Icy roadways sent at least two people to Stony Brook Hospital via helicopter this morning, shutting down local roadways briefly.

According to Southold Police, two accidents occurred in town Friday morning.

One accident occurred near the intersection of Mill Road and Route 48, sending one man to the hospital. According to SoutholdLocal.com, he was one of two people injured in the crash; the other person was transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center. Neither person’s injuries were considered life threatening.

Another occurred near Sound Avenue and Aldrich Lane on the west side of town, police said.

In Riverhead, police said that at least six motor vehicle accidents took place this morning across town. No roads were closed and no serious injuries were reported.

One person was airlifted following a crash in Northampton early this morning, according to Southampton Police.

Sgt. Michael Joyce said that around 6:50 a.m., a single-car crash occurred on County Road 51 after a driver struck a telephone pole. The motorist was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital and treated for serious injuries. A portion of the road was closed during the rescue efforts and was reopened as of 9:45 a.m.

A single-car crash also occurred on Flanders Road in Flanders after a car flipped near Birch Avenue. No serious injuries were reported in that crash.

The National Weather Service issued a special weather statement this morning, noting that black ice will melt as morning progresses.

Caption: Police and fire clear the scene of a crash Friday morning in Northampton.

Nancy-Jo Cantrell of Cutchogue died Jan. 8. She was 79.

The family will receive visitors Monday, Jan. 11, from 9 to 11 a.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck. Graveside services and interment will immediately follow at Cutchogue Cemetery.

A complete obituary will appear at a future time.

Coffee fans, get ready: another boutique coffee shop is opening its doors next Sunday in Aquebogue.

Hampton Coffee Company set an official opening date for its fourth location. Beginning at 6 a.m. Sunday Jan. 17, coffee lovers in the area will be able to treat themselves to their cup of specially brewed North Fork Organic Blend.

But the medium roast coffee blend won’t be the only thing for sale.

Read more on northforker.com

Photo: Hampton Coffee Co. CEO Jason Belkin outside his newest location in Aquebogue. The store is scheduled to open at 6 a.m. on Jan. 17. (Credit: Nicole Smith)

This week’s dip in temperature caused five endangered sea turtles to become frozen to the point that they essentially became paralyzed before washing up on North Fork beaches — an annual phenomenon known as “cold-stunning.”

According to Rachel Bosworth of the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation, a cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtle was discovered late Wednesday by a passersby on Bailie’s Beach in Mattituck. One day later, four more affected sea turtles were located in the same area, between Bailies Beach and Duck Pond. Since October, Ms. Bosworth said, a total of 38 cold-stunned sea turtles have been taken to the foundation’s East Main Street facility.

“Cold-stunned season is typically October through January,” said Ms. Bosworth, who said the Riverhead Foundation received this season’s first turtle the day before Thanksgiving from a Southampton beach. Of the 38 found so far, 13 are still alive and being rehabilitated. Four of the five turtles found in Mattituck this week have already died.

Ms. Bosworth said sea turtles typically migrate to warmer waters in the fall but that they “stuck around longer” due to this year’s mild weather. But chillier temperatures earlier this week have caused the cold-blooded animals, which rely on external sources of warmth for survival, to become cold-stunned — rendering them unable to move and often close to death.

“They get deposited onto the beach as the tide comes in,” said Ms. Bosworth, who said the 2014-15 season netted a total of 35 cold-stunned sea turtles. “The best time to actually find these turtles is after high tide.”

Healthy sea turtles have an average body temperature of 77 degrees Fahrenheit and a heart rate between 25 and 35 beats per minute, Ms. Bosworth said. The Kemp’s ridley sea turtle found Wednesday in Mattituck had a body temperature of only 37 degrees Fahrenheit and a heart rate of just two beats per minute. This initially led the passerby who located the animal to think it was dead, Ms. Bosworth said.

If you spot a sea turtle on a local beach, Ms. Bosworth asks that you call the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation’s 24-hour hotline at 631-369-9829 right away. The animals should not be touched.

“We encourage people, whether they think a sea turtle is dead or alive, to call that number,” she said.

ryoung@timesreview.com

Photo: Biologist Daniella Ferrina of the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation treating a cold-stunned sea turtle.

Southold Town Police said a Mattituck man was arrested after he fled the scene 0f an accident this morning.

Robin Richards, 71, was reportedly traveling westbound on Sound Avenue near Aldrich Lane at around 7 a.m. when his car slid on black ice, hit a dirk embankment and flipped.

