Spring Newsletter A Message from Legislator Sarah Anker Dear Neighbor, I hope this email finds you and your loved ones well. This year has brought many changes and challenges to all of us. Despite this, as a county, we have continued to work for the needs of our constituents while doing everything we can to keep residents safe. It has been heartwarming to see the ways our community has come together to support each other whether it was through personal protection equipment donations, food donations, or just calling a friend or neighbor to check in. It has been my honor to provide support and assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic as we deal with these very challenging times. I wanted to share with you that I was recently appointed to serve as the Chairwoman of Suffolk County's Health Committee in addition to already serving as the Chairwoman of the Seniors and Human Services Committee. I continue to serve as the Vice Chair of the Veterans and Consumer Affairs Committee and as a member of the Budget and Finance Committee, and the Environment, Parks and Agriculture Committee. In addition to sharing this new role with you, I want to provide information on past events, updates about what is happening in the district and upcoming events, and to spotlight our tremendous community members. Thank you to all that have contributed to our community through volunteering and community services! I am looking forward to when we can all come together and see each other's smiling faces in person again. Until then, please continue to be safe and well. Sincerely, Sarah S. Anker Suffolk County Legislator Sixth Legislative District COVID-19 Information Make a COVID-19 Vaccine COVID-19 Updates and Resources Appointment Scam Alert Information Please be aware there continues to be scams in our community. Click on the buttons below to learn more about what scams have been reported. To report a scam please call 631-852-SCAM(7226). Suffolk County Scam Alerts COVID-19 Scam Information Local News Suffolk County’s Mount Sinai Harbor dredging project has officially been completed. The long-awaited dredging project began in December 2020 after the completion of the Town of Brookhaven’s project to repair the Mount Sinai Harbor jetties in May 2020. Plans for the dredging of the Mount Sinai Harbor began with resolution 2026-2011, co- sponsored by Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker, which allocated $2.1 million of the 2011 Capital Budget to the Suffolk County Department of Public Works (SCDPW) for the project. Due to the necessity of repairing the harbor’s jetties, the dredging project was temporarily halted until the town-owned jetties were repaired. In 2016, Legislator Sarah Anker sponsored resolution 2058-2016 Harbor Dredging and Jetty Project to extend the earmark of the allocated funds Completed until the project could be completed. Legislator Sarah Anker’s initiative to create a comprehensive Suffolk County Addiction Website through Introductory Resolution No. 1990-2020 that was unanimously passed this year. The legislation directs the Suffolk County Department of Information Technology and the Department of Health to create a comprehensive Suffolk County website dedicated to addiction, mental health, Legislator Anker Announces substance use disorder prevention, and Addiction Resource Website rehabilitation services. The website is expected to be launched in May of 2021. Suffolk County and Brookhaven Holiday Toy Drive Town Announce Open Space Acquisition of Mount Sinai Property Legislator Anker joined the Suffolk County Legislator Anker joined Brookhaven Town Police Department’s 7th Precinct and the local Supervisor Ed Romaine and Brookhaven Town community in collecting new and unwrapped Councilwoman Jane Bonner to announce the toys for a Holiday Toy-Drive this past holiday official acquisition of a 15 acre parcel formerly season. Donation boxes were distributed owned by the Little Portion Friary in Mount throughout the community, including to Sinai. The 15 acre purchase will complete the Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker’s office acquisition of a total of 59.3 acres for County in Mount Sinai. All donations were brought to Park land in Mount Sinai. Approved the Suffolk County Police Department 7th legislation, 1555-2017, authorized the county Precinct’s headquarters for distribution. The to move forward in acquiring the property department was able to collect over 1,000 under the Suffolk County Drinking Water and toys to distribute to families in need in the Protection Program. The property is in district. addition to 44.3 acres that had been acquired in 2014. Suffolk County Heroin and Opiate Epidemic Advisory Panel Releases 2020 Final Report This past December, Legislator Anker and the members of the Suffolk County