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How the latest Obamacare repeal bill would affect New York State

The legislation that Senate Republicans hope to pass next week in a last-ditch effort to dismantle Obamacare would strip away some of the federal funds sent to New York and other states for expanding Medicaid – and give them to the states that didn’t.

The conversion of Affordable Care Act funds into state block grants from 2020 to 2026 is one key part of the bill that Senate Republicans will bring up for a vote by the end of the month, before the expiration of special budget rules that allow passage by a simple majority.

How New York State would be affected

The bill would put the ACA’s financing for subsidized private health insurance and Medicaid expansion into a giant pot and redistribute it among states according to new formulas.

New York would lose $45 billion under the bill’s conversion of Affordable Care Act funds into state block grants from 2020 to 2026, the Avalere consulting firm said.

The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, a think tank that favors the current health law, said New York State would lose $18.9 billion in 2026 alone.

Here’s a look at the 10 states that would lose the most in federal funding if the bill becomes law:

How New York leaders have responded

Supporters of the bill say governors and state legislatures would have broad leeway on how to spend the money, and could also seek federal waivers allowing them to modify insurance market safeguards for consumers. For example, states could let insurers charge higher premiums for older adults.

But with that flexibility also comes the challenge of fixing a broken health care system with less money, a task that New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and at least 10 other governors have publicly rejected.

“I would not trade $19 billion for the flexibility. Because if they cut us $19 billion, if I was as flexible as a Gumby doll, we could not fund our healthcare system,” Cuomo said. “It also puts 2.7 million New Yorkers at risk of losing their health insurance.”

The bill also repeals requirements that individuals buy health insurance and employers offer it, ends subsidies to help people pay premiums, cuts off funding for Medicaid expansion, and makes significant cuts as its reshapes Medicaid.

“They are designed, these cuts, to hurt states that have expanded Medicaid,” Cuomo said. “To penalize us for doing a better job than other states is a gross unfairness.”

Residents of New York and California, which expanded Medicaid and set up insurance marketplaces, had fared better than people living in Texas and Florida, which opted out of both, according to a March 2017 study by the Commonwealth Fund, which studies health issues.

If the bill passes in the Senate, it faces a difficult path in the House, said Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford), who opposes the bill because of the funding cuts for New York.

To penalize us for doing a better job than other states is a gross unfairness.
– Gov. Andrew Cuomo

How other states would be affected

The bill would lead to an overall $215 billion cut to states in federal funding for health insurance, through 2026. Reductions would grow over time.

A reduction in federal subsidies for health insurance likely would lead to more people being uninsured, said Caroline Pearson, a senior vice president at Avalere, which specializes in health industry research.

Thirty-four states would see cuts by 2026, while 16 would see increases. Among the losers are several states that were key for President Donald Trump’s election, including Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio.

California would lose $78 billion, while Texas and Georgia would gain $35 billion and $10 billion, respectively.

“If you’re in a state which has not expanded Medicaid, you’re going to do great,” said Cassidy. “If you’re a state which has expanded Medicaid, we do our best to hold you harmless.”

What else would the bill do?

Named for the bill’s sponsors, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), the bill would repeal much of the Obama-era Affordable Care Act and limit future federal funding for Medicaid. That federal-state health insurance program covers more than 70 million low-income people, ranging from newborns to elderly nursing home residents.

Independent analysts say the latest Senate Republican bill is likely to leave more people uninsured than the Affordable Care Act, and allow states to make changes that raise costs for people with health problems or pre-existing medical conditions.

The Congressional Budget Office has said it doesn’t have time to complete a full analysis of the impact on coverage before the deadline.

How would Medicaid spending be affected?

Compared to current projected levels, Medicaid spending would be reduced by more than $1 trillion, or 12 percent, from 2020-2036, a study by consulting firm Avalere found. Earlier independent congressional budget analysts said such Medicaid cuts could leave millions more uninsured.

Here’s how else the bill compares

Medicaid expansion

Current: States have the option to expand Medicaid to cover more low-income adults, with the federal government picking up most of the cost.

Senate bill: Ends the federal match for Medicaid’s expansion; ends program’s status as an open-ended entitlement, replacing it with a per-person cap.

Health status-based rates

Current: People cannot be denied coverage due to pre-existing medical problems, nor can they be charged more because of poor health.

