Concerned about the direction of Brookhaven in recent years, Stony Brook attorney and U.S. Navy reservist Jack Harrington (D) has decided to take his first step into politics to push a new vision — one he hopes will make him the town’s top leader this fall.

Harrington, 34, who grew up in Sound Beach and was a student in the Miller Place school district before graduating from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and Yale Law School, is the official nominee of the Democratic, Working Families, and Women’s Equality parties. In November, he will run against Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R), who has held the position since 2012 and is pursuing his third term at the helm.

As the father...| read more ››

One Huntington Town official is determined to have residents covered when it comes to their skin.

Councilwoman Susan Berland (D) received support from her Huntington Town Board colleagues to expand her pilot program and provide sunscreen protection for Huntington residents at 14 new locations in addition to Crab Meadow Beach.

Last summer Berland launched a free sunscreen dispenser program at Crab Meadow Beach after working in conjunction with IMPACT Melanoma, formerly known as the Melanoma Foundation of New England, an organization that provides education, prevention and support for the most serious form of skin cancer.

“The [Crab Meadow Beach dispenser] was a success,” Berland said in a phone interview. “It got a lot of use last year and this year....| read more ››

As the night progressed Nov. 8, 2016, it steadily became clear that months of data and polls had failed to accurately predict the future. Around midnight, it was no longer in doubt — Donald Trump was going to be the 45th president of the United States, and Democrats had a long road ahead to figure out what went wrong.

Both nationally and locally, the time since the shocking 2016 presidential election has served as a period of reflection and resistance for the Democratic Party. Political leaders across the country, like Suffolk County Democratic Committee Chairman Rich Schaffer, were tasked with crafting a new message and understanding the emotion Americans voiced with their votes in November: anger.

In an exclusive interview...| read more ››

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) ripped President Trump on Wednesday for reinstating a ban on transgender troops in the U.S. military.

The DNC in a statement issued after Trump's announcement accused the president of "shoving real American patriots back in the closet."

"Right this moment, around the world, brave transgender service members are protecting the American people - including Donald Trump and [Vice President] Mike Pence," the DNC wrote. "While the White House claims to be celebrating ‘American Heroes’ week, the president and vice president are shoving real American patriots back in the closet and putting our nation’s security at risk."

The statement was released by three DNC members, including National Finance Chairman Henry Muñoz, LGBT Caucus Chairman Earl Fowlkes,...| read more ››

NEW YORK – On Tuesday, July 25th, 2017, Legislator Sarah Anker and Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory were joined by their colleagues and drug awareness and substance abuse professionals to announce an initiative to address the opiate epidemic in Suffolk County. Legislator Anker has put forth legislation to form a permanent Heroin and Opiate Advisory Panel which will address the staggering number of opiate overdoses in Suffolk County,

The newly-formed panel, which will be established by Introductory Resolution 1664-2017, will include representatives from the Legislature, including Legislator Sarah Anker representing Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory, Chair of the Public Safety Committee Legislator Kate Browning, Chair of the Education and Human Services Committee Legislator Monica Martinez, and Chair of the Health Committee Legislator...| read more ››

NEW YORK - (AP) -- U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer is asking Amtrak to discard the idea of creating new economy seating with reduced legroom aboard its trains.

Schumer says in a statement Sunday that Amtrak should find other ways to save money without burdening passengers.

Outgoing Amtrak co-chief executive Wick Moorman said last week that the company was looking at creating the "economy" seating that would add more rows of seats in an effort to make more money.

Schumer is calling the idea "right out of the airline's playbook." The senator from New York is urging Amtrak to "scrap the shrinking seats idea" and look at other ways of making money.

He said the government should invest in Amtrak every...| read more ››

Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker announces the Senior Advocates summer schedule. Senior Advocates will be visiting various locations across the county throughout July, August, and September to educate seniors on benefits they may be eligible for and assist them in applying for those benefits.

“Many seniors and their loved ones go unaware of the benefits and resources available to them at the county, state, and federal level,” says Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker. “Senior Advocates from the Suffolk County Office for the Aging provide essential information on how seniors in our community can maintain their personal independence and receive the care they need.”

Legislator Anker encourages senior residents to attend one of the scheduled Senior Advocates meetings to receive free...| read more ››

Union delivery drivers and warehouse workers for beer distributor Clare Rose will return to work Sunday after approving a new contract overwhelmingly, union and company officials said.

Teamsters Local 812 workers voted 83-12 Saturday to ratify the contract. The union members, who went on strike against the East Yaphank distributor on April 23, reached a tentative agreement with the company through a private mediator on Thursday.

“We’re extremely happy that we will get our employees back to work,” Sean Rose, the company’s chief executive, said Saturday.

Workers and labor leaders gathered Saturday outside Clare Rose’s Melville distribution facility to celebrate what Roger Clayman, executive director of the Long Island Federation of Labor, called a “a great win for labor.”

“There...| read more ››

Almost 370,000 Long Islanders could see their access to health coverage directly affected by the possible repeal and replacement of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, known popularly as Obamacare.

In Nassau County, 162,079 people and in Suffolk County, 207,659 people, were covered by insurance obtained through the state’s ACA insurance exchange, NY State of Health, as of January 2017, according to the state Department of Health. While not all those insured on the exchange received subsidies or tax credits under Obamacare, most were in Medicaid or in plans that were funded or subsidized with money that faces cuts under GOP proposals.

In addition, 24,433 children in Nassau and 32,678 in Suffolk receive coverage on the exchange through Child Health Plus,...| read more ››

Protect the Adirondacks announced Thursday its Legislator of the Year Award for 2017 will go to state Assemblyman Steve Englebright, chairman of the Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation, for several conservation bills and amendments.

The Democrat from Setauket, Long Island, sponsored a bill to require conservation design for all major subdivisions in the Adirondacks and shepherded through a new constitutional amendment for health and safety land accounts in the Adirondacks.

Protect, an environmental advocacy group, will also award its Howard Zahniser Adirondack Award 2017 to Dick Booth, a former state Adirondack Park Agency board member and a professor in Cornell University’s Department of City and Regional Planning. This award recognizes Booth’s service on the APA board from 2007 to 2016,...| read more ››