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Daniel Dunaief

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St. James Memorial Day celebration 2018. File photo by Sara-Megan Walsh

After a Memorial Day weekend when beaches will be open under new social distancing rules, Suffolk County is on track to reopen the economy starting next week.

Camp grounds will reopen starting on June 1. Starting tonight, residents can make reservations to visit those camp grounds starting on July 15, which is “a positive sign of the progress we’ve made,” County Executive Steve Bellone (D) said on his daily conference call with reporters.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said today that Long Island was on track to potentially reopen. What that requires is additional contract tracers, which Suffolk and Nassau officials said they were currently working on acquiring, and a 14-day total decline in deaths. The latter is likely the most tentative, and will surely depend on no spikes in numbers in the coming week.

The governor announced he would allow construction staging on Long Island, in anticipation for phase 1 of reopening, which would allow construction companies to start up again.

Bellone said people often think of Memorial Day weekend as the start of the summer season. This year, as the county and state look to loosen restrictions caused by COVID-19, summer will “serve as the unofficial transition to reopening our economy,” Bellone said.

Bellone encouraged residents to participate this weekend in the first of the Suffolk County Veterans runs. Interested participants in the virtual race, which is free but accepts donations to support veterans, can sign up at suffolkveteransrunseries.com.

The Suffolk County Police Department reiterated its plan to enforce social distancing and wearing face masks over the Memorial Day weekend. The SCPD anticipates crowds in downtown areas and said its Together Enforcing Compliance (or TEC) Team would be on foot in downtown areas and parks. Marine Bureau officers also expect more boaters on the water than usual after the end of New York Pause and planned to adjust their staffing levels and patrols accordingly.

Bellone raised the white flag in his ongoing effort to honor veterans who are buried at Calverton National Cemetery and Long Island National Cemetery. After putting together a proposal about how the county could plant flags safely at the cemeteries, Bellone received several rejections, interrupting an annual tradition that began in 1995.

The county executive still plans to plant flags for deceased service men and women at 15 non-national cemeteries tomorrow.

Bellone provided the daily update to the viral numbers.

An additional 119 people tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of residents who tested positive to 38,672. That does not include the 12,013 people who tested positive through the antibody test, which indicates they had the virus at some point.

The number of hospitalizations from the virus decreased by 28 to 425 through May 20. The number of people in the Intensive Care Unit increased by two to 131, also through May 20, which is the most recent 24 hour period for which the county had data.

With 882 beds available from a total of 3,009, the occupancy is just over 70 percent, which is the target for reopening. The number of available ICU beds is 193 out of a total of 547, which means ICU occupancy is at 65 percent.

In the last day, the number of people who died from complications related to the coronavirus increased by 12, bringing the total who died to 1,814.

Separately, the county executive office distributed an additional 30,000 pieces of personal protective equipment.

Bellone said 16 sites at CVS drive-through locations would provide self-administered COVID-19 tests. Residents will drive to the drug stores and will receive instructions with the kit. Someone from CVS will observe the process to ensure it is done correctly. Residents will get results within three days.

The county had six pediatric cases in the hospital as of May 20, which does not necessraily mean they have the rare inflammatory condition the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been tracking.

Gregson Pigott, the Commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, said the inflammatory condition caused by COVID-19 was still “very rare.”

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Photo by Rita J. Egan 2018

Frustrated by a Veterans Affairs office that has denied his repeated requests to conduct flag planting at Suffolk County’s two national cemeteries over Memorial Day weekend, County Executive Steve Bellone (D) is asking President Donald Trump (R) to get involved.

“I’m asking for his support once again on an incredibly important issue in this moment,” Bellone said on his daily conference call with reporters.

Bellone thanked U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY-1) and Trump for their help in securing personal protective equipment for the county and for helping to ensure that the county can tap into the municipal liquidity fund, which will allow the county to provide temporary property tax relief until July 15.

Without help from the president, Bellone said he is “afraid that a tradition that goes back a quarter of a century will end this Memorial Day weekend.”

