Rex A. Heuermann could seek bail at his scheduled court conference this afternoon in Riverhead — the second time the Manhattan architect and alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer’s case will be in court since his July 13 arrest. Nicole Fuller reports on Newsday.com that Heuermann, 59, of Massapequa Park, was ordered held without bail at his July 14 arraignment, where he pleaded not guilty to first and second-degree murder charges in the killings of three women — Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello — whose remains were found in the Gilgo Beach area in 2010.

Authorities have also named Heuermann, who is being held at the Suffolk County Jail in Riverhead, as the “prime suspect” in the killing of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, whose remains were found with the other three women — collectively known as the “Gilgo Beach four.” All of the victims were sex workers.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, in seeking to have Heuermann remanded, alleged that Heuermann was both a flight risk and a continuing danger as he allegedly continued to communicate with sex workers on burner phones, followed media accounts of the police investigation into the killings and had ties to Las Vegas and South Carolina, where he owned properties. “For all those reasons, we feel that the urge — this defendant's urge to flee the jurisdiction is proving irresistible, and that's why we're asking for remand status,” D.A. Tierney said at Heuermann’s arraignment. Heuermann’s case will appear at 2 p.m. today before Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei. known for his no-nonsense style toward defendants and both prosecutors and defense attorneys alike.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, who has taken the lead role in the high-profile arrest and prosecution of a suspect in the long-unsolved Gilgo Beach murders, has begun referring to it in campaign promotions two years before he's up for reelection. Vera Chinese reports on Newsday.com that an email sent Friday by his campaign committee “Ray Tierney for DA” thanked donors for their support and suggested the July 13 arrest of Rex A. Heuermann, the Massapequa Park resident who has pleaded not guilty, would not have happened if Tierney were not in office. Tierney, who is not registered with a political party but is backed by the GOP, defeated incumbent Democrat Tim Sini in 2021.

“Without your support, I wouldn’t be where I am today, and this significant case would likely not have been solved,” the email states.

Heuermann's arrest has received international news media coverage. Tierney, Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon, a Democrat, and Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison, an appointee of Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, also a Democrat, all have made network and cable television appearances. Tierney, a former federal prosecutor, has announced he will lead the team that will prosecute Heuermann.

Governor Kathy Hochul, NYS Attorney General Letitia James and NYC Mayor Eric Adams announced yesterday that $485 million would be spent to avert gun violence, including an ongoing program to deploy “violence interrupters” such as reformed gang members to quell street beefs.

“They may have had time in jail, they may have been part of a gang. But they also know that they’re the ones who can be the trusted voice in a community, where young people will trust them more than they’re gonna trust the governor and the mayor,” Gov. Hochul said.

The violence interruption program supplements but does not supplant policing. “It’s not just a policing issue,” Hochul added. Matthew Chayes reports on Newsday.com that the three leaders announced that the program would also fund early interventions such as mentorship, housing, help accessing public benefits, money for parks, public spaces, and playgrounds; employment, and mental illness treatment.

Representatives from Calverton Aviation & Technology {CAT} will update the Riverhead Industrial Development Agency and Riverhead residents on their current vision for the proposed project at Calverton Enterprise Park next Monday, Aug. 7, the Riverhead IDA has announced on its website. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the Riverhead IDA requested CAT representatives to make the presentation at the public information session, which will take place at Riverhead Town Hall on Monday, Aug. 7, immediately following the IDA’s regularly scheduled meeting, which begins at 5 p.m., per the IDA press release. A public comment period will be provided. But, this will not be the IDA’s public hearing on the application, the agency said. The public hearing will be held at a later date.

Participants may also attend the Aug. 7 meeting via Zoom. Email the Riverhead IDA by close of business this Friday, Aug. 4 for the Zoom link and log-on instructions.

Pre-registration is required for those attending virtually.

The public information session can also be viewed live on Riverhead Town’s website.

A prior public information session held by the Riverhead IDA on May 3 at the Hotel Indigo in Riverhead was packed with residents who spoke out against the plans presented by CAT at the September 2022 Riverhead IDA meeting.

