Check Out What Suffolk County Legislators Want You To Know

Suffolk County residents pay almost $1.8 million a year in salaries for Suffolk County Legislators. In addition to an annual salary of $98,260.00 there is a law (passed by the legislature effective 2001) guaranteeing legislators an annual salary increase  of cost of living index (COL) or max 4% whichever is less. Legislators are included in pension and health care programs.  Each legislator has three staff members and offices in their district as well as in the William H. Rogers Legislature Building. (John Kennedy in whose district the Legislative bldg resides maintains only one office.)

Earlier this month Legislator Lindsay presented legislation which would end automatic salary increases for legislators. Lindsay’s legislation never made it out of committee. None of the five committee members saw fit to second the legislation nor did Presiding Officer Gregory who was present at the committee meeting. 

SC Legislators are poised to receive a salary increase pushing their annual salaries above $100,000. Below are press releases sent out from their offices in the month of June informing constituents what they have been up to.

Here is a quick look at the Legislature’s June press releases:*

6/12 Legislator Muratore spends the weekend attending community events

6/12 Lt. Michael Murphy Sea Cadets Join Legislator Lindsay, and other county officials to establish permanent relationship with Long Island Maritime Museum.

6/11 Legislator Martinez honors three brentwood middle school students as recipients of the Fuel Up to Play 60 NYS Ambassadors Of The Year Award

6/11 Two Golden Young Ladies - Cilmi

6/11 Central Islip Boys 4x400 Relay Led the way - Cilmi

6/11 Legislator Browning Donates Surplus Computer Monitors to the Boys and Girls Club of Bellport

6/11 Be “Pool-Smart” This Summer! - Cilmi

6/10 Kendall Stedman Honored by Deputy Presiding Officer Jay Schneiderman

6/10 Spencer, Hahn join Bellone for Bill signing to protect Suffolk County from Radioactive Fracking waste

6/10 Legislator Kennedy attends Long Island Business Institute’s Alpha Beta Kappa induction ceremony

6/10 Legislator D’Amaro Honors Melville resident as Local Senior Citizen of the Year

6/10 Exploring Different Careers in Middle School

6/10 “Don’t Frack With Our Water” - Press Conference and Bill Signing

6/10 Exploring Different Careers in Middle School - Barraga

6/09 Presiding Officer Gregory Sponsors Free Car Seat Inspection Event

6/09 Presicing officer Gregory Sponsors Free Car Seat Safety Inspection Event

6/09 Kennedy Continues Blood Drive Tour with success in Centereach

6/09 Suffolk County Legislature Adopts Animal And Consumer Protection Law - Schneiderman

6/06 New U.S. Citizens Recognized - Browning

6/06 Legislator Muratore Honors Kennedy and LaValle at Ronkonkoma Chamber’s Heart and Soul Event

6/05 Barraga votes “No” on County Capital Budget

6/05 Legislator Browning Honors Girl Scout Mackenzie Sorgie Upon receiving Gold Award

6/05 Investing in Suffolk’s Infrastructure and Future - Legislature Adopts 2015-2017 Capital Budget; Funds Vital in 5th   L.D. Projects - Hahn

6/04 Presiding Officer Gregory Attends Ribbon Cutting

6/04 Learning and Helping Our Environment - Cilmi

6/04 Recognition of the Best and Brightest - Kennedy

6/04 Legislator Kennedy honors Brookhaven National Laboratory Winners: The Future’s Brightest Shine

6/03 “Gold”en Girls - Hahn

6/03 “The Dog Days Are Over”- Legislature Passes Law to Protect Health of pets in Suffolk County - Spencer

6/03 Barraga: Congratulates Pool Smart Campaign Contest Winners From OQuenock Elementary School

6/02 Recognizing New Eagle Scout Joseph Wagner - Hahn

6/02 Legislator Kennedy Kicks off 2014 “Out for Blood” Blood Drive Tour with a bang

6/02 Suffolk County Legislator Robert Trotta Honors Boy Scout Troop 7’s newest Eagle Scout Ashton Armstrong of St. James

6/02 Huntington Legislators Honor Marine Corps League Commandant Bill Ober upon his retirement - Stern

6/02 Legislator D’Amaro Reminds Everyone to ‘Be Pool Smart’ this summer

* The source for this information is the Suffolk County Legislature’s website 

Friends Of Caleb Smith Host Junior Angler Fishing Tournament

By Carole Paquette 

Photos by: Michael D’Agostino, Carol Tokosh, Natalie Rash (click on photos to enlarge)

