Greg Blass
Opinion column by Greg Blass, a retired public servant who served as Suffolk County social services commissioner, NYS family court judge and Suffolk County legislator.
Our pets rule, influencing lifestyle and housing choices across generations
Pet ownership is on the rise, with millennials more likely to have pets than any other demographic — and making pet-centered lifestyle, renting and home-buying choices.
The real Columbus: There’s hard evidence that the modern recast of the great explorer is a myth
Christopher Columbus has become a controversial figure, with a modern narrative casting him as a greedy, murderous brute. A thought-provoking and compelling reappraisal of Columbus and his legacy shows that there's plenty of hard evidence to the contrary.
Riverhead could see valuable benefits as regional solar energy center — but only if the town plays smart
Riverhead Town should reap big benefits from being the Long Island 'capital' of solar power production — the way other communities have — but it will happen only if the town plays its cards right.
Why we should read to our kids
The more we learn about what's best for our kids, the more we see how reading to them is at the top of the list.
How shellfish farming expansion in Suffolk’s waters hit the rocks
If Suffolk County and the private sector can get their act together, however, the farming of shellfish in our bay waters could add big cash to our local economy and strengthen the ecosystem as well.
L.I. needs tough water consumption limits, a regional conservation plan and access to the Pine Barrens aquifer
Long Island urgently needs to get serious about water conservation, with tough regulations limiting consumption and a regional plan to tap into the water resources of the Pine Barrens. Column by Greg Blass
There’s a cultural disconnect between soccer and U.S. sports fans
"Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." This maxim of the immortal American football icon Vince Lombardi sums it up. Winning is not "the only thing" in soccer.
Ethics opinions may be ‘advisory’ but moral character is not optional
Anyone holding public office, or who seeks to, ought to reflect on Rushworth Kidder's simple explanation of ethics as the "science of the ideal human character as well as the science of moral duty."
Screens, social isolation and suicide
Screen-time so absorbs life that it leaves little time for anything else and is believed to lead to an increased sense of isolation and loneliness. Column by Greg Blass
Tree-huggers are onto something: How trees support life, reduce stress and increase property values
As much as the air we breathe, most of us take trees for granted. But the very air we breathe depends on trees. Some...
