SC Exec Bellone Pushes for Flag Placement over Memorial Day

In a year when a world by a pandemic still attempts to acknowledge historical landmarks like the 75th anniversary of the Allied victory over Europe in World War II, County Executive Steve Bellone (D) said he strongly believes that Suffolk County’s volunteers can and should be able to place flags on the graves of those who served the country in the military.

“We are asking that there not be a blanket policy, that [the Under Secretary for Veterans Affairs] allow the national cemeteries to make the determination at the local level,” Bellone said on his daily conference call with reporters.

Bellone said he firmly believes the county can figure out how to place those flags safely. Further, he suggested that “we will put in the effort to make this work. This matters to us here.”

As for the update figures on the virus, the county executive reported that an additional 870 people tested positive for COVID-19, which brings the total to 41,353.

As of yesterday, the number of hospitalizations decreased by 16 to 703, which is “good news,” Bellone said, with the number of people in Intensive Care Unit beds declining by 43 to 258.

“That is a great number,” Bellone added. “That’s a number we’re happy to see go down significantly.”

At the same time, however, the virus continues to claim the lives of more residents of Suffolk County. In the last day, an additional 29 people died from complications related to coronavirus, which brings the total to 1,597.

“To all of those who have lost loved ones to this virus, we are thinking of you and we are with you in Suffolk County,” Bellone said.