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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · 25d

NY keeps a public list of delinquent taxpayers, some owing millions of dollars in tax debt.

The #1 offender, per list, is in Nassau County.

@baharostadan.bsky.social has the story for @newsday.bsky.social.

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Former Nassau real estate mogul is NY's top 'delinquent taxpayer'; $48M in debt

Adam Hochfelder, arrested several times for stealing money from family and friends, owes the most of unpaid income taxes of anyone in the state.

www.newsday.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · 28d

A candidate for a Nassau County Legislature seat has swapped her Massapequa home with a walk-up apartment in Farmingdale that government entities can't decide whether it's even a legit unit.

Candice Ferrette hit the pavement for this story in @newsday.bsky.social.

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Nassau legislature candidate Jennifer Gallub-Pravato claims residency in Farmingdale walk-up, but Massapequa home not for sale

Candidates for office must live in the district they seek to represent.

www.newsday.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Sep 8

The only county-wide election in Suffolk is coming in the form of a ballot question.

This one has MAJOR implications to the county's elections in the future.

Joe Werkmeister put together this nifty FAQ via @newsday.bsky.social.

#SuffolkCounty

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

What to know about Suffolk's ballot question over extending the length of legislative terms

If voters approve the referendum, candidates for the legislature in 2026 would be vying for four-year terms.

www.newsday.com

David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Sep 5

Is Nassau bringing back a program that allows drivers to pay outstanding tickets at a reduced price?

The Comptroller's office seems to think so.

But the legislature? They don't even have it calendared.

By @baharostadan.bsky.social via @newsday.bsky.social.
www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Nassau's comptroller says a ticket amnesty program is primed to return. Legislature says it's not up for a vote.

The program last existed in 2016, recouping more than half a million dollars.

www.newsday.com

David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Aug 8

ICE has arrested about 1600 people with criminal records on Long Island under @realDonaldTrump so far this year.

But immigrants w. no priors are getting rounded up too, and ICE won't say how many.

@BaharOstadan with the story via @newsday.bsky.social.

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

ICE arrested on Long Island over 1,600 people with prior convictions under Trump's second term so far, agency says

The arrests, according to ICE, include those sought by law enforcement agencies outside of the U.S.

www.newsday.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Aug 7

🐟 Suffolk lawmakers are eyeing ways to save the fishing industry from overdevelopment.

“For us to survive and thrive, we absolutely need these working waterfront spaces,” one oysterman said.

Joe Werkmeister with the story via @newsday.bsky.social.

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Suffolk lawmakers renew effort to preserve county's fishing industry through proposed $9.5M program

The proposed volunteer incentive program mirrors the county's decades-old farmland preservation program by allowing property owners.

www.newsday.com

David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jul 31

Candice Ferrette obtained a trove of documents showing that the once CEO of NUMC and former executives spent thousands of dollars on flights, hotels and other expenses-- all while the hospital was swimming in debt.

Check out her deep dive in @newsday.bsky.social. 🦀

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Former top NUMC executives spent thousands on expenses, including lobster dinner, as hospital stood deep in the red, reports show

The safety-net hospital's parent company is $1.4 billion in debt.

www.newsday.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jul 31

Deleted this post because it contained inaccurate information. Will update.

David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jul 30

#SuffolkCounty looks to stiffen fines for shady home improvement contractors marked for its "Wall of Shame" registry.

Failure to register upon conviction can cost contractors $10,000.

Joe Werkmeister with the story via @newsday.bsky.social.

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Suffolk seeks to stiffen penalties for unlicensed contractors in its 'Wall of Shame' registry

Legis. James Mazzarella (R-Moriches) said the legislation aims "to put more teeth" in the county code.

www.newsday.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jul 29

Candice Ferrette obtained a trove of documents showing that the once CEO of NUMC spent thousands of dollars on flights, hotels and even a lobster dinner -- all while the hospital was swimming in debt.

Check out her deep dive in @newsday.bsky.social.🦀

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Former top NUMC executives spent thousands on expenses, including lobster dinner, as hospital stood deep in the red, reports show

The safety-net hospital's parent company is $1.4 billion in debt.

www.newsday.com

David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jul 17

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is running circles around Democratic challenger Seth Koslow for the Nassau County Executive race.

Koslow is pulling in more donors.

@candiceferrette with the story via @newsday.bsky.social.

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Bruce Blakeman pulls in nearly $2M in campaign funds so far this year in Nassau County Executive race as Seth Koslow trails, filings show

Blakeman has received donations for as high as $50,000.

www.newsday.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jul 17

[email protected] reporter Robert Brodsky w. a fantastic on-the-ground piece outlining the consequences of suspending the TPS program: a shortage of nursing home workers.

