Babylon Democrats News

Suffolk County Unveils More Initiatives To Fight Heroin, Opiate Crisis

Jan
12
2015

Suffolk County has announced new initiatives in an effort to combat heroin and opiate abuse on Long Island.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Assistant Deputy County Executive for Public Safety Timothy Sini were among a host of county officials to introduce the initiatives on Monday.

Aimed at providing residents with an alternative to combat heroin and other opiate abuse, the county unveiled partnerships to raise awareness and facilitate the use of the FDA-approved drug Vivitrol — an extended release form of naltrexone.

Sini told 1010 WINS the drug will give those hooked on heroin and opioids a fighting chance at recovery.
“It’s a monthly injection. So for that period of time it effectively prevents opioid relapses. It also...| read more ››

Editorial: Elect Kimberly Jean-Pierre in 11th Assembly District

Oct
23
2014

Democrat Kimberly Jean-Pierre, 30, of Wheatley Heights, is seeking to succeed Assemb. Robert Sweeney, who has ably represented this district for 26 years.

Republican Mark Gallo, 46, of Lindenhurst, hasn't campaigned in this overwhelmingly Democratic area.

Jean-Pierre is a solid choice for the job. Born in Brooklyn to Haitian immigrants, she holds a master's degree in public policy from Stony Brook University. Bucking the trend of young people leaving Long Island, she stayed.

Jean-Pierre first worked for federal and county elected officials and is now director of the resource center that is part of the Wyandanch Rising initiative. She knows the district and its needs well and understands how to deliver services to its residents. Her opposition to a charter...| read more ››

Babylon Dems to Host Fall Dinner

Sep
4
2014

The Town of Babylon Democratic Committee has announced that they will be holding their annual fall dinner on Tuesday, September 16th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Bergen Point Golf Club in West Babylon. The event, catered by Gemelli's, will serve to honor outgoing Chairman Bob Stricoff for his thirteen years of hard work and dedication to the committee and to also show support for the great candidates we are running this fall, including Kimberly Jean-Pierre for the 11th District of the New York State Assembly.

Tickets and sponsorships are as follows:

Individual ticket: $350.00
Coffee sponsor: $1,000.00 [includes 5 dinner tickets]
Dessert sponsor: $2,500.00 [includes 5 dinner tickets]
Dinner sponsor: $3,000.00 [includes 10 dinner...| read more ››

Suffolk Democrats pick Kimberly Jean-Pierre for 11th Assembly District

Jun
3
2014

Suffolk Democrats have named Kimberly Jean-Pierre, director of Babylon Town's Wyandanch Community Resource Center, as their Assembly candidate to succeed 26-year Albany veteran Robert Sweeney.

Jean-Pierre, 30, of Wheatley Heights, is a first-time candidate for elected office but worked as an aide to Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington) and Suffolk Legis. DuWayne Gregory (D-Amityville) before he became presiding officer.

Her late entry into the race came after Richard Schaffer, Babylon supervisor and Suffolk Democratic chairman, tried unsuccessfully to enlist Gregory and former County Executive Patrick Halpin and to persuade Sweeney to put off retirement.

He also screened four other contenders. Jean-Pierre could not be reached immediately for comment.

County Republicans have picked longtime Lindenhurst Village administrator Shawn Cullinane, 60, but he...| read more ››

Celebrating the Life of Otis G. Pike

May
9
2014

As Suffolk Democrats, we owe a great deal to the legacy of Congressman Otis G. Pike. He was a trailblazer for us for many years.

To this day, I think that we all can identify with him when he once said: “I’ve always said I’m surrounded on three sides by water and on the fourth by Republicans.”

His legacy of public service will not be lost on us. He was a decorated Marine pilot in WWII, a Riverhead Town Councilman and Justice and served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 18 years, where he fought tirelessly for the environment and our quality of life here in Suffolk County.

Congressman Pike passed away earlier this year in Florida at the...| read more ››

Bellone Honors Veterans and Others for Their Service to Veterans

Mar
10
2014

At a recent veterans appreciation ceremony, Suffolk County honored veterans for their accomplishments and others who have supported former military personnel after their return home.

“Every single soldier deserves our undying respect,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. “We honor individuals, many of whom have served our country in uniform, and some non-veterans as well, but all have dedicated themselves to serving our returning veterans. These are people who have stepped up and gone above and beyond to serve our veterans; they’re doing God’s work in their service.”

Among those honored were John Sehejong Ha of Plainview, a veteran of the Korean War and second vice president of the Korean War Veterans Central Long Island Chapter. He was honored for...| read more ››

Bellone Calls for Action on Suffolk’s Septic Crisis

Mar
6
2014

There were a lot of up island issues on County Executive Steve Bellone’s agenda in his state of the county address last night, but the bulk of his talk had real implications for East Enders: The nitrogen pollution in the county’s ground and surface waters.

After a summer that saw a record number of harmful algae blooms in Long Island bays, Mr. Bellone denounced the culprit: nitrogen, which is leaching primarily from failing septic systems surrounding the bays, wreaking havoc in the ecosystem of our coastlines.

“For the health of our region today and the sake of future generations, we must address this water quality crisis,” he said. “Nitrogen is public water enemy number one.”

Mr. Bellone said about 360,000...| read more ››

SUFFOLK COUNTY EXECUTIVE STEVE BELLONE DELIVERS STATE OF THE COUNTY TO PACKED ROOM IN HAUPPAUGE

Mar
6
2014

Address Highlights Water Quality & Economic Development as Priorities for the County; Bellone: We need to ‘Reclaim our Water’ together

(Hauppauge, NY) Last night, County Executive Steve Bellone delivered his third State of the County address to a packed room at the William H. Rodgers Legislative Building in Hauppauge.
During his address, Bellone prioritized the imperative need to focus on threats to Suffolk County’s water quality from failing septic tanks and cesspools.

“There is no greater challenge to our future than the water quality crisis that we must now begin to confront as a County. Nitrogen poisoning of our surface and ground waters is the greatest crisis this County has faced in a generation,” said County Executive Bellone. “Clean...| read more ››

Suffolk Exec. Bellone tackles clean water, brain drain in State of the County address

Mar
6
2014

HAUPPAUGE - Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone delivered the State of the County address to the Suffolk County Legislature Wednesday evening.

The county executive says Suffolk gained about 18,000 jobs in the past year, but more must be done to help thwart brain drain in the county’s communities.

He also spoke about the importance of cleaning up Long Island's water supply.

"This is a year of action for our water,” said Bellone. “By the end of this year, we will have firmly identified the scope of the problem, begun work to sewer critical areas, have a clear roadmap as to what type of technology we need for every impacted home."

Bellone says there are 360,000 un-sewered homes in Suffolk. The...| read more ››

Bellone State of the County speech targets water quality

Mar
5
2014

Suffolk is preparing a home-by-home analysis of areas to be connected to sewers as part of the county's push to address nitrogen pollution in local waterways, County Executive Steve Bellone said in his State of the County address Wednesday night.

Bellone devoted the largest portion of his 58-minute speech at the William H. Rogers Legislative Building in Hauppauge to the issue of water quality.

He also said the county has made progress in reducing its structural budget deficit, noting that the county payroll has declined by 1,000 workers since he took office in 2012.

Bellone has made nitrogen pollution from septic tanks and cesspools his top priority this year. Suffolk will have "firmly identified the scope of the problem"...| read more ››