The Village Times Herald - January 19, 2023

PHOTO FROM STEVE BELLONE’S FLICKR PAGE

Kevin LaValle elected as Brookhaven town clerk

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

In a special election held Tuesday, Jan. 17, Town of Brookhaven Councilman Kevin LaValle (R-Selden) was elected as Brookhaven town clerk.

Former Town Clerk Donna Lent (I) retired in November, prompting a special election to complete her unexpired term ending in 2025. An unofficial tally from the Suffolk County Board of Elections indicates LaValle secured victory handily, defeating the Democratic candidate, Lisa Di Santo of East Patchogue. So far, he has received 6,396 votes to Di Santo’s 4,940.

In an exclusive phone interview, LaValle reacted to the election outcome.

“I’m really excited that the residents of the Town of Brookhaven put their faith in me to run a very critical department,” he said. “I’m excited about the opportunity ahead of me. Once I get sworn in, I look forward to taking on that challenge.” To his opponent, he added, “It was a great race. I wish her the best.”

Upon assuming this townwide position, LaValle will oversee a more than 25-person staff. In the meantime, he said he intends to speak with staff members, get an idea of the day-to-day operations and “start to see the office as a whole and see what we can improve.”

“I think that that’s going to be a little bit of a process to get that all together, but I’m excited to sit down with everybody,” the town clerkelect said, adding, “It’s going to be a bit of a challenge, but I’m excited for it.”

New state election laws require at least a week for the election results to be certified.

LaValle will vacate his seat on the Town Board when he is sworn in as clerk, triggering another special election — this time for his Brookhaven 3rd Council District.

The outgoing councilman pledged to remain active in the eventual transition process. “I think there are some people out there,” he said, referring to prospective candidates. “The leadership of the Republican Party and the Democratic Party, they’re going to have to make the decisions on that.”

He added, “The 3rd District has been my home my whole life. It’s been a great honor to be able to represent it over the last nine years, so I’m certainly going to take a keen interest in who’s going to take over after me and certainly be a helping hand in that transition.”

LaValle could be sworn into office as Brookhaven town clerk as early as Wednesday, Jan. 25. Under town code, the board must set a special election between 60 and 90 days from the opening of the vacancy.

Brookhaven Town Clerk-elect Kevin LaValle. File photo by Raymond Janis

State awards grants to help the arts recover from pandemic shutdowns

BY RITA J. EGAN RITA@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

The New York State Council on the Arts recently dispersed grants to nonprofit arts and culture organizations with the intention of helping them recover from the aftermath of COVID-19 shutdowns.

COUNTY

In a press statement, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said, “As a cultural capital of the world, New York state is strengthened by our expansive coverage of the arts across all 62 counties. This year’s historic commitment to the arts sector will spur our continuing recovery from the pandemic and set the course for a stronger future.”

Local organizations — including The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook, Preservation Long Island in Cold Spring Harbor and Huntington Arts Council — have announced that they are among the NYSCA grantees.

The Jazz Loft

The Jazz Loft has received two grants totaling $50,000 from NYSCA: the Regrowth and Capacity grant for $10,000 and the Support for Organizations grant for $40,000.

The grants will be used to support the venue’s performance schedule, which includes more than 160 shows each year. Tom Manuel, president and founder of The Jazz Loft, said in an email the funding would make additions to the programming possible during the 2023-24 season. It will also help with the Loft School of Jazz program for high school students.

Manuel said learning about grant funding “is always a feeling of both excitement and relief.” “The arts has just been one of those mediums that has existed due to patron and government support since the time of Bach and Beethoven and even earlier,” he said. “The vast majority of our artistic masterpieces and institutions were birthed from philanthropy of some kind.”

The venue employs musicians at a cost of a quarter million dollars annually, according to Manuel, and in December The Jazz Loft welcomed 2,000 visitors.

“We’re honored to be a part of a wonderful community and that we can generate traffic and tourism throughout the village,” he said. “Our plan for the NYSCA grant funding is to present a series of world-class performers and educational events that will continue

to support our artistic community and draw visitors from near and far.”

Huntington Arts Council

The nonprofit Huntington Arts Council has received a Statewide Community Regrant totaling $1 million over two years.

Kieran Johnson, executive director of the Huntington Arts Council, said HAC was grateful and humbled. He added the HAC grants are different from others as it’s not entirely for the council but to help other organizations recover. The organization has been part of the regranting program since it was a pilot in the 1970s.

“It’s all about supporting local artists and local arts organizations across Nassau and Suffolk counties,” Johnson said.

He said he remembers a statistic he once read that stated every dollar put into the local creative sector generates $5.25 of regional gross domestic product.

“That’s the idea behind the SCR program, taking the money, keeping it local and really growing local economies, also,” he said. “It’s a huge economic impact.”

Recently, the HAC granted $351,000 to

organizations in Nassau and Suffolk counties due to the New York grant and are in the process of sending the funds, Johnson said. Previous years the total amount of grants HAC dispersed has been around $120,000.

The state funds will help HAC award minigrants every month for $1,000 for one person and one organization for a total of $2,000 a month for the next two years. Each month a new person and organization will be chosen. HAC also is running a professional development series for artists and organizations that includes brand identity, social media, legal courses and more.

“That’s our primary role of the HAC, we are an artist support organization,” he said.

Preservation Long Island

NYSCA also presented grants to Preservation Long Island based in Cold Spring Harbor. The nearly $70,000 in grant money will support “regionally focused historic preservation advocacy and public education programs,” according to the organization.

The funds were awarded in two grants

to PLI: $20,000 in Recovery Funding and nearly $50,000 through the renewal of the Support for Organizations grant.

PLI will be able to help fund the rehiring of seasonal museum educators on Long Island and reopen historic houses which were closed to the public during the pandemic. Funding will also be used to enhance digital programming strategies introduced during the pandemic.

Alexandra Parsons Wolfe, executive director, said fortunately, many arts and cultural organizations received Paycheck Protection Program loans.

“We were not abandoned during the pandemic,” Wolfe said. However, she added more relief is needed.

The regional organization is able to help smaller organizations on Long Island that may not have the means to hire a paid staff in their pursuits to implement preservation projects for endangered historic places.

