Home Times of Middle Country

Governor delivers Long Island budget to local crowd

by TBR Staff - April 19, 2019

0 587

Governor Cuomo Outlines the 2019-2020 New York State Budget and Agenda on Long Island — From left, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D). Photo from the governor’s office

Cuomo lauds LIRR reform, hints at renewable energy initiatives

By Donna Deedy

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) unveiled April 11 his Long Island agenda to a crowd of some 400 politicians, business leaders, local residents and students at Stony Brook University’s Student Activities Center. It was one of two stops statewide, where the governor personally highlighted regional spending for a local community.

Overall, the $175 billion fiscal year 2020 budget holds spending at 2 percent.

“This year’s budget builds on our progress and our momentum on Long Island, and it includes $18 billion for Long Island — the largest amount of money the state has ever brought back to the region, and we’re proud of it,” Cuomo said.

Nearly half of the revenue that Long Island receives goes toward school aid and Medicaid, $3.3 billion and $6.9 billion collectively, according to Freeman Klopott in New York State’s Division of the Budget. But the spending plan funds several bold initiatives, such as an overhaul of the MTA and Long Island Rail Road and the phase in of free public college tuition for qualified students.

Long Island Association president and CEO Kevin Law, who had introduced the governor, suggests looking at the enacted budget as five distinct categories: taxes, infrastructure, economic development, environmental protection and quality of life issues, such as gun safety reform.

On the tax front, Long Islanders, according to the governor’s report, pay some of the highest property tax bills in the United States. Over the last 20 years, Cuomo said, local property taxes rose twice as fast as the average income.

“You can’t continue to raise taxes at an amount that is more than people are earning,” he said. His goal is to stabilize the tax base.

On the federal level, the governor will continue to fight with other states the federal tax code, which last year limited taxpayers’ ability to deduct state and local taxes over $10,000 from their federal income tax returns. Long Island reportedly lost $2.2 billion.

Otherwise, the governor considers his plan to be the most ambitious, aggressive and comprehensive agenda for Long Island ever.

The budget’s regional development goals emphasize a commitment to Long Island’s research triangle: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Northwell Health, Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Laboratory. The governor envisions the Island as New York’s potential economic equivalent to California’s Silicon Valley. The objective is to bridge academic research with commercial opportunities.

Some of the largest investments include $75 million for a medical engineering center at Stony Brook University, $25 million to Demerec Laboratory at Cold Spring Harbor, $12 million for a new college of veterinary medicine at Long Island University Post, $5 million in additional research investments at Stony Brook University and $200,000 cybersecurity center at Hofstra University.

“Governor Cuomo’s presentation was uplifting,” said state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket). “It was also a preview of the future of Long Island as an indelibly important part of the state the governor and Legislature appreciate and are continuing to invest into.”

Offshore wind initiatives will be announced in the spring, with a goal of providing 9,000 megawatts of wind power by 2035. As part of Cuomo’s New Green Deal, the state target is 100 percent clean energy by 2040.

Highlights of Gov. Cuomo’s 2019-20 budget for Long Islanders

Taxes: Permanently limits local tax spending to 2 percent annually. The 2 percent property tax cap, first implemented in 2012, has reportedly saved Long Island taxpayers $8.7 billion. Now that the property tax cap has become permanent, the governor reports that the average Suffolk taxpayer will save an estimated $58,000 over the next 10 years. The budget also supports the phase in of middle-class tax cuts. By 2025, under the reforms, middle-class filers will save up to 20 percent income tax rate and impact 6 million filers.

Internet taxation: Requires internet purchases to charge sales tax to fairly compete with brick-and-mortar retail establishments. This reform is expected to raise sales tax revenue by $33 million for Suffolk County in 2019.

LIRR reforms: Dedicates $2.5 billion to the Long Island Rail Road. $734 million will be used to purchase 202 new trains, $47 million will fund the Ronkonkoma train storage expansion project, which adds 11 tracks to the railyard. Another $264 million is allocated to reconfiguring and rebuilding the Jamaica station. An additional 17 stations will also be upgraded. A third track will be added between Hicksville and Floral Park to address bottlenecking. Many projects are already underway and expected to be completed
by 2022.

