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Yearly Archives: 2024

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Ward Melville High School. File photo
District provides new details during board meeting

By Mallie Jane Kim

Scarier than any Halloween nightmare, the specter of school shootings haunts parents around the United States. So when Three Village Central School District announced a gun had made its way into a classroom at Ward Melville High School the morning of Oct. 10, parents wanted answers. 

Many found the district’s initial response lacking and demanded — and got — some additional information at an Oct. 23 board meeting, which is available to watch in full on the district’s YouTube channel.

“I want to know from the board, what are we doing?” asked district parent and Ward Melville alumna Yolanda Shields, who said Superintendent of Schools Kevin Scanlon’s emails about the incident did little to ease her concerns. “This has been two weeks now. Every day my kids go to school, I am afraid.”

In an initial email to inform parents about police presence at Ward Melville on Oct. 10, Scanlon referred to a “non-threatening situation” in which the child of a law enforcement officer accidentally brought their father’s backpack, identical to theirs, to school. Scanlon wrote that the student surrendered the gun to a teacher immediately upon discovering it, and a police investigation deemed there was no malicious intent. The district did not share information about any action against the parent, who officials said is part of a law enforcement agency in Suffolk County.

Scanlon’s email stated, “At no time was the safety or security of our students and staff in any jeopardy.”

This was a point of contention for some parents, who pushed back that any time a gun is unexpectedly on a school campus, there is danger.

The gun was in fact loaded, according to additional details provided by district security & safety coordinator Jack Blaum. 

“There was a clip in it, one in the chamber, ready to go,” he said at the meeting. “Absolutely, if the trigger was pressed, it would’ve fired.”

Within minutes, responding security guards with law enforcement backgrounds unloaded the gun, according to Blaum, who emphasized that he, other district leaders and board members are taking the situation very seriously and have been meeting “ad nauseum” to figure out the best next steps. He added that installing metal detectors right away, as some parents have called for, comes with inherent complications, including that they would be required at every entrance point in every school building, and would have to be monitored by armed guards 24 hours a day. 

“That’s a big move for this district — it’s not something we could do overnight,” he explained, adding that he is most interested in emerging AI technology that could monitor for weapons using the security camera system.

Installing a visible fix like metal detectors without thinking through the entire system and allowing stakeholder input would be engaging in “security theater,” according to Scanlon, who said many of the measures the district takes in its more than $3 million security budget are behind the scenes.

“We do not want to divulge, even to the community, the levels of things that we have in place,” he said, adding that a robust security plan involves a focus on students’ emotional and mental health, something the district has said is a priority. To add an element of physical security alone, he said, “it’s not as foolproof as people might think.”

Blaum, Scanlon and the board president, Susan Rosenzweig, encouraged parents to email them with questions or comments, and said upcoming board meetings would include updates on the work of the relevant committees and staff.

For his part, Blaum said he is disturbed at the fact that a gun got into the school, and he thinks about it every day. The same is true for the parents who shared public comments.

“I’m so thankful that we’re not all around a vigil of candles,” parent Shields said. “Because that’s what could’ve happened.”

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Kate Alexander. Photo courtesy of CSHL

By Daniel Dunaief

In the nucleus of the cell, researchers often focus on the genetic machinery, as the double-helical DNA sends signals that enable the creation of everything from my fingers that are typing these words to your brain that is processing what you’ve read.

But DNA, which occupies most of the nucleus, is not alone. Scattered through the nucleus are protein and RNA filled structures that have an influence on their important gene-bearing nuclear cohabitants, including speckles.

One of the newest members of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory team, Assistant Professor Kate Alexander, who joined the lab in August, is focused on a range of questions about these speckles, which represent about 10 to 30 percent of the nuclear volume.

Preliminary data from Alexander’s lab support the idea that speckles can signal how a person responds to various types of therapy, although careful extensive follow up studies are needed, Alexander explained. She would like to know how the speckles are affecting the genetic machinery.

While speckles have been known since 1910, the ways they affect healthy cells and diseased cells remains a mystery. In some cases, normal or aberrant speckles can signal how a person responds to various types of therapy.

Normal speckles are in the center of the cell nucleus, while aberrant speckles are more scattered. Aberrant speckles can activate some of the surrounding DNA.

