From left, Legislator Stephanie Bontempi (3rd from left) and Legislator Manuel Esteban (center) at the forum. Photo courtesy of Leg. Bontempi's office
John Venza, one of the presenters, speaking to the audience. Photo from Leg. Bontempi’s office
The Northport Public Library recently collaborated with Suffolk. County Legislator Stephanie Bontempi (R-18th L.D.), Suffolk County Legislator Manuel Esteban (R-16th L.D.) and Suffolk County Legislator Robert Trotta (R-13th L.D.) to facilitate a timely discussion on addiction, mental health and today’s youth.One of the objectives of the event, entitled “Breaking the Stigma,” was to encourage more frequent and honest dialogues on the topics in both public and private circles.
“The issues of addiction and mental health are too important to ignore or tiptoe around,” said Bontempi.“These serious issues warrant our full attention, and part of the process leading to that is recognizing that they are simply part of the human condition.We need to address our issues, not be ashamed of them.
“The night’s presenters included John Venza and Gordon Gooding who spoke respectively about concerns surrounding addiction and the stressors associated with everyday life.The presentations made it clear that there are no shortage of challenges out there, but there are also many treatment options and preventative tools.
“If you are a parent or caregiver of children, staying up-to-date on the growing body of knowledge and resources in this arena is so important,” added Bontempi.
Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta is hosting a summer drive to collect non-perishable items for school lunches and snacks, as well as personal care products for the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. The pantry is located at St. Joseph’s Church, 59 Church Street, Kings Park, and is open on Monday and Thursday form 1pm until 4pm. To speak with someone at the pantry, please call 631-269-6635.
Specific items that they are seeking include snack size cookies, chips, pretzels, juice boxes, small bottled water, and salsa and chips. They also need such staples as cereal, bottles of cooking oil, sugar, flour, mustard, mayonnaise, jarred sauce, breadcrumbs, Hamburger Helper, pickles, canned fruit, boxed milk, Pop Tarts, honey, napkins, paper towels, sandwich bags, cleaning supplies and Marble composition books. Personal care items requested are body wash, toothpaste, shaving cream, razors, shampoo, tissues, small hand sanitizers, and laundry detergent.
“During this difficult time, it is important to help our fellow neighbors so donations of these items may be dropped off at my office at 59 Landing Avenue, Suite 1 A, (blue door), Smithtown, from now until September 9, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 pm,” said Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta. For more information, please call Legislator Trotta’s office at 631-854-3900.
The 2022 Dennis Cannataro Music series kicks off with the Just Sixties Band on July 7.
This article has been updated to add one more concert on August 11.
Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta has announced the return of the Dennis Cannataro Family Summer Concert Series to the Smithtown Main Library, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown which start on Thursday, July 7 and run through Aug. 11.
These concerts are made possible by a Suffolk County Omnibus grant obtained by Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta. “The free shows provide a great opportunity for everyone to enjoy themselves, hear some great music and to support our downtown merchants and local restaurants,” said Legislator Rob Trotta.
The concerts are held every Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m. Bring a chair or blanket for seating.
The line-up is as follows:
July 7 – Just Sixties (60s)
July 14 – One Step Ahead (Greatest Hits)
July 21 – Petty Rumors (Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty)
July 28 – Endless Summer (60th Anniversary of the Beach Boys)
August 4 – Captain Jack (Billy Joel)
August 11 – The Gold Coast Orchestra (Motown)
For more information or in case of inclement weather on the day of the event, please go to the Smithtown Library’s website at www.smithlib.org or call 631-360-2480 ext.150 after 3 p.m.
Proposition 2 has become mired in political wrangling with some environmentalists and Republicans saying they would sue if it passes.
Proposal 2, which would allow Suffolk County to tap into a sewer stabilization fund to combat the economic effect of the COVID-19 shutdown, was close to passing during the election this week.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. Photo by Julianne Mosher
The proposal, which environmental groups including the Long Island Pine Barrens Society indicated they would likely challenge in court, would allow the county to use sales tax revenue from a drinking water protection program. It would also changing an agreement to repay close to $30 million borrowed from the sewer stabilization fund, while using another $15 million from the fund.
