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Times of Huntington-Northport

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Take part in a community clean-up event during Earth Day. Photo courtesy of Wading River Shoreham Chamber of Commerce

By Heidi Sutton

Whether you choose to participate in a beach or park clean-up, nature walk or a fun festival, there are plenty of ways to show your love for the planet for Earth Day over the next few weeks.

Huntington

Family Fun Earth Day Celebration

Town of Huntington hosts a family-friendly Earth Day celebration at Manor Farm Park, 210 Manor Road, Huntington on Saturday, May 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Attendees can enjoy arts & crafts, Touch a Truck, live music, a marine touch tank, beekeeping demonstrations, storytime, giveaways and much more. 631-351-3175

Melville

Earth Day Celebration – This event has been postponed to May 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

West Hills County Park, Sweet Hollow Road, Melville and Suffolk County Leg. Rebecca Sanin will host an Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 26 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy a DDR horse show, live poetry readings and music, lawn games, farmers market, food vendors, environmental information booths and free giveaways. No registration necessary. 631-854-5100

Mount Sinai

Community Beach Clean-Up

Town of Brookhaven will hold an Every Day is Earth Day Beach Clean-Up at the Cedar Beach Nature Center in Mount Sinai on Saturday, April 19 at 2 p.m. to remove litter and marine debris from the coastline. Supplies will be provided. Registration is required by emailing [email protected].

Port Jefferson Station

Greenway Trail Cleanup

In celebration of Earth Day, the Three Village Community Trust will host a Friends of the Greenway trail clean-up at the Port Jefferson Station trailhead (parking lot by Rte. 112/Hallock Avenue) on Saturday, April 19 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. 

Ronkonkoma

Bird Walk and Trash Cleanup

Join the Four Harbors Audubon Society for a Bird Walk and Trash Cleanup at Lily Pond County Park, Smithtown Blvd., Lake Ronkonkoma on Tuesday, April 22 at 8 a.m.  in celebration of Earth Day and in memory of Diane Spitz, who spent many years as unofficial caretaker of the Park. Please bring gloves and bags. Email [email protected] to register.

Shoreham 

Metal for Tesla

Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe, 5 Randall Rd, Shoreham will host its annual Metal for Tesla scrap metal drop-off event (appliances, car parts, shelving etc.) in honor of Earth Day on Saturday, April 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 631-886-2632

Smithtown

Earth Day at Sweetbriar

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown invites the community to an Earth Day is Every Day celebration on Sunday, April 27 from 1 to 3 p.m. Children will meet resident animals, make a craft and go on a scavenger hunt to find out some of the things they can do to help the natural world. Best for families with children over 4 years old. $15 per child, $5 per adults. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org. For more info, call 631-979-6344.

Stony Brook

Earthstock Festival at SBU

The signature Earthstock Festival returns to Stony Brook University’s West campus, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook on Friday, April 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with vendors, live music, a duck race, lots of activities and performances. Free and open to all. Visit www.stonybrook.edu/earthstock.

Community Beach Clean-Up

Town of Brookhaven will hold an Every Day is Earth Day Beach Clean-Up at West Meadow Beach in Stony Brook on Saturday, April 19 at 10 a.m. to remove litter and marine debris from the coastline. Supplies will be provided. Registration is required by emailing [email protected].

Train Station Beautification Project

The Three Village Community Trust invites the community to join them for the Stony Brook Train Station Beautification Project on Saturday, April 19 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for Earth Day. The group will be weeding, clearing fallen branches, removing litter, de-vining trees, and other tasks to beautify the Station. Bring your gloves and garden tools. 631-942-4558

Wading River

SWR Earth Day Cleanup

The Wading River Shoreham Chamber of Commerce invites the community to  participate in an Earth Day Clean-up event on Sunday, April 27 from 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at The Shoppes at East Wind, 5768 Route 25A, Wading River for a day of environmental stewardship. Supplies will be provided or feel free to bring you own. Community service credits available. Held rain or shine. Register at www.wadingrivershorehamchamber.com.

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Legislator Sanin presents a proclamation to contest winner, Andreas Psarris. Photo courtesy of Leg. Sanin's office

A Suffolk County teen’s creative vision took center stage at the Suffolk County Legislature, where his inspiring bike safety video captivated a room full of lawmakers and community leaders. In front of all 18 legislators, Walt Whitman High School senior Andreas Psarris was proudly honored by Legislator Rebecca Sanin as the countywide winner of the Legislature’s Annual Bike Safety Video Contest.

