News

County Executive Steve Bellone hosts live water pollution tele-conference; close to 10,000 citizens weigh in

Jan
28
2014

Are you worried about the quality of the tap water pouring out of your faucets? You are not alone. Last night Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone hosted a live tele-conference about the problem of water pollution in Suffolk County. According to a media advisory, Bellone considers nitrogen pollution of ground and surface water to be the number one threat to public health in our area. A recently released executive summary of Suffolk County’s Comprehensive Water Resources Management plan indicates that “nitrogen poisoning has reached critically high levels; impacting drinking water, recreational waterways and reducing wetlands, which act as Long Island’s last line of natural defense against disasters such as Superstorm Sandy.”

Residents were urged to take part in the tele-conference...| read more ››

Steve Bellone holds call-in on nitrogen campaign

Jan
28
2014

Jan. 28--More than 9,700 Suffolk residents listened to a telephone town hall hosted by Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone Monday night, as he took his still-evolving campaign to address nitrogen-polluted waters in the county directly to the public.

Bellone announced on Thursday in a news conference at the county building in Hauppauge that addressing the problem of nitrogen in water -- which pollutes bays, contaminates the aquifer and harms tidal wetlands that protect from storms -- would be his administration's top priority.

He made the same promise Monday night, as he spoke to residents and answered a handful of questions from the public for about an hour, with county staff and water officials on hand.

Bellone acknowledged that reversing the...| read more ››

An Open Letter to Steven Bellone, Suffolk County Executive

Jan
24
2014

To: Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone
From: The Membership of Save The Great South Bay
Re: Water Quality on Long Island

Dear Mr. Bellone,

We of Save The Great South Bay applaud your leadership in helping to shine a light on the major issue threatening all of Long Island’s bays, rivers, ponds, its very drinking water, and with that our way of life. With the release of The Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan, the public at large, the 1.5 million people who live in Suffolk County and the 1.35 million in Nassau County, can begin to understand the collective threat we face from nitrogenous waste in our groundwater.

The public release of the report was truly a watershed...| read more ››

Save Our Water

Jan
24
2014

Yesterday I announced the single most important initiative of my administration and what should be the single most important goal for all Long Islanders: Curbing the decades of nitrogen poisoning we have been inflicting on our ground and surface waters here in Suffolk County.

As I stated in my press conference, where I was joined by scientists, environmentalists, representatives from the business and agricultural communities, the water supply and construction industries, and elected officials from both sides of the aisle, nitrogen poisoning is public enemy number one for our bays, waterways, drinking supply, and the critical wetlands and marshes that protect us from future natural disasters. There is no denying the harmful and destructive nature of this problem or the...| read more ››

Bellone: Long Island’s Water Quality Is No. 1 Priority Of My Administration

Jan
23
2014

In the wake of a new study on Long Island’s water pollution, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone says improving the water quality is his new No. 1 goal.

“I consider this issue the most important priority of my administration,” Bellone said during a news conference in Hauppauge Thursday.

According to the report, nitrogen levels in the Island’s ground and surface water have become so critically high that it is impacting drinking water, recreational waterways, and reducing wetlands. Wetlands act as Long Island’s last line of natural defense against disasters such as Superstorm Sandy.

Stony Brook professor Chris Gobler told 1010 WINS’ Mona Rivera that the new water study is alarming. “Certainly in our coastal waters too much nitrogen is leading...| read more ››

Bellone eyes added sewers to fight pollution

Jan
23
2014

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone Thursday announced a campaign to clean up nitrogen-polluted waters that could include building sewer systems and advanced wastewater-treatment plants.

Bellone said nitrogen flowing into aquifers and local waterways from septic systems and cesspools, as well as fertilizer runoff, hurts water quality and damages coastal areas that serve as storm buffers.

"We have been polluting this precious resource in a way that has had devastating impacts on our surface waters, shows negative declines in the quality of our drinking water and puts us at enhanced risks for future storms," he said. "For the health of our region today and for the sake of future generations, we must reverse these trends."

Bellone made the announcement in Hauppauge...| read more ››

Al Krupski Crushes Challenger By Landslide in Legislature Race

Nov
5
2013

Cutchogue native Al Krupski, a Democrat, won his bid for re-election to the Suffolk County Legislature seat he currently holds by a landslide Tuesday.

Challenged by Republican Albie De Kerillis, Krupski came out ahead, with the unofficial tally giving him the lead by a huge margin of 12546 to 4712.

"I'm honored to represent the 1st District again," Krupski said after the race. "I'm going to get back to work tomorrow; we're going to vote on the budget."

Of the scores of voters who turned out to cast their ballots for him, Krupski said, "I think I'm very familiar with the East End and the important issues; that's why people support me."

After his loss, De Kerillis said he conceded...| read more ››

Endorsement: Al Krupski

Nov
4
2013

Incumbent county Legislator Al Krupski is running for his first full term on the county level after winning a special election earlier this year against Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter. After earning two-thirds of the vote over Mr. Walter, someone who has proven himself on the town level, Mr. Krupski now faces someone who has less experience in public office in Republican candidate Albie DeKerillis.

Mr. Krupski is the clear choice to earn a full term in office this fall.

Mr. DeKerillis faces a steep uphill battle against Mr. Krupski, who has 28 years in public office under his belt. While seemingly hard-working and community-oriented — Mr. DeKerillis holds down two jobs while volunteering as an EMT — the Republican offers...| read more ››

Black, Hispanic leaders launch Suffolk political effort

Aug
13
2013

Black and Hispanic leaders vowed to unite for diverse political representation in Suffolk County as they launched a political effort within the Democratic Party Monday.

The newly formed Black and Hispanic Democratic Committee appointed co-chairs to represent the two minority groups and to hold seats in the Democratic committee that decides where to throw the weight of the party in local races.

It's time for black and Latino Democrats to realize that they have common issues at stake, said Assemb. Philip Ramos (D-Brentwood), who spearheaded the group's establishment.

"There is absolutely no difference in the African-American agenda and the Latino agenda," Ramos told more than 30 people meeting in Brentwood. "We ride down, in many cases, the same neglected streets....| read more ››

Meet the Candidates!

Aug
5
2013

(From Left to Right in the photograph...)

Geoffrey M. Wells for Trustee:

Geoffrey Wells has retired to Southold from corporate management positions as CIO and VP of television Information Technology for Disney, ABC and Fox. He was responsible for the creation and management of three IT departments, implementing multi-million dollar sales and broadcast systems, as well as the creation and staffing of a new East Coast data center. His specialty is business change management and IT governance, implementing standards, policies and procedures. Wells is currently working full time on his second novel. His other interests are climbing (Kilimanjaro, 2003), kayaking and middle distance running. For more information, please see his blog at: www.geoffreywellsfiction.com

Marie A. Domenici for Assessor:

Marie A. Domenici has vast...| read more ››