Latest news with #LongIslanders
New York Post
7 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Blakeman renews ex-Rep. Peter King's $8K a month, no-bid counterterrorism contract without legislative approval
Nassau Democrats are fuming after Bruce Blakeman quietly re-upped his longtime political ally Peter King's no-bid contract Monday, accusing the Republican county executive of cronyism and a lack of transparency. The 81-year-old King, a former Republican congressman, was first hired in November 2023 as Blakeman's 'confidential adviser' on counterterrorism and homeland security, a role that has allowed him to collect up to $8,000 a month without a public vote or an open bidding process due to the sensitive nature of the post. 4 The 81-year-old King was first hired in November 2023 as Blakeman's (right) 'confidential adviser' on counterterrorism and homeland security. Brigitte Stelzer Advertisement Records show Nassau has already shelled out $192,000 to King. And his contract, which was extended on Monday by the county executive, will now run through October. 'No-bid contracts for political insiders like Peter King are exactly why Long Islanders pay some of the highest taxes in the country,' county Legislator Seth Koslow, a Democrat who is running against Blakeman in November, told The Post. 'Bruce Blakeman is treating our wallets like an ATM for his friends. 'This so-called 'sensitive' legal work is just another excuse for a secret payout. While Nassau families are getting squeezed, the GOP machine is cashing in.' Advertisement 4 A portrait of Seth Koslow, who is a candidate for Nassau County Executive. Seth Koslow for County Executive Blakeman called it 'ridiculous' that the Democrats were making an issue of the appointment. He pointed to King's nearly three decades in Congress, where he chaired the House Homeland Security Committee, served on the Intelligence Committee and helped lead post-9/11 emergency preparedness efforts across New York state. He represented both Nassau and Suffolk counties while working on Capitol Hill. 'Congressman King held the highest security clearances in the federal government, military, and law enforcement, and has not only a wealth of knowledge but an extensive network of intelligence professionals that he has made available to Nassau County,' Blakeman said. Advertisement The investment, especially as Nassau cops are gearing up to assist ICE, is needed now more than ever, Blakeman said. 4 Peter King speaks at Bernie McGuirk's memorial at Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan, NY on October 26, 2022. J. Messerschmidt/NY Post Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder also backed the hire, saying King is 'available 24/7' and regularly sits in on meetings with top law enforcement officials from local jurisdictions to the federal level. The ex-congressman has also been intimately involved in major security planning efforts, including last year's Cricket World Cup held at Eisenhower Park, according to Ryder. However, the Dems told The Post Blakeman's move is less about safety and security and more about playing political favorites and doing so without transparency. Advertisement Blakeman used a narrow exemption to get King on the payroll that allows the county executive to hire outside legal counsel in 'highly sensitive' matters, county records show — a carveout Dems said opens the door to cronyism. 4 Dems told The Post Blakeman's move is less about safety and security and more about playing political favorites and doing so without transparency. Paul Martinka Since taking office, Blakeman has used the provision to dole out more than $500,000 in similar government contracts, including $250,000 to a law firm — previously used by President Trump — for legal advice on fighting Gov. Kathy Hochul's controversial affordable housing plan. Most county contracts require a vote from a Nassau Legislature committee and must go through a competitive bidding process aimed at securing the lowest possible price for taxpayers. Typically, only contracts under $1,000 can bypass bidding requirements — but King's deal wasn't brought before lawmakers or opened up to other vendors. 'Even if it's legal, it doesn't mean it's ethical or defensible,' said Koslow. 'Quite frankly, it's a handout.' King's relationship with Blakeman dates back years. The two have appeared together at multiple events, including Blakeman's recent reelection kickoff and over the past 25 years, King and his committees have poured more than $1.1 million into local politics, including many donations to Blakeman and the Nassau GOP. Advertisement Since leaving office in 2021, King has worked as a lobbyist and consultant, but said he still maintains active ties with federal law enforcement and national security officials, spending several hours a week on county business. 'I'm not saying it needs to be me instead of someone else,' King told Newsday. 'But I think it's good to have somebody on the outside who can add a different dimension.' Blakeman has not said whether he plans to extend King's contract beyond this year.
