Smithtown's Maureen Reynolds Flagmaker, Mother And Succesful Businesswoman

American Flags Provide Freedom for Smithtown Mom

by Maureen Rossi

Modern Family is a fabulous funny award-winning television show that has won countless awards.  Smithtown has its own Modern Family and they sell American flags.   They are not a blended family like the one on television but they are Modern because innovative thinking has allowed one mother to stay home and raise her children while having a career.

Maureen Reynolds owns and operates AmericanFlag.com with her husband Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds.   Originally in the field of publishing B.K. -before kids, the young mother of two now runs her flag business while raising her seven and three year old.   “Jeff bought some domain names after 9/11 and Americanflag.com was one of them,” explained Maureen.  She said she became a full-time employee in 2006, the same year she gave birth to their daughter Brooke. 

“This was a great Plan B for when we had kids,” she added.   With an English degree from Stony Brook University and two years as a writer for Publisher’s Clearing House under her belt, Maureen’s life took a drastic turn with the help of a newborn and a full-time job at the family flag business. 

“We put ourselves on the map and got a lot of business by doing a free flag offers, one was for a 3 X 5 foot flag and then another was for a 2 x 3 foot flag,” she added.   However, it was their search engine positioning that garnered them an enormous amount of business.   The flags they sell are made in America and she is very proud of the quality of the merchandise.  “It is so wonderful, freedom is what America is all about and this business gives me a ton of freedom for my kids and my family,” she explained.  

Reynolds says she feels good about all the products they sell;  flag poles, buntings, banners and flag stands.  She says there are dozens of types of flags including hand-held flags, grave flags, parade flags, state and city flags and holiday flags.    The company also sells various patriotic gifts like flag cases and patriotic signs.  

“We noticed an uptick in traffic when people started ordering the Gadsden flag when the T-Party Movement came about,” she said.  The Gadsden Flag is one of the United States Historical flags that displays the rattlesnake on it.  She said she also notices upticks in sales when there is a hurricane or natural disaster somewhere in the country.   

“Our flags are made of cloth, they are a great American product and it makes me feel good about what I do for a living,” she continued.   Now in addition to her and her husband the company has four other employees.  American Flags has been featured in the Congressional Record for their patriotism and were profiled by the Wall Street Journal and Forbes. Their President/CEO, Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds has appeared on CNBC, Fox Business News and on several nationally syndicated radio shows. Their website has been featured in more than 1,000 newspaper and magazine articles, including Real Simple Magazine and Romantic Homes and they are members of the Better Business Bureau and the security of our site is monitored regularly by Hacker Safe. 

When it comes to flag etiquette Maureen said people can find detailed information on when to fly a flag and rules for displaying their flags on their website (see below).  With the anniversary of 9/11 upon us Maureen made note that flags should be flown at half staff on this and all somber occasions.   “If you have a glad pole that is attached to the home and doesn’t’ permit the flag to fly at half staff, you can purchase something called a morning bow to put on the flag, it’s a black bow that signified half staff,” she explained. 

American Flags has shipped flags to military bases overseas, military families, they have provided flags for schools and parades.   They even provided flgags for the movie set for Green Lantern which ironically starred Ryan Reynolds (their son’s name).  Oh and one of their clients happens to include the television show Modern Family!   

When to Display the American Flag

The American flag should be displayed on all days, but especially on:

New Year’s Day, January 1
Inauguration Day, January 20
Lincoln’s Birthday, February 12
Washington’s Birthday, third Monday in February
Easter Sunday (variable)
Mother’s Day, second Sunday in May
Armed Forces Day, third Saturday in May
Memorial Day (half-staff until noon), last Monday in May
Flag Day, June 14
Independence Day, July 4
Labor Day, first Monday in September
Patriot Day, September 11
Constitution Day, September 17
Columbus Day, second Monday in October
Navy Day, October 27
Veterans Day, November 11
Thanksgiving Day, fourth Thursday in November
Christmas Day, December 25
Such other days as may be proclaimed by the President of the United States
The birthdays of States (date of admission)
State holidays


The American flag should be displayed daily on or near the main administration building of every public institution.

The American flag should be displayed in or near every polling place on election days.

The American flag should be displayed during school days in or near every schoolhouse.

