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Smith Point County Park Facebook

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine announced on July 16 that two County beaches are extending their hours during the current heatwave. Swimming at Smith Point Beach in Shirley and Cupsogue Beach in Westhampton Beach will remain open an additional hour, closing at 6:30 p.m. until further notice.

“Residents cannot be left high and dry in the heat wave,” said Romaine. “Increasing access to these most popular county beaches is a matter of public health and sound decision-making.” 

Romaine also emphasized the importance of safety.

“Safety is the most important part of any day near the water,” said Romaine. “Please adhere to the rules, pay attention to lifeguards and signs. Be careful.”

Romaine offered the following Safety Tips: 

  • Only swim within the buoys with a lifeguard on duty. 
  • Be conscious of riptides and remember to swim parallel to the shore to get out current before heading back to shore. 
  • Swim sober.
  • Never swim alone. 
  • Check local advisories before swimming. 

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Pixabay photo.

By Peter Sloniewsky

Suffolk County Legislature voted 15-2 Tuesday, June 25, to approve I.R. 1461 which will extend and revise the Suffolk County Drinking Water Protection Program. County Executive Ed Romaine (R) is expected to sign the measure into law July 8 for the mandatory referendum to be added to the November ballot. 

This program, if passed via referendum, will establish the new Water Quality Restoration Fund supported by an additional sales and use tax of 1/8%. It is estimated the increase in sales tax collections will fund about $4 billion over 50 years to implement the county’s Subwatersheds Wastewater Plan.

In June and July 2023, a 10-7 vote along party lines doomed the measure from reaching that November’s ballot.

The 1.5 million people of Suffolk County currently rely on more than 380,000 cesspools and wastewater systems, including over 209,000 systems located in environmentally sensitive areas. This decentralized infrastructure has been a significant cause of nitrogen pollution across the county. In both surface-level and underground bodies of water, this nitrogen pollution causes harmful algae blooms, which can release toxins into fish, destroy ecosystems by consuming excessive oxygen in the water and cause a variety of conditions in exposed humans.

Passage of the referendum has economic as well as health benefits. Creating and maintaining new wastewater infrastructure will create a number of well-paying jobs for the county government. Additionally, the risks posed to businesses reliant on Suffolk County water cannot be understated, as well as the threats to beaches across Long Island.

The Water Quality Restoration Fund can be used for water quality improvement, such as enhancing and maintaining existing sewerage facilities, consolidating sewer districts and replacing and installing wastewater treatment systems in areas where sewers cannot be installed. 

The language of the referendum itself is straightforward: “A yes vote ensures county funding to 2060 for clean water projects, improvements in drinking water, bays and harbors, and a no vote continues water quality degradation.”

Romaine claimed that passage of the referendum will be vital to fund sewer constructions, especially in less developed areas of the county, and the broad swaths of land with only cesspools installed. Romaine said that he “cannot emphasize enough the importance of this referendum” to address water contaminants.

Romaine was also the primary sponsor of the bill, which was co-sponsored by Legislators James Mazzarella (R-Mastic) and Ann Welker (D-Southampton).

Legislator Stephanie Bontempi (R-Centerport), who voted for the bill, claimed in a statement that while the bill gives the county the authority to establish longer-term funding for wastewater improvement projects, it also allows the county to apply for “much-needed” matching grant funding from the New York State and federal governments. 

The final decision will rest in the hands of Suffolk County voters on Nov. 5.

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Pixabay

By Peter Sloniewsky

Juneteenth, a holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States — a “second independence day” — was celebrated on Wednesday, June 19.

Upon the release of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, slaves were legally freed throughout all of the Confederate states, but could not be fully implemented in areas still under Confederate control. Because of this, enslaved people in the westernmost reaches of the Confederacy would not be free until years later. These people were emancipated on June 19, 1865, when a group of Union troops announced that the quarter-million enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, would be freed by executive decree. This day came to be known as Juneteenth, widely recognized in African American communities but remaining largely unknown to most Americans.

On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden (D) signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law that officially made the day a federal holiday. It is intended to act as a precursor to the Fourth of July, demonstrating that the liberty we celebrate on that day was imperfect. It guides us to consider the ways that our perception of freedom has evolved, and allows new groups and generations to reflect on what more can and should be done.

Across Long Island, there were a variety of planned Juneteenth celebrations and projects that intended to honor Black history and culture. 

