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Displaying 1 through 10 of 22 records found.
Local businesses chip in for good cause
As the new year begins it is so great to see how many struggling small business owners reached out to help their communities.
Amazon Cafe in Selden on Middle Country Road decided to give back. With a matching grant from the landlord, Steve Stone gave out $300 in gift certificates at $10 each to three local churches to be added to their holiday baskets. Each gift certificate entitles the bearer to lunch or dinner choices off the menu. They can pick from a wide variety of salads, panninis or wraps and soft drinks.
As the owner, Kathy Martin, put it, "I hope it will provide a nice lunch or dinner for someone who is down on their luck and give them a lift — good food in a friendly cafe so they can forget their cares if only for an hour, feeding body and soul."
As word spread about Kathy's plan other shop owners pitched in. Action Hobby next door went out and bought toys to be added to the baskets.
So, my point is to go to your local shops. Give them your business. Tell them you hope they can last through these hard times. I think the only way we are going to recover is in investing in each other.
Carolann Donnelly
Setauket
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January 14, 2010
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Bravo on gay marriage vote
Recent rants and complaints from those set on redefining marriage in our state are severely misguided. The New York State Senate should be applauded for its courageous stand against those very well-financed special interest groups who have their own selfish agenda in mind in their quest to appease their guilty consciences by redefining marriage into a relationship of convenience.
Now that sodomy laws have been taken off our law books, homosexuals have every reasonable right that heterosexuals enjoy. For anyone to suggest that preventing people of the same sex from marrying each other is bigotry, is equivalent to suggesting that rules about marrying sisters, brothers, parents or minors are also bigotry.
The civil government is charged with upholding those ideals that will benefit the common good and must defend those principles that maintain the greatest cohesion for our society. Redefining marriage on the illogical premise that "love is all that counts," is like saying marriage can be defined by any arrangement of people regardless of their qualifications of being a parent and a spouse.
God clearly designed marriage to be a complementary relationship where the maleness and femaleness of the human persona can be seen in a family unit and where children can benefit from the complementary viewpoints of the two different gendered parents. Even the animal kingdom testifies to the necessity of having the two opposite genders leading a "family."
Should marriage be redefined, not only will children be deprived of knowing their biological mothers and fathers, but the sacredness of the marriage bond will be fatally compromised by this systematic redefinition of what marriage and family mean.
As history testifies through every empire or republic that has fallen: "Strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered."
Bruce Bennett
Centereach
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December 17, 2009
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Senator brings office into the MC community
While my office in Smithtown is always available to help the people I represent, it is important that we constantly work to make constituent service as convenient as possible. That is why my staff and I will be bringing our state office to Centereach on Tuesday, Dec. 1, as part of my Mobile Office Hours program. The event will begin at 6 pm at the VFW Post 4927 located at 31 Horseblock Road.
Members of my staff will be available to personally meet one-on-one with residents in an effort to provide assistance or information on state matters. In an effort to ensure that individual issues are addressed as efficiently as possible, we ask that appointments be scheduled by calling my office at 361-2154 prior to the event.
If people are unable to attend, please know that my district office is ready to provide assistance or to listen to their concerns on state matters. Anyone who would like to speak to my office should feel free to call 361-2154, send an email message to flanagan@senate.state.ny.us or send a letter to us at 260 Middle Country Road, Smithtown, NY 11787 at their convenience.
John Flanagan
New York State Senator
Second District
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November 24, 2009
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Neighborhood rejuvenation a top priority
As a Suffolk County legislative candidate in the 4th Legislative District, which encompasses the communities of Selden and Centereach, I am appalled at the conditions of blight that exist in our community.
Why do these conditions exist in our community? Why are abandoned homes allowed to bring our communities down? I'm sure that if you live next to an abandoned home you understand what I am talking about. Just take a ride on South Newton Avenue in Selden to see how this brings communities down.
I know that recreational areas are needed for our community and we must continue to provide them to the taxpayers (while keeping our taxes down), but why aren't we focusing on the areas where most of us spend our free time in our homes and neighborhoods?