At this point, Alexander and her colleagues have “found that normal or aberrant speckle states correlate with survival of clear cell renal cell carcinoma. This accounts for over 80 percent of all kidney cancers.”

Medical choices

After a patient with clear cell renal cell carcinoma receives a cancer diagnosis, the first line of treatment is usually surgery to remove the tumor in the kidney. In addition, doctors could treat the tumor with a systematic anti-cancer therapy. The treatments themselves can and often do cause difficult side effects, as therapies can harm healthy cells and can disrupt normal biological functioning.

Normal speckles look something like the face of the man on the moon and are more centrally located.

Alexander is hoping speckles will help predict the state of the tumor, offering clues about how it might respond to different types of treatments. She could envision how aberrant speckles could correlate with better responses to one drug, while normal speckles might correlate with better responses to another treatment.

In her research, Alexander is exploring how DNA is organized around speckles, as well as how the speckles affect DNA.

“Speckles can change and impact what’s happening to all the DNA that’s surrounding them,” she said. 

Over 20 tumor types show evidence for both normal and aberrant speckles. Aberrant tumors can occur in many types of cancer.

“The consequence of [speckles] becoming normal or aberrant are starting to become more clear,” she said, although there is “still a lot to learn.”

Alexander is trying to figure out how to alter the conformation of these speckles. During cancer, she suspects these speckles may get trapped in a particular state.

In one of the first experiments in her lab, she’s culturing cells in an incubator and is trying to predict what cues may cause speckles in those cells to switch states. 

‘Speckle club’ leader

Alexander previously did postdoctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania in the laboratory of Shelley Berger, where she was also a Research Associate. She led a subgroup in the lab known as the “speckle club.”

Charly Good, who is now Senior Research Investigator in Berger’s lab, worked with Alexander at Penn from 2017 until this summer.

Aberrant speckles are scattered throughout the nucleus.

Alexander “helped recruit me to the postdoc I ended up doing,” said Good who appreciated Alexander’s computational skills in analyzing big data sets. Speckles represent an “up and coming area” for research, which Alexander and Berger are helping lead, Good suggested.

Alexander’s quick thinking meant she would go to a talk and would email the speaker as soon as she got back to her desk. “Her brain is always spinning,” said Good.

Alexander is building her lab at CSHL. Sana Mir is working as a technician and is helping manage the lab. Recently, Hiroe Namba joined the group as a postdoctoral researcher. In the next few years, Alexander would like to add a few graduate students and, within five years, have about eight people.

Originally from Tigard, Oregon, Alexander attended Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. In her freshman year, she tried to get into a physics class that was full and wound up taking a biology class. She was concerned that biology classes were mostly memorization. When she started the course, she appreciated how the science involved searching for missing pieces of information.

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory appealed to her because she could go in whatever direction the research took her.

For Alexander, scientific questions are like a layer of cloth with a few threads sticking out.

“You see one sticking out and you start to pull,” Alexander said. “You don’t necessarily know what’s going to come out, but you keep getting the urge to pull at that thread. You realize that it is connected to all these other things and you can look at those, too.”

She is excited to cross numerous disciplines in her work and is eager to think about how her research might “interplay across those fields and boundaries.”

Speckle origins

As for speckles, Alexander observed during her postdoctoral research how one factor seemed to influence a neighborhood of genes.

For that to occur, she realized that something had to affect those genes at the same time in the physical space. She hadn’t known about speckles before. A few of her colleagues, including Good, came across speckles in their analysis. That made Alexander curious about what these speckles might be doing.

She saw an opening to pursue connections between changes in these potential gene activators and illnesses.

Researchers know that viruses can use speckles to help them copy themselves.

If they are used by viruses “they must be important” and they “probably go wrong in a lot of diseases,” Alexander said. There are a series of neurodevelopmental disorders called “speckleopathies” that involve mutations in proteins found inside speckles.

“We have the computational and experimental tools to start investigating them across a wide variety of conditions,” she said.

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METRO photo

By Fr. Francis Pizzarelli

Fr. Francis Pizzarelli

By next week we will have elected a new President of the United States. Hopefully, whoever is elected, he or she will use language that unites us and language that divides us. The new president must be a bridge builder not a wall builder.