Suffolk County commemorations

Last year, the Suffolk County Legislature created a freedom trail, inclusive of sites dating back to the 17th century, in celebration of Juneteenth. This freedom trail includes 47 sites of Black history across the county, such as churches, monuments and the site of the founding of the first African-American baseball team in Babylon.

Over the past weekend, the Hicksville Juneteenth Cultural Festival and the Elmont Juneteenth Celebration Festival provided opportunities to celebrate the holiday in Nassau County.

The role of this holiday as a time for reflection on the meaning of freedom, as well as the modern history of race relations in our country and communities, gains special importance considering the long history of discrimination across Long Island. Both Nassau and Suffolk counties remain some of the most segregated areas in the United States, according to a Nov. 17, 2019, Newsday article. Of the 291 communities on Long Island, a majority of its Black residents live in just 11 of them. 

This problem has in fact worsened in past years, according to the organization ERASE Racism. Between 2004 and 2016, six additional school districts on Long Island reached a level defined by the organization as “intensely segregated.”

In fact, much of the history of many modern segregation practices were born nearby, in Levittown. Owners of the mass-produced suburb strictly abided by Federal Housing Administration codes known today as “redlining,” which kept racial groups separated, as well as including in the community bylaws that “the tenant agrees not to permit the premises to be … occupied by any person other than members of the Caucasian race.”

Civil rights activism on Long Island, mostly spearheaded by the Congress of Racial Equality — comparable to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference in the South — was regularly faced with resistance including active Ku Klux Klan membership across the Island throughout the 20th century. Even today, the white-supremacist Proud Boys have been shown to rally in Long Island communities. During the wave of Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, Proud Boys tried to forcibly block 100 protesters from marching down the streets of Merrick, which is more than 90% white.

Juneteenth remains a solemn reminder across the country and to Long Islanders specifically that the pathway to true freedom is not yet complete.

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The Suffolk County Legislature has appointed John Rose of Setauket to the board of the Suffolk County Water Authority. The unanimous vote came at the June 4 general meeting of the legislature. Rose was appointed to a five-year term, succeeding Jacqueline Gordon, whose term expired in April.

“I am very excited for the opportunity to join the Suffolk County Water Authority,” Rose said. “I am grateful to Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey   for putting my nomination forward and all the members of the legislature for their trust in me. Drinking water is so essential to everything we do, and protecting it is the most important job we have. SCWA has always been an exemplary model of what makes Suffolk County great. I am looking forward to being a part of it.”

Rose is a business owner of several enterprises in the Selden area and has extensive knowledge of real estate development, planning, town codes, site work, and building plans. In 1998, he was honored by the Suffolk County Legislature with its Outstanding Volunteer Recognition Award. Rose served on the Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency from 2009 to 2015, where he helped encourage businesses to begin operations in or move to Brookhaven. He was appointed to the Suffolk County Downtown Citizens Advisory Board in 2013 and served on the Brookhaven Planning Board from 2015 to 2024.

“John has been civically engaged for more than 35 years,” SCWA Chairman Charles Lefkowitz said. “The Suffolk County Water Authority is all about serving our community, and John brings that experience in spades. I look forward to having his perspective on the board so that we can continue to improve for our customers.”

“Our board members have put forth many of the ideas that have helped shape SCWA,” Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Szabo said. “Each board member has a unique expertise which helps improve our organization. John’s expertise will be a major boost for the organization, and we are excited to benefit from his ideas.”

“We are very fortunate to have an outstanding organization in the Suffolk County Water Authority serving our residents, and I know they are in great hands with John Rose,” McCaffrey said. “I’ve known John and his service to the community for years now. He has contributed to our community for decades through his businesses, his work on the Brookhaven IDA, and other volunteer efforts. I know he will bring that same concern and dedication to the SCWA board. I am proud to have nominated John.”

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Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta. Photo courtesy Leg. Trotta

By Sabrina Artusa

The Suffolk County Economic Development, Planning & Housing Committee met May 29 to consider, among other business, a resolution designed to increase home ownership. 

Resolution 1355, proposed by county Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) in early April, would obligate owners of developments with more than 20 units to designate at least half of them as owner-only units, either through condominiums or cooperatives. 

In an area with notoriously high property taxes — some of the highest in the country — many native Long Islanders are forced to rent due to lack of alternative affordable housing. Trotta hoped that this bill would help people build equity.