How to Display the Flag

1. When the American flag is displayed over the middle of the street, it should be suspended vertically with the union to the north in an east and west street or to the east in a north and south street.

2. The flag of the United States of America, when it is displayed with another flag against a wall from crossed staffs, should be on the right, the flag’s own right [that means the viewer’s left], and its staff should be in front of the staff of the other flag.

3. The American flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. By “half-staff” is meant lowering the flag to one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff. Crepe streamers may be affixed to spear heads or flagstaffs in a parade only by order of the President of the United States.

4. When flags of states, cities, or localities, or pennants of societies are flown on the same halyard with the flag of the United States, the latter should always be at the peak. When the flags are flown from adjacent staffs, the flag of the United States should be hoisted first and lowered last. No such flag or pennant may be placed above the flag of the United States or to the right of the flag of the United States.

5. When the American flag is suspended over a sidewalk from a rope extending from a house to a pole at the edge of the sidewalk, the flag should be hoisted out, union first, from the building.

6. When the American flag of the United States is displayed from a staff projecting horizontally or at an angle from the window sill, balcony, or front of a building, the union of the flag should be placed at the peak of the staff unless the flag is at half-staff.

7. When the American flag is used to cover a casket, it should be so placed that the union is at the head and over the left shoulder. The flag should not be lowered into the grave or allowed to touch the ground.

8. When the American flag is displayed in a manner other than by being flown from a staff, it should be displayed flat, whether indoors or out. When displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union should be uppermost and to the flag’s own right, that is, to the observer’s left. When displayed in a window it should be displayed in the same way, that is with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in the street. When festoons, rosettes or drapings are desired, bunting of blue, white and red should be used, but never the flag.

9. That the American flag, when carried in a procession with another flag, or flags, should be either on the marching right; that is, the flag’s own right, or, if there is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line.

10. The flag of the United States of America should be at the center and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags of States or localities or pennants of societies are grouped and displayed from staffs.

11. When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.

12. When displayed from a staff in a church or public auditorium, the flag of the United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the clergyman’s or speaker’s right as he faces the audience. Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the left of the clergyman or speaker or to the right of the audience.

Proper Disposal of a Flag
When a U.S. flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner. Most American Legion Posts, VFW Chapters and Boy Scout Troops regularly conduct dignified flag burning ceremonies, often on Flag Day, June 14th. Contact your local American Legion Hall, VFW Chapter or Boy Scout Troop to inquire about the availability of this service. NEVER THROW A FLAG IN THE GARBAGE!

Editorial - Councilman McCarthy's "Yes" Vote Should Have Been An Abstention

Without discussion the Smithtown Town Board approved a 600* percent increase in the salary of Smithtown’s Deputy Supervisor.  The resolution was on the agenda as  item  O.  The resolution was read along with other agenda items unceremoniously and without discussion.  The votes were called, Councilwoman Nowick “yes”, Councilman Creighton, “no on O and yes on the rest”,, Councilman Wehrheim, “no on O and yes on the rest”, Councilman McCarthy, “yes”, Supervisor Vecchio, “yes”. 

So it is that the Deputy Supervisor’s salary went from $5,000 to $35,000.  As surprising as a 600* percent increase is, it is not nearly as interesting as the fact that Councilman McCarthy is the Deputy Supervisor and he was a deciding vote to increase his own salary.  Another fact that wasn’t mentioned at the meeting was that the resolution increasing the deputy supervisor’s salary called for a $35,000 per annum salary which means Tuesday’s vote becomes effective immediately and according to Councilman Wehrheim that includes 2014. 

The merit of increasing the salary of the Deputy Supervisor should have been part of a discussion somewhere in public, but never was.  In August, Supervisor Vecchio sent a memo requesting the support of a salary increase for the Deputy Supervisor/Councilman. According to both Councilmen Wehrheim and Creighton they rejected the proposal as a resolution and suggested that the proposal become part of the budget discussion process.  Supervisor Vecchio, in a phone conversation,  acknowledged  the memo and provided a copy to Smithtown Matters.  The proposal seemed dead. Without the support of the two Councilmen and with an anticipated abstention by Deputy Supervisor/Councilman McCarthy at best, the vote if Councilwoman Nowick supported it would be 2-2. 