The new LIRR Moynihan Train Hall will become an alternative to Penn Station in New York City. It will be located in the old post office building. Construction is underway with completion targeted for the end of 2020. The cost is $2.5 billion with $600,000 million allocated for 2020. A new LIRR entrance at mid-block between 33rd Street and 7th Avenue will also be built at a price tag of $425 million.

School aid: Increases school aid to $3.3 billion, a nearly 4 percent uplift. The 2020 budget includes a $48 million increase of foundation aid.

College tuition: Funds tuition-free education in public colleges to qualified students, whose families earn less than $125,000 annually. The program annually benefits more than 26,100 full-time undergraduate residents on
Long Island.

The DREAM Act: Offers $27 million to fund higher education scholarships for undocumented children already living in New York state.

Higher education infrastructure: Spends $34.3 million for maintenance and upgrades at SUNY higher education facilities on Long Island.

Downtown revitalization: Awards Ronkonkoma Hub with $55 million for a downtown revitalization project. Nassau County will receive $40 million to transform a 70-acre parking lot surrounding Nassau Coliseum into a residential/commercial downtown area with parkland, shopping and entertainment, where people can live and work. Hicksville, Westbury and Central Islip will also receive $10 million each to revitalize its downtowns.

Roads and bridges: Among the initiatives, $33.6 million will be used toward the Robert Moses Causeway bridge. Safety will be enhanced with guardrails along Sunken Meadow Parkway for $4.7 million. The Van Wyck Expressway is also under expansion for improved access to JFK air terminals.

Health care: Adds key provisions of the Affordable Care Act to state law, so health insurance is protected if Washington repeals the law.

Plastic bag ban: Prohibits most single-use plastic bags provided by supermarkets and other retailers beginning in March 2020. Counties and cities can opt to charge 5 cents for paper bags. It is projected that 40 percent of revenue generated will fund local programs that purchase reusable bags for low- and fixed-income consumers. The other 60 percent will fund the state’s environmental protection projects.

Food waste recycling program: $1.5 million will be allocated to establish a clean energy, food waste recycling facility at Yaphank.

Clean water initiatives: Awards Smithtown and Kings Park $40 million for installing sewer infrastructure. A shellfish hatchery at Flax Pond in Setauket will get an additional $4 million. The new budget offers $2 million to the Long Island Pine Barrens Commission and $5 million in grants to improve Suffolk County water supply. The Long Island South Shore Estuary will get $900,000, while Cornell Cooperative Extension will receive $500,000. The state will also fund another $100 million to clean up superfund sites such as the Grumman Plume in Bethpage. The state has banned offshore drilling to protect natural resources.

Criminal justice reform: Ends cash bail for nonviolent felonies and misdemeanors. Mandates speedy trial to reduce pretrial detention. Requires that prosecutors and defendants share discoverable information in advance of trial.

Gun safety: Includes one of the nation’s first “red flag” laws. Passed in February 2019, the law enables the courts to seize firearms from people who show signs of violent behavior or pose a threat to themselves or others. The new law, which takes effect later this year, also authorizes teachers and school professionals to request through the courts mental health evaluations for people who exhibit disturbed behavior related to gun violence. Bans bump stocks. Extends background check waiting period for gun purchases.

Anti-gang projects: Invests more than $45 million to stop MS-13 gang recruitment and improve youth opportunities.

Opioid crisis: Allocates $25 million to fund 12 residential, 48 outpatient and five opioid treatment programs. The state also aims to remove insurance barriers for treatment.

Tourism: Promotes state agricultural products with $515,000 allocated to operate Taste NY Market at the Long Island Welcome Center with satellite locations at Penn Station and East Meadow Farm in Nassau County. The PGA Championship next month and Long Island Fair in September, both at Bethpage, will also feature New York agricultural products.

Agriculture: Continues support for the New York State Grown & Certified program to strengthen consumer confidence and assist farmers. Since 2016, the program has certified more than 2,386 farms.