When police arrived Mr. Richards wasn’t near the scene, and was later found two miles away with a right hand injury caused by broken glass, officials said. Police learned he’d been driving with a license that had been suspended since 2005, which is why he left. He was taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center for minor injuries.

Mr. Richards was charged with third-degree unlicensed operation, a misdemeanor, leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury and operating with an expired license, both violations.

A Peconic woman was arrested for drunk driving Thursday in Laurel, according to Southold Town Police.

Jeannine Feller, 49, was reportedly traveling westbound on Route 25 at around 3:15 p.m. when she was pulled over for not staying in her lane.

She was charged with driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor, and failing to maintain lane, a violation.

The game was used as a fund-raiser for the Wounded Warriors Project, but the real project for both high school boys basketball teams in the first quarter was finding a way to put the ball in the basket.

For most of the quarter, the only points on the scoreboard were from a short bank shot by Southold’s Aidan Walker. Port Jefferson didn’t pick up its first points until John McLaughlin made a shot, tying the score at 2-2 with 18 seconds left in the period. The score would have remained that way at the conclusion of the opening quarter if not for a 3-point shot that Southold’s Noah Mina landed at the buzzer.

So there it was, both teams combining for a measly 7 points through eight minutes of basketball. Fortunately for those who like scoring, the offenses picked up from that point on.

Southold managed to keep Port Jefferson at bay much of the way to pick up a precious league win, 45-40, on its home court on Friday night.

Perhaps some camouflage helped the First Settlers (4-5, 1-3 Suffolk County League VIII). Both teams wore camouflage shirts during the pregame warmups, and both coaches, Keith Buehler of Port Jefferson and Phil Reed of Southold, sported camouflage, too. In keeping with their school colors, Port Jefferson’s shirts were tinged with purple and Southold’s with red. While the Royals wore their regular purple road jerseys for the game, though, the First Settlers stayed with their camouflage tops, which the officials allowed even though they did not have uniform numbers on the front, only on the back.

Pat McFarland shot 5 for 7 from the field, including 3 for 3 from 3-point distance, to pace the First Settlers with 19 points. Walker chipped in 11 points.

The top scorers for Port Jefferson (2-7, 1-3) were McLaughlin and Kris Cheslock with 9 points each. McLaughlin also grabbed 11 rebounds.

If the Royals looked a little heavy-legged, it was because they had played a game the day before against Stony Brook. Fatigue may have factored in their field-goal shooting, a cold 26.5 percent.

In the first quarter, both teams had their field-goal struggles, with Port Jefferson shooting 1 of 13 and Southold going 2 of 10.

Port Jefferson held three brief leads in the second quarter before a 3-pointer by McFarland put Southold ahead for good at 13-12.

The First Settlers gained more separation when they used an 11-2 run, with 6 points provided by Walker, for a 33-21 lead.

Port Jefferson pulled to within 4 points when a pair of Michael Spyrou free throws cut Southold’s lead to 36-32 with 2:16 remaining in the game.

The First Settlers sank 7 of 8 free throws in the final 55.6 seconds to secure the win before a loud home crowd.

The fund-raising event, which Reed said was a success, was organized by one of his assistant coaches, Skip Gehring, and his wife, Brenda Gehring.

bliepa@timesreview.com

Photo caption: Pat McFarland goes up for a layup and 2 of his 19 points for Southold as Port Jefferson’s Kris Cheslock watches. (Credit: Garret Meade)

In an effort to reduce power outages in Southold Town, PSEG Long Island crews will be in the area over the next few months to upgrade its equipment.

The project includes: replacing wires, installing new and more durable poles, and replacing switching equipments in order to improve the electric grid’s reliability, according to a press release.

The work is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program.