One official says this "will worsen the existing shortages of health care personnel"

www.newsday.com/news/health/...

Immigration crackdown could lead to worker shortages at elder care facilities on Long Island, advocates say

Workers with Temporary Protected Status are receiving deportation letters, which could affect already understaffed nursing homes and assisted living communities, advocates said.

www.newsday.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jul 15

💰The case involving red-light camera ticket fees in Nassau County is in the stages of being appealed, per county officials.

A lower court found the *$400M* collected was illegal. Nassau disagrees.

@baharostadan.bsky.social has the story for @newsday.bsky.social.

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Nassau plans to fight red-light camera ticket court ruling that deemed over $400M in fees illegal, county officials say

Nassau lawmakers voted Monday to spend $2.5 million on private law firms to fight the case.

www.newsday.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jul 14

📰 Nassau County Exec Bruce Blakeman went around the legislature to give his political ally work as an advisor.

Not illegal, but at least one good government group says hold up.

Payton Guion + @baharostadan.bsky.social w. the story for @newsday.bsky.social.

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Blakeman hired ex-congressman Peter King to serve as $200G confidential legal adviser

Nassau hired Peter King to provide counsel on counterterrorism and homeland security without legislative approval or competitive bidding.

www.newsday.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jul 11

*NEW*: @NassauExec signed an executive order allowing Nassau police to wear face masks during specific investigations.

The practice mirrors what ICE agents are doing when effecting arrests.

@johnasbury.bsky.social has the story for @newsday.bsky.social.

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Blakeman to allow Nassau police to wear face masks for 'specific investigations,' replicating ICE practice

He signed the order citing protesters targeting police or ICE agents wearing masks.

www.newsday.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jul 10

Nassau County's upgraded partnership with ICE has resulted in more than 1400 immigrants sent to an East Meadow jail in the last 5 months.

Last year that number was zero.

@baharostadan.bsky.social has the details via @newsday.bsky.social.

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

ICE held more than 1,400 people in East Meadow jail in last 5 months under agreement with Nassau

County Executive Bruce Blakeman is allowing ICE to use its jail facilities.

www.newsday.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jun 23

Nassau and Suffolk county pays top dollar for some jobs across its government.

We spent a few weeks poring through the numbers and they were astonishing.

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Nearly twice as many Nassau employees made more than $300G in 2024, Newsday analysis finds

Long Island leads New York State in high-earning local government employees.

www.newsday.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jun 7

Suffolk County maintains a so-called "Wall of Shame" for unscrupulous home improvement contractors.

The stories reporter Joe Werkmeister heard for this story will shock you.

Via @newsday.bsky.social
www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Suffolk's 'Wall of Shame' registry shows 700 unlicensed home improvement contractors, with persistent offenders

Suffolk's "Wall of Shame" identifies unlicensed contractors, who face fines or jail time.

www.newsday.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jun 6

A driver who prosecutors allege was high on marijuana struck Eryk McPherson, 19, while he biked home from his job. State data shows around a quarter of Long Island’s fatal crashes had a “drug-involved driver” in '23, a number that has trended upward over the previous decade.

www.nwsd.li/111da2

Fatal drugged driving crashes up on Long Island

The proportion of drivers who refused to take a test doubled over five years.

www.nwsd.li

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jun 6

"I saw him take his very first breath and his very last breath."

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Fatal drugged driving crashes up on Long Island

The proportion of drivers who refused to take a test doubled over five years.

www.newsday.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jun 6

Out on Long Island, a troubled hospital has a new board chair after the state made some major changes to its governance.

Meet the new chair, Stuart Rabinowitz.

Word has it he's a disrupter.

Story from Newsday

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Parse.ly Analyticsdevice-mobiledevice-tabletfacebookgoogle-pluslinked-inpintereststumbleuponX

dash.parsely.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · May 1

One thing I don’t seem to understand is why so many people in the marketing world look at my LinkedIn profile.

I’m a journalist, not a MadMan.

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Apr 14

Debate has raged over whether to raise the suicide awareness flag alongside the U.S. and military flag.

It's happening in Suffolk County, home to the state's largest veteran population.

www.newsday.com/long-island/...

Suffolk veterans divided over push to raise suicide awareness, military flags together

The controversy is pitting veteran against veteran.

www.newsday.com

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Apr 14

Going to really try and use BlueSky more. I promise.

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David Cruz @davidmcruz.bsky.social · Jan 24

Still love front page newspaper covers.

Today, politics grabbed the front for Newsday.

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