Voting: Sets aside $10 million to help counties pay for early voting. Employers must offer workers three hours of paid time off to vote on election day.

SBU’s Del Poeta battles drug-resistant fungus

by Daniel Dunaief - April 19, 2019

0 588

DelPoetaB — Maurizio Del Poeta. File photo from SBU

Maurizio Del Poeta, a professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology at Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, works to combat potentially deadly fungal infections. Recently, several press reports have highlighted the prevalence in New York and New Jersey of Candida auris, which is resistant to drugs and can cause death. Through an email exchange, Del Poeta shared his perspective on this fungal infection and his efforts to develop a treatment.

Are there multiple drug-resistant strains of numerous types of Candida?

Yes, there are several species of Candida that are resistant to some antifungals. For instance, Candida lusitaniae is normally resistant to amphotericin B. Candida glabrata is normally resistant to fluconazole. There are over 20 species of Candida that can cause infection in humans. Most are sensitive to antifungals. C. auris is normally resistant to all antifungals. They are resistant for mainly two reasons: (1) the target/enzyme is genetically different and, thus, the drug does not recognize the target; thus it does not bind to the target; and thus it does not inhibit it; (2) the drug is pumped out by membrane transporters. C. auris is notorious for having multiple membrane transporters.

I understand the damage from Candida is primarily among people who are immunocompromised. Is there a risk for those people who are also healthy?

Healthy people should be fine. But who is really “healthy?” Because C. auris is spreading in hospitals and nursing homes, all patients in hospitals and nursing homes are at risk: some more (e.g., cancer patients, patients with an organ transplant, patients in ICU, patients taking corticosteroids) and some patients have less risk because they are more immunocompetent, but certainly those patients could get contaminated.

What makes it so hard to eliminate Candida?

Because (1) we are not used to and (2) because we still do not know which type of disinfectant is efficacious against C. auris … Unlike other Candida infections, which are generally thought to result from autoinfection from host flora, C. auris can be transmitted between patients … C. auris requires implementation of specific infection control measures, such as those used for control of [other infections] (e.g., private room and on contact precautions). Because C. auris can survive in plastic surfaces, floors, and door knobs for weeks, it is essential that infection control measurements be implemented in the health care settings.

Does the work you’re doing offer hope, albeit in the earlier stages, for ways to treat and reduce the virulence of Candida?

Yes, our new compounds are sensitive to C. auris in vitro against the C. auris clinical isolates that are resistant to current antifungals. We are currently testing their efficacy in vivo (animals). We are doing this in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health and the Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. Our compounds have different mechanism of action from the current antifungals,

Given that the symptoms of a Candida infection -— fever, weakness and aches — are so prevalent in other types of infections, are there ways to make a clinically differentiated diagnosis of Candida without taking a blood sample or conducting extensive analysis?

Unfortunately, there are not. Diagnosis of C. auris can only be made using sophisticated tests. Normal phenotypic tests are not able to identify C. auris for certain. If we want to stop (or at least control) the epidemic, anyone with a Candida infection in a hospital setting should be treated as C. auris. Hospital trafficking of nurses, doctors, visitors from and to patients with C. auris should be highly restricted. Nurses and doctors should not be allowed in cafeteria without changing gowns, particularly if they are taking care of a patient infected with C. auris and other common sense practices should be implemented; but, unfortunately, they are normally out of the window in the hospital settings … In the case of C. auris “isolating rooms” and “contact precautions” should be implemented.

How does your treatment for Candida work?

The class of compounds are “acylhydrazones.” They target the synthesis of fungal sphingolipids.

Given what you know about the prevalence of Candida, particularly in New York, and the minimal information about the specific locations where hospitals have found Candida, what would you advise anyone who might be “at risk” for Candida to do if they had elective surgery scheduled?

Elderly and immunocompromised people going to the hospital should be treated with “contact precautions.” No need for isolation unless positive for C. auris.

Is C. auris the most virulent or problematic species of Candida confronting public health professionals today?

Not really. C. glabrata is also a nasty Candida strain. What makes C. auris difficult is the resistance to drugs.

