Update From Al Krupski – Suffolk County Legislator – 3/30/2020
In this update( ** indicates new content):
• Presidential Primary Postponed Until June, 23 2020**
• Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Questions and Answers**
• Enhanced Unemployment Insurance**
• NYS Tax Filing Deadline Extended**
• NYS Business Counseling Support**
• Important Links including S.C. Legislature’s Resource Guide
• COVID-19 Testing Availability
• COVID-19 Resource for non-English Speaking Residents
• NYS Hotline for Mortgage Relief Non-compliance
• NYS Updated Guidance on Essential Businesses Construction
• Grocery Stores in Suffolk County that Offer Delivery
• Suffolk County Supply Drive
• SC County Medical Reserve Corps
• 12 Step Programs – Virtual Meetings and Support
• Contacting Police Departments for Non-Emergencies
• Long Island Counts! Please participate in the Census
NYS Presidential Primary Election Postponed Until June 23, 2020
Early Voting Dates for Primary
June 13 – June 21, 2020
VOTER REGISTRATION
VOTER REGISTRATION FOR PRIMARY
May 29 – Mail Registration for Primary: Last day to postmark application for primary; last day it must be received by board of elections is June 3.
May 29 – In person registration for Primary: Last day application must be received by board of elections to be eligible to vote in primary election.
June 3 – Changes of address for Primary received by this date must be processed.
For more information, please visit the New York State Board of Elections at:
https://www.elections.ny.gov/
Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Information for Employers and Employees
The legislation provides paid leave, establishes free testing, protects public health workers, and provides important benefits to children and families.
From the U. S. Department of Labor:
As provided under the legislation, the U.S. Department of Labor will be issuing implementing regulations. Additionally, as warranted, the Department will continue to provide compliance assistance to employers and employees on their responsibilities and rights under the FFCRA.
For more information, please click here.
From the NYS Department of Labor –
Information About Enhanced Unemployment Insurance
Click here for more information on eligibility and how to apply.
The federal CARES Act was signed into law March 27, 2020. The Act provides enhanced Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) for New Yorkers. Here’s what you need to know.
NYS Tax Filing Deadline Extended
Governor Cuomo also issued an executive order to enable the tax filing deadline for personal and corporate taxes to be pushed back to July 15. The federal government took similar action earlier this month.
NYS Business Counseling Support
Governor Cuomo announced that the Empire State Development Board of Directors approved $7.5 million in COVID-19 Business Counseling support to 70 non-profit partners across New York State. The funding will enable these organizations to provide small businesses with necessary guidance to secure disaster assistance, such as Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loans, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Up to 24 Entrepreneurship Assistance Centers and up to 23 Small Business Development Centers will receive $5 million, with an additional $2.5 million awarded to up to 23 Community Development Financial Institutions.
Important Links:
S.C. Legislature’s Resource Guide
S.C Legislature’s Coronavirus Updates
Individuals Seeking Testing
Despite numerous attempts by the Suffolk County Health Department to correct, the NYSDOH hotline continues to give out unclear messages to callers.
We apologize for this inconvenience. If you called the NYS Hotline looking for an appointment for COVID-2019 testing and they took your contact information, the NYS DOH will call you back to schedule an appointment if testing is necessary.
Your request and contact information is not shared with the Suffolk County Health Department. In addition, the Suffolk County Health Department is not arranging testing.
We recommend that you call the NYS hotline or use the NYS portal to request testing. Another option is to call your doctor’s office or local urgent care to inquire about testing opportunities.”
NYS Department of Health Online COVID 19 Screening
NYSDOH Launched Online Screen Tool for COVID 19 Screening
If you are concerned about COVID-19 and would like to take an online
assessment, please click here or visit this link:
https://covid19screening.health.ny.gov/covid-19-screening
Please note that this screening tool is not accessible for those who are sight impaired. If someone is sight impaired they should call the hotline.
If you meet the criteria, you will receive a callback from NYS to schedule a test.
NYS Department of Health Testing
Suffolk County residents who want to make an appointment for the test can call the NYS Coronavirus Hotline 1-888-364-3065 and they will be triaged by a nurse or a healthcare professional.
Walk-In-Clinics Offering COVID-19 Testing
(for Legislative District 1)
Walk-In-Clinics that Offer COVID-19 Testing
All clinics ask you call ahead or book a spot online if you have symptoms of COVID-19
- City MD
Offers testing but only for high risk patients, or those with severe symptoms based on CDC guidelines. For a complete list of locations, click here.
Locations
• Cutchogue- (631) 734-5505
• Riverhead – (631) 292-0153
- LI Urgent Care
Offers testing based on CDC guidelines. For Babylon location, click here.
• Manorville – 631-716-5410 - Northwell Health – Go Health Urgent Care
Offers testing based on CDC guidelines. For other locations, click here.
• Riverhead – (631) 830-4175 - CareMed
Offers testing based on CDC guidelines. For a complete list of locations, click here.