The lack of ownership opportunities “is killing the middle class,” Trotta said. Without the option to expand their economic standing through investment, people are forced “to pay $3,000 a month and get nothing in return.”

“Let the people own something, give them pride in ownership,” Trotta added. 

The bill further stipulated that a development with more than 20 rentable units will not receive workforce housing funding or be allowed to connect to a Suffolk County sewer district unless half of the units are owner only. 

Passage of Bill 1355 would allow Long Islanders to remain without the continuous financial stress of renting, Trotta said. 

“This Legislature finds and further determines that there has been a dramatic increase in the construction of multifamily rental units in Suffolk County,” the resolution read. 

At the May 29 meeting, the planning and housing committee voted against the bill.

“It is outside of the purview of what we should be doing here in the county and I believe that this is a free capital system. If people want to build apartments to rent, they should be able to do it. If they want to build them for sale, they should be able to do it,” said Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst).

“I don’t think this is very American, what we just did. I think some people should really think about switching parties who just voted to kill home ownership in Suffolk County,” Trotta said. 

This is not perhaps a perfect initiative but it is part of an ongoing effort, I believe, of how to keep our elders here … and to provide an opportunity through apartment housing to stay in our communities,” said Legislator Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), the only other proponent of the bill.

 

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Shoreham-Wading River midfielder Liam Gregorek battles at “X” in the Suffolk Class C championship final. Photo by Bill Landon
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Moon rising over "X". Bill Landon photo
8th grader Noah Gregorek scores for the Wildcats. Photo by Bill Landon
8th grader Noah Gregorek looks for a cutter for the Wildcats. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcats score. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River midfielder Liam Gregorek battles at “X” in the Suffolk Class C championship final. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Alex Kershis pushes past a Bayport defender in the Class C championship final. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River midfielder Ryan Wilson in the Suffolk Class C championship final. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River midfielder Ryan Wilson in the Suffolk Class C championship final. Photo by Bill Landon
8th grader Noah Gregorek with a stick check for the Wildcats. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Alex Kershis shoots from down low in the Suffolk Class C championship final. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River midfielder Liam Gregorek drives towards the crease in the Suffolk Class C championship final. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Alex Kershis sees a cutter in the Suffolk Class C championship final. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bi

ll Landon

It was a collision course anticipated from midseason between top-seeded Bayport-Blue Point and the Wildcats of Shoreham-Wading River (No. 2) for the Suffolk Class C championship final Thursday night at the Martha Avenue sports complex in North Bellport May 23.

Having lost to the Phantoms 10-5 back on May 9, the Wildcats gave away three unanswered goals before midfielder Alex Kershis broke the ice for the Wildcats to trail 3-1 with two minutes left in the opening quarter. Kershis struck again with two minutes left in the half with his hat trick to tie the game thanks to an assist by Andrew Cimino, making the score 5-5.

Bayport scored twice more in the third quarter for which the Wildcats had no answer until the opening minute of the fourth when Liam Gregorek buried his shot followed by his younger brother Noah to make it a new game at 7-7. Kershis dished the ball off to Noah who split the pipes to retake the lead at 8-7 but Bayport scored with 10 minutes left in regulation. Bayport showed their patience with a four-minute-plus possession in the waning minutes when the Phantoms split the pipes at the 1:18 mark for the go-ahead goal at 9-8 that would make the final buzzer, and with it punched their ticket to the Long Island championship round. 

The other Wildcat scorers were Cimino and Liam Kershis. Shoreham-Wading River concluded their 2024 season with a 10-4 Division II record, 11-7 overall.

With the victory, Bayport-Blue Point took on Nassau County Class C title holder, Wantagh, at Longwood High School Wednesday, May 29, but the result was unavailable by press time.

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2024 Suffolk County Class A Champions. Photo by Bill Landon
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Miller Place junior Brooke Callaghan lays down a bunt. Photo by Bill Landon
Miller Place junior Emily Lopez drills the ball deep. Photo by Bill Landon
Miller Place freshman Breya Kesler hits a fly ball for the Panthers. Photo by Bill Landon
Ava Zicchinelli delivers for Miller Place in the Suffolk Class A finals. Photo by Bill Landon
Sophomore Laney Vomero rips the ball straight away for Miller Place. Photo by Bill Landon
Panthers retire the side. Photo by Bill Landon
Miller Place freshman Delaney Schleider with the play at the plate. Photo by Bill Landon
Miller Place freshman Delaney Schleider with the play at the plate. Photo by Bill Landon
Miller Place freshman Sadie Bryant throws the runner out at 1st. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

It was the bat of Emily Lopez bat that sparked the Miller Place (No. 3) offense with a two-run homer in the opening inning coupled with some lights-out pitching from Ava Zicchinelli that kept Islip (No. 2) at bay in the Suffolk County Class A championship final Saturday, May 25. Islip answered in the top of the third, but the Panthers plated two more insurance runs to protect a 4-1 lead after six innings of play. 