Each year, the Legislature encourages students across Suffolk County to create informative and engaging content promoting bicycle safety. The initiative empowers young people to raise awareness about vital public safety issues through creativity, education, and media.

This year, Andreas Psarris distinguished himself through his deep understanding of bike safety and his impressive videomaking skills. His fast-paced, creative video delivers life-saving safety tips in just 60 seconds—with detail, heart, and clarity. Psarris’s work rose above entries from all 18 legislative districts and his video will be used by the Suffolk County Police Department to promote bike safety across the county.

“Andreas is a remarkable example of the talent and leadership we have right here in the 16th Legislative District,” said Legislator Rebecca Sanin. “His video not only educates, it inspires—and it will help keep residents safe. We are so proud of his achievement and know this is only the beginning of the incredible contributions he will make to our community and beyond.”

Andreas reminds us what young people can accomplish when we give them a platform. Legislator Sanin presented Andreas with an official proclamation recognizing his accomplishment and commending his efforts to make Suffolk County a safer place for all.

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Stock photo

In last week’s issue, two local hikers walked from Robert Moses to Montauk. Garbage littered their path throughout the journey: a jarring contradiction to the beautiful coastal landscape. In another article, our Long Island Congress members conferred about offshore drilling and wind power. In public hearings over land use, constituents and town officials negotiate green space and vegetative buffers. Environmental issues are interwoven into the fabric of our community, embedded in almost every field or industry. 

The younger generation, as the inheritors of our community, are faced with mounting environmental concerns with energy storage, renewable energy and climate change. While previous generations had leeway to push environmentalism to the side, the younger generations can not afford to ignore the diminishing health of the environment.  Programs such as the one offered at Stony Brook University, are paramount in ensuring that these students have the tools to do so.

At Stony Brook University’s second annual Long Island Youth Climate Summit, teenagers learned how to get involved with environmental movements. We wholeheartedly agree with local officials who recognize the importance of a university program that provides an important and necessary opportunity for students to learn about these issues. 

Further,several political leaders such as Suffolk County legislators and Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine attended the conference; however, while democratic officials were well-represented, republicans were in shorter supply. While we don’t know what kept other officials from attending, or if they were aware of the event at all, the disparity suggests a potentially problematic political divide in how we approach environmental topics that can impede progress.

This was only the second time the Climate Summit occurred, but it is a huge step in closing the gap between environmental misinformation and increasing awareness of growing environmental concerns such as the warming climate and weather-related natural disasters. Long Island has its fair share of environmental problems and we have to make sure the next generation is aware and ready, not only out of necessity but out of appreciation for the gift of our world.

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Pixabay photo

By Frank Artusa

For as long as there have been nation states, spies have been hard at work trying to gather intelligence for strategic advantage. Historically, the direct victims of such efforts have been government agencies, the military and corporate intellectual property, but recent events have put us all in the crosshairs when it comes to our digital communications.

Though sophisticated methods like collecting radio frequency emanations, tapping above ground and undersea communications cables, and other signals intelligence techniques, have been historically employed by adversary nations, few could have predicted the massive data breach recently perpetrated by an elite hacker group attributed to the People’s Republic of China called Salt Typhoon.

Salt Typhoon, a codename assigned by Microsoft’s cyber threat intelligence team, was first discovered in Fall 2024 to have compromised telecommunications systems and networks belonging to Verizon, T-Mobile, Spectrum and several others. The widespread compromise involved the exposure of data associated with phone calls, voicemails, and text messages impacting millions of Americans. The true extent of this massive breach has yet to be revealed, and it’s unknown whether the affected systems have been fixed.

The idea that any hacker group could obtain access to such critical infrastructure and persist, undetected, for apparently up to a year or more, is difficult to comprehend. The Federal Government’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) indicated that Salt Typhoon was able to obtain access due to unpatched network hardware and leveraging entry points designed for use  by law enforcement, or “backdoors”.

Some experts blame the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), a 1994 digital wiretapping law that compels telecommunications companies to assist law enforcement in conducting electronic surveillance with a court order. This tool by the very nature of its existence presents a potential backdoor into the telecom’s network. However, federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities utilize this technique to investigate criminal activity, with probable cause, to uncover evidence of crimes ranging from gang activity, organized crime, public corruption and everything in between. This makes CALEA a double edged sword: supporters laud its criticality to criminal investigations and detractors argue for its potential misuse by hackers or a corrupt government. 