Senate bill: Prohibits denying coverage to those with pre-existing condition, but states can seek waivers to let insurers charge more based on health status in some cases.

Subsidies for insurance

Current: Provides income-based subsidies to help with premiums and out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles and copayments; subsidy benchmark tied to mid-level “silver” plans.

Senate bill: Replaces income-based subsidies with block grants to states for health care programs; ends cost-sharing subsidies in 2020.

Standard health benefits

Current: Requires insurers to cover 10 broad “essential services” such as hospitalization, prescriptions, substance abuse treatment, preventive services, maternity and childbirth.

Senate bill: Allows states to seek waivers from the benefits requirement as part of the block grant program.

Coverage mandate

Current: Requires those deemed able to afford coverage to carry a policy or risk fines from the IRS; requires larger employers to offer coverage to full-time workers.

Senate bill: Repeals coverage mandate by removing tax penalty beginning with the 2016 tax year.

Planned Parenthood

Current: Planned Parenthood is eligible for Medicaid reimbursements, but federal money cannot fund abortions.

Senate bill: Planned Parenthood would face a one-year Medicaid funding freeze.

Sources: Department of Health and Human Services, Kaiser Family Foundation

WITH WASHINGTON POST

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Jose’s effect: What we saw on Long Island

Jose brought gusty winds and dangerous surf on Wednesday, but Long Island was spared the potential wrath of the storm that has alternated between hurricane and tropical strength as it trekked northeast this week.

Still, officials were prepared for the worst with members of the National Guard and a search-and-rescue team deployed here; and a fleet of emergency vehicles and tools at the ready.

Newsday reporters, too, were stationed in areas where flooding and power outages were feared. Here’s what they saw.

5:30 a.m.

Wind gusts are the only evidence of Jose on the East End.

7 a.m.

Waves bite at the beach in Montauk, and farther west, mini-dunes stand in waiting.

View this post on Instagram

Flooding on the beach road in Montauk #longisland

A post shared by Mark Harrington (@mhlongisland) on

8 a.m.

Trying to prepare for high tide.

9 a.m.

Flooding on Dune Road and giant sea swells in Montauk (but neither was stopping at least one driver and fisherman).

11 a.m.

High surf and swells in Montauk. Officials said some erosion was expected at Montauk’s Hither Hills State Park.

Long Island unemployment rates for August 2017

The overall unemployment rate on Long Island for August 2017 rose to 4.4 percent, up 0.2 percentage points from where it was a year earlier, according to data from the state’s Department of Labor. Valley Stream and Lindenhurst saw the largest increases, each going up 0.5 percentage points. The bar chart shows August rates for 2017 and 2016 and the table below gives details, including for July 2017. The rates are not seasonally adjusted. You can read more about the rates here.

Local jobless rates for August

Details on the monthly unemployment rates

August 2017Labor ForceEmployedUnemployedRate (%)
Nassau-Suffolk1,499,2001,432,80066,4004.4
     
Nassau County709,600679,50030,1004.2
Freeport Village23,00021,8001,2005.1
Glen Cove City14,20013,7006004.0
Hempstead Town404,700386,60018,1004.5
Hempstead Village27,90026,4001,5005.3
Long Beach City19,80019,1007003.7
North Hempstead Town114,200109,8004,4003.8
Oyster Bay Town156,600150,3006,3004.0
Rockville Centre Village12,20011,7005004.1
Valley Stream Village20,00019,0001,0004.9
     
Suffolk County789,600753,30036,3004.6
Babylon Town113,800107,9005,9005.2
Brookhaven Town258,500246,10012,4004.8
Huntington Town105,800101,5004,3004.0
Islip Town181,900173,1008,7004.8
Lindenhurst Village15,70014,8008005.3
Riverhead Town16,20015,5007004.4
Smithtown Town60,80058,4002,4004.0
Southampton Town29,20028,1001,1003.8
     
New York City4,237,1004,020,300216,8005.1
New York State9,730,1009,257,100473,0004.9
     
July 2017Labor ForceEmployedUnemployedRate (%)
Nassau-Suffolk1,520,3001,452,60067,7004.5
     
Nassau County719,900689,10030,7004.3
Freeport Village23,30022,1001,2005.2
Glen Cove City14,40013,8006003.9
Hempstead Town410,600392,10018,5004.5
Hempstead Village28,30026,8001,5005.4
Long Beach City20,10019,3007003.6
North Hempstead Town115,900111,4004,5003.9
Oyster Bay Town158,900152,4006,4004.1
Rockville Centre Village12,40011,9005004.1
Valley Stream Village20,30019,3001,0004.9
     