Even if the county can’t place flags at Calverton National Cemetery and Long Island National Cemetery, Bellone and the county plan to place flags at 15 cemeteries. The County Executive is still looking for volunteers, who can sign up through his facebook page at facebook.com/SteveBellone. He is also looking for a donation of 3,500 8×12 inch or 12 x 18 inch flags in good condition.

Separately, the county executive indicated that Suffolk County residents shouldn’t expect fireworks displays in July to celebrate Independence Day.

“We know reopening our economy safely and being able to sustain that is directly connected to keeping our curve flat,” Bellone said. “Opening back up to mass gatherings” which would include July 4th fireworks “would undermine our goals.”

Viral Numbers

Hospitalizations continue to decline. The number of people in Intensive Care Units has declined by 29 through May 19 to 129, which is the “largest decline the county has seen” in a while, Bellone said.

The number of people who are hospitalized was 453, which is a decline from two days earlier, when the number was 497.

In the past day, 53 people have come home from the hospital.

The number of deaths due to complications from COVID-19 rose by 11 to 1,802.

The number of people who tested positive for the virus increased by 142 over the last day, rising to 38,553. That doesn’t include the 11,461 people who have tested positive for antibodies to the virus.

Stony Brook Update

Stony Brook is cutting back the hours of its drive-through testing site in the South P lot. It will be open from 8 a..m until 6 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday. Residents must make appointments in advance through the New York State Department of Health Hotline, at 888-364-3065 or at coronavirus.health.nygov/covid-19-testing. The site will not accept walk ins.

Finally, America’s Got Talent Golden Buzzer and Apollo Theater Competition Grand Prize Winner Christian Guardino will perform tonight at 8 p.m. at the entrance to Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.

The performance is for hospital personnel only.

The musical tribute will include a light show.

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John Kennedy Jr. (R) and Steve Bellone (D). File Photos

A Suffolk County working group, led by County Executive Steve Bellone (D), has requested an executive order from Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to provide a 45-day extension to property tax payments through July 15 for homeowners suffering financially during the pandemic.

Taxpayers who have lost at least 25% of their income or businesses with less than a million dollars in net income that have lost at least half of their net income can fill out a form that attests to their hardship to receive the extension.

The property tax relief, which the group has been discussing for several weeks, will help families that have not received their unemployment checks yet or small businesses who are waiting to receive PPP loans from the federal government, Bellone said on a conference call with reporters.

This provides “more time while the economy is shut down,” said Bellone. The county executive said he hopes to hear back from the governor’s office by next week.

Working with Comptroller John Kennedy Jr. (R), Bellone and other members of the working group extended the Municipal Liquidity Fund to Suffolk County, which didn’t initially qualify to access these short term funds under the original terms of the Cares Act. Access to these funds has made it possible for the property tax relief efforts to proceed, enabling county and other levels of government to provide residents with the ability to delay their property tax payments without penalties or fees.

Bellone thanked numerous political collaborators at every level of government and from both sides of the political aisle. He expressed appreciation to Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY-1) and Senator Charles Schumer (D) for helping the county borrow money without interrupting necessary services or creating financial hardship for residents.

“Nobody loves paying property taxes [but] it’s how we run government and how we can have things like the Suffolk County Health Department and police services,” while fire departments and schools also receive their funding through these taxes, Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman (R) said on the call.

Schneiderman said the 45 days of relief without interest or penalties “goes a long way to helping those individuals” and that the process of receiving that delay is “fair and easy through a simple attestation.”

Separately, the number of people who tested positive for the virus fell below 100 over the last 24 hours, with 84 positive tests bringing the total number to 38,411. That figure excludes the 10,790 people who have tested positive through the antibody test.

Suffolk County, however, continues to lose residents to the pandemic. In the last day, 19 people have died. At this point, 1,791 residents have died from complications related to COVID-19.