With Islip’s backs against the wall and down to the last three outs, Zicchinelli kept the Buccaneers on their heels and fanned the final batter for the win at the Martha Avenue sports complex in North Bellport. 

The Panthers will return to Martha Avenue Thursday, May 30, to contest the Long Island championship round where they’ll face the winner of the Wantagh/Seaford game. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. and tickets can be purchased at: gofan.co/app/school/NYSPHSAAXI. 

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By Samantha Rutt

All members of the Brookhaven Town Board at the May 16 meeting sported a green ribbon to signify their support for mental health awareness. “We are all wearing green ribbons … that is for mental health,” town Supervisor Dan Panico (R) said. “Statistics show one in five people in this country have a mental health issue. It is an issue that touches all of our lives, some of our families and what we want in the Town of Brookhaven for you to know you are not alone.” 

Panico continued, “There is help out there. If you feel you need help or a family member needs help, contact the supervisor’s office or your councilperson.”

Moving on to the public hearing portion of the meeting, several applications were addressed including a modified site plan of Mount Sinai Meadows. The plan to amend the excess materials to be removed from the site was approved and will have no financial impact. 

In Centereach, the Centereach Hyundai filed an application for a change of use for the reduction of the building size from 45,150 square feet to 40,091 square feet, update landscaping, lighting and parking areas, special permit for outdoor parking or overnight parking with variances for property located on the north side of Middle Country Road. The application was approved with oversight from the town Environmental Protection Division ensuring no significant impact on the environment. 

Soon after, the board addressed the resolution agenda portion of the meeting. As part of the town’s agreement with the Long Island Housing Partnership, an extension of the initial agreement was granted. This agreement from May 25, 2022, was created under Title II of the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990. The general purposes of the program include expanding the supply of decent and affordable housing, particularly rental housing, for low and very low-income persons. The program is fully supported with HUD Federal funds. There is an adequate budget of $90K remaining resulting in no financial impact.

A request was made by District 1 councilmember, Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) for increased travel efficiency of the Port Jefferson Ferry terminal. The Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company is currently in the process of a major construction project at the ferry terminal by connecting to a sewer line located in a Port Jefferson Village parking lot. Approval of the councilmember’s request is awaiting state Legislature approval. 

Still pending decision, the application by Staller Associates for a zone change from Business to a Commercial Redevelopment District located on Patchogue Road in Port Jefferson Station. The application, initially submitted in 2021, proposes a demolition of an existing commercial building and an addition of a new mixed-use development. The proposed development includes seven commercial buildings for retail, restaurant, health club, professional/medical buildings as well as 280 dwelling units — 20% of which will be marketed as affordable housing units. 

The next Town Board meeting will be held on June 6 at the Town Hall in Farmingville. For more information about the Town Board visit brookhavenny.portal.civicclerk.com.

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Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Sheriff's Office
Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Sheriff's Office

The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office held a swearing in ceremony for 30 new Correction Officer Recruits on Monday, May 13, 2024, at the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Yaphank. These new Correction Officer Recruits immediately began a rigorous four-month training program that includes instruction in direct supervision, de-escalation techniques, report writing, defensive tactics, firearms, and much more. The recruits will graduate in the fall, joining a force currently consisting of 836 Suffolk County Correction Officers.  

This class of 30 Correction Officer Recruits includes 26 male recruits and four females among which six are Black and three are Hispanic. There is one Veteran, two recruits with prior law enforcement, nine recruits with Bachelor’s degrees, and five with Associate degrees. 

Sheriff Toulon welcomed these new Correction Officers to the Sheriff’s Office, reminding them that they “now hold a position of authority in Suffolk County, and with that authority comes great responsibility.”  

For more information on the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Division, please visit www.suffolksheriff.com.  

 

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Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine stands alongside county legislators on May 7. Photo by Samantha Rutt

By Samantha Rutt

In his inaugural State of the County Address, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R) outlined a comprehensive four-year plan to revitalize and fortify Suffolk County, emphasizing key priorities such as fiscal responsibility, public safety, infrastructure enhancement and social services reform. 

