107,000.”

This number from the CDC, for the year ending January 2022, reflects the opioidrelated deaths in the U.S.

Rizzuto said one of the challenges of providing help is the stigma attached to drug use, and people being hesitant to talk about it.

“There is no shame in getting help for the disease of addiction,” he said.

He reiterated how marijuana, cocaine and fake prescription pills often are laced with fentanyl.

“If you’re not getting your medication from a pharmacy with your name on the label, please be [suspicious],” he said. “Fentanyl kills.”

For information on how to get help, visit www. licadd.org, or call the hotline, 631-979-1700.

COUNTY NEWS

Steve Chassman, of LICADD, shows attendees strips to test drugs for fentanyl at a Dec. 13 press conference in Port Jefferson.

Photo by Rita J. Egan

Miller Place lights up during tree lighting event

The

The Miller Place community twinkled brightly on Saturday, Dec. 10, during a tree lighting ceremony held at the Aliano Shopping Center on Route 25A.

event was well attended by community members, public officials and even pets. Fun and joy went all around. A tall, multicolored tree served as the centerpiece for the evening.

PHOTOS COURTESY

SARAH ANKER

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?

The following incidents have been

Man seriously injured in Stony Brook motor vehicle crash

Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that seriously injured a man in Stony Brook on Dec. 10. Marquice Campbell was driving a 2009 Mercedes Benz in the left lane of northbound Nicolls Road, between Nesconset Highway and Oxhead Road, when he attempted to cross into the right lane and struck a 2022 Honda CRV. He then lost control of the Mercedes, which traveled onto the right shoulder and continuing off the roadway, crashing into construction equipment, at approximately 4 p.m. Campbell, 27, of Middle Island, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. The driver of the Honda, Karrer Alghazali, 38, of Little Rock, Arkansas, was not injured. Both vehicles were impounded for safety checks. Anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact the Sixth Squad at 631-854-8652.

Wrong-way driver arrested for DWI on Nesconset Highway in Hauppauge

Suffolk County Police arrested a woman on Dec. 10 for driving while intoxicated after she allegedly drove the wrong way on Nesconset Highway in Hauppauge. A 911 caller reported a sedan was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of Nesconset Highway at 3:10 a.m. A Fourth Precinct Patrol officer responded and pulled over the driver of the sedan, a 2020 Honda Civic, just west of Browns Road at approximately 3:15 a.m. The officers determined the driver, Karen Morales-Moreno, was allegedly intoxicated and placed her under arrest. Morales-Moreno, 21, of Port Jefferson, was charged with Driving While Intoxicated.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Man injured in road rage incident

Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are investigating a road rage incident that injured a man in Farmingville on Dec. 7. A woman was driving a 2007 BMW westbound on the LIE between Exits 64 and 63 with a male and female passenger in the vehicle, when she allegedly became involved in a road rage incident with a male driver in another vehicle traveling in the same direction, at approximately 10:15 p.m.

Both vehicles exited the LIE at Exit 63 and stopped for a traffic light at Express Drive North at North Ocean Avenue. The suspect left his vehicle, approached the BMW, and allegedly attempted to open the driver’s door, which was locked. He

Wanted for Lake Grove petit larceny

Just released! Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate a woman who allegedly stole clothing from Old Navy, located at 2089 Smith Haven Plaza in Lake Grove, at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 4. The merchandise was valued at approximately $380.

then reached into the open rear window to grab the driver, but a male passenger in the rear seat grabbed the suspect’s arm. A struggle ensued, and the suspect allegedly cut the passenger’s throat, causing a 4-inch laceration. The driver, hearing the commotion in the rear seat, drove through the red light to escape the assault and continued to the City MD Office, located at 2280A North Ocean Ave., for help. The suspect got back into his vehicle and fled northbound on North Ocean Avenue. The victim was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

The suspect was described as Hispanic, with dark skin, a medium build, brown eyes, and brown curly hair, and appeared to be in his mid-30s to 40s. He was wearing a winter hat and light blue tee-shirt. The vehicle he was driving was described as a royal blue 4-door sedan, possibly a Mazda 3 or 6, with yellow NY plates. There was possibly a female passenger in the suspect’s vehicle.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on this incident to call the Sixth Squad at 631-854-8652.

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.

reported by Suffolk County Police:

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

Do you recognize this woman? Photo from SCPD

Miller Place 53 Port Je erson 37

Panthers press, contain Royals offense

BY BILL LANDON DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Saturday, Dec. 10.