Do other species suffer through Candida infections as well?

Although humans are the most known carriers and hosts for Candida infection, other animals can also get infected such as dogs, horses and cattle. Certain Candida species are used in food production. Candida utilis extracts are used in Asia as a “salt” instead of salt because these extracts are salty and do not cause hypertension. We actually have a collaboration with the Japanese company that makes these extracts. Candida krusei is used to ferment cacao during chocolate production. Whereas C. utilis is not a human pathogen, C. krusei actually is.

How do you protect yourself, your office and your staff from the spread of the infection?

We use biosafety label 2. My lab is certified to handle BSL2 organisms, such as C. auris. We use all sorts of protective gears and standard protective procedures to make sure lab personnel are protected and to make sure we keep the microbes inside the lab. Entrance to my lab is strictly prohibited to anyone that did not receive appropriate training.

Winner of TBR News Media’s fourth annual adult coloring contest announced

by Heidi Sutton - April 16, 2019

0 320

bobbie_johnson_stonybrook_6317518994 — Bobbie Johnson of Stony Brook is this year's winner!

Dear Readers,

We recently held our fourth annual adult coloring contest and the response was overwhelming! We received many colorful entries from readers all along the North Shore who used many different types of medium including colored pencils and markers to create their masterpieces.

Bobbie Johnson of Stony Brook is this year’s winner!

Susan Saviano of Selden and Beverly Gross of St. James added glitter to the butterfly wings and flower petals, Richard Melidosian used acrylic paints, Kristin Lubliner of Mount Sinai used glitter pens for her creation and Jean Fleischer of Coram had so much fun she submitted two entries!

At 98 years young, Loretta Fafard of Port Jefferson and Dorothy Forbes of Northport did a beautiful job. Forbes’ daughter writes, “My mother worked for hours on this despite the arthritis in her hands. She loves the butterflies and flowers in the sketch. This was the perfect selection for her. Thank you for making those hours so enjoyable for her.”

Although it was extremely difficult to choose a winner as every entry was unique in its own way, the judges ultimately chose the coloring page by Bobbie Johnson of Stony Brook who edged out the competition with her incredible shading techniques. Bobbie receives a three-year subscription to any one of our six papers, courtesy of Times Beacon Record News Media.

And surprise, all other entries will receive a one-year subscription as a thank you for entering our contest. Congratulations to all!

Suffolk County lawmakers ban tobacco sales in pharmacies

by TBR Staff - April 16, 2019

0 244

cigarette-butt-lung-cancerw — Stock photo

By Donna Deedy

Tobacco continues to hold a top spot as the number one cause of preventable death throughout the world, according to Suffolk County. And county lawmakers have now voted 16-2 to ban the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies.

“Tobacco harms every organ in the body and is the only legal product sold in America that when used as directed, kills up to half of its long-term users,” said Suffolk County Legislator William “Doc” Spencer (D-Centerport), who co-sponsored the bill.

The bill’s passage emphasizes that pharmacies are health-focused businesses and aligns with the county’s other efforts to decrease tobacco use. It recently raised the age to purchase tobacco products to age 21, for example, and prohibits smoking in county parks, beaches and Suffolk County Community College.

“This law decreases the bombardment of colorful tobacco displays meant to entice children and it reduces the influence on adults trying to break the addiction to nicotine,” said Lori Benincasa, retired director for health education for Suffolk County.

The new law applies to all tobacco products, including cigarettes, loose tobacco, cigars, powdered tobacco, shisha, herbal cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, electronic liquids, rolling paper and smoking paraphernalia. Consumers will still be allowed to purchase FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapies in pharmacies such as skin patches, nicotine gum and lozenges.

The ban will take effect 180 days after its filing with the Secretary of State’s office, likely before the end of 2019.

