Labor unions packed the Suffolk Legislature on Tuesday after finding the county yanked a longtime job contract from a union-friendly shop to a politically connected one. They weren’t having it. By Joe Werkmeister ✍️ via @newsday.bsky.social www.newsday.com/long-island/...

To do anything else is unthinkable."(4/4)

Political leaders, government officials, media enterprises and private citizens ought to be speaking out against these infringements to make certain that the U.S. does not lose the democracy our ancestors fought so hard to enshrine in our system of government and daily life.(3/4)

No matter one's political affiliation, the breach of First Amendment rights, without any credible legal justification, nullifies the freedoms Americans have enjoyed for nearly 250 years.(2/4)

The New York Press Club has released our statement on the arrest of Don Lemon 🧵 "Numerous actions in the past year by the White House steer the U.S. into more and more dangerous territory as the rights of its citizens, in this case journalists, are negated.(1/4)

While most of the Democratic Party is aghast over @ICEgov tactics, on Long Island, Tom Suozzi + Laura Gillen are tempering their messages. That could become a liability as midterms approach, expert say. @baharostadan.bsky.social w/the story via @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Two different versions of what happened. Which one do you believe?

An enclave on Long Island is about to get a $45 million upgrade to its sewer infrastructure, all in the name of protecting a nearby waterway. Joe Werkmeister has the details in @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Zohran Mamdani's mayoral win boosted the political potency of Asian Americans. Candice Ferrette digs into how that might play out in next year's midterms on Long Island. via @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is thinking about running for governor after notching a big re-election win. So what's standing in his way? Candice Ferrette lays it out via @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

The GOP maintained its political dominance in Nassau County. But how? Candice Ferrette pored through the numbers to bring you this eye-opening analysis via Newsday Media Group. www.newsday.com/long-island/... #politics #LongIsland #politicalnews #localpolitics

Hot story from @candiceferrette on some political coordination happening inside the legislative chambers that’s causing a stir. Via @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

The race for the chief executive spot in Long Island's Nassau County has pitted incumbent Bruce Blakeman against relative newcomer Seth Koslow. @baharostadan.bsky.social has the story for @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Suffolk County loves its aquifer, its freshwater bank that supplies drinkable water to millions of Long Islanders. It's a reason why lawmakers find new ways to keep it from getting polluted. Joe Werkmeister has the story on the latest push to protect it. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

NY keeps a public list of delinquent taxpayers, some owing millions of dollars in tax debt. The #1 offender, per list, is in Nassau County. @baharostadan.bsky.social has the story for @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

A candidate for a Nassau County Legislature seat has swapped her Massapequa home with a walk-up apartment in Farmingdale that government entities can't decide whether it's even a legit unit. Candice Ferrette hit the pavement for this story in @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

The only county-wide election in Suffolk is coming in the form of a ballot question. This one has MAJOR implications to the county's elections in the future. Joe Werkmeister put together this nifty FAQ via @newsday.bsky.social. #SuffolkCounty www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Is Nassau bringing back a program that allows drivers to pay outstanding tickets at a reduced price? The Comptroller's office seems to think so. But the legislature? They don't even have it calendared. By @baharostadan.bsky.social via @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

ICE has arrested about 1600 people with criminal records on Long Island under @realDonaldTrump so far this year. But immigrants w. no priors are getting rounded up too, and ICE won't say how many. @BaharOstadan with the story via @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

🐟 Suffolk lawmakers are eyeing ways to save the fishing industry from overdevelopment. “For us to survive and thrive, we absolutely need these working waterfront spaces,” one oysterman said. Joe Werkmeister with the story via @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Candice Ferrette obtained a trove of documents showing that the once CEO of NUMC and former executives spent thousands of dollars on flights, hotels and other expenses-- all while the hospital was swimming in debt. Check out her deep dive in @newsday.bsky.social. 🦀 www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Deleted this post because it contained inaccurate information. Will update.