“I can’t emphasize how important the New York State Council on the Arts is to the cultural institutions of Long Island and New York, and it’s so worth tax money to be able to support organizations like ours,” she said.

New York State Council on the Arts grants will help arts and cultural organizations across the state, including ones locally such as The Jazz Loft, above, recover from lingering issues due to the pandemic shutdowns. Photo from The Jazz Loft

‘The vast majority of our artistic masterpieces and institutions were birthed from philanthropy of some kind.’

—Tom Manuel

‘That’s the idea behind the SCR program, taking the money, keeping it local and really growing local economies, also.’

—Kieran Johnson

Three Village launches school reconfiguration survey

At the start of the school year, the Three Village Central School District convened a Strategic Planning Committee to discuss the current operational functions of the district’s schools and examine alternatives that would provide for increased opportunities for students and fiscal efficiencies. The committee, which is comprised of members representing district stakeholders, was charged with discussing, researching, investigating and reporting on such topics as school start time, moving the ninth grade to the high school, moving the sixth grade to the junior high school and the configuration of the district’s elementary schools.

To ensure all residents have the chance to voice their opinions on these topics, the district will be issuing a digital survey in the coming weeks to gain input on these important matters prior to any

recommendations being made to the board of education.

Parents with students currently enrolled in the district will receive the survey via email. A postcard with the survey link will be mailed to all residents so that community members who do not currently have children enrolled in the district will have access to the survey.

The results of the survey will be reviewed and discussed at a board of education meeting in March, as part of the next steps in the strategic planning process. The district thanks all residents in advance for their participation in this important process.

For more information about the Strategic Planning Committee and their presentations to date, visit the district’s website, www. threevillagecsd.org and click on the Strategic Planning Committee icon.

The VILLAGE TIMES HERALD (USPS 004-808) is published Thursdays by TBR News Media, 185 Route 25A, Setauket, NY 11733. Periodicals postage paid at Setauket, NY and additional mailing offices. Subscription price $59 annually. Leah S. Dunaief, Publisher. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733.

Gov. Hochul proposes additional funds for SBU research

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

As a part of her State of the State address last week, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) proposed providing additional financial support to Stony Brook University’s research effort.

UNIVERSITY

The governor proposed adding $200 million in capital funding for research labs at SBU and the University of Buffalo to invest in new and renovated research buildings, labs, and state-ofthe art instrumentation.

In the proposal, the state would also match up to $500 million in state funds for SBU and three other university centers.

In the technical arena, the state would also provide $200 million in digital transformation and IT infrastructure across the State University of New York system, including SBU.

In a statement, Stony Brook President Maurie McInnis said “Governor Hochul’s announcement providing support for an endowment match, research labs, and innovative programs will help to propel Stony Brook to even greater heights.”

The SBU president added that the match would inspire “our philanthropic supporters to secure our long-term future while supporting current research and student scholarships. We are grateful to Governor Hochul for her visionary leadership and for providing the flexibility and mission-specific resources needed to advance our transformational goals of doubling research expenditures and moving into the top 25-ranked public research universities nationally.”

SBU officials added that the additional research funding will allow the university to grow its technology-transfer and business-incubation programs, which foster New York’s entrepreneurs.

“More robust research and entrepreneurship

infrastructure will allow us to accelerate the commercialization of medical, engineering and other technologies generated from our faculty to start and grow companies across the state,” SBU officials explained in an email.

The university appreciates the governor’s support and officials look forward to seeing the final executive budget proposal with related details and working with the legislature to enact these proposals.

Previous recognition

The proposed funds come a year after the governor designated SBU and The University of Buffalo as New York State’s flagship universities as part of her plan for “A New Era for New York.”

The governor proposed additional funding for several efforts. The funds would help construct a multidisciplinary engineering building on campus. She also supported a partnership between SBU and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory for NeuroAI, an initiative that combines neuroscience and artificial intelligence.

She suggested expanding the Stony Brook Center for Clean Water Technology research to include wastewater treatment technology and creation of the Suffolk County Wastewater Management District, both with the goal of protecting Long Island’s aquifer system.

The state could also support the modernization and repair of scientific labs and could fund “Grand Challenges” that will encourage crossdisciplinary research.

With additional funds, these universities would also have the ability to continue to hire top-rated faculty and researchers.

SBU and Buffalo are members of the Association of American Universities.

Annual research expenditures at the two universities are also a combined $663 million, including affiliated institutions.

Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis, pictured above, during her State of the University address on Oct. 12. In a statement, she said the state’s support ‘will help to propel Stony Brook to even greater heights.’ Photo from Stony Brook University

County picks groups to receive $25M for first round in opioid settlement

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

County Executive Steve Bellone (D) announced the names of 34 organizations who will receive $25 million to combat the opioid crisis in the first round of funding secured by the county’s settlement against manufacturers, distributors and others involved in the crisis.

The grant recipients, who were among the 111 that applied for funding, include community groups, nonprofits, for-profit groups and county agencies and will receive the funds over a threeyear period.

The county hopes to provide funds in the next couple of weeks to combat a crisis that COVID-19 exacerbated in the last few years.

“We had begun to make real progress in the battle and in 2019, deaths declined for the first time in many years,” Bellone said at a press conference Jan. 12 announcing the recipients chosen by a bipartisan five-member committee. The pandemic “reversed that progress and, once again, we saw opioid-related deaths rising.”

Funds from the settlement against manufacturers and distributors of opioids total over $200 million, which the county will distribute over the next 20 years. The second round of funding will begin later this year. The county encouraged some of the groups that didn’t receive funding in the first round to reapply, while opening up the opportunity to other organizations that are similarly dedicated to prevention, education, treatment and recovery.

Urgency

County Legislature Minority Leader Jason Richberg (D-West Babylon), who helped select award recipients, said the committee received over $170 million worth of requests.

“The goal is not only to have an immediate impact, but to have a long-standing impact,” he said in an interview. The committee wanted to take a “multifaceted approach when funding these organizations.”

Richberg said the group took a considerable number of hours to put together the list of recipients for the first round.

“We understood the urgency to make sure this came out in the best way possible,” he said.

