Junior Anglers at Caleb Smith Tournament Win Awards

By Carole Paquette

(click on photos to enlarge)

Shelby Lloyd, 7, of Smithtown and dad Chris.Brandon Connor, 6, and Dad Jim of St. James. Brandon caught ten fish in an hour.On one of the nicest days of Spring, the sun shone on forty-two young anglers and their families at Willow Pond in Caleb Smith State Park Preserve at the recent Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve’s catch-and-release 16th annual Junior Fishing Tournament. More than  three hundred fish, including a 14-1/2 inch trout, were caught by anglers ranging in age from five to twelve.

Morning group winners [from left]: Tristen Hennen, Frankie Marcotrigiano, Dylan Haase

Winners of the morning session, for those ages five to eight, were:  Frankie Marcotrigiano, 5, of Brentwood for the most fish caught: 13; Tristen Hennon, 8, of St. James caught the largest pan fish: 9-1/2 inches;  Dylan Haase, 5-1/2, of Smithtown caught the largest “other” fish: a 14-1/2-nch trout.

Afternoon group winners [from left]: Devon Gallo, Chase Patrie, Justo ReyesWinners in the afternoon session, for anglers ages nine through twelve, were: Justo Reyes, 11, of Levittown, for the most fish caught: 38; Chase Patrie, 11, of Setauket caught the largest pan fish: 9-1/2 inches; and Devon Gallo, 10, of Manhattan caught the largest “other” fish: a 15-1/2-inch bass.

Jack DiBenedetto, winner of TomTroccoli Memorial Lottery.Another highlight of the event was the Second Annual Tom Troccoli Memorial Lottery, involving the seventeen registrants in the afternoon session. The winner received a fishing rod and tackle. The drawing was held in the name of the late Tom Troccoli of Smithtown, who enjoyed fishing and had accompanied his grandson at two junior angler tournaments. The Troccoli family donated funds for the memorial lottery, which will be continued for many years.

The late Mr. Troccoli’s grandson JosephJoe Troccoli of Smithtown, with his uncle Patrick Little. Troccoli, of Smithtown drew the name of angler Jack DiBenedetto, 12, of Smithtown, as the winner of the Troccoli Memorial award.

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP - Looking Back At Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant And The Protests That Stopped It

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP

By Karl Grossman

“Shoreham Action Is One Of The Largest Held Worldwide,” was the headline in The New York Times about an event on June 3, 1979. The article told of how “more than 600 protesters were arrested” at the site of the then under-construction Shoreham nuclear power plant and “15,000 demonstrators gathered” on the beach fronting the plant in the protest of it.

That action was important in stopping the Shoreham plant from going into operation—and preventing LILCO from building a total of seven to 11 nuclear power plants on Long Island.

Last week, on Facebook and in email-communication, that event 40 years ago was heralded as a turning point for Long Island—and indeed it was.

On Facebook, Catherine Green of Sayville, a founder of the SHAD (Sound-Hudson Against Atomic Development) Alliance which organized the protest, wrote about being part of a “committed band of activists…protesting the nuclear power that powerful corporate forces were trying to shove down out throats…Eventually we won, but not before we had committed civil disobedience repeatedly…Not before we had systematically thrown out every pro-nuclear official in [Suffolk] county government and elected an anti-nuke legislature. Not before our dogged grassroots educating coupled with the shock of Three Mile Island had turned the tide of public opinion. It took 25 years.”

Civil disobedience and political work were big parts of the challenge to LILCO’s plan to turn Long Island—in the jargon of the atomic promoters then—into a “nuclear park.”

There was an array of complementing strategies—including lawsuits, insistence by Suffolk government that there could be no successful evacuation from Long Island in the event a major nuclear plant accident, and the use by the state of its power of condemnation. The Long Island Power Authority was created with the power to seize LILCO’s stocks and assets and eliminate it as a corporate entity if it persisted in its nuclear scheme.