• Riverhead – (631) 891-6200
COVID-19 Resource for non-English Speaking Patients and Immigrant Communities
Harvard Health Publishing, the COVID-19 Health Literacy Project has created and translated accessible COVID-19 information into 37 different languages to help all patients, especially immigrants and non-English speaking communities, stay informed and healthy.
These materials are freely available to the general public without any copyright restrictions.
You can find our website here: www.covid19healthliteracyproject.com
Our English fact sheets can be found here: https://covid19healthliteracyproject.com/#english
Fact sheets for 37+ languages are being posted daily (please reload your page to see the latest updates). You can find these fact sheets by clicking on the active links here:https://covid19healthliteracyproject.com/#languages
NYS Department of Financial Services-Mortgages
For lending institutions not abiding by the 90 mortgage relief, please contact the NYS Department of Financial Services hotline
1-888-342-3736
The Governor announced the Department of Financial Services has issued a new directive to New York State mortgage servicers to provide 90-day mortgage relief to mortgage borrowers impacted by the novel coronavirus. The directive includes:
• Waiving mortgage payments based on financial hardship;
• No negative reporting to credit bureaus;
• Grace period for loan modification;
• No late payment fees or online payment fees; and
• Postponing or suspending foreclosures.
Additionally, the Governor has asked the Department of Financial Services to instruct state chartered banks to waive ATM fees, late fees, overdraft fees and fees for credits cards to help lessen the financial hardship of the COVID-19 pandemic on New Yorkers.
NYS Updated Guidance on Essential Businesses Construction
March 27, 2020
All non-essential construction must shut down except emergency construction, (e.g. a project necessary to protect health and safety of the occupants, or to continue a project if it would be unsafe to allow to remain open until it is safe to shut the site).
Essential construction may continue and includes roads, bridges, transit facilities, utilities, hospitals or health care facilities, affordable housing, and homeless shelters. At every site, if essential or emergency non-essential construction, this includes maintaining social distance, including for purposes of elevators/meals/entry and exit. Sites that cannot maintain distance and safety best practices must close and enforcement will be provided by the state in coordination with the city/local governments. This will include fines of up to $10,000 per violation.
For purposes of this section construction work does not include a single worker, who is the sole employee/worker on a job site.
The full guidance can be found here: https://esd.ny.gov/guidance-executive-order-2026
Grocery Stores in Suffolk County that Offer Delivery
Stop & Shop operates 26 locations in Suffolk County. Each can be contacted for delivery using their Peapod service on the Stop & Shop website and inputting your zip code. There is a $9.95 fee. Click here for more information and store locations, including Riverhead.
Aldi operates 6 stores in Suffolk County. They provide delivery via their website by inputting your zip code. There is a $2.00 fee. Click here for more information and store locations, including Riverhead.
Shoprite operates 10 stores in Suffolk County. Similar to Stop & Shop and Aldi, you can have groceries delivered by inputting your zip code on their website. There is a$10.00 fee. Click here for more information and store locations, including Riverhead.
LIDI, Best Market, and Target require a Shipt account to deliver. There is a $49.00 fee to join. Click here for more information.
For corporations who would like to provide supplies-
March 23, 2020
Please forward to [email protected] which has been created for donation and purchasing COVID-19 supplies.
[email protected] has been created for realty inquiries.
In addition — NYS landing page for people/businesses who want to get involved in response effort: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/get-involved-how-you-can-help
That page has a procurement form for businesses that want to sell gloves, masks and gowns – and an email address for businesses who want to adapt their businesses to produce supplies or have an idea related to supplies they want to pitch.
Suffolk County Medical Reserve Corps Still Needs Volunteers.
To register:
or Call 631-852-4556 or email [email protected]
12 Step Programs – Virtual Meetings and Support
http://www.aa-intergroup.org/directory.php
https://www.12step-online.com/meetings/online-aa-meetings/
Contacting Police Departments for Non-Emergencies
Suffolk County Police Department
County Executive Bellone and Police Commissioner Hart announced on March 21, 2020 that mandatory online or telephone reporting for specific non-emergency incidents, effective Monday, March 23.
The changes will be enacted in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of both police officers and residents. To file a report online, visit www.suffolkpd.org/onlinereporting, to file a report over the phone residents can call 641-852-COPS. A list of the types of reports that can be filed online can be viewed at www.SuffolkPD.org.
Southold Town Police Department
(from Southold Town’s Website)
Altered Police Department Response Policy
In light of the current conditions associated with the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Southold Town Police Department has altered our responses to complaints from residents of our community. For most non-emergency calls or incidents that do not require an immediate response from our Department, continue to call 631-765-2600 and officers will be handling calls and completing reports via telephone from our Headquarters. Obviously, we will still be responding to all emergency calls and requests for assistance as received. We ask the public’s patience during this unprecedented national health crisis, and although it contradicts our Department’s goal of community policing, it is necessary for now to maintain a healthy, responsive police department.
Riverhead Town Police Department
For non-emergencies, please call 631-727-4500
Long Island Counts!
Click here to pledge to be counted and find out more about the 2020 Census.
For more information on the Census log on to: https://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Elected-Officials/County-Executive/2020-Census