STORM WATCH

Tracking possible plowable snow Sunday on Long Island

Bellone seeking donations of 7,000 American flags to be placed Memorial Day weekend

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone gave his Tuesday COVID-19 update, where he focused on his efforts to continue Memorial Day flag placement at Calverton National Cemetery.

News 12 Staff

May 19, 2020, 6:13 PM

Updated 1,704 days ago

Share:

Bellone seeking donations of 7,000 American flags to be placed Memorial Day weekend
undefined
 
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone gave his Tuesday COVID-19 update, where he focused on his efforts to continue Memorial Day flag placement at Calverton National Cemetery.
Briefing Notes:
- Bellone thanks Gov. Cuomo for laying out plans to allow some Memorial Day events to go forward.
- Flags will be placed at non-VA cemeteries across Long Island - 1,000 flags currently, but they're looking for up to 7,000 more.
- Bellone asking residents to donate flags that are in good condition - the smaller size flags. Anyone who wants to donate should bring them to HLee Dennison Building in Hauppauge. 
- Bellone: 'If we can have beaches open ... we can create a plan to place flags safely to honor American heroes' at Calverton. Sending letter to VA with a 'safe' plan to make it happen.
- Bellone says health commissioner has certified his plan.
- If event doesn't go on, this would be first time in 25 years that every vet at Calverton didn't have a flag placed at their grave.
- Volunteers eagerly awaiting the decision to be overturned, thought original decision to cancel events at Calverton was a 'disgrace.'
- County beaches: Closure to nonresidents will be evaluated on ongoing basis.

NUMBERS:
- 103 new COVID-19 cases in past 24 hours, 38,297 total.
- 10,345 people have tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies without previously being tested.
- Below 500 hospitalizations - decrease by 8 to 497.
- Additional 18 deaths, jumps up from numbers reported Monday. 1,772 total death toll.
- 164 on ICU beds, decrease of 5.
- 30 COVID-19 hospital discharges.

MORE: LIVE BLOG - Coronavirus updates from the tri-state area and beyond 
PHOTOS: Coronavirus heroes on the front lines
undefined