Suffolk County800,400763,50037,0004.6
Babylon Town115,300109,4005,9005.1
Brookhaven Town262,100249,40012,7004.8
Huntington Town107,200102,9004,3004.0
Islip Town184,300175,5008,8004.8
Lindenhurst Village15,90015,0008005.3
Riverhead Town16,40015,7007004.4
Smithtown Town61,60059,2002,5004.0
Southampton Town29,60028,5001,1003.7
     
New York City4,280,3004,066,100214,2005.0
New York State9,827,0009,350,100477,0004.9
     
August 2016Labor ForceEmployedUnemployedRate (%)
Nassau-Suffolk1,490,9001,428,30062,6004.2
     
Nassau County705,300677,40028,0004.0
Freeport Village22,80021,7001,1004.8
Glen Cove City14,10013,6005003.7
Hempstead Town402,300385,40016,8004.2
Hempstead Village27,70026,3001,4005.1
Long Beach City19,70019,0007003.4
North Hempstead Town113,600109,5004,1003.6
Oyster Bay Town155,700149,8005,8003.8
Rockville Centre Village12,20011,7005003.7
Valley Stream Village19,90019,0009004.4
     
Suffolk County785,600751,00034,6004.4
Babylon Town113,200107,6005,6005.0
Brookhaven Town257,400245,30012,1004.7
Huntington Town105,100101,2003,9003.7
Islip Town180,700172,6008,1004.5
Lindenhurst Village15,50014,8007004.8
Riverhead Town16,10015,4007004.3
Smithtown Town60,50058,2002,3003.8
Southampton Town29,10028,0001,1003.7
     
New York City4,147,7003,918,100229,7005.5
New York State9,627,1009,152,800474,3004.9

Donald Trump at the United Nations: What to expect

UNITED NATIONS – When Donald Trump steps up to the podium Tuesday during the UN General Assembly, the real estate tycoon-turned-reality show celebrity and 45th U.S. president will hold sway on the diplomatic world’s biggest stage.

Trump is scheduled to be the second speaker Tuesday. He is likely, scholars said, to use the opportunity in his first General Assembly address to spell out his priorities — and to say how, or whether, American interests will be helped or hindered by the multilateral organization that he referred to in a December 2016 tweet as “a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time.”

A senior White House official said his remarks Tuesday will condemn the “North Korean menace” and Iran for their nuclear ambitions while also discussing the threat of terrorism at large.

He will also discuss why countries must apply their own “America First” approach, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

In advance of his visit, experts weighed in on how Trump might use this global platform.

How will the ‘America First’ President outline his foreign policy?

Trump’s speech also symbolizes, perhaps like no other address in his eight-month tenure, a milestone in which all eyes focus on the leader of the world’s most powerful nation as he talks directly to the rest of the world.

Several scholars predict Trump’s appearance will be among the most closely watched, as it poses an opportunity for the new president, who ran on an “America First” platform, to outline his foreign policy.

“One of the biggest questions with President Trump in general, in the way that he enunciates foreign policy,” said Stewart Patrick, director of the International Institutions and Global Governance Program at the Council on Foreign Relations, “is there hasn’t been so far a major foreign policy speech where he in a sense explains what the United States is for or what the place of the United Nations is within the instruments of, or vehicles for, advancing U.S. foreign policy goals.”

But the president has repeatedly criticized the United Nations.

In March 2016, he said: “The United Nations is not a friend of democracy, it’s not a friend to freedom, it’s not a friend even to the United States of America.”

On Monday, he referenced his “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan when asked about what he seeks to convey to the multilateral institution.

“I think the main message is ‘make the United Nations great.’ Not again. ‘Make the United Nations great, ’ ” he said. “Such tremendous potential, and I think we’ll be able to do this.”

The White House official said that Trump’s speech Tuesday shouldn’t be taken as a criticism of the United Nations, but that the president won’t “appeal to a top-down model of global bureaucracy,” but rather “a model that’s from the nation-state up.”

Past presidents focused on the U.S. role as a leader in the world and the UN’s function in furthering it.