New York Post
08-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Islanders' rookie camp a ‘full 360 moment' for Long Island trio
Brandon Chabrier can hardly believe it, but he's been skating at Northwell Health Ice Rink for longer than the Islanders have called it home. Chabrier was at the facility, then called Twin Rinks Ice Center, on the day it opened in 2014 as an 11-year-old. The Islanders moved operations to the rink in 2016. So, naturally, it was hard for Chabrier, a Bayville native, to wipe the ear-to-ear grin off his face as he stood by his new locker in the Islanders' swanky dressing room at the East Meadow practice facility during Monday's first day of development camp. Advertisement Making the moment more special: Chabrier shared the ice with Ross Mitton and Marshall Warren, fellow Long Islanders and old teammates from Portledge School in Locust Valley.
New York Post
27-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Hochul admits New York needs nuclear power — but getting it won't be easy
Good news: Gov. Kathy Hochul has tapped the New York State Power Authority to build the first major new US nuclear power plant in over 15 years. Bad news: New York's history of politicians pandering to anti-nuke hysteria will scare off a lot of potential private 'partners' on building the one-gigawatt plant. After all, it's just four years since then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo forced the early closure of Indian Point — and four decades since then-Gov. Mario Cuomo killed the $6 billion Shoreham nuke plant before it even opened. Hochul has belatedly recognized reality: New York has no hope of coming near meeting any of its clean-energy goals without nuclear power — and indeed is already hard-pressed for enough generating capacity to meet the natural growth in electric demands. For example, Micron's New York semiconductor plant will require massive amounts of reliable electricity, potentially 1.85 gigawatts at full capacity — enough to power half a million homes. The windmills and solar power plants pushed by the state Climate Action Plan can never meet that need. Yet nuke plants take a long time to build, and getting the state-of-the-art modular reactor Hochul envisions is a lot harder than calling for it. The Cuomos' anti-nuke actions — Long Islanders are still paying for Shoreham, while Indian Point had supplied 25% of the electricity needed for the city and Westchester — ensure that any company will demand a huge risk premium before investing a dime in building a nuke plant in the Empire State. Which is why Hochul left the door open to the Power Authority footing the bills itself — without mentioning this means taxpayer support and/or stiff new fees on utility bills. She also didn't mention that, since any new nuclear plant is 15 or so years off, the state's going to need new carbon-fueled power plants in the meantime, pushing the Climate Act's goals even further out of reach. Consider it all just a few more reasons we all have the Cuomo clan to thank for a huge chunk of New York's deep 'affordability' problems.
New York Post
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Two bruisers busted after illegal ‘fight club' at Long Island park broken up by cops
The first rule of Fight Club is — you don't talk about Fight Club. Two Long Islanders were arrested over the weekend after pummeling one another at a park in front of a cheering crowd during a face-off promoted on social media. More than 70 spectators in their early to mid-20s packed Melville's Walt Whitman Park to catch a glimpse of what police called an unauthorized 'fight club' early Sunday evening, according to Newsday. But the clash was cut short by the cops — who caught wind of the event after it was publicized on Instagram, the report said. The crowd quickly scattered, but the battered brawlers stayed put and were cuffed by officers. 3 Suffolk County police broke up a 'fight club' meeting at a park in Melville, N.Y. Google Maps The duo, Finley McCloskey, 19, and Jake Zimilies, 19, both residents of Northport, were issued appearance tickets charging them with unlawful assembly, according to the Suffolk County Police Department. 3 About 70 people gathered around the fight to watch. Google Maps The Instagram account originally used to boost the fight online was deactivated, police said. The idea of a 'fight club' was first popularized by the 1996 novel 'Fight Club' by Chuck Palahniuk, which he based off of his own experiences participating in the illicit organizations. 3 The illicit 'fight club' was advertised on a now-deactivated Instagram account. Google Maps The book was later adapted into the Oscar-nominated film under the same title in 1999 starring Edward Norton and Brad Pitt. It is unclear if the gaggle of wannabe fighters were inspired by the fictional tale, or if they obeyed the sacred nine rules of Fight Club — including the requirement that all first-time attendees participate in one brawl. The Post reached out to the SCPD for clarity. The Big Apple is no stranger to brawling bonanzas. In September, a migrant shelter in Queens became overrun by a teen 'fight club' that terrorized neighbors in the middle of the night. Another Queens shelter saw a similar disaster in early 2024 after migrants living there formed a fighting ring in a nearby McDonald's parking lot.