That huge demonstration on June 3, part of an International Antinuclear Day, encapsulated the strong resistance on Long Island to the LILCO nuclear push. The protesters, enduring rain, heard from speakers and were sung to by folk singer Pete Seeger who described the “immoral” basis of nuclear power.

The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant accident in Pennsylvania had recently happened. To come were the Chernobyl and, most recently, the Fukushima catastrophes.

Jack Huttner, also a founder of the SHAD Alliance, commented last week on email, “What I miss the most…that feeling that I/we could do anything.”

Mitch Cohen responded: “Jack, we COULD (do anything), we DID, and we SHALL!!!” Mr. Cohen has, not too incidentally, continued as an activist as have a good number of others who were involved in the Long Island anti-nuclear fight. Mr. Cohen is editor of a powerful just-published book, “The Fight Against Monsanto’s Roundup, The Politics of Pesticides.”

LILCO announced its plan for the Shoreham nuclear plant, what was supposed to be the first of the many, with an April 13, 1966 press release. It said the cost of Shoreham would be “in the $65-$75 million range.” I reprinted the release as a facsimile in a book on the Long Island nuclear drive that I wrote titled “Power Crazy.” 

The final price—in the $6.5 billion to $7.5 billion range—was a 10,000% cost overrun.

It would have been the most expensive nuclear plant per kilowatt of electricity ever built.

Now that stands to be beaten. Nuclear power plants, besides being terribly dangerous, are terribly expensive. The only two nuclear power plants now under construction in the U.S. are plants named Vogtle 3 and 4 in Georgia—now projected to each cost $13 billion. 

The economics of nuclear power, once described by U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Lewis Strauss as “too cheap to meter,” were not only grossly underestimated—so have  been the dangers. As then LILCO Chairman Charles Pierce told the Suffolk County Legislature in 1983, the probability of a major nuclear plant accident at Shoreham was once every 500 million years.  In fact, we are seeing a major nuclear power plant accident occurring about every decade, with less than 500 nuclear plants in the world.

Still, the nuclear push continues. As Scott Denman, long executive director of the Safe Energy Communication Council, said in last week’s email traffic on the Shoreham protest, “Nearly 100 reactors still operate [in the U.S.] and billions in bailouts for uneconomic reactors to remain on-line have been given away in NY, CT, NJ, IL and now likely OH and maybe even PA and other states. Billions more are now being lavished via current federal r&d on new reactor concepts no matter how…grossly expensive, dangerous and uncompetitive they are. Nuclear power is far from ended and is rather a clear and present danger….Our work is far from done; indeed it’s just beginning.”

But because of that June 3, 1979 protest and decades of painstaking and difficult struggle, LILCO was stopped in its nuclear push and Long Island today is nuclear-free.

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.   

Memories Of Town Supervisor Patrick Vecchio

Memories of Patrick Vecchio

By Jerry Cimisi

Patrick VecchioPatrick Vecchio was the supervisor of Smithtown for forty years; no supervisor in the history of New York State has ever served any municipality in that position that long. He was defeated in a Republican primary in September 2017 by the councilman who would become his successor, Ed Wherheim. Vecchio passed away at the age of 88, this past April.

Vecchio’s prior police and security work apparently inclined the Democratic party of Smithtown, where he had been living for ten years, to approach him about running for supervisor in 1977. In an interview with Gary Jacobs on the Public Access show Long Island Back Story in early 2017, Vecchio said after working with people in the political arena when he was in the New York City Police Department, he thought he’d take a shot at it, “Not knowing what a supervisor is or what a supervisor does…not knowing what this job entails.”

Vecchio won that 1977 election by only 67 votes, defeating incumbent, Republican Charles Cacciabaudo. It was the first time a Democrat had been elected to the town board in 16 years. Forty years later Vecchio would be on the wrong side of a close election; first returns showed he lost his party’s primary by 40 votes. A recount doubled that figure (83 votes, precisely), but certainly still a close contest.

