My final Newsday Sunday cover: After a boy died in 2020, Suffolk passed laws to reform Child Protective Services, incl. setting caseload standards

But nearly 60% of caseworkers had higher caseloads in ‘21 than they should’ve under the law, data shows

newsday.com/long-island/po…

“Some individual caseworkers handled up to 26 cases a month in 2021…although county law says caseloads should not average more than 12 per month.” We’ll miss stories like this from Rachelle Blidner.

Biden says overturning Roe V. Wade would go beyond abortion. 'It goes to other basic rights, the right to marriage, the right to decide a whole range of things.'
'If this decision holds, it's really quite a radical decision.'

47% of private wells sampled by the Suffolk County Health Department since 2016 through a targeted program had some detection of PFAS.

Still Suffolk is not yet offering widespread testing of the 'forever chemicals' to homeowners with private wells.
newsday.com/long-island/en…

After Suffolk's redistricting saga, a bipartisan panel will get a chance to draw district maps for the next decade

The panel is: a Lee Zeldin aide, a Federalist Society lawyer, an Islip NAACP member, a League of Women Voters president & 4 former judges

newsday.com/long-island/po…

'I don’t remember when was the last time I just had a good night’s sleep'

Ukrainian Americans in NY say they are struggling to bring their relatives over to stay with them for a short time, hoping the war will end soon Newsday
newsday.com/long-island/uk…

A Suffolk DWI officer crashed his car after a day of drinking, injuring another driver. He refused a breath test, wasn't arrested & faced little discipline

He made $442,000 on the job in 2020 and $285,000 last year, via Sandra Peddie Newsday
projects.newsday.com/long-island/sc…

For Charles Entenmann's obit, I asked his son about his favorite baked goods. 'I'm going to tell you something that's been pretty much a secret, most of my life,' son says. 'He just wasn't a desert guy.' newsday.com/long-island/ob…

#Brookhaven says excess administrative funds will help 80 to 100 families pay rent. 'We are hearing from more desperate people. ... They're running out of options,' Supervisor Ed Romaine says. By sarinatrangle newsday.com/business/brook… via Newsday

Suffolk Majority Leader Nicholas Caracappa, who was accused of choking his ex in 2020, could see his domestic violence case dropped, a judge ruled Friday:
newsday.com/long-island/po…

ICYMI: Elizabeth Medina, 39, has had an array of problems since contracting the virus in March 2020 -- fatigue, hair loss, lack of taste and smell. As society moves on, she feels 'like I’m a non-factor in this world.' newsday.com/news/health/co… via Newsday By David Olson

As COVID-19 rules end, Americans split on return to 'normal life,' survey says newsday.com/news/health/co… via Newsday
Rachelle Blidner

Hearing now underway in a Steuben County court in the GOP-backed bid to have NY's new redistricting map (Congress, Senate, Assembly) declared unconstitutional.
Be aware, this is the 1st step; likely to go up the judicial ladder. Even if a ruling today, it won't be over.

Pretty wild historical note here from Scott Eidler and Rachelle Blidner newsday.com/long-island/po…

Hochul ends school mask mandate as of Wednesday. via ⁦Bart Jones⁩ ⁦Rachelle Blidner⁩ newsday.com/news/health/co…

Recently authorized drug helps protect people with weak immune systems from COVID-19: 'To think that I could be finally be rid of the fear I’ve been hanging onto for two years meant so much to me.' newsday.com/news/health/co…