Despite the obstacle described above, in December 2024 the FBI and CISA took the bold step of recommending that individuals utilize communication apps that offer end to end encryption (E2EE). E2EE is an encryption methodology that is used by apps like Whatsapp, Signal, and iMessage (when communicating between apple devices). 

E2EE makes it impossible for an interloper to read data due the advanced encryption utilized to encode data. As an example, it would require thousands, if not millions of years for a supercomputer to break encryption implemented by these applications. Quantum computing, a radical new computer processing technology poses a threat, but this innovation is still years away and governments are aggressively working to develop quantum proof encryption as well.

A clear use of the government’s own utilization of this E2EE technology was recently demonstrated when U.S. national security and defense officials used Signal to communicate tactical war plans in Yemen, albeit with unintended recipients.

Threats posed by advanced nation states capable of funding top tier cyber espionage operations are growing, with dozens of capable groups originating from Russia, Iran and North Korea as well as China. Additionally, this doesn’t include independent cyber criminal groups looking to steal and sell personal data. Considering the wide array of potential threats to digital data, E2EE appears to be one of the few tools guaranteed to stop hackers from eavesdropping on digital communications.

Internet Crime Complaint Center — www.ic3.gov

Frank Artusa, a resident of Smithtown, is a current cybersecurity professional and retired FBI Special Agent.

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Muhammad Ashraf Azmi accepts a proclamation from Leg. Rebecca Sanin on April 9. Photo courtesy of Leg. Sanin's office

At the General Meeting of the Suffolk County Legislature on April 9, Suffolk County Legislator Rebecca Sanin proudly honored Muhammad Ashraf Azmi, a tireless advocate for diversity, inclusion, and civic engagement in the Town of Huntington.

Muhammad Ashraf Azmi has called Huntington home since 1997, where he has built a legacy of service rooted in compassion, equity, and community safety. As a proud Pakistani Muslim American, Muhammad has dedicated decades to advancing unity and opportunity across Suffolk County.

Currently serving as an executive member of the Pakistani Americans of the Town of Huntington (PATH), Muhammad uplifts the voices of local Pakistani American families and fosters connection through cultural exchange and civic participation. He is the former chairman of the Pakistani American Society of New York (PASNY) and previously led the Asian American Task Force in Huntington.

Throughout his career, Muhammad has been a champion of civic engagement, a trusted partner to elected officials, and an active organizer of events that celebrate Huntington’s rich cultural diversity.

“Muhammad Ashraf Azmi embodies the values of inclusivity and public service,” said Legislator Sanin. “His unwavering dedication to uplifting others and creating bridges across communities is the kind of leadership we need to build a stronger, kinder Suffolk County.”

In addition to his community work, Muhammad is an accomplished applied chemist, environmentalist, and small business owner. He is also a devoted husband and father of four, seamlessly balancing his professional, personal, and civic responsibilities.

Legislator Sanin presented Muhammad with an official proclamation in recognition of his ongoing efforts to build a more just and connected community. The honor was presented alongside a student award ceremony recognizing youth leadership in bicycle safety, making the day a celebration of both present and future changemakers.

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Eleven international students’ visas have been terminated since March 28,  Stony Brook University officials confirmed. The University’s Office of Global Affairs notified the students. 

“We want to assure you that our Global Affairs team is exceptionally knowledgeable in advising our international community and are working around the clock to provide individualized support to our international students, faculty, and scholars,” reads a letter written by Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Carl W Lejuez, Graduate School Dean Celia Marshik and Senior Associate Provost for Global Affairs Lindsi Walker. “They are leveraging their extensive network of partners, including SUNY, to gather up-to-date information on resources and guidance.”

University representatives did not disclose why the visas were revoked and referred questions to SUNY. On March 21, Interim President Richard McCormick released a letter addressing unrest among international students. The letter came amidst an increase in visa terminations across New York and the country.

In January, President Trump reversed a policy that prevented Immigration and Customs Enforcement from making arrests in schools and places of worship. 

According to Inside Higher Ed, more than 700 international students have had their visas revoked across the country as of April 11. In New York, at least 62 students across eight public and private universities have had their visas terminated. 

