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Emily LaRosa

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File photo by Raymond Janis

Why ‘divisive’ hits the mark

Art Billadello objects to the word “divisive” headlining a TBR news article [Aug. 1] about the gigantic “In Trump We Trust” sign put up on a building at the main intersection of Port Jefferson, right across from the ferry terminal. He ignores the obvious: Of course a sign like that is divisive.

This was not a campaign sign. It was put up in January 2020, immediately before President Joe Biden’s [D] inauguration and shortly after the attack on the U.S Capitol sparked by the lie that former President Donald Trump [R] hadn’t lost the election. Some 20 feet long and some 3 feet high, it was displayed on the building’s second story balcony. It took our national motto, “In God We Trust,” and swapped out “God” for “Trump.” How is that not divisive?

When I moved to this area over 35 years ago there were no political signs outside of election season, let alone a gigantic sign erected in the middle of town three months after the election, implicitly claiming God-like status for the losing candidate. All that changed after 2016. After that election was over and Trump won, his flags and banners didn’t come down. They remained prominently displayed throughout his entire term. Then, when Trump lost in 2020, the Trump flags and banners still didn’t come down after the election. Why is that? What is the purpose of this other than to provoke and inflame division within our community? It’s not exactly the kind of thing expected of a good neighbor. It expresses the opposite of what unites us.

As for the letter writer’s attempt to draw a false equivalence between Trump and Biden as equally divisive, it’s just more gaslighting. The Biden administration passed the first major infrastructure bill in decades with bipartisan support, in spite of opposition from the extreme left and the extreme right. Trump, on the other hand has trafficked in race-baiting and ethnic stereotypes, hurled childish and vitriolic insults at his political opponents, and refused to disavow the most extreme and violent of his supporters, even to the extent of refusing to condemn their threats to hang his own vice president for performing his constitutional duty.

David Friedman

St. James

Local Dems put politics first

During interviews with TBR, several local Democrats could barely hide their excitement over the change at the tippy-top of their party’s ticket [“Local Democrats see new political energy and interest after Biden withdraws,” TBR News Media, July 25].

John Avlon said, “People are excited to be a part of something bigger than themselves.” Dems are becoming “fired up” about their political prospects. 

Steve Englebright was especially upbeat: “Everybody who I’ve talked to is energized. … I see the ascension of a Democratic candidate … who is a woman of color, a woman of substance, in terms of her accomplishments, as validating the idea that women are equally ready” to serve in any political office.

Hitchhiking on that idea, Rebecca Kassay added, “I’m energized and inspired to be running with our first potential female president.”

Suffolk County Democratic Committee campaign manager Keith Davies saw all this as a “great opportunity for local candidates to not have to worry about exciting Democrats.” Davies also added those running won’t have to spend much time fielding questions about President Joe Biden’s “cognitive abilities.”

All that uncontested “happy talk” was weeks ago. Missing then and, as of this writing, missing now, is any substantive talk of policy from the two candidates atop their ticket.

Both the vice president, Kamala Harris, and her running mate, Tim Walz, currently remain basically mute regarding specifics on how they’d manage inflation, illegal immigration, two wars started on their party’s watch, growing antisemitism especially on college campuses, fracking, police funding or restarting ICE “from scratch.”

The aforementioned, a partial list of important issues, does not include Harris’ 2019 call for ending private health insurance.

Campaign staffers trying to “walk back,” some would say flip flop, on her more extreme and unpopular positions are a poor substitute for answering probing questions in her own voice.

But, perhaps the most troubling part of the interview was Davies’ apparent relief that Biden’s “cognitive abilities” may no longer be a pesky political liability. The implication, in this time of multiple global existential crises, is that the fitness of POTUS is off the table. This, despite the fact that Biden’s significant cognitive disabilities remained purposely hidden, until after his awful debate. How then, without careful, unbiased scrutiny, could we know if the current president is fit to run our nation for the next six months?

It’s that kind of deliberate media incuriosity that has cost them credibility and gotten us to the point where unchallenged partisans can put their politics first, and celebrate muted candidates, with little fear of blowback.

Jim Soviero

East Setauket

The community we love

Every Saturday, my husband Bill and I head for the Rolling Pin Bakery at the Three Village Plaza in East Setauket to load up with goodies. This Saturday, when we entered the store, the manager called us over and surprisingly gave us an envelope with a $20 bill in it. 