There are also several PSEG projects going on across Southold Town, including the following:

Started in October and expected to be completed later this month:

• Sage Boulevard between State Route 25 (Main Rd) and dead end
• State Route 25 / Main Rd between A Road and Bay Home Road
• State Route 25 / Main Rd between Manor Hill Lane and Alvahs Lane
• State Route 25 / Main Rd between Cardinal Drive and Moores Lane
• Marratooka Lane between State Route 25 / Main Rd and New Suffolk Avenue
• New Suffolk Avenue between Marratooka Lane and Ole Jule Lane

Started this month and expected to be completed in a couple of months:

• Factory Avenue between Main Road / Route 25 and Sound Avenue
• Sound Avenue between Factory Avenue & Route 48
• Wickham Ave between Route 48 and Main Road / Route 25
• Main Road /Route 25 between Marratooka Lane and Sound Avenue
• Sound Ave between Main Road /Route 25 and Pacific Street
• Herricks Lane near Stroll Drive
• Peconic Bay Boulevard between Washington Avenue and South Jamesport Avenue
• South Jamesport Avenue between Peconic Bay Boulevard and Route 25 / Main Road
• Franklinville Road between Route 25 / Main Road and Route 25 / Main Road by-pass
• Route 25 / Main Road between Laurel Lake Road and Old Main Road
• Old Main Road between Route 25 / Main Road and Route 25 / Main Road by-pass
• Route 25 / Main Road between Old Main Road and Sigsbee Road

There are also several PSEG projects going on across Riverhead Town, including the following projects that started in November and scheduled to be completed in April:

• Sound Avenue east of Edwards Avenue and west of Cross River Drive
• Edwards Avenue south of Route 25
• Riley Avenue between Edwards Avenue and Twomey Avenue
• Twomey Avenue south of Sound Avenue and North of Route 25
• Osborn Avenue south of Sound Avenue
• Mill Road north of Middle Road
• Roanoke Avenue south of Sound Avenue and North of Middle Road
• Route 25 (Main Road) between Howell Avenue and Washington Avenue
• Tuthills Lane between Route 25 and south of South Apollo Drive

For a list of specific project plans, visit the PSEG Long Island’s website under its FEMA Projects section.

nsmith@timesreview.com

Photo: PSEG employees working on East Main Street in Riverhead Friday morning. (Credit: Nicole Smith)

An exhibition featuring whaling artifacts associated with an iconic Greenport mansion will go on display starting today, Saturday, Jan. 9, at Southold Historical Society.

“Brecknock Hall and Whaling” will be on view Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m. through Feb. 6 in the society’s Reichert Family Center’s Cosden Price Gallery on Main Road in Southold.

According to the historical society, David Gelston Floyd — who built Brecknock Hall on Route 48 and lived from 1802 to 1893 — was a businessman invested in commercial whaling. His three ships sailed out of Greenport harbor during the so-called Golden Age of Whaling, from 1845 to 1861.

Beginning with the Manhasset Native Americans in the 1700s, Greenport has established a reputation as a whaling port. The practice was banned in the United States in 1986. In October, Peconic Landing in Greenport hosted a lecture about the village’s maritime history.

For additional hours and more information, call the Southold Historical Society at 631-765-5000.

ryoung@timesreview.com

Photo Caption: A scrimshaw — whalebone, ivory, shell or other material with adorned carvings — from the 1800s (Credit: Courtesy).

Paige Romanowski, owner of BodyRite Training, opened her new brick-and-mortar location in Jamesport Tuesday. (Credit: Chris Lisinski)

For Mattituck’s Paige Romanowski, there’s a special sort of satisfaction in her work as a personal trainer.

“The beauty of it all is seeing somebody achieve things they didn’t think they could,” she said. “Those types of achievements make all of this worth it.”

Five years ago Ms. Romanowski started BodyRite Training, her own fitness program. But now, after working out of various gyms on the North Fork or hosting BodyRite clients in her basement, Ms. Romanowski has her own brick-and-mortar location in Jamesport, complete with a pink accent wall asking “Are you BodyRite?” in large letters.

At 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 5, BodyRite formally opened its doors on Route 25 when Ms. Romanowski hosted her first group class.

Read more at northforker.com

As a senior on the 2011 Mattituck High School basketball team, Jovan Booker was a part of history when the Tuckers won the Class B Long Island Championship.

It was a storybook season, one the players will never forget.

Basketball remains a big part of Booker’s life and his inspiring story can be viewed in a recently released 13-minute video on YouTube. When Booker was three months old, it was discovered that he had a birth defect: He was missing a tibia in his right leg. Seven months later, the leg was amputated, and Booker has had a prosthesis ever since.

Learn more about Jovan or Amp1 Basketball in the video below:

A Cutchogue woman has been charged with felony criminal mischief after she allegedly smashed a plate glass window and a flat-screen TV and damaged other items in her ex-boyfriend’s house while he was incarcerated, according to Southold Town police.

Police said they had been investigating the damage at a property on Route 48 in Southold for a month before 37-year-old Heather Moisa turned herself in.

