It’s Monday night. You roll your garbage pail down the driveway and leave it for the morning pick-up. When you wake up Tuesday morning, the cans are empty and you dont give it another thought.

But where did it go exactly?

To better understand this complicated topic, Will Flower, Senior Vice President of Corporate & Public Affairs for Winters Bros. Waste Systems – one of Long Island’s leading waste management companies with a history dating back to the 1950’s recently joined us on The Mike LiPetri Show to share his expertise, and just as important, provide a warning and some tangible steps all of us can take to help address this crisis.

According to Will, our garbage is taken to one of two places once picked up from the curb. Either an incinerator where it is safely burned or a transfer station where it is sorted through and shipped off Long Island. There are currently four incinerators across Nassau and Suffolk County with the largest one being in the Town of Hempstead. Trash at these facilities is burned and turned into usable electricity. The remaining ash that is not moved off-island is generally buried at the Brookhaven landfill. Waste that is processed at a transfer type facility is sorted through via both manual labor and the use of machines. Items that can be recycled are processed accordingly and the remainder is moved off Long Island via both truck and train.

Seems simple enough, right? It's a complex public-private system that must always be firing on all cylinders because we humans simply do not stop producing trash. Just on Long Island, residents produce more than 14 million pounds of municipal solid waste each day and there is nearly another 30 million pounds of construction & demolition (C&D) waste produced each day. Of this, only about 20% of residential waste is recycled compared to nearly 70% of C&D waste which is repurposed.

There is one problem though. That Brookhaven landfill is set to close at the end of 2024 and, at that time, the vast majority of waste will need to be transported off Long Island. Currently, over 90% of the waste that leaves Long Island is transported by truck and just 9% via railway. This puts a major strain on our local infrastructure in the form of additional traffic and the deterioration of roadways. Not to mention, the health and environmental risks associated with truck emissions. Rail is a far more safe, efficient, and effective system for moving trash, but Long Island simply does not have the infrastructure to support it currently. 

Enhancing infrastructure and improving logistics is just one approach we can take to start addressing this problem. According to Will Flower, we need to also rethink how we approach waste management individually and that’s why, for companies like Winters Bros., education is a major part of their mission.  At the end of the day, the long-term solution to this problem will be our own personal approach to how we think about trash, and ideally, a move towards zero-waste consumer habits. While this may sound overwhelming or even an unfair burden, there are small steps we can take today to have a greater impact tomorrow.

Many of us have a junk drawer at home filled with paperclips, dried out pens, random receipts, and who knows what else. Chances are though if you dig past the junk you’ll likely find an old tablet or your original smart phone sitting at the bottom. These items contain lithium batteries and despite them having become a necessity in modern daily life to power endless devices, they must be disposed of properly to avoid potentially deadly fires and environmental risks.

Through community education efforts, Winters Bros. strives to educate consumers on these risks and present safe alternatives. Unlike traditional alkaline batteries (AA/AAA), lithium batteries cannot be trashed and are at risk of combusting if compacted by waste removal trucks. The correct approach here is to seal your lithium battery in a plastic bag and bring it to a designated retail drop-off location for safe disposal management. To find a location near you, please visit www.call2recycle.org and enter your zip code.

Waste management is a dirty topic, but one we all have a vested interest in talking about and doing our part towards finding a solution. Will Flower said it best. “Garbage is the universal equalizer. It doesn’t matter if you’re Republican or Democrat, rich or poor, doesn’t matter what race you are or what type of business or home you have – the fact of the matter is that you and everyone in your family generates garbage.” 

Hopefully, by continuing to talk about it, or at least remaining open minded and taking small steps to make a difference, we can ensure our communities reman safe, healthy, and garbage-free for decades to come.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers. You’ve likely seen them on News 12 or heard their message on the radio, but do you know how they operate? How they bridge the gap between the community and law enforcement? Most importantly, do you know how to get in touch with them to provide a tip that could help solve a crime?

Recently, Pat Fazio, President of Suffolk County Crime Stoppers joined us on The Mike LiPetri Show to discuss their ongoing efforts and provide some pertinent information about ongoing investigations and how you can help solve these crimes.

