Children enjoy the event’s festivities at the Heckscher Museum of Art. Photo by Jennifer Donatelli
Children enjoy the event’s festivities at the Heckscher Museum of Art. Photo by Jennifer Donatelli
Children enjoy the event’s festivities at the Heckscher Museum of Art. Photo by Jennifer Donatelli
Children enjoy the event’s festivities at the Heckscher Museum of Art. Photo by Jennifer Donatelli
By Jennifer Donatelli
The Heckscher Museum of Art, located inside Heckscher Park in Huntington, celebrated Halloween with a free, family-friendly event on Sunday, Oct. 27, from noon to 5 p.m.
Held in conjunction with the museum’s new exhibit, “The Body Politic,” the event showcased how artists use different mediums to interact with and shape the world.
Young attendees received an activity worksheet and worked with their families to choose a favorite artwork on display at the museum. Adding to the fun, children and their families participated in a scavenger hunt throughout the museum, looking for portraits, landscapes, abstract art, and sculptures.
The young artists learned how looking closely at art helps us learn to observe artwork and the world around us more carefully.
Attendees created their own haunted Digital Action paintings, learned about collage-making, and designed spooky ghost crafts—all while learning how to interpret and appreciate various art forms.
“The purpose of this event,” said Joy Weiner, Director of Education and Public Programs for the Heckscher Museum, “is because many parents aren’t comfortable explaining art to their children or don’t know how to make it age-appropriate. The activity guide provides a series of questions to help children learn about art while having fun.”
Mary Porter, a museum docent, mentioned that the event has taken place biannually since 2010 and draws hundreds from the local community and across Long Island to experience art in a fun, hands-on environment.
Jane and Annie Mahoney, sisters from Queens, came with their parents and grandparents, planning to play on the playground but stayed for an hour to explore exhibits and make crafts.
Porter explained that the event is a great way to bring families to the museum, allowing adults to enjoy the artwork while children engage in activities.
Sawa, age 2; Koto, age 7; and Seisuke, age 4—siblings originally from Japan and now living in Syosset—enjoyed making Halloween crafts and learning about different cultures through artwork.
Gary Rubin, 6, from East Williston, came with his dad, both museum members who enjoy attending events. Wearing his Dracula costume with fake blood, Gary said he loved making crafts and had fun getting messy.
Upcoming events at the Heckscher Museum of Art include Artists in the Galleries, every Sunday in November and December from noon to 2 p.m. Visitors can meet the artists and learn about their work.
For more information on programs and exhibits, or to sign up for an event, visit www.heckscher.org.
Voters line up in front of Brookhaven Town Hall in Farmingville on Nov. 3. Photo by Heidi Sutton
By Heidi Sutton
Many Long Islanders did not wait for Election Day to cast their vote this year but instead took advantage of the numerous early polling stations from Oct. 25 to Nov. 3.
At the Rose Caracappa Senior Center in Mount Sinai on Friday, Nov. 1, long lines wrapped around the building and the parking lot quickly filled to capacity, causing many to park along a stretch of Route 25A and walk along the road.
At Brookhaven Town Hall, the busiest polling spot in the Town of Brookhaven, 19,000 votes were cast on Saturday, Nov. 2 and voters stood in line for over an hour and a half on Sunday, Nov. 3, the last day for early voting.
Those who haven’t voted yet will have one more chance on Tuesday, Nov. 5, Election Day. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
This summer, the Lefferts Tide Mill & Preserve hosted a design contest for its custom brew label, created in collaboration with Six Harbors Brewing Company in Huntington.
Artists and photographers were challenged to capture the 18th-century Lefferts Tide Mill and Dam in Lloyd Harbor in its prime. To spark creativity, participants were invited to join a tour presented through the Huntington Historical Society, paddle to the end of Puppy Cove in their kayaks, or visit their website for inspiration.
Over the summer, a barge was filled with restoration tools in front of the mill. Participants were tasked with portraying the essence of the Tide Mill—whether including the barge docked for the restoration work or not—in their artwork.
