News

Former Democracy Coach John De Vito in the Running to Become the Youngest New York State Senator in History

Feb
8
2016

Generation Citizen alumnus and former NYU Chapter lead John De Vito is running for office as the Democratic Candidate for the New York State Senate’s 3rd District. At 25 years old, John is an advocate for getting young people involved in the Democratic process at a local and national level. During his time at NYU, John served as a Democracy Coach in an 8th grade classroom at the Mott Hall School in Harlem. There, he empowered his students to organize and execute a “Sustainable Living Curriculum” that those students taught to their 6th grade peers and presented to their Assembly Member.

John credits his decision to run, in part, to his experience with Generation Citizen. He believes that millennials deserve...| read more ››

Democratic Congressional hopefuls meet in first public debate

Feb
4
2016

The two candidates vying for the Democratic nomination in the June 28 primary for the First Congressional District seat squared off in what was their first public debate Wednesday night.

Former Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst of Bridgehampton and attorney and former Suffolk County Planning Commission Chairman Dave Calone of Setauket are seeking the nomination to oppose Republican incumbent Lee Zeldin in the November general election.

In an event sponsored by the East Hampton Town Democratic Committee and hosted at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Amagansett, the candidates gave their backgrounds and then answered questions submitted by the committee on specific topics. There were no questions from the public.

The most recent Federal Election Committee campaign finance disclosures, show that...| read more ››

Julie Lofstad beats Richard Yastrzemski in Southampton Town Council race

Jan
27
2016

Democrat Julie Lofstad defeated Republican Richard Yastrzemski in a Southampton Town special election Tuesday.
With all 42 electoral districts counted, Lofstad had 2,771 votes to Yastrzemski’s 1,721, according to preliminary results from the Suffolk County Board of Elections.
Lofstad will serve the two years left in the unfinished term of ex-Councilman Bradley Bender, who pleaded guilty to selling oxycodone pills and resigned Nov. 24.
Her victory means a Democratic-Independence alliance will continue to control the South Fork town, where the GOP dominated politics for decades until 2013.
Lofstad also had the backing of the Independence and Conservative parties in the special election. Yastrzemski had only the Republican line.

“We knew going in we had an uphill...| read more ››

Newest Councilwoman Mary Dudley

Jan
26
2016

Mary Dudley is a busy, organized and practical woman, who has spent most of the last 30 years working as a paralegal in upstate New York. She’s lived and worked on Shelter Island for three-and-a-half years, and three weeks ago was sworn in as the newest Town Board member, after being selected unanimously from a field of nine.

Oh, she also bakes her own bread.

And although she likes to run a tight ship in the home she shares with her fiancé Arthur Luecker, a local builder, several times a day all hell breaks loose at feeding time.

Mary doesn’t just adopt dogs, she rescues them, and her kind of dog ownership is an extreme sport, “When it’s time to...| read more ››

Supervisor Dougherty Sworn into 5th term

Jan
26
2016

Town officials were sworn in on January 5th at Town Hall. Supervisor Jim Dougherty took his oath of office after he was re-elected to his fifth term of office in November. There were also two new Town Board members, Jim Colligan and Mary Dudley. Mary Dudley was appointed by the Town Board following the resignation of Ed Brown from his Council position.| read more ››

Annual Spring Gala Announced at Bergen Point

Jan
21
2016

Join us for our 2016 Spring Fundraiser to celebrate the recent victories of Town Councilmembers Jackie Gordon and Tom Donnelly, hosted by Rich Schaffer and Town Committee Chairman Peter Casserly, at the Bergen Point Golf Club from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Wednesday, February 17th.

Tickets are $350 and sponsorships are available.

Platinum Sponsorship - $5,000
Gold Sponsorship - $2,500
Silver Sponsorship - $1,500
Bronze Sponsorship - $500

Please make checks payable the Babylon Democratic Committee. To RSVP, please fill out response card (attached below) or call (631) 991-3081 by February 8th.| read more ››

Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer sets record with 13 years, 1 month and 20 days under his belt

Jan
21
2016

Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer did more than just show up for work Thursday. He made history.

Schaffer became the longest-serving supervisor in town history, with 13 years, 1 month and 20 days under his belt, a day more than the last record holder, Edward Daily, who died in office in 1912.

Schaffer, 52, who has served split terms — from November 1992 to December 2001 and in his current run that started in January 2012 — is not the longest-serving supervisor on Long Island. That distinction belongs to Patrick Vecchio in Smithtown, who is in his 37th year as supervisor.

According to the Association of Towns of the State of New York, the longest-serving town supervisor in the state...| read more ››

Gregory Hosts Schneiderman in Legislative Round Table

Jan
20
2016

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. – Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory yesterday hosted New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman at the William H. Rogers Legislature Building in Hauppauge for a round table with county legislators on matters of local importance.

The round table was held at the request of Attorney General Schneiderman, who has embarked on a tour of similar meetings with local government leaders throughout the state.

“My colleagues and I were honored to host Attorney General Schneiderman,” said Presiding Officer Gregory. “Today’s round table was an important step toward building a dialogue with the state about challenges we face here in Suffolk County. At a time when federal government is gridlocked by partisanship, partnerships between local and state leaders...| read more ››

Legislator Anker to Chair 2016 Seniors & Consumer Protection Committee

Jan
19
2016

Mount Sinai, NY - January 19, 2016 - Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker is pleased to announce her appointment as Chairwoman of the Seniors and Consumer Protection Committee for 2016. The committee has jurisdiction over matters pertaining to the Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs and the Office for the Aging. The committee will also deal with matters concerning senior citizens at any level of government, including the development and implementation of prescription drug programs.

“It is an honor to be appointed Chairwoman of the Seniors and Consumer Protection Committee. My district has one of Suffolk County’s largest senior populations, and I look forward to continuing to advocate on their behalf,” said Legislator Anker.

Since entering office in 2011,...| read more ››

SUFFOLK LEGISLATOR GREGORY APPOINTS TWO TO WOMEN’S ADVISORY COMMISSION

Jan
15
2016

(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory swore in his two new appointees to the Suffolk County Women’s Advisory Commission (SCWAC) at the body’s first meeting of the year, held Jan. 12 at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge.

Maresa Dealy of Amityville and Melissa Firmes of Copiague will each serve a three-year term on the SCWAC, which advises the County Legislature, County Executive and County Office of Women’s Services on policy issues pertaining to women living in Suffolk County.

“The Women’s Advisory Commission provides critical insight on issues of relevance to women living in Suffolk County,” said Presiding Officer Gregory. “Although women constitute more than half of the county’s population, they are underrepresented among elected...| read more ››