One of the many things that has been buried in the rubble of negative rhetoric is a respect for the human dignity of every human person. We must hold our president to a higher standard of respect for all people.

Respecting the human dignity of all people means recognizing and valuing each human person’s inherent worth and rights; regardless of one’s background, beliefs or human circumstance; it involves treating everyone with kindness and compassion; acknowledging their feelings and perspectives; always advocating for their rights and freedom.

This kind of respect for one’s human dignity is grounded in the belief that every person has a unique story to tell; deserving of acknowledgment and empathy. It encompasses promoting equality, combating discrimination and ensuring that everyone has access to equal opportunity and the resources that they need to thrive.

Ultimately, we must be committed to building a more just and inclusive society, where everyone can live authentically with dignity and no fear.

Our social justice lens has been blurred in recent years due to the intense polarization of our nation. I think our moral compass needs to be reset. Religion, sadly, has been used as a weapon rather than a profound reminder of the human dignity of every human person; one that is inclusive and that all of our holy books affirm.

The next generation of leaders have tremendous potential and possibility. I see it every day in the students and graduate students I am privileged to teach. My fear for them is that they have very few role models to look up to, to prepare them for the future.

They possess little or no civic responsibility. Many of them believe their vote does not count so why bother! However, some are seeing the value of getting involved and giving voice to the issues that are important to them. They need to hear and see that positive change is possible. Sometimes it just takes one voice to shed light on an issue of deep concern and change does happen.

Hope is a profound and positive emotion characterized by a belief in the possibility of a better future. This year my students have renewed my sense of hope for the future. I listen to their dreams, I hear them speak of a deep sense of purpose. They are resilient. They want to make the world a better place. I really believe they can.

Father Francis Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.

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Vegetable Stuffed Acorn Squash

By Heidi Sutton

While pumpkin is the most celebrated squash in the fall, my favorite is acorn squash. Sweet and savory, it is rich in antioxidants including Vitamin A and C, low in calories, and can be stored for up to three months. The classic way is to cut it in half, clean out the seeds, add a dollop of butter and a splash of maple syrup or some brown sugar to the center and a pinch of salt on the outside and bake at 350 F until soft, but for the more adventurous cooks, the following recipes for this delectable squash can be a fun addition to your fall repertoire.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Crispy Sage

Recipe courtesy of Laurie McNamara of Simply Scratch

Roasted Acorn Squash with Crispy Sage

YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

2 acorn squash

1 tablespoon extra light olive oil

2 pinches kosher salt

4 tablespoons butter, unsalted

12 fresh sage leaves

Black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400º F. Halve both of the acorn squash and scoop out the seeds. Turn the squash cut-side-down and slice into 3/4-inch pieces. Toss the sliced acorn squash with the olive oil and a couple pinches of kosher salt. 

Arrange on a rimmed, aluminum sheet pan and roast for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and tender. (No need to flip.) Meanwhile, add the 4 tablespoons of butter into a pan over medium heat. Slowly melt and brown the butter until it reaches a deep golden color. Watch carefully so it doesn’t burn. Once the butter is golden, throw in the chopped fresh sage and cook until crispy, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Arrange the roasted acorn squash slices onto a platter and drizzle with the brown butter and crispy sage. Season with black pepper and serve immediately.

Roasted Acorn Squash Salad

Recipe courtesy of American Pecan Council

Roasted Acorn Squash Salad

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

Squash:

1 acorn squash

1  tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Dressing:

1/2 cup raw pecan pieces

1/4 cup olive or pecan oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Salad:

3-4 handfuls baby spinach

1 1/2 cups cooked farro

1 medium shallot, thinly sliced

1 ounce crumbled goat cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 425° F.

To create base, slice small part of one side of squash. Trim ends from squash, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out sides. Place cut-side down and cut squash into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place on sheet tray and toss with olive or pecan oil and salt. Roast until squash and peels are tender, 30-40 minutes.

While squash is roasting, heat small skillet over medium heat. Add pecans and toast, shaking pan, until nuts are fragrant. Transfer 1/3 cup of pecans to bowl and reserve remaining pecans for topping. Add oil, vinegar, maple syrup and salt while nuts are still warm. Stir vigorously and set aside.