At Tuesday’s Board meeting Deputy Supervisor/Councilman McCarthy did not abstain and voted to give himself a whopping 600 percent increase in the Deputy Supervisor portion of his salary.  Mr. McCarthy’s salary in 2014 will be more than $90,000 and does not include benefits and pension costs taxpayers will be responsible for. Smithtown Matters is requesting a legal opinion as to whether or not Mr. McCarthy’s vote was a violation of New York State’s and Smithtown’s Ethic Code.  

Smithtown residents deserve a discussion on the merits of raising the salary of the Deputy Supervisor. Residents should have confidence that salary increases for elected officials are part of a budget process and not arbitrarily negotiated between three like-minded board members.  Lastly, transparency is not negotiable. If Mr. McCarthy’s raise was important why not discuss it? The Town Board should rescind this resolution and let the discussion begin.

Pat

* The article has been amended to reflect the correct percentage increase as 600 percent not the 700 percent as mentioned in the article. I should have double checked my math before posting. I apologize for the error. Pat

Grand Marshal Ball Set To Honor KP Brother And Sister James Kirby and Margaret Kirby Foley

KP St. Patricks Day Parade 2015 Grand Marshals James Kirby and Margaret Kirby FoleyKings Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee proudly announces two Grand Marshals for the 2015 Parade. They are brother and sister James Kirby and Margaret Kirby Foley.

They have both devoted themselves unselfishly to their community and family their entire lives.  James and Margaret along with siblings Pat and Dennis are the children of Peg and Dennis Kirby.  Their grandparents hailed from County Mayo.

James married his lovely wife Beatrice and raised two beautiful children, Kelly and their son James Jr. whom sadly they lost this year.  They have two wonderful grandchildren, Allison and Jimmy.

Margaret married the love of her life, Frank and together have raised seven children; Patricia, Mary, Michael, Dennis, Thomas, James and Mark.  They have been blessed with seven grandchildren and a great grandchild, Aubrey Jean.  Sadly, Frank passed away in 2011 as did their son Tommy in 2013.

James is a proud United States Navy WWII Veteran who served as Commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Social Services from 1965 until he retired in 1983.  he also served as Secretary and assistant Treasurer for the Board of Fire Commissioners, Smithtown Fire Department from 1990 through 2008.  James also received his Bachelors of Science Degree from Adelphi University in 1959.

Margaret attended St. Catherine’s Hospital Nursing School in Brooklyn and cared for the community members while working at Huntington Hospital, St. John’s Hospital in Smithtown and St. Johnland Nursing Home in Kings Park.

So Save the Date - Grand Marshal Ball - Friday, November 28, 2014 at Flowerfields, St. James, N.Y. Honoring James Kirby and Margaret Kirby Foley, Grand Marshals - Cocktail hour begins at 7:00 pm - Call 269-6680 to reserve a ticket!

Neighbors Petition BZA To Say NO To 24 Hour Dunkin Donuts In Nesconset

By Dana Klosner

Site of proposed Dunkin Donuts in Nesconset (photo google maps)There is a 24 hour Dunkin Donuts with a 9 car queue drive-thru proposed to the zoning commission to be located in the former Prestano’s Bakery location at 223 Smithtown Boulevard in Nesconset. The idea of a 24 hour business has neighbors on the adjoining Lancaster Avenue up in arms.

“We’re not against Dunkin Donuts running their business,” said Dawn Gary who has been circulating petitions in the neighborhood as well as on Change.org. “We are against the traffic this business will produce.”

The stores currently in this location are “Mom and Pop” stores and are not open past 8pm with Ralph’s Italian Ices and Maria’s Restaurant staying open a little later on the weekends, Gary said. 

“With a 24 hour operation there will be increased lighting, increased traffic, increased noise and increased patronage,” Gary said. “Currently my block is quiet after hours. [With this new business] there will be people and cars at all hours of the night. Smithtown Boulevard is already congested at all hours of the day, especially rush hour. Rush hour is prime time for Dunkin Donuts business.”

Gary also expressed concern that there is a Smithtown Central School District bus stop at the corner of Lancaster Avenue and Leydon Street about 200 feet from the proposed business. She said cars would enter and exit from Smithtown Boulevard, come down Lancaster Avenue to make a right onto Smithtown Boulevard and be right at the bus stop when the kids are there.

