(Mastic Beach, NY) Tylee Trent, a 2018 graduate of William Floyd High School and current student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, was recently commissioned to create artwork for the hallway outside of Central Registration in the district’s main offices as a way to exhibit a more relaxing and welcoming atmosphere for families registering their children for school.

Tylee Trent, a 2018 William Floyd High School graduate, is pictured with Fine Arts Chairperson, Theresa Bianco (center); and Deborah Gurney, Director of Student Services, William Floyd School District, near the new painting adorning the wall outside of the Central Registration office waiting area. Photo Credit: WFSD.

“When I first met with Tylee about my vision, I gave him the freedom to sketch what he felt would make people feel welcome while also incorporating some aspects of our community as well as our school,” said Deborah Gurney, Director of Student Services, William Floyd School District. “Tylee thought the beach would be a good example of a community spot,” she said, adding how she “loves” the finished product as it has “brought the wall to life.”

Tylee, who achieved so much during his time at William Floyd, explained the artwork. “I wanted the mural to represent diversity due to the different cultures within the district so using two children from different backgrounds was one thing I incorporated within the piece,” he said, adding how he wanted to also include Smith Point County Park as it is a community treasure and an area where students like to gather.

Some of Tylee’s accolades at William Floyd include earning “Best in Show” in the Mixed Media category for his “Aquarius Painting” at the Suffolk County Art Leaders Association (SCALA) All-County and Scholarship Show in 2017. He also received an Honorable Mention award at the 2018 show. Additionally, Tylee regularly received the highest rating of “Distinguished” on his art portfolio at the New York State Art Teachers Association Portfolio Project adjudication throughout his time in high school. He also received a perfect score on his AP Advanced Art exam during his senior year.

“I had an amazing experience as an artist at William Floyd,” said Tylee. “I became so close with the art teachers, I looked at them as mother figures and that was something I truly value. The skills I learned were what made me become successful and the love and openness of every classroom was so important to me. The teachers really love what they do and they never fail to show it. Ms. [Erin] Almeida and Ms. [Theresa] Bianco were my family and without them I don’t think I would have loved being an artist as much as I do now.” Ms. Bianco, who also serves as the Fine Arts Chairperson for the district, helped facilitate the project and oversaw Tylee’s work from start to finish.

LONG ISLAND, NY — U.S. Senate candidate Chele Farley, (R, C, Reform) today blasted the Cuomo administration for implementing a policy that places level 2 and 3 sex offenders in public and private facilities and group homes caring for the developmentally disabled.

The notion that New York’s most fragile population is being forced to live side by side with our most dangerous criminals disgusts me and it needs to stop immediately. This administration is endangering the lives and well-being of developmentally-disabled New Yorkers,” said Farley.

The issue has been brought to the public’s attention by Michael Carey, of the Jonathan Carey Foundation, a statewide advocacy group for the disabled. Michael’s severely autistic son Jonathan was only 13 when he was killed by his caregivers.

According to reports, after surveying only a portion of New York’s 62 counties, it has come to light that multiple convicted sex offenders have been placed in group homes in Washington, Franklin and Suffolk counties. Efforts to reach the Governor’s office and Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), which runs the homes, have thus far been met with silence.

Farley, the mother of a 16-year-old son with severe autism said, “Unless this stops immediately, the message is that our children don’t matter, that they are expendable because they are developmentally disabled.”

Concluded Farley, “I’m calling on Kirsten Gillibrand to take a break from her 2020 campaign and call to end this dangerous policy before there is a tragedy.”

Chele Farley is an outsider with over 25 years of experience in the private sector. She is the Republican, Conservative and Reform Party candidate for U.S. Senate. Farley lives in New York City with her husband Richard and their three sons. For more information about U.S. Senate candidate Chele Farley, please visit www.CheleFarleyforSenate.com.

The Students and Families Empowerment Act would expand student loan interest deductions and extend the grace period for millions of recent graduates

GARDEN CITY, NY – U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice today introduced a new bill that would help ease student loan debt for millions of recent college graduates and their families. The Students and Families Empowerment Act would amend the Internal Revenue Code to effectively remove the $2,500 cap on deductions for student loan interest. Borrowers would be able to deduct all their interest for student loan amounts up to $750,000 – the same loan threshold as mortgage interest deductions. The bill would also eliminate the income limits on student loan interest deductions, allowing individuals earning more than $80,000 annually ($165,000 for couples filing jointly) to take these deductions on their taxes, and end the phase-out for individuals earning more than $65,000 ($135,000 for couples).

Additionally, the Students and Families Empowerment Act amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend the grace period from 6 months to 12 months before recent graduates must begin to pay back their loans; this grace period also applies to parent borrowers, who are generally not afforded a grace period. Further, the bill prohibits interest from accruing during this 12-month grace period for most undergraduate, parent, and graduate student borrowers. The changes in this bill would apply to federal loans only.