Previous U.S. presidents came to the UN prepared to deliver speeches that often echoed comments they had made elsewhere, and emphasized the U.S. role as a leader in the world and the UN’s function in furthering it, said Patrick, who is also author of “The Sovereignty Wars: Reconciling America with the World.”

Barack Obama praised the institution for its multilateral might, while his predecessor, George W. Bush, questioned its “relevance,” famously bypassing the UN’s consensus in order to launch a war in Iraq in 2003.

Bill Clinton, however, spoke of expanding the world’s democracies, and George H.W. Bush mapped out a “New World Order” after he sought and received UN approval for a multinational force to remove Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s forces from Kuwait in January 1991.

“Speeches like the one Trump will give at the UN are a typical forum for U.S. presidents to lay out their views of international relations and U.S. policy, and this would typically be a time when a president will try to fit his various ideas into a coherent world view or ‘doctrine,’” said Julian Ku, who teaches courses including U.S. foreign affairs law at Hofstra Law School in Hempstead.

Trump “has done some of this during his speeches in Saudi Arabia and Poland, but this will be an opportunity to do so in the global as opposed to just the regional context,” Ku said.

Trump will have at least one staunch supporter in the audience.

Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the UN, has been a vocal proponent for the Trump agenda, at times being more hawkish than her boss — Secretary of State Rex Tillerson — and Trump himself. For example, she has scolded Russia’s ambassador at Security Council debates over the country’s stances on Syria and North Korea and its intervention in Ukraine, despite Trump’s favorable view of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Haley also has criticized the nations comprising the UN Human Rights Council for the body’s many resolutions condemning Israel.

Her pro-Israel positions are consistent with those of many former ambassadors, including Samantha Power and Susan Rice, who served under Obama, observers said.

Arriving at the UN in January stating there was a “new sheriff in town,” Haley has emphasized several issues as Trump’s voice at the UN: reforming the UN itself by slicing its peacekeeping and general budget, changing the UN’s “anti-Israel bias,” calling out human rights violators and international aggression, and giving U.S. taxpayers “value” for their money, a return on investment so to speak.

The United States, as the world’s largest economy, is responsible for $611 million, or 22 percent, of the UN’s general budget and about $2.2 billion, or more than 28 percent, of its peacekeeping budget.

Trump’s relationship with the UN thus far is hard for analysts to assess.

But they hope for more clarity when he speaks at the General Assembly.

Patrick called Trump’s assessment a “transactional” approach to the organization, the financial lens through which he sees much of his job. Indeed, the bulk of Trump’s website description of the America First Foreign Policy focuses on trade deals that benefit Americans so they have greater consumer power — not on engaging the international community toward a common goal of a safer and kinder world through collective action.

That vision also may be at the heart of a move away from the internationalism of his predecessors.

“Trump many years ago was a friend to the UN, and had to build goodwill to build his condo tower that dwarfs the iconic UN buildings,” said Katie Laatikainen, professor of political science at Adelphi University in Garden City. “His approach toward the globally oriented multilateral environs appears to have shifted with his presidential ambitions.”

The UN offers an opportunity for Trump to engage the world.

“His audience at the UN is not the American people, but foreign governments and their populations,” Ku said. “It is an important platform for reaching those groups and shaping his image.”

Tips and numbers you need in a storm

Here’s a list of helpful numbers, websites and tips to get you through a storm.



Electricity and gas

  • Electric outages and downed power lines should be reported to PSEG by calling 800-490-0075 or online by signing in to your PSEG account.

  • Gas leaks should be reported to National Grid by calling the Gas Emergency Line at 800-490-0045.

What you should have

FEMA recommends having a disaster kit that includes:

  • Three-day supply of nonperishable food
  • Three-day supply of water, or 1 gallon of water per person per day
  • Portable, battery-powered radio or television and extra batteries
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • Sanitation and hygiene items, such as moist towelettes and toilet paper
  • Matches and a waterproof container
  • Whistle
  • Extra clothing
  • Kitchen accessories and cooking utensils, including a hand-operated can opener
  • Photocopies of credit and identification cards
  • Cash and coins
  • Special-needs items, such as prescription medications, eyeglasses, contact lens solutions and hearing-aid batteries
  • Items for infants, such as formula, diapers, bottles and pacifiers
  • Other items to meet your family’s needs

Other Tips

  • Fill up vehicles with fuel.
  • Listen to local officials.
  • Pick people to call who are on and off the Island in case you become separated from family members.
  • Never use portable generators indoors, in garages or near open windows

