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2 • • Thursday, June 25, 2026 PERSPECTIVES

EDITORIAL MOOSE LAKE http://mooselakecartoons.com

Election night hangover

The tally in Tuesday night’s Democratic primary for NY’s 61st Senate
seat are shocking. But, not for the reason you may think. Certainly many
folks were surprised that former 149th Assembly District representative
Jonathan D. Rivera defeated incumbent Jeremy J. Zellner by 10,076 votes
to 8,270 votes. However, what we find shocking is not who won the race
but who voted or rather who did not vote.
NY’s 61st Senate District is home to 320,885 residents. The total votes
cast for Rivera and Zeller was 18,346.
So, even though polls – like the Marist poll in 2023 which found 59
percent of New York residents said their quality of life has declined “in the PERSPECTIVES
past year or so” or the Morning Consult survey in 2024 which found 60
percent of NYers felt the state on the wrong track – indicate people are not Rivera, Bojak win in a "Tsunami"
happy with their government, the vast majority do little or, if they are of a
different political persuasion, have little to say at election time.
By John Duke Since mid-April, New York Fu-
With reportedly no Republican opponent, Rivera will become one of olitical writer Geoff Kelly ture – an independent expenditure
63 NY state senators. Six percent of the residents, all from one political
titled his column "Rivera, committee bankrolled by online
party, have decided who will represent 300,000 other people for the next PBojak win in an Earth- sports gambling giants FanDuel
two years. That is not how a representative government should work.
quake," in the Investigative Post so and DraftKings – spent more than
we're writing "Tsunami." But either $625,000 in support of Hoak. The
PERSPECTIVES way what happened 36 hours ago PAC’s initial spending in the race
was shocking. The weather sta- produced positive ads touting
Family-based behavioral treat- tion's "Boy who cried wolf alarms" Hoak’s credentials as a public ser-
didn't go off at 3 a.m. to wake up vant.
ment for children can prevent senior citizens or hospitalized pa- They turned negative in the last
tients. For the last month you've few days before the election, at-
metabolic disease later in life been reading Rivera and Bojak de- tacking Bojak for accepting a
served your vote and apparently, Jonathan Rivera. $3,000 contribution from a Califor-
Every parent wants to raise a result, not go on to develop cardi- they got it. The message was well nia billionaire. $625,000 vs.
healthy kids who then grow up to ometabolic disease,” says Epstein, received. There was nothing wrong Zellner probably lost votes $3,000. How dumb do they think
become healthy adults. But when a who is also chief of the Division of with their opponents, Jeremy Zell- when he advertised he had the sup- we are? Where do these people get
third of children in the U.S. are ei- Behavioral Medicine in the UB De- ner and Karen Hoak but certain port of fellow former-State Senator such terrible advice. There hasn't
ther overweight or obese, that goal partment of Pediatrics. outside interests tried to buy the Tim Kennedy. For years Democrats been that much bad advice in over
seems increasingly elusive. The study was a mega-analysis, election for them. lost races because Tim Kennedy a decade. It didn't move the needle.
A new University at Buffalo which pools individual participant Assemblyman Jonathan Rive- and his partner in crime Steve Pi- Bojak finished with nearly 50 per-
study, covering 40 years of data and data across multiple studies. Across ra, with strong backing from orga- geon fought a civil war against Len cent of the vote, Hoak with a little
more than 1,000 families in different the combined databases, as many as nized labor, unseated the head of Lenihan. They handed victories to over 33. Navy reservist Kevin
regions in the U.S., reveals that the 70% of children in UB’s family- his own party in Tuesday's primary Nicholas Latchworthy who couldn't Deese, a first-time candidate, gar-
family-based behavioral treatment based behavioral treatment met the for the NY 61st District State Sen- otherwise fight his way out of a wet nered 17 percent.
developed at UB for children and criteria necessary to prevent meta- ate seat. It wasn’t close. At the end paper bag. None of the five contestants;
parents who are overweight or obese bolic disease in adulthood and al- of the night, Rivera led state Sena- Meanwhile, flood of online Rivera, Zellner, Bojak, Hoak and
can prevent children from develop- most half reversed their obesity tor Jeremy Zellner, chair of the gambling money was not enough to Deese were bad people, just the
ing metabolic disease when they status and maintained it during the County Democratic Committee, by help Karen Hoak, the endorsed opposite. Could it be somehow the
grow up. follow-up period of 5-10 years. nearly 10 percent of the vote. Democrat in the 149th Assembly voters got smarter? We will have to
The treatment focuses on behav- Clinical effectiveness At the same time, Buffalo attor- District race. wait and see what the Republicans
ioral treatment of both the child and vs. statistical significance ney Adam Bojak, a democratic so- do with this new reality.
their parents, using the Traffic Light “This is brand new data that cialist also backed by labor, scored
Diet and Activity program — also an even more lopsided victory over
proves the clinical effectiveness of
developed at UB — as well as posi- our program,” Epstein says. “This Karen Hoak of Hamburg, the par- Quinn Simple Scenes – Class reunion
tive parenting, behavioral skills ty’s endorsed candidate, in a three-
finding of clinical effectiveness
training for both parent and child, over the long term is a critical as- way primary to succeed Rivera in By Rix Quinn He got to the party late, then
and stimulus control, which involves the 149th District Assembly seat. he old guy in the grocery line made the entrance only a middle-