Gary also is concerned about headlights beaming into the homes of her neighbors.

“There is not a proper buffer proposed between Dunkin Donuts and the house directly north of the property. The home shares a back fence line with the site. It is proposed that there would be just grass between the home and the business. No shrubbery or fencing. A customer can come into the property with their lights on, shining directly into the living room and bedroom of this home. There is no code to prevent the lights cascading off the property.” 

“Not only are we concerned about headlights and brake lights beaming in our windows, we’re concerned about the car exhaust and the speaker we’re going to hear because it will be directly across from our house, “ said Emily O’Bray, owner of the home directly north of the site. 

O’Bray said she has a 9-year-old son and she is concerned for his safety.

“This will bring more traffic on a street that is already congested. I won’t be confident sending him out in the front yard by himself because of all the new traffic,” she said. 

Dunkin Donuts will also have large signs that will be illuminated 24 hours a day,  O’Bray said. She is concerned about the brightness. 

She also expressed concern about increased garbage.

“There are dumpsters across from our property [for the businesses that are currently there]. We already get wrappers from Ralphs and the bakery blown onto our lawn. I’m concerned about rodents from the increased garbage,” she said.

“This is a nice community about to be taken over by a 24 hour business,” O’Bray said. “People say, ‘You knew there were businesses across the street when you bought your house.’ But those businesses close at 5. Ralph’s [Italian Ices] is seasonal and has foot traffic. This will be a constant flow of people, noise, lights and cars. It affects our property values. Who would buy across from a Dunkin Donuts? There’s going to be a lot of sleepless nights.” 

Lynda Carty, also a resident on Lancaster Avenue, grew up in Nesconset and has lived in the town 43 years.

“I’m not against improvement,” she said. “And it’s not a matter of ‘Not in my Backyard.’ It shouldn’t be in anyone’s backyard. It should be like the one on 347 surrounded by commercial property.” 

Carty along with O’Bray said there is already a cesspool problem in the building.

“The cesspool overflows down into the street into the water drain,” Carty said. “Over Labor Day weekend it ran for 36 hours. It happens all the time. They come pump it out, and one week later it happens again. The cesspool can’t handle the businesses that are there, Dunkin Donuts will make it even worse.”

The neighbors want to stress the safety concern that the traffic brings up.

“People already speed down our street,” Carty said. “There is a stop sign and people run through it. Add a Dunkin Donuts with people rushing to work. I worry about my neighbors’ kids. My cat already got hit by a car. It’s a concern for everybody here.”
 

“We have eight to ten children from the ages of twelve on down,” said Ed Gary, Dawn Gary’s husband. “Our primary focus is the amount of traffic coming down Lancaster Avenue and the safety of those children.”

“We feel [the proposed Dunkin Donuts] would diminish the quality of life for our residents,” Dawn Gary said.

There will be a zoning board hearing on Case #17192 on Tuesday, September 9 at 7pm at the Senior Citizen’s Center, 420 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. 

Dawn Gary’s petition DENY Case# 17192 for Dunkin Donuts at 223 Smithtown Blvd, Nesconset

People In The News - Kings Park Resident Ronie Pollacco

Ronie Pollacco - Sept. 2014

By Chris Biancaniello

Ronie Pollacco speaks four languages (English, Italian, French, Spanish), he’s lived in Italy, New York City, Ibiza, Bali, Milan, and France. Ronie Pollacco is by every definition a citizen of the world. Even at the age of eighty and battling Parkinson’s Disease, he is still lively as ever. I was granted the privilege to sit down and talk with him about how his life had taken shape. He showed me photographs of his travels, kids, past loves, and family members. Despite all of the things Ronie is today, and all of his travels, one of the most interesting things about Mr. Pollacco is the story of his childhood.

If you’ve done the math you’ve realized that Ronie was born in 1934. What’s more, Ronie was born in Italy to a Jewish family in 1934. Though Italy is rarely the focus of our World War II history lessons, Italians faced the same horrors as the rest of Europe: fascism, war, and not the least of which, anti-Semitism. In fact, an estimated 7,500 Italian Jews were killed during the holocaust and that is out of a pre-war population of just 44,000.