The Panthers were up seven points going into the halftime break but stretched their lead the rest of the way to win it, 53-37.

scoring chart for the Royals with 14 points, and teammate Luke Dickhuth dropped 11.

SPORTS

Competing on their home court, the Port Jefferson Royals struggled to gain traction against the defensive press of Miller Place during a non-league matchup

Joe Strickland led the way for the Panthers with 12 points, Tristan Stapleton netted 11 and Nick Fusco banked 10. Tyler Cobb topped the

The win inks the Panthers’ first win this early season as the loss drops the Royals to 1-2.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Clockwise from upper left: Miller Place junior Jack Tremblay tries to block Conor Daily’s shot; Port Jefferson’s Tyler Cobb nails a three-pointer; Miller Place forward Nick Fusco boxes out Dan Brosnan; Miller Place junior Joe Strickland battles down low.

Centereach 46 Rocky Point 28

Cougars overcome Eagles during non-league contest

BY BILL LANDON DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

After dropping their season opener to Bayport, the Cougars of Centereach looked to get into the win column during a road game against Rocky Point. They did just that, winning 46-28 in the nonleague contest Wednesday, Dec. 7.

Hayley Torres nailed three triples and a pair of free throws. Grieco and Torres matched one another in scoring, with 11 points apiece.

SPORTS

The Eagles, fresh off their win over Babylon the day before, struggled against the Centereach defensive press.

Rocky Point senior Leela Smith scored seven points for the Eagles. Sarah May added five and McKenzie Moeller netted four points.

Centereach had another nonleague contest before beginning league play with a road game against Smithtown East on Dec. 12.

The Eagles retook the court on Dec. 13 with a road game against Westhampton, opening their league season play.

Freshman

The underclassmen led the way for the Cougars, with sophomore Meaghan Grieco hitting five field goals and a free throw.

— Photos by Bill Landon

Clockwise from above: Rocky Point senior Leela Smith battles in the paint against Centereach’s Juliana Speziale; Centereach senior Mia Juvelier lets the three ball fly; and Rocky Point junior Julia Koprowski drives the baseline.

LEGALS

NOTICEOFSALESUPREME

COURTSUFFOLKCOUNTY

CORP.,Plaintiffagainst MID-ISLANDMORTGAGE

Defendant(s) KENNETHM.TOOMEY,etal

PursuanttoaJudgmentof Suite330,Iselin,NJ08830. Plaza,485BRoute1South, WoodbridgeCorporation Stern&Eisenberg,P.C., AttorneyforPlaintiff(s)

ForeclosureandSaleenteredMay9,2022,Iwill

sellatpublicauctiontothe

highestbidderatBrookhavenTownHall,1IndependenceHill,Farmingville,NY

JudgmentIndexNo subjecttoprovisionsoffiled costs.Premiseswillbesold plusinterest,fees,and ofJudgmentis$195,419.39 York.ApproximateAmount ofSuffolkandStateofNew TownofBrookhaven,County lyingandbeingatSelden, orparcelofland,situate, Allthatcertainplot,piece Block03.00Lot047.000. NY11784.Sec392.00 as5SavoyCourt,Selden, at9:30AM.Premisesknown 11738onJanuary12,2023

606144/2018.Forsaleinformation,pleasevisitwww. Auction.comorcall(800)

280-2832.

DuringtheCOVID-19health

emergency,Biddersarerequiredtocomplywithall

butnotlimitedtowearing timeofthesaleincluding requirementsineffectatthe governmentalhealth

facecoveringsandmaintainingsocialdistancing(at

theauction,whiletendering least6-feetapart)during

depositandatanysubsequentclosing.Shoulda

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NOTICEOFSALESUPREME

COURTCOUNTYOFSUFFOLKBankofAmerica,N.A.,

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BrookhavenTownHall,1 sellatpublicauctionatthe theundersignedRefereewill enteredJanuary20,2021,I, ForeclosureandSaleduly

IndependenceHill,Farmingville,NY11738onJanuary

pieceorparcelofland,with 11766.Allthatcertainplot PostRoad,MountSinai,NY premisesknownas88Old 18,2023at11:30AM,

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ontheOfficeofCourt COVID-19Protocolslocated withtheSUFFOLKCounty beconductedinaccordance aforementionedauctionwill #620572/2018.The filedJudgmentIndex soldsubjecttoprovisionsof andcosts.Premiseswillbe $246,730.73plusinterest amountofjudgment LOT:002.001.Approximate