The announcement was made today at Adelphi University in Garden City, where Rep. Rice was joined by Adelphi University Provost and Executive Vice President Steve Everett, Assistant Vice President of Student Financial Services Sheryl Mihopulos and NY-04 residents.

College graduates are one of our country’s greatest assets,” said Representative Kathleen Rice. “But instead of building financial security, starting businesses and buying homes, most recent graduates today are leaving college with crippling debt. As Congress prepares to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, we need to prioritize serious reforms to this process. My bill would help ease the burden of student loans by expanding interest deductions and extending the grace period for repayment – so that students actually have a chance to get on their feet and start their careers. These are commonsense changes that would make this process infinitely more manageable for millions of families across our country.”

According to a 2015 study, seven in 10 college seniors who graduated from public and private nonprofit colleges had student loan debt, averaging $30,000. In New York State, 72% of graduates leave college with an average of nearly $30,000 in debt. Today, student loan debt in the United States has skyrocketed to $1.5 trillion. And with one in three parents saying they will assist their children with repayments, student loans are no longer just threatening the financial stability of recent graduates, they are also affecting older Americans who have had to dip into their savings and postpone retirement.

Not only will this bill help alleviate this burden for students and parents, but by increasing the deductions on student loan interest to match those of home mortgages, this bill will also encourage more young Americans to enroll in higher education in the same way that our current tax policy encourages home ownership.

Affordability is top-of-mind at Adelphi – the very reason we provide millions of dollars in institutional aid every year to 95 percent of our undergraduate students,” said President Christine Riordan, President of Adelphi University. “It is so encouraging that Congresswoman Kathleen Rice is taking a significant step to help students and families better afford the costs associated with paying for college and ultimately paying off student debt.”

“A college degree remains the most effective way for individuals to improve their career prospects and safeguard their economic futures,” said Mary Beth Labate, President of the Commission on Independent Colleges & Universities. “The repayment incentives in this bill will encourage more students to make that all-important investment in a college degree. We applaud Rep. Kathleen Rice’s efforts to make investing in a college degree easier for New York’s students and families.”

The full text of the bill is available here.

YAPHANK, NY – Members of the media are invited to the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Yaphank on Wednesday, September 19, 2018 at 12:00 pm to see Rocky, a black Labrador from the non-profit organization Paws of War, greet U.S. Marines Veteran Harry Stolberg, who will be his new owner. For the past 10 weeks, Rocky has been participating in twice-weekly service-dog training sessions inside the Veterans Program Pod at the Yaphank Jail.

Visuals:  Rocky will come to the Correctional Facility for his final visit.  Sheriff Toulon, county Correction Officers and staff from Paws of War will escort Rocky to the jail’s conference room, where Harry Stolberg will greet Rocky for the first time since his very brief introduction at the Southampton Animal Shelter.

Location:  The Suffolk County Correctional Facility at 200 Suffolk Avenue, Yaphank, NY. (Take Yaphank Avenue to Suffolk Avenue.  Go past the Probation Department and follow the road to the end.  Proceed past the security booth and look for the entrance to the jail near the gazebo.)

Background:

Sheriff Toulon invited Robert Misseri, co-founder of the non-profit organization Paws of War, to a Veterans Re-entry Task Force meeting in April 2018.  Paws of War trains and places shelter dogs with U.S. military veterans that suffer from the emotional effects of war. The Sheriff was so impressed with the group’s track-record that he asked him to coordinate a program for veterans inside the Suffolk County Jail.  The organization then began searching for the right dog to train as a service dog — and found Rocky at the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation.  Staff from the Suffolk County Jail also had to identify an incarcerated veteran willing to take on the task of training Rocky twice a week with the Paws of War program staff, and found a willing participant.  Jermaine, an incarcerated veteran who also suffers from PTSD, worked with Rocky throughout the initiative.

About Rocky’s new owner:  Harry Stolberg joined the United States Marine Corps in 1994 at the age of 17. He served as a 0341 Mortarman with the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, Heavy Weapons Company based out of Camp Lejune, NC and also as a Marine Security Guard with MCSFCO Bangor Washington. Harry was part of a rapid response team that responded to incidents in helping the government of Haiti and Africa. He then suffered a serious injury to his right knee which led to the end of his military career. After the military, he studied to become a paramedic and spent the last 20 years working in NYC and Long Island. He is a single dad, and is being treated for PTSD at the VA hospital in Northport. Harry has fostered other veterans’ service dogs when they were in need. He also gives back to veterans who suffer from PTSD by organizing fishing trips, BBQs, outings and offers himself as a peer supporter.