Ms. Moisa admitted to causing the damage, according to a press release. While searching Ms. Moisa’s belongings, police found she had Klonopin without a prescription.

She was arrested and charged with felony criminal mischief and criminal possession of a controlled substance, according to the press release. She was released on bail with a future court date, police said.

• A Brooklyn woman who owns property in Southold reported Friday that someone broke into her Southold home’s garage and changed its locks, police said.

Around 5:30 p.m. Friday, the woman called police to report that her garage was recently broken into and that the locks were different. It was unclear when the incident occurred.

• Two men, at least one of whom was drunk, were involved in a fight early Sunday morning in Southold, according to a police report.

Police responded to a report of a fight at a convenience store on Route 25 in Southold around 3:40 a.m., the report stated. They found one man on the ground “highly intoxicated and uncooperative.”

A homeless man who witnessed the incident told police the man and another individual were arguing and then agreed to move to the side of the parking lot to fight since there were no cameras over there, police said. The homeless man said the two fought and the drunk man was knocked to the ground.

After that, the other man “left the area with two unknown females in a black taxicab,” according to the report. Police checked the area for the cab but could not find it.

• Someone broke into a Greenport apartment and stole about $1,200 cash last week, according to a police report.

A Sterling Place resident called police around 1:50 a.m. Friday to report that an unknown person entered his apartment, which was located above a barn on the rear of his property, the report stated.

The resident told police the door was unlocked and that the person removed about $1,200 from the top of a cabinet near the bed, according to the report. He also stated the nightstand had been rifled through but that nothing was taken from there.

A detective has been notified.

• Someone called police last week to report a suspicious man walking around a Cutchogue neighborhood at night looking into windows, but when police arrived, the man told police he was simply looking for a lost cat, according to a police report.

Around 9:45 p.m., an anonymous caller told police a white male with a blond ponytail was walking around Fleetwood Road peering into windows, police said. An officer located the man, who said he was looking for a lost cat. He described the cat, Norma, as black with a small white marking.

• A New Suffolk man punched another New Suffolk man in an argument, knocking out one of the victim’s teeth — but the puncher then agreed to pay the victim’s dental bill, police said.

Around 2 a.m. last Thursday, the two got into an argument on Route 25 in Peconic, according to a police report. One man punched the other, and as a result, one of the victim’s front teeth was knocked out, the report stated.

The man who threw the punch agreed to pay the dental bill, and the victim declined to press charges at the time.

• Someone illegally dumped six bags of garbage on a dead end in Greenport last Tuesday, according to a police report.

While on patrol around 2:30 p.m., an officer noticed six large yellow bags filled with garbage at the end of Webb Street, which is a village code violation, the report stated. However, he was unable to determine to whom the bags belong.

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.

A tradition dating back almost three decades continued this year as The Suffolk Times announced its annual People of the Year awards to honor those who have made a difference in our community.

Here is a complete list of the winners for 2015: 

People of the Year: Kait’s Angels

Public Servant of the Year: Jack Martilotta

Educator of the Year: John Roslak

Businesspeople of the Year: Wendy Zuhoski

Community Leader of the Year: Don Fisher

Sportspeople of the Year: The Mattituck High School boys baseball team

northforker Person of the Year: Gerry Hayden

A Sayville man was arrested Saturday evening following a crash on Route 48 in Peconic that injured four, Southold Town police said in a press release. 

Richard Gordon, 68, was involved in a motor vehicle crash at the intersection of Route 48 and Peconic Lane at about 5 p.m., police said. He was arrested after it was determined he had been driving drunk.

Mr. Gordon was transported by a Southold Fire Department ambulance to Eastern Long Island Hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and released into police custody.

Three others involved in the crash were transported to ELIH by both the Southold and Cutchogue fire departments for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

No other details about the crash were immediately available.

Rosa D. DePaulis of Southold died at her home Jan. 9. She was 90.

She was born Nov. 5, 1925, in Termoli, Italy to Antonio and Assunta Colonna and was educated as a teacher there. She also attended Villanova University in Pennsylvania where she continued her studies.

After living in Italy for many years, she moved to Pennsburg, Pa. and then to Port Jefferson. She has lived in Southold for the past 13 years.

Predeceased by her husband Bruno G. DePaulis Nov. 23, 2003, she is survived by her son Paolo A. DePaulis and his wife, Debra, of Southold and four grandchildren: Zachary, Jacob, Kayley and Timothy, all of Southold.