During a call with reporters Wednesday, the day after Election Day Nov. 3, County Executive Steve Bellone (D) said the measure would provide financial support for first responders, emergency services workers, and fire and rescue workers.
“I want to thank the people of Suffolk County for passing this common sense measure,” Bellone said on a conference call with reporters. The proposal will “protect taxpayers, first responders and essential workers during a pandemic.”
Legislator Robert Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) said the proposal was about 30,000 votes ahead with about 170,000 absentee ballots still uncounted.
Trotta called the proposal an “affront to the taxpayer,” and that the money was “supposed to be put in a lockbox.” Trotta, as has become customary between the two electeds, also questioned Bellone’s management of the county’s finances before the pandemic.
Trotta alleged Bellone was using the clean water fund to pay for “unaffordable contracts.”
The Suffolk County legislator said that if the Pine Barrens Society didn’t file a lawsuit against the use of these funds to rebuild the county’s finances then he would find a wealthy benefactor for a lawsuit.
Separately, Bellone urged court and election reform during his call.
“We had this perverse situation where voters had to wait in line for hours at a time to exercise their fundamental right to vote, only to find when they were finally handed their ballot” that many court races had been “pre-decided,” Bellone said.
Bellone urged court reform and a process to professionalize the elections.
Amid an upswing in COVID-19 cases around the country, Suffolk County, which was once at the epicenter of the deadly virus, has been experiencing an increase in cases as well. Last week, the county averaged a 1.5 percent positive test rate, while the number of people hospitalized with the virus that has caused the pandemic has climbed to the 40’s. Bellone said the county hadn’t been below the one percent level since Oct. 21st.
“The fact that they are ticking up is a concern within the context of where we are with the cold weather, with winter approaching,” Bellone said. “These numbers are a concern. We remain focused on that, keeping people healthy, keeping these numbers down, and enabling an economic recovery to continue. We can not afford to slide back.”
Bellone said the county has experienced a few clusters of cases. One was at a Southampton polling site and the other was a gathering of people at Shoreham-Wading River schools, which led the high school to go to an all-remote learning model for several weeks.
At this point, Shoreham Wading River High School is closed for in person learning through Nov. 11.
“Even if proper precautions are taken, [people] can end up in a situation like this,” Bellone said, urging residents to remain vigilant about reducing the spread of the virus.
Suffolk County Legislator Robert Trotta (Fort Salonga) has invited Arline Goldstein of St. James to serve as his appointee to the Suffolk County Citizens Advisory Board for the Arts. Established in 1978, the board suggests, reviews and recommends policies and programs for the arts. A major function of the board is the allocation of grants to various artistic and cultural organizations. The position is voluntary.
“Ms. Goldstein brings an incredible wealth of talent to the board as she is an artist who has had her work exhibited throughout Long Island and Manhattan. She is a past president of the Smithtown Arts Council and a retired teacher of Art and Gifted Children at the Longwood School District. In her studio on Lake Avenue, she teaches drawing and painting to adults, and in this pandemic holds classes on Zoom,” said Legislator Trotta.
In addition to her artwork, Ms. Goldstein is a founding member of “Celebrate St. James,” a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve and promote the culture and arts of St. James. As vice president of the organization, she initiated “Art Walk” on Lake Avenue in St. James.
For several years, Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) has been working with SMM Advertising in Smithtown to conduct a winter coat drive to benefit the residents of Suffolk County who are in need of warm winter clothing. They are collecting gently used or new coats, jackets, hats, gloves, mittens, scarves and new socks for infants, children, teens and adult men and women.
“As people prepare for the winter and clean out their closets or plan to give a new coat as a gift, it is important for all of us to help our fellow neighbors who need warm coats by contributing to this worthwhile drive,” said Trotta.
Donations of coats and other outerwear may be dropped off at Trotta’s district office, located at 59 Landing Ave., Suite 1, in Smithtown, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The coat drive ends Jan. 6.
For directions, questions or if you know of an organization with an urgent need, please call Trotta’s office at 631-854-3900.