In large bowl, combine spinach, farro, shallot, half the squash and half the dressing. Toss to combine then lay remaining squash on top of salad. Drizzle with remaining dressing and sprinkle with goat cheese and remaining toasted pecans before serving.

Vegetable Stuffed Acorn Squash

Recipe courtesy of Kristy Hegner of Chocolate Slopes

Vegetable Stuffed Acorn Squash

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

2 acorn squash

1 1/2 teaspoons rubbed sage, divided

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 red pepper, finely chopped

2 cups chopped kale

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup dry quinoa

1/2 cup cheese, Mozzarella

1/2 cup cheese, Parmesan – divided

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400° F. Cover a baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Cut each acorn squash in half, along with each side of the squash to allow them to lay flat. Place each half on the baking pan open side facing up.

Lightly coat insides of squash with about 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the rubbed sage, salt and pepper over squash. Roast squash for 50 to 60 minutes or until squash is cooked thoroughly.

Cook quinoa according to directions. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet. Add minced garlic, onions and red pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender (about 5 minutes). Add kale and sauté until tender. Stir in cooked quinoa, Mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese to skillet.

Fill each squash half with quinoa vegetable mix. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.

DID YOU KNOW? The seeds from an acorn squash seeds roast up beautifully and are especially flavorful. Acorn squash seeds are smaller than pumpkin seeds and the outer shell is not nearly as fibrous. When you roast the tender seeds with olive oil, they get wonderfully fragrant and crispy.

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Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. Photo from Tierney's office

Eleni Kalodis Allegedly Redirected Her Employer’s Vendor Credits to Her Personal Accounts in Order to Fund Lavish Lifestyle

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney on Oct. 31 announced the arrest of Eleni Kalodis, 54, of Fort Lee, New Jersey, for Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, for allegedly stealing vendor credits from a St. James-based HVAC company and then transferring the funds to her personal accounts during her six years employed there in order to subsidize various extravagant expenses.

“The alleged acts of this defendant illustrate an employee who exploited her position of trust to systematically steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Trust is the foundation of which business and our economy thrive. Our office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who betray their professional responsibilities for personal gain.”

According to the investigation, from March 2017 to December 2023, Kalodis allegedly stole funds in the form of purchase order credits from Islandaire, a nationwide specialty air conditioning and heating manufacturer, which were due and payable to the vendors who conducted business with the company.

Kalodis, in her capacity as the Credits Receivable Supervisor, was the only individual at Islandaire who had access to crediting the company’s vendor accounts, and she allegedly took this unfettered opportunity to steal over $400,000 from the company for over six years, by redirecting those credits into her own accounts to pay her expenses, including restaurants, hotels, vacations and crypto currency purchases.

On October 30,  District Court Judge Alonzo Jacobs ordered Kalodis placed on supervised release and ordered her to surrender her passport during the pendency of the case. Kalodis is due back in court on November 20,  and she is being represented by William Newman, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Milito of the Financial Crime Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Special Investigator Robert Magrino from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Financial Crime Bureau.

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Lauren Sheprow, mayor-elect of the Village of Port Jefferson. File photo by Raymond Janis

At an emergency meeting of the Port Jefferson Village Board of Trustees on Oct. 30 the board voted unanimously to suspend the carrying of firearms by any and all Village employees, in furtherance of their duties and responsibilities as employees of the Village of Port Jefferson, including, but not limited to Code Enforcement Bureau personnel.

 “This is something we as a board have been discussing since my first meeting as mayor, as one of many departmental deep dives,” said village Mayor Lauren Sheprow. “We have been working with a consultant on this particular issue among others and the board agreed that this was in the best interests for the health, safety and welfare of Village employees, residents and the public.”

The mayor explained at the meeting that the incident that perpetuated this emergency meeting was that a firearm was left in a public restroom in Village Hall, fortunately without incident. This resulted, she said, in this immediate action.

TBR is following this story closely. More information about this development will be covered in our Nov. 7 editions.

View the meeting on the village’s YouTube channel. The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is a work session on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 5 p.m.

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Rebecca Kassay

By TBR Staff

TBR News Media is endorsing Rebecca Kassay (D-Port Jefferson) for NYS District 4 assemblymember.