“As you know, this is a time of heightened uncertainty for international students on the nation’s college campuses. I am writing to emphasize that you are a valued member of our campus community,” McCormick wrote in the March letter. 

Students with questions regarding their visa status are directed to Stony Brook University’s Visa and Immigration Services, the office of International Student Success,Counseling and Psychological Services or the Student Support Team.

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Yader Salgado at the Northport Trinity Episcopal Church. Photo by Steven Zaitz

By Steven Zaitz

As sexton of the Trinity Episcopal Church, Yader Salgado has a lot of responsibilities and just as many keys on his oversized key ring to manage them. 

But as he ambles through the venerable building on Main Street in Northport early on a rainy Monday morning, he’s able to unlock every door he needs to, barely glancing at the massive collection of brass jangling from his belt. 

Yader Salgado at the Northport Trinity Episcopal Church. Photo by Steven Zaitz

Despite being in the job for less than a year, Salgado has quickly learned how to take care of the church and its grounds as if he has been doing it for decades. Since returning to Northport in June 2024 from his native Nicaragua, he has become a beloved member of the church and the community.

But in late March, Salgado received a letter from the United States Department of Homeland Security informing him that his enrollment in the United States humanitarian parole program had been revoked and he, his wife and two children would have to leave the country by April 24. Many of the participants in this program, which allowed half a million people from countries like Ukraine, Cuba, Haiti and Nicaragua to live in the United States temporarily but legally, are receiving these revocation letters.

The soft-spoken Salgado, who is from a town called Chacaraseca, about 50 miles northeast of the capital of Managua, was shocked when he received it.

“We were not expecting this letter,” said Yader (pronounced YAH-ther). “We’ve been trying so hard to do things right, writing letters to our sponsors and making sure that everything was fine with the immigration department. Then suddenly I just get this letter asking us to depart. We didn’t know what to do and we were very scared and afraid.”

Yader Salgado first came to the United States in the 1990s on a student visa sponsored by missionaries, one of whom was Peter White, a retired Northport High School teacher. Salgado then graduated from Northport High School in 1998 and went to Belmont Abbey College on a full scholarship. Upon graduation, he traveled back to Nicaragua, where he met his wife Sayda. The couple with their son Jesse, 20, and daughter also named Sayda, who is a current Northport High School freshman, came back to the United States this past summer on the two-year parole status. 

However, the letter from Homeland Security prematurely nullified the parole status after 10 months.

Father Andrew Garnett, who is the rector of Trinity Church, sprang into action upon hearing of this letter, initially taking to social media.

“Yader is the American Dream,” Father Andrew’s Facebook post read. “He and his family waited, worked and prayed for the chance to legally come to this country. From day one, he has been nothing but the best. His family is a shining example of what it means to be an American. He embodies the values of faith, family and hard work. To send him and his family away is not justice. It is a betrayal of the very principles upon which this nation was built.” The post ended with the hashtag of #saveyader. 

Father Andrew’s parishioners feel the same.

“This is a human who, with a leap of faith in our country, needed safety, and we offered it to him in Northport — both as a high school student and as a member of the Trinity community,” said Nadine Palumbo, a longtime educator in the Jericho Union Free School District and member of Trinity Episcopal Church. “As a teacher for 30 years, I stood and did the Pledge of Allegiance every day and that meant something to me. I know people have political differences, but when we talk about our basic principles, I think everyone can agree that this letter felt wrong on so many levels.”

Artists Bob and Nancy Hendrick, who are members of the church and also run the Trinity Community Art Center attached to it, have formed close bonds with the Salgados who live in the apartment above the art gallery.

“Yader and his family are a shining example of what it means to be part of our church family, where we support and uplift each other and their love and devotion inspire us to spread love and kindness wherever we go,” Bob Hendrick said. “We believe in treating each other with kindness and respect, embracing everyone in our community and beyond.”

Yader Salgado at the Northport Trinity Episcopal Church. Photo by Steven Zaitz

The sentiment started to snowball — at first within the confines of the church, then in the Village of Northport. It then began to radiate across Long Island and into New York City, as News12 and the other major local news outlets learned of the Salgados’ story. Yader and Father Andrew were on television all week and the unassuming sexton, who also works behind the deli counter at a local supermarket, was now a media sensation. 