Vecchio related he had sought “to lead by example. If I ask my secretary to bring me a pen, she brings me one pen.” The “example” apparently being that one uses just enough for a task, and no more. “I have strived to keep taxes on the town’s side stable. The majority of resident’s taxes come from the schools; in Smithtown you’re paying only $732 for town services. Our taxes have actually gone down in 2017 and we have a Triple A bond rating.

Smithtown Town Board named Town Hall Patrick R Vecchio Building 2016When asked where he sees Smithtown going in the future, he replied, “Slow and steady growth, and not overburdened with taxes.”

At this point Vecchio was certainly planning to run again for supervisor. Queried as to “What drives you to keep running?” the supervisor replied, “Belief in public service. As long as I’m able I’ll continue.”

After decades as a successful office holder, he was asked if he considered himself a politician. Vecchio responded with “I would say yes, in the sense that someone once defined it as politics is the art of government.”

But he added his perspective on governing: “The less politics is in government, the better.”

The township of Smithtown, which also comprises Commack and St. James, had a population of 116,668 in the 1980 census, two years after Vecchio took office. Thirty years later, the 2010 census showed only slightest increase, to 117,801. It is a predominantly white community, with the three biggest ethnic groups being Italian (35%), Irish (26 %) and German (18.7%). While there has been building and development growth, like many other areas on Long Island, there indeed has been a “slow and steady” aspect to Smithtown under Patrick Vecchio.

Journalist Karl Grossman, who founded the Press Club of Long Island and was its first president, remarked that Vecchio’s focus on not having the town shoulder any debt left downtown to languish, though he in general he saw Vecchio as “a good guy.”

Patrick Vecchio providing security for President and Mrs KennedyIn the 1950s, Vecchio worked for the NYPD’s Bureau of Special Services, and performed security detail for international leaders, such as Charles De Gaulle and Pope Paul VI, as well as Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy and Dwight Eisenhower. Vecchio would remember being introduced to Eisenhower in a Waldorf Astoria elevator. It was a thrill for the young detective to shake the president’s hand. And there’s a photo of thirty year old Vecchio walking along a car from which Senator John Kennedy and wife Jackie wave to the crowd during the presidential campaign of 1960.

Grossman added that Vecchio had worked closely with the security attachment for New York Mayor John Lindsay. “You could see the admiration Vecchio had for Lindsay. I would say he lionized Lindsay; so I think of lot of Lindsay rubbed off on him, which was good, as I saw it.”

Grossman said, “At one point when Vecchio was supervisor, there were four out of five Democrats on the board. Eventually, in ‘89, Vecchio wanted to run for Suffolk County supervisor, but Dominic Baranello, the Chairman of the Suffolk County Democratic Party, wanted Pat Halpin to run; that’s what caused Vecchio to switch to the Republicans.”

(Halpin was county executive from 1988-’91 and is currently the Chairman of the Suffolk County Water Authority.)

Vecchio made a run for county executive in 1991, but lost his new party’s primary. He never made another run for any other office save Smithtown supervisor.

Brad Harris was a social studies teacher at Commack High School who was appointed by Vecchio to be Smithtown Town Historian in1978, following Vecchio’s first election victory. He soon served as the campaign manager for Democrat Tom Boyle, who was defeated in a bid for town council. The following year Harris ran for town council on the Democratic ticket, and won a close election by sixty votes.

“The election was so close that with the recounts, the decision was not determined until February,” Harris said. Harris would serve from 1980-1992 on the town council.

“I worked on the town board with Vecchio for twelve years,” said Harris. “He was feisty, a true fighter. At the same time, he had the ability of making enemies into friends.” Harris cited Vecchio’s combative relationship with Councilman Eugene Cannatore. “After four years there was a thawing out and they became friends.”

A lot of history in the room. Supervisor Vecchio, lifelong resident of St. James 103 year old Marie Sturm and Town Historian Brad Harris. Photo by Kathy AlbrechtWhen describing how he viewed Patrick Vecchio’s legacy in Smithtown, Harris said, “He made town government more open and responsive to people than previous supervisors. When positions in the town became available, if there was not a civil service requirement, it’s up to the supervisor to fill the position. Vecchio believed the position should be filled based on merit, not whom the party recommended.”

