"Lone Survivor" Opens Today - Coffee With Lt. Michael Murphy's Dad

Coffee With Lt. Michael Murphy’s Dad - LI Hero -American Hero - Lone Survivor and SEAL of Honor

Maureen Rossi

photo wikipediaThe late Lt. Michael Murphy’s father Dan met me at the Lake Grove Diner this week to present me with two inscribed copies of the biography of his son’s life, SEAL of Honor. They were limited editions signed by the author Gary Williams; they were also commemorative issues for the USS Michael Murphy (DDg-11), the Destroyer named for his son.  One book was for my very patriotic and beloved father, Michael Ledden and the second for the small library in my home office.  Both of us being of Irish decent with families hailing from Queens, Dan and I soon found we had a lot in common; relatives named Michael, Maureen and Brian, the gift of gab and loved ones ‘on the job’ (cops and fireman).  Over bad coffee we shared small bits of our lives; he was in an excited mood.    The movie depicting his late son’s last battle in the mountainous regions of Afghanistan, Lone Survivor, opens nation-wide January 10th.   His oldest boy Michael Murphy was amongst the nation’s elite of the elite, he was a Navy SEAL and a commanding officer.    Lone Survivor is the title of the book written by Murphy’s best friend and Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell; the film (sharing its name) has gotten rave reviews from the bi-coastal premiers on Christmas Day.   I look forward to seeing the film this weekend  and I look forward to reading both books; SEAL of Honor and Lone Survivor.  

Dan told me he thoroughly enjoyed both books but there were some slight disparities, mainly regarding the goat herders whom the four Navy SEALs came upon in the Kunar Province by the border of Pakistan on June 28, 2005.   Dan said in Luttrell’s book it sounded as though the four Navy SEALs were voting about the decision as to whether or not to let the goat herders go or to kill them.   He said he and Michael’s mother knew their son, they knew that as a commanding officer there would be no vote – that Michael was addressing the issue but had already made up his mind.  Dan said he knew his son could not cut the throat of thirteen boys herding the family goats.   

Dan spoke strongly and assuredly on this issue and all issues regarding his son.   In the nine long years since his son, a Long Island hero and an American Hero lost his battle to Taliban fighters – I have seen Dan on Fox News and New York T.V. stations and he has always had the similar composure as the one I saw at the diner.   

However, things changed as he began to share the story of his son’s last journey home.   Dan and Michael’s mother Maureen met Michael’s body at Dover Airport in Delaware.   Dan made the decision to ride in the hearse with his son and Maureen rode in a limousine provided by her Kings Park relatives who own Clayton’s funeral home where Michael was to be laid out.   Dan explained they were escorted in each state by two cop cars.  I watched Dan carefully as he paused to gather his composure and then right before me this tough Vietnam veteran began to cry as he shared his memories.   He said when they arrived at the New York border, former Police Commissioner Ray Kelly had well over fifty cop cars waiting to escort them, he then had the entire Belt Parkway closed down and at every single exit, New York City cops stood at attention and saluted Lt. Michael Murphy as the hearse drove by.   

Over empty cups of coffee, in a crowded diner we wept together.  I cried for his son and the hole in his heart that would never be filled and I cried for all our boys and girls who have returned back to this great nation in a casket over the last decade.    They were not my first nor will they be the last tears I shed for Lt. Michael Murphy – his beautiful face adorns the book jacket of Seal of Honor, it sits quietly in my office beckoning me to read it.   Lt. Michael Murphy was highly decorated and awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor; he is a Long Island hero and an American hero.    it is with great honor that I will see the film Lone Survivor and I encourage all Long Islander’s to do the same.   Dan and I culminated our short meeting and we embraced, we exchanged numbers and promised to stay in touch.  The former prosecutor drove out of the Lake Grove Diner parking lot in his BMW with his Purple Heart license plates, he’s a veteran of war, a proud Navy SEAL father and sadly part of a club no parent ever wants be in.  

 “Lone Survivor” Opens Christmas Day Chronicles Navy Seal - Michael Murphy’s Last Heroic Battle             

B-A-Z-I-N-G-A - Town Attorney Zollo And Planning Board Chairman Out By New Town Board Majority

Town Bd meeting Jan 7, 2014Bazinga - That sums up Tuesday’s Town Board meeting.  As expected, Town Attorney John Zollo was not reappointed and was instead replaced by Matthew Jakubowski who currently serves as Smithtown’s Deputy Town Attorney.   Fred Calandrino, currently serving in the Town Attorney’s Office, will move into the Deputy Town Attorney’s position.  That leaves one vacancy in the office.  According to Supervisor Patrick Vecchio the position will be filled. Although he does not have a specific candidate in mind, he did suggest that as soon as the word gets out that a vacancy exists, resumes will start to appear.  

Zollo served as Town Attorney since 2012 when he was appointed in a three - two vote with Wehrheim, Creighton and Malloy voting for him and Vecchio and McCarthy voting “No”.  At the time of his appointment, Vecchio stated publicly that he was uncomfortable with Zollo’s appointment for many reasons, not the least of which was his relationship with many businesses doing business before the Town. 

In a discussion after the board meeting on Tuesday, Zollo said that before taking office in 2012 he apprised all the board members of his (business) relationship with four businesses with issues before the Town including Carlson, Santilli, Bavarian Inn and Reliable Tree.  He also stated that throughout his tenure he recused himself from Town dealings with the above mentioned businesses. 

