TODAY'S PAPER
35° Good Morning
35° Good Morning

New York’s oyster and bay scallop harvests

A boom in bay scallops this season, which began Nov. 6, is boosting the East End’s shellfishing industry, participants say. This follows strong harvests in recent years for bay scallops and oysters, especially 2014. Here are annual harvest data for oysters and bay scallops for all New York, which primarily involves Long Island waters, from 2008 to 2016. And you can read more about the shellfish trend here.

Details on the bay scallop and oyster harvests

YearOyster bushelsOyster valuePounds of bay scallopsValue of bay scallops
200842,978$2,870,0699,942$154,235
200920,400$1,428,01518,675$270,784
201025,574$2,046,52740,396$585,744
201131,051$2,173,60128,932$419,509
201244,494$3,114,65734,011$492,682
201368,773$4,401,56929,051$421,237
2014133,663$9,356,407100,066$1,450,954
201571,947$5,755,71965,378$947,980
201648,944$3,915,37030,575$443,336

Data provided by the New York State Department of Conservation. The oyster figures include a category grown for seed, in addition to those harvested for consumption. JavaScript charts powered by amCharts.

Long Island unemployment levels for October

The overall unemployment rate on Long Island for October 2017 was 4.1 percent, matching the rate from October 2016, according to data from the state’s Department of Labor. Valley Stream saw the largest increase in Nassau County, rising to 4.6 from the 4.3 rate in October 2016. Riverhead during that period rose to 4.3 from 4.1.

Freeport had the highest rate on the Island, 4.8 percent, which was down 0.1 percentage points from last year. New York City had a rate of 4.9 percent while the state had a rate of 4.6 percent, according to the labor department. Click on the bar chart for details, or check on the tables below. And you can read more here.

Local jobless rates for October

Details on the monthly unemployment rates

October 2017Labor ForceEmployedUnemployedRate (%)
Nassau-Suffolk1,484,2001,423,00061,2004.1
Nassau County703,500675,20028,3004.0
Freeport Village22,80021,7001,1004.8
Glen Cove City14,10013,6005003.5
Hempstead Town401,100384,20016,9004.2
Hempstead Village27,50026,2001,3004.7
Long Beach City19,70018,9007003.7
North Hempstead Town113,300109,1004,1003.7
Oyster Bay Town155,400149,4006,1003.9
Rockville Centre Village12,20011,7005004.2
Valley Stream Village19,80018,9009004.6
Suffolk County780,700747,80032,9004.2
Babylon Town112,200107,1005,1004.5
Brookhaven Town255,200244,30010,9004.3
Huntington Town104,900100,8004,1003.9
Islip Town179,500171,9007,6004.2
Lindenhurst Village15,40014,7007004.3
Riverhead Town16,10015,4007004.3
Smithtown Town60,30058,0002,4003.9
Southampton Town29,00027,9001,1003.8
New York City4,251,5004,043,200208,3004.9
New York State9,712,1009,262,900449,2004.6
     
September 2017Labor ForceEmployedUnemployedRate (%)
Nassau-Suffolk1,493,4001,430,50063,0004.2
Nassau County708,100678,70029,4004.1
Freeport Village22,80021,8001,1004.6
Glen Cove City14,20013,6005003.8
Hempstead Town403,600386,20017,4004.3
Hempstead Village27,70026,4001,4004.9
Long Beach City19,80019,0008003.9
North Hempstead Town114,100109,7004,4003.9
Oyster Bay Town156,400150,1006,2004.0
Rockville Centre Village12,20011,7005004.2
Valley Stream Village19,90019,0009004.6
Suffolk County785,400751,70033,6004.3
Babylon Town113,100107,7005,4004.7
Brookhaven Town256,700245,60011,1004.3
Huntington Town105,600101,3004,3004.0
Islip Town180,600172,8007,8004.3
Lindenhurst Village15,50014,8007004.6
Riverhead Town16,20015,4007004.4
Smithtown Town60,70058,3002,5004.0
Southampton Town29,10028,0001,1003.8
New York City4,258,1004,045,300212,7005.0
New York State9,738,5009,277,500461,0004.7
     
