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Thursday, January 4, 2024 ~ Volume 69 ~ Issue Number 5 ~ $1.00
Ed Romaine Inaugurated as Ninth County Exec
Photo by Matt Meduri
‘A Great Day for Suffolk’ By Matt Meduri “It’s a great day for Suffolk County,” said nearly all speakers and attendees at the inauguration of Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) as Suffolk County Executive. Elected officials, community leaders, and members and friends of the Romaine family descended on Eastport-South Manor Junior-Senior High School on January 1 to witness Romaine’s swearing in and inaugural address. Ed Romaine served as Brookhaven Town Supervisor from 2011 until his decisive victory in last year’s county executive race. His election resulted in the first Republican county executive since Bob Gaffney was re-elected in 1999. Continued on page 3
By Kaitlyn Foley St. Catherine of Siena Hospital has received the attention of our communities often this year between the threat of a nurse’s strike, an ongoing call for a ratified contract, and now, for plans of closing the hospital’s Labor and Delivery unit. The president of the hospital, Declan Doyle, informed its employees of the change in a letter on December 21, only six weeks prior to the proposed closing date of February 1.
According to Doyle, the unit will be closing because the physicians in Obstetrics and Gynecology at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital are changing employers. “As part of their new contract, they will no longer be able to provide maternity care at St. Catherine’s. Their decision was purely contractual and not prompted by any discontent with St. Catherine’s staff or services,” said Doyle in his letter. Continued on page 10
FULL STORIES ON:
New York Moves Local Elections to Even Years Page 9
A Look At The Opioid Epidemic Page 21
County Legislature Inaugurated Page 24
Catholic Health Services
St. Catherine’s Hospital Announces Plans to Close Maternity Unit