Food Safety

If electrical power is lost:

  • Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. An unopened refrigerator will keep foods cold enough for a couple of hours.
  • If it looks like power will be out for more than two to four hours, put refrigerated milk, dairy products, meats, fish, poultry, eggs, gravy, stuffing and leftovers into a cooler surrounded by ice.
  • If the refrigerator was out for more than two to four hours,
  • discard the perishable items.
  • A freezer that is half-full will hold for up to 24 hours; a full freezer for 48 hours. If it appears the power outage will be prolonged, prepare a cooler with ice for freezer items.
  • If the freezer is fairly full and it has been without power for less than 24 hours, food should be safe. Expect a loss of quality with refreezing.
  • Do not eat any food that may have come into contact with floodwater. If in doubt, discard it.
  • Do not eat food packed in plastic, paper, cardboard, cloth and similar containers that have been water-damaged.
  • Discard food and beverage containers with screw-caps, snap lids, crimped caps (soda bottles), twist caps, flip tops and home-canned foods if they have come in contact with floodwater. These containers cannot be disinfected.

Nassau contacts

  • North Hempstead:
    Call 311 or 516-TOWN-311 (516-869-6311) for a service representative or go to northhempstead.com.
  • Hempstead:
    Call 516-489-5000 or visit townofhempstead.org.
  • Oyster Bay:
    Go to oysterbaytown.com or call highway department to report downed trees at 516-677-5757.
  • City of Glen Cove:
    Go to glencove-li.us or call the Department of Public Works at 516-676-4402.
  • City of Long Beach:
    Visit longbeachny.org or call City Hall at 516-431-1000.

Suffolk contacts

  • Babylon:
    Visit townofbabylon.com or call the public safety department at 631-422-7600 to report downed trees.
  • Brookhaven:
    Call the highway department at 631-451-9200 to report downed trees or visit brookhaven.org.
  • East Hampton:
    Go to ehamptonny.gov or call the highway department to report roadway obstructions at 631-324-0925.
  • Huntington:
    Visit huntingtonny.gov or call its 24-hour emergency number, 631-271-6573, or for downed trees, 631-499-0444.
  • Islip:
    Visit townofislip-ny.gov or call 631-224-5600 to report downed trees or power lines.
  • Riverhead:
    Call the storm hotline at 631-727-3200 or visit townofriverheadny.gov.
  • Smithtown:
    Call the Public Safety Department at 631-360-7553.
  • Southampton:
    Go to southamptontownny.gov or call 631-283-6000.
  • Southold:
    Visit southoldtownny.gov or call 631-765-1800.
  • Shelter Island:
    Visit shelterislandtown.us or call 631-749-0291.

Jose On The Way: How To Track The Storm

A hurricane – and its forecast – are moving targets. As Jose makes its way north, forecasters are closely monitoring the storm’s conditions and movements in order to update their outlook accordingly.

If you want to keep up with the latest on Jose, here are some links and resources you can check regularly, as the forecast continues to be fine-tuned.

A rundown of local watches, warnings and advisories

Click here to see conditions for your town

Where Jose’s center is expected to go and when

National Hurricane Center forecasters plot the storm’s track, using a cone-shaped image. The cone shows the range of potential paths for the center of the storm and is not indicating the size of the storm overall and where major impacts may be. There can be plenty of impacts outside that cone.

The image also shows color-coded areas where watches and warnings have been issued

Click here for latest version

Here, find an interactive map showing potential wind speeds.

Click here for latest version

The cone of uncertainty: It’s not called that for nothing. The cone’s track record? “Statistically, two-thirds of all cyclones stay within this cone, while one-third strays outside the cone,” according to a briefing from the weather service’s Upton office.

More on the cone of uncertainty

What storms look like from space

GOES-16 is the most advanced weather satellite NOAA has ever developed. It detects conditions from far above Earth. Click here to see Jose

How strong the winds will be

You can see here the probabilities for sustained wind speeds of 39 mph or more.

Click here for latest version

When the winds will come

There are two options for viewing this map for residents with varying risk tolerance when it comes to making outdoor preparations.

Those with low risk tolerance, who want to get things done well in advance, can see the “earliest reasonable” times to expect tropical force winds to start. (Pictured below, as of Monday afternoon)

Others can click the “most likely” time option. (It’s a new tool, updated with new forecasts, from the National Hurricane Center.) Click here for latest version

Rain – how much?