Rosa was a prayerful women who enjoyed praying the rosary. She also enjoyed knitting, cooking and baking.

The family will receive friends Tuesday, Jan. 12, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. Religious services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, at First Presbyterian Church in Southold. The Rev. Dr. Peter J. Kelley will officiate. Interment will follow at St. Patrick R.C. Church Cemetery in Southold.

Memorial to Make-A-Wish or Give Kids the World would be appreciated.

This is a paid notice.

To the editor:

I would like to extend a sincere thank-you to the Greenport first responders who took time away from their homes and families to rush to my house on Christmas morning. My mother, who lives with advanced COPD, suffered a humidity-related breathing emergency early in the day on Christmas.

When she lost consciousness, we called 911 and were amazed at how quickly the team of police, EMTs and members of our fire department arrived. Within minutes, my mom was in the hands of trained professionals who helped her to begin breathing normally again and transported her to the ER. I am so grateful for the professionalism, skill and compassion shown by all the first responders who helped us.

I would also like to acknowledge the nurses, doctor and health aid at Eastern Long Island Hospital who helped to make sure my mom and I were back home safely in time for Christmas dinner. Our family is truly grateful to the men and women who serve our community with such dedication.

Mary Roberts, Greenport

When I set out from Greenport last month for the National Immigrant Integration Conference in Brooklyn, I didn’t know what to expect.

It was a gathering of more than 1,000 immigration advocates, and I thought they might be pretty depressed. After all, President Obama’s plan to extend temporary relief from deportation for many unauthorized immigrants had been held up — perhaps beyond his tenure — in the courts. Perhaps the attendees would be angry at the demagoguery of Donald Trump and, to a lesser extent, other Republican presidential candidates, playing upon public fears of immigrants, refugees and Muslims. Would the three days I had committed to this meeting be one big downer?

I needn’t have worried. What emerged in plenary sessions and smaller workshops was a fighting spirit and an abiding optimism about where the immigrant flood of the past 20 years will take the country in the next decade — even in the new year.

The Democratic candidates for president set the tone. The three frontrunners all spoke — Clinton and O’Malley in person, Sanders by video. They lauded the accomplishments of new arrivals over the centuries and invoked the hoary reminder that “we are all immigrants.” But they went further. They noted that most scholars now agree that immigration in the 21st century carries more economic benefits than burdens and that crime is lower among immigrants than among the native-born.

New York’s political leaders sounded similar notes, rejecting exclusionary rhetoric and embracing a very different future. “We take people from every different place and welcome them,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer, promising to prioritize comprehensive immigration reform in the next Congress. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced increased legal support for immigrants threatened with deportation or victimized by wage theft.

It was flattering to the advocates that so many political stars showed up to support their cause; Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave the most passionate speech of all. But celebrity appearances were just garnish on the main dish of the conference. Building on the theme of “New American Dreams,” panel presentations focused on such topics as new opportunities for learning English, employer involvement in workforce training, the promotion of entrepreneurship and preparation for naturalization. Welcoming America, an organization closely allied with the White House Task Force on New Americans, cited cities and counties across the country (63 at last count) that have committed themselves to immigrant-friendly plans and policies. An interplanetary visitor observing local efforts to bring immigrants into the American mainstream would be surprised to hear that an intense national conversation was taking place about their right to be in the country at all.

The conference spurred me to think about what North Fork residents (and Long Islanders in general) could do in light of the policy vacuum in Washington. Here are a couple of issues to address to ease the integration of “new Americans” in 2016.

New York is not one of the 10 states (plus the District of Columbia) that permit undocumented immigrants to obtain the special driver’s licenses permitted under the federal Real ID Act. But it should be. They drive anyway. Like everyone else in areas where daily commuting is the norm, they need to drive to work and to shop. Licensing drivers who can prove their identity and their local residence would ensure that their skills are adequate and that they are insured. It would protect all of us.

In recent years many cities and counties have issued municipal IDs. Anyone can apply for them (over 670,000 people in New York City) but they are particularly useful for people who otherwise cannot present official identification — homeless people, non-drivers and undocumented immigrants. A Suffolk County municipal ID would enable immigrants to more easily get the library cards and bank accounts that give evidence of a stable life in their new country.

A little local activism supporting these common-sense measures could reward both immigrants and their Long Island neighbors.

