Controversy over October’s second Monday comes to the Island every year, but its helped two local state Assembly candidates find common ground. Republican Sam Pirozzolo and Democrat Vincent Argenziano, candidates to replace outgoing Assembly member Mike Cusick (D-Mid-Island), both took a stand against a piece of state legislation that would change the official designation for Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day in a variety of state laws.

“As a first-generation Italian-American, I am disgusted by this latest attempt to smear Italian-Americans and cancel a holiday that, for more than 100 years, has celebrated the contributions made by Italians immigrants like my parents, who came to this country as children in 1930s,” Pirozzolo said.