The minority leader appreciated the perspective of fellow committee member Sharon Richmond, president of the Northport-East Northport Community Drug and Alcohol Task Force and a victim-advocate whose son Vincent died from opioids in 2017.

Richberg described Richmond as a “beacon of strength” who helped guide the group in the right direction.

At the press conference, Richmond said her son would have been “honored to know that so many people are going to get so much help” with these funds.

Reaching out

The leaders of the groups that will receive this money have numerous approaches to combat an epidemic that has robbed the community of family

members, friends and neighbors.

“We want to reach individuals in the community and not necessarily have to wait for someone to come to our emergency departments,” said Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, assistant vice president of addiction services for Northwell Health.

Northwell’s Project Connect Plus will receive about $3.5 million, which is the largest single award in the first round of funding.

Project Connect Plus would like to expand its reach and is partnering with domestic violence organizations and with Island Harvest food bank to create a pathway for people to access support.

“The goal of this initiative is to make sure we can navigate people [to services], build partnerships and ensure that people trust the process,” Kapoor said.

Project Connect Plus is emphasizing the importance of ongoing contact between health care providers and people who need support to defeat drug addiction.

He contrasted the attention most patients get after an operation with the lack of ongoing attention in the health care system for those people who come to an emergency room for drug-related problems.

Hospitals typically reach out to patients numerous times after knee operations, to check on how people are feeling, to make sure they are taking their medicine, to check for infection and to remind them of future appointments.

Someone with a substance use disorder typically receives no phone calls after an emergency room visit.

“If [the health care community] is doing right by people with knee surgery, why not take the same approach” for people who are battling addiction, Kapoor said. “We continually engage people to make sure they are not alone.”

Project Connect Plus is also partnering with other organizations, including Community Action for Social Justice, which is working toward increasing safety around drug use.

CASJ’s executive director and co-founder, Tina Wolf, provides direct services to reduce the risk for people who use drugs, such as syringe exchange and risk reduction counseling, overdose prevention training and harm reduction training.

CASJ is receiving $1.5 million from the opioid settlement.

“It’s a significant amount of money that will have a significant impact,” Wolf said. “It means a lot to us to have the support of the county around harm reduction efforts.”

Wolf said the funds will enable CASJ to double its existing harm reduction efforts in Suffolk County, which is important not only amid an increase in substance abuse in the aftermath of the pandemic, but also as people develop wounds amid a change in the drug supply.

In the last few years, amid volatility in drugs used in the county, some fentanyl has included xylazine, a pet pain reliever and muscle relaxant. In Philadelphia, Puerto Rico and Long Island, among other places, xylazine has caused

significant nonhealing wounds.

“Some of this money is for wound care issues,” Wolf said.

Other grant recipients include Hope House Ministries of Port Jefferson ($600,000), Town of Brookhaven Youth Prevention Program ($75,000) and Town of Smithtown Horizons Counseling and Education Center ($111,000).

A comprehensive list

The award recipients will update the committee on their efforts to ensure that the funds are providing the anticipated benefits and to help guide future financial decisions.

Groups have to report on their progress, Richberg said, which is a part of their contract.

County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) was pleased with the work of the recipients.

“It’s a fantastic list” that is “really comprehensive and varied in the type of services and the location geographically,” she said. “We do

need so much out there.”

She believes the funds will “do some real good.”

Wolf said she hopes “we don’t all just do well in our individual projects, but we can link those projects together. I’m hoping there’s enough overlap that we can create this net together to really make sure people aren’t falling through the cracks.”

Suffolk County Legislature Minority Leader Jason Richberg, at podium, was on hand to announce the first round of recipients of opioid settlement funds at a Jan. 12 press conference. Photo from Steve Bellone’s Flickr page

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The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police:

Mount Sinai massage parlor raided Suffolk County Police arrested a Flushing woman on Jan. 17 for alleged unlawful practice of a profession during a massage parlor raid in Mount Sinai. In response to community and quality of life complaints, Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers and the Town of Brookhaven Fire Marshal and Building Inspector conducted an investigation into New Blue Sea Relaxing Spa, located at 331 Route 25A, at approximately 4 p.m. Following an investigation, Lan Li, 35, was charged with Unauthorized Practice of a Profession. She was released on a Desk Appearance Ticket and is scheduled to appear in First District Court in Central Islip on a later date.

Wanted for Selden Petit Larceny

Wanted for Centereach Grand Larceny

Just released! Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the woman who allegedly used stolen credit cards in Setauket and Centereach last month. A wallet was allegedly stolen from Walmart, located at 161 Centereach Mall in Centereach, on Nov. 27 at approximately 6 p.m. A short time later, a woman allegedly used credit cards stolen from the wallet at Walmart, located at 3990 Nesconset Highway in East Setauket and Target, located at 235 Pond Path in South Setauket.

Farmingville woman injured in crash

Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are investigating a single-vehicle crash that critically injured a woman on Jan. 16. Susan Denise was driving a 2002 Jeep Liberty on the Long Island Expressway approximately 1⁄2 mile west of exit 62 when the vehicle struck the center median, flipped on its side, and caught fire at approximately 12:05 p.m.

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Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the woman who allegedly switched a price tag from an item in a Selden store in November. A woman allegedly switched the price tag on an Amazon Echo with a less expensive item at Target, located at 307 Independence Plaza, on Nov. 23. At the register she paid for the less expensive item before leaving with the Echo.

Multiple good Samaritans flipped the car right side up and extracted Denise, who was getting burned, from the vehicle and over to the right shoulder. Denise, 56, of Farmingville, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital via Suffolk County Police helicopter in critical condition. The vehicle was impounded for a safety check.

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.