Over the last day, 20 people have left the hospital after battling with the virus. Bellone appreciated that Anthony Greco, a retired New York City police officer and a trustee of the board of the Wantagh Union Free School District, left Mt. Sinai South Nassau Hospital today after battling the virus for 60 days.

“We could not be more excited and thrilled that Anthony is going home today after this long battle with this deadly virus,” Bellone said.

Lock Your Cars and Take Your Keys

Meanwhile, stolen motor vehicle thefts increased 21.3% through the middle of May and thefts from motor vehicles increased by 30% in that same time compared with 2019, according to the Suffolk County Police Department.

Victims not only left their cars unlocked, but left key fobs in sight, making it incredibly easy to open a car, start the engine and drive away.

The SCPD reminded residents to lock their parked cars amid the spate of thefts.

“The increase in thefts of and from vehicles is a direct result of owners not taking the extra step to ensure their cars are secured,” Geraldine Hart, the Suffolk County Police Commissioner said in a statement.

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METRO photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

The weapons and uniforms are different, but the goals are the same: to protect the interests of Americans everywhere and to save lives.

Every year, Memorial Day presents an opportunity to honor the men and women who served our country in the military, as we appreciate their courage and sacrifice during battles against a range of enemies.

This year, we have a large group of people who are laying their lives on the line for the benefit of society. They are the first responders, who arrive at the homes of people stricken with symptoms of a disease that can make breathing difficult, that can give them a fever for days or even weeks.

They are the nurses who not only take the pulse and blood pressure of their patients, but also provide a human connection when those with the virus can’t have friends and family visit.

They are the doctors who use the best medicine at their disposal to provide comfort until a new standard of care is developed or a vaccine is created.

They are also the police and fire rescue teams that set aside their personal concerns about interacting with members of the community who might be sick to help strangers and the family members of those strangers.

Without these health care workers prepared to help in the struggle against a virus that never takes a weekend off or for which chicken soup, sleep or a hot shower are inadequate to ameliorate the symptoms, Long Islanders would be struggling on their own, infecting each other, and dying at even higher levels.

At the same time, people who work in other fields have been vital to the ongoing functioning of our society in the midst of the pandemic. The people who deliver packages and the mail have connected us to an outside world we can’t visit. They travel through our neighborhoods, wearing gloves and masks and bringing everything from Mother’s Day cards for the mothers and grandmothers we dare not visit lest we are an unsuspecting carrier of the deadly disease, to the paperwork we need to sign.

Those who work in grocery stores stock the shelves with the necessities and luxuries we snap up every week, as we continue to feed families huddled in our homes. Bus drivers and transit workers enable first responders, grocery store clerks, and others to get to and from their jobs.

In addition to accepting their normal responsibilities, these people also go to their jobs in a new normal that requires many of them to wash their clothing and shower before they interact with their family, which some of them only do while wearing masks.

Some of them have died in the line of duty. They have made the ultimate sacrifice because their difficult jobs haven’t provided them with an immunity from a virus that threatens everyone.

This Memorial Day, we should honor the fallen from past wars, the soldiers who fought in Europe 75 years ago, the ones deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, those who trudged through the jungles of Vietnam, and the patriots who ensured our freedom during the founding of the country.

We should also honor the fallen victims of the virus who were on the front lines, armed with personal protective equipment such as gloves, gowns and face coverings. 

When we wave our flags and honor those who gave their lives, we should pray for and thank the heroes of the last few months as well. They put themselves in harm’s way and inspired the rest of us with the same kind of courage we celebrate each year from our armed forces.

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West Meadow Beach at low tide. Photo by Beverly C. Tyler

Brookhaven Town is opening four major beaches for Memorial Day weekend for residents only. The town is reducing parking by 50 percent to ensure social distancing.

The beaches the town is opening are: Davis Park, on Fire Island; Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai; Corey Beach in Blue Point and West Meadow Beach in Stony Brook.

These beaches will open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The town will lock all parking lots at 6:30 p.m.

While residents can bring umbrellas and blankets, they must wear face masks or coverings in areas outside of the water or general beach area.