The blight that exists in our community does not allow us to enjoy our backyards. How can we sit and enjoy the fruits of our labor when the house next door is overgrown with weeds, litter, standing water and who knows what else? Some legislators don't know what it is to own a home, pay taxes and have a back yard.
A legislator needs to work with the residents of our communities to help them enjoy what little they have left. I challenge our legislators to come up with a viable plan to help the citizens and taxpayers of Brookhaven Town enjoy their homes.
Yes, they have obtained monies (our monies) for the local civics and chambers for local projects. What about our neighborhoods? Let's stop the press releases and pictures, let's stop taking credit for other people's work and get down to helping our neighbors enjoy their homes. It's time to walk the walk and stop telling us what we want to hear.
Tom Muratore
Centereach
The writer is the 2009 Republican candidate for county Legislature from the 4th district.
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August 27, 2009
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Senators’ responsibility, not court's
I disagree with the Suffolk County executive and the partisan state senators. It only takes one senator with some common sense to end the stalemate — not the courts.
It was not the function of the Supreme Court to intervene in the 2000 presidential election, nor the province to settle the power struggles in the state Senate. Rather, it is the job of each senator to just show up, on time and ready to represent their constituents regardless of who is in power or in charge.
I say let's reform the New York State Constitution to provide for recall and stop the paychecks of every senator acting against the public interest now.
MaryAnn Johnston
Brookhaven
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July 09, 2009
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Protesters, not anarchists
I was amazed when I read the quote from our congressman that characterized the protestors as "basically anti-government groups" ["Protesters ambush Tim Bishop," June 23].
I was not a part of the protest, but I can at least understand why they are protesting. One does not need to be "anti-government" to realize how much harm he and others in the House of Representatives are doing to our nation at this difficult time.
Time will show that the protesters were probably right all along, even if their behavior may not have been.
Rev. Dr. Richard Hill
Coram
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July 02, 2009
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Texting detracts from learning
The May 21 letter, "Myth of multitasking" was right on target. The writer cleverly used the example of driving while texting as a poignant illustration of the concept … and its dangers. Wasn't there a train fatality in California whereby the engineer admitted to texting at the time of the accident?
As a classroom teacher, my concern with this multitasking business is its impact on the learning process. Unless a school district has a strict no-tolerance policy on electronics, then nearly every student, at some time during the school day, will have their focus diverted away from academic matters and toward the next text message or music selection on their iPod.
It's not only a distraction, it's an obsession. Many students have mastered the art of secretly texting while sitting in class. Teachers know how to spot a "texter" (we're more clever than they think).
While it may be hard to quantify the impact of this behavior on student performance, there is no doubt in my mind that there IS an effect, and it is not good. Districts, administrators and teachers can all try to reinvent or reform the educational process in the name of student performance, but as long as these devices are attached to student's ears, mouths, fingers and brains, we're swimming upstream … and the current is getting stronger.
What can parents do to help? Take the cell phones, take the iPods, take the earbuds and do not allow your children to bring these items to school. You'll be amazed at how much more focused and attentive they will be toward schoolwork. They may even learn how to talk to people and how to listen — skills that are being swept downstream in that current I mentioned earlier.
Guy Santostefano
Port Jefferson
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June 11, 2009
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Cheap uniform changes could make cops safer
If you look at the value of a police officer, some may not value their service very highly while others may say they are a very valuable human resource that offers social benefits way beyond any cash amount. I guess it depends on what side of the law one may be on.
But one thing is for sure — they cannot be easily replaced. So why do so many government officials and union representatives fail to take some basic, cost effective measures that could save the life or protect our Finest from harms way when they have the opportunity to do so?
Just think what some policy changes and a few dollars could provide in requiring or adopting a simple color change of a police uniform or adding some bright, colorful, reflective material attachments to existing ones. How many police officers do you think could be a little safer on the streets and perhaps avoid an accident or fatality from these types of basic changes?
If you look around the country many law enforcement personnel and emergency responders wear illuminating uniforms that stand out, making them safer and providing the public with quick recognition. Some agencies fail to see the obvious and let their Finest have uniforms that are very dark and unnoticeable and by default place these resources at risk of injury or death simply because they did not consider some simple changes at minor costs that could prevent injuries or catastrophes from occurring.
