Suffolk County Legislature

Mark McLaughlin of Riverhead was honored by the Suffolk County Legislature yesterday as a “champion of diversity” in the First Legislative District.

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine on Monday announced county lawmakers' agreement to increase county sales tax by 1/8-cent to fund sewage treatment facilities and advanced septic systems.

The law would require residential and commercial automatic irrigation systems to be equipped with a weather-based irrigation controller and at least one rain sensor or soil moisture device or an on-site weather station.

Republican legislators voiced numerous reasons for their opposition to moving forward with the news 1/% sales tax, with the strongest objections centered on what they called an unfair allocation of the new tax revenues to sewers versus advanced septic systems.

Tuesday, July 25 is the County Legislature's last chance to vote to opt the water quality restoration fund on the November ballot. Group for the East End President Bob DeLuca urges residents to demand legislator's "let the voters decide."

Suffolk County’s ambitious plans to create a water quality fund for wastewater treatment hit a major road block last night when the county legislature voted to send the legislation back to committee.

The Republican nominee in the First Legislative District will be picked by voters in a party primary election June 27, after a second candidate enters the race, challenging the party leaders' pick.

For the first time since the discovery of the ransomware attack on Suffolk County government systems in September, the Suffolk County Legislature will return to Riverhead this week for committee meetings and next week for its general meeting.

The First Legislative District race looks to be a battle between two women named Catherine. Former Riverhead Council Member Catherine Kent has announced her candidacy for the seat being vacated by Legis. Al Krupski. She will face longtime Krupski aide Catherine Stark.

Catherine Stark, longtime aide to Legislator Al Krupski, is seeking the Republican nomination to succeed him in office. She has the backing of Republican Party leaders. Photo: Denise Civiletti