Lifeguards will be on duty and residents are allowed to enter the water, but they may not swim.

The town will provide restroom facilities that will be cleaned and sanitized every hour by staff.

After Memorial Day weekend, the beaches will have no public restroom facilities or lifeguards on duty during weekdays.

Residents can purchase Resident Parking Stickers from the Town of Brookhaven Parks Department through BrookhavenNY.gov/Stickers. For more information, call 631-451-8696.

Resident parking stickers are required to park in the beach parking lots.

Lifeguards, park employees and town code enforcement will monitor the distance between families.

Viral Numbers

Separately, hospitalizations from COVID-19 continue to fall, dropping by eight to 497, which is the first time the number has been below 500 since the end of March.

The number of people in Intensive Care Unit beds also declined, dropping five to 164.

In the meantime, 30 people have left the hospital in the last 24 hours.

After a drop in deaths on Monday, the number increased again in the next day, with 18 people dying from complications related to the virus, bringing the total in Suffolk County to 1,772.

The number of people who tested positive for the virus increased by 103 to 38,297, which excludes the 10,345 people who have tested positive for the antibody without having a previous test.

In the antibody tested administered by Northwell Health for first responders, about 9.7 percent of those tested have come back positive, which is an increase over the earlier figure when tested first started. At this point, about 2,900 test results have come back for first responders.

County Executive Steve Bellone (D) continues to urge the Veteran’s Administration to allow volunteers to place flags at the two national cemeteries located on Long Island.

Today, Bellone sent a certified plan in place for flag placement that indicates exactly how the county, which is reopening its beaches, can honor the veterans buried on Long Island.

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Nursing homes have become a hotbed of discussion over the large percentage of their residents who have died from COVID-19 while in New York facilities. Stock photo

With hospitalizations declining, Suffolk County is nearing six out of seven metrics to reopen its economy.

The county, which has had 230 contact tracers, is hiring additional people this week and plans to reach the 450 contact tracers required soon.

In the meantime, the only unmet metric remains a 14-day decline in hospital deaths.

The number of residents hospitalized with COVID-19 fell by eight through May 16 to 505. At the same time, the number of people who are in the Intensive Care Unit declined by seven to 169. Of those people in the ICU, 129 are on ventilators.

Hospital occupancy remains near 70 percent overall and at 64 percent in the ICU.

Even though the county has experienced a dramatic and healthy decline in the strain on the health care system, officials continue to try to stock up on PPE and other equipment that might be necessary if a second wave of the virus returned in the fall or winter. That would include ventilators.

An additional 47 people were discharged from the hospital in the last day.

Meanwhile, the number of people who tested positive for COVID-19 increased by 107, which is below the average for the last week, bringing the total who have tested positive for the virus to 38,224. That excludes the 9,925 people who have tested positive for antibodies.

This comes as Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced today that Western New York around Buffalo will be able to start the reopening process Tuesday, May 19.

Separately, as the county prepares for Memorial Day Weekend, County Executive Steve Bellone (D) announced that Smith Point and Cupsogue beaches would only be open to residents.

“My priority is to make sure Suffolk County residents will be able to enjoy access to their beaches during this crisis period,” Bellone said on his daily conference call with reporters. “We are looking forward to opening and welcoming people to our beaches with COVID-19 safety rules in place.”

Bellone said the county has distributed 54,000 additional pieces of personal protective equipment to nursing homes and adult care facilities throughout the county over the last day.

The county executive also urged residents to fill out the 2020 census to ensure that the county receives back from the federal government at least as much as it sends to Washington.

The benefits that come from a correct census count not only include accurate representation in the federal government but also provide unemployment insurance, homeland security funding and health care spending, which would help offset the county’s current expenditures during the pandemic.

Bellone urged people to “talk to friends and neighbors. It’s important for homeowners and business taxpayers, if they haven’t done it yet, to visit my2020census.gov. It takes a few minutes. We want to make sure we get everybody counted in Suffolk County.”