October 2016Labor ForceEmployedUnemployedRate (%)
Nassau-Suffolk1,467,1001,407,50059,7004.1
Nassau County695,200667,80027,3003.9
Freeport Village22,50021,4001,1004.9
Glen Cove City13,90013,4005003.6
Hempstead Town396,300380,00016,3004.1
Hempstead Village27,20025,9001,3004.8
Long Beach City19,50018,7008003.9
North Hempstead Town112,100108,0004,1003.7
Oyster Bay Town153,400147,7005,7003.7
Rockville Centre Village12,00011,5005004.0
Valley Stream Village19,50018,7008004.3
Suffolk County772,000739,60032,3004.2
Babylon Town111,100106,0005,2004.6
Brookhaven Town252,400241,60010,8004.3
Huntington Town103,60099,7003,9003.8
Islip Town177,400170,0007,4004.2
Lindenhurst Village15,20014,6007004.3
Riverhead Town15,90015,2007004.1
Smithtown Town59,60057,3002,3003.8
Southampton Town28,70027,6001,1004.0
New York City4,138,4003,921,200217,2005.2
New York State9,548,0009,092,900455,1004.8

How Con-Con reshaped the election

The push to stop a state constitutional convention upended voter turnout in November.

Typically, more voters cast ballots in the top-of-ballot race than any other contest on the ballot. In November, that would have been the county executive race in Nassau and the district attorney race in Suffolk. Propositions usually come in dead last for attention.

Analysis of Long Island’s election results, however, shows that 6,111 more votes were cast on proposition 1 than in the county executive and district attorney races combined. That suggests that unions, environmentalists, the Conservative Party and other interest groups fighting the constitutional convention weren’t just successful in reminding voters to flip the ballot — they were able to draw Long Islanders to the polls exclusively to vote against the convention.

This map shows where the back-of-ballot vote was strongest compared with the top-of-ballot race. A negative vote margin means more votes were cast in the constitutional convention race. A positive vote margin means more votes were cast in the top of ballot race.

More people cast votes on the con-con question than the top-of-ballot race in nearly every Suffolk County election district. In Nassau, the county executive race was a stronger draw, especially on the North Shore. But in Bellmore, Merrick and the southern part of Oyster Bay, more votes were cast on con-con than in the county executive race.

Nassau tax assessments: How even some winners lost out

Since Nassau County’s assessment system overhaul began, thousands of homes each year have been granted what are essentially automatic assessment reductions by the county’s Assessment Review Commission. Thousands of other homes, though, are excluded from the overhaul component that leads to the automatic reductions, called Carry Forward.

A Newsday investigation published earlier this year exposed a shift of $1.7 billion in taxes from property owners who won assessment challenges filed since the overhaul began in 2010 to those who did not, revealing what effectively have become two systems of taxation that are separate and unequal.

But Newsday’s ongoing probe of the overhaul has also uncovered disparate treatment even among those who did challenge regularly.

Thousands of homes have been deemed ineligible for essentially automatic assessment reductions of 5 to 9 percent each year granted under the largely unknown overhaul component called Carry Forward because they failed to meet changing criteria that have not been made public.

The excluded properties most frequently end up with smaller reductions or none at all, which often results in them having years of higher assessments and smaller tax savings than they otherwise would have had.

The chart below shows how much typical homeowners saved from 2010 to 2015, depending on when they first appealed their assessment during the overhaul.

Note: Savings amounts listed in the chart exclude tax firm fees Newsday calculated at 45 percent of first-year tax savings even though most large firms charge 50 percent. Newsday defined the “typical” homeowner as one whose savings and fees were in the middle or median of each group.

Long Island job levels in October

The total, non-farm sector job count on Long Island rose by 4,200 to more than 1.35 million in October 2017 compared with a year earlier, according to the state’s Labor Department. Leading the increases were the private educational and health services sector, which rose by 9,900, and leisure and hospitality, which rose by 1,500 compared with October 2016. The professional and business-services sector lost the most jobs, down 3,000, while manufacturing lost 2,300 jobs. 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 here.

