SUFFOLK CLOSEUP - U.S. Postal Service Slows Delivery Times And Raises Rates

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP

By Karl Grossman

U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who has roots in Suffolk County—in Melville—is under intense fire as he directs the U.S. Postal Service to slow delivery times and at the same time raise its prices.

“U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy Under Pressure to Resign,” began the headline of an Associated Press article in June. “As he approaches his first anniversary at the U.S. Postal Service’s helm, DeJoy is under mounting pressure to resign,” it said. “He’s been criticized by lawmakers from both parties for changes to the agency that have resulted in service slowdowns. Democrats are particularly worried that he’s purposely undermining the post office…”

The piece continued that “the scrutiny” of Mr. DeJoy “has intensified as the Justice Department investigates him over political fundraising at the North Carolina-based company he ran prior to his work at the post office.”

Before moving to North Carolina, Mr. DeJoy had run a trucking business based in Suffolk County, New Breed Logistics, which he took over from his father, Dominick DeJoy, also of Melville, who died in 2001. 

The attack on Louis DeJoy has been going on for some time.

As the Boston Globe in an editorial last August headed, “Louis DeJoy Must Resign. Now,” stated: “The postmaster general has proved himself unfit to serve as the Postal Service chief and has undermined American democracy in the process….Since DeJoy has taken over the post office, the agency has curtailed overtime pay, removed over 600 mail sorting machines, and either locked up or taken out letter collection boxes. These supposedly cost-saving measures have resulted in slowing down mail delivery, potentially disenfranchising voters at a massive scale come November if their mail-in ballots are not processed or delivered on time.”

 “The Postal Service,” said the Boston Globe,” is an agency that should remain nonpartisan — a standard that is difficult to uphold under DeJoy, a major donor to Donald Trump and the GOP. Before joining the post office, DeJoy was a finance chairman for the Republican National Committee…He has also been riddled with conflicts of interest, having to divest his stocks in UPS and Amazon upon his appointment, and he still owns a major equity stake in XPO, a USPS contractor, totaling somewhere between $30 million and $75 million.”

Mr. DeJoy has defended his tenure and his new 10-year plan for the Postal Service, “Delivering for America.” In an interview in The New York Times earlier this year, Mr. DeJoy said: “We have to start the conversation and we’re losing $10 billion a year, and that’s going to continue to go up unless we do something.”

Jim Hightower, editor of of The Hightower Lowdown, declared earlier this year: “Once Trump megadonor Louis DeJoy—who has no postal experience whatsoever—was sworn in as Postmaster General last June, he abruptly set about slashing overtime, taking crucial equipment out of service, and rewriting work rules—moves he admitted would result in delays and worse service. You don’t have to be in Who’s Who to know what’s what….DeJoy’s monkeywrenching was just one more step…by corporate interests to destroy our public post office.”

Nevertheless, Mr. DeJoy told critics in Congress in June: “Get used to me.” Appearing before the House of Representatives Oversight and Reform Committees at a hearing on “Legislative Proposals to Put the Postal Service on Sustainable Financial Footing,” Mr. DeJoy testified: “I’m not a political appointee. I was selected by a bipartisan board of governors and I’d really appreciate if you’d get that straight.”

The Postmaster General can only be removed by the Postal Service governing board which has nine voting members. President Biden has appointed three new members of the board but, by law, no more than five can be from the same party. Two existing Democratic members have publicly supported Mr. DeJoy and his “Delivering for America” plan.

Meanwhile, as Newsday in an article in October, headlined “What to know about slow mail, higher prices,” related, “starting” last month what the Postal Service labels “new service standards…are going into effect. That means it will take longer for certain kinds of mail—about 40% of first class and 7% of periodicals” to get delivered. The  piece by Matthew Chayes noted that “as of August 29^th, the cost of a first-class stamp increased “to 59 cents from 55 cents” and posed the question: “What has service been like on Long Island in advance of the change?” The answer: “Slower. Newsday reported in June that nearly every category of mail—first class, packages, periodicals—is taking longer to reach Long Island’s 215 or so zip codes…”

Karl Grossman is a veteran investigative reporter and columnist, the winner of numerous awards for his work and a member of the L.I. Journalism Hall of Fame. He is a professor of journalism at SUNY/College at Old Westbury and the author of six books. 