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Suffolk County has had difficulties coming up with PPE devices during the ongoing pandemic. Stock photo

Suffolk County continues its steady daily decline in hospitalizations from COVID-19, with 26 fewer hospital beds occupied with patients who have the virus, dropping the total through Friday to 513.

At the same time, the number of people in the Intensive Care Unit rose by 10 to 186 through May 15, the most recent day for which the county has data.

Hospital bed capacity remains close to 70 percent, a target metric for reopening the economy.

In the last 24 hours, 42 people have left the hospital, continuing their recovery at home.

The number of people who have died continues to climb. In the last day, 15 people died from complications related to the pandemic, bringing the total to 1,748. Suffolk County accounts for 7.7 percent of the total deaths in New York State from the virus, which is the same figure the county represents in the total population of the state.

Over the last 24 hours, the county has distributed 74,000 pieces of personal protective equipment, bringing the total to 5 million since the pandemic began.

With the Memorial Day Weekend approaching next week, the county is preparing to open Smith Point and Cupsogue. County Executive Steve Bellone (D) said the beaches would have a beefed up staff, which will help people as they are entering the beach to understand protools and the new ways the beach is operating.

When residents are on the beach and socially distanced, they won’t have to wear masks, but when they go to public facilities, like the rest room, they will need to wear face coverings.

The county will have attendants cleaning the bathrooms on a continual basis. The staff will wear appropriate face coverings. Anyone working at the beaches will have their temperature taken each day.

When the beaches reach capacity, the parking lots will close until some residents create openings for additional guests.

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The new front entrance of the emergency room. Photo by Victoria Espinoza

As the number of people who need hospitalization from COVID-19 decreases, Suffolk County health care facilities will be able to engage in hospital procedures that may have been put off for weeks or months.

Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) said today that Suffolk and Westchester Counties were eligible to resume elective surgeries and ambulatory care.

County Executive Steve Bellone (D) said the county was waiting for an executive order from the governor to resume those procedures, which he expected soon.

“This is another indication of opening up and getting back to more normal” activities, which includes the announcement yesterday that South Hampton and Cupsogue beaches would be opening for Memorial Day weekend, Bellone said on his daily call with reporters.

Elective surgeries are “another step forward in this transition away from a pause and to a management of public health concerns,” Bellone said.

The county executive said the surgeries would be helpful for the hospitals, as they return to other procedures and practices beyond caring for COVID-19 patients, while they would provide necessary treatment for people who need these operations.

The number of hospitalizations from COVID-19 decreased by 15 over the last 24 hours, dropping to 539. The number of people in the Intensive Care Units, meanwhile, rose by one to 186.

ICU beds were at 68 percent capacity, while overall hospital beds were right at the targeted 70 percent for reopening.

In the last day, 40 people left the hospital, which is “a very good number,” Bellone said. “We wish all those who have come from the hospital a continued speedy recovery.”

The number of people who have died from complications related to the virus increased by 24 to 1,733.

A Thursday rally in Commack calling for the state to reopen the economy led to multiple protesters acting in an agressive fashion toward Kevin Vesey from News 12, walking toward him with megaphones as he tried to keep a distance from the people who took off their masks to shout at him. That video shortly went viral.

President Donald Trump (R) tweeted about the incident Friday and Saturday, reciting chants from the group of protesters writing “FAKE NEWS IS NOT ESSENTIAL!” in all caps, and calling the protesters “great people.”

Bellone did not mention the president but instead expressed his support for journalists.

“I will make sure and the Suffolk County Police Department will make sure that everyone who is attending a rally like this, which includes members of the media, are protected,” Bellone said.

Separately, Bellone heard back from Veterans Affairs that residents would not be able to place flags at the graves of veterans at Calverton National Cemetery and Long Island National Cemetery. Bellone plans to send another letter, urging that VA Secretary Robert Wilkie reconsider, allowing the county to honor these servicemen and women during Memorial Day.