Zollo looked somewhat surprised when the vote was taken. When asked, he stated that he was hoping that he would have received support from Councilwoman Nowick. He said that he had spoken with her and she never indicated how she would vote. The roll call for the Town Attorney vote and several others revealed a new majority with Councilwoman Nowick voting along with McCarthy and Vecchio on all votes she cast.  That left Wehrheim and Creighton, the lone men out, voting against the appointment of Jakubowski and Calandrino.

Ditto on the appointment of Conrad A. Chayes, Sr. to the Planning Board and the appointment of James Ehrhardt as Chairperson to the Planning Board. The majority supported the appointments replacing John Gee former Chairperson and long term Planning Board member.  

Political retribution? Some may say so.  Both Gee and Zollo supported Creighton in his bid for supervisor.  Zollo served as Creighton’s treasurer.  According to Vecchio, “No, I do not believe in retribution.” In a meeting in his office after the board meeting, Tuesday Vecchio expressed his position, saying that he had concerns with Zollo’s appointment two years ago and voted “no”, but was outvoted. He emphasized the many issues before the Town that require the Town Attorney and Supervisor to work together. Clearly he was not comfortable with Zollo. 

Zollo thanked the Board for giving him the opportunity to serve. He asked for time to clear out his office. He also  expressed support for Matt Jakubowsky and Fred Calandrino, reminding people that it was he who hired them during his first stint as Town Attorney 1992- 2002. “We did a lot of good work over the past two years.” Zollo also acknowledged that there have been a lot of challenges. Zoning, land use issues and code enforcement controversies were routine over the past two years. 

Councilmen Wherheim and Creighton both supporters of Zollo praised his work. According to Wherheim “Zollo reorganized the Town Attorney office sending less work to outside attorneys and thereby saving taxpayers over $250,000. Both Creighton and Wehrheim expressed the sentiment that Zollo did a good job and that this was a political decision. 

B-A-Z-I-N-G-A!

Smithtown Dish - Restaurant Hunter To Film At New York Stuffed Cone

Smithtown Dish – small bites of foodie news

By Nancy Vallarella

TOMORROW – January, 9^th FiOS1’s resident Restaurant Hunter, Emmy-winner Rob Petrone will be filming at New York Stuffed Cone in Saint James.   New York Stuffed Cone’s owner, Dave Saracino, will be doing his best Willy Wonka in demonstrating to Rob Petrone some of the café’s most popular items. Dave will be busy today creating a new ice cream flavor for this event. The inside scoop – it will be vanilla based, incorporate homemade waffle cones and include a “surprise ingredient”.  New York Stuffed Cone is located at 556-18 North Country Rd. The shop opens and filming starts at 11am. Stop by and show some local love.

Jeep Wrangler Takes On The Nissequogue - River Wins

St. James resident Mary Beth Chasteen was out walking around Smithtown Harbor in November when she spoted and photographed a new Jeep Wrangler submerged in the Nissequogue River. Ms. Chasteen submitted these photos with the following explanation.  “An 18 year Girl and Her Boyfriend got caught ‘out in the tide’ on Sunday evening and this was the result Monday Morning.  I spoke to the tow truck driver who said it was a brand new Jeep, once a dry brand new Jeep.  But not now!!  He was called by the girl’s Father to come tow the jeep but once he got there the jeep floated further out into the river.” (Click on photos to enlarge)

Town Board Agenda - Some New Faces And Some Just New In Their Positions

Expect some reappointments and some new appointments at tomorrow’s Town Board  meeting. In a phone conversation with Supervisor Vecchio earlier this morning, he hinted that there would be changes made at the organizational meeting Tuesday, Jan. 7.  He was true to his word. One look at the agenda tells what many who follow town politics suspected. 

Town Attorney, John Zollo is out. Mr. Zollo was appointed without the Supervisor’s support in 2012. Recently he  supported  Councilman Creighton serving as his treasurer in his Republican primary challenge and in the November Supervisor’s race. On the agenda is a resolution appointing Matt Jakubowski, current Deputy Town Attorney, as the Town Attorney at a salary of $120,000 and Fred Calandrino, Deputy Town Attorney, the position vacated by Jakubowski, with a salary of $112,000.

There is a new Planning Board member, Conrad A. Chayes, Sr. and a new Chairperson of the Planning Board. James Ehrhardt will move into the role of Chairperson replacing long time member John Gee. 

On the Town Board agenda  Tuesday, Jan. 7 -  Reappointments: 

Thomas McCarthy Deputy Supervisor.

Bradley L. Harris Town Historian

Marlene Wolke Secretary to Supervisor

Louis Necroto Budget Officer

Krista Whitman LCSW, Julie DeLaney, Hector Supulveda MD, Frank Mastrandrea, Denise Massimo, Jonathan Iadevaia and Lisa Iadevaia are appointments to the Youth Advisory Board - term of office January 7, 2014 through December 31, 2016.

Not every board member received advance notice about proposed personnel changes. In a phone conversation with Councilman Ed Wehrheim, he expressed some frustration with not having any advance notice or discussion about what to expect at the organizational meeting. “I looked at the rough draft of the agenda over the weekend and saw a few resolutions, about fifteen of them. But I have not been part of any discussions about appointments. I will have to wait for the agenda.”

Also on the agenda is the reassignment of the Smithtown News as the official town newspaper. In 2012 with the support of Councilmen Wehrheim, Creighton and Malloy the News was stripped of its official designation and the Smithtown Messenger became the Town paper.  NYS law requires towns to designate a local “printed” newspaper to publish official town notices.  Click here for agenda

At this time all members of the board have had the opportunity to read the agenda. There is a work session at Town Hall at 10am Tuesday. A vote on the resolutions will take place at the organizational meeting tomorrow at 2pm at Town Hall.