Do you recognize this woman? Photo from SCPD

Do you recognize this woman? Photo from SCPD

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

Caroline Church, Setauket: How it all began

BY BEVERLY C. TYLER DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Introduction — During the last 15 years of the 17th century, Setauket, the headquarters of Brookhaven Town, changed dramatically as the population of the town grew and became more spiritually in line with Presbyterian and Puritan teachings. However, it would take until 23 years into the 18th century to begin the process of establishing an Anglican congregation in the Town of Brookhaven, specifically in Setauket. The men who would organize this new congregation were, for the most part, members of the community church in Setauket, the only religious institution in Brookhaven. Two of the men leading the way were Richard Floyd and Henry Smith. Floyd was a large property owner with a home just behind the Setauket Meeting House/Church. His Setauket property ran east to the harbor. Smith, son of William Tangier Smith, was the second Lord of St. George’s Manor on Setauket’s Little Neck. Both men were town and church leaders and both became disillusioned with the change from a church representing community to one designated as strictly Presbyterian. It was during this same period that six New England men, including the president of Yale College, also left the Presbyterian Church and made their way to England to become Anglican ministers.

voice in its management. In the meantime, Eburne complained to Governor Dongan that he had not been paid and he also came in conflict with the town on a number of issues.

HISTORY CLOSE AT HAND

In 1685, Nathaniel Brewster, the spiritual leader of both Brookhaven and Smithtown, began experiencing ill health and drew up his will. As a result, the towns began a search for a new minister. Brewster had served the Setauket/Brookhaven settlement since 1665, as its first and only minister. The search would not go well. Over the next 12 years, a number of candidates came and went with only one, Samuel Eburne, who had a background as an Anglican minister, agreeing to serve.

On Oct. 31, 1685, Brookhaven Town records (BTR) state, “Mr. Samuell Eburne … Elected by vote – to be the Minister of this Towne & Parrish & it being proposed unto him by the Towne in regard of some tender Consciences that he would Omit the Ceremonies in the booke of Comoñ prayer in the Publick worship … to Omitt & not use the aforesd Ceremonies neither in his Publick worshipe or Administracoñ of the Sacraments excepting to such persones as shall desire the same.”

This simple change marked the beginning of the end for the Setauket Meeting House as the community church where everyone, no matter their religious beliefs could worship and commune together simply for the benefit of all. Eburne received property, was guaranteed a salary and appeared to be a good choice. In December, “it was voted and agred upon that Mr Samuell Eburn shall go to Yourk to confer with the governer aboute our lands within our patten and to gett a neu patten …” This also did not go well as it took a year of prodding for Eburne to return with the new Dongan Patent which gave Brookhaven a greater

The following year, 1686, William “Tangier” Smith arrived in Setauket and received approval to “goe up to Yourk to the governer and counsell about the land in the little neck.” Smith would soon establish St. George’s Manor on the neck, own about one-third of the land in the Town of Brookhaven, gain the English title of Lord of the Manor and have eminent influence over the governing of the town. The growth in population also meant that the meeting house was too small, resulting in disputes concerning the order of seating for both town meetings and religious services.

Samuel Eburne left Setauket by the fall of 1687 and the town spent the next decade with ministers who served briefly and insignificantly. Finally, in 1697, George Phillips became the second minister for the two towns and for the Manor of St. George, the home of Brookhaven’s Lord of the Manor William “Tangier” Smith and his wife Madam Martha Smith. In August 1710, at a public town meeting, it was agreed to build and financially support a new larger church on the same site as the old Meeting House/Church. “Coll Henry Smith Coll Richard Floyd Justice Adam Smith selah strong Samuel Tompson & Jonathun Owen weare Chosen to Order the building the sd Meeting House …” (BTR)

By 1714, the church/meeting house was well under way and at a public town meeting it was agreed that the building should “bee a house to promote & propagate the Honour of Allmity God in ye purity of holy Relegion :&: in quallyte of a Presbeterian Meeteing House for Ever and No other use or uses watsoever ….” Col. Richard Floyd and Col. Henry Smith were leaders in signing this town resolve.

Just four years later, in October 1719, they both signed a letter to the Royal Governor’s Council which objected to taxing the residents of Brookhaven Town to pay for the minister of the town and improvements and repairs to the Presbyterian Church. Floyd and Smith objected that the trustees of the town, “ … had extended their power to the generall oppression of all the ffreeholders … and paying of the dissenting Minister … and other private uses.”

With the change from a community church to a strictly Presbyterian church, Floyd and Smith objected to the town supporting one specific religious organization they said did not represent the “freeholders” of the entire town. Sixty-nine “Freeholders and Inhabitants of the town” sent in a “Counter Petition.” In November, the New York Council wrote that, “... if the petitioners do conceive themselves injured they may have their Remedy at Common Law.” By this time there were probably more than two hundred families in Brookhaven Town.

Col. Richard Floyd and Col. Henry Smith were not the only men concerned with “... qualms concerning the validity of Presbyterian orders.”

Above, a portion of the January 1729/30 document signed by 12 church members and minister of Caroline Church, below. Document from Caroline Church Archives; photo below by Beverly C. Tyler

In September 1722, seven gentlemen met in Yale College library ready to move from the Presbyterian Church to “... enter the Anglican communion.” They included Timothy Cutler, President of Yale College, and three members of Yale’s class of 1714, Samuel Johnson, Daniel Browne and James Wetmore. (History of Caroline Church by Edward P. Buffet - HCC-EPB)

“On November 12, Cutler, Johnson and Browne sailed for England as postulants for Episcopal [Anglican] ordination, Wetmore followed the next year … James Wetmore was ordained by the Bishop of London, Edmund Gibson, in July 1723” (HCC-EPB). Wetmore, who most likely was in Setauket before the end of the year, became the first minister for the fledgling Anglican congregation. The group of 12 men who began, what would by 1730 be known as Caroline Church, was initially authorized and supported by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, which began in 1701 to encourage the formation of Anglican churches worldwide. The 12 men were probably the same who signed a January 25th 1729/30 letter to Britain’s Queen Caroline, wife of King George II. The letter requested a silver communion service for the church, which had recently been changed from Christ Church, Setauket to Caroline Church to honor Queen Caroline. Those listed are: Nathaniel Brewster and William Smith, Church Wardens; Henry Smith, Richard Floyd, Joseph Tooker and Nicoll Floyd Vestrymen; Robert Robinson, Moses Burnet, Richard Floyd Junr, William Smith, Thomas Robinson and Edmond Smith. The letter and signatures were endorsed by [Alexander] Campbell - Carolina [Rector of Caroline Church]

A silver communion service was, as far as we can tell, never received. It is possible that the silver service was sent to the Royal Governor of the Carolinas and used in a church in North or South Carolina. We may never know.

