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HERALD BEaCon
Also serving Babylon, Bay Shore, Copiague, Deer Park, Farmingdale, Lindenhurst, North Babylon, West Babylon, West Islip and Wyandanch
Babylon Lions hold sweet event
BHS hosts ‘retro’ Oscars party
Help coming to Babylon Village for feral cats
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VOL. 60 NO. 18
MAY 28 - JUNE 3, 2026
$1.00
SC Police and ADA honored By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com
The Suffolk County Police Department was recognized by Long Island Against Domestic Violence at the organization’s 50th Anniversary Purple Tie Gala. Long Island Against Domestic Violence (LIADV) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic
violence and promoting safe, healthy relationships across Long Island. “The Suffolk County Police Department was the first in the nation to partner with us and we want to recognize their commitment and their efforts in helping victims of domestic violence over the years,” said Wendy Linsalata, LIADV executive director. Also recognized at the event, CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
Carolyn James/Herald
Babylon Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer speaks at dedication of remembrance spot at Babylon Town Park accompanied by members of the Purple Rock Project, an organization that remembers those lost to drugs.
Babylon marks fentanyl awareness effort with memorial at Town Hall Park By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com
As part of Fentanyl Awareness Month observances and ongoing national efforts to combat the opioid epidemic, the Town of Babylon unveiled a remembrance space at Town Hall Park. It was dedicated to honoring lives lost to fentanyl and other drug overdoses. The initiative, launched in collaboration with Carol Trottere of the Purple Rock Project, was highlighted during a recent press conference where town officials, advocates, and families gathered to reflect on the impact of the crisis and promote prevention and treatment resources. “We have worked very hard over the years to raise awareness about what drug and alcohol abuse does to families,” said Babylon Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer. “Here in
Babylon, across Long Island, in our state and in our country, we have to work with those families who have lost loved ones and make sure that other families don’t go through what they had to go through.” The memorial area, set along Town Hall Lake, features purple rocks placed in honor of individuals lost to overdose. Each rock includes a name and photograph, offering families a personal and lasting tribute in a quiet, reflective setting surrounded by trees and water. Carole Trottere, founder of the Purple Rock Project, said public acknowledgment plays a critical role in reducing stigma surrounding addiction. “Putting (the issue) out to the public is important and says a lot,” said Trottere who lost a son, Alex, in 2018 to fentanyl poisoning. “This CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
Carolyn James/Herald
S.C. Police Department Deputy Commissioner Belinda Alvarez-Groneman, right, is shown at the event with LIADV Executive Director Wendy Linsalata