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Members of the Sound Beach Fire Department at the Memorial Day commemoration 2019. Photo by Kyle Barr

Even as County Executive Steve Bellone (D) awaits word on a possible policy change that would enable flag placement on Memorial Day for veterans buried at National Cemeteries, he has partnered with 15 non-veteran cemeteries to schedule flag placements on Saturday, May 23.

The County will work with local Boy Scout Troops and Veterans organizations to conduct the flag placements.

The Suffolk County Veterans Services Agency is working with local Boy Scouts to identify the sites for flag placement and with the Suffolk County Health Department to create safety procedures that will meet state and federal guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those who are placing flags to honor veterans will pick up flags at safe distances of six feet and will be required to wear face coverings.

Bellone is asking the Department of Veterans Affairs to donate the thousands of flags it purchased that would typically show appreciation for veterans at national cemeteries.

The county executive wrote a letter last week to Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie, requesting an amendment for the suspended honors at Calverton National Cemetery and Long island National Cemetery. Suffolk County has more veterans than any other count in New York State.

“This plan demonstrates that we can safely conduct group flag placements to honor our Veterans while protecting the public health,” Bellone said in a statement.

The participating cemeteries are:

• Washington Memorial Park Cemetery, Mount Sinai

• Union Cemetery, Middle Island

• St. John’s the Evangelist Cemetery, Riverhead

• Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary, Southampton

• Mt Pleasant Cemetery and Crematory, Center Moriches

• Huntington Rural Cemetery, Huntington

• Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Coram

• Queen of All Saints Cemetery, Central Islip

• First Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Southold

• Shaarey Pardes Accabonac Grove Cemetery, East Hampton

• St. Ann’s Episcopal Church Cemetery, Sayville

• North Babylon Cemetery, Babylon

• Babylon Rural Cemetery, Babylon

• St. Patricks Cemetery, Smithtown

• Our Lady of the Isle Cemetery, Dering Harbor

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Town of Brookhaven's Cedar Beach. Photo by Kyle Barr

Even before Suffolk County officially clears all the hurdles for a phased economic reopening, the county is planning to open Smith Point and Cuspsogue beaches over Memorial Day weekend.

County Executive Steve Bellone (D) suggested that keeping children home during the holiday weekend and the unofficial start to summer would be unrealistic, especially after all the limits placed on them to contain the spread of COVID-19.

While the beaches would be open, the visit to some of Long Island’s more inviting summer destinations won’t be the same as it is in any other year, as physical games, such as football and basketball, are limited.

Guests who visit the beaches will need to wear masks when they can’t maintain social distancing with other families or groups visiting the beach.

The bathrooms will be open and will have hand sanitizer. Attendants will also monitor the restrooms to ensure they remain sanitized.

Residents “won’t be playing contact sports,” Bellone said on his daily conference call with reporters, but they can go in the water.

It’s in the wake of more bad news for Long Islanders hoping Suffolk would be able to clear the hurdles necessary to open in a short time frame. Friday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) extended the New York Pause stay-at-home order until May 28, excluding the five of 10 upstate regions already set to start the reopening process.

Downstate, including Nassau and Suffolk Counties, have not met the seven criteria in order to open. Long Island is being counted as one region for the purposes of reopening, and New York State’s dashboard shows LI has still only met four of seven criteria. Long Island still requires a 14-day decline in hospital deaths, a supreme decrease in new hospitalizations and hundreds of new contact tracers.

As for the update on figures for the county, Bellone reported 175 new positive tests for the virus, bringing the total, without antibody tests, to 37,719.

Through Wednesday, the most recent period for which Bellone has data, the number of hospitalizations fell 21 to 554 which is “still a high number,” albeit one the county hasn’t seen for six or seven weeks.

The number of people in Intensive Care Unit beds increased by two to 185.

The county was below the 70 percent target for bed capacity, with 69% of hospital beds and 65% of ICU beds in use with patients who are battling COVID-19.

In the last day, 44 more people returned home from the hospital to continue their recoveries.

The number of people who have died from the virus increased by 12, bringing the total to 1,709.

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