12th Annual Junior Fishing Tourney Nets Some Big Fish

A.M Winners - 3rd prize, Owen Murname; 1st prize Rosemary Deutsch; 2nd prize, Stevie RosenfeldP.M. winners: 2nd prize, Gwendolyn Raeihle; 3rd prize, Ryan Paolella; 1st prize, Angelo LupoMore than 30 children caught more than 50 fish at the popular Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve Junior Anglers Fishing Tournament held on Saturday, June 7. The 12th annual catch-and-release event was held at Willow Pond in Caleb Smith State Park Preserve in Smithtown. The anglers, ranging in age from 5 to 8 in the Charlotte Derby shows off the fish she caught.morning session and 9 to 12 in the afternoon, happily cast their Birthday party anglers. Back row: Stevie Rosenfeld, Hailey Kulesa, Vivian Derby [8th birthday]. Front: Charlotte Derby, Peyton KulesaA.M first place winner Rosemary Deutsch makes a fish face as she shows off a toy fish from her goody bag. lines for prizes, which were awarded along with goody bags and ice cream for all, following each session.

In the morning session, Rosemary Deutsch, 5, of Wantagh, won first prize for catching the most fish: seven. Stevie Rosenfeld, 7, of Hauppauge received second prize for catching the largest pan fish, measuring 8-3/4 inches; and Owen Murnane, 5-1/2, of East Northport won third prize for catching the largest “other” fish, a 14-inch bass.

 PM winner Angelo Lupo shows off his sixth fish, which garnered him a first prize.In the afternoon session Angelo Lupo, 11, of Deer Park, won first prize for catching the most fish: six; Gwendolyn Raeihle, 8, of Smithtown, won second prize for catching the largest pan fish, measuring 10 inches; Ryan Paolella, won third prize for catching the largest “other” fish, a 10-3/4-inch bass.

The day brought six good friends together to compete in the event while  celebrating the eighth birthday of Vivian Derby of Hauppauge. All of the six friends caught a fish, and one: Stevie Rosenfeld, won second place.

 Stevie Rosenfeld proudly displays her winning pan fish. Five-year-old Rosemary Deutsch of Wantagh, fishing under the watchful eyes of her parents, Heather and Tom, didn’t catch any fish last year but had caught six within the first hour this time, to go on and win first place. 

 Murnane with his dad, and judge Carmine Petrone, show off his winning 14-inch bass.In the afternoon session, Sal Lupo, 13, who had won first prize last year offered the Friends group his help this year. Sal could be seen PM group of anglers  sites along the pond helping bait hooks and release fish. “I love this place,” Sal said, as his two brothers, Angelo, and Vincent, 8, nodded eagerly.

For more information about Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve events check www.friendsofcalebsmith.org

Theater Review " Master Class"

“Master Class”

Produced by: Theatre Three – Port Jefferson

Reviewed by: Jeb Ladouceur

“Master Class” is a supposedly fictional series of opera critiques during which retired icon Maria Callas analyzes the performances of three students at Julliard. The ultra-dedicated diva uses the classes to reflect upon her own storied career … beginning with her early years as a plump and homely (if vocally gifted) child … moving on to a brutally graphic description of her affair with Aristotle Onassis … and concluding with an overview of the sacrifices one must be willing to make for one’s art.

Let it be said at the outset that Marci Bing is phenomenal as the demanding prima donna. Indeed, this reviewer would have guessed that the first one-hour act was ten minutes long; ditto the second … that’s how wonderful Bing’s sense of conversational pace is. 

“Master Class” debuted at Broadway’s Golden Theater in November 1995 and closed after some six hundred satisfying performances, during which such luminaries as Zoe Caldwell, Patti LuPone and Dixie Carter performed as Callas. The play garnered four Tony Awards and Faye Dunaway starred in the show’s national tour.

Anyone who has ever performed on stage will be especially touched by Ms. Bing’s reminiscences. I recall that once, when rehearsing as Iago in “Othello,” under the direction of Shakespeare scholar John Oetgen, the character Roderigo and I entered stage right and my opening line was, “But you will not hear me.”

“No,” came the thundering voice of Oxford-educated Oetgen from the dark recesses of the theater, “Nor will anyone else if you don’t open your damn mouth.” Any number of similar vignettes are furnished in drumbeat sequence by Bing as directed by 2013 Encore Award winner Jeffrey Sanzel.

While insistence on perfection (or at least the pursuit of it) is the overriding trait that playwright Terrence McNally has intended for his central character, Mr. Sanzel wisely stresses a few elements of compassion at perfectly placed intervals in Marci Bing’s soliloquies. For instance, just when we think there simply is no pleasing the svelte, self-assured Callas, she is reduced to tears by the performance of a young tenor. “That was beautiful,” the normally caustic soprano whispers … and the relieved audience at Port Jefferson’s lovely old Theatre Three applauds lustily.

Actually, we were applauding the excellence of four persons: playwright McNally, Sanzel, Ms. Bing, and the tenor played by John Hudson.

