At the county government level, Suffolk County legislators met in several committees this past week. The next general meeting of the Suffolk Legislature is scheduled for Tuesday, April 26.
Crack Houses May Get Cyber-Scarlet Letters
On Friday, the Budget and Finance/Information Technology Committee moved a bill which would publish the locations of crack houses throughout the county, along with the names and addresses of the property owners. The "public nuisance website," would be developed to "increase community awareness and protect residents" according to the text of the bill, which was sponsored by Legislator Kate Browning, WF-Shirley.
The committee discharged the bill without recommendation, which means that a "little flag" was placed on the bill citing certain issues which should be fixed before a full legislature vote, according to the committee's vice chair, Legislator Jay Schneiderman, I-Montauk. Schneiderman said issues brought up regarding the text of the bill included removing properties from the website once they are fixed up, and legal language concerning property owners' due process.
Related to her effort to crack down on crack houses, Browning has also sponsored an amendment to "strengthen the county's crack house law." The resolution was on Friday's agenda for the Public Safety Committee meeting, though minutes were unavailable as of Saturday morning.
Gilgo Beach Search Spreads into Nassau
After an investigation to find a serial killer hit the four-month mark and more remains were found last week, authorities found two more sets of bones on Monday and expanded their search into Nassau County.
Babylon Village Patch editor Judy Mottl recapping coverage of the grisly investigation.
High End Art Thief Held on $500k Bail
Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota announced on Friday that a more than $550,000 in high-end art and collectibles from six East End homes. He was held on $500,000 cash bail.
In January and February, Angel Giovanni Palencia, 24, reportedly burglarized homes in East Hampton, Southampton, Shelter Island and Southold for works valued at up to $140,000 and was caught trying to sell the pieces to a Southold art dealer.
Spota said that the defendant admitted to doing previous work at some of the homes, including carpentry and painting.
According to authorities, Palencia, a native of Guatemala who had a prior conviction of driving while ability impaired, is in the country illegally and has an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement hold on him.
Veterans and Seniors Committee Walks Through New East End VA Clinic
On Thursday, legislators took a at the County Center in Riverside that will open on May 2. The new clinic was described as "100 percent better than the old one" by a local VFW Commander.
The new 4,300-square-foot facility will host three consulting rooms, five exam rooms, and a group therapy room that will offer video conferencing capabilities on a 52-inch flat-screen television.
Currently, East End vets attend a facility at Gabreski Airport for primary care facilities and receive mental health services at a once-a-week session at Riverhead's American Legion hall. Both facilities will close with the opening of the new clinic.