Jobs in the 10 sectors on Long Island

More detailed breakdown of 2017 vs. 2016

Industry            (job levels in thousands)Oct. 2017Oct. 2016Pct Year
TOTAL NONFARM1,351.01,346.80.3%
TOTAL PRIVATE1,151.41,147.30.4%
Total Goods Producing 148.0150.5-1.7%
   Construction, Natural Resources, Mining 77.978.1-0.3%
         Specialty Trade Contractors 56.754.63.8%
   Manufacturing70.172.4-3.2%
      Durable Goods 38.340.3-5.0%
      Non-Durable Goods 31.832.1-0.9%
Total Service Providing1,203.01,196.30.6%
Total Private Service-Providing1,003.4996.80.7%
   Trade, Transportation, and Utilities276.9279.7-1.0%
      Wholesale Trade 71.071.5-0.7%
         Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods 34.134.4-0.9%
         Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods 27.227.10.4%
      Retail Trade 160.2165.0-2.9%
         Building Material and Garden Equipment 13.013.00.0%
         Food and Beverage Stores 36.736.60.3%
            Grocery Stores 30.230.3-0.3%
         Health and Personal Care Stores 13.413.30.8%
         Clothing and Clothing Accessories Stores 18.019.2-6.3%
         General Merchandise Stores 27.426.91.9%
            Department Stores 20.820.80.0%
      Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities 45.743.25.8%
         Utilities 4.84.80.0%
         Transportation and Warehousing 40.938.46.5%
            Couriers and Messengers 5.55.6-1.8%
   Information18.919.3-2.1%
         Broadcasting (except Internet) 1.01.00.0%
         Telecommunications 8.88.71.1%
   Financial Activities71.971.21.0%
      Finance and Insurance 53.952.62.5%
         Credit Intermediation and Related Activities 20.620.41.0%
            Depository Credit Intermediation 11.711.60.9%
         Insurance Carriers and Related Activities 26.126.7-2.2%
      Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 18.018.6-3.2%
         Real Estate 14.314.11.4%
   Professional and Business Services 176.5179.5-1.7%
      Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 82.381.11.5%
            Legal Services 17.518.5-5.4%
            Accounting, Tax Prep., Bookkpng., & Payroll Svcs. 14.313.83.6%
      Management of Companies and Enterprises 16.416.30.6%
      Admin. & Supp. and Waste Manage. & Remed. Svcs. 77.882.1-5.2%
   Education and Health Services274.9265.03.7%
      Educational Services 43.842.82.3%
      Health Care and Social Assistance 231.1222.24.0%
         Ambulatory Health Care Services 91.387.64.2%
         Hospitals 66.964.34.0%
         Nursing and Residential Care Facilities 35.433.84.7%
         Social Assistance 37.536.52.7%
   Leisure and Hospitality124.8123.31.2%
      Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 24.922.411.2%
         Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries 18.617.09.4%
      Accommodation and Food Services 99.9100.9-1.0%
         Food Services and Drinking Places 94.195.8-1.8%
   Other Services 59.558.81.2%
         Personal and Laundry Services 24.023.33.0%
Government 199.6199.50.1%
   Federal Government 15.916.2-1.9%
   State Government 25.525.40.4%
      State Government Education 14.113.63.7%
      State Government Hospitals 1.31.4-7.1%
   Local Government 158.2157.90.2%
      Local Government Education 106.4105.60.8%
      Local Government Hospitals 2.92.90.0%

U.S. House, Senate Tax Plans: Where They Ended Up

Before Republicans from the House and Senate could send a nearly $1.5 trillion tax overhaul to President Donald Trump, they had to reconcile their differences. Here’s where they ended up on some of the key aspects and contrasts of their final bill.


TAX BRACKETS

  Compromise: Keeps seven brackets, reduces top rate to 37 percent.

Senate: Keeps seven brackets, reduces top rate to 38.5 percent from 39.6 percent. The reductions in personal income tax rates are temporary, ending in 2026.

House: Reduces the number of brackets to four, keeps the top rate at 39.6 percent but applies it for married couples earning $1 million annually or more instead of current $470,000 — creating a significant break for those earning incomes in between. The tax rate reductions are permanent.


STANDARD DEDUCTION

  Both bills: Senate, House bills both double those levels to more than $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for couples. The standard deduction is used by about 70 percent of U.S. taxpayers. It is currently $6,350 for individuals and $12,700 for married couples.


