CELEBRATING COMMUNITY
The Kings Park Chamber of Commerce hosted the 44th annual Kings Park Day on June 18. The community descended on Main Street for a street fair with live music, food and crafts. The event was also the perfect place to shop for Father’s Day.
All photos by Steven Zaitz
By James Teese
“Fans come first.”
Buddy Harrelson’s oft-stated line was true when he and Frank Boulton founded the Long Island Ducks and “fans come first” remains a baseball and business mantra for a thriving organization that still draws legions of fans to the ballpark — over eight million since the team played its inaugural season in 2000.
With deep community ties — Boulton from Brightwaters, Harrelson in Hauppauge — the high school baseball player turned successful bond trader and New York Mets World Series champion — created and grew what has become one of Long Island’s great attractions. And the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB), also founded by Boulton, became a reality as an independent league as the owner negotiated to bring a ballpark and a team to Suffolk.
“So, I started working on the Atlantic league in the early to mid 90s,” Boulton said. “It took me about five years to get everything put together in the ballparks and the ballparks being built for the Atlantic League.”
Already an owner of minor league teams, Boulton always wanted to bring a ball club to his Long Island home, seeing the potential as he had elsewhere.
“We saw that [in other locales] we had the same kind of families in Wilmington, Delaware as in Long Island … very similar,” he said.
He saw similar “socioeconomic groupings” and “thought that with our density of population [on Long Island] and the fact that we really didn’t have anything like [a minor league team].”
“At the time, you know, there was no aquarium,” he said “People would go to the beaches … we were an island … with beaches, sailing, even water skiing. But being a baseball guy, I just saw the demographics were just too ripe here.”
“And I wanted to take what I learned on the road,” he added. “Just like a Broadway show when they first take a show on the road.”
In fact, part of the move to create the ALPB and the Ducks was spurred by the New York Mets organization vetoing an unaffiliated minor league team within 75 miles of their own ball club. Boulton had originally hoped to move his New York Yankees farm team to Suffolk; the Yankees were OK, the Mets were not.
Public private partnership
Now known as Fairfield Properties Ballpark, in 2000 the Ducks played under the banner of EAB Ballpark. It was, and remains owned by Suffolk County, which also collects the monies from the naming rights.
Boulton has nothing but praise for the state and county officials who helped make the stadium a reality.
“As a young man, I had been involved with the YMCA,” Boulton said. “I’ve been involved in many different community endeavors …So I got to meet a lot of elected officials. I had worked with [State Senator] Owen Johnson and … without Owen Johnson, this ballpark probably wouldn’t have been built.”
Johnson went to the New York State Empire Development Corp.
“We gained $14.3 million dollars, economic state, a grant for which Suffolk County [gained the benefit],” he added. Bob Gaffney was the County Executive at the time, and he and his guy [Deputy CE] Eric Kopp … were very instrumental. They were both big baseball fans, Bob and Eric. The county level [of government] was great!”
Then-Commissioner of Public Works for the County, Charles Bartha, remembered a fast-paced project.
“[The ballpark] was designed and built in just 14 months from when the grant was signed,” the engineer said.
The lead architectural firm was BD Harvey, he said, a national firm that was one of only a handful that did work on big ballparks.
The county’s officials had “a strong feeling and confidence in Frank [Boulton’s] ability to promote and run [the team and ballpark.]”
The county, said Boulton, “has seen a return on its money from day one.”
Lined up for tickets
After a decade, the fans still lined up. In 2012, this reporter recalls, some light snow and low temperatures did not deter faithful fans on a Saturday morning for the opening of the then-named Bethpage Ballpark ticket office.
The Czark Family from Setauket comprised the first fans in line for a second consecutive year, having arrived Thursday morning.
“I was not ready [for the snow] but we got through it. We were online about 48 hours,” Christopher Czark said. “The kids just enjoy coming out to the ballpark. The Ducks always have something new every year. The girls like Sundays when they get to run the bases and meet the players. It’s a great experience for them.”