With the publicity, a church connection to gain legal support and help from the Northport Mayor’s office, Yader was able to attain temporary asylum until his case is heard by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, which could take up to three years. While the Salgados’ immigration journey is not over, they are out of immediate danger.

“These are the kind of people who we should be rallying behind,” Father Andrew said. “It’s not a left or a right or a center thing. It’s the correct thing.”

The Salgados appreciate the love and support.

“Everybody has been so warm and welcoming to my family and me and I like Northport a lot,” Yader said.  “A lot of people have supported me and a lot of people just really like me even if they don’t know me, they want to know who I am. I’m happy to be part of this congregation of this church and part of this in a church family. I’m happy to be part of Northport.”

And Yader and his family would love to add one more key to his ring — the one that opens the door to permanent residence in Northport and the United States. 

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Photo courtesy of TMB Model Train Club

Train Masters of Babylon Model Train Club at the Upper Room Church, 722 Deer Park Ave., Dix Hills hosts a Model Train Show Open House on Saturday, April 12 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Come see their new 6500 square foot Come check our progress and enjoy  multiple trains from prewar to the most modern O gauge trains running at all times. Fun for the whole family. Free admission. For more information, visit www.tmbmodeltrainclub.com

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Metro image

By Heidi Sutton

What’s more fun than an Easter egg hunt? Here is a list of egg hunts on the North Shore for this weekend and next weekend so grab your baskets and a camera and hippity hop over to these fun springtime celebrations. 

Cold Spring Harbor

Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor will hold an Egg Hunt for children ages 0 to 6 on April 12, 13, 17, 18 and 19 with 20 minute sessions scheduled throughout the day. Fee is $12 per participating child, $5 helper siblings ages 7 to 12, $7 adults, $6 seniors. Children must be accompanied by a parent. By reservation only at www.cshfishhatchery.org. 516-692-6768

Commack

Burr Intermediate School, 202 Burr Road, Commack hosts a free egg hunt with over 4,000 eggs on April 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with games, prizes, special golden eggs and a free photo of your child with the Easter Bunny. Register at www.commackegghunt.com. 631-486-3811

East Northport

Island Christian Church, 400 Elwood Road, East Northport will host a free Easter Egg Hunt on April 19  from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Activities will include face painting, crafts, games, bounce houses, photo-ops, and of course, hunting for eggs! You may even see the Easter Bunny! Held rain or shine. Free. Visit islandchristian.com/easter to register. 631-822-3000

East Setauket

Benner’s Farm hosts their Easter Egg Hunt Weekend on April 18, 19 and 20 this year. File photo by Rita J. Egan/ TBR News Media

— Benner’s Farm, 56 Gnarled Hollow Road, East Setauket will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt celebration on April 18, 19 and 20 with craft vendors, barnyard animals to see and hold, an egg hunt in the fields (at your purchased time slot), pictures with the Spring Bunny and more! This is a ticketed event only. Tickets are sold online only for $13.50 per person. To register, visit www.bennersfarm.com. 631-689-8172

— Three Village Church, 322 Main St., East Setauket invites children up to 5th grade to an Easter Egg Hunt on April 19 from 10 a.m. to noon. with games, story time, crafts, face painting and more. No tickets needed. Free. 631-941-3670

Farmingdale

— The American Airpower Museum, Hangar 3, 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale will hold its annual Easter Egg Hunt on April 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. along with an Easter Tram Rides, photos with the Easter Bunny and visit their  “Bunny Patch” to adopt your very own plush toy bunny or chick!  No pre-registration or tickets required. Admission for adults $20, seniors/vets $15, kids ages 3-12 $10. 631-293-6398

— Village of Farmingdale hosts its annual Easter Egg Hunt for children up to 11 years old on April 12 on the Village Green, 361 Main St., Farmingdale at 11 a.m. followed by photos with the Easter Bunny. Free. Rain date is April 13 at 2 p.m. 516-249-0093

— Stew Leonard’s, 261 Airport Plaza, Farmingdale hosts an Easter egg hunt on April 15 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Take photos with the bunny and collect eggs filled with candy and other prizes from costumed characters. Free for ages 8 and younger. Get tickets at eventbrite.com. 516-962-8210

Farmingville

Farmingville Historical Society will hold its annual Easter Egg Hunt at Arboretum Park, 10 Maple Lane, Farmingville on April 19 at various times from noon to 3 p.m. Embark on an Easter Egg Adventure into the historic firehouse for fun activities, meet a real life bunny and take a photo with the Easter Bunny. $15 per child. Register at FHSLI.org.