Rain, and other impacts, are dependent on the storm’s ultimate strength and track. A track farther to the west means more rain for the Island – to the east, less.

Click here for latest version

News updates on Twitter

Your forecasters are on social media, too. Keep track of their tweets for the latest information.

  @NWSNewYorkNY:

National Weather Service New York’s latest tweets

  @NWSEastern:

National Weather Service Eastern Region’s latest tweets

  @NHC_Atlantic:

National Hurricane Center’s latest tweets for the Atlantic region

Unaccompanied minors on Long Island: Everything you need to know

How many unaccompanied minors are there on Long Island?

Long Island has received more than 8,500 children and teenagers who were resettled in Nassau and Suffolk counties as unaccompanied minors since their migration saw a surge in the 2014 fiscal year, according to placement figures issued by the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Of those, 3,858 moved to Nassau County and 4,702 moved to Suffolk County in that period spanning more than three years.

Where are they coming from?

Most children who have been apprehended crossing the border this year also are from Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico and Honduras, according to statistics from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, though those from Mexico are routinely sent back to their homeland, since they don’t qualify for the same anti-trafficking and resettlement protections that have sent many to the Long Island region.

Where are they settling?

Unaccompanied minors are placed with relatives and other sponsors in counties across the United States, but Long Island ranks high on resettlement figures because many of the children are looking to reunite with relatives among the Salvadoran and Honduran communities already established in the region. The top counties for resettlement, so far this federal fiscal year, are Los Angeles (California); Harris (Texas); Prince George’s (Maryland) and Suffolk County. Nassau County places 10th in the nation for that migration in 2017.

Counties taking 50 minors or more

  • Up to 200
  • Up to 500
  • Up to 1,500
  • More than 1,500

Click here to see how the figures have changed since 2014.

When did the influx start and why?

Unaccompanied children have trekked north and across the U.S.-Mexico border for decades from countries in Central America, but their numbers rose significantly in 2014 due to a combination of factors, according to migration experts and other observers — chief among them, continued violence attributed to gangs, persistent poverty and lack of opportunities, and the implementation of anti-trafficking protections offering safe shelter for those children in the United States.

How do they end up on Long Island?

Children are placed by law in the less restrictive environment and are generally resettled with relatives already in the United States. Many seek to reunite with a parent on Long Island. They may also be placed with sponsors who are friends of the family or acquaintances. According to ORR, sponsors “are adults who are suitable to provide for the child’s physical and mental well-being and have not engaged in any activity that would indicate a potential risk to the child.”

What happens when they get here?

Unaccompanied minors stay with their relatives or sponsors and, in most cases, enroll in school in their new communities while they await immigration proceedings to determine their immigration status in the long run. Many qualify for a designation known as “Special Immigrant Juvenile,” which entitles those migrant children abandoned by one or both parents to legal permanent residence in the United States. In order to pursue that status, they go through custody hearings in county family courts. Others apply for asylum in immigration court. Their sponsors, who have to pass a background check before a child is released to them, agree to ensure the children follow up on required immigration procedures.

How does this affect the community?

Some communities in Nassau and Suffolk counties have received more children each year, because those are the places where their sponsors reside. As a result, a handful of school districts have had to accommodate hundreds of unaccompanied minors each year, as public schools are required to educate them under federal and state laws. School administrators, law enforcement officials and immigrant community advocates all seem to agree that they would like to see the federal government commit more funding and resources to communities where the children are resettled. Legislation seeking additional funding has stalled in Congress as only some parts of the country are substantially affected by their migration.

Mapping the Long Island 2017 primary election

Long Islanders went to the polls on Sept. 12 to vote in party primaries for local offices. In Nassau, they chose Laura Curran over George Maragos, 79 percent to 21 percent in unofficial tallies, for the Democratic nomination for county executive. Democrats also picked Jack Schnirman over Ama Yawson, 57 percent to 43 percent, for county comptroller. Here are district results in those two races; click on any shape for details. Percentages are based on total votes cast for the two candidates and do not include absentee ballots. Districts that tied or saw no voting are colored yellow.