The organization received twelve unique entries, each offering a different perspective on this iconic landmark. A panel of three judges from the Board reviewed the submissions and ultimately selected a stunning aerial photograph.
“It was a beautiful setting, with the Lefferts Tide Mill looking majestic as the subject of the photo,” commented judge Toby Kissam.
The winning entry was submitted by Peter Stango, who joined the group at a fundraiser on Aug. 16 to see his artwork featured on the Lefferts Tide Mill Lager label. He explained, “It was a drone shot, with a few Photoshop adjustments to remove the work equipment and complete the walkway.”
The Lefferts Tide Mill & Preserve is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2013, dedicated to preserving and protecting an 18th-century tide mill in the Village of Lloyd Harbor. This mill is considered the best-preserved tidal grist mill in the United States. Its design is based on U.S. Patent No. 3 for an “automatic mill,” signed by President George Washington. The surrounding mill pond has become a thriving habitat for native and migratory waterfowl, playing an important role in supporting the region’s biodiversity. For more information, www.leffertstidemill.org.
Huntington Hospital's Caregiver Retreat on Oct. 29. Photo from Huntington Hospital
Huntington Hospital's Caregiver Retreat on Oct. 29. Photo from Huntington Hospital
Huntington Hospital's Caregiver Retreat on Oct. 29. Photo from Huntington Hospital
Huntington Hospital's Caregiver Retreat on Oct. 29. Photo from Huntington Hospital
Huntington Hospital's Caregiver Retreat on Oct. 29. Photo from Huntington Hospital
By Jennifer Donatelli
Are you or someone you know caring for a loved one?
In honor of National Caregiver Month, Huntington Hospital hosted its first-ever Caregiver Retreat on Oct. 29 to highlight the critical role support systems play for those caring for ill or disabled loved ones. Nearly one in four households is involved in caregiving for someone age 50 and older.
The event provided resources to ease the stress caregivers face, helping them navigate the complex healthcare system while creating a platform for sharing experiences with others. It emphasized the importance of self-care when another person depends on you.
Hundreds of caregivers attended the daylong event, participating in support and educational groups that provided tools to manage stressful situations.
Caregivers could also attend a Community Caregivers Resource Fair, guided meditation, and receive goody bags filled with giveaways. Most importantly, they were with others who had given up a part of their lives to be caregivers.
Barbara Roiland is one of many caregivers who attend weekly support groups and take advantage of Huntington Hospital’s programs. For the past 10 years, the Huntington resident has been the primary caregiver for her husband, Gary, who is suffering from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a debilitating brain disease.
Once an active couple who loved sailing, the diagnosis forced them to sell their sailboat, and Gary has since lost his ability to walk unaided and speak clearly. Barbara, with no medical background, has taken on the full-time role of his caregiver — a role that’s become overwhelming, isolating, and emotionally draining.
The support groups not only provide Barbara with emotional support but also help her navigate the medical complexities she faces daily, allowing her to keep Gary as healthy as possible at home.
“The diagnosis was devastating — our whole life has changed,” Barbara said. “I’m constantly worried about him falling or coughing.”
Barbara said that being able to ask medical questions and get support from others going through the same experience has been invaluable. “I don’t know what I’d do without it,” she said.
Northport resident Mary Ellen Mendelsohn has also found solace and guidance through the hospital’s caregiver programs. Mary Ellen’s husband, Andy, was diagnosed with prostate cancer several years ago. Despite treatment, the cancer returned, and since 2019, Andy has been in and out of the hospital, now reliant on a wheelchair due to the toll of his illness.
Mendelsohn shared how essential the hospital’s caregiver support has been in managing Andy’s frequent hospitalizations and medical needs.
“The caregivers have been a huge help,” Mendelsohn explained. “They check in every week or two, and those calls make a difference. They answer my questions, and that support has been vital. I miss spending time with my granddaughter, but having that extra help gives me some peace of mind.”