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HEIRS,DISTRIBUTEES,DEVISEES,GRANTEES,

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FIREDISTRICT SOUNDBEACH

NOTICEOF

ADOPTIONOFRESOLUTION

whichisasfollows: Resolution,anabstractof permissivereferendum,a dulyadopted,subjectto 6thdayofDecember,2022, meetingthereof,heldonthe County,NewYork,ata TownofBrookhaven,Suffolk BeachFireDistrict,inthe CommissionersoftheSound thattheBoardofFire NOTICEISHEREBYGIVEN,

ImagingCameras,withnecessaryandrelated

equipmentandtheexpenditureforsuchpurchaseof

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theSoundBeachFireDistrictheretoforepreviously

established.

adviceonhowtoprotect 12089012/151xvbr

December7,2022 SoundBeach,NewYork Dated:

OFFIRECOMMISSIONERS

Email: legals@tbrnewsmedia.com TRUSTEEFORNOVASTAR TRUSTCOMPANY,AS DEUTSCHEBANKNATIONAL 11790. StonyBrook,NewYork Property:58BarkerDrive, SubjectProperty.Subject baseduponthesitusofthe DesignationofVenueis CountyasthePlaceofTrial. PlaintiffdesignatesSuffolk SUMMONS FILED3/28/2022 INDEX#605592/2022 COUNTYOFSUFFOLK

NEWYORK SUFFOLKCOUNTY, TOWNOFBROOKHAVEN, FIREDISTRICTINTHE OFTHESOUNDBEACH

DISTRICTMANAGER LYNNANNTRAPANI,

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Putting age before youth: Caught in COVID’s crosshairs

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unforeseen challenges for nearly everyone in our nation and world.

COVID-19 has already claimed the lives of 6.65 million people around the globe, 1.09 million of which are in the U.S. Countless more have been infected, with the illness hitting hardest the elderly and those with preexisting conditions. In this time, however, perhaps no demographic sacrificed more greatly than our youth.

We made a decision: Would we let the kids — who were not nearly as vulnerable to the disease as their older counterparts — continue their lives as usual? Or would we limit their inperson activities and restrict their social gatherings to curb the spread of COVID-19? Given a choice between age and youth, we opted for age.

Many children were shut out from traditional social interactions during those critical early years of their emotional and psychological maturation. Sadly, many high school seniors lost their graduation ceremonies, proms and final sport seasons.

In the absence of interpersonal connections, our young became increasingly dependent upon their technologies. Zoom sessions quickly replaced the classroom. Video games supplanted schoolyards and after-school hangouts. Their relationships with the outer world became mediated through a digital screen.

There is still much to learn about the long-term social and psychological impact of the pandemic on our youth. How will the frequent COVID scares, forced separations, quarantines and widespread social panic affect their developing minds? This remains an open question.

As we transition into the post-COVID era, we know that our young will have difficulty adapting. Right now, they need our help more than ever.

The generation that came out of World War I is often called the “Lost Generation.” A collective malaise defined their age following the shock and violence during that incredible human conflict.

Members of the Lost Generation were often characterized by a tendency to be adrift, disengaged from public life and disconnected from any higher cause or greater purpose. Right now, our youngsters are in jeopardy of seeing a similar fate.

Like the Great War, the COVID-19 pandemic was outside the control of our children, with the lockdowns and mandates precipitating from it. Yet, as is often the case, the young bore more than their share of hardship.

We cannot allow Gen Z to become another Lost Generation. They have suffered much already, and it is time that we repay them for their collective sacrifice. To make up for that lost time, parents and teachers must try to put in that extra effort.

Read with them, keep up with their studies, and apply the necessary balance of support and pressure so that they can be stimulated and engaged in school. Keep them from falling behind.

Remember to limit their use of technology, encouraging instead more face-to-face encounters with their peers. These interactions may be uncomfortable, but they are essential for being a fully realized human being. Devices cannot substitute these vital exchanges.

As it is often said, difficult times foster character and grit. Perhaps these COVID years will make the young among us stronger and wiser. But we must not allow the COVID years to break them either.

Despite their lost years, with a little effort and love they will not become another lost generation.