STATE AND LOCAL TAX DEDUCTION

  Compromise: Keeps the cap at $10,000, but allows individuals and families to choose among sales, income and property taxes.

Both bills: Taxpayers would no longer be able to deduct the amount they paid in state income taxes and local property taxes from their federal taxes, triggering tax increases for many residents who itemize returns in high-tax states such as New York, California and New Jersey. The property-tax deduction is capped at $10,000, a threshold that could be enough cover many homes in upstate New York, but much fewer on Long Island.

MORTGAGE INTEREST

  Compromise: No change for homeowners with existing mortgages, and allows deduction for interest up to $750,000 on a new home mortgage.

Senate: Keeps threshold for deductibility to homes purchased for $1 million or less.

House: Lowers deductibility threshold to $500,000 for new home purchases.

TAX CREDITS

  Compromise: Doubles per-child tax credit to $2,000. Begins to phase it out for families making over $400,000. Preserves adoption tax credit.

Senate: Doubles per-child tax credit to $2,000. Preserves adoption tax credit.

House: Raises per-child tax credit from $1,000 to $1,600, extends it to families earning up to $230,000. Creates a $300 tax credit for each adult in a family, which expires in 2023. Preserves adoption tax credit.

PERSONAL EXEMPTION

  Both bills: Eliminate the current $4,050 personal exemption. The loss of an exemption for each household member could have a major impact on families with two or more dependents (children or elderly adults), resulting in higher taxes, depending on other household factors.


INDIVIDUAL INSURANCE MANDATE

  Senate: Repeals the requirement in Democrat Barack Obama’s health care law that people pay a tax penalty if they don’t purchase health insurance.

House: Does not repeal health insurance requirement tax.


ESTATE TAX

  Compromise: Retains the estate tax, but doubles the exempt amount to $10 million.

Senate: Doubles the taxable threshold of a person’s estate to $11 million.

House: Phases out the estate tax entirely — to the benefit of the 5,000 or so estates that, under current law, are large enough to even be subject to the tax on an annual average.

ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX

  Senate: The AMT is aimed at ensuring that higher-earning people pay at least some tax. The Senate bill doesn’t repeal it but reduces the number of people who have to pay it.

House: Repeals AMT.


PASS-THROUGH BUSINESSES

  Compromise: Owners of pass-through businesses can deduct up to 20 percent on earnings.

Senate: Millions of U.S. businesses “pass through” their income to individuals, who then pay personal income tax on those earnings, not corporate tax. Senate bill lets people deduct 23 percent of the earnings and then pay at their personal income tax rate on the remainder.

House: Taxes many pass-through businesses at 25 percent, plus creates a 9 percent rate for the first $75,000 in earnings for some smaller pass-throughs.

BUSINESSES

 Compromise: Lower corporate tax rate to 21 percent. Expand write-offs allowed for companies that buy equipment.

Both bills: Lower corporate tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent. Expand write-offs allowed for companies that buy equipment.

MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS

  Compromise: “Modernizes” the “worldwide” tax system to eliminate double taxation. Eliminates the corporate alternative minimum tax. Eliminates tax incentives that encourage some U.S. companies to move overseas.

Senate: Imposes one-time tax on profits that U.S.-based corporations are holding overseas. Extends tax advantages for firms moving overseas, and requires corporations to continue paying the business version of the alternative minimum tax.

House: Imposes one-time tax on profits that U.S.-based corporations are holding overseas. Seeks to eliminate tax incentives that encourage some U.S. companies to move overseas.


MEDICAL EXPENSES, STUDENT LOAN INTEREST

  Senate: Maintains ability to deduct student loan interest and some high medical expenses.

House: Eliminates deductions.


COSTS

  Senate: $1.5 trillion over a decade. Revenue loss must stay below that to allow a vote using procedures that prevent a Democratic filibuster.

House: $1.6 trillion over a decade, a figure that could trigger rules to allow a Democratic filibuster.

Sources: Tax Policy Center, Congress

Long Island veterans: A look at our population

Saturday is Veterans Day, a holiday that traces its root to Armistice Day on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. It became an annual observance in 1926 and a national holiday in 1938. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation changing the name to Veterans Day as a way to honor those who served in all American wars.