Ronie PollaccoLuckily for Ronie, his parents were extremely alert to all that was occurring. His father had been arrested twice by Fascists for violating anti-Semitic laws, though Ronie can’t remember which specifically, the laws varied anywhere from not being able to hire help, to not being allowed to own a business. “My father said ‘I’m an Italian, I’ve always been a good Italian, I don’t have to worry about anti-Semitism.’” says Ronie who was just a young boy at the time of his father’s arrest. Although he was only four, the memory of his father’s arrest remains with him today  “I was sitting under the table, my mother was sitting by the kitchen door, my sister was practicing her dance she had a curtain pulled so when he came back she could do a dance, and he walked in and we knew.” After paying a fee Mr. Pollacco was eventually released.

1936 Fiat Topolino (google)Each time Mussolini would make a speech his family (along with many other families) would drive in their Topolino, from their home in Milan, to the border of Switzerland listening to Mussolini’s speech on the radio and wondering if they would ever see home again. “If the speech was horrendous we would consider not going back, if the speech was not so bad we returned.” He can vividly remember packing his families luggage on top of the notoriously small Topolino and making the trips, until one day they could not go back.

In the 1940’s war obviously wasn’t reported the way it is today. Newscasts were made over the radio and were often inaccurate. Rumors ran rampant across Europe about what was safe and what wasn’t, and Ronie’s family experienced their fair share of what some call the fog of war. “You didn’t know what was true and what was not, people ran around like chickens with their heads cut off.”

The family left everything behind including their home, their friends, and even some family, and headed for Nice, France, which unbeknownst to them was soon to face its own set of World War II horrors. His family lived in France for about three years and during this time his sister Gabriella was born. Their time in France was tumultuous at best, “the French were not very helpful towards Jews,” he says. He doesn’t look back on this time all too fondly. In fact he seems almost proud to have forgotten some of the language.

Ronnie Pollacco As the conflict grew around Europe, his family felt the effects. He can recall awaking at 1am every morning to go down to the cellar and play cards with his family while bombs were being dropped around them. Then the family would go back upstairs, but upon his mother hearing a rumor that someone had thrown a hand grenade in Paris, the family decided to leave France for Spain. Spain of course was also dealing with its share of World War II turmoil, though their official stance was neutral, they supported the Axis powers materially. They were recovering from a brutal Civil War which proved to be incredibly costly. At the age of just six, Ronie, and his family were turned away.

In their hour of need they decided to head for America. They boarded a Polish ship from France bound for New York. When they finally arrived they, “weren’t even sure we could get off the boat,” says Ronie who was just six-years-old at the time. It was November of 1940 and America was on the brink of entering the fray in Europe. Fortunately for Ronie and his family, this meant there was work to be had (he speaks glowingly of F.D.R.). His father would eventually own his own store on Fifth Avenue called Ivel’s, which would eventually become the first store to offer fashion shows with African American models wearing wedding gowns and dresses.

reissued in 2002Once the war had finally ended and the family had established a permanent home in New York, they decided to return to Italy in search of his grandmother on his father’s side. They requested help from the U.S. government (the Pollacco’s wrote to President Eisenhower) they found their answer in an Italian book “IL Libro Della Memoria” his family members were listed in the long list of those killed in Auschwitz. The Pollacco family deeply saddened returned to Italy.  They erected a monument in Florence; a simple marble pole, broken at the top to commemorate the loss of a grandmother who died too soon.

Ronie would grow-up to travel the world, stopping from place to place to live in some of the most beautiful locations on Earth. He married and had three children. One of his children is deceased the remaing two children live in NY. He fondly flips through photographs of himself on his motorcycle, of family members, some of whom have passed. Each one bringing a new memory, a new story to tell. His experiences as a child, despite horrifying to those of us who have spent most of our lives living comfortably in the U.S., shaped the man he would grow to be. A world traveler. A motorcycle enthusiast. A father. A survivor.

Ronie Pollacco currently lives in Kings Park. He celebrated his 80th birthday on September 4, 2014.  

Editor’s note - Putting memories in their proper sequence is often difficult for the person reliving memories that are decades in the past. While Mr. Pollacco had some difficulties, Smithtown Matters believes this article fairly represents the events that Mr. Pollacco experienced. We wish Mr. Pollacco a very happy birthday with many more to follow.