It was found on the floor last week. They looked at the security video and lo and behold … it was us!

The point of all this is that it is really satisfying to know that we live in a community with such honest and caring people.

Thank you to the staff at the Rolling Pin Bakery. You made our day as uplifting as those raisin scones.

Patricia Martin

Stony Brook

Errors in Joseph ‘JOJO’ LaRosa Foundation article

I want to bring your attention to two errors in the recent article that was published about the Joseph “JOJO” LaRosa Foundation golf outing on Monday, July 29 [“Celebrating the life of JoJo LaRosa,” The Village Times Herald, Aug. 1].

The first being at the beginning of the article where you refer to our foundation in parentheses as “Forever JoJo Strong.” This is not accurate. JoJo’s father — and our dad — has a separate foundation with that name. JoJo and I’s parents are divorced and therefore made two separate foundations. 

The second error that needs to be corrected is when you refer to “JoJo’s dad” based on a comment by my mom Gina. In the interview she said, “my husband” when referring to the person JoJo used to play with at St. George’s Golf and Country Club and that is because her husband is JoJo’s stepdad, not his father. As I mentioned above, JoJo’s father is not married to my mom and has a separate foundation from JJLF.

I do apologize for the confusion, however, these are very important errors that need to be retracted or revised.

Emily LaRosa, Vice President

Joseph “JOJO” LaRosa Foundation

Editor’s note: We regret these errors and thank Emily LaRosa for bringing them to our attention.

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Volunteers of the Joseph “JoJo” LaRosa Foundation
Joseph 'JoJo' Larosa
Golfers at the 2nd annual Joseph “JoJo” LaRosa Foundation golf outing.
Gina Mastrantoni and Emily LaRosa
The Joseph 'JoJo' LaRosa Foundation

By Serena Carpino

[email protected]

The Joseph “JoJo” LaRosa Foundation held its second annual golf outing at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Setauket Monday, July 29. The event honored Joseph “JoJo” LaRosa, who passed away in August 2021 after a three and a half year battle with desmoplastic small-round-cell tumor/sarcoma. 

JoJo was an avid athlete who played football and lacrosse at Ward Melville High School. “He was an athlete from the very first minute,” said Gina Mastrantoni, JoJo’s mother and executive director of the foundation. “His very first word was ‘ball,’ so he’s played almost every single sport.” 

JoJo was not only a dedicated athlete, but he was often described as kind, friendly and selfless. “He was always looking out for everyone – his friends and family. He was a very loyal friend and brother. Not only for his friends and family, but also for the kid in the next bed at the hospital,” said Emily LaRosa, his older sister and vice president of the organization. 

“He struggled so much physically [and] emotionally, and he still had space to think about his family, his friends and other kids that were in the same situation as him. And so I think that shows his selflessness and his ability to have empathy and compassion for other people,” she added.

Mastrantoni said, “He was often worried about me being his caretaker, always checking on me. He was selfless that way.”

Because of his illness, JoJo had to undergo several surgeries, which resulted in him having a large incision down the front of his body. The scar left him unable to be tackled again, leading him to commit himself to golf “as a way to release his anxiety and perfect his swing,” his mother explained. “He was a perfectionist. He was a really driven athlete.”

The foundation chose St. George’s as the location for the outing specifically for several reasons. “We were members at one time. We gave up our membership because we didn’t have time to come with his illness,” Mastrantoni said. Still, JoJo would play with his stepfather’s best friend, Chris Van Tuyl, who was a member. In addition, one of JoJo’s best friends worked in the pro shop and St. George’s was JoJo’s favorite course. “He loved this sport,” Mastrantoni added. “It was meant to be.”

LaRosa further commented on JoJo’s passion for golf: “He played as often as he could, even when he was sick. It was a way for him to escape and one of his favorite hobbies.”

She explained how the foundation plans to use the funds collected from the outing. She highlighted that the event’s purpose is not only to celebrate JoJo’s memory and keep his legacy alive, but also “provide support to other children and families that are in similar situations to my brother when he was sick. Specifically young patients who have cancer, diseases or illnesses. We’re raising funds to be able to do all those things to give back to those afflicted.”