Getting fans and community involved
During games, fans are a part of the show. In-between every inning, the Ducks hold what they call “fan-interactive promotions” on the field. The activities, which fans sign-up for, are sometimes sweepstakes, other times funny contests such as ’dizzy bats” or ”musical chairs,” and sometimes a celebration of a young fan’s birthday — joined by QuackerJack and serenaded by the on-field host.
Even for family members less enthusiastic about baseball, there is constant action and entertainment. Sunday is Family Funday, including the post-game opportunity for kids to line-up by first base and run the bases to home plate.
And special games are followed by numerous Postgame Fireworks Spectaculars, a favorite for thousands of fans who regularly fill the ballpark for the pyrotechnic display.
More seriously, at every home game the team recognizes local veterans as well as active-duty service men and women, this year with the Suffolk County Office of Veteran Affairs and New York Community Bank, in a program called “Heroes of the Game.”
“The feedback we received from fans, veterans, sponsors and the community has been tremendously positive,” said Ducks President and General Manager Michael Pfaff.
In fact, when the public address system marks the moment, the fans — in a county which is home to nearly 100,000 veterans — consistently rise to deliver a standing ovation.
Outside the ballpark, QuackerJack and team members are often seen in the community, participating in local parades and charity drives, visiting hospitals, schools and more.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ducks hosted numerous donation events at the ballpark, and acted as a vaccination site. Programs to aid the community are ongoing and effective fundraisers, whether its “Home Runs for Hunger” or “Breast Cancer Awareness Night,” the Ducks are a vibrant and contributing force in the surrounding communities.
Ducks fans all
After being refused the chance to relocate his Yankees farm team, Boulton had a realization: “If I had had a Yankee team, I would have been splitting the baby. So, now we have Yankee fans that are Ducks fans, and we have Mets fans that are Ducks fans.”
And just plain Ducks fans, of course.
Whether it’s through promotions, the reasonably priced tickets and concessions, or the free parking, the Ducks endeavor to provide a cost-effective choice for a family’s scarce disposable dollars.
Twenty-one seasons and counting, and fans still come first.
James Teese has written for numerous Long Island news outlets and has covered the Long Island Ducks since their first Opening Day.
In 2020, the Suffolk County Legislature established the Annual Youth Award to recognized incredible young person in each Legislative District.
This year, Legislator Rob Trotta selected Alison Kelleher, a senior at Smithtown High School West, for this recognition as she spearheaded the fundraising campaign for her school district’s Relay for Life Campaign for the American Cancer Society by raising more than $10,000 within 72 hours, the most of any school district in the nation. For her efforts, she won the “Fund the Mission” Challenge.
“Alison is most is most deserving of being my district’s 2022 Youth Award recipient as she has demonstrated personal achievement, met challenges successfully, and developed leadership, self-reliance and other qualities of humanity so desirable in young people,” Trotta said.
He added, “I wish her much success as she starts her freshman year at Clemson University.”
The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police:
Centereach
■ Walgreens on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported a shoplifter on June 16. A woman allegedly stole miscellaneous cleaning items valued at approximately $50. When a store employee attempted to stop her, the woman threw detergent in the employee’s eyes before fleeing the scene.
Commack
Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported a shoplifter on June 18. A man allegedly stole a basketball hoop valued at $180.
Dix Hills
■ A car was reported stolen from the driveway of a residence on Burnham Lane in Dix Hills on June 14. The vehicle, a 2013 Mercedes Benz CLS 550, was worth $30,000.
East Setauket
■ Walmart on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket reported a shoplifter on June 15. A woman allegedly stole 22 items of clothing, assorted jewelry, beauty items and household items valued at $550.
Hauppauge
■ Clean Globe Environmental on Cain Drive in Hauppauge reported that someone stole a catalytic convertor off their company vehicle, a 2015 Ford F-250, on June 17. The item was worth $900.
Huntington Station
■ Ulta Beauty on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington called the police on June 13 to report that a man allegedly stole assorted fragrance gift sets valued at $428.
Lake Grove
■ AT&T Store at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove reported that a man entered the store on June 18 and allegedly cut the wire off of the store’s model iPhone 13 Pro Max and fled. The cell phone was valued at $1100.