She is a dedicated member of the Port Jefferson community and has been engaged in local affairs for years, serving as the village’s deputy mayor,

Her personable approach has connected her with the people of her community, and she genuinely cares about the concerns of each individual resident. Kassay’s belief in “proactive public servants” will serve her well as a woman of the people, so to speak. A local business owner who said that she and her husband opened a bed and breakfast “to make ends meet,” she appears to genuinely show passion for the Island’s affordability crisis. Kassay strongly emphasizes her commitment to being present in the communities in which she would work and has indicated she will refuse to be a figurehead in Albany.

While Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson) may be the incumbent, his recent disbarment as an attorney is disconcerting. In addition, he is known to have been absent from civic association meetings and the events of local groups, quite often sending representatives in his place.

Kassay’s strong connections with local officials, as well as her desire to incorporate more members of our police departments, give her the balanced and nuanced approach we think is necessary to quell citizens’ concerns on the crime and safety fronts. 

She also has great concern for the environment, being an environmental scientist. Kassay’s role as Port Jefferson’s Conservation Advisory Council, further displays her strength as a worker, and her dedication to our environmental well-being. Ultimately, she believes that her expertise can help tackle two of Port Jeff’s biggest issues: flooding, and the revitalization of our towns.

All in all, we feel Rebecca Kassay is the person for Assembly District 4. She said that while “this job is partly about being in Albany and passing legislation and looking at the budget, it takes being here at home and personally being out here to continue building relationships. The people deserve a representative who is going to be in this position [full time].” We couldn’t agree more.

We thank Ed Flood for his service, but ultimately feel Rebecca Kassay will serve our Island more effectively.

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Rebecca Kassay and NYS Assemblyman Ed Flood. Photos by Toni-Elena Gallo

By Peter Sloniewsky

In a recent debate at the TBR News Media office, New York State Assembly District 4 incumbent Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson) and challenger Rebecca Kassay (D-Port Jefferson) highlighted their concerns regarding affordability, personal experiences in local and statewide government and their varying views on some hot-button issues. District 4 comprises Stony Brook, Setauket, Old Field, Poquott, Port Jefferson, Belle Terre, Port Jefferson Station, Terryville, Coram and Gordon Heights. 

Ed Flood

NYS Assemblyman Ed Flood

Incumbent Flood, a first-term assemblyman, previously worked as chief of staff to then-Assemblyman Dean Murray (R-Patchogue) and as assistant town attorney for the Town of Brookhaven and, until recent disbarment, ran his own law firm in Port Jefferson. In his opening statement, Flood, born in Port Jefferson Station, described a “mountain of extreme, high taxes” that he feels take away from the “dream” of Long Island life that inspired him to raise his family here. Flood’s platform largely revolves around his intention to “clamp down what we spend our money on,” and he casts himself as a vocal fiscal conservative in Albany. 

Rebecca Kassay

Democratic challenger Kassay highlighted her experiences in local politics and as a small-business owner. Describing a need for “proactive public servants,” Kassay depicted her experiences working with environmental issues as indicative of her effectiveness in uniting layers of government. Moreover, as co-founder of The Fox and Owl Inn, a Port Jefferson small business, Kassay has cast herself as being in a unique position to understand local affordability issues. She served as a trustee of Port Jefferson Village from 2020, including a spell as deputy mayor, before dropping out this year to run for the Assembly. 

Crime issues

Rebecca Kassay

Beyond his fiscal conservatism, Flood highlighted crime issues as a basis of his campaign. In addition to his opposition to bail reform passed in Albany, he made the claim that a decrease in overall crime has been counteracted with a general movement away from punishment for more petty crimes. Without punishment for such crimes, Flood argued, a small group of individuals are motivated to continue committing them. He also argued that the state Legislature is largely unresponsive to his concerns — that due to the Democratic legislative supermajority, Republican concerns over more controversial issues can go unheard and many processes of government can go on in secret. 

This led into a major subject of the debate in governmental transparency. Kassay responded that she had been irritated with Flood’s purported narrative that crime had increased, but that she was willing to increase the number of opportunities for police to interface with legislators in Albany. Moreover, Kassay made a case that her more extensive local government experience had prepared her to better deal with such concerns, and that her platform was better suited to bring more voices to the table. 