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP - That Call From PSEG May Be A Telemarketing Scam

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP

By Karl Grossman

The caller ID read as the phone rang: PSEG, LONG ISLA. Yes, the ND was missing—and that was not all that was missing earlier this month. There was no truth to the call. It was a scam. 

Our PSEG electric service, the caller advised, would be cut off in a half-hour to 45 minutes because of non-payment. I asked, clearly regarding this as a scam, how I was to know this was really PSEG Long Island. I was told I would be switched to the “manager.” 

The “manager” got on the phone, identified herself as with PSEG Long Island. I identified myself as a journalist highly suspicious about the call believing it a scam. The “manager” immediately slammed down her phone.

I am not alone in getting such a scam call. Earlier this year, PSEG—out of its headquarters in Newark, New Jersey—issued a press release saying it “encourages customers to learn how to spot the signs of fraud and scams, and report them.”

The press release quoted Fred Daum, PSEG executive director of customer operations, saying: “Protecting our customers is a top priority. It is critically important we continue to raise awareness and educate customers about how to spot potential scams. Scammers continue to adapt and develop increasingly sophisticated tactics to take advantage of our customers.” 

The PSEG release went on: “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, scammers have increased calls, texts, emails and in-person tactics, and they continue to contact utility customers asking for immediate payment to avoid service disconnection.” It added that PSEG “doesn’t send a single notification to a customer within one hour of a service disconnection. The company will also never ask customers to make payments with a prepaid debit card, gift card, any form of cryptocurrency or third-party digital payment via fund transfer applications.”

Under “Signs of potential scam activity,” PSEG listed first: “Threat to disconnect: Scammers may aggressively tell the customer their utility bill is past due and service will be disconnected if a payment is not made—usually within an hour.’

The release said: “If a customer has doubts about the legitimacy of a call or an email—especially one in which payment is requested—call the company directly at 1-800-436-PSEG.” I did just that. The automated voice on the other end, after announcing “Thank you for calling PSEG New Jersey” asked: “What would you like help with today.” 

I said, “Scam.” 

“Sorry I missed that,” the voice went on. “Please tell me what you are calling about today….an emergency, making a payment, account balance, repairs, moving, energy efficiency program, or it’s something else.”

I repeated “Scam.” And remained lost in this circular call. PSEG is not so good in dealing with electric outrages—as its terrible performance in Tropical Storm Isaias demonstrated, a reason the Long Island Power Authority is considering dismissing it as manager of the Long Island electric grid. It apparently is not so swift in handling reports on a PSEG scam either.

It was abundantly clear to me that a scam was involved as we have 38 solar photovoltaic panels on the roof of our house and excess electricity they generate is sent back to the grid for credit. Our electric meter thus has regularly run backwards. A common PSEG monthly bill is $8.60 for the meter reader to come.

But what about folks who do get fooled? How much money is lost?

The American Association of Retired Persons is very much on the case. It has said that that the “estimated loss” from “telemarketing fraud” in the U.S. is “more than $40 billion” a year. It has set up an AARP Fraud Watch Network. And the AARP “has been inundated with calls this year about scams,” it reported this month. These include “someone impersonating an IRS agent, Medicare official, Social Security Administration officer,” and so on.

On a government level, the Federal Trade Commission is the main agency with a responsibility for dealing with phone scams. On its website, it says part of its “mission” is to protect consumers from “fraudulent practices in the marketplace.” It says it investigates scam calls and asks that folks alert it through its website ReportFraud.ftc.gov

At least no calling to an automated circular call system in Washington is recommended.

Karl Grossman is a veteran investigative reporter and columnist, the winner of numerous awards for his work and a member of the L.I. Journalism Hall of Fame. He is a professor of journalism at SUNY/College at Old Westbury and the author of six books. 

Witchy Woman Of St. James

Witchy Woman

By June Capossela Kempf

The first time I set eyes upon Winnie the Witch, I was sitting in a school bus right behind the driver, serving as a chaperone on my son’s pumpkin pickin’ class trip – 40 years ago.