There were an estimated 18.5 million military veterans living in the United States in 2016, about 7.4 percent of the population, according to the latest figures from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Of the 18.5 million nationwide, it is estimated that more than 112,000 live on Long Island; approximately 45,148 in Nassau County and 66,867 in Suffolk County. Here are the numbers who served during conflicts:

Long Island veterans and the periods when they served

The Census classifies anyone who served from August 1990 to present as being in the Gulf War although they break out from the period anyone who served after September 2001. The little lines at the top of each bar chart represent the margin of error in the Census figures, which are derived from surveys and which represent the government’s best estimate.

Where they live across the nation

Three states had a million or more veterans in 2016, according to the Census: California (1.6 million), Texas (1.5 million) and Florida (1.4 million). New York State is sixth, after Pennsylvania and Ohio, with an estimate of 723,000 veterans, or 4.7 percent of the population.

Long Island’s veterans are older than the nation’s as a whole

Suffolk, and especially Nassau, have higher percentages of veterans in the older age groups.

Part of that age discrepancy is reflected in the fact that, at 10.4 percent, Nassau County has more than double the percentage of World War II veterans in its overall veteran population compared to the United States, of which 4.2 percent of veterans served during World War II. In Suffolk County, 6.7 percent of veterans served in World War II. Both counties’ percentage of Korean War veterans also surpassed that of the nation’s 8.9 percent, with 14.6 percent in Nassau and 13.3 percent in Suffolk.

Veterans have higher median income; fewer are below poverty line

Long Island’s veterans tend to have a higher median income than non-veteran civilians, which is a trend consistent with national statistics. Veterans in Nassau and Suffolk are both less likely to fall below the poverty level than the average veteran in the United States.

Veterans have disabilities at a higher rate than the overall public

Veterans in Nassau County are three times as likely — and Suffolk County’s veterans are more than twice as likely — to have a disability than non-veterans.

Male and female

The pie charts shows the breakdown for Long Island. The percentages of female veterans in both counties have increased slightly since 2006 but still remain below the national percentage of 8.6 percent of total veterans, or 1.8 million women.


JavaScript charts via amCharts.

Huntington Toyota Brand360

Your Car Lease is Up. Now What?

One of the benefits of leasing your vehicle is the flexibility it offers at the end of the lease term. As a lessee, you can choose to buy out your current leased vehicle, lease another car (either from the same brand or try something new), or simply return the car and walk away. However, the lease end process can be confusing and costly. To make a considered choice, research the answers to the following end-of-lease questions:

  • What charges may be due at lease end?
  • Is buying the leased vehicle a good option?
  • What do you want to drive next?

To make your lease end transition easier, Newsday Brand360 and Huntington Toyota offer the following lease-end options to consider.


1. Re-Read Your Lease

45 to 60 days before the end of your lease re-read your agreement to be clear on the options available to you, and to familiarize yourself with your leaser’s conditions for return. Next, research the market to determine the residual value of your car at the time of termination. You will likely start receiving letters from your dealership prior to your lease termination date with offers to end your lease early and upgrade to a new vehicle, extend your lease, or to offer you a buyout option to purchase the car at the conclusion of your term. Your dealership will also remind you to set up an appointment for inspection of your car.

2. Lease Return Inspection

Many manufacturers use an independent company to conduct a lease return inspection that is free to the lease holder. The inspector can come to your home or office and the process will take about 30-45 minutes. In preparation for the visit, remove all personal items and wash and vacuum the car. After the inspection, you will receive a condition report that lists any issues and the estimated costs for any repair. Toyota Financial Services offers a lease turn-in site that includes a sample inspection report to help you prepare.

3. Check Your Mileage

Leases come with a pre-set mileage allowance per year. Be sure to return your vehicle with less than the allotted mileage to avoid overage charges. If your mileage is over your allowed amount you will pay a mileage penalty at the end of the lease, or you may opt to purchase the vehicle at the end of the lease, instead.