Suffolk displays designs for rapid transit bus lanes on Nicolls

by Kyle Barr - April 16, 2019

0 365

Nicolls-Road-45-mph-speed-limit3-050914-Shapiro-w — Nicolls Road. File photo by Rachel Shapiro

County Road 97, commonly known as Nicolls Road, is one of Long Island’s main thoroughfares, connecting Stony Brook on the North Shore to Patchogue on the South with nearly 16 miles of highway. For years the county has examined ideas to relieve rush hour traffic; now it is proposing a rapid-transit bus system, high-occupancy vehicle lanes and 16 roadside bus stops.

“It’s going to be dual function, and also reduce congestion on Nicolls Road, so its two birds, one stone effect,” said William Hillman, a chief engineer at Suffolk County’s Department of Public Works.

In a 2015 county report prepared by multinational engineering firm Parsons Brickerhoff, the project cost was originally estimated at upward of $200 million, though plans have been scaled down slightly since then.

“By making the buses faster, more reliable, more frequent, we may have a chance to get people to sit in it and get out of their cars.”

— Kara Hahn

Babylon-based engineering firm Greenman-Pedersen, which was the latest company tapped to research the Nicolls Road project, presented April 2 summaries of its initial plans at Suffolk County Community College.

The plans, as they currently exist, call for 16 new stations positioned along Nicolls as bus terminals connecting to existing Suffolk County Transit routes. The plans would also include 16.5 new miles of dedicated lanes to bypass traffic congestion. Service of these bus lines include a frequency much higher than any current county bus, from a weekday peak of every 10 minutes to a weekend peak of 20 minutes.

Presenters did not offer details on the buses’ fuel source nor did they describe where new stoplights or other traffic slowing devices may be implemented. Larry Penner, who worked for more than three decades in the Federal Transit Administration regional office and now comments on ongoing projects as a self-described transit historian, said that buses typically get right of way in among normal traffic.

Mike Colletta, a project engineer at engineering firm Greenman-Pedersen, which created the most recent presentation on the road, said the firm was recently put onto the project by Suffolk County, and is still in the very early stages of design.

County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) said the Legislature has been approving the project, applying for grants and getting funding toward the corridor studies for years. The project still has a while to go before the county can estimate the true impact on traffic. County officials worry that people will not use buses.

“By making the buses faster, more reliable, more frequent, we may have a chance to get people to sit in it and get out of their cars,” Hahn said.

While representatives from the county and engineering firm could not give an estimate into the amount of vehicles, Penner said the county still has many things to consider, including costs of roughly 10 new buses, 16 stations and proposed amenities, such as real-time bus locators, similar to the units found at the train stations. Seating and overhangs for the stations themselves must also be factored in.

“Here’s the challenge they face: The density in Suffolk County is far less than Nassau, and far less than New York City,” Penner said. “How many people would drive to one of these 16 Bus Rapid Transit stations and how many people will take a commuter bus and switch to the rapid transit when you can get in your car and get there much more quickly, that will be the challenge they face, because time is money for people.”

These proposed stations would link up to existing Suffolk County Transit bus routes. Multiple existing bus routes already travel along or intersect with Nicolls, including the 3D, the S62, S69, 6B, S58 and 7A, though only two routes use the county road for a significant distance. Service on Suffolk County Transit has also been spotty for a long time, with users often left waiting for buses for over an hour.

Bruce Morrison, the president of the Selden Civic Association, said he is skeptical of the project, questioning how many people would use it, especially with existing issues on the regular county buses.

“If it’s not attractive to the public, you’re going to have empty buses.”

— Bruce Morrison

“Will they get the ridership?” Morrison said. “If it’s not attractive to the public, you’re going to have empty buses.”

Buses would operate in the HOV lanes on the inside of the road and along the specialized bus lanes along the outside portions of the road. One proposed route would take these buses down the Long Island Expressway, through the Ronkonkoma Train Station and the expected Ronkonkoma Hub project as well before linking back up to Nicolls.

County Executive Steve Bellone (D) has been touting his Connect LI plan for years. In 2014 the county started exploring several other possible projects. Expanding Route 110 and the Sagtikos Parkway is among the other options. In 2015, Bellone shared his expanded plans for $300 million bus transit plan to connect Long Island’s downtowns, colleges, research and business centers.