■ Macy’s at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove called the police on June 17 to report that three men allegedly stole 35 items of men’s clothing worth $3043. Security followed the men outside and recovered the stolen items.
Melville
■ Dick’s Sporting Goods on Walt Whitman Road in Melville called the police on June 16 to report that two men allegedly stole $640 worth of miscellaneous clothing.
Port Jefferson Station
■ A resident on Ontario Street in Port Jefferson Station reported that someone broke the rear passenger side window of her car on June 12 and stole a purse containing credit cards and cash.
St. James
■ A resident on Howell Drive in St. James reported that someone broke the passenger front side window of her car and stole a makeup bag on June 18. Cash was stolen from a vehicle parked on Arthur Drive in St. James on the same day.
Selden
■ Walgreens on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a shoplifter on June 18. A man allegedly entered the store, filled his reusable shopping bag with store merchandise and left without paying. The items were valued at $144.
■ Bob’s Stores on Middle Country Road in Selden called the police on June 15 to report that three women allegedly stole assorting clothing valued at approximately $500.
■ A petit larceny was reported at Home Depot on Middle Country Road in Selden on June 13. A man and a woman allegedly stole copper wire valued at $980.
Setauket
■ A resident on Lemark Court in Setauket called the police on June 17 to report that someone had entered his unlocked vehicle parked in the driveway and removed a wallet containing credit cards and cash.
■ A resident on Cinderella Lane in Setauket reported that someone entered his unlocked vehicle parked in the driveway on June 17 and stole a wallet containing credit cards which were later attempted to be used at a few local businesses.
Smithtown
■ Stop & Shop on Main Street in Smithtown reported a shoplifter on June 13. A woman allegedly tried to steal a shopping cart full of assorted grocery items valued at $1018. When confronted by security, she left the shopping cart on the sidewalk and fled.
South Setauket
■ A petit larceny was reported at Home Depot on Pond Path in South Setauket on June 13. A man allegedly stole a spool of electrical wire worth $659.
Stony Brook
■ A resident on Millstream Lane in Stony Brook reported that someone entered his unlocked vehicle on June 18 and stole his wallet containing credit cards. The suspect attempted to use the credit cards shortly after but they were declined.
■ A car was reported stolen on Shadetree Lane in Stony Brook on June 12. The key fob had been left in the center console. The vehicle, a 2022 Acura MDX, was valued at $50,000.
■ A resident on Sycamore Circle in Stony Brook reported that someone entered his unlocked vehicle parked in the driveway on June 12 and stole a wallet with cash inside. A resident on Saywood Lane in Stony Brook reported a pocketbook stolen from an unlocked vehicle that same day.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.
— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON
A government is only as democratic as the freedom and fairness of its electoral process.
Right now, the legislative and executive branches of the Suffolk County government are at odds over what constitutes a free and fair election. At a press conference last week, County Executive Steve Bellone (D) defended a 2017 law that created a public campaign finance fund. He said this program, which is set to take effect during the 2023 county election cycle, will restore “the people’s faith and trust in government.”
At the same time, the Republican majority intends to repeal the law, arguing the program undermines trust in government as public funds will inevitably be used to finance campaigns that some voters do not endorse. Instead, it favors using that money to strengthen public safety initiatives around the county.
While the political branches battle it out, it is worth noting that this program is not supported by tax revenue. Rather, it is supported by revenues generated by Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel, which was acquired last year by Suffolk Regional Off-Track Betting. The question that no one has asked is how OTB factors into this equation.
For eons, societies have struggled to root out vice and promote virtue among their people. It seems a fact of human nature that we are created with various flaws and foibles. Gambling, boozing and prostitution are nasty habits that will be among us regardless of the system of government that we put in place.
Using gambling revenues to finance grassroots campaigns seems to be a noble end. This is not much different from a real estate developer contributing monetarily to a community to compensate for the potential losses incurred during the buildout. Attaching a just cause to an activity like gambling appears to be a worthwhile undertaking. Bellone himself said, “I can’t think of a better way that we can utilize those dollars.”