New York Post
24-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
MTA's claims of 40% boost in LIRR service derailed by new audit— with nearly half of new trains never leaving Brooklyn
The MTA's claims that it boosted Long Island Rail Road service by more than 40% with the launch of the Grand Central Madison station is being derailed by a new state audit. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's report examined LIRR post-pandemic ridership — between January 2021 and November 2023 — and looked into the period both before and after the $11 billion Grand Central Madison station, the LIRR's newest Manhattan stop, which opened in early 2023. While the MTA touted a 41% spike in the number of LIRR trains operating each day — from 665 to 936 daily — the late May audit found the actual increase was more like 23%, noting the stats were padded by nearly half of those additional service trains making short shuttle runs between Jamaica and Brooklyn. Advertisement 5 While the MTA touted a 41% spike in the number of LIRR trains operating each day, the late May audit found the actual increase was more like 23%. Christopher Sadowski The additional service runs were meant to help slash commute times and increase the flow of riders from across Long Island into the Big Apple. Instead, the audit found riders experienced the opposite — excessive delays and longer commutes. 'Some passengers may have been required to change their travel times, increasing wait times and adding more steps to their trips where direct service was eliminated,' the audit found, also citing the LIRR's poor job of applying customer feedback to their service changes. Advertisement 5 The additional service runs were meant to help slash commute times and increase the flow of riders from across Long Island into the Big Apple. Gregory P. Mango The MTA disputed the findings in a statement to The Post, claiming it counted additional trains in service between Penn Station and Jamaica but 'discounted 118 additional trains to East New York, Nostrand Avenue and Atlantic Terminal, important stations in the City Terminal Zone.' 'Ridership has grown 10 percent over the last year, and riders … are enjoying more trains and reverse-commuting options that didn't exist before,' the statement added. 'And at a time when the number of available East River tunnels is being reduced for repairs, Grand Central Madison delivers operational flexibility to ensure Long Islanders can get where they need to go.' Advertisement 5 Instead, the audit found riders experienced the opposite — excessive delays and longer commutes. Anthony Behar/Sipa USA LIRR president Robert Free also pushed back on DiNapoli's findings and pointed to a recent spike in ridership and a 'post-pandemic record' in customer satisfaction as signs that many commuters were on board with the plan rolled out in conjunction with the opening of Grand Central Madison, according to Newsday. The additional Brooklyn trains were defended by MTA policy chief John McCarthy, who said they still serve an important role for riders — since Brooklyn is located on Long Island — and noted it's not uncommon for some LIRR trains to start or end at Jamaica. 5 LIRR president Robert Free also pushed back on DiNapoli's findings and pointed to a recent spike in ridership. Seth Gottfried Advertisement But Peter Haynes, a former LIRR systems project specialist, was 'glad to see' the agency get called out, he told the outlet. 'The railroad has a very long history of counting trains and equipment, rather than people,' said Haynes, who is also the founder of the advocacy group, The LIRR Commuters Campaign. 'So I'm not … surprised that someone has finally noticed that passenger experience is really not being addressed at all.' 5 Peter Haynes, a former LIRR systems project specialist, was 'glad to see' the agency get called out, he told the outlet. Brandon Cruz / NY Post Jeremy Burd, a lighting-designer who frequently travels from Long Island to Penn Station for work, told The Post that he opts for the simpler route, which often has him avoiding Grand Central Madison. 'It's usually just easier to go to Penn,' Burd said. 'I just wish they would lower the fare, but that will never happen.' DiNapoli's office issued several recommendations aimed at improving transparency and rider engagement, including developing a formal system to manage commuter feedback. 'It's my hope that this audit provides some constructive insights into ways to improve how LIRR riders' concerns are handled and their riding experience enhanced,' DiNapoli said in a statement.