Celebration of the 300th Anniversary of Caroline Church congregation will come to life in the context of the 1700s using historic locations, projection mapping and artificial intelligence. This 18th century evening prayer service will be officiated by the Rev. Nickolas Clay Griffith in the character of the Rev. James Wetmore, the congregation’s first pastor — 1723. Join us at Caroline Church, 1 Dyke Rd., Setauket, on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 5:00 p.m. All are welcome.

Beverly C. Tyler is a Three Village Historical Society historian and author of books available from the society at 93 North Country Road, Setauket. For more information, call 631-7513730. or visit www.tvhs.org.

Judi Betts: A life of persistent giving to her community

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

Everything Judi Betts ever did, she did with persistence. Whether selling raffle tickets, hosting guests or persevering through the sharp bouts of orthopedic pain later in life, she did so with a tenacious, indefatigable spirit.

OBITUARY

Those who knew her say a love of family, friends, community and country guided her. Like a high-speed locomotive, her wheels were always churning and churning away. Betts channeled her abundant energies and limitless altruism into the charitable causes that defined her life.

Now those wheels churn no longer. Betts died in her sleep Wednesday, Jan. 4, at the Sunrise of Holbrook assisted living center. In her passing, she leaves an enduring legacy of community service and an indelible mark upon the lives she touched.

A dynamic team

Judith “Judi” Betts was born on Sept. 8, 1941, to Dominick and Jessie Annibale. She, her brother Kenneth and her parents soon moved to Bellerose, Queens, in the early ‘50s. Her father’s untimely death in 1955 was a profound loss to the Annibale family, prompting Jessie to raise the two kids on her own.

In 1959, Judi graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Manhasset, where she remained an active alumna and patron of the parish. She married in 1961, and then remarried in 1982 to Earle Betts, a World War II Navy veteran and board member at Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson.

Judi’s cousin, Ronnie Ridolfi, described Earle as a “perfect gentleman.” The Betts couple settled in a historic home on High Street, the nexus for various social gatherings and benefit events. Together, they were a dynamic team, joint advocates for numerous charitable causes and local organizations. Following Earle’s death in 2002, Judi carried her husband’s torch, Ridolfi added.

With unparalleled compassion and enthusiasm, Betts thrust herself into the world of Port Jefferson with the goal of continual community advancement. “She liked representing her area,” said Mary Ann Ridolfi, Betts’ cousin by marriage. “And she liked helping people.”

Master fundraiser

Betts was renowned for her untiring support of the many charitable causes and organizations to which she was committed throughout her life. The four organizations encompassing her values and community aspirations were St. Mary’s High School, Mather Hospital, Port Jefferson Rotary Club and the Boy Scouts of America.

Michael Sceiford, a friend and fellow Rotarian, characterized Betts’ community involvement. “She immersed her life in these

charitable causes,” he said. “Her personality was to never sit idle, to be out there trying to help the community through these different organizations that she was extremely passionate about.”

She also served on the Suffolk County Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Brian McAuliff, a past council president and longtime Scoutmaster, touched upon the intensity and conviction with which Betts pursued her fundraising obligations.

“If we had a meeting to do a fundraiser, everyone would take some notes, and a few days later, they would get to their tasks that they committed to,” he said. “Judi was on that task the very next minute. Being persistent about the cause, she was able to do some really great things.”

Jolie Powell, a friend and neighbor, said Betts excelled in fundraising. “She could sell tickets better than anyone I’ve met,” Powell said. “She loved the challenge, and she loved to hear that she was the one that sold more tickets than anyone.”

Interpreting this competitive impulse, Ronnie Ridolfi saw in Betts an earnest desire to effect positive change in the lives of others. “That was a drive that was in her, always to be more than the best,” he said. “By doing that with the fundraisers and the charitable contributions,” she had found her life’s task.

Persistence

A doctor once told Betts that the word “persistence” represented her outlook on life. “She didn’t give up,” Mary Ann Ridolfi said. “She would always tell you to be involved, don’t sit around, get involved and know what’s going on around you.”

Ronnie Ridolfi suggested this quality, along with her community-centric approach and relentless determination for service, were all innate qualities. “As a young lady, that was her calling,” he said.

Powell viewed this quality as an inherent feature of Betts’ personality. “She was like a warrior,” she said. “That’s what made her who she was and as far as doing what she loved to do best, which was volunteering.”

Sceiford said Betts’ philanthropic enterprise was undiminished despite declining health later in life. Fighting through chronic pain, she continued to support these causes until the very end. In the face of health problems, “she continued to persevere and push on,” he said.

Several people recounted one notable fundraising event organized at Betts’ historic home that raised $50,000 in 2021. The benefit brought together Mather Hospital and the Boy Scouts of America, Northwell Health president and CEO Michael Dowling, and various local officials.

McAuliff referred to the immense logistic challenges in bringing that event to fruition, especially given Betts’ health. “She was in a wheelchair, sometimes in and out of the hospital, and she still was able to pull off that amazing event,” he said. “It’s just a testament to her tenacity and persistence.”

Legacy

Betts brought in several foreign exchange students, highlighting another aspect of her character. Two such students, Elizabeth of Venezuela and Wenzel of Germany, remained in close contact with her and visited until the end of her life.

Friends and family remember Betts as an eccentric, charismatic, vibrant individual, a connoisseur of wine and an active promoter of the East End-based Pindar and Duck Walk vineyards.

She was also a proud American patriot. The Ridolfis maintained that she passionately supported her brother Kenneth, a Vietnam War veteran. “She helped Kenny a great deal with the VA,” Ronnie said. “He became sick, and she got involved with the VA to help him with his benefits.”

McAuliff said Betts’ patriotic fervor expressed itself through her volunteer activities. “She was a very proud American, very proud of the country, and saw the Boy Scouts of America as something that represented what was best about America,” he said.

For Sceiford, Betts’ inviting personality drew others into her web. Through this, she developed lasting relationships throughout her life. “She took her friends in as her family,” he said.

Through her example, he added that community members “can learn that they can truly make a difference in the community. … She did the work of what 25 other people maybe did. She made a huge impact to the community.”

McAuliff voiced a similar opinion. Reflecting upon Betts’ model of service, he added that her love for people and her selflessness would leave an abiding impression on those who remember her.