As we rounded the corner from Edgewood onto 25A heading east, the driver asked me to look for Wick’s farm. “It’s on the left,” he said.

I peered out the window, expecting my search to be futile, given all the farms around, but to my delight, I quickly spotted the huge figure of an old witch, looming high above the landscape, watching over her patch of pumpkins like a mother hen over her chicks. All the kids whooped and hollered as they scampered out of the bus, but instead of making a beeline to the rows and rows of ready to roll pumpkins in the field, they lingered by the big witch that seemed to be watching them under her big bulging penetrating eyes.

“Don’t you want to get a pumpkin?” I asked little Mikey, as he gazed at Winnie.

“I like her,” he said. “I can get a pumpkin anywhere, but I have to come all the way to Saint James to see a big witch like that.”

Mikey finally joined the rest of the class that happily rounded up 46 pumpkins under Winnie the Witch’s shadow; and when it was time to depart, they all turned around to wave goodbye to her - and I thought:

So this is Saint James? What a nice town! What a cool witch!

For all the years between then and now, Winnie was the image that we came to associate with the charming hamlet of Saint James. 

I didn’t get to move here until way after my own kids grew up. In fact, most of those children on that bus then, now have families of their own. At this time of year, they are very likely planning pumpkin picking trips – to somewhere else. And that’s because Wick’s farm is no longer Wick’s Farm and Winnie is now desperately leaning over on her broken broom, looking as if she is pleading for rescue like an abandoned puppy in a TV commercial.

Although Winnie was constructed back in the 70’s out of wood scraps, metal and fiberglass, she seemed to come to life as soon as she was completed and given a name.  She made her debut on the property of farmer, David Wicks (Wick’s farm) and before long became such a colossal sensation, she wound up on Roadside America’s great attraction list.  

For decades, she stood her ground against all kinds of weather and distress, all the while endearing herself to the community and to visiting tourists from far and near. Then came hurricane Sandy and the closing of the farm followed by neglect and decay.  Winnie was left to rot by the side of the road, open to public display, humiliation and ultimate debate. Some view her ominous presence as a gargantuan eyesore - a pox on the community, calling for demolition, while others cherished fond memories of by-gone Halloweens, pleading for restoration.

“We referred to her as Mrs. Halloween,” one young at heart fan sadly testified.

And Mikey never forgot. “I still stop by the roadside and remember the first time I ever saw that big witch, “ he said. “I hate to see her falling apart after all these years.”

Over the years, Winnie had been regularly maintained. She underwent three renovations in her time, but now interest seems to have declined as well as funds. Her days were numbered until two local heroes came forward to rescue her from the wicked wrath of the bulldozer.

Victoria Johnston and Kenny Maher, took up her cause at a time when Saint James began its celebrated revitalization of Lake Avenue. The couple thought that this was the perfect time to set up a beauty treatment for the good witch. But she was not included in the Lake Avenue project and Covid 19 forced many potential backers to scale back. Undeterred, the dedicated duo set up a GoFundMe account with a goal of $30,000. last March 2021. To date they have received less than $4,000. And now Winnie looks like she is about to fall face down into the Saint James mud.

What happened?

 I know, Winnie is not standing on any corner of the targeted Lake Avenue redo, but Saint James is Winnie’s turf too. It just doesn’t seem right that she could just disappear from the very route that cuts right through the heart of Saint James. 

Can Winnie be saved? Or is her restoration just a frivolous waste of money and effort at a time when there are more serious causes to address?

 Well, perhaps that is the very reason her renovation is such a vital investment. We need to preserve an icon like Winnie, if only to lift our spirits or conjure up a pleasant memory as we travel around town these days with all our worries..

Maybe, with a little bit of luck and lots of support, we can help Winnie rise from the depths of decay and once again stand strong and proud, watching over and welcoming future generations of pumpkin pickers into her magical spell. 

And then if the dream comes to pass, don’t be surprised if next Halloween, you see Mikey and his kids attending Winnie the Witch’s long awaited unveiling ceremony-right here in Saint James where she was born.