According to Mendelsohn, one nurse went out of her way to show her how to properly irrigate Andy’s catheter, a critical task given his susceptibility to UTIs. From ordering her husband’s supplies to refilling his medications, Mary Ellen has taken on most of his care, but she emphasizes how much it helps to know she’s not alone.
Two years ago, Huntington Hospital completed the Reichert Family Caregiver Center. The 550-square-foot space, located in the main lobby of the hospital, was designed to offer extra care outside the hospital. The center provides a space for caregivers to sit and talk with trained caregiver coaches who can offer resources as they manage the day-to-day demands of caring for a sick loved one.
Nick Fitterman, executive director of Huntington Hospital, said, “This center will be a destination for caregivers in our community to find resources and respite when they need assistance.”
Trained volunteer coaches and a social worker meet with family caregivers one-on-one to provide emotional support, discuss their concerns and needs, and guide them to community resources, said Kacey Farber, LMSW, program manager.
The Reichert Family Caregiver Center is staffed by a social worker and trained volunteer coaches. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It includes a quiet room with a recliner chair, a small meeting room, and a room with three chairs and a computer.
“Witches” of Signature Properties of Northport, the organizers of Witches and Warlocks Night on Main. Photo by Jennifer Donatelli
A scene from the 2024 Witches and Warlocks night in Northport Village, Photo by Jennifer Donatelli
A scene from the 2024 Witches and Warlocks night in Northport Village, Photo by Jennifer Donatelli
A scene from the 2024 Witches and Warlocks night in Northport Village, Photo by Jennifer Donatelli
A scene from the 2024 Witches and Warlocks night in Northport Village, Photo by Jennifer Donatelli
A scene from the 2024 Witches and Warlocks night in Northport Village, Photo by Jennifer Donatelli
A scene from the 2024 Witches and Warlocks night in Northport Village, Photo by Jennifer Donatelli
A scene from the 2024 Witches and Warlocks night in Northport Village, Photo by Jennifer Donatelli
By Jennifer Donatelli
Main Street in Northport Village transformed into a magical realm on Oct. 23 as costumed participants swooped in to celebrate Signature Properties’ 10th Annual Witches and Warlocks Night on Main. More than 200 enthusiasts arrived on broomsticks to enjoy a night of enchanted fun, shopping, dining and treats from local merchants.
Casting a spell over locals and visitors alike, Main Street Village stores and restaurants stayed open with extended hours from 5-9 p.m. The night began at Signature Properties on Main Street, where guests could pick up a goody bag and an event directory listing all merchants and restaurants participating in this year’s festivities.
Debbie Dooley, branch manager of Signature Properties in Northport, said her company came up with the idea more than 10 years ago, and it keeps growing each year. “It brings the community together for a night of shopping, eating and fun,” she said.
Friends Carol Zimmer and Tina Caon, both from Huntington, attended last year and said they had “so much fun” that they decided to return. “I love the pumpkin ale from Sand City,” Caon said, while Zimmer added, “The store discounts are what I enjoy most about the day.”
Local resident June Meade echoed their enthusiasm. “The joy and willingness of everyone to kick up their heels in those pointed shoes are what make this experience so special,” she said.
Millie Maderos, a realtor at Signature Properties, said the event has become a staple for those who enjoy the community atmosphere.
“People come to this event because they like the camaraderie, and we like to show the town that we are here to serve the community,” she said.
The event also offered a family-friendly aspect, with kids dressing up and trick-or-treating in stores while parents browsed. Jamie and Chris Desteoglu of East Northport brought their children, Callie and Max, for the first time. “The kids had so much fun walking around and getting candy,” Jamie Desteoglu said.
Some stores go all out for this yearly tradition. “The event is one of my favorites,” said Chloe Sontag, store manager of Fame + Rebel Boutique. She decorated the store and offered shoppers sangria in candy-filled margarita glasses, along with 20% off everything in store.
