Barbara bolts

I was not exactly surprised when Barbara Blass called to say she'd officially left the Republican party. She's been estranged for some time. Supporting Rose Sanders in the 2005 primary was the end of the line for her with many of the committee people. Some of them were gunning for her. One of them told me a few months back that he couldn't wait to "do to Barbara" what they did to Rose. Would Barbara have gotten her committee's support for a third term in 2009? Who knows? But she says she feels "free" now that she's officially split with her party. She'll be able to concentrate on her work on the board, she says. And she's looking forward to it.

Rose made the switch too. They went to the Board of Elections together on Friday. Rose sounds like she's seriously contemplating another run for office. Will there be a Blass-Sanders ticket on the Independence line in 2009? I think that's a real possibility.

Read my news story about Barbara and Rose joining the Independence Party on the riverheadnewsreview.com Web site. Click here.

From every mountainside

Want to discuss the First Amendment freedoms? Please to the Freedom Blog I've set up. Click here. You'll find links to Web sites all about the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment, plus a poll and details on the NY Press Association First Amendment Essay Contest for high school juniors and seniors.

Coach Shay is back

It's official. The coach is back. News-Review sports editor Bob Liepa interviewed him at practice yesterday afternoon. We've got a preview on The News-Review Web site. And the full story in tomorrow's edition.

School superintendent Diane Scricca called Coach Shay a man of character. She's right. It takes character to admit you've made a mistake and apologize for it. While covering the cameras may have been a bad example for the kids, owning up to his mistake is a great example for the coach to set. I commend him for it.

In his interview with Bob Liepa, Mr. Shay called the past month the longest month of his life. He missed coaching and teaching so much, and the anxiety of his uncertain position, all made it very difficult.

But it was a big month for him too, in a happy way. I found out yesterday the coach's wife, Christine, gave birth to their second child, a boy, Sept. 24. Congratulations.

And welcome back!

Coach Shay returned to practices yesterday

Although he wouldn't say when he might be back to work when I interviewed him Sunday (he said that was up to the school board and he hoped they'd take some action this week—the board has a meeting scheduled this evening) Coach Shay was at football practice yesterday morning.

So it seems the district's negotiations with the coach have been concluded.