June Capossela Kempf: Essayist and  Author of : Yo God! Jay’s Story, a memoir  and Lady of the Dollhouse, a YA mystery

Hauppauge's Phyllis Stein Participated In 34th Annual Jewish Scouting Conference

At the 34th Annual North East Region Jewish Committee on Scouting Conference, which was held October 3, 2021 at Alpine Scout Camp in Alpine, New Jersey, JCOS of SCC (Scouts BSA) volunteer Phyllis Stein was presented with a special recognition certificate and award for her continued service to the NER JCOS and to the Jewish Scouting community. Left to right: NER JCOS Chair Phil Sternberg (of the National Capitol Area Council), Phyllis Stein of Hauppauge, and Bruce Streger, past NER JCOS Chair and JCOS of SCC Chair Emeritus (previously of Farmingville and now residing in Florida)Local Suffolk County Council (Scouts BSA) Jewish Committee on Scouting volunteers Barry Kopeloff  (of Port Jefferson Station), Bruce Streger (previously of Farmingville and now residing in Rockledge, Florida), and Phyllis Stein (of Hauppauge), participated  with Scouters from other states in the northeast from Maryland to  New Hampshire.  This was the 34th Annual North East Region Jewish Committee on Scouting Conference, which was held October 3, 2021 at Alpine Scout Camp in Alpine, New Jersey. The Conference was the first in person meeting since March 2019 (the conference planned for March 2020 had to be cancelled due to the start of the Covid pandemic). Members of the NER JCOS opted to hold this year’s conference at an outdoor venue like a Boy Scout Camp in the fall as opposed to their normal indoor spring event.  There were 37 volunteer Scout Leaders and Scout Professionals from ten Boy Scout Councils attending the 2021 NER JCOS Conference. 

The day-long event started with a Bagel Buffet breakfast and celebrated the Jewish Committee’s participation in the Boy Scouts of America that started in 1926. The theme of “Renewed Fellowship” included presentations that covered the history of Jewish Scouting that started in New York City where the first Jewish Troop met at the 92nd Street YMJA. Other interesting presentations covered the history of the Jewish Religious Awards, a recap of this past summer’s National Jewish Committee’s Trek in the mountains at the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, and many other topics. Special guest, Mr. Richard Davies, the CEO of the Greater New York Councils welcomed the scouting volunteers to Alpine Scout Camp and spent most of the day as an active participant in the conference.

The conference was a joyous event, filled with learning for participants, and much sharing of recent experiences from the Scout leaders who attended. The “midway” had displays and Scouting memorabilia items. Each participant received two special commemorative event patches and a flash drive with great Scouting resources and information for participants to take back to their local JCOS and local Scout Councils was also available. The President of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting, Mr. Frank Youdelman, joined the conference via Zoom and answered questions from participants.  National JCOS Chaplain Rabbi Art Vernon provided attendees with the invocation, D’var Torah, and prayers before the Kosher lunch meal.  

Several of the attendees were recognized with the Bronze, Gold, and Silver Chai Awards for their continued work with their local JCOS committees, and were presented by NER JCOS Chair Phil Sternberg of the National Capitol Area Council. Bruce Streger, past Chair, and Philip Sternberg presented a” Special Achievement Award  for Service to the Jewish Scouting Community and For Going Above and Beyond to Promote the Highest Level of Jewish Scouting” and for her continued service to the NER JCOS and to the Jewish Scouting community to Phyllis Stein.

It was a great event and everyone was glad to be there in person.  The next NER JCOS Conference will take place in the February/March timeframe either at GNYC’s Alpine Scout Camp in New Jersey or in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  

For more information on joining the JCOS of Suffolk County, Jewish Religious Emblems and workshops, Scout Sabbath Services, Jewish campouts, and more, please contact JCOS Chair Barry Kopeloff at (631) 331-9460 or join us at our monthly JCOS meetings (held the 3^rd Monday of every month at Temple Beth Chai of Hauppauge (870 Town Line Road). 

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP - DA Race Is The Leading Race In Suffolk County

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP

BY Karl Grossman

The contest for district attorney is the leading race in Suffolk County this year. 

In a county with a long record of governmental corruption and with such major criminal issues as illegal drug dealing and in recent years the murderous activities of the MS-13 gang, the position of DA is highly important—indeed, some in Suffolk politics have termed it the most important position in all of county government.