Letters to the Editor

Biden doesn’t know how to play chess

President Joe Biden [D] announcing the agreement to exchange former Soviet military translator turned “merchant of death” arms dealer Viktor Bout for WNBA star Brittney Griner reminded me of a chess game. Bout has served over 12 of 25 years in prison for crimes, including the targeting of American citizens.

Bout was the second most-wanted man in the world after Osama bin Laden. Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged a pawn (Griner) and got a king (Bout). If Biden knew how to play chess, he would have exchanged a king for a king and made it a higher priority to obtain the release of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan instead.

Whelan was arrested in Moscow in 2018 on espionage charges. He was

subsequently found guilty in a closed trial and has served more than two years of a 16-year prison sentence. Contrast that with women’s basketball star Griner, who has been detained for almost 10 months and just began serving her nine-year prison sentence.

In 2020, she was quoted by the Arizona Republic as saying, “I honestly feel we should not play the national anthem during our [WNBA] season.”

Michael Braun, then retired chief of operations for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, told “60 Minutes” (CBS) in 2010, “Viktor Bout, in my eyes, is one of the most dangerous men on the face of the Earth.” The exchange of Bout for Whelan would have been better.

Once again, Putin has played Biden for a fool.

Larry Penner Great Neck

TBR News Media, Dec. 1] claiming that everything I said in my letter was false, actually my statements were very true.

Maybe if he isn’t annoyed with what I said about Gov. Kathy Hochul’s [D] “achievements,” he would have understood my statements about crime, no bail and the highest cost of living and gas prices. I take back the word “highest,” but New York is right up there with the rest of the states he listed.

As far as no bail, criminals who commit serious crimes should not be released without bail, thus enabling them to go back on the streets to commit more crimes. Also, my statement about Hochul’s gun restrictions and criminals not going to obey her rules, most people would understand anyone can commit a crime without a gun, but law abiding citizens have the right to own a gun for their own protection.

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: editor1@tbrnewsmedia.com or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

Rebutting ‘falsehoods’

Regarding David

I was a police officer for 31 years. I believe I know enough about crime, criminals and the law. My statements are in fact not false, as he stated.

Richard Esopa Miller Place

Friedman’s letter [“Falsehoods that need to be corrected,”

Critics question whether President Joe Biden (D) is up to the task of negotiating with Vladimir Putin. Pixabay photos

Has customer service become a vestigial organ in our culture?

Icould take it personally, you know. I mean, come on! Does this happen to everyone? Okay, so, check it out. First, I’m coming back from the airport, and I’m starving. I don’t tend to eat too much on days when I’m on a plane. I have a sensitive stomach, yeah, right, poor me, and I’m a bit, which is an understatement, of a neurotic flier. The combination doesn’t tend to make travel, food and me a harmonious trio.

D. None of the above

tells me I have to get there within half an hour because they’re closing.

When we arrive home, I bring in my small bag, grab the keys, and race out to the restaurant.

“Are you Dan?” she asks hopefully as I step towards the counter.

“Yes,” I say, realizing that I’ve cut the halfhour mark pretty close.

“Here’s your food,” she says, shoving the bag across the counter.

“This is everything?” I ask.

“What?” I rage, between clenched teeth in the kitchen as I unload the groceries.

“Your salad isn’t here. Did they charge you for it?”

“Yes,” I say, as I grab some slices of turkey I bought for lunch and a few salad items.

professional basketball game. Stunningly, the person operating the scoreboard had the wrong statistics for each player and the wrong names and uniform numbers of the players on the floor.

What’s happening? Is customer service a thing of the past? Are we better off with artificial intelligence or online systems?

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF

Okay, so, there I am in the car, on the way home, and my wife can tell that I’m hungry. Ever the solution-finder, she suggests I order food from a local restaurant. When I call, the woman on the phone takes my order, which includes a salad with blackened chicken, and

“Yes,” she says, as she rings me up and is clearly eager for me to step outside so she can lock the door and go on to the portion of her evening that doesn’t involve taking food requests, handing people food and charging them for it, all while standing near a gratuity jar that says, not so subtly, “Even the Titanic tipped.” That, I suppose, should inspire me to consider forking over a few extra dollars.

I stop at the supermarket for a few items next door, drive home and bring the bag into the dining room, where my wife opens it.

“Uh, Dan?” she says tentatively. “They forgot your salad.”

The next day, I called the restaurant to explain that my food didn’t come. The manager said he came in that morning and saw a salad with blackened chicken in the refrigerator. He says he can make a new one that day or can leave me a gift card. I opt for a new salad, When I arrive, the same redheaded woman with a nose ring from the night before greets me.