Heroin and Opiate Epidemic Advisory Panel announced the release of their 2020 final report, which includes a detailed outline of the panel’s actions and findings of the past year, goals for the new year, beneficial Suffolk County resources, and links to other reports pertaining to the heroin and opioid epidemic. The Heroin and Opiate Epidemic Advisory Panel’s 2020 final report features comprehensive updates regarding the work of the panel members throughout the year, current available data collected and compiled from the DASH Center, LICADD’s 24/hour hotline, Suffolk County Police Department and the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office, available Suffolk County resources, relevant information about the state of the heroin and opioid epidemic county-wide, state-wide and nationally, current litigation updates, and future plans for the panel. The report is available to view on the Suffolk County Legislature’s website: https://www.scnylegislature.us/1057/Heroin- and-Opiate-Epidemic-Advisory-Panel Legislator Anker joined local elected officials, Veterans Day Commemoration the Middle Island Civic Association, the Ceremony in Middle Island Longwood Alliance, local community organizations and fire departments, veterans, active military personnel, and the Longwood community at Bartlett Pond Park for the 12th Annual Veterans Day Commemoration ceremony. The event included a flag ceremony, wreath-laying, introductions of all veterans, active military and families in attendance, and an announcement of two additions to the Longwood World War II Memorial. During the Commemoration ceremony, it was announced that two individuals were added to the Longwood World War II Memorial this year. One of the individuals, Frank LaMagra, was in attendance and celebrated his 100th birthday earlier this year. The other individual, Dr. Louis Nannini served as Longwood’s first school superintendent and passed away earlier this year at age 103. In addition to honoring these two brave veteran community members, three recently departed Longwood firefighters and veterans, Donald Young, Vincent Mirando and James Powers, were also honored. Lighting of the Pink Tree for Hope at 240th Anniversary of the Coram Heritage Park ​Hay Burning Legislator Anker joined Councilwoman Legislator Anker joined members of the Davis Bonner, the President of the North Shore Town Meeting House Society, local elected Neighbors Helping Hands Coalition Patti officials, and community members in Coram Kozlowski, and the President of the Heritage for the 240th Coram Hay Burning. The Coram Trust Victoria Hazan at Heritage Park for the Hay Burning was hosted by the Davis Town ceremonial lighting of the Pink Tree for Hope. Meeting House Society and the 3rd NY For the month of October, a tree at Heritage Regiment 1775 LI Companies. The event Park was illuminated with pink lights in featured a full reenactment of the history recognition of National Breast Cancer surrounding the events of the Coram Hay Awareness Month. Burning, camp activities for public participation and guest speakers. County Acquires Pine Lake Property Legislator Anker Recognizes Gold in Middle Island for Open Space Star Families at Ceremony at Bartlett Preservation Pond Park Suffolk County has officially acquired a 9.9 Legislator Anker joined Gold Star families, acre wooded parcel near Pine Lake in Middle local elected officials and community Island. The acquisition process for this land members at the Gold Star Families parcel dates back to the Suffolk County Recognition Ceremony at Bartlett Pond Park General Legislature Meeting on Tuesday, hosted by the Middle Island Civic Association. March 20th, 2018, where Legislator Anker’s The service included songs, prayers, wreath sponsored Introductory Resolution 1156, was placement, readings, and remarks by the unanimously approved to begin appraisal community and local leaders. Every year, the steps for the property for open space Longwood Alliance and the Middle Island Civic preservation. The property, which was Association organizes the Gold Star Families previously slated to be development, is Day for community members to come located on Church Lane in Middle Island together to commemorate those who lost within the Compatible Growth Area for the their lives while serving and to honor their Pine Barrens and the watershed area for Pine family members. Lake. Legislator Anker distributes face masks to senior communities in the district. Legislator Anker joined volunteers at the Legislator Anker joined Suffolk County Mount Sinai Congregational Church for a food Executive Steve Bellone to distribute face drive in support of Island Heart Food Pantry in coverings and gloves to seniors at Leisure Middle Island. Village, Leisure Knoll, and Leisure Glen in Ridge. Legislator Anker participated