News

Familiar names dot Southold Town Democratic ticket

May
25
2017

Even in a year with no Democratic incumbents on the ballot, the Southold town committee has assembled a slate of candidates with familiar names.

Of the party’s six nominees for town office, three have run in the past, including a recent candidate for town supervisor and two prior Town Board hopefuls.

“I’m elated,” said town Democratic committee chairman Art Tillman. “I think this is the strongest ticket that we’ve had in the three decades I’ve been involved.”

Perhaps most notable, however, is that the Democrats have opted to leave nearly half their side of the ballot empty, including not nominating a candidate for the town justice seat being vacated by retiring Judge Bill Price.

The Democrats will also not...| read more ››

Suffolk top cop testifies before Congress on MS-13 gang

May
24
2017

Federal authorities should create a national database of MS-13 members and boost funding for more prosecutors, police enforcement, and community outreach to combat the rise on Long Island of the vicious street gang, Suffolk Police Commissioner Timothy Sini told a congressional panel Wednesday.

Sini, in testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said MS-13 was responsible for 27 killings in Suffolk since 2013 with 17 of those committed since January 2016. As proof that members of the gang are “savages,” Sini said they recently attempted to recruit a 10-year-old.

“This database is mission-critical to facilitating effective collaboration,” Sini told the committee.

The police commissioner later said he envisioned collaboration that would eventually include international law enforcement from...| read more ››

Zeldin town hall events draw clamorous crowd

Apr
27
2017

Since being sworn in for a second term in January, Congressman Lee Zeldin has faced mounting pressure to hold a town hall meeting for constituents in New York’s First District. Winter temperatures did not stop protesters, sometimes a dozen or so and sometimes nearing 200, from calling on their congressman to hold a town hall.

These rallies, organized by the creators of the Let’s Visit Lee Zeldin Facebook page, were meant to bring attention to Zeldin’s refusal to hold a town hall. A canceled meeting scheduled for April at the Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton only fueled their fire. “Unfortunately, this meeting was co-opted, renamed and rebranded by a group of liberal obstructionists, who were already holding strategy meetings...| read more ››

New York Becomes Only to Offer Free Four-Year College

Apr
10
2017

New York will be the only state in the country to cover four-year college tuition for residents after the program was included in the budget package approved Sunday night.

The state's Excelsior Scholarship program will be rolled out in tiers over the next three years, starting with full coverage of four-year college tuition this fall for students whose families make less than $100,000.

The income cap will increase to $110,000 in 2018 and $125,000 in 2019.

"With this budget, New York has the nation's first accessible college program. It's a different model," said Governor Andrew Cuomo Saturday in a statement. "Today, college is what high school was—it should always be an option even if you can't afford it."

According to...| read more ››