At one point, the county executive’s office floated the idea of building a rapid transit in the median of the well-populated road. Environmental impact studies are ongoing and necessary to ultimately receive federal funding.

In addition to the new route, engineers are also touting designs for a new trail that could run parallel to Nicolls. This path would be akin to the Rails to Trails project, but unlike the 3-mile Greenway Trail from Setauket to Port Jefferson Station, and the upcoming 10-mile project from Wading River through Mount Sinai, this path could be well over 15 miles of trail, crossing under the LIE and over other high trafficked roads like Middle Country Road. The 2015 study allocated $15 million for the biking and hiking trail.

Centereach Boy Scout does his part to take care of wildlife

by TBR Staff - April 15, 2019

0 350

Aidan-Donnelly_2018w — Aidan Donnelly, an Eagle Scout from Troop 362 in Selden, spearheaded a project to have fishing line resource recovery/recycling containers installed near Suffolk County fishing spots . Photo from Aidan Donnelly

By Karina Gerry

A Centereach High School senior and Eagle Scout has dedicated much of his time to protecting Long Island beaches and wildlife.

During a terrapin turtle project, Aidan Donnelly searched, tracked, monitored, measured, weighed and coded turtles to take environmental data and GPS location of the turtles. Photo by Aidan Donnelly

Aidan Donnelly, 17, joined his local Boy Scout troop when he was in fifth grade after he was inspired by his older cousin’s Court of Honor ceremony, the highest rank a Scout can earn. Donnelly saw all the volunteer projects his cousin was involved in and wanted to make a difference as well. Now an Eagle Scout himself, Donnelly has planned and been the leader of four different wildlife projects since 2014.

“I really can’t describe it,” Donnelly said. “I just love seeing my projects make a positive difference. I love seeing the difference I was able to make through my projects and knowing I’ve helped the beach and so many people.”

Donnelly has been volunteering since he was nine years old, when he joined an educational program at West Meadow Beach called Beach Rangers, a program that teaches young kids about West Meadow Beach and the ecosystem there. He credits Beach Rangers and the cleanups he participated in as inspiration for the many wildlife projects he has started.

“I was pretty sad the first time to see how much garbage was left at the beach,” Donnelly said. “Which sort of sparked my interest in wanting to help out. So, I did beach cleanups every year from then on, and once I got into Boys Scouts, I got my troop involved in the cleanup.”

Through his Eagle Scout project, which he completed in 2015, Donnelly led, designed and planned the building and installation of an osprey nest platform at West Meadow Beach, when he was just 13 years old. In order to complete the project, Donnelly had to work with local politicians, such as Town of Brookhaven Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station), who recognizes him as a true asset to the community.

“I was pretty sad the first time to see how much garbage was left at the beach.”

— Aidan Donnelly

“Aidan has an obvious sense of loyalty and duty to his community,” Cartright said. “He goes above and beyond in all that he does, and his dedication is reflected in academic honors, high achievements in scouting, and his organization of community activities. In my role as a town council member I have met hundreds of outstanding young people in our community, but Aidan is exceptional even among that elite group.”

Out of the many projects he has been involved in, Donnelly said he felt particularly proud of his most recent one — a fishing line resource recovery/ recycling project that he just completed this past December. The project is a countywide sustainable fishing line recovery and recycling project that is installed at West Meadow Beach, Stony Brook Harbor, Port Jefferson, Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, Deep Pond Conservation Area, Lake Ronkonkoma, South Haven County Park, Bubbles Falls, Rattlesnake Brook near Oakdale and West Brook Pond. The project required Donnelly to work with many outside sources, such as community members and an out-of-state recycling facility.

“I needed to find somewhere that would take the line and recycle it,” Donnelly said, “rather than it ending up in the trash or in landfills. I did find a Midwest company, and they sent me postage-paid shipping boxes to give to the organizations.”

Bill Schwalback, scoutmaster of Donnelly’s BSA Troop 362, has known him since 2016 when his son joined the troop where Donnelly was serving as troop guide. He has seen the growth and drive of the 17-year-old since then and notes that Donnelly has always jumped on the opportunity to take on a leadership role and enjoys passing on his knowledge to others.