4. Wear and Tear

In order to avoid extra charges, return your vehicle in good condition. Any damage to the car that’s going to cost more than the average amount of money to refurbish is called excessive wear and tear. Damage includes dents, dings, scratches and scrapes on the car’s exterior, cracks, stars or excessive pitting on the windshield, abnormal or excessive wear to the tires and tears and stains on upholstery.

5. Late Charges

Your leased vehicle must be returned to the dealer by the termination date on your leasing contract. You can bring it to your local dealer or any dealer of the same automotive brand. If you return the vehicle after the date of termination, penalty fees will start to accrue.

6. Disposition

When you return your leased car, you will be subject to a disposition fee in an amount specified in your contract. Your dealership may be able to waive this fee if you lease another vehicle.

7. Turn-In Returns

Locate all the items that came with the car originally such as the second set of keys, cargo covers, original floor mats and spare tires.

What Next?

At the typical end of a car lease, you have the option to return your vehicle and walk away, extend your lease for a limited time (usually at the same monthly rate), purchase your vehicle for the buyout value set in the lease, or trade in your vehicle for a new lease.

If you decide to lease another vehicle you can take advantage of driving a newer car while maintaining a low monthly payment.

Lease (or Buy) Another Vehicle from the Same Brand

Many manufacturers will incentivize returning lessees to choose another vehicle from their brand. In addition to financial incentives such as loyalty rebates, some will waive the last few lease payments to help clients get into the newer model before their lease is over.

Lease (or Buy) Another Vehicle from a Different Brand

Part of the fun of leasing can be the flexibility to drive a different car every few years. Some manufacturers will even offer rebates to current lessees of competing brands. These can make trying a new brand easier.

Return the Car and Walk Away

Of course, you are under no obligation to lease or buy another vehicle unless you wish to. If you no longer need the car, you can simply return it and walk away. For more information on end of lease options, contact Huntington Toyota by visiting www.toyotaofhuntington.com

The news and editorial staff of Newsday had no role in the creation of this content

Gun control and mass shootings

Horrific mass shootings rarely lead to gun control legislation.

The Brady bill, passed in 1993, and the assault weapons ban, passed in 1994, were the last significant federal gun control measures signed into law in the United States despite dozens of mass shootings that have occurred since then.

Since 1966, 974 people have died in mass shooting incidents, according to data analyzed by The Washington Post. There is no universally accepted definition of a mass shooting, or any one group that keeps track of the victims. The Washington Post figure includes victims from 132 incidents in which four or more people died.

In several cases, these tragic events moved lawmakers to propose tighter gun control regulations. After the Orlando nightclub shooting in June 2016, former president Barack Obama called for Congress to reinstate the assault weapons ban, which despite several attempts has not been renewed since it expired in 2004.

The following is a list of 18 notable mass shooting incidents in the United States and the legislative gun control proposals they inspired, if any. The list dates back to the Long Island Rail Road massacre in December 1993, which helped spur Congress to pass the assault weapons ban.

Use the arrows to the right of each section to navigate through this project.

Nov. 5, 2017

Sutherland Springs, Texas: 26 killed, 20 injured

Devin Kelley wore tactical gear and a ballistic vest when he fired at least 450 rounds at worshippers in the First Baptist Church.

As Kelley left, he was shot by an armed resident, Stephen Willeford. Kelley was later found dead in his vehicle.

Investigators revealed that Kelley had past domestic violence offenses that would have prevented him from buying a gun, but the Air Force did not submit them to the FBI as required. Kelley was ousted from the Air Force for an assault on his ex-wife and her son in 2012.

Since the shooting, some politicians have called on the need for tighter gun restrictions while others have remarked on how more regulations may have kept Willeford from confronting the suspect.

“You might not have had that very brave person who happened to have a gun or a rifle in his truck go out and shoot him and hit him and neutralize him,” President Donald Trump said during a news conference Tuesday in South Korea. “If he didn’t have a gun, instead of having 26 dead, you would have had hundreds more dead.”

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who has emerged as one of the leading voices for gun control since his district was devastated by the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, released an impassioned plea for lawmakers to enact gun control laws.

“As my colleagues go to sleep tonight, they need to think about whether the political support of the gun industry is worth the blood that flows endlessly onto the floors of American churches, elementary schools, movie theaters, and city streets,” Murphy said in a statement released hours after the shooting.

