Friday, October 2, 2026
Preparedness is particularly important for Long Island residents. We know that severe weather can bring flooding, dangerous winds and extended power outages. A house fire or medical emergency can happen without warning. And while we can’t always be ready for anything, having a plan, and the right supplies, can make a significant difference.
This year’s crowd at John Burns Park was the largest ever. Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joe Saladino and Firefighter Ken Haskell, Tom and Tim’s brother, spoke. There was mournful violin music, stirring patriotic songs sung aloud and prayers from local clergy. I was privileged to be asked to speak. The ceremony concluded with a helicopter dropping white roses on the crowd. It was particularly moving afterward to talk with family members and friends of 9/11 victims who were once again reliving the horrors of that fateful day, but had never lost their faith in America.
Recently I’ve come to believe that the strongest influence on developing human beings is the times in which they live. Try as I might, summoning all the empathy I possess, I simply can’t know what it was like to endure the London Blitz during World War II. Or the Dust Bowl in America, or the Holocaust, all of which changed the way people lived and thought.
For two decades I have worked with children, parents and families. Whether in my office, giving a speech, leading a workshop or discussing parenting on social media, I hear remarkably consistent hopes. Parents want their children to become happy, successful and independent adults. I would argue that happiness and success depend, at least in part, on independence. And one quality runs through all three — resilience.
Naturally, everyone thinks their road is the most important road. Of course, there are worse roads and intersections, but you see your own street on a regular basis. We rate and rank all village roads, and try to prioritize and stick to engineering statistics. But things like water main breaks, utility and emergency street openings — water, gas and communications companies seem to have to open streets all the time — accidents and potholes do change where our road program contractors and village street crews are sent to next.
Rockville Centre continued cleaning up on Sept. 28 after a powerful nor’easter brought about 3 inches of rain, flooding, strong winds and numerous downed trees to the village.
Rockville Centre resident Joe Chojnacki balances a demanding career at CNN with college volleyball coaching, firefighting and music while making time for the people and commitments that matter most to him.
Rockville Centre author Dan Cillis’ latest historical thriller, “The Stealth Reporter,” follows a determined female newspaper reporter investigating corruption in early 20th-century New York.