DA Tim Sini This year running on the Democratic ticket for DA is the incumbent, Ray Tierney candidate for Suffolk County DA Timothy Sini of Babylon, who was elected DA in 2017 and took office in 2018. He is opposed by Raymond Tierney who is running on the Republican and Conservative lines. 

Mr. Tierney has engaged in a highly aggressive challenge to Mr. Sini.

“DA Tim Sini Has Devoted His Career to Protecting the Safety of Suffolk County,” declares a flier for Mr. Sini, previously the commissioner of the Suffolk County Police Department. “Tim has a track record of fearless prosecutions & historic accomplishments.” 

Not true, Mr. Tierney holds. His campaign literature describes Mr. Sini as “soft on crime, weak on corruption.” Mr. Tierney for 13 years was an assistant Suffolk DA, then a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, and then executive assistant DA in the Brooklyn DA’s office, leaving that post earlier this year to run for Suffolk DA.

Mr. Tierney has lambasted Mr. Sini for being more about appearance than being a hard-hitting prosecutor. He has accused the incumbent of being more concerned with “press releases and splashy press conferences” with “no follow-up,” as he stated in a webinar last month organized by Long Island Metro Business Action (LIMBA).

In the webinar, he specifically claimed Mr. Sini was a “complete failure” in the case of Justin Smith of Smithtown charged with selling fentanyl-laced drugs resulting in overdose deaths on the East End in August. Mr. Tierney said Mr. Sini had opportunities to indict Mr. Smith earlier on drug charges but didn’t. He made a similar allegation of lack of early prosecution regarding Darren Mansfield of Bay Shore later to allegedly murder 22-year-old Frania Espinal of Dix Hills. 

Mr. Sini in his appearance in a LIMBA webinar, two weeks later, said: “He’s just lying about these cases.”

In his presentation, Mr. Sini said “crime is going down” in Suffolk County, spoke of his office having “invested heavily in crime-fighting technology” and his instituting “reforms,” his having “recruited top talent” and having “increased diversity dramatically” in the DA’s office.

Mr. Sini also has a background in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in its Southern District of New York, starting “his career in law enforcement” at it in 2010 and having “prosecuted hundreds of violent gang members, hit men, drug traffickers…and much more,” says his official biography as DA. He then was appointed deputy Suffolk County executive for public safety in 2014 under County Executive Steve Bellone, who nominated him in 2015 to be county police commissioner. 

In his webinar, Mr. Sini spoke the Suffolk DA’s office bringing an “illegal dumping case” that was “the largest” such case in New York State history resulting in 2018 in a 130-count indictment against 30 individuals and nine corporations. Residents who answered an ad offering free clean fill ended up with toxic debris instead. He quoted one defendant, Anthony Grazio, who has since plead guilty, saying “on a wiretap” that “we just dumped plutonium on that guy’s backyard.”

Regarding the MS-13 gang, Mr. Sini said the Suffolk DA’s office was part of an investigation that utilized “200 wiretaps” and led to 96 arrests in Suffolk in 2019. 

Mr. Tierney in his LIMBA webinar spoke of investigating and prosecuting scores of MS-13 cases in his 11 years in the U.S. Attorney’s office. His campaign biography says: “Much of his career was devoted to the trial and conviction of numerous members of the MS-13 street gang for the commission of murders and other violent crimes on Long Island. He drafted and applied for search and arrest warrants, presented evidence to grand juries…and conducted jury trials and sentencing hearings putting hundreds of dangerous MS-13 members behind bars.” Also, it says, he “met with Department of Justice officials regarding long-term international criminal prosecutions, and briefed the Attorney General and President on the status of MS-13 prosecutions both nationwide and in New York.”

In the webinar, Mr. Tierney related that he “grew up” in Commack and now lives with his family “in the Town of Brookhaven.” When I asked for this column about which community in Brookhaven Town, Mr. Tierney said he didn’t want to identify it “because of threats.”

Karl Grossman is a veteran investigative reporter and columnist, the winner of numerous awards for his work and a member of the L.I. Journalism Hall of Fame. He is a professor of journalism at SUNY/College at Old Westbury and the author of six books.