Latest news with #EdRomaine
New York Post
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
State DOT refuses to sign off on $10 land sale that could modernize Long Island's busiest LIRR line
The state Department of Transportation seems ready to run out the clock on a $10 deal to help electrify Long Island's busiest LIRR line, Suffolk officials charged Monday. Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine called out the DOT for stonewalling an infrastructure project he said would clean up both the delay-ridden commute and the environment — all over a pending purchase between Suffolk and the Metropolitan Transportation Agency. If DOT does not sign off on the agreement by June 30, the contract will become void, according to Suffolk officials. Advertisement 6 Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine called out the state Department of Transportation for refusing to approve a $10 land deal that would help electrify the Long Island Railroad's busiest line. Brandon Cruz / NY Post 6 A map of the Lawrence Aviation Industries Site. Department of Environmental Conservation 'This should have been done, this whole line should be electrical,' Romaine, a, Republican, told The Post from Port Jefferson. 'This is the best land deal the MTA will ever make — which isn't exactly known for its fiscal responsibility.' Advertisement Romaine said the agency is ready to move forward with the project, but did not specify how much the project would cost. The vacant land, nearly 50 acres that was once part of the Lawrence Aviation Superfund site, is currently controlled by the Suffolk County Landbank. Landbank officials offered to sell it to the MTA last year for just $10 so the agency can begin building infrastructure to electrify the unreliable diesel-fueled, double-decker trains that still run through the Port Jefferson line — a LIRR route that 30% of all riders live along. 6 Romaine and other Suffolk County officials at an event for the symbolic cutting of red tape for the land sale. Brandon Cruz / NY Post Advertisement 6 The state DOT has until June 30 to approve the deal. Stefano Giovannini It's also the busiest branch on Long Island, according to MTA data. But the DOT balked at blessing the project, citing the need to complete an easement process as well as floating other potential options for the property, Suffolk officials charged. Stephen Canzoneri, DOT spokesperson representing Long Island, confirmed the agency 'is in the process of delivering a free property easement' to 'facilitate MTA's property acquisition,' and said the process will take several months. Advertisement 6 The 50-acre plot of land is owned by the Suffolk County Landbank. Department of Environmental Conservation 6 The Lawrence Aviation Superfund site seen in 2014. Department of Environmental Conservation Even state Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay, a Democrat, offered to personally pay the $10 fee to get the deal done — but said she was told the state still wouldn't allow the sale. Romaine has even called on Gov. Kathy Hochul to step in. He argued DOT's stalling tactics go against Hochul's own green goals. 'Governor Hochul supports any effort to advance meaningful transportation investments in the region and will work with all stakeholders to resolve the complicated land use issues impacting this potential project,' Kara Cumoletti, a spokesperson for the governor, told The Post. The MTA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Long Island cops raid 26 illegal weed stores in a week, seizing 15K products: officials
Suffolk County cops caught 26 unlicensed pot shops in the act during dozens of raids over just one week – seizing more than 15,000 illegal weed products, officials said Tuesday. The countywide crackdown just began May 20 but has already seen 44 smoke shops or convenience stores raided and resulted in seven arrests and five businesses getting shut down permanently, according to police. 'We are not going to allow the proliferation of illegal marijuana shops in this county,' Suffolk Executive Ed Romaine told reporters at a news conference at police headquarters in Yaphank. 'Under the law, we not only padlock their business, but we seize all of their products,' Romaine added, saying the county will likely incinerate the seized products. Police said the biggest busts so far came from raids on Cloud Nine V in Farmingville; Simply Green in Coram; Vape Guru in Bay Shore; and The Norm smoke shop in Patchogue. Suffolk Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina also revealed the raids found some of these storefronts selling illegal fireworks, magic mushroom chocolate bars from Colorado — and flavored vape pods to minors. He told The Post that the police worked together with town officials from all over Suffolk County to identify locations that were possibly selling weed illegally. 'The places that we hit, we asked our precinct commanders and our elected townspeople to give us the spots that were the most problematic in our communities, and those are the spots that we targeted,' Catalina said of the raids. Officials promised more raids to come. 'This isn't just about legality, it's more about safety,' said Suffolk Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr., whose department worked in collaboration with police to conduct the raids. 'Products sold outside of regulated channels can be dangerous and untested,' said Toulon Jr., referring to THC vape products. Officials said the operation will continue indefinitely — with dozens more shops already in their crosshairs.