Suffolk County Presiding Officer Kevin J. McCaffrey has released an open letter to residents about the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act and the chance for voters to approve a plan to upgrade the county’s wastewater infrastructure. This year, Proposition 2 allows Suffolk residents to endorse the plan. The full letter is below:
Dear Suffolk County Resident,
On June 25, 2024, I led the Suffolk County Legislature in a historic vote to extend and revise the Suffolk County Drinking Water Protection Program and establish a Water Quality Restoration Fund. Collectively named the “Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act,” these actions create a long-term plan to expand and upgrade Suffolk County’s aging wastewater infrastructure and give the county the authority to establish a new stable and long-term funding source for wastewater improvement projects. Proposition 2 also extends the current 1/4 sales tax which funds water quality initiatives and open space acquisitions.
Currently, Suffolk County is home to more than 1.5 million people and relies on just 380,000 cesspools and wastewater systems. With over 209,000 designated environmentally sensitive areas, much of our land is ill-equipped for wastewater treatment. This lack of proper infrastructure has significantly contributed to nitrogen pollution in our bays, harbors and groundwater, fueling harmful algae blooms and creating barriers to sustainable economic growth.
On Election Day, Nov. 5., Suffolk County residents have the opportunity to address these environmental challenges by approving Ballot Proposition 2. A vote for Proposition 2 means new sewers and innovative septic systems across the county ensuring clean water for generations to come.
Throughout this process, I have often quoted an adage declaring “these waterways, bays and streams are not ours—they are borrowed from our children and grandchildren.” We must protect both our water bodies and our drinking water by making this investment.
Drafting and adopting the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act was a significant effort, years in the making, that persisted through multiple administrations and levels of government. When New York State approved funding allocations for wastewater infrastructure in 2023, the Suffolk County Legislature’s Republican Majority sought modifications to enhance the environmental impact and ensure fair distribution across the county. I am proud of my colleagues who remained committed to reaching a balanced funding formula to protect Suffolk’s water quality for decades to come.
Several colleagues and stakeholders deserve recognition for making this possible. My colleagues in the Legislature, County Executive Romaine, New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele and Senator Monica Martinez who sponsored the legislation, were instrumental, as were Governor Kathy Hochul who signed the bill, and our partners in the private sector including The Nature Conservancy, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, the Building & Construction Trades Council of Nassau & Suffolk Counties, the Long Island Contractors Association, the Long Island Federation of Labor and others.
A “yes” vote on Proposition 2 means less pollution, improved water quality, continued open space acquisitions and increased local job opportunities. A “yes” vote is good science, good economics and good sense.
Kevin J. McCaffrey
Presiding Officer of the Suffolk County Legislature
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.
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.
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.
TBR News Media is endorsing Sen. Mario Mattera for this year's election. File photo by Raymond Janis
By TBR Staff
This election cycle, TBR News Media is endorsing incumbent Mario Mattera (R-St. James) for New York’s 2nd Senate District. Mattera has served in this position for two termsand has been proven true to his word.
His track record displays his commitment to his constituents. From assisting with Smithtown-area sewer projects to helping restore Foundation Aid for schools across the state, Mattera is respected for his ability to get his boots on the ground and fight against the issues that plague our communities.
Mattera’s strong approval for both Proposition 2 on this year’s ballot, as well as his position as ranking member on the state’s Energy and Telecommunications Committee, shows a concern for environmental issues. He is a proponent of carbon capture technology and green hydrogen development, which serve to mitigate emissions in power plants and waste facilities.
His efforts to keep our communities employed is quite impressive. Mattera’s championing of legislation that requires project labor agreements for projects worth over $10 million has been extremely beneficial in increasing employment rates, as the agreement stipulates that these public works only employ local laborers.
Craig Herskowitz (D) is a very intelligent man and seems to genuinely care about the community in which he lives, as well. His thoughtful and curious demeanor is refreshing, and his clear respect for the incumbent was palpable. While his policy ideas are well-intentioned, he simply lacks the seasoned experience of the incumbent. Giving up his post as a judge to commit himself totally to this campaign is admirable, and if his spirit and willingness to learn is any indicator of his future, this is not the last time we will hear of him.
Correction: In our paper editions, it was stated that Sen. Mattera supports Proposition 1. That is incorrect; he supports Proposition 2.
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