First, some facts. Suffolk County Crime Stoppers is not funded by any government agency or the Suffolk County Police Department. They are a privately funded independent non-profit organization founded in 1994 that, very simply, provides cash rewards for 100% anonymous tips that lead to an arrest.

Pat Fazio, a former NYC Police Officer, was asked to join Suffolk County Crime Stoppers in 2015 due to his love for the community and his strong reputation as a powerful fundraiser. Under his leadership, Crime Stoppers has really increased their public profile and after implementing some successful fundraising efforts, the organization continues to gain traction and expand their efforts.

So, how does it work exactly? If you witnessed a crime or have information relating to criminal action, you are strongly encouraged to get in touch with Suffolk County Crime Stoppers. A common misconception many people have is that their tip isn’t important enough or won’t make a difference. This couldn’t be further from the truth. As Pat Fazio puts it, “even the most miniscule piece of information could be monumental to investigators.”

Once they receive and process your tip, Crime Stoppers will share it with the appropriate law enforcement agencies and investigators where it can either enhance an open investigation or lead to the opening of a brand-new case.

But, is it truly anonymous? When you call 1-800-220-TIPS to report your information they do not ask you any personal information whatsoever. They will gather the information you provide and give you a code or reference number. Later, should there be an arrest in the case, you call up Crime Stoppers, provide your code number, and receive your reward. It’s that simple.

Another important point here is that no crime is too small. From neighborhood kids breaking down fences to homicides, a crime is a crime, and your tip can help solve it. There is even a dedicated phone line just for drug related criminal activity – 631-852-NARC. During the height of the heroin and opioid crisis on Long Island, thousands of tips came through this line – many of which not only helped solve crime but saved countless lives in the process.

In many cases, the award is normally up to $5,000 depending on the circumstances of the specific case. But in high profile cases, awards can be up to $50,000 like the one currently offered for information leading to an arrest in the Gilgo Beach murders. At this time, alleged killer, Rex Heuermann, has only been indicted relating to three of the victims but there were other victims found whose cases remain open and unsolved.

Right now, one case Pat Fazio reminded us about is the unsolved murder of Suffolk County Police Detective Dennis Wustenhoff who was killed by a car bomb in 1990. There was never an arrest in this case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has recently agreed to take a fresh look and review the evidence in the case. Suffolk County Crime Stoppers has a sizeable reward for any information that leads to an arrest in this case.

There is no denying it. Crime Stoppers works. It is a great partner for both the community and law enforcement. Pat Fazio said it best, “when investigators get that one tip that leads to an arrest it’s a game changer, its huge, if you see something, say something, make the call – it works.”

Last night, Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, and California Governor, Gavin Newsom, went head-to-head during a Fox News debate to present and defend their visions for the future of America. With under a year to go until the 2024 Presidential Election, one of these leaders is a current candidate. The other? To be determined. Regardless of what names end up on your ballot come Election Day, rest assured that the choice you will have to make is solely between these two visions. You will decide which direction this country goes.

Out the gate, Newsom was asked about the negative net migration California has experienced in recent years. Where his state has lost approximately 750,000 residents, Florida gained over 400,000. Newsom initially dodged the question and oddly answered by pledging his ongoing support for the work of the Biden/Harris Administration. When pressed for an answer a second time, he ducked again, this time attempting to highlight California’s technological and business success in places like Silicon Valley. The facts simply don’t lie though. During covid, while lockdown leaders like Newsom shut down businesses, ruined livelihoods, and ruined a generation of children by keeping schools shut down, Florida was open for business and got students back in school before any other state.

On border security, data was presented showing that Border Patrol has had 6.5 million migrant encounters since Biden took office including over 6,000 Afghans, 12,000 Russians, and 26,000 Chinese. There is serious concern that foreign actors could be taking advantage of our open southern border to infiltrate our country and carry out terrorist attacks in our cities and towns.

Newsom used his time on this topic to call out DeSantis for sending 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard in September 2022. He said it was heartless and disqualifying. DeSantis countered with the fact that all these liberal sanctuary cities and states claim they are open to illegal migrants, yet they are now panicking for having to take a very small percentage of the migrants crossing our border. The Biden/Harris/Newsom team has turned their back on law-abiding Americans. They have put our communities and families at risk. Their open border policies are a slap-in-the-face to all those who proudly came to this country – legally.