Oct. 1, 2017

Las Vegas, Nevada: 58 killed, 527 injured

Stephen Paddock opened fire on people at an outdoor country music festival from his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, Nevada, then killed himself.

The incident, considered the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history, renewed the gun control debate. Since the tragedy, some legislators have focused on regulating bump fire stocks, an accessory that allows semi-automatic weapons to fire ammunition more rapidly.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., introduced a bill to ban the gun accessory but is still searching for a Republican cosponsor, CBS reported. There are also two proposed bipartisan bump stock measures in the House.

In late October, Massachusetts became the first state to outlaw bump stocks.

June 12, 2016

Orlando, Florida: 49 killed, 53 injured

Omar Mateen used an assault rifle and pistol to open fire on more than 300 people at a gay nightclub. After a three-hour standoff, Mateen was killed by police.

Days after the shooting, a nearly 15-hour filibuster led by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) forced a vote in the Senate on a batch of gun control bills. Four of the proposals were voted down the following week, mostly along party lines.

A measure from Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to let the attorney general deny firearms to people on the terrorism watch list fell in the Senate 53-47. The Senate also rejected an alternative that would allow authorities to delay a gun sale to a suspected terrorist for three days or more if a judge ruled that there is probable cause to deny the sale.

A bill by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Murphy to expand background checks failed, as did a Republican-sponsored bill that would increase funding to run background checks without broadening them. 

Dec. 2, 2015

San Bernardino, California: 14 killed, 24 injured

Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik opened fire at a social services center. Farook and Malik fled the scene and were later killed in a shootout with police.

A bill proposed in January by Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) would have repealed a 2005 law that protected gun manufacturers and sellers from liability lawsuits after shootings. President Barack Obama also pushed to pass legislation that would have prevented people on no-fly lists from buying guns. Neither proposal has been passed.

Oct. 1, 2015

Roseburg, Oregon: 10 killed, 7 injured

Christopher Harper-Mercer carried out his attack at Umpqua Community College. After exchanging gunfire with police, he killed himself.

In the days following the shooting, Senate Democrats rallied to push through a new slate of gun control legislation, including a bill by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) that seeks to ban gun sales without background checks pending beyond three days. Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) introduced a similar bill in the House following the massacre in Charleston. Neither bill has passed.

June 17, 2015

Charleston, South Carolina: 9 killed

Dylann Roof allegedly shot and killed his victims in a racially motivated attack on a Bible study group at a historically black church in Charleston. Roof faces nine counts of murder in state court and dozens of federal charges.

Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) introduced a bill to reform the background check process and to close what’s come to be known as the “Charleston loophole,” which allows firearm dealers to sell guns within three days unless notified by the FBI. The so-called loophole allowed Roof to purchase assault weapons since a background check that he would have failed wasn’t completed.

May 23, 2014

Isla Vista, California: 6 killed, 7 injured

After stabbing three men to death in his apartment, Elliot Rodger fatally shot three University of California Santa Barbara students and injured seven other people near the school’s campus. Rodger later killed himself.

Days after the attack, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) introduced legislation that would grant the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention $10 million to fund a gun violence prevention study. The CDC hasn’t conducted a comprehensive study on reducing gun violence in 15 years.

Markey’s bill was not passed.

Sept. 16, 2013

Washington D.C.: 12 killed

Aaron Alexis, a mentally disturbed Navy contractor and former Navy enlisted man, opened fire at the Washington Navy yard. Alexis was killed in a shootout by police.

Dec. 14, 2012

Newtown, Connecticut: 27 killed

After shooting his mother in the head, Adam Lanza forced his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut and fatally shot his victims, including 20 first-graders. Lanza then killed himself at the scene.

A background check bill pushed forward by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) that would have expanded background checks to internet and gun show sales was defeated in April 2013.

“All in all, this was a pretty shameful day for Washington,” President Barack Obama said later that day at a news conference.

A revamped version of the assault weapons ban, which was first passed in 1994 and expired in 2004, was proposed in January 2013 by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Ca.) and 24 Democratic co-sponsors. It was defeated in the Senate in April 2013.

Two weeks earlier, Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy signed into state law a 10-round limit on ammunition magazines.

