A COVID-19 UPDATE FROM LINDENHURST MAYOR MICHAEL LAVORATA

This is a reminder that all adults, 18-years or older, are now eligible for a booster shot at any vaccine location, as long as it has been at least six (6) months after your last Pfizer or Moderna shot, or at least two (2) months after your one-dose Johnson & Johnson shot.

With the holidays approaching, and the Delta variant continuing to impact the Long Island region and our Lindenhurst Community, I encourage everyone eligible to consider getting the booster shot.  Let us all enjoy the holidays with family, friends, and new acquaintances during this most festive time of year!

The Holiday Season is here, and we are hoping you are feeling joyful.  Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 25^th, and although this has not been the easiest year, there is plenty for us to be thankful for.

For many of us, the meaning of Thanksgiving usually includes eating, four-day weekends, football games, family reunions, and shopping as we embark on the Christmas Season.  Thanksgiving is also a time to give thanks.  As your Mayor, I am thankful for our Lindenhurst Community.  I am thankful for all the good things going on in our Village.  Thank you for your kindness, compassion, and dedication during these difficult days of Pandemic.  It is a joy and a privilege to serve as your Mayor.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, our administrative staff, and all our Village employees, have a blessed Thanksgiving with family and friends, and may God bless our Lindenhurst Community.

As I write this message, I hope it finds you safe and dry after another week of rainy weather.

In retrospect, I am so grateful for the incredible work of our Suffolk County Police Department, our Lindenhurst Fire Department & Emergency personnel, Department of Public Works, and Village Hall staff who helped us weather Tropical Storms Ida and Henri.  Many of our volunteer firemen were also called in to offer mutual aid to some of our neighboring municipalities who got hit much harder than we here in Lindenhurst.  Their professionalism and courage never cease to amaze me. Our hearts go out to all those who were devastated by these storms.

On a much happier note, I do want to report that the Lindenhurst Chamber of Commerce/Village of Lindenhurst “Wednesdays on Wellwood” Block Parties were an overwhelming success!  All enjoyed live music, line dancing, all types of delicious food, local craft beers & meades, shopping with a variety of vendors, and children’s fun and family games.

A big thank you to Trustee RJ Renna and Chamber President Jo Ann Boettcher, and all the Chamber members who worked so hard to make the event a tremendous success!  Thank you also to our Department of Public Works and Public Safety staff.

As always, I remain grateful to serve as your Mayor.

The latest model guidance on Hurricane Henri shows landfall over eastern Long Island and Southern Connecticut in about 24 hours.  Hurricane wind conditions are expected in our area late tonight into Sunday morning, possibly causing widespread power outages.  Henri is expected to produce rainfall amounts from 3 to 6 inches with isolated totals in some areas as high as 10 inches.

The combination of storm surge and the new moon will cause tides to run abnormally high.  Areas that routinely flood along the shoreline will be inundated.  Residents are urged to move their vehicles to higher ground.  In order to assist you, the Village is allowing residents to use the two LIRR commuter lots, and the Shore Road Park parking lot, to park their vehicles until the flooding recedes.

Please note the following important emergency numbers:

• Fire/Rescue — (631) 226-1212
• Police Emergency — 911
• Department of Public Works — (631) 957-7520

If there is an emergency, please call 911.  To report trees down, call the Department of Public Works.

It is crucial that residents take all storm and hurricane warnings seriously.  The Village of Lindenhurst will continue to keep you updated on Hurricane Henri.  As always, we are here to assist our residents in any way we can be of help.  Please stay safe.

With the current predictions of Hurricane Henri, the National Weather Service has issued a “Hurricane Watch” for Suffolk County.  There are still some uncertainties in the future track of Henri and intensities, but, currently, Lindenhurst should begin to see some initial effects, in the form of wind, late Saturday, with rain commencing early Sunday Morning.

That said, I think this is a good occasion for the Lindenhurst Community to check to make sure we are all prepared for whatever Hurricane Henri has in store for the Village. At this point, for example, it would be wise to secure, or bring indoors, any outdoor furniture, umbrellas, grills, etc. Additionally, moving forward, check your hurricane kits to make sure you have working flashlights, a portable radio with spare batteries, and a stock of non-perishable food to last your family for seven days. Also, do not forget to check with your vulnerable neighbors, and ask them if they need any help with their preparations.

Here are some important emergency numbers to have on hand :

• Fire Rescue                                           (631) 226-1212
• Police Emergency                                 911
• Village Hall                                            (631) 957-7500
• Department of Public Works             (631) 957-7520

If there is an emergency, please call 911. To report trees down, call the Department of Public Works.

It is crucial that residents be prepared, and to take all storm and hurricane warnings seriously. The Village of Lindenhurst will continue to keep you updated on Hurricane Henri. As always, we are here to assist our residents in any way we can be of help.