Harris added, “Pat Vecchio was always tight with a buck; so tight it was said he squeaked. That was how he thought he had to manage the people’s money. When any department presented him with a request to raise its budget, they’d better have a good reason.”

Asked if Democrats were surprised at Vecchio’s switch from their party to become a Republican, Harris said, “No, they were surprised he’d been a Democrat in the first place.”

Harris added, however, in his perspective, party affiliation seemed “just a matter of labels. At one time there were three Democrats on the board out of five seats, then four out of five, but it didn’t seem to make any difference to me in day to day politics.”

On a very personal level, Harris recounted how “Vecchio accommodated me. He changed hours of the town board meetings in the afternoon so I could teach a full schedule at the high school, then I’d race from Commack to Smithtown and be just in time for the two o’clock meeting.”

Harris saw Vecchio’s departure from his long-held supervisor’s position as “a lot to do with age. At the end he could barely make it to the podium sometimes. So there was the sense in some people’s eyes that he’d become too old for the job. Younger men come up through the system. Ed Wehrheim [Smithtown’s current supervisor] had been head of the Parks Department, and had worked hand in glove with Vecchio; they’d been the best of friends. But when Ed threw his hat in the ring to challenge Vecchio in his own party, that ended that.”

photo submitted by Tony Giordano -Citi Field dugout, according to Tony,” Patrick Vecchio was not happy to have to go to the dugout in the rain” Rich Schaffer, Ed Maher , Tony Giordano and Arizona D’Back player Bronson Arroyo Pat Biancaniello, editor of Smithtownmatters.com, who served on the town council from 2006-2009 as a Democrat, remarked, “My relationship with Pat Vecchio was complicated.”

A former President of the League of Women Voters of Smithtown, and a regular observer of town board meetings, said she met Vecchio in the late ‘90s. “We didn’t agree on a lot of things, but I admired and respected him. And cared about him; we were friends.”

Then in 2009 Biancaniello challenged Vecchio for the supervisor’s position. “I could’ve stayed on the board—where I was the only Democrat and only woman—but I felt that those running the town were not interested in what I considered important.”

At the time Biancaniello related to Newsday the town had a $49 million surplus that some portion of which should be applied to infrastructure maintenance and repair. 

She went on, “When I first ran for town council, I said we needed an update on Smithtown’s Master Plan.” Apparently that plan was still not formed by the time Biancaniello ran, unsuccessfully, for supervisor.

“It took a long time. It was completed around 2011-’12, presented to the public, then put on the back burner. Now Ed Wehrheim is handing it over to an outside firm to come up with a new one. Not having a Master Plan enabled Vecchio to maintain the status quo.”

“I have to say Pat Vecchio was incredible, in that he knew your name the second time you met him, asked about your family. He seemed to retain everything. Again, I have to say I liked him.”

She added a further insight into Vecchio’s personality. “On the town’s 350th anniversary, Brad Harris asked me to write a speech that Vecchio would give.” But apparently the supervisor had to make the words more his own. “He told me later, ‘I made some grammatical changes to it.’”

Echoing Town Historian Harris, Biancaniello said, “Pat Vecchio ruled with a tight fist. He was on top of everything.”

Patrick R Vecchio learns Ed Wehrheim won the primaryIn describing Vecchio’s last election, his defeat in the 2017 Republican primary, Biancaniello said, “I was with Pat when he got the news he lost. Politics was no surprise to him; he knew it more than anyone. Pat was responsible for Ed Wehrheim’s rise in the town board; Pat held that council seat for Ed until he retired from the Parks Department. Then there was a big rift between them. You know, Pat Vecchio’s narrative was always it’s his way or no way.”