When it comes to crime and homelessness, FBI statistics show that the violent crime rate in California is at 499 per 100,000 compared to the national average of 380. In Florida, the rate is below the national average at just 258. The homeless numbers tell a similar story. California has 172,000 homeless people to Florida’s 26,000.

Simply put, California has adopted pro-crime policies and has turned their back on the men and women of law enforcement while Florida continues to Back The Blue. Under Newsom, California has made it harder to do business. They are overtaxed and overregulated while Florida encourages growth and prosperity. California has allowed the quality of life to deteriorate beyond control while Florida holds criminals accountable and ensures that prosecutors who are soft on crime are removed from office.

As they progressed through the issues, the responses remained the same. On gun control, California leads America with the strictest gun laws where Florida believes in upholding the rights of law-abiding Americans to protect themselves and their families.

On the topic of parents’ rights and protecting children, DeSantis proudly stood by his record of keeping pornographic materials out of our schools. Newsom failed to answer when asked if he thinks such books are appropriate for young children.

Even on gas prices, despite positioning himself as a fighter for the working class, Newsom couldn’t answer why gasoline costs $7/gallon in California. He refused to admit it is because of their over-taxation and out-of-control regulation. He refused to admit it is because they are pushing a climate agenda and a move towards all electric vehicles in the near future – taking away even more rights and choices from individual Americans.

The differences couldn’t be clearer. There are two visions of America. Freedom or failure. Choose wisely in 2024.

Made in China. Packaged in Mexico. Deadly in America.

Remember Malaysia Airlines Flight 370? It’s the one that disappeared off the face of the earth in 2014 taking the souls of 239 people with it to never to be seen or heard from again. A tragedy. Families devasted. Incredible sadness and confusion.

I know what you are thinking. You thought this was a post about the drug overdose crisis in America. Why are we talking about a missing plane from nearly a decade ago?

Here’s why.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, over 106,000 Americans died from drug-related overdoses in 2021. A staggering, horrific, and unacceptable number. That’s roughly 290 deaths per day or the equivalent of a Flight 370 disappearing over American skies every single day – plus some.

Imagine this scenario. Every day, dozens of commercial flights leave New York headed for sunny Florida. Every day one of them disappears. Never to be seen or heard from again.

Surely, if the United States had a deadly airline tragedy every single day, we would do something about it, right? There would be outrage. There would be demands for answers. There would be protests. Surely, we would ground all flights and find an immediate solution to this problem, right?

Of course, we would. So why aren’t we approaching the drug problem with the same intensity? Why aren’t we cutting off Fentanyl and other illicit drugs at their source? Why aren’t we providing solutions for these families?

I was recently joined by Dr. Jeff Reynolds – a highly sought after thought leader and expert in the areas of addiction, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, and mental health for a discussion on this crisis.

According to Dr. Reynolds, who currently serves as President & CEO of the Family & Children’s Association and is well known for his past service as Executive Director of the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, the major root cause for this crisis all boils down to mental health and the lack of resources we commit to this cause.

“You legalize alcohol in every possible setting, you legalize cannabis, you are expanding gambling opportunities every chance you get, but not giving us the resources to clean up the mess – it’s a prescription for disaster,” said Dr. Reynolds.

Post covid, drug use is way up and alcohol use has increased between 35% and 40%. During the height of the pandemic, when they shut down our businesses and locked us in our homes, they simultaneously decided that alcohol was an essential service. You were able to leave your house to go get take-out alcohol from your favorite local bar but not go to church or the gym. These decisions, while good for some business, were detrimental to our collective mental health and overall wellbeing.

It's an all-too-familiar problem to those counselors working in this space. Dr. Reynolds says, “we are always a step behind chasing the new drug.” Currently, fentanyl – which is 50 times more powerful than morphine – is the leading cause of current overdoses. It is a synthetic drug formulated in China, prepared and packaged by cartels in Mexico, and finally shipped across our southern border to kill Americans.

A major issue with fentanyl is that drug dealers often hide it in other drugs including counterfeit prescription pills, cocaine, and even marijuana. When a student on a college campus takes something for anxiety or ADHD that they got from a friend it runs a high risk of being tainted with fentanyl. The unassuming college student swallows just one pill and dies of an overdose having never known they were exposed to fentanyl.