July 20, 2012

Aurora, Colorado: 12 killed, 70 injured

James Holmes opened fire in a movie theater during a showing of “The Dark Knight Rises.” He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

In 2013, a series of gun control bills were passed in Colorado, including a measure requiring universal background checks and a ban on ammunition magazines that hold more than 15 rounds, like the ones used by Holmes.

Jan. 8, 2011

Tucson, Arizona: 6 killed, 13 injured

Jared Lee Loughner opened fire in front of a Safeway during a meet and greet held by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ar.). Giffords was among the wounded, suffering a gunshot to her head. Loughner was sentenced to seven consecutive life terms.

Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) proposed a bill that would restrict ammunition magazines to a maximum 10 rounds in 2011. They proposed an identical measure in 2012 and again in 2013, when the bill died in Congress.

Nov. 5, 2009

Killeen, Texas: 13 killed, 32 injured

Army psychiatrist Nidal Malik Hasan attacked at Fort Hood, where he was based. Hasan was sentenced to death in 2013.

April 3, 2009

Binghamton, New York: 13 killed, 4 injured

Jiverly Wong opened fire at the American Civic Association immigration center. Wong, a Vietnamese immigrant and former student at the center, killed himself at the scene.

April 16, 2007

Virginia Tech: 32 killed, 17 injured

The shooting by Seung-Hui Cho, a senior at Virginia Tech, on the school’s campus was, until the events in Orlando, the deadliest mass shooting in American history. After methodically gunning down students and teachers, Cho shot himself dead.

In response to the massacre, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), whose husband was killed and son was injured in the Long Island Rail Road shooting in 1993, made a fourth pass at pushing through a bill to improve the federal background check system to stop purchases by people, including individuals with criminal histories and those deemed mentally ill, who are prohibited from possessing firearms.

The bill received the support of the National Rifle Association and was signed into law.

July 29, 1999

Atlanta: 9 killed, 13 injured

After bludgeoning his wife and two children to death, Mark O. Barton went to his office where he worked as a day trader and shot four people. He then walked to another nearby office and killed five others. Barton later killed himself.

April 20, 1999

Columbine, Colorado: 13 killed, 24 injured

Columbine High School students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold had a friend purchase four guns for them at a gun show. They used the weapons to open fire at their school, killing 12 students and a teacher. Harris and Klebold later killed themselves.

Weeks after the Columbine shooting a bill requiring background checks at gun shows – closing the so-called “gun show loophole” – passed in the Senate but died in the House.

April 20, 1999

Jonesboro, Arkansas: 5 killed, 10 injured

After pulling a fire alarm at Westside Middle School, two students, Mitchell Johnson and Andrew Golden, opened fire on students and teachers. Four students and a teacher were killed. Mitchell, then 13, and Andrew, then 11, were sentenced to confinement in a juvenile facility until they turned 21.

A pair of bills was introduced following the Jonesboro shootings. One called to close a loophole that allowed for the sale of ammunition clips holding more than 10 rounds. The other sought to impose criminal penalties on adults who don’t properly lock away firearms that a child may use to hurt others. Neither proposal was passed.

Dec. 7, 1993

LIRR shooting: 6 killed, 19 injured

Colin Ferguson opened fire on a Long Island Rail Road commuter train. Ferguson was sentenced to life in prison. Following the shooting, President Bill Clinton decried the incident as a “terrible human tragedy.” The following year the assault weapons ban, which banned the manufacture, possession and sale of certain combat-style weapons and also limited the size of ammunition magazines, was signed into law.

The ban expired in 2004 and has not been renewed.

Published: June 17, 2016

360 View: Tour a tiny home on LI

360 view: Tour a tiny home on LI

Watch as Newsday’s Valerie Kellogg takes a tour of a tiny home in Holtsville.

Alt Video TextPlay 360° Video

On Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017, Newsday’s Valerie Kellogg toured the Holtsville home of Patrick and Catherine Kelleher. The Kellehers are selling their house, which could be labeled a tiny home, coming in at a mere 669 square feet. Read more about the home here. (Credit: Newsday / Jeffrey Basinger)

Note: On mobile devices, the 360-degree video experience can be viewed only in the YouTube app.