And Biancaniello put Vecchio’s loss down to, simply, politics. “Pat was a very independent guy. Bill Ellis, the Smithtown Republican Chairman, never got along with Pat, though Pat Vecchio always had the support of those who got out the votes. John Zollo was set to challenge Pat; Zollo dropped out and Wehrheim replaced him. The thing is, Ellis had all the proxies—in other words, people gave him their vote to vote how he wanted. So that’s how Wehrheim beat Vecchio.”

Perhaps the ultimate question is: Did Supervisor Patrick Vecchio leave Smithtown a better place. Biancaniello said, “Smithtown was well served by Pat Vecchio. Yes, I think he made it better. The way you look at is the desirability of the town? Would you like to live here? It’s safe, we have parks, beaches, and good fiscal management.”

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP - Meet Jesse Garcia Brookhaven Republican Chairman

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP

By Karl Grossman

The Cuban Revolution caused Jesus Garcia to flee Cuba. He “defected” and ended up in the United States. His son, Jesse Garcia, raised in Suffolk County and having spent his life here, was just elected chairman of one of the historically more powerful political organizations in the U.S., the Suffolk Republican Party.

“My father lived in Havana and worked at a bank,” recounts Jesse Garcia. “He was a graduate of Havana University. He saw the rise of the Castro regime and did not feel that the revolutionaries would be any better than Batista.” Fuglencio Batista, overthrown by the revolution led by Castro, “was a dictator,” states Mr. Garcia. But his father felt “the revolutionaries would crack down on liberties more than Batista.” 

So, on a trip to attend “a financial conference in Canada, he defected at the U.S. embassy.” He went to Spain where his family “was from originally” and then settled in The Bronx where he met Jesse’s mother, who hailed from Puerto Rico.

Jesse was born in The Bronx, “in the shadow of Yankee Stadium,” and then the family moved to Patchogue when Jesse was four. He attended local schools, went to Suffolk County Community College where he studied journalism, and after graduation began working at several Suffolk weekly newspapers including as an editor, and subsequently got into politics and government.

Jesse, who turns 53 this week, had a dream as a young man of “being a catcher or first baseman for the New York Yankees.” Indeed, he was “scouted by a couple of colleges” to play varsity ball. But the dream seemed to his father most difficult, and writing sports, said Jesse was in a more realistic ballpark. As to his transformation to politics, “sports and politics are very similar.”

His switch into politics came when he was interviewing John LaMura when Mr. LaMura was running for Brookhaven Town supervisor in 1991. “I realized somewhere during the interview that he was interviewing me, and a day later he offered me a position as press aide.”

Mr. LaMura won but later stepped away from politics, and Mr. Garcia went to work for his successor as Brookhaven Town supervisor, Felix Grucci. He served as senior coordinator for Mr. Grucci when Mr. Grucci ran for Congress and was chief of staff when he won.

He became in 2007 Brookhaven Town Republican chairman—a post he will retain.

At the county GOP convention in April at which he was elected county chairman—and received a standing ovation—Mr. Garcia declared: “I am a pragmatic, tenacious campaigner and believe elections are won door to door.”

In an interview last week, Mr. Garcia said the “contest for county executive is the key race this year.” He is highly critical of the Democratic incumbent, Steve Bellone. “Junk Bond Bellone has placed Suffolk County in terrible financial shape,” said Mr. Garcia. “There have been seven downgrades of county bond rates under Bellone—and they are now one grade above junk bond status. The county is on the verge of having $3.4 billion in long-term debt. This level of debt cannot be sustained. Suffolk residents are leaving the area because they can’t make ends meet….Bellone is either inept, out of touch or simply does not care.” Mr. Garcia is strong on Republican County Comptroller John M. Kennedy, Jr. who is running this year against Mr. Bellone for county executive. 

The political demographics of Suffolk have changed from decades ago when Suffolk tied with Orange County, California as being the two leading large GOP-voting counties in the nation. Enrolled Democrats now outnumber Republicans in Suffolk.