So here we are today. We’ve reached a tipping point. We either start addressing this problem or we let it continue to destroy society. Do we wait for the government and politicians to do something, or perhaps, do we take a direct, hands-on approach in our own lives? Dr. Reynolds says, “we have to do a better job at prevention – kids need to be able to talk about what they are feeling and experiencing, and we need to catch them early on in life at age 5, 6, and 7 to teach them how to ask for help.”

Parents can also take a more proactive role with their children as well. The youth are navigating life with 24/7 access to social media, seeing content that glorifies drinking, partying, and sex. In many cases, parents don’t even realize their children are struggling with the anxiety and depression that comes from constant social media use. Dr. Reynolds says just setting a good example and communicating with your kids will have a huge impact. “Good prevention is sustained and hands on – you empower the school districts to provide more resources, you empower parents to lead by example, and you seek out help when you need it.”

Thankfully, there are resources available for people who want to change the status quo and make better choices. A great first step is reaching out to Dr. Reynolds and his team at www.fcali.org where they can help you get the ball rolling towards a better future.

Sadly, this problem is not going away. We can close our borders. We can prosecute drug dealers to the fullest extent of the law. We can develop better testing kits to detect fentanyl and other deadly drugs. All great and necessary steps. But until we better educate our children, until we implement more resources, and until we address the underlying mental health issues that led someone to drug and alcohol abuse this problem will remain.

I am hopeful that with people like Dr. Jeff Reynolds leading the way and raising awareness we have a fighting chance to land those plans safely and ensure that those nearly 300 Americans who die from overdose each day make it home to their families.

Trouble is brewing in America right now. In our town squares, in the Halls of Congress, on college campuses, and throughout social media, the antisemitic movement is gaining dangerous traction and it must be stopped dead in its tracks.

Last month, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) took to the streets of midtown Manhattan to proclaim their support for the heinous Iranian-backed-Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel. Since then, these “activists” have stayed busy whether it be tearing down posters of the missing hostages or ripping down American flags on Lexington Avenue.

In Congress, members of “The Squad” are actively promoting the “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free” chant that essentially calls for the permanent eradication of Jews from the Israeli territory and the Middle East as a whole.

On college campuses, from Harvard and MIT to Columbia and more, anti-Israel rallies and protests have often turned threatening and violent leaving innocent Jewish students fearing for their safety and questioning if their administrations have their back. At Cooper Union on October 26th, Jewish students had to lock themselves inside a library as pro-Palestinian protestors banged on the doors and windows shouting antisemitic rhetoric.

In Los Angeles on November 5th, a 69-year-old Jewish man died after suffering a head injury sustained from a pro-Palestine protestor.

On November 15th, over 150 pro-Palestinian demonstrators turned violent and clashed with law enforcement during an illegal rally outside of the Democratic National Committee HQ in Washington, D.C. During this attack, six Officers were injured.

So on and so on.

These “protests” are becoming more and more violent. The rhetoric is escalating. The tension is at a boiling point. These people are emboldened because, in some cases, they know they are protected from accountability in many American big cities. When there are no consequences, criminals and those looking to spew hate only act worse.

Let’s call it like it is though. They would run and hide with their tail between their legs if asked to fight on the front lines. If they truly believed what they say, they would be on the next flight to Gaza. Instead, they are safely tucked in their beds at night excited for tomorrow morning’s Starbucks run.

It’s pathetic.

To their credit, many universities have taken appropriate steps to address these protests and protect vulnerable students. Bad actors have been suspended, groups have been shut down, and major companies have made it known they will not be hiring these students postgraduation. Even more, historical legacy donors have decided to pull their financial support from these schools if the antisemitic efforts are not promptly addressed.

While we appreciate these efforts, its only just a start.

Israel is a beacon of freedom, democracy, and hope in a region often defined by hate, tyranny, and violence. The American Israeli bond goes beyond strategic military and diplomatic relations. It is grounded in our shared values, culture, and vision for the future of our people.

We must stop the antisemitic movement in America dead in its tracks.

Outside of New York, what does the rest of America know about Long Island? The cost of living is high. The celebrities spend their summers in The Hamptons. We have bagels. We have pizza. Plenty of late-night diners. Oh yeah, Rex Heuermann and MS-13, too.