Once in a great while, theatergoers are treated to examples of pure poetry. Such an instance occurs when Callas describes her lopsided relationship with the boorish Onassis as akin to, “A great ballerina dancing for a blind man.” One cannot help but marvel that Marci Bing, professional though she is, was able to speak McNally’s heartbreaking line without choking back a sob.

The other four veteran actors in this astonishing play are all exquisite, primarily inasmuch as they obviously have learned to take direction. The day is coming when Steve McCoy, Christina Faicco, James D. Schultz, and Tracylynn Conner will claim the lead in future shows, and all will be justifiably proud that they once contributed so greatly to Marci Bing’s triumph when called upon to fill necessarily subservient roles.

“Master Class” runs through June 28^th. Don’t miss this gem.

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Award-winning Smithtown writer Jeb Ladouceur is the author of eight novels, and his theater reviews appear in several major L.I. publications. In Ladouceur’s next thriller, “Harvest” due in late summer, an American doctor is forced to perform illegal surgeries for a gang of vital organ traffickers in The Balkans.

NYSUT Gives Democrat Zove An Early Endorsement

Chalk one up for Democratic candidate Jason Zove. Months ago Zove decided he would step up to the plate and challenge Mike Fitzpatrick for his position as Assemblyperson in the 8th Assembly District. The district includes all of Smithtown. 

Jason received an early endorsement from New York State United Teachers’ (NYSUT) Board of Directors. He is the only non-incumbent to receive a NYSUT early endorsement. NYSUT is a 600,000 member union with members in education, human services and healthcare. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.

““I want to thank the NYSUT Board of Directors for their early endorsement which will make a tremendous difference in our campaign and I am confident that we will be successful in November with their full support,” said Zove. “For the last 12 years we have been represented in Albany by someone who puts politics first above our best interests, and, unlike my opponent, I will be a leader who will not turn his back on public education and our children.” Jason Zove.

On The Wings Of An Eagle - Eagle Scout Tim Hardy

By Dana Klosner

(Click on photos to enlarge)

Craig Mastandrea (L) and Eagle Scout Tim HardyIf you’ve driven down route 347 where it intersects Jericho Turnpike in Commack at the Elwood-Commack Veteran’s Memorial Site you might have noticed something new. A 14 foot wooden carving of an Eagle stands proudly at the site.

It’s all part of Eagle Scout candidate Tim Hardy’s Eagle Scout Project. Tim is a member of Troop 8 in East Northport. The eagle was a donation from family friend Craig Mastandrea, a chain saw artist, who owns Wood Cut Design in Port Jefferson Station.

When Hardy, 15, a sophomore at Commack High School, saw the overgrown state of the Memorial Garden last year he decided he had to do something about it.

He knew he wanted to undertake a landscaping project for his Eagle Scout project. He went to Suffolk County and asked what needed to be done. They suggested the site.

“Everything was overgrown,” Tim Hardy said. “The cannon was rusted and the grass was four feet high.”

Finished project“He was upset that the site was run-down,” said his mom, Jodi. “He felt it was disrespected. He felt he had to do something to benefit the community.” 

Hardy went to work. He got the approval from the Suffolk County Boy Scout Council. Then he sat down with a family friend and drew up a sketch of how the site would look when completed. 

Then he got to work getting donations. Two Home Depots donated cement and other necessities. Sherman Williams in Commack donated paint for the cannon and Greenland Nursery in East Northport donated a Maple Tree, some perennials and annuals, Jodi Hardy said. 

Hardy also held a car wash and raised $800. 

But, perhaps the most noticeable donation came in the form of a 14 foot Eagle carved out of wood. 

“We couldn’t come to terms with anything else that would represent America than an Eagle,” Mastandrea said.

 “It was an absolute honor to do this project for the Scouts and the Veterans,” he said. 

It took 200 hours, five days of work but Tim and his troop made the site beautiful. 

“We weeded the site – [with a donated rottotiller], mulched it, trimmed all the hedges, painted the cannon and added benches from Loews,” Tim Hardy said.

“He really put 100% into it,” Jodi Hardy said. “He didn’t cut corners; he did it truly from his heart. For example, he used dark wood chips because he thought they look nicer and he put down a weed barrier to prevent weeds from growing back. He wanted it to look as nice as possible for years to come.”

His hard work was appreciated by the veterans.

Memorial Day“When I saw the park I thought it was amazing,” said John Gilmartin, Post Sr. Vice Commander of VFW Post 9263 of Elwood-Commack.

Gilmartin said he found out quickly who was responsible for the beautification and wanted to let him know he appreciated the fabulous job he did.

Gilmartin contacted Tim Hardy’s mother and asked him to march in the Memorial Day Parade along with the veterans.

“He had an honorary position for the day,” Gilmartin said.

But that’s not all. Gilmartin introduced Tim Hardy at the podium in front of hundreds of people and told them what he did. 

“We wanted him to get recognition,” Gilmartin said. “When people pass by in the future they will see it and we will be very proud.”