Kara Hahn to represent Suffolk's 5th Legislative District

Kara Hahn continues to build an impressive body of work.

In her fourth term, the Setauket Democrat asked to chair the parks committee as well as helm the environment committee, and got good legislation passed in both roles. She sponsored bills that became law that limit or ban the use of plastic straws and Styrofoam containers in restaurants and the sale of single-use plastics at county parks and beaches. She created a parks stewardship program that lets volunteers sign up to help with duties like picking up trash, maintaining trails and alerting parks personnel about vandalism and graffiti, and is about to roll out a parks passport program for kids. Hahn, 48, who earlier sponsored legislation that put Narcan in police cars, also started a program to train athletic coaches to identify signs of addiction and assist students in getting help.

Republican John McCormack, 27, of Port Jefferson, is not actively campaigning.

Newsday endorses Hahn.