The last two have captured national headlines, and sadly, left a negative impression of what life on Long Island is like for everyday New Yorkers. One man who has had a front row seat where Rex Heuermann and MS-13 collide is Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon, Jr.

Leading up to the arrest of alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer, Rex Heuermann, Sheriff Toulon was notified by arresting authorities that Rex would be processed and held at the Suffolk County Jail in Riverhead. Pulling from his experience as a former Corrections Officer and Deputy Commissioner in the NYC Dept. of Corrections, Sheriff Toulon knew what protocols and strategies were necessary when bringing a high-profile suspect into the jail system. Whether they be mafia bosses or titans of industry, when a high-profile suspect steps into their jail cell, ensuring their safety, the safety of other inmates, and most importantly, the safety of Officers becomes a top priority.

When Sheriff Toulon joined me on The Mike LiPetri Show, he provided some insights into Rex Heuermann’s day-to-day life behind bars as he awaits trial. Since being removed from suicide watch, Rex spends his days isolated from other inmates but does participate in some jail programs and services. He visits the library, gets private yard time, and spends a lot of time with his legal team reviewing his case files.

Housing an alleged serial killer is a big deal in the jail system. It requires planning. It requires attention to detail. It requires experience. Even more so, when that same jail system is home to violent gang members, experience is needed to ensure this high-risk ecosystem is always firing on all cylinders.

Long Island has an unfortunate history with MS-13 gang violence. In 2016, the gang was responsible for the murders of 16-year-old Kayla Cuevas and 15-year-old Nisa Mickens. As a result of countless other killings and a spree of violence, law enforcement leaders vowed to work tirelessly to track down, arrest, and convict those responsible for destroying our communities.

Despite their outstanding and successful efforts, criminal gangs remain present in our communities and staying at the forefront of the latest intelligence could end up being the difference between life and death.

Last year, Sheriff Toulon visited El Salvador – the longtime homebase for MS-13 – to tour the country’s new state-of-the-art high security mega prison facility called the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, for short.

Since becoming President of El Salvador in 2019, Nayib Bukele has made it his mission to rid his country of the violence and lawless control of MS-13. To do so, despite some international pushback, law enforcement has instituted a zero-tolerance crackdown on gangs. By arresting over 70,000 alleged gang members and housing many of them in CECOT, the country’s murder rate has plummeted and for the first time in a long time, the people of El Salvador feel safe again.

Sheriff Toulon saw and heard it firsthand during his visit. He says, “the people feel safe again, the economy is thriving, and some El Salvadorians who had once fled for safety right here on Long Island have returned home.” It’s an incredible turnaround but certainly one with some unintended consequences which has raised alarms for law enforcement here at home.

With MS-13 no longer having control and a safe haven in El Salvador, those who have evaded arrest have moved out of the region to neighboring countries and have continued to make their way north to America where they often have easy passage through the southern border.

To stay abreast of the latest criminal activity and track gang movements, Sheriff Toulon has created a Corrections Intelligence Unit aimed at building a countrywide network for sharing intelligence about jailed gang members and other dangerous criminals. This level of cooperation both domestically and abroad will undoubtedly help keep Long Islanders safe for years to come.

In law enforcement, experience matters. Thankfully, we have leaders like Sheriff Toulon leading the way to ensure that when Long Island makes national headlines it’s for all the right reasons.

When it was “just” water being thrown on cops last summer, many of my Democratic colleagues in the state Legislature thought I was overreacting when I introduced legislation to protect our hard-working law enforcement officers from such assaults.

After all, many figured, it was just water, and challenging the notion that it was, again, “just” harmless agitators looking to vent some stress of summer heat was not necessarily a hill anyone was willing to die for, at least not then.

Then came the milk. Then came spit, bats, bricks, Molotov cocktails, and a whole host of other deadly weapons being used, as recently as last week, against both rank-and-file and high-ranking officers.

We went from water to serious if not grievous injury in a New York minute everywhere and the killing of police, including ambushes, in a number of localities.

My point in introducing the legislation last year was not merely to stop water from being thrown on cops. It was to restore what could already be identified as a growing disregard for the rule of law and those in blue who swear an oath to uphold the law.

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