 

For the first time in more than a year, we were feeling some hope, or at least cautious optimism, that the pandemic could be over, and we were moving to our new normal.  However, I have been following the news that a new mutation of the COVID-19 virus, called Delta, could bring it back, and it might be even stronger.  According to reports in Newsday, there has been an uptick in COVID-19 cases in the past few weeks, which is unsettling at best.  The fast-spreading Delta variant is of concern, and, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shared, this has quickly become a pandemic of the unvaccinated.

Although it has been disturbing to learn of breakthrough infections, the data shows that the vaccine is highly effective against getting COVID-19, and, most importantly, it is nearly always effective against severe illness and death.  Virtually 99% of the recent hospitalizations and deaths of COVID-19 are among those who were not yet fully vaccinated.  Getting vaccinated helps protect you, and your family members, especially if they are unable to get vaccinated, like children under 12-years old.  Please, also remember to exercise caution if you are unvaccinated, or suffer from immune-related health conditions, by wearing a mask when at indoor venues, or in large, outdoor crowds.  As well, let us all continue to exercise basic public health measures, such as hand washing, social distancing, and following up with a physician if you feel any symptoms.

May God continue to bless us all, and may we continue to work together to keep our community “Lindy Strong!”  As always, I am proud to serve as your Mayor.

I am once again urging Lindenhurst residents to make necessary preparations for Elsa – currently a Tropical Storm — that could bring significant winds, heavy rain, and coastal flooding to Lindenhurst tonight, and into Friday.  I have instructed our Superintendent of Public Works to have our DPW crews clear storm drains and basins, and to have chainsaws and all our equipment ready if and when needed.

 

Please read my prior message regarding being prepared for the impending storm.  It is crucial that residents be prepared, and to take all storm and hurricane warnings seriously.  Please do not take any chances; be prepared, and check in on your elderly neighbors.  If there is an emergency, please call 911.  To report trees down, call the Department of Public Works at 631-957-7520.

 

God willing, we will get through another storm – together!

A MESSAGE FROM LINDENHURST MAYOR MICHAEL LAVORATA

With the current predictions of Tropical Storm Elsa heading towards Lindenhurst, I think it is appropriate to remind our residents to be prepared. Here are some important tips to keep in mind for your planning:

• If a tropical storm, or hurricane, hits and power is interrupted, residents should be prepared to shelter at home. At minimum, everyone should have on hand:
  o 3-days of food
  o 7-days of medication
  o 3-gallons of drinking water per person
  o LED flashlights
  o A battery-powered AM radio.
•  Make sure to have extra cash on hand if a storm is approaching, and be sure your fuel tank is full. Bank ATMs and gas pumps may not work if electricity goes out.
• If you have pets, have a kit for them too, with items like a carrier, medicine, and ample food supplies.
• Secure, or bring indoors, any outdoor furniture, umbrellas, grills, etc.
• Create a family emergency plan and emergency contact list. Here are some important emergency numbers to have on hand:
  o Fire/Rescue 631-226-1212
  o Police Emergency 911
  o Village Hall 631-957-7500
  o Department of Public Works 631-957-7520
  Above, I have listed some of the basics for being prepared for a storm event. The Village of Lindenhurst is here to assist our residents in any way we can be of help.

For most of our residents, 4^th of July celebrations include backyard BBQ’s, swimming, boating with family and friends, and often involve fireworks.  That being said, I would like to remind everyone that fireworks — aerial consumer fireworks, firecrackers and chasers, skyrockets, roman candles, bombs, and metal wire sparklers — are illegal in New York State.

Fireworks are beautiful, but dangerous, and the use of fireworks can often lead to devastating injuries.  An unplanned trip to the emergency room, or worse, can wreck any holiday.

Respecting firework laws and the dangers they were written to avoid is the best way to have a safe celebration with memories that will last a lifetime.  Let us also remember that Independence Day noise can be trying for households with pets, small children, and others.

I would like to wish all Lindenhurst residents and visitors a Happy and Safe 4^th of July, and ask that you are all kind and considerate this holiday.

During our May 4, 2021 public meeting, the Lindenhurst Village Board unanimously voted to require all members of the public, employees, and patrons of Village-owned facilities, parks, and fields (indoor and outdoor) to wear a mask. This Village policy will keep mask restrictions in place until we have been advised by the CDC and the Governor of the State of New York that the pandemic is fully over, and it is safe to go about our new normal without face coverings.

According to the new CDC guidance, everyone should “mask up” in crowded, outdoor situations, such as live performances, parades, or sporting events, regardless of vaccination status. However, people do not have to wear masks outside when they walk, bike, or run alone or with family members, whether they are fully vaccinated or not.

More and more people are being vaccinated, and things are getting better in our Lindenhurst Community. However, we are not quite there yet. The Village Administration cannot emphasize this enough, especially, as the weather warms. It can be tempting to think we can forget about COVID precautions. We cannot. Many residents remain unvaccinated. The potential for spreading the virus to those not yet protected is still a real possibility. The Village of Lindenhurst urges us all to remain vigilant in our efforts to remain safe, while still enjoying the warm weather fun in our community!

I remain grateful to serve as the Mayor of our Lindenhurst Community.