The most recent breakdown by the State Board of Elections, from February, shows 358,296 enrolled Democrats in Suffolk, 329,689 Republicans and 22,329 Conservatives. An important factor, however, is the “blank” category—voters enrolled in no party—some 281,489. That independent element has been key in Suffolk elections going either way.

Mr. Garcia has a formula to deal with the Democratic edge. He notes the “very Democratic” town council district in Brookhaven Town that includes Bellport, North Bellport, Gordon Heights, North Shirley and parts of Farmingville, Medford, Holtsville and Ridge. “We ran Michael Loguercio for council from that district. Michael served for 12 years on the Longwood Central School District Board of Education including four as president. He is a lieutenant in the Ridge Volunteer/EMS Department.” Mr. Luguercio is also a member of many civic organizations. “He shared a vision with voters,” said Mr. Garcia. And GOPer Loguercio, despite the Democratic advantage in the district, won a council seat in 2015 and was re-elected in 2017.

Mr. Garcia, who since 2003 has been GOP Hispanic outreach coordinator for the Suffolk Board of Elections, lives in Ridge with his wife of 17 years, Diane, and their son, J. Alex.

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.   

Smithtown Celebrates American Legion's 100th Anniversary

Vietnam Veteran Tom Mooney2019 marks the American Legion’s 100 year anniversary of serving America and America’s veterans. On Sunday, May 26th 2019 the Smithtown Veterans Resource Committee, local officials and American Legion Posts throughout Smithtown Township hosted a Centennial Ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Plaza. Veteran members from James Ely Miller Post 833, Sherwood Brothers Post 1152 and Donald C. Munro Post 944 along with community members gathered together to commemorate the American Legion’s 100th Anniversary.

The American Legion, chartered by Congress in 1919, was established as a patriotic veterans organization. Its focus was to provide assistance to veterans, servicemembers and communities. According to the American Legion History page, “the organization evolved from a group of war-weary veterans of World War I”. Based on principles of a strong National Security, Veterans Affairs, Americanism and youth programs, legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities. Currently there are 2.2 million wartime veterans who are members.

Smithtown High School East Chamber Choir.The ceremony opened with the presentation of the colors conducted by members of the three American Legion Posts, followed by an acapella performance of the National Anthem by the Smithtown High School East Chamber Choir.

Vietnam Veteran Tom Mooney, representing James Ely Miller Post 833, spoke about the history of the three local posts and described their continuing service to their communities and to veterans. Each post fulfills its mission by looking after veterans at the VA Hospital and at the NYS Veterans Home.  Post 833 is the sponsor for Long Island’s oldest Boy Scout Troop #3, established in 1910. Post 833 also involves local high school students in an annual patriotic essay contest and worked to establish the Veterans Plaza.

The Smithtown American Legion Rifle SquadKings Park American Legion Post 944 Commander, Ken Dolan gave a brief speech about the formation of the American Legion. “In support of their wounded comrades to honor the fallen and to care for their surviving spouses, and to protect democracy they pledged their lives to defend, these troops envisioned a different kind of Veterans Association. The American Legion would be built on strengthening the Nation, not serving themselves, through four primary pillars of volunteer work: Veterans, Defense, Youth and Americanism.” - Ken Dolan

“To The Colors” was played by Kevin Eaton on the bugle. The ceremony closed with final comments from Sherwood Brothers Post 1152 Commander Ed Springer Sr. who discussed the importance of inviting the younger generations of Veterans to join the membership.

Nicole Garguilo sang God Bless AmericaThe Smithtown American Legion Rifle Squad executed the ceremonial military gun salute followed by a solo performance of God Bless America, performed by Smithtown PIO Nicole Garguilo.

Anthony Amato, Bill Kearney, John Steele, Marty Thompson, Ed Springer, Bob Bates and Ron BarrThe Veterans Resource Committee acts as an avenue for local veterans to obtain information on veterans services within the Town of Smithtown. The group, is led by Town Clerk Vincent Puleo and members of local veterans organizations. The objective of the committee is to discover new ways to disseminate information to military families, veterans and active duty members.