“Aidan does not deflect an opportunity to teach others,” Schwalback said. “He thrives on the ability to share his knowledge and his passion with others, and it is great to see a young adult fill with pride when he sees something to completion and knows that it will make a difference to the targeted population or species.”

Northport Tigers pounce Centereach Cougars

by TBR Staff - April 13, 2019

0 365

1 of 31

By Bill Landon

The Northport boys baseball team had an explosive first inning, scoring seven runs against Centereach, but the Tigers bats fell silent for the next five innings, allowing the Cougars to chip away at the deficit. At the end of five, Centereach made it a one-run game, but Northport dropped the hammer in the bottom of the sixth, batting in six more runs to put the game away 13-6 April 11. The Tigers took the third game of the three-game series at home besting Centereach 2-1.

Northport junior Dan Deutsch went three for three at the plate scoring twice with a pair of RBIs.

1,4-dioxane chemical a concern on Long Island

by David Luces - April 11, 2019

0 832

Screen Shot 2019-04-09 at 5.01.58 PM — Map of 1,4 Dioxane across Long Island by highest level detected within each water district. Photo from Citizens Campaign for the Environment

Many have attributed New York state of having “the champagne of drinking water,” though in recent years concerns over water quality have grown, especially on Long Island.

After toxic chemicals have been found in Long Island’s drinking water, 1,4-dioxane, has been found to be the chief concern on the Island, and currently it is not regulated by the state.

The chemical has been designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a likely carcinogen associated with liver and kidney damage after a lifetime of exposure to contaminated drinking water.

Images: The Citizens Campaign for the Environment shares the test results of common products for 1,4-dioxane. From Citizens Campaign for the Environment

In March, 1,4-dioxane was found in private drinking wells of two homes on Oakside Drive in Smithtown where results showed concentrations higher than 1 part per billion, which is the proposed recommendation by the New York State Drinking Water Quality Council in December 2018. It is not a definitive standard, and the state Health Department is expected to propose a water standard for 1,4-dioxane in the near future.

As a result of the uncertainty surrounding the Island’s drinking water, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, beginning on March 25, sent informational letters and planned on visiting the 29 homes served by the wells along Smithtown’s Landing Avenue, Oakside Drive and Valley Avenue. From there, each homeowner would set up an appointment with the SCDHS and its staff will come and secure water samples from the wells.

Grace Kelly-McGovern, public relations director at SCDHS said as of April 10 every homeowner received a letter regarding the surveys and 15 of the wells at these homes have already been sampled. Three more homeowners have requested samplings, but the department has yet to receive a response from the other 11 homeowners.

According to Kelly-McGovern, once the samples are collected, they will be sent to the Hauppauge SCDHS lab, along with the New York State lab in Wadsworth, and will be tested for 1,4-dioxane and other contaminants. The process should take one to two months. She added it could take several months until homeowners are notified of the results of the samples.

A concern of 1,4-dioxane is that it can’t be removed through conventional treatment methods and involves a complex process of mixing the contaminated water with hydrogen peroxide, treated with ultraviolet light and then gets sent to tanks filled with carbon where the rest of contaminants are filtered out. The Suffolk County Water Authority’s Central Islip treatment system currently has the sole advanced oxidation process system capable of removing 1,4-dioxane on Long Island, though it required state approval to get it.

At a forum in early February, the Long Island Water Conference estimated the cost of treatment systems for close to 200 water wells contaminated by 1,4-dioxane to be at $840 million. Implementing these treatment systems, they said, could lead to higher water rates for homeowners.

The conference coalition asked for additional state aid and for a delay in when they would have to meet the standard.

As the issue for Long Island’s water providers continues, the SCWA board voted to create the first tiered-rate structure in the agency’s history April 1.

The new rate structure took effect the same day and the base drinking water charge for all customers will increase from $1.95 per thousand gallons to $2.028 per thousand gallons.

The new tiered rate will be $2.34 per thousand gallons for all consumption over 78,540 gallons per quarter. Customers will only pay the tiered rate on water above 78,540 gallons per quarter, and the standard rate up until that point.