District winners, with % of vote, for county executive

  • Curran up to 65%
  • Curran up to 90%
  • Curran over 90%
  • Maragos up to 65%
  • Maragos up to 90%
  • Maragos over 90%

District winners, with % of vote, for county comptroller

  • Schnirman up to 65%
  • Schnirman up to 90%
  • Schnirman over 90%
  • Yawson up to 65%
  • Yawson up to 90%
  • Yawson over 90%

Long Island job levels in August

The total, non-farm sector job count on Long Island rose by 6,600 to more than 1.34 million in August 2017 compared to a year earlier, according to the state’s Labor Department. Leading the increases were the private educational and health services sector, which rose by 6,800, leisure and hospitality, which rose by 3,800, and the government sector, which rose by 1,000. Manufacturing lost 1,800 jobs and construction lost 1,500. Click on the trend lines below for details on the 10 sectors going back to 1990. To eliminate some of the lines, click on the sector name in the color key. The table below gives details for the 2017 and 2016 levels. And you can read more about the employment trends.

Jobs in the 10 sectors on Long Island

More detailed breakdown of 2017 vs. 2016

Industry            (job levels in thousands)Aug. 2017Aug. 2016Change in year
TOTAL NONFARM1,343.31,336.70.5%
TOTAL PRIVATE1,157.41,151.80.5%
Total Goods Producing 149.9153.2-2.2%
   Construction, Natural Resources, Mining 79.781.2-1.8%
         Specialty Trade Contractors 58.356.53.2%
   Manufacturing70.272.0-2.5%
      Durable Goods 38.640.4-4.5%
      Non-Durable Goods 31.631.60.0%
Total Service Providing1,193.41,183.50.8%
Total Private Service-Providing1,007.5998.60.9%
   Trade, Transportation, and Utilities273.2273.7-0.2%
      Wholesale Trade 71.070.31.0%
         Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods 34.034.2-0.6%
         Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods 27.127.10.0%
      Retail Trade 162.0164.2-1.3%
         Building Material and Garden Equipment 13.313.5-1.5%
         Food and Beverage Stores 37.237.4-0.5%
            Grocery Stores 30.530.9-1.3%
         Health and Personal Care Stores 13.413.21.5%
         Clothing and Clothing Accessories Stores 18.519.5-5.1%
         General Merchandise Stores 26.726.50.8%
            Department Stores 20.120.3-1.0%
      Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities 40.239.22.6%
         Utilities 4.84.9-2.0%
         Transportation and Warehousing 35.434.33.2%
            Couriers and Messengers 5.25.5-5.5%
   Information18.819.2-2.1%
         Broadcasting (except Internet) 1.01.00.0%
         Telecommunications 8.38.4-1.2%
   Financial Activities72.273.2-1.4%
      Finance and Insurance 53.854.7-1.6%
         Credit Intermediation and Related Activities 20.420.6-1.0%
            Depository Credit Intermediation 11.611.7-0.9%
         Insurance Carriers and Related Activities 26.527.3-2.9%
      Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 18.418.5-0.5%
         Real Estate 14.314.5-1.4%
   Professional and Business Services 179.2179.20.0%
      Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 81.481.6-0.2%
            Legal Services 17.719.0-6.8%
            Accounting, Tax Prep., Bookkpng., & Payroll Svcs. 14.413.65.9%
      Management of Companies and Enterprises 16.016.3-1.8%
      Admin. & Supp. and Waste Manage. & Remed. Svcs. 81.881.30.6%
   Education and Health Services263.7256.92.6%
      Educational Services 37.538.1-1.6%
      Health Care and Social Assistance 226.2218.83.4%
         Ambulatory Health Care Services 90.787.04.3%
         Hospitals 66.063.34.3%
         Nursing and Residential Care Facilities 34.934.02.6%
         Social Assistance 34.634.50.3%
   Leisure and Hospitality141.3137.52.8%
      Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 31.931.70.6%
         Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries 25.626.0-1.5%
      Accommodation and Food Services 109.4105.83.4%
         Food Services and Drinking Places 103.299.14.1%
   Other Services 59.158.90.3%
         Personal and Laundry Services 23.923.70.8%
Government 185.9184.90.5%
   Federal Government 16.316.5-1.2%
   State Government 24.424.11.2%
      State Government Education 11.911.44.4%
      State Government Hospitals 1.41.40.0%
   Local Government 145.2144.30.6%
      Local Government Education 84.783.81.1%
      Local Government Hospitals 2.92.90.0%