The outing is not the only way the organization is committed to helping families in need. During the winter holidays, they hold a toy drive, collecting and donating toys to hospitals in the area as well as out of state. 

This past year, “We went [from] five hospitals to nine hospitals [to which] we gave toys in his name,” JoJo’s mother said.

Furthermore, the foundation is holding a blood drive on Aug. 8 at St. James R.C. Church, 429 Route 25A in Setauket from 1:45 to 7:45 p.m. 

“He needed so much blood during his illness,” Mastrantoni explained. “I can’t even count the number of transfusions that he needed. At his last surgery he needed 80 units of blood, which I think is like 35 people’s [donations]. And there’s a blood shortage right now so we’re doing this in his honor for other people.”

More information can be found at jojostrong.org.

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Above, members of the Joseph “JoJo” LaRosa Foundation during a golf outing event Monday, July 31. Back row, from left: Dawn Gibbons, Thomas Boyle, Gina Mastrantoni and Rose Mastrantoni. Front row: Emily LaRosa, left, and Maria Murrow. Photo by Liz Ashley Photography

By Raymond Janis

A new local tradition was launched Monday, July 31, when family and friends of the late Ward Melville High School alum Joseph “JoJo” LaRosa hosted the inaugural 18 for 18 golf event in his honor. 

JoJo was diagnosed in 2018 with the cancer, desmoplastic small round cell tumor sarcoma, which had him in and out of the hospital for the remaining years of his life. He died in August 2021.

Amid beautiful summer weather on Monday morning, dozens attended the event at the St. George’s Golf and Country Club in East Setauket for 18 holes of golf in JoJo’s honor. 

“My son was one of the kindest, most amazing human beings,” Gina Mastrantoni, his mother, said. “He had the strongest will.”

Golfers take off for 18 holes of golf. Photo by Liz Ashley Photography

JoJo was a multisport athlete who “played every sport imaginable,” Mastrantoni said. “Lacrosse, football, swimming, wrestling, soccer — you name it, he did it. He lived for sports.”

The Joseph “JoJo” LaRosa Foundation, with Mastrantoni as executive director, was created in 2021 to honor his memory by assisting children fighting for their lives. Rose Mastrantoni, Gina’s sister and the foundation’s marketing/public relations officer, described the impact of the prolonged hospital stays.

“They spent almost four years living in the hospital,” Rose Mastrantoni said. “You don’t realize they don’t leave the hospital, don’t leave their child’s bedside,” adding that the foundation seeks to do “anything we can do to help” those families.

“He was always rooting for the underdog,” Gina Mastrantoni said. “He always cared about the person in the bed next to him at the hospital.”

Foundation secretary Maria Murrow, JoJo’s aunt, referred to her nephew as a lover of sports and a golf advocate. She also noted the prominent role his favorite number, 18, played throughout the day.

“We’re dedicating the event and the day to him,” Murrow said. “It’s an ‘18 for 18’ — 18 holes for number 18 to give back to JoJo.” She added, “We endeavor to do more repeat events … like the toy drive and anything else that will help families who don’t know what obstacles are coming up.”

Following JoJo’s diagnosis, Gina Mastrantoni noted that he began to hone his golf skills. “We’re having this golf outing in his honor,” the mother said. “This was his favorite course, where he played and perfected his golf game whenever he could.”

JoJo’s sister, foundation vice president Emily LaRosa, referred to the event as “a way that we keep him in our minds and at the forefront of what we do every day.”

“We’re not forgetting about him,” she said. “This is our way of keeping him with us and trying to do good in his name.”

Foundation treasurer Dawn Gibbons, a longtime friend of Mastrantoni, characterized the immense work that took place behind the scenes to make the inaugural outing a success.

“It’s a tribute to JoJo, but I have to say that this event is also a tribute to his mom and his sister, Emmy,” Gibbons said. “As Gina said, he was always very concerned about the kid in the next bed. They want to now help that kid and their families.”

She added, “They know what they went through, and they want to ease the burden on other families with this foundation.”

Gina Mastrantoni responded to the immense show of support during this golf outing as “beautiful,” noting the sense of pride she derives from her son’s example.

“Everyone’s here in support of JoJo,” she said. “It’s overwhelming, as his mom. It makes me proud.”

To donate to The Joseph “JoJo” LaRosa Foundation, please visit jojostrong.org.

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