According to the authority, the action is in accordance with an initiative undertaken by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which established a goal for suppliers of reducing peak season water use by 15 percent by 2021 in order to ensure the sustainability of water resources.

“Conservation rate structures have been adopted all across the country to encourage Americans to adjust their water-use habits for the long-term preservation of available water resources,” Jeffrey Szabo, the SCWA chief executive officer said in a press release. “We expect the new rate structure to help protect ratepayers who are careful in their water use and help provide the continued viability of our aquifer system.”

The 1,4-dioxane chemical has also been found in industrial solvents. A March study released by the Citizens Campaign for the Environment indicates the chemical is present in 65 of 80 household products tested, including baby products, shampoos, detergents and body washes. According to Adrienne Esposito, CCE executive director, the products were tested by the ALS environmental laboratory in Rochester which is certified by the state Department of Health.

The CCE argues that the chemical could end up down the drain and seep into drinking water through septic systems or wells.

Similarly, state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) has introduced a bill that would ban household products containing 1,4-dioxane in the state except in trace amounts. The bill is currently in committee.

This post has been changed to reflect the accurate location of the SCDHS lab and other lab to be doing the water testing.

Selden Fire Department honors a hero, 50 years later

by David Luces - April 11, 2019

0 558

1 of 7

The Selden Fire Department remembered the life of a fallen hero by dedicating a new memorial park April 6.

Fifty years ago, Chief Arnold Seaman was killed in the line of duty while responding to a fire at Newfield High School. On the way to the high school April 10, 1969, Seaman was involved in a car crash. He was taken to the hospital but did not survive his injuries.

The park named in his honor was built on the corner of Hawkins Avenue and North Bicycle Path near the site of the fatal crash. Friends and family paid tribute to the late Seaman, hailed as a true American hero.

Jack Emr was the assistant fire chief of the department at the time of the crash and took over as chief after Seaman’s death. He said burying his close friend took a big chunk of his heart.

“Every April 10, I have a beer and I say, ‘Chief, save me a seat for me on the fire truck, I’ll be there soon,’” he said.

In the center of the park is a memorial honoring the late chief with a bronze helmet, an exact replica of the one he wore 50 years ago. The area around the park was designated as Chief Arnold Seaman Way.

Jim Seaman, Arnold’s son, thanked the crowd for coming to the dedication and said since the day of the crash 50 years ago, the Selden Fire Department has had the family’s back. “It is a debt we can never repay, and I thank them,” he said.

Jim Seaman reminisced about being named an honorary fireman back in 1969, displaying to the crowd the badge he was given all those years ago. He also mentioned an experience about ten years ago, when at an installation dinner he was called up and handed a fire chief’s jacket, calling it the greatest honor of his life.

“I know my father is looking down and is beaming ear to ear right now,” he said.

Later in his speech he added, “This [park] is something as a family we can be proud of. It’s something 10 years from now my father’s great-grandchildren can come and visit.”

Middle Country Mad Dogs take down Commack Cougars, 17-12

by TBR Staff - April 9, 2019

0 327

1 of 21

By Bill Landon

The Commack Cougars girls lacrosse team stayed with Middle Country trading goals for an 8-8 tie at the half, but the Mad Dogs stretched their legs in the final period to surge ahead for a 17-12 road win April 4. After the game, the Mad Dogs remained unbeaten at 4-0 in Division I trailing Northport and Riverhead, but then beat Riverhead, 11-10, April 6 to head the table.

Middle Country senior midfielder Sophie Alois led the way for the Mad Dogs notching five goals and four assists. Eighth-grader Kate Timarky split the pipes three times with a pair of assists, while senior goalie Elizabeth Pomaro had five saves on the day.

Commack senior Katie Kelly found the back of the net four times for the Cougars with three assists and teammate Sam Pugh had an assist and stretched the net three times. Senior keeper Cat Deutsch had eight saves in net. The loss dropped Commack to 2-3 in the division, 4-3 overall.

Prev 1...311312313...414 Next

Page 312 of 414