Flood’s disbarment as an attorney

This race includes controversy, as Flood was recently disbarred as an attorney. He claimed it was no fault on his part, and that he had almost entirely stopped practicing law due to his work in the Assembly, describing the timing of the process as “funny.” Kassay dissented from that description. 

Candidate intentions

Both candidates presented themselves as largely concerned about affordability, but dissented in their perception of the current Democratic administration in Albany. 

Flood claimed that “Albany has lost its way,” and presented himself as a vocal advocate for Republicans in state government. He said he was already positioned influentially on important committees and a willing bipartisan only interested in the public good.

Alternatively, Kassay emphasized her experience at the local levels of government and in community service, prioritizing better constituent service and looking forward to “greater results” than what she’s already accomplished.

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John Avlon is running for 1st Congressional District

By TBR staff

TBR News Media is endorsing John Avlon (D-Sag Harbor) to represent us in the 1st Congressional District. Mr. Lalota left us no choice since, despite multiple invitations, he did not come in for an interview.

We feel Mr. Avlon has the passion and background to excel in the position.

As a lover of history, he deeply believes in the promises of the American Dream. He urges strong education policy among students to have our next generation understand the importance of becoming civically responsible and politically informed.

One notable moment of our interview with Avlon at the TBR office was that while he feels MAGA Republicans lean dangerously right, he acknowledges left-leaning moments in our country’s history have not been productive. He believes that the only way to make progress is when both sides meet to reach a compromise so that consensus is reached, and that the people are presented with policies that will make their lives better — not more complicated. As stated on Avlon’s website, “We need to build a broad patriotic coalition to defeat Donald Trump, defend our democracy and restore the middle class with commonsense solutions.”

We thank U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) for his service in the Navy and Congress. It shows great character, and qualities of leadership, but his passion in Washington appears to have steered him away from community participation. And to reiterate, he declined to join Avlon in our office. We especially thank him for his work with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on getting funds for our hospitals, a bipartisan bill still to voted on.

The 1st Congressional District historically has been known as a swing district for decades, although it was held by Republican Lee Zeldin from 2015 to 2023. And, while Avlon would be new to government, LaLota has only been a congressman for one term, thus making both choices relatively new to the world of national politics.

LaLota is not a rookie, though. He served as chief of staff to Suffolk County presiding officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), and additionally served on the Suffolk Board of Elections. He was also a trustee for the Village of Amityville, New York.

Despite Nick LaLota’s deeply-seated convictions and prior work for Long Island, for the reasons listed above we believe that John Avlon’s conviction for the truth — and willingness to give up his successful career in journalism to make the differences he wants to see in our district — will make him a valuable representative in Congress.

Correction: In our print editions, Senator Gillibrand is referred to as a congresswoman.

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From left John Avlon and U.S. Rep. Nick Lakota. First photo by Toni-Elena Gallo, second photo courtesy Lakota's office

By Toni-Elena Gallo and Lauren Feldman

John Avlon is the Democratic candidate for U.S. representative of New York’s 1st Congressional District in a race against incumbent Nick LaLota (R-NY1). The 1st District comprises eastern Suffolk County, including the northern portion of the Town of Brookhaven, as well as the towns of Huntington, Smithtown, Riverhead, Southold, Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. 

John Avlon

Sag Harbor-based Avlon is a former anchor with CNN and editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast. Known for a centrist, bipartisan approach, Avlon has centered his campaign on countering polarization and strengthening democratic values. Describing himself as a “common-sense Democrat” at his recent TBR News Media interview, Avlon has authored books such as “Independent Nation” and “Wingnuts,” which explore the rise of political extremism in the United States. 

Avlon’s background and values are strongly influenced by his immigrant heritage, which he says instilled in him a deep sense of patriotism. Reflecting on this, he shared, “We were always taught that you don’t take the blessings of America for granted, especially American democracy.” His transition from journalism to politics, he said, is driven by a commitment to truth and civic duty. As a journalist, he explained, “The guiding stars should be, ‘Is it true? Is it factual?’”