About Paws of War, Inc.:  Paws of War is a 501(c)(3) organization devoted to helping both animals and veterans. Their mission is to train and place shelter dogs to serve and provide independence to U.S. military veterans that suffer from the emotional effects of war. In turn, each veteran can experience the therapeutic and unconditional love only a service dog can bring. Learn more at www.pawsofwar.org.

The Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing for the welfare of homeless animals throughout Eastern Long Island. SASF promotes and nourishes the bond between people and animals through adoption, education and community outreach. To learn more, please visit their website: www.southamptonanimalshelter.com.

LONG ISLAND, NY – Assemblyman Andrew Garbarino (R,C,I,Ref-Sayville) is pleased to announce he has awarded a $100,000 facilities grant to the Village of Patchogue for the Village Hall Expansion Project. The funds will be used to expand the municipal building located at 14 Baker Street.

I am proud to partner with Mayor Pontieri on the Village Hall Expansion Project, which will help Patchogue Village better serve the people,” said Garbarino. “Under the mayor’s leadership, the Village has flourished economically. The transformation of the area has been nothing short of amazing. I am excited to see what the future holds for Patchogue Village and eager to help in any way that I can.”

With the growth of the Village the pressures on the Building, Housing, and Public Safety have increased to the point where it is affecting their ability to provide the quality service to the residents of the Village of Patchogue. The expansion of the office space for these departments is about improving and providing the services the residents expect and deserve,” said Mayor Paul Pontieri. “This $100,000 grant, from Assemblyman Garbarino, not only supports our goal of providing quality services to the residents of the Village of Patchogue, but, also, helps in our efforts to stabilize taxes.”

The Village of Patchogue will be modifying the municipal building with a 1,400 square-foot expansion. The addition will house both the Buildings Department and the Public Safety Office, which is currently operating out of a trailer. Additionally, the project has incorporated the refurbishment of two restrooms in the Village Hall.

LONG ISLAND, NY – Assemblyman Michael Montesano (R, C, Ref-Glen Head) is warning parents to make sure their children are off of school grounds before 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 13 for safety concerns. Gov. Cuomo has pardoned thousands of convicted criminals, including dangerous sex offenders, to allow them to enter schools and vote in Thursday’s primary election.

“It is extremely unfair that, in order to ensure their children’s safety, parents have to remove their children from any after-school activities or athletic events occurring on school grounds on Thursday because convicted criminals, including sex offenders, will be allowed on campus,” said Montesano. “Schools are supposed to be safe havens for students. Criminals like sex offenders are banned from being on school properties for a reason.”

Since voting by absentee ballot requires a person to leave their county, this isn’t an option for sex offenders as it violates the terms of their parole.

“It is so convenient that they are going to be allowed to vote in an election in which the governor is currently a candidate for,” said Montesano. “The fact that Gov. Cuomo is risking our children’s safety for a few more votes is disgusting. The governor is twisting the law around to benefit convicted sex offenders, instead of protecting our children. We need to be increasing safety in our schools, not taking a dangerous step backwards.”

Fans to honor “Smokey and the Bandit” star with “100-Trans Am Salute”

WESTBURY, NEW YORK – Thousands of New York fans will pay their respects to the “Smokey and the Bandit” star Burt Reynolds later this month at Long Islands largest car show with a “100-Trans Am Salute,” with a ceremonial parade of over 100 classic Pontiac Firebird Trans Ams in procession at Eisenhower Park. The memorial, will pay homage to the iconic movie star by showing the original two movies to be viewed by dozens of drivers dressed in character. Reynold’s, a former resident of New York, was invited to New York’s biggest car show by the organizers however passed away only a few weeks prior to the event.

Burt Reynolds, an iconic movie star and celebrity icon, died tragically of a cardiac arrest on Thursday, September 6, 2018 at the age of 82. Millions of Americans are mourning the legend through viewing his popular films, such as “Smokey and the Bandit” and “Deliverance,” from the late 1970s and ‘80s. Reynolds was viewed as a leading male sex symbol, appearing naked on a bearskin rug in Cosmopolitan in 1972.

New York’s largest Burt Reynolds memorial tribute will take place on September 28 and will welcome tens of thousands to Long Island fans the event. Eisenhower Park, 1899 Park Boulevard, Westbury.

LONG ISLAND, NY – A new independent poll commissioned by the Reform Party of 2783 likely general election voters shows Chele Farley (R, C, Reform) gaining ground on incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand.

With two months to Election Day, Gillibrand’s lead over Farley has shrunk to 15 points, 51-36 percent, according to a new poll commissioned by the Reform Party of New York and conducted by Liberty Opinion Research.