“Everybody who knew her became a part of her family,” he said. “I think that she adopted the community and the community organizations as her children,” adding, “It’s a life of giving, a life of persistent giving.”

Betts was laid to rest Tuesday, Jan. 10, alongside Earle at Calverton National Cemetery, her procession escorted by Suffolk County Highway Patrol, the bagpipers performing a moving tribute to a life well lived.

The four organizations to which Betts devoted her life were each represented at her visitation and funeral services. She will be greatly missed by family and friends.

Judith ‘Judi’ Betts

Photo courtesy Ronnie Ridolfi

Patriots hit the mats

BY BILL LANDON DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

32 seconds mark at 285 pounds.

The Patriots are back in action when they host Smithtown East in a non-league matchup Jan. 20 with the opening bout scheduled for 6 p.m.

SPORTS

Ward Melville wrestlers competed in the Warrior Duals invitational at Comsewogue High School along with six other high schools Saturday, Jan. 14.

Patriot standouts Dean Sitler defeated his opponent in both rounds at 118 pounds as did teammate Chase Phillips winning both at 102 pounds. Ramsey Heilbron won his match in the second round at 132 pounds as did Gavin Marchese at 145 pounds.

Pictured clockwise, Ward Melville’s Dean Sitler defeats Kyle Hayes at 118 pounds; Patriots Ramsey Heilbron battles Tim Mclan at 132 pounds; Ward Melville grapplers competed in the Warrior Duals invitational at Comsewogue High School Jan. 14; and Patriots Ramsey Heilbron battles Tim Mclan at 132 pounds.

AJ Lollo pinned his Oceanside opponent at the 1 minute,

— Photos by Bill Landon

Eye on the Street: Reflections on 2022

BY CAROLYN SACKSTEIN DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

When visitors to the Village of Port Jefferson were approached Saturday, Jan. 7, they thoughtfully and very personally responded to the question: “What was your favorite, most significant or memorable event of 2022?” The themes of health, pets and travel ruled the day.

Paul and Gerri

Havran, St. James

“We were on the ferry returning from Connecticut after picking up a truck,” Paul said. “Shortly after leaving Bridgeport, I had a heart attack and died for several minutes. Fortunately, there was a [physician’s assistant] sitting by us. There was an EMT and they went to work on me. They weren’t bringing me back, but the captain saw from the bridge what was going on and sent the crew down with an [automated external defibrillator]. A fireman and the PA administered the AED and brought me back.”

Corinne Minor, Selden

Selden

Ashley Smith, St. James

Keith, Lauren and Christine Kmiotek, Brooklyn

Keith spoke for the family. “Our island vacation in St. John, the U. S. Virgin Islands, was very nice. We are beach bums, so what’s nice about

St. John is you can go to all the public beaches. It’s open to everybody. You don’t have to pay to get on the beaches. You get tired of one, you

get in your car and drive to another. You go around the corner and it’s like a whole new world. The island is that beautiful to explore.”

Chuck Sullivan, Manorville

“I would have to say my health. I went through a whirlwind of surgeries. I am happy and healthy right now. I cannot wait for 2023.”

“Definitely adopting my second dog from Last Chance Animal Rescue. She’s a Redbone Coonhound named Caroline.”

“Getting on the ferry and going to Vermont. It was the greatest bike trip I ever took. It was with a bunch of good guys.”

“We got two cats from my grandmother this past year, when she passed away. Bringing them here and getting them acclimated to our little home has been significant.”

Sara Jackson,

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EditorialArt is an antidote for a COVID-shaken world

The New York State Council on the Arts recently awarded its Regrowth and Capacity recovery grants to local nonprofits. The grants will help arts and cultural organizations continue to return to pre-pandemic capacity and creation levels by providing monetary relief.

The art community, along with other nonprofits and businesses, was severely impaired by COVID-19 guidelines that had prevented large gatherings of any kind in the early months of the pandemic in 2020. The effects of the lockdown have continued to linger as many people remain hesitant to participate in public events. NYSCA recovery funding efforts are commendable.

Arts organizations that had to furlough staff, cancel programs and cut back their usual offerings may now have a better chance of fully opening their doors again. Canceling programs led to less audience outreach and community support. Grants, such as the ones received from NYSCA, will give organizations the boost they need and, hopefully, remind people that these institutions are essential for community health.

The arts play a vital role in our society. Dance, music, galleries, public works of art and others help us relax; they remind us to take a break from our hectic lifestyles.

News cycles can be disheartening, painting a bleak picture of societies and the future of humanity. Creative works can help us liberate ourselves from these distortions, making sense of the world, improving our quality of lives and elevating moods.

The local economy tends to improve, too, with arts and cultural organizations due to increased consumer purchases and tourism.

Studies have shown that public works of art are beneficial to cities. An illuminated art installation is not only aesthetically pleasing but also can provide needed light along a dark street or path. Public works of art also help community members connect, and people within those municipalities may feel more represented. Art can be used to raise general awareness about various issues, encouraging civic engagement and opening minds.

A building’s mural or art installation in a town may even help to foster pride in one’s neighborhood. Most of all, public art in our local neighborhoods, free cultural programs — whether at an art exhibit or concert at a local park — make these forms of expression accessible to anyone, no matter age or income.

For too long, our communities were isolated as elected officials and medical professionals worked to curb the spread of COVID-19. However, methods of managing the disease left many divided. For a nation and world scarred by isolation and angst, art offers us a path forward and a means to heal.

Many cultural institutions are ready to revitalize themselves. With NYSCA’s Regrowth and Capacity recovery grants, now they can. Let’s take this opportunity to reunite and reconnect through the arts, even if just for a few hours on a weekend day.

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

Letters to the editor

Not only Santos economical with the truth

In the recently elected 118th United States Congress, the House of Representatives currently consists of 222 Republican members and 212 Democrats [with one open seat]. One of the more noteworthy congressmen is a young man named George Santos, who represents New York’s 3rd Congressional District, here on Long Island, and was elected as a Republican.