The plans presented last year depicted the development of 10 million square feet of industrial/commercial buildings at the Calverton Enterprise Park, mostly comprising logistics and distribution buildings to be accessed by jets delivering freight to the site, which, according to CAT’s presentation to the IDA, would be shipped via tractor-trailer to other warehouse facilities in the region.

Both a board of education member who cursed at a parent during a meeting last week and the superintendent of Southold schools sent out an apology message to parents and the community after the exchange. Lisa Finn reports on PATCH.com that some parents are outraged and demanding that Southold Board of Education Vice-President Dr. John Crean step down after a heated verbal exchange during which he uttered an obscenity at a parent, telling him, "F--- you!"

After the meeting, a message was sent out: "During a spirited exchange with a community member at the July 26 Board of Education meeting, I used language that was inappropriate," Crean said. "I am sorry for that lapse in judgment, and apologize to everyone present in the room and to our staff and students for setting a poor example."

Superintendent of Southold Schools Dr. Anthony Mauro added: "The heated exchange" at the board meeting "is a regrettable situation, and one that we all wish had not happened. Dr. Crean is a long-standing community servant who is apologetic for his role in the exchange. I believe he is sincere in his apology. Leadership decisions are not always popular with everyone, but they are based on accurate information regarding the best possible scenario for all, and we are charged with making them."

Glen Homer, the parent of a sixth grader, said he chose to speak at the Southold BOE meeting last Wednesday night to address concerns that he, along with a number of other parents, have with what appears to be a cutback in the music program, specifically the band.

A man was swept out to sea while swimming off Long Island Monday morning — but he treaded water for five hours and created a makeshift flag to attract his rescuers. Allie Griffin reports in THE NY POST that Dan Ho, 63, was in the water at Cedar Beach in Babylon around 5 a.m. yesterday when strong currents carried him two-and-a-half miles off the coast, according to the police.

The Copiague man miraculously kept himself afloat without any flotation devices and found a broken fishing rod floating in the water.

Mr. Ho then tied his shirt to the rod to create a flag to try to wave down help, cops said.

By 10:30 a.m. his ingenuity proved fruitful. He was spotted by two men on a motorboat — retired FDNY marine engineer Jim Hohorst and pal Michael Ross — who pulled Ho out of the ocean and onto their vessel, a 2007 Albin, Suffolk PD said.

Ho was conscious and alert but unable to stand up due to exhaustion, police said.

He was brought ashore to the US Coast Guard Station on Fire Island where he was treated by Coast Guard medics before he was taken to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip via ambulance.

Since 1984, National Night Out has been observed annually on the first Tuesday in August. Later today, Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. will oversee softball games, not to mention a dunk tank, a DJ and other events popular enough to have attracted thousands in the past. Multiple events are planned for this evening across Long Island as part of a decades-old effort to build trust between cops and the community by both sides letting down their guards.

Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison described the 39th annual National Night Out, a way to show off the "human side of law enforcement." John Asbury and Robert Brodsky report on Newsday.com that events in Nassau and Suffolk will include food, entertainment, arts and crafts, giveaways, games and opportunities to explore first responder vehicles.

Sheriff Toulon will hold a Night Out event at Fireman’s Memorial Park in Ridge today from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. The free event, which in the past has drawn more than 2,000 visitors, will include a DJ, a tug-o-war, face painting, a dunk tank, and softball games between county sheriff deputies, corrections employees and Town of Brookhaven workers.

In Hampton Bays this afternoon the public is invited to join the Southampton Town and Village Police Departments, New York State Police, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, and other local officials for their free community celebration at Red Creek Park in Hampton Bays today from 4:00-7:00 PM.

Come meet your local police officers and enjoy food, games, raffles, bounce house, face painting, demonstrations, giveaways, and also child seat checks.

National Night Out

August 1st, 4pm - 7pm

Red Creek Park, Hampton Bays.