Diana Gordon is professor emerita of political science and criminal justice at the City University of New York. She is the author of several books, including “Village of Immigrants: Latinos in an Emerging America,” which focuses on Greenport’s growing Hispanic population. She lives in Greenport.

Top photo: Hispanic worshippers prepare to run from Greenport to Riverhead in 2013 to deliver a holy flame honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe, a popular religious symbol. (Credit: Paul Squire, file)

A Cutchogue man has been charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated after he was caught driving drunk while speeding in Riverhead Friday, according to state police.

State troopers said 28-year-old Fredy Javier-Gregorio was pulled over on Route 25 in Riverhead for speeding. Mr. Javier-Gregorio failed a field sobriety test and was found to be intoxicated, according to a state trooper press release.

He was arrested and ultimately released from custody with traffic tickets and a future date in Riverhead Town court, police said.

The Southold Town Planning Board will hold a public hearing this afternoon to discuss an application for a 124-apartment proposal by developers at The Heritage at Cutchogue.

The public hearing on the proposal — which calls for a community center, outdoor swimming pool and tennis court at a nearly 46-acre wooded lot on Schoolhouse Road off Main Road in Cutchogue — is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.

An necessary environmental study of the impacts of the proposal by the developers was initially rejected in September since the study didn’t factor in soil contamination or traffic concerns. But the study was deemed complete in December, meaning the Heritage at Cutchogue application can move forward.

At its earlier work session meeting, The Planning Board is also expected to discuss the Sports East Fitness Club proposal, a planned private sports complex that would be built off Main Road in Mattituck.

Congressman Lee Zeldin announced that he’s working on making changes to the way people pay back their student loan debt after graduation to curb a growing student loan crisis facing the nation.

Called the Earnings Contingent Education Loans (ExCEL) Act of 2015, the legislation would allow graduates to pay back their student loans at a rate determined by their annual income. And while income-based payment plans are already in effect, the way in which the loans are administered should help reduce the number of defaults, the congressman said.

The way it works is that people pay an income-based amount each month, which is withheld from their paychecks — that’s in contrast to the current system, which pays former students, who then pay back the government.

Should their annual income increase, the amount they owe would increase accordingly, Mr. Zeldin (R-Shirley) said. Additionally, should someone encounter financial struggles, their payments would decrease and interest would be suspended, he said. This differs from the current student loan payment set up, which Mr. Zeldin said is a more rigid payment plan.

“[Under] the current law, whether you are unemployed looking for a job or out making $300,000, [the government] treats everyone the same,” he continued.

“It’s a simpler approach — it eliminates a lot of confusing paperwork,” said a spokesperson for the congressman, Jennifer DiSiena. “And it’s a more individualized approach.”

With this plan, the amount of time it takes to fully repay loans could be different for everyone. For example, “for some people, it might require 17 years to pay off your student loans. For others they might be able to pay it off in 7 years,” said Mr. Zeldin.

“To advance in life, one of the best paths to do so is with higher education,” Mr. Zeldin said at Monday’s press conference at the Long Island University Riverhead campus. “However, the skyrocketing costs of higher education force many Americans to borrow exorbitant sums of money to accomplish this goal. A student debt crisis in our country has now emerged.”

According to the Department of Education, nearly 12 percent of borrowers have defaulted on loan repayments from 2013 to 2015. Additionally, the U.S. government is faced with almost $800 billion in outstanding student loans. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the government is expected to lose nearly $20 billion over the next 10 years.

“The taxpayers —the rest of us — are on the hook for all of that money,” Mr. Zeldin said.

Mr. Zeldin said that graduates only have to file their debt once on their initial tax paperwork through their employer. After that, changes to their loan payments will be made accordingly.

While he said this legislation would benefit students trying to pay back loans, it will benefit the American government and the taxpayer “by dramatically reducing the default rates.”

The legislation is currently at the House Education and Workforce Committee, and Mr. Zeldin is educating colleagues and looking for more cosponsors.

“This is an important issue,” said County Legislator Al Krupski at Monday’s press conference. “I know people have said it, but the youth are our future and if we don’t pay attention to what they’re doing, it’s going to hurt us in the long run.”

nsmith@timesreview.com

Photo Caption: Congressman Lee Zeldin — joined byGreg Blower from Senator Kenneth LaValle’s office, County Legislator Al Krupski and  SUNY Plattsburgh student Adam Siccardi — speaks at Long Island University’s Riverhead campus on Monday. (Credit: Nicole Smith)