However, if we are going to stake our democracy and the integrity of our elections on this public campaign finance program, we must demand much greater transparency from the institution that will be supporting it, Suffolk OTB. As recently as March, a local activist referred to OTB as “a known patronage mill.”
There are still far too many questions yet to be answered by OTB. What percentage of its revenue will be used to finance elections? What is the leadership hierarchy? How many people are employed? What is the process for securing employment there? How does the power source of our democracy still not have an “about” page on its website?
It is a giant leap of faith on the part of voters to expect a gaming parlor to act in the best interests of the people. Attempting to power democracy through gambling is a high-risk maneuver that requires much stricter oversight on the part of the administration. The only way this can be possible is through frequent hearings, press conferences and financial disclosures from OTB.
The fact that there is friction between the political branches in Suffolk is a good thing. As the county executive and Legislature quarrel over the future of public campaign finance, there are important questions that the public needs answered. For any of this to work, we the people need to be constantly briefed about OTB’s various dealings. This is a basic principle of democracy.
St. James resident Jennifer Kennedy, RN, Gurwin Healthcare System’s Vice President for System Integration, has been inducted into the Hall of Honor in the McKnight’s 2022 Women of Distinction awards, a joint program of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Home Care.
The program, now in its fourth year, recognizes women who have made significant contributions to the senior living, skilled nursing, or home care professions or who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the fields. Hall of Honor inductees are at the level of vice president or equivalent, and Veteran VIPs are women who have more than 15 years of experience in the industry and who are in positions at a level lower than vice president or the equivalent.
“We are so fortunate to have leaders like Jen Kennedy on our team,” said Gurwin President and CEO Stuart B. Almer. “Her commitment to our seniors is exceptional, and her innovative approach to ensuring quality care for each person we serve is inspirational. I am delighted to congratulate Jen on this recognition.”
John O’Connor, McKnight’s Editorial Director, lauded the accomplishments of all 2022 inductees. “They really stand out for the impact they have made on long-term care in general and on colleagues, residents, and clients in particular,” he said. Nominations were judged by an external panel of industry experts. All winners were honored at an awards celebration in May.
By Daniel Dunaief
Dear President Biden,
In an ideal world, everyone would be rooting for you. After all, as the leader of the country, your success is our success.
That’s certainly how the late George H.W. Bush (41, not 43) felt when he left a supportive note for Bill Clinton, the politician who defeated him.
We don’t live in that world. People are actively rooting against you, many of them American and many of them eager for power, influence and opportunity. Against that backdrop, I’m sure it’s challenging to get out in front of any story or narrative. You can’t control gas prices, right? You can’t control the weather, the global economy, the war in Ukraine or anything else that’s casting a pall over the nation and the world.
And yet, your job requires a certain level of messaging, communicating and leadership. You might not feel you can do much about the litany of problems you face — Republicans won’t let you, inflation is cutting everyone’s pay, and Covid continues to make people sick.
But here’s the thing: you need to get out in front of something. You need to step up and tell us how things will get better. We want to believe you because everyone wants happier days.
That starts with you. In the midst of some heated tension with the Soviet Union, Ronald Reagan offered the country the kind of reassurance that you haven’t provided. Despite the collection of nuclear missiles pointed at us, Reagan suggested that we were safe and should sleep well.
Look, I get it. People pounce on every syllable you say that might be a bit hard to follow. You’ve had a long history of verbal gaffes. But you can’t let fear of saying the wrong thing keep you from saying anything. Americans see you periodically, but you rarely tell us anything memorable or offer us a digestible helping of hope.
Your administration as a whole seems to be following your lead. No one in your cabinet has given us the sense that things will get better soon or, for lack of a better phrase, “you got this.” You have the largest bully pulpit in the world. The press follows your every move. Use that to your advantage. Seize the narrative. Give us a Project Hope or a positive message. Celebrate Americans doing good for their country.
The talking heads on both sides have given Americans an enormous dose of anger every day. It’s become an outlet for their energy and a way to keep Americans glued to their screens, waiting for the latest outrage and the newest opportunity to be disgusted by the other side.