Nick LaLota

Incumbent LaLota, who did not attend the TBR interview, grew up with a sense of duty instilled by his family’s background in the police and Navy. Following his own service in the Navy, LaLota returned to Long Island to work in local government. He served in various roles, including as a member of the Village of Amityville Board of Trustees, chief of staff to the Suffolk County Legislature and Republican commissioner of the Suffolk County Board of Elections. LaLota describes himself as a “commonsense conservative” and considers himself as one of the more bipartisan members of Congress, where he took office in 2022.

Key policy positions and goals

Avlon: Civic education is central to Avlon’s platform, particularly in preparing future generations to engage actively in democracy. He emphasizes the need for educational standards that prepare students for civic responsibilities, saying, “If we are going to sustain our democracy, we need to teach the next generation to be active, informed citizens.” He also advocates for term limits, arguing that fresh perspectives would benefit Congress: “I think people should serve for a time. The idea that you’re in politics or, in my opponent’s case, political patronage jobs for the last 15 years — that’s crazy.”

LaLota: LaLota claims his approach to governance includes a strong commitment to transparency and accountability. He has highlighted his record of engaging with local leaders and constituents to provide services effectively while maintaining affordability. 

Climate resilience and coastal protection

Avlon: Climate resilience is a major focus for Avlon, particularly with Long Island’s vulnerability to coastal erosion and extreme weather. He supports tax incentives to assist homeowners with flood proofing and other climate adaptations. Avlon sees Long Island as having the potential to lead in climate technology, noting projects like Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Discovery Park as opportunities to create clean energy jobs. He proposes a billion-dollar investment in property resilience, stating, “For every dollar you spend making a property more resilient before a disaster, it’s six times more expensive after the fact.”

LaLota: LaLota said he is also committed to environmental protection and water quality on Long Island. He has emphasized the importance of preserving the natural landscape, especially regarding water quality, and has secured federal funding to reduce flooding and improve water quality, including $1.4 million for Smithtown and $1.5 million for the Port Jefferson Harbor. LaLota also played a role as part of the New York delegation in the bipartisan effort to protect Plum Island from development.

Long Island economy and affordability

Avlon: Avlon describes affordability as a top concern, particularly as the cost of living remains high on Long Island. His economic focus includes supporting middle-class families and making the region more affordable, a concern he hears frequently from constituents. Avlon is committed to restoring state and local taxes (known as SALT).

LaLota: LaLota has similarly focused on economic issues, particularly the federal SALT deduction, which he views as essential for easing the tax burden on Long Islanders. He has proposed raising the SALT cap to provide relief for middle-class families and has criticized Congress for not addressing the SALT deduction in recent tax bills, calling it “a betrayal of working families.”

Engagement and accountability

Avlon: Avlon pledges to be accessible to his constituents through regular town halls, promising to hold 12 throughout his campaign. He criticizes LaLota for, in his view, failing to hold open forums, stating, “This is a guy who has never held a single open, in-person town hall.” Avlon has also raised concerns about LaLota’s residence in Amityville, questioning whether it reflects a close connection to the district’s community values and issues.

LaLota: LaLota said he values his local roots, emphasizing his commitment to representing the people of Long Island authentically. LaLota has countered claims that he lacks openness by pointing to his bipartisan track record in Congress. He is known, however, to be absent from numerous local meetings.

Broader political context and media accountability

Avlon: Avlon sees this election as a defense of democratic principles and criticizes major media outlets for remaining neutral, calling it a “dereliction of duty.” He is outspoken in his criticism of former President Trump, viewing Trump’s approach as a departure from traditional political norms and a threat to democratic stability.

LaLota: LaLota continually highlights his bipartisan voting record, citing instances when he voted against his party, such as his opposition to a tax bill that he believed unfairly burdened Long Island families.

Personal motivation and vision

Avlon: Avlon’s decision to enter politics, leaving a successful journalism career, is driven by a deep sense of civic duty. He sees this election as “the good fight” and frames it as a critical moment for the future of American democracy. As a father, he wants to be able to tell his children that he did everything possible during this challenging time. The abortion issue and reproductive freedom are important to his campaign.

LaLota: LaLota claims he is motivated by his dedication to Long Island and his commitment to public service, inspired by a family tradition of service. 

Nick LaLota did not participate in the debate or TBR’s election interview process. All information shared about LaLota in this story is based on research from available sources rather than direct responses from the candidate, and has been vetted by our proofreading team.

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