“I am extremely hopeful about the future of this county and there are 18 reasons for that and they all sit around me,” the executive said of his Legislature. “I have watched this Legislature for many years. I was part of this Legislature for many years and I am so impressed with the dedication and commitment of these people,” Romaine said as he stood before the podium. 

Addressing an audience May 7 at the William H. Rogers Building in Hauppauge, Romaine outlined his administration’s achievements within its first 100 days while charting a course for the county’s future. 

“Let me start off by saying that the state of the county is good — but it can be improved,” Romaine said. “I am going to be working with the 18 people behind me, men and women of goodwill. Men and women of intellect. Men and women to lead this county forward, because I believe our best days are ahead.” 

Fiscal strength and accountability

Romaine heralded significant strides in Suffolk County’s financial standing, citing a notable upgrade in the county’s credit rating by S&P Global Ratings.

“One thing I’ve learned over a long life is all issues of government are issues of money,” he emphasized. “Right now our general obligation bonds are rated ‘AA-’. I am happy to say that we got our first upgrade this quarter and we are now ‘A+’.”

With an upgraded rating and a stable outlook, the county seeks fiscal stability and enhanced access to capital markets. 

Additionally, Romaine announced initiatives to ensure budgeting practices, including a commitment to adhere to the state-mandated 2% property tax cap and the establishment of a centralized grants office to maximize state and federal funding opportunities.

“New York State has a 2% tax cap, inflation is running a lot higher than 2%,” Romaine explained. “I will submit a budget this September for next year that will not exceed the 2% property tax cap. We cannot afford to do that.”

Investment in public safety

Recognizing the importance of public safety, Romaine announced key appointments within the Suffolk County Police Department and outlined plans to expand law enforcement capabilities. 

“Public safety is a concern — we have new leadership in our department,” Romaine said. “As I promised, I’ve hired more detectives, and we have more cops on the street. It’s important because two things that I’ve heard from the voters and residents of Suffolk County is we need the county to be safe and we need it to be affordable.” 

Investments in new personnel, equipment and technologies aim to uplift public safety efforts and address emerging challenges. Notably, Romaine emphasized the significance of fair and efficient operations within the Traffic and Parking Violations Agency, a growing concern among residents across the county.

Infrastructure revitalization

Romaine touched on the imperative to modernize and maintain county facilities, highlighting initiatives to renovate and upgrade critical infrastructure. With a focus on improving constituent affairs and enhancing employee morale, the administration plans to address long-standing deficiencies in county facilities, including the Suffolk County Police headquarters and the Medical Examiner’s Office building. 

Additionally, plans to reacquire the former John J. Foley nursing home property in Yaphank signals a strategic approach to meet evolving community needs while realizing significant cost savings.

Cybersecurity preparedness

Reflecting on the cyberattack of 2022 and acknowledging the enduring threat posed by cyberattacks, Romaine outlined measures to reinforce the county’s cybersecurity infrastructure. Through comprehensive audits, strategic hiring and resource allocation, the administration shifts its aim to mitigate vulnerabilities and safeguard sensitive data.

Social services reform and environmental preservation

“Now I come to the Department of Social Services, a department that needs a little bit of attention,” Romaine shared. “When I came into office and I read the Newsday article that Suffolk County was one of the worst in the state at processing SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] applications and that we were way behind in processing social service applications … that is going to change. We are going to put staffing in, we are going to be on top of things.”

Additionally, Romaine reaffirmed the county’s commitment to environmental preservation — just like preservation was a staple of Romaine’s time as Brookhaven Town supervisor — citing investments in farmland preservation and open-space conservation as critical components of sustainable development. The county executive recently appropriated $15 million to preserve farmland across the county. Since taking office, nearly 100 acres of farmland and open space throughout the county has been preserved with additional acquisitions planned later in the year.

Looking ahead

“I believe working together, investing in our infrastructure and rebuilding what is needed in this county as our best days are ahead,” the county executive remarked.

In concluding his address, Romaine articulated a vision of optimism and collaboration, emphasizing the collective efforts needed to propel Suffolk County forward. With a dedicated team and a commitment to transparency and accountability, he expressed confidence in the county’s ability to overcome challenges and realize its full potential. 

“Let’s step up to the plate, we have a lot of challenges ahead,” Romaine concluded.

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