During his campaign, Santos found it helpful to “identify” himself with a number of desirable attributes, none of which seem to be based on factual objective reality. For example, he claimed to be a graduate of Baruch College, while his highest level of academic achievement is a GED high school diploma. He claimed to have been employed by Goldman Sachs, although the investment bank has no record of this. He claimed to be of Jewish heritage, although this has turned out to be untrue.

Why would any rational person believe that identifying himself, or herself, as something other than what he, or she, actually is, can lead to a successful political career?

Might he have been thinking about Sen. Elizabeth Warren [D-MA], who identified as having Indian ancestry, when she took a DNA test that proved otherwise? Or Sen. Richard Blumenthal [D-CT], who identified as a Vietnam veteran, while he actually never set foot there?

Or perhaps Santos took the time to familiarize himself with the career of our president, Joe Biden [D], who is the master of embellishments. Biden claimed that, when he was young, he drove an 18-wheeler tractor trailer, which is a complete fabrication. He claimed that, in law school, he finished in the top of his class, when he was actually 76th out of 85. He claimed that, after he became vice president, he gave his Uncle Frank a Purple Heart medal that Uncle Frank had earned in World War II. Actually, his uncle had died nine years earlier, and he had never earned a Purple Heart. Biden claimed that he had been arrested in his youth while protesting for civil rights — this never happened. The list goes on and on.

Some individuals, including Republicans, Democrats and voters in New York’s 3rd District, have suggested that it might be a good idea to remove Santos from his congressional seat, and even to prosecute him for financial irregularities.

It is interesting to note that many of these people display their righteous indignation for offenses committed prior to one’s election, and yet show virtually

unlimited forbearance for harmful, and even criminal, acts committed by persons actually “serving” in office.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton [D] was caught with classified emails on her private server, in clear violation of federal law. Rep. Adam Schiff [D-CA-28] repeatedly lied about having “smoking gun” evidence proving that President Donald Trump [R] had colluded with Russian operatives to throw the 2016 election. Neither of these has been prosecuted, and both continue on their journeys, hopping down the bunny trail to fame and fortune.

If we are going to prosecute people and throw them out of office, let us start with the ones who have done the most harm to our great country.

George Altemose Setauket

Port Jefferson LIRR electrification has no juice

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s [D] 2023 State of the State speech and accompanying 275-page book omitted any reference to the proposed $3.6 billion LIRR Port Jefferson electrification project. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Feb. 7 public hearing for potential Federal Transit Administration funding of their 2023 Program of Projects also omits funding to advance this project. The FTA will be providing close to $1.8 billion under various formula and competitive discretionary grant programs in 2023.

Here is the link to the MTA Feb. 7 public hearing for their upcoming 2023 Program of Projects: new.mta.info/ document/103001.

By not including this project in the Feb. 7 public hearing, is it the MTA’s intent to continue delaying consideration for electrification? What ever happened to the MTA planning feasibility study funded under the prior $32 billion 2015-2019 Capital Plan to look into the feasibility of electrification?

Additional funding to advance the project beyond the planning study is not included in the MTA current $51 billion 2020-2024 Five-Year Capital Plan. The next step would be finding several million to pay for a federal National Environmental Protection Act review. This is necessary to preserve future eligibility for FTA funding.

The most obvious source of funding from Washington would be requesting permission from the FTA to enter its national competitive discretionary Capital Investment Grants Program relating to New Starts and Core Capacity Process. Had the MTA asked this of the FTA?

Will this project be included in the next FTA CIG Program report submitted to Congress by March 2023 for federal fiscal year 2024? We will not know if the project is included in the proposed MTA 20252044 20-Year Needs Assessment plan until it is released in October 2023.

Riders, transit advocates, taxpayers and elected officials are still waiting for the release of this plan to see if significant improvements to the Port Jefferson Branch project are included. Without completing these tasks, electrification of the Port Jefferson Branch will never become a reality for the foreseeable future.

Larry Penner Great Neck

No electric car for me

Cut greenhouse gasses! Save the planet! A better vehicle! Really?

I didn’t know electric vehicles are about 1,000 pounds heavier than their petroleum equivalents and therefore have higher brake wear (increased particulates), tire wear (increased nanoparticles) and require more energy.

I didn’t know EV batteries lose power in the cold and reduce their range, and the batteries need replacing after several years approaching half the cost of the vehicle.

I didn’t know the rare elements needed in EVs like lithium, cobalt, copper, nickel are mined in Third World countries where child slave labor is used to mine the metals. And the metals obtained are refined resulting in mass poisoning of the land and water, and massive greenhouse gas emissions are emitted in the refining.

I didn’t know the grid doesn’t have the capacity to charge EVs on a massive scale which will lead to rolling blackouts like California and Texas when many families are charging at the same time.

I didn’t know that electricity providers will boost rates significantly higher to charge EVs at home resulting in a cost of operation higher than a gasoline car.

I didn’t know that if EVs were really viable they wouldn’t need thousands of dollars of taxpayer subsidies.

I didn’t know EV batteries can suddenly explode in an unstoppable fire that emits toxic gasses. This results in ordinances requiring EVs to not park in garages.

I didn’t know the EV components are not easily recyclable and end-oflife disposition is a major problem for landfills, recyclers and incinerators.

I’ll stay with my gasoline-powered car.

Mark Sertoff East Northport

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

Snapshots of life through the decades

Even as we study evolution, we ourselves evolve over time. No, we don’t learn to fly or to breathe underwater.

We change over the decades, in part because of social pressure and in part because, well, our cells, organs and experiences align to make us different decadal versions of ourselves. With that in mind, I’d like to share some snapshots from my life.

First decade:

Biggest worry: finding parents.

Second decade:

Likes: time with friends, the freedom to drive somewhere on my own (later in the decade, of course).

Dislikes: tough teachers eager to teach me too many lessons, rejections from friends, and too many questions from parents. Waiting for parents to pick me up (until I could drive). Developing an intolerance to dairy, which removed pizza, ice cream and mac and cheese from food options.

Favorite food: Good Steer burger supremes with a root beer and ballpark hot dogs.

Favorite sport to play: baseball

those unsuccessful dates still bring a smile to my face.

Favorite food: Thai food at a restaurant on the Upper East Side.

Favorite sport to play: volleyball.

Favorite sport to watch: baseball.