When you ran for office, you assured us that we would return to normalcy and that you’d bring some measure of civility and decency back to the oval office. Here we are, the clock is ticking, and the anger machines from our two parties are in full gear.
Show the kind of leadership the situations demand. You don’t have to solve everything at the same time, but give us a regular update or an idea of what you know will work.
We need you to show us you have ideas we can support and that you have a plan you’re putting into action.
I understand your plan is to run for office in 2024. Why? How would that help the country? We know Republicans in the house, outraged on behalf of the two impeachments of your predecessor, may launch a host of investigations into you and your son if, as expected, they take the majority in the upcoming midterms.
When that process starts, being angry and outraged will only throw your own fury on the fire. We, and you, need positive and effective leadership now. Talk to Americans, share your plan for a better today and tomorrow. We need you to succeed. While what you’ve done so far might be undervalued and undercovered, we need visible wins. Break this pattern and give us reasons to believe in you and in the future.
By Leah S. Dunaief
Ah! It’s summer.
Yes, there are miserable things happening that we are accosted with in the daily news briefs: congressional hearings, COVID numbers, climate change, warfare, inflation, gasoline price spikes, and so forth. But there is something magical about summer. Maybe it’s a carryover from our school days, when classes and homework ended and we could think about a trip to the beach or lounging in bed in the mornings, that make us feel the specialness of the season.
Come with me, then, as we do some time travel to my elementary school years, and I tell you what summers were like for me.
From first to fifth grades, my mother would visit my teachers in mid-May and get their lesson plans for the rest of the semester and the beginning of the next. She would then take me out of school, and I would not return until mid-September. We would travel to some rustic shack in the Catskill Mountains, a different one each year, where we would spend sixteen weeks in “the fresh air.”
My parents, you see, did not appreciate urban living in the summer, when I recall it used to get hotter than now. Air conditioning only existed in movie theaters, ice cream could only be purchased in bulk from drug stores with freezers, and to get a breeze, one would have to drive really fast along Manhattan’s East Side Highway with all the windows open—that is if one were lucky enough to get a ride in a car.
My dad grew up in the mountains, my mom in Corona, Queens, which she said was so countrified that there were cows on the road when she walked to public school. They keenly felt the inevitable pollution in the summer air and planned the escape for us children and my mom.
It was lonely for me, fresh air not withstanding I would read a lot. Generally, there would be a farm or two within walking distance, and only occasionally was there a child to play with, only my sister, who was two years younger and had Down Syndrome. But my dad and sometimes my much older brother would come up and stay with us on the weekends, and then the pace of life would pick up.
My dad and I would traipse across meadows and climb hills, for the exercise and just for the fun. Sometimes we would see cows grazing, and they would look at us lazily as we went by. My dad always reminded me to stay alert for the presence of a bull and also to watch out for any snakes that might be sunning themselves at the base of the low stone walls that separated the meadows. Should we see a bull in the distance, we should look to climb a nearby tree.
Often we would find wild blueberry bushes, and we carried containers to bring some back to the rest of the family. We picked the berries in the classical way: one for the pot, two for the mouth, one for the pot, two for the mouth. As we moved around each bush, I enjoyed the warm sun on my back and the smell of wheat and grass carried by the soft breezes that caressed us on their way past.
When it was time to return, I would wait for his suggestion that I lead the way, and it always came. My dad hoped I would develop a good sense of direction, especially when the terrain looked the same all around us. He would show me nature’s clues, like moss growing on the north side of tree trunks, as a help to finding my way.
One time I remember getting up early enough to watch the sun rise from the top of the nearby hill. I had never seen the sun rise before then, but the real treat was just being with my dad.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) held a press conference in Hauppauge on Friday, June 17, in support of public campaign finance for county offices.
Under a 2017 statute, a public campaign finance fund was created to use revenues generated by Jake’s 58 casino. The program, which is set to begin during the 2023 election cycle, is now meeting stiff opposition from the Republican majority in the county Legislature, which favors using those funds for public safety initiatives.
Under pressure to repeal the law, Bellone explained the intent of this experimental program, saying its basis is to maintain “the people’s faith and trust in government.”