If all of us look around and see the obvious, perhaps some changes could take place that would save a life or prevent an accident among those that have chosen a career to protect and defend us irrelevant of the cost. And in addition to some uniform changes, perhaps we could also make sure that our Finest have access to some bright reflective gear and attachments that would identify them to the public and hopefully help them return a little more safely to their families and loved ones at the end of their shifts.
For a few dollars, we could change the way cops look and in the process keep them from harm's way. For a few cents we could make certain that they have some basic equipment items such as bright vests, arm wraps, dog tags and other amenities that would be more than cost effective to any town, county, state or federal government entity.
And the true value to the public and the family members of our Finest: priceless.
Mike De Paoli
South Setauket
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June 04, 2009
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Resolution to parking issue?
There were reasons not to refer to the Village owned parking lot just north of the train station in my letter addressing Mr. Sheldon Katz's complaints about metered parking. First, there are no meters uptown so parking there was not relevant to the content of the discussion. Second, and more important, contrary to Mr. Katz's contention, that lot is not exclusively a Resident-Only lot. In fact, many of the uptown businesses can rely on that lot for their non-resident employees and patrons in the evenings when that lot is open to all. Similarly, the Resident-Only parking at our beaches and Country Club is not relevant to metered parking downtown. Such inclusion only serves to obfuscate the issue in question.
Instead of focusing on such unrelated issues, I wish Mr. Katz, and those he represents on the Chamber of Commerce's Parking Committee would have accepted our invitations to meet with the Village Parking Committee to fully explain their opinion that the meters should be turned off ("quarantined", to use Mr. Katz's term) most of the year, or what Mr. Katz refers to as the "entire off-season", which estimated by him is 7 months of the year. We need to know what alternative other than free and unlimited parking is reasonably available in the absence of the meters. What precisely is his Committee suggesting in lieu of metered parking, if not a return to free and unlimited parking?
Readers of this public exchange of letters no doubt view this as merely a debate without resolution. Let us come together and work toward a mutually satisfactory understanding of the issues.
Again, and to that end, the Village Parking Committee extends its invitation to meet and discuss how best to regulate and improve parking in our Village. The Committee meets weekly on Tuesday at 10am or any other time mutually convenient to interested individuals.
Michael Mart
Member of the P.J. Parking Committee
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May 22, 2009
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Loud colors save lives
I guess the SCPD thinks its members are expendable, especially when it comes to bike safety. It seems that it is OK for police officers who are assigned bike duty to ride with the same dark blue colors that they use while on the job. This makes them a quick target and places them at risk, especially to motorists who may hit them simply because they are in a dark uniform riding a dark black bike with very little bright color wear to make them stand out or be noticeable on the street.
Most bicyclists wear bright colored helmets and vests to make certain that drivers can see them and avoid hitting them. But apparently, the SCPD policies do not require this basic safety feature for their finest especially when it could save their lives while on the job, not to mention reduce insurance costs and medical expenses if they were involved in an accident that could have been avoided with a little common sense.
So how about it, SCPD, how about requiring our finest in blue to wear day-glow colored helmets and vests to save their lives. And if it works for them then perhaps our legislators could establish mandatory legislation to require similar applications for all bicyclists including motorcyclists who will be using our streets in larger numbers as the weather changes and summertime approaches.
Being colorblind is no excuse when it comes to protecting lives. Safety must be a priority and not just forethought. And for a few dollars for a change in gear just think of the loved ones that could be saved from adopting this simple policy now. I could have and I should have will be no excuse after an accident.
Mike DePaoli
South Setauket
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April 30, 2009
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| 1828: Patrick R. Cleburne, Confederate general. |
| 1832: Daniel Conway Moncure, U.S. clergyman, author, abolitionist |
| 1846: Kate Greenway, painter and illustrator (Mother Goose). |
| 1902: Bobby Jones, American golfer. |
| 1919: Nat King Cole, American jazz pianist and singer. |
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