Biggest worry: Finding enough time to exercise. Fourth decade:

Likes: enjoying the miraculous connection that comes from meeting girlfriend/wife. Listening to my wife laugh and seeing her smile. Holding my son and daughter and feeling them relax enough to go to sleep.

Dislikes: trying to figure out how to handle when children got sick, needing something we didn’t have, and packing enough stuff in the diaper bag and the car for needy children.

water. Hooray for independent swimming.

Dislikes: Driving everywhere with kids and their friends who made the car stink so badly at times that I opened windows in freezing temperatures. Watching kids disappear into their cell phones.

Favorite food: fresh fish on vacations.

Favorite sport to play: I barely played anything. I coached kids and bobbed and weaved between the entitled requests from parents.

Favorite sport to watch: daughter’s volleyball and son’s baseball.

Biggest worry: helping steer kids in the right direction.

Sixth decade:

Likes: time with family and friends, days when pain in my hip stays the same or, rarely, is less than the day before.

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF

Likes: I adored my parents (most of the time). I also appreciated the opportunity to make new friends and to play any game that involved chasing a ball.

Dislikes: long distances running, homework, dark nights, losing electricity, sitting in the middle of a station wagon with my legs cramped under me.

Favorite food: pizza and grilled cheese with ketchup. It’s not for everyone, but I loved it.

Favorite sport to play: basketball.

Favorite sport to watch: baseball.

Favorite sport to watch: baseball.

Biggest worry: Losing parents. Getting into college.

Third decade

Likes: getting a job where someone not only paid me to do something I wasn’t sure I was qualified to do, but also sent me on planes to do it. Spending time with friends. Going on vacations with friends and family.

Dislikes: working on weekends and holidays. Going on horrible dates with people who were a little too eager to see fights where teeth got knocked out during hockey games. Then again, some of

Favorite food: Who tastes food at this point? We inhaled it in between picking up the food the kids spilled on the floor or in the car.

Favorite sport to play: softball in Central Park.

Favorite sport to watch: my daughter’s active and exciting volleyball matches and my son’s soccer games. I knew nothing about soccer, so I could just be a supportive father and fan without offering unwelcome and unhelpful advice.

Biggest worry: How to keep kids healthy. Fifth decade:

Likes: holidays, vacations and not needing to stand over the kids when they got too close to the

Dislikes: not knowing how to handle important technology, an awareness that I’m older than my friend’s parents were when I was growing up, and I thought they were old.

Favorite food: Anything that doesn’t keep me up at night.

Favorite sport to play: baseball or anything that doesn’t cause pain the next day.

Favorite sport to watch: baseball.

Biggest worry: The speed at which each day, month and year passes. The prevalence of anger for its own sake and the health of the planet our children are inheriting.

“Then give three cheers, and one cheer more, For the hardy Captain of” … no not the Pinafore but publisher of the North Shore Leader. With an appreciative nod to Gilbert & Sullivan, that line well applies to Grant Lally, who warned us of George Santos and his preposterous resume that rivals any tall tale. But unlike HMS Pinafore of 19th century fame for innocent entertainment, Santos may be a peril for our nation.

stole checkbooks from the elderly patients of his late mother, who was a home health care nurse, and forged checks to steal merchandise. And although he claimed to have graduated from prestigious schools, he is a high school dropout who earned a high school equivalency diploma. He portrayed himself as having worked for top line financial institutions. As to being Jewish with grandparents who escaped from the Holocaust, his mother was in fact devoutly Catholic and his grandparents were born in Brazil shortly after WWII began.

two campaigns have received large sums of money from Russian oligarchs close to Putin is cause for real alarm in the U.S. intelligence community.” They are afraid of a potential espionage threat, that he might be a foreign agent. Jim Geraghty, writing in the National Review and quoted by the Leader, offered, “For all we know, some foreign power may have bought itself a congressman. This isn’t outlandish speculation.”

like the thrust of this column to be a celebration of the prowess of what The NYT called, “a small weekly paper on Long Island.” Run by Grant Lally, a Republican lawyer and former House candidate, it did its job of functioning as a people’s watchdog, especially on affairs of government, and reporting courageously on its findings.

Between you and me

BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF

According to the Leader, a weekly community newspaper, and also The New York Times, PBS News Hour and other first line news outlets, newly elected U.S. Congressman George Santos (NY-3) is a deeply concerning fake who has totally falsified his background, assets and contacts, and who is a wanted petty criminal in Brazil. According to that country’s prosecutors, he

Most serious are his financial claims. He said he loaned $700,000 to his campaign from personal wealth that it turns out he doesn’t have. Lying on a resume is not a crime, but lying on federal financial disclosures is, with each violation bringing a possible five years in federal prison. So where, exactly, did that large money helping him get elected come from?

A recent report in The Daily Beast, according to the Leader, showed that Santos took $56,000 from a Russian money man, a cousin of a Vladimir Putin crony, who is under international sanctions. According to the Leader, “the fact that [Santos’s]

TIMES BEACON RECORD

At this point, you, the reader, are probably asking yourself how it could happen that Santos wasn’t discovered far sooner by both Republicans and Democrats. According to an extensive lead article in this past Sunday’s The New York Times, he was. Republicans at several levels knew about the problem but did nothing to unmask the candidate for various reasons: inattention, underappreciated risks, otherwise distracted by the issues rather than the biographies, the promise of another GOP vote in the House, and other speculations. And some Dems knew, too, but were distracted or underestimated the threat Santos’s campaign posed.

Rather than go deeper into this issue, I would

“The paper published a pair of articles casting doubt on Mr. Santos’s claims that he owned extravagant cars and homes, and labeling him a ‘fabulist—a fake’, though it did not have other specifics that would later come out about his falsified resume or his past,” wrote The NYT on Sunday. “None of the bigger outlets, including The Times, followed up with extensive stories examining his real address or his campaign’s questionable spending, focusing their coverage instead on Mr. Santos’s extreme policy views and the historic nature of a race between two openly gay candidates,” The NYT continued.

Never underestimate a weekly hometown newspaper. Indeed, four cheers.

{Santos represents the 3rd Congressional District, which includes the Towns of Oyster Bay and North Hempstead and a small portion of northeast Queens.}

D. None of the above

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