pect, as that is what corresponds
arranging a shared family environ- directly to clinical improvements in Bojak won by more than 16 per- Tlooked about two coughing aged pot-bellied hornet can. Across
ment that promotes healthy eating cent. spells away from the Promised the room, he noticed Mollie.
health versus statistical signifi-
and activity. cance.” The two victories constitute “an Land. Gnarled and unshaven, he She was a former cheerleader,
New criteria for preventing It’s an important distinction, earthquake,” said Rivera’s father, mumbled to himself while the clerk and she remembered Ray immedi-
metabolic disease in adulthood Epstein notes. “Statistical signifi- Niagara District Council Member totaled his bill. ately. And she looked great to Ray,
David Rivera at the two campaigns' He noticed me as he reached into whose glasses fit sort of funny on a
Published in Health Psychology, cance means that the results of two
the UB study applies new criteria to treatments are different, and not shared watch party on Buffalo's his pocket for change, and acciden- hornet mask.
West Side, as the outcome began to tally pulled out a set of teeth. Funny how fast time flies. Just
evaluate the data from 16 random- likely to be different by chance, but
appear inevitable. Dave said, "it “Hey,” he smiled, “remember when we understand school, we
ized controlled trials, most of them that does not mean that either treat-
feels like one" and it was. me? I’m George, from biology graduate. When we finally learn to
funded by the National Institutes of ment will result in improvements in
Zellner marshaled all his politi- class!” comb our hair right, it falls out. And
Health, of family-based behavioral health,” he says. “By contrast, these
cal capital as party chair to win the Suddenly, I did remember. Back when we get our act together,
treatment conducted over the past 40 results strongly suggest that our
February special election to fill the in tenth grade, we dissected the there’s no old friends around to
years by Leonard H. Epstein, PhD, family-based behavioral treatment
seat left vacant by Sean Ryan when same frog. Disgusting! watch the performance.
corresponding author and SUNY is associated with clinically mean-
he became Buffalo mayor. The George never comes to our high But reunions reconnect us with
Distinguished Professor in the De- ingful effects using the new criteria
four-month incumbent out-raised school reunions. That’s too bad, be- our roots...and roots remind us of
partment of Pediatrics in the Jacobs based on long-term health out-
and out-spent Rivera in a race that cause he could make the rest of us our natural hair color. Ray and I
School of Medicine and Biomedical comes.”
at last count had cost more than $2 feel lots younger. both recommend them… if you
Sciences at UB. Benefits of family-based
Epstein is internationally known behavioral treatment million. Can you believe it? Zellner My friend Ray was mascot at don’t dress like an insect.
for pioneering a behavioral, evi- received awful advice. Some peo- his school, and he wears a silly hor- Ever wanted to write your life
Epstein points out that beyond
dence-based, family-focused ap- the impact on the child and parent ple thought he was running against net outfit to every class gathering. story to share with family members?
proach to childhood obesity targeted Carl Paladino and calling him aw- On his drive there last year, he got Here’s the link to a series of simple
being treated, family-based behav-
to children who are obese or over- ioral treatment has also been found ful names that were blatantly un- pulled over...and it’s hard to walk a steps you can follow to finish this
weight and their parents. true. About 60 percent of that straight line if you can’t control project. And this Simple
to improve the weight and health of
The criteria used in the new UB siblings who aren’t being treated. money was public matching funds, your stinger. Scenes presentation is inexpensive,
study was published last year by for which both candidates quali- too: https://payhip.com/b/b7mDQ
His studies also show that the
researchers at Karolinska Institute in younger the child is when treatment fied.
Sweden. They established that -0.25 starts, the more significant the im- Rivera, who walked away from
zBMI — the measurement of a provement is in their weight. a safe Assembly seat to challenge a
child’s body mass index based on Implementing family-based be- party boss, won anyway. Zellner
age and growth — is the change in havioral treatment in a community narrowly led in the early and ab- Published by Buffalo Standard Printing Corp.
BMI in a child that is needed to health setting requires hiring behav- sentee vote, but Rivera began to Roger Puchalski - Editor
prevent the child from developing iorally trained staff, Epstein adds, pull ahead soon after election day Roxie Harbison - Sales & Marketing
the following conditions as an adult: noting that these staff members can votes began to be added to the tal- Printed in Buffalo by Buffalo Newspress
diabetes, dyslipidemia (high choles- also address other problems that ly. By the time half the returns had E-MAIL riverrock@email.com
terol or triglycerides), hypertension regularly occur in families. been counted, he was in the lead
or need for bariatric surgery. And since family-based behav- for good. (716) 835-9455 • FAX (716) 835-9457
“We applied these criteria to our ioral treatment is associated with The views of columnists and letter writers do not necessarily
data gathered over four decades to changes in child, parent and sibling Support our reflect the views of the RiverRock Times. Letters to the editor are
show how many of the children who weight, it is far more economical welcome at riverrock@ email.com or by mail: RiverRock Times,
participated in our studies would, as than treating each person separately. advertisers! c/o 979 Grant St., Buffalo, NY 14207. They should be concise.