“If it makes you feel better, I forgot much bigger parts of other people’s order,” she says, with a curious mix of sheepishness, humor and pride.

“No, how is that supposed to make me feel better?” I ask.

Still in food ordering mode, and perhaps not having learned my lesson, I ordered two breakfasts the next morning and, this time, received a single order that was a hybrid of my wife’s and mine.

That night, my wife and I went to a

I realize that the missed food could have happened with anyone at any time and that the thankless job of taking orders, preparing food and making sure people get what they order isn’t particularly exciting.

Are people not taking responsibility in their jobs? Are they proud of their mistakes? Has customer service become like our appendix, a vestigial organ in our culture?

I’m the type of consumer who would eagerly become more loyal and would recommend services when the people who work at these establishments show me they care, want my business, and can be bothered to provide the products I purchased. Companies, and their staff, should recognize that I’m likely not the only one who enjoys efficient, professional and considerate customer service.

Just to add some excitement to my life, I had Mohs surgery this past week. Of course, it was not my idea. The dermatologist identified a spot on the side of my nose as possibly the beginning of a basal cell carcinoma, scraped it off and sent it for a biopsy. The report came back positive.

The next step in this situation was a visit to a Mohs surgeon, who specializes in removing the unwelcome cells.

So off I went.

Between you and me

BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF

Now typically there are three types of skin cancers: basal cell, squamous cell and melanoma. Mine was a basal, the least of the three and slowest growing. Nonetheless, it had to come off.

An appointment was made for the deed to be done. Now Mohs surgery, used first by Frederic E. Mohs in 1936, is intended

for areas totally visible, like the cheek or nose, where scars would be most undesirable. The skin with the troubled spot is cut away one layer at a time and then studied under a microscope. When a layer is found free of the cancer, the surgeon can stop removal. In that way, no more skin is cut away than is affected, minimizing the healing process and the scarring.

At the initial consult, I was told to come back at 8:30 a.m. last Monday and bring lunch and a book because there was no way to know in advance how deep the basal cells have penetrated and hence, how many layers may have to be removed.

“Plan to spend the whole day here,” the nurse instructed. “Of course you can leave as soon as the skin is cancer free.”

So I dutifully appeared at the appointed time, heart pounding, not knowing exactly what I was in for. For those facing Mohs surgery or will undergo the procedure in the future, here is what’s involved. And by the way, more and more people are developing various skin cancers because the skin is damaged by the sun, older people have had more time to be affected, and there are now more older residents in America than ever before. Thousands

TIMES BEACON RECORD

of baby boomers turn 65 every day.

Mohs surgery can be done in a hospital or a physician’s office. I was in an office. First, the nurse carefully and thoroughly wiped my face with antiseptic to prevent an infection. Pictures were taken to record the exact location of the spot. Then my upper body was draped, and the nurse injected pain killer in several locations on the nose and cheek, which each felt like a sharp but quick pinch.

When I was anesthetized, the physician entered, put on his surgical gloves, and the procedure began as Christmas music played softly in the background. It took less than five minutes to get the specimen for the lab. It takes about an hour for the slide to be inspected, using a special diagnostic machine.

I was then bandaged and sent out to wait. While I was waiting, I studied the others in the waiting room. Some had bandages on their ear or their cheek. One lady had a dressing on her scalp. A man had one on his neck. All were reading.

I also enjoyed the company of my son, who accompanied me throughout this experience, for it gave us an opportunity to chat and catch up on the latest. That was the silver lining.

In less than an hour, the nurse waved me back into the procedure room, and I swooped up my untouched lunch, my book and my coat and anxiously followed her.

“It’s all clear,” she said smiling. “No further cancer.”

“Hot dog!” I exclaimed, thereby giving both the young nurse and youngish doctor a laugh. Apparently, they were not familiar with that enthusiastic expression. I guess the current phrase would have been, “Cool!”

Then the surgeon took a thin slice of skin from elsewhere on my nose, and using this plastic surgery technique, covered the surgical site. The wound was next stitched up and covered with a pressure bandage that was to remain until the next day.

Happily we could leave. The task now is to keep the area clean and manage the ensuing pain until the healing is complete.

Until then, should we cross paths, I hope you won’t confuse me with your neighborhood raccoons. Or think that I was in a bar fight and got punched in the eye.

‘No skin off my nose,’ but there was.