In addition, as Gillibrand’s intense partisanship has increased, her favorability has decreased, with only 44% of New Yorkers holding a favorable rating of her and 37% unfavorable.

“Gillibrand is out of touch with New Yorkers and the more voters get to know the real Kirsten Gillibrand, the less likely they are to vote for her,” said Kent Gates, General Consultant to the Farley campaign.

Gates concluded, “While Gillibrand is focused on 2020, the Farley campaign is focused on November. We are in a strong position as we head into the final two months of the campaign to exploit Gillibrand’s failure to deliver for New Yorkers.”

The Reform Party/ Liberty Opinion Research poll of 2783 likely voters by IVR calls was conducted August 29 -30, 2018. The poll has a margin of error of 1.9%.

The full poll can be found here.

Chele Farley is an outsider with over 25 years of experience in the private sector. She is the Republican, Conservative and Reform Party candidate for U.S. Senate. Farley lives in New York City with her husband Richard and their three sons. For more information about U.S. Senate candidate Chele Farley, please visit www.CheleFarleyforSenate.com.

(Long Island, NY) There are few things more upsetting than being the victim of an automobile crash…especially when you’re not the one at fault and you’ve suffered an injury due to another party’s negligence. But when it comes time to engage in an insurance claim to acquire rightful compensation for your pain, suffering, and lost time from work, you may find that the insurance company in question may take any and every opportunity to attempt to prove that your injuries were already in existence before the accident ever occurred – and thus, not their responsibility – in an attempt to weasel out of paying you what you’re entitled to.

Many insurance companies will try and use pre-existing medical conditions against the victim in an accident. Read on to find out what you can do to protect yourself. Photo Credit: witwiccan.

The experts at the Law Firm of Cohen and Jaffee – who have been dealing with personal injury cases for many years – note that using a pre-existing medical condition against an injured individual is a common tactic on the part of insurance companies representing the at-fault party involved in most accident claims. But even if you did have a injury or condition prior to an accident – or one that was made worse by the accident – it’s still possible to successfully combat such a defense and arrive at a fair and equitable financial settlement that can help to ease the difficulties that you are faced with.

Most people involved in accidents are not usually in a perfect state of health when the worst happens; often, people will suffer various injuries or medical conditions as life happens, which affect them to varying degrees in their day-to-day life. This is perfectly normal and quite common, experts say. Topically, an accident victim who files a personal injury case is not entitled to monetary compensation for a pre-existing condition that remains unaffected by the circumstances of the accident. However, they are fully deserving of payment when said accident aggravates and exasperates a pre-existing condition, with the degree of compensation dependant on how worse the condition has been made by the negligent actions of another.

Any medical condition that as in existence before a given accident is considered a pre-existing condition, and can consist of a vast array of issues, such as degenerative disc disease, osteoporosis, past surgeries, heart problems, arthritis, diabetes, and even emotional or psychological issues. And while pre-existing conditions can make insurance claims more complicated, but an injured party should never let that stop them from filing a claim.

An insurance company will go as far out of their way as they can in order to pay you as little as possible for any accident claim you may bring against them, often stretching the very limits of logic and reality in the process. In the case of a pre-existing condition, you and your lawyer will not only illustrate the exact nature of your prior condition, but the exact degree that the accident has worsened it as well and the exact degree to which this has negatively affected your day-to-day life. Insurance companies will comb through your medical history for anything they can use to dispute your claims, and in situations like these it’s critical for you to disclose any pre-existing condition that you may have – no matter how minor – in order to preserve your credibility.

Especially noteworthy in personal injury cases is something often referred to as the “eggshell” rule, which essentially states that a defendant must “take their victim as they find him.” In other words, a plaintiff possessing a pre-existing condition that might make them more vulnerable to injury does not establish a valid defense for a defendant, even if they had no prior knowledge of the victim’s vulnerability. This is an important rule safeguarding parties with pre-existing conditions, and a big reason why many insurance companies will pour over every aspect of person’s medical history in order to attempt to circumvent the “eggshell” rule and avoid a payout.

When you’ve been injured by the actions of another and find yourself under such intense scrutiny, it’s vital to make sure that you have an experienced personal injury attorney at your side to make sure you successfully navigate the maze an insurance company will resent you will on your journey to receive just compensation for your mental and physical harm, inflected upon you by no fault of your own.

Hurt in a car accident? Contact Our Team of Personal Injury Attorneys: When you’ve been in any automobile collision, you should not only seek immediate medical treatment, but also consult with legal counsel as soon as possible as well. Whenever you become hurt or injured through no fault of your own – through the neglect, indifference, or willful act of another – you should always be fully compensated, so call the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP at 866-878-6774 now or fill out our simple form for a free consultation.