New York Post
27-05-2025
- New York Post
Long Island cops raid 26 illegal weed stores in a week, seizing 15K products: officials
Suffolk County cops caught 26 unlicensed pot shops in the act during dozens of raids over just one week – seizing more than 15,000 illegal weed products, officials said Tuesday. The countywide crackdown just began May 20 but has already seen 44 smoke shops or convenience stores raided and resulted in seven arrests and five businesses getting shut down permanently, according to police. 'We are not going to allow the proliferation of illegal marijuana shops in this county,' Suffolk Executive Ed Romaine told reporters at a news conference at police headquarters in Yaphank. 3 A large-scale raid cracking down on illegal cannabis products across Suffolk County led to 26 unlicensed stores being caught with over 15,000 illegal weed products. Dennis A. Clark 'Under the law, we not only padlock their business, but we seize all of their products,' Romaine added, saying the county will likely incinerate the seized products. Police said the biggest busts so far came from raids on Cloud Nine V in Farmingville; Simply Green in Coram; Vape Guru in Bay Shore; and The Norm smoke shop in Patchogue. Suffolk Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina also revealed the raids found some of these storefronts selling illegal fireworks, magic mushroom chocolate bars from Colorado — and flavored vape pods to minors. He told The Post that the police worked together with town officials from all over Suffolk County to identify locations that were possibly selling weed illegally. 3 Suffolk Executive Ed Romaine told reporters at a news conference, 'We are not going to allow the proliferation of illegal marijuana shops in this county.' Dennis A. Clark 3 The biggest busts came from Cloud Nine V in Farmingville; Simply Green in Coram; Vape Guru in Bay Shore; and The Norm smoke shop in Patchogue. Dennis A. Clark 'The places that we hit, we asked our precinct commanders and our elected townspeople to give us the spots that were the most problematic in our communities, and those are the spots that we targeted,' Catalina said of the raids. Officials promised more raids to come. 'This isn't just about legality, it's more about safety,' said Suffolk Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr., whose department worked in collaboration with police to conduct the raids. 'Products sold outside of regulated channels can be dangerous and untested,' said Toulon Jr., referring to THC vape products. Officials said the operation will continue indefinitely — with dozens more shops already in their crosshairs.
CBS News
23-05-2025
- CBS News
A new bank fraud scheme is targeting Long Island seniors. Here's what to know.
A new banking scheme is targeting senior citizens in New York, police on Long Island say. Suffolk County police and multiple banks are warning the public about alerts asking for pin numbers coming from made-up, and sometimes spoofed, bank fraud hotlines. "They're using AI-generated voice phone calls" Criminals claiming to represent multiple banks are making phone calls telling customers they need new pin numbers and cards, investigators said. "Your bank account is under attack. Your cards don't work. We'll pick them up," Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said. "And guess what? Then they go to the machine and steal their money." Surveillance photos from Bohemia and Garden City show some of the alleged ringleaders, who experts said are targeting elderly and vulnerable victims. They're not just stealing their money, they taking away their trust and dignity, experts said. "They're always trying to stay a step ahead. They're using AI-generated voice phone calls," Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said. "They can spoof phone numbers." Woman targeted says she learned her lesson A grandmother from Long Island said she learned her lesson after being targeted in multiple other schemes. She did not want to be identified in this story out of fear of retribution. "Tried to get into my bank account because he said there was some fraudulent activity ... It was a QR code," she said. "The scams come over the phone, too. You know, 'Hi grandma!' ... It came up PSEG, so of course I answered it. And it was, they were trying to get information from me, and I just said goodbye." Criminals almost took a sizable chunk from her bank account in an elaborate gift card scheme last year, according to police. "When you are prompted to give information, hang up," Suffolk County Chief of Detectives William Doherty said. The last time a fake call came in, the woman notified police and her bank, then told the person on the other end, "I'm sorry ... you can go on to your next scam."
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Suffolk County may have to pay back $91M in shady red-light camera fees — leading to massive budget deficit
Suffolk County may have to pay back as much as $91 million in shady fees collected from its controversial red-light camera program — a cost that could cause budget mayhem. The Long Island county is already facing a potential battle over its spending plan, with its Budget Review Office forecasting a massive $552 million deficit by 2028. Suffolk ended its red-light program on Dec. 1 but two courts ruled that a $30 administrative fee it tacked onto violations since the program launched in 2010 was illegal because it exceeded a $50 maximum fine. The county is appealing the decision. 'While the county cannot comment on the specifics of pending litigation, it is not possible to predict how the county would address this situation,' County Executive Ed Romaine said in a statement. If Suffolk loses the appeal, the county may have to pay even more than just reimbursing drivers who paid the extra fees because state law requires 9% interest for each year the money goes unpaid, according to David Raimondo, an attorney representing Suffolk drivers in a class-action lawsuit. Earlier this month, Romaine warned constituents that the coming financial situation will require 'some extraordinary budgeting' and 'not everyone's going to be happy' — but the looming payout is just one piece of a much bigger puzzle. County officials also have to fund a newly approved police union contract with boosted pay, hammer out several other pending labor deals, and contend with the uncertainty of future federal aid and an economy experts warn is on the decline. Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy Jr. did not respond to a request for comment. Meanwhile, Nassau County may have to cough up even more than Suffolk, as it hit red-light runners with not only the standard $50 fine, but added a $45 'driver responsibility fee,' and a $55 'public safety fee' — bringing the total extra cost of a single ticket to $150. The extra fees raked in $64 million in gross revenue for Nassau in 2022 alone, according to records obtained by Newsday. It is unclear the total amount the county may owe, but Democratic lawmakers in the Nassau Board of Legislators recently introduced a bill that would permanently eliminate administrative fees and establish a fund to reimburse ticketed drivers charged with these fees. 'For years, Nassau's red light cameras were more about revenue than safety — and drivers paid the price,' Seth Koslow, a Democrat who introduced the bill in December 2024, told The Post. 'My bill puts money back where it belongs: in the pockets of Nassau's hardworking residents. It's time to stop the fleecing and start the refunding,' he said. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman did not respond to a request for comment.
