(Long Island, NY) The Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Legislator DuWayne Gregory invite residents who have diabetes to attend a free program that will enable them to manage their diabetes. The program, conducted by the Department of Health Services in collaboration with Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, comprises four classes that cover suggestions for keeping blood sugar in target range, choosing a healthy meal plan and balancing food, exercise and medications.

“These classes will arm participants with the knowledge and skills they need to properly manage their diabetes and enable them to enjoy an improved quality of life,” said Bellone.

According to the New York State Department of Health, diabetes is the most rapidly growing chronic disease...| read more ››

The Suffolk County Police Department has acquired a sophisticated and state-of-the-art new tool in counterterrorism: the powerful nose of a yellow Labrador retriever named Unser.

The department announced yesterday that Unser, a 2-year-old pooch trained in "Vapor Wake" detection of bomb chemicals, is one of the newest recruits to the force and is assigned to patrol Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma.

Unser has been training since puppyhood at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University in Alabama, where dogs are "scientifically bred, selected and developed to detect the scent trail an explosive leaves in the air. By their side is a handler educated in research-based techniques to provide a complete security system," according to the program's website.

While...| read more ››

Suffolk lawmakers yesterday authorized a November referendum on a ballot proposal to create a $29.4 million program for environmental restoration and protection projects and land acquisitions aimed at protecting groundwater. The county would issue $29.4 million in serial bonds to establish the fund — the amount the county has already borrowed from the county's drinking water protection fund to balance its budget.

If approved by voters, the charter law would also authorize the county to borrow from the drinking water protection program's assessment stabilization reserve fund balance for the next three years to provide tax relief and keep the county tax levy increase within the state-mandated 2 percent cap. The assessment stabilization reserve fund currently has a balance of $140...| read more ››

Suffolk County Commitment Helps Veteran Find New Employment:
(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Congressman Steve Israel (D-Huntington), Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, 12 local companies and others recently signed a Veterans Hiring Pledge to support our veterans as they seek employment opportunities.

“We are a County that has a long standing tradition of providing high quality services to our veterans,” said County Executive Bellone. “As government leaders have the responsibility and the honor of ensuring we take care of the men and women who have sacrificed to protect our way of life. This pledge renews our commitment to help find meaningful employment for our nation’s heroes. This is the least we can do to thank them...| read more ››

“Dean Murray’s latest political stunt crosses the line. He has clearly reached a new low. I don’t know what’s worse – attempting to mislead the court in a lawsuit claiming I don’t live here, or having some creep crawl under my family car to place a GPS tracking device to stalk us. With this disturbing behavior, Murray has taken negative campaigning to a new low. The judge affirmed I live in the district, and now voters should question whether this man who has gone to such bizarre lengths to prove otherwise is really fit for public office.

“The baseless accusations of Murray’s lawsuit have been a desperate attempt, yes to harm me, but even worse to disenfranchise voters. In...| read more ››

The sale and use of liquid waste from hydraulic fracturing will be banned in Suffolk County under an aquifer-protection bill expected to be signed by the county executive this month.

The legislation, sponsored by Legis. William Spencer (D-Centerport), is aimed at the byproducts of the hydraulic fracturing process, used to extract natural gas from rock formations using chemicals, water and pressure. The bill passed unanimously at the legislature's April 29 meeting.

New York has not issued rules on hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, so the procedure is not currently performed in the state. But it is done in other states, including neighboring Pennsylvania.

Spencer's legislation bans the sale of fracking byproducts within the county. It also prohibits the wastewater...| read more ››

The RCPP, created under the 2014 Farm Bill that President Obama signed into law in February, authorizes $1.3 billion in spending over five years to help farmers adopt conservation practices in regions of the country facing significant environmental challenges. Officials noted that designating the Long Island Sound and Peconic Estuary as one of eight national critical designation areas would help fund agricultural conservation efforts, habitat restoration efforts and the sustainable use of soil, water and other natural resources.

“We are perfectly situated to be designated as one of these conservation areas because we are a region that is vitally important to the future economic success of New York State,” County Executive Bellone said. “The steadfast leadership on agricultural issues from...| read more ››

First District Congressman Tim Bishop and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone are calling for the L.I. Sound and Peconic Estuary to be designated as a region of critical importance under the U.S. Regional Conservation Partnership Program. The designation would provide the region access to federal funding intended to help farmers adopt conservation practices that will protect the surrounding bodies of water.

The Regional Conservation Partnership Program was funded in the farm bill just passed by Congress, Bishop said. The program will receive $100 million per year over five years, he said.

The money will directly benefit farmers make improvements that benefit the watershed, said Cutchogue farmer Tom Wickham, who hosted the press conference today where Bellone and Bishop made the...| read more ››

Mount Sinai, NY - April 2014 - Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker today submitted legislation that will require all nicotine retailers to provide product information and warnings on the dangers of liquid nicotine (also known as e-liquid) on all liquid nicotine products. Used in smokeless cigarette devices, the liquid is available in many flavors and is typically smoked with a special electronic cigarette that burns the nicotine into a smokeless chemical.

In large doses, liquid nicotine is toxic, can cause nicotine poisoning, addiction, and in some cases, may be lethal. The use of liquid nicotine, which is also comprised of propylene glycol, flavoring and other chemicals, continues to increase in Suffolk County.

“Liquid nicotine is especially dangerous, as nicotine...| read more ››

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, accompanied by Suffolk County Legislator Jay Schneiderman, toured the East End last Wednesday, declaring that “the county’s role should not be to second guess decisions made at a local level.”
Mr. Bellone’s day began with a question-and-answer session with government officials from Southampton, Southold, Shelter Island, Riverhead and East Hampton. Issues like public transportation and affordable housing were raised, but the panel also discussed water quality, which Mr.Bellone said he has made his priority.

Following the panel discussion, which took place in Riverhead, Mr. Bellone and Mr. Schneiderman were interviewed live on Sag Harbor’s WLNG. Dan Duprey conducted the interview and asked questions about air quality, water quality and the recent legislation that will...| read more ››