Flanders

Children ages 2 to 9 are invited to join an  Easter egg hunt for “duck” eggs at The Big Duck Ranch, 1012 Flanders Road, Flanders on April 19 at noon. Prizes will be given out for the winners in each age group. Bring your camera for photo ops with the Easter Bunny. The Long Island Duck Farming exhibit will also be open to the public. Free. Rain date is April 26. 631-284-3737.

Huntington

Children ages 1 to 8 can enjoy a spring celebration and egg hunt at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, 25 Lloyd Harbor Road, Huntington on April 19 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Activities including a petting zoo, arts and crafts, a meet and greet with Mr. Bunny and a special concert by FunikiJam. $20 per child. Held rain or shine. Register at www.caumsettfoundation.org/programs.

Melville

Take part in an Easter Egg Hunt at White Post Farms, 250 Old Country Road, Melville  on April 12 to 13 and April 14 to 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Meet the Easter Bunny, visit the bunny holding station, see a magic show and much more. Admission is $29.95. 631-351-9373

Port Jefferson

Meet the Easter Bunny at the annual Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce sponsored Easter event on April 19. Photo by Kyle Barr

Children ages 2 to 8 are invited to join the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce for an Easter Egg Hunt following the annual Easter Parade in the Village of Port Jefferson along Main Street on April 19 at 12:45 p.m. Line up in front of the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson at 1 p.m. after the parade. Photo ops with the Easter Bunny will be from 1:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. Free. 631-473-1414

Port Jefferson Station

Brightview Senior Living, 1175 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station will host an Easter egg hunt, storytime fun with local children’s authors, photos with the Easter Bunny and a special Easter basket raffle on April 13 from noon to 4 p.m. Reserve your spot at www.eventbrite.com.

Rocky Point – just added!

The Rocky Point annual Easter egg hunt for ages infant to 5th grade will be held at Robert Miner Park, aka Rocketship Park, Hallock Landing Road, Rocky Point on April 15 at 11 a.m. (egg hunt at noon) with face painting and tattoos. Photos with the Easter Bunny are $5.

St. James – rescheduled to April 19

Children can hunt for Easter eggs at Deepwells Farm in St. James on April 19. Photo by Greg Catalano

St. James Chamber of Commerce will host a Spring Egg Hunt for children ages 1 to 10 at Deepwells Farm, 2 Tayor Lane, St. James on April 19 at 1 p.m. with a surprise visit from the Easter Bunny. Free. No rain date. 631-584-5810

Selden – This event has been canceled due to the weather.

Join Brookhaven Town Councilman Neil Manzella and the Middle Country Youth Civic Association for a community Easter egg hunt at Veterans Park, Boyle Road, Selden on April 12 from 10 a.m. to noon. Free. 631-451-6647

Setauket

Caroline Episcopal Church, 18 Caroline Ave., Setauket hosts a community Easter Egg Hunt on April 19 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Enjoy games, prizes, snacks, a live magic show, face painting, an Easter hat contest, hat parade and a special long-eared guest. Free. Register online at carolinechurch.net/egghunt2025 631-941-4245

Smithtown – rescheduled to rain date of April 13

Join Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown for a Spring Festival and Egg Hunt on April 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with musical entertainment by Lena and the Happy Clam Band, games, animal presentations, crafts, face painting, pony rides, egg hunts, and a visit by the Easter Bunny. $25 children, $5 adults.  Register at www.sweetbriarnc.org. 631-979-6344

Wading River – rescheduled to April 13 and April 19

Bakewicz Farms, 291 Route 25A, Wading River will hold an Easter egg hunt on April 13 and April 19 at 1:30 p.m. Every child will leave with eggs filled with candy, stickers, and toys. Enjoy face painting and take pictures with the Easter bunny. $15 per child. For tickets, visit www.bakewiczfarmsny.com.

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Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine presenting the State of the County address. Photo taken from the livestream of the event

By Daniel Dunaief

After four upgrades from bond rating agencies and a comprehensive effort to work together with the legislature, County Executive Ed Romaine (R) believes Suffolk is doing well.

