Coronavirus on Long Island: Updates from June 20-21
Workers remove wood panels that covered window displays at the Macy's Herald Square flagship store in Manhattan on June 12. Credit: Getty Images/David Dee Delgado
Newsday is providing all readers with access to this breaking news blog on important developments about the coronavirus and our community.
What's happening:
- In NYC, plywood put up by businesses to deter looters comes down as the city reopens.
- Finding way to celebrate Father's Day despite the virus.
- There are Presidential and local primaries on Tuesday. See who's running and how to vote.
Sunday updates
Watch Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone's Sunday update
Saturday updates
Watch Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone's press briefing
Watch Nassau County Executive Laura Curran's press briefing'Justice for Janitors Day' honors 6 lost to COVID-19
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran declared Saturday “Justice for Janitors Day” to recognize six Long Islanders who have died from COVID-19.
“We know maintenance and cleaning staff play a critical role in getting back to work. Because they often work at night, they are often unseen and unheard,” Curran said. “To all the cleaners out there, we see you and we hear you. As janitors work for better wages, it’s important to know Nassau County stands with you.
”Curran’s remarks followed a car parade of about 25 vehicles and 50 people, attended by Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), commemorating the 30th anniversary of janitors demonstrating in Los Angeles for better benefits.
Members of Long Island’s 32BJ SEIU drove from Hempstead up Franklin Avenue to the Nassau County Executive and Legislative building in Mineola
.Lenore Friedlander, assistant to the union president, said the union was fighting for hazard pay, PPE for workers and protection for laid-off employees including from the Nassau Coliseum and Nassau Community College during the pandemic. – JOHN ASBURY
'Justice for Janitors Day' honors 6 lost to COVID-19
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran declared Saturday “Justice for Janitors Day” to recognize six Long Islanders who have died from COVID-19.
“We know maintenance and cleaning staff play a critical role in getting back to work. Because they often work at night, they are often unseen and unheard,” Curran said. “To all the cleaners out there, we see you and we hear you. As janitors work for better wages, it’s important to know Nassau County stands with you.
”Curran’s remarks followed a car parade of about 25 vehicles and 50 people, attended by Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), commemorating the 30th anniversary of janitors demonstrating in Los Angeles for better benefits.
Members of Long Island’s 32BJ SEIU drove from Hempstead up Franklin Avenue to the Nassau County Executive and Legislative building in Mineola
.Lenore Friedlander, assistant to the union president, said the union was fighting for hazard pay, PPE for workers and protection for laid-off employees including from the Nassau Coliseum and Nassau Community College during the pandemic. – JOHN ASBURY
Bellone: Numbers indicate Suffolk set for Phase 3 this week
Suffolk’s coronavirus infection numbers show the county is ready to move to Phase 3 of its reopening this week as officials try to get the Long Island Ducks back on the field, County Executive Steve Bellone said Saturday.
At his daily coronavirus briefing, Bellone said he renewed his request to get Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s approval so the Ducks can play ball. The ask came after the governor announced Saturday that the Mets and Yankees will hold spring training in New York City.
Bellone said the county’s COVID-19 numbers indicate Suffolk is on par to move to Phase 3 in reopening its economy.Forty four people tested positive for the virus in the past 24 hours, bringing the county's total to 40,908, Bellone said. And 17,833 people have tested positive for antibodies to the virus, a 1% infection rate, he said.
Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 is at 106, down four, Bellone said. Thirteen people were discharged from hospitals, he said.One more person died of the virus in Suffolk, with the death total at 1,983, Bellone said. – Newsday staff
Curran: Nassau property tax payment deadline extended again
Nassau County taxpayers will have until July 1 — an additional month from the previous extended deadline — to pay their property taxes, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said on Saturday. Curran signed an executive order that allows residents to submit their second-half school tax payments by the new deadline and, if they do not pay by then, they will only get charged penalties and interest from July 1.
"Any taxpayers that were sent a late notice will no longer owe anything,” Curran said.
The original deadline for tax payments was April 1, but it was pushed to May 11 due to financial struggles residents across the county were facing in light of the coronavirus pandemic and an unemployment rate of 15.6% in April for Nassau County. The deadline was later changed to June 1, but residents submitting payments after that date were getting hit with penalties and interest from the original April 1 deadline. – CATHERINE CARRERA
Cuomo: Mets, Yankees will hold spring training in New York
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Saturday that the Mets and Yankees will hold their spring training soon in New York - a testament, he said, to the state bringing down the coronavirus transmission rate.Cuomo said the Mets will begin a “soft training camp opening” next week at Citi Field. He said the Yankees will have its training camp at Yankee Stadium, but did not offer a time frame.
“I can’t wait to see spring training in New York,” Cuomo said.Cuomo said the state will review the teams’ protocols to maintain a safe training camp.
He said the teams, which usually have spring training in Florida, have chosen New York because it has done such a good job in curtailing the virus. Meanwhile, he added, Florida is seeing an increase in cases.“
To have spring training in New York is a really great development,” he said. “The infection rate is down low compared to other states, such as Florida.”Cuomo went so far as to invite teams from other states to come and train in New York. – CRAIG SCHNEIDER