#SuffolkCounty looks to stiffen fines for shady home improvement contractors marked for its "Wall of Shame" registry. Failure to register upon conviction can cost contractors $10,000. Joe Werkmeister with the story via @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Candice Ferrette obtained a trove of documents showing that the once CEO of NUMC spent thousands of dollars on flights, hotels and even a lobster dinner -- all while the hospital was swimming in debt. Check out her deep dive in @newsday.bsky.social.🦀 www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is running circles around Democratic challenger Seth Koslow for the Nassau County Executive race. Koslow is pulling in more donors. @candiceferrette with the story via @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

[email protected] reporter Robert Brodsky w. a fantastic on-the-ground piece outlining the consequences of suspending the TPS program: a shortage of nursing home workers. One official says this "will worsen the existing shortages of health care personnel" www.newsday.com/news/health/...

💰The case involving red-light camera ticket fees in Nassau County is in the stages of being appealed, per county officials. A lower court found the *$400M* collected was illegal. Nassau disagrees. @baharostadan.bsky.social has the story for @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

📰 Nassau County Exec Bruce Blakeman went around the legislature to give his political ally work as an advisor. Not illegal, but at least one good government group says hold up. Payton Guion + @baharostadan.bsky.social w. the story for @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

*NEW*: @NassauExec signed an executive order allowing Nassau police to wear face masks during specific investigations. The practice mirrors what ICE agents are doing when effecting arrests. @johnasbury.bsky.social has the story for @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Nassau County's upgraded partnership with ICE has resulted in more than 1400 immigrants sent to an East Meadow jail in the last 5 months. Last year that number was zero. @baharostadan.bsky.social has the details via @newsday.bsky.social. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Nassau and Suffolk county pays top dollar for some jobs across its government. We spent a few weeks poring through the numbers and they were astonishing. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Suffolk County maintains a so-called "Wall of Shame" for unscrupulous home improvement contractors. The stories reporter Joe Werkmeister heard for this story will shock you. Via @newsday.bsky.social www.newsday.com/long-island/...

A driver who prosecutors allege was high on marijuana struck Eryk McPherson, 19, while he biked home from his job. State data shows around a quarter of Long Island’s fatal crashes had a “drug-involved driver” in '23, a number that has trended upward over the previous decade. www.nwsd.li/111da2

"I saw him take his very first breath and his very last breath." www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Out on Long Island, a troubled hospital has a new board chair after the state made some major changes to its governance. Meet the new chair, Stuart Rabinowitz. Word has it he's a disrupter. Story from Newsday www.newsday.com/long-island/...

One thing I don’t seem to understand is why so many people in the marketing world look at my LinkedIn profile. I’m a journalist, not a MadMan.

Debate has raged over whether to raise the suicide awareness flag alongside the U.S. and military flag. It's happening in Suffolk County, home to the state's largest veteran population. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Going to really try and use BlueSky more. I promise.

Still love front page newspaper covers. Today, politics grabbed the front for Newsday.

A cautionary tale on why primary sources are deftly important.

Going down a rabbit hole on what is causing the wildfires to keep raging. I’m hearing all kinds of theories…including DEI programs (still wrapping my head around that). Please, Bluesky, tell me what’s really happening.

Newsday spoke with conservationists to learn how a plan to build a casino near a bird preserve can affect the ecology in this rare habitat. Good story via @Newsday. www.newsday.com/long-island/...

It’s like hell on earth.

So many questions: 1. Where are the impacted people moving? 2. What are the ecological effects — short and long term? 3. Why is this happening in January? 4. How do you put out a giant fire like this? Lastly, when would this area heal?

Air quality at the heart of the Los Angeles fires, the most destructive in city history, per officials.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said she wants to improve drive time above the average 7 mph in congestion zones and shave time off train trips by next year.

“I think that anybody that counts Eric out is gambling wrong,” @TheRevAl said. “I would never count him out, but I would say he has some hills to climb. He has bigger hills than he has ever had to climb.”

Chloe my cat. She’s so regal.

YES ! @ColinFarrell_PR wins for “The Penguin”. He was flawless from beginning to end. #GoldenGlobes

Chloe my cat. She’s so regal.