That, however, doesn’t limit opportunities for improvements, particularly in areas such as sewers, water quality, highway and road safety and the opioid war.

In a wide-ranging State of the County address before the 18 members of the county legislature, Romaine began his talk by thanking the group for working well together, setting off a distinction from national and state governing bodies.

“I look at other levels of government” including Washington and Albany and “the partnership is missing there, replaced by partisanship,” Romaine said. Local governments at the level of villages, town and counties, have to “deal with the pragmatic and we have to make sure that things work.”

Indeed, since he took office 15 months ago, Romaine said he hasn’t vetoed a single resolution.

Recognizing the bigger picture challenges of an economy that could suffer amid tariff tumult, Romaine suggested that seasoned political veterans had been through tough times before, such as the pandemic in 2020, the financial market meltdown in 2008 caused by the subprime mortgage market meltdown and the stock market rout of 1987.

“We got through tough times before and we’ll get through this as a team,” Romaine said.

Romaine highlighted how the county had received four bond upgrades. In December, Moody’s Ratings upgraded the county’s debt rating to A1 from A3 due to the county’s improved financial position, sales tax growth and operational oversight, according to the Bond Buyer.

Bond rating upgrades lower the cost of the county selling debt through the public markets, as investors typically don’t require as much interest for borrowing entities that are more likely to pay back their debts. This benefits the county and taxpayers, who don’t have to pay additional interest.

Romaine reiterated that he would never pierce the tax cap, which is the state limit on how much an entity can charge in property taxes.

Additionally, Romaine plans to settle some of the outstanding lawsuits that the county has been facing since before Romaine took office.

Claw back money

On the fiscal side, Romaine suggested the previous administration, run by Steve Bellone (D), had spent about $27 million on cybersecurity.

Romaine said he’s looking to claw back money from spending that “should not have taken place,” he said.

Romaine has hired a chief information officer, who is working with Homeland Security and cybersecurity and infrastructure security agencies.

“We have someone on staff and virtual,” Romaine said, in an effort to continue to safeguard infrastructure.

As for the Department of Public Works, he is aiming to improve roads, drainage and sewage, as he suggested infrastructure was “neglected for far too long.”

Sewers are a significant challenge for the county, with 70 percent of the county having cesspools and septic tanks.

In the next three and a half years, Romaine plans to spend over $1 billion in the county on sewers.

Speaking to a representative from the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), Romaine challenged the governor to invest in the county, which he would match dollar for dollar on sewers and clean water.

Well water, which can be contaminated, is also a problem for the county.

“Imagine having to drink that water, or bathe your child in that water, or put formula in that water?” Romaine asked.

Residents need a funding source to change their source of water. Romaine plans to work with federal and state governments.

Water quality “should not be based on income,” Romaine said.

Energy

In addressing the likely energy problems created by future storms that threaten to cut off the energy supply when trees topple on power lines, Romaine indicated he’s talking with the Long Island Power Authority and PSE&G about burying their lines over many years to increase resilience.

While Romaine would like to come up with incentive programs to encourage industrial buildings, schools and other public buildings that can structurally afford it to put solar panels on their rooftops, the substations for these energy companies are “inadequate.”

“LIPA, spend the money, invest in substations,” he said. “That’s my very clear message.”

Pointing to another resource, Romaine suggested linking the extensive farm system on Long Island with schools to work to ensure that no one, particularly children, should go hungry.

Schools “can purchase farm products for school lunches,” which are more nutritious and support farmers, he said. “The synergy has to be worked out.”

To celebrate and promote aquatic farmers, Romaine said Smith Point would be the site of the first all Suffolk oyster festival in the third week in August.

Echoing a focus of Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina, Romaine focused on road safety.

“When you get on the highway, you don’t have to take your life in your hands,” said Romaine.

The County Executive launched a permanent task force to combat street racing and takeovers. The Suffolk County Police Department recently added nine patrol officers to enhance highway safety and will add more officers in the summer.

In addressing safety from one of the scourges of the island, Romaine asked the legislature to work with him to reform the opioid fund distribution review process.

He would like to get the third round of funding out by this summer. The first two rounds included worthy applicants, such as the Police Department, the Medical Examiner who buried 400 people from overdoses, the probation department, the sheriff’s department and the health and social service department which all received no funding.

These agencies need to know what they have to do to get the necessary funding to make a difference in the lives of people battling addictions to opioids.

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