‘For too long, the power of the people has been drowned out by those other stakeholders, has been overwhelmed by them, and that has real consequences.’
— Steve Bellone
Bellone defended the public campaign finance law, claiming that it achieves two goals: Empowering ordinary citizens to run for public office and weakening the power of special interests and party leaders. He suggests the law preserves the integrity of the electoral process and strengthens democracy.“For too long, the power of the people has been drowned out by those other stakeholders, has been overwhelmed by them, and that has real consequences,” he said. “It has consequences for taxpayers because you get a less efficient government, a government that is not necessarily focused on solving problems for the citizens it represents but focused more on those other stakeholders, those special interests.”
The county executive emphasized that the campaign finance program is not financed through tax dollars. Rather, it is supported through revenues collected from Jake’s 58 casino, which Suffolk Regional Off-Track Betting purchased last year for $120 million. “I can’t think of a better way that we can utilize those dollars,” he said.
Compared to the multibillion dollar annual county budget, Bellone added that this fund is negligible. For this reason, he advocates using this small portion of public revenue to invest in the political process.
“We spend public monies every day with the intent of benefiting the public, whether it’s on housing or on water quality or a host of other issues,” he said. “We’re talking about a little relative to the county’s $3.5 billion budget — it’s virtually nothing. Let’s spend that small portion on our democracy.”
Jason Richberg (D-West Babylon), minority leader of the county Legislature, joined Bellone in defending the program. Richberg primarily objected to the repeal efforts on the grounds that the program has not even been tested, arguing Republicans in the Legislature should give it a chance before tearing it down.
“Time and time again, we hear in the Legislature that we’re putting good money after bad,’” he said. “There’s funding. We have a plan. Run it and let’s critique it after it runs.” He continued, “Let’s let it go through and if you don’t want to join, then don’t join.”
Mercy Smith, executive director of the Suffolk County Campaign Finance Board, reiterated these points. She highlighted the program’s voluntary nature, saying that individuals can opt out if they do not want to partake in it. She also said the program encourages grassroots campaigning, a departure from the current practice of soliciting large contributions from special interest groups.
“The program is really designed to optimize the potential of all Suffolk County residents who have the desire and the gumption and the ability to persevere and want to run for office,” she said.
Smith said that the program holds participants to a high standard, promoting transparency in the public disclosure of their campaign finances. Participants are asked to be fully fiscally responsible, to adhere to conservation and expenditure limits, to comply with the board’s oversight and audit procedures, and to commit to the program’s spending limits.
Additionally, the program does not discriminate on the basis of party, incumbency status or any other criteria. “This program is for teachers, it’s for first responders, police officers, it’s for business owners,” she said. “This program is for anyone who wants to participate and become a public servant and make our government in Suffolk County better.”
Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, said the purpose of public campaign finance both in Suffolk and around the country is to place voters at the core of the political process.
“The whole purpose of the campaign finance program, a matching fund program, is to center the voters in our government process,” she said. “Not special interests, not people who can write outsized checks, but the everyday residents of Suffolk County.” She added, “This system is set up to do exactly that, using specially designated funds, not taxpayer money, to encourage candidates to invite the voters into the system.”
A vote to repeal the program is scheduled for Wednesday. Republicans control the county Legislature with an 11-7 majority. A two-thirds majority of the Legislature, or 12 votes, would be required to override a veto from the county Executive.
Suffolk County Police today arrested two women for unlicensed massages and prostitution at a massage parlor in Dix Hills on June 21.
In response to numerous community complaints, Suffolk County Police Second Precinct Crime Section officers, Second Squad detectives, and the Town of Huntington Public Safety conducted an investigation at Island Breeze Foot Spa, located at 1842 East Jericho Turnpike in Dix Hills, at approximately 3:30 p.m.
Daoxia Xie, 48, of Flushing and Qingling Chai, 43, of Fresh Meadows were charged with Prostitution and Unauthorized Practice of a Profession.
They were given Field Appearance Tickets and will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date.
The Town of Huntington Public Safety closed the business and issued several building violations.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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