
Sandra Peddie
Investigative Reportersandra.peddie@newsday.comWhen I first moved to Long Island from Minnesota years ago to take a job at Newsday, I truly thought I had landed on another planet! I couldn’t understand the accents, the clothes or the attitude. But before long, I fell madly in love with everything Long Island.
That’s why I am so angered by corruption. Whether it’s a government official taking a bribe or a cover-up of misconduct, it hurts all of us. The costs of it are passed on to us in the form of higher taxes and diminished government services. Worst of all, it engenders a deep mistrust of officials and institutions we should be able to count on.
The opportunity to do these stories is literally what gets me up in the morning.
I take it all very personally.
Fortunately for me, a lot of Long Islanders feel the same way. They’ll pass on tips and even better, records to help me do my job. I know it’s wonky to get excited about records! But I do because they help expose what’s really going on beneath the surface, and there’s a lot going on beneath the surface here.
Still, the best stories are the ones told by people. Unfortunately, there usually are victims in investigative stories. It’s difficult to interview them, but I am always heartened by their bravery and willingness to talk. They somehow know that their real-life stories will make a difference to others. In their own way, they keep me going.
I strive to ensure that my reporting is fair, accurate and thorough. The opportunity to do these stories is literally what gets me up in the morning.
The work isn’t easy. I’ve had many sleepless nights worrying about getting everything right. There are days when I wonder why I’m subjecting myself to the abuse that sometimes goes along with this kind of work.
I keep coming back to the same answer: A deep and abiding love for Long Island and a belief that we can – and will – do better.
Sandra Peddie's Work
- Developer of Kings Park luxury condo complex revises proposalJean-Paul SalamancaMarch 16, 2025 5:00 am
- Smithtown launches task force for opioid crisisJean-Paul SalamancaMarch 3, 2025 5:00 am
- Covering Long Island like no one else canJanuary 3, 2023 8:39 am
- Florida company picked to run $92M Kings Park sports complexJean-Paul SalamancaFebruary 25, 2025 5:00 am
- Boston University team to study whether oysters can remove nitrogen from Stony Brook HarborJean-Paul SalamancaFebruary 23, 2025 5:00 am
- In Commack, a park will honor, remember breast cancer survivorsJean-Paul SalamancaFebruary 9, 2025 12:31 pm
- Smithtown lengthens pause on battery storage systemsJean-Paul SalamancaFebruary 5, 2025 5:00 am
- Deadline is Monday for written public input on Kings Park downtown planJean-Paul SalamancaFebruary 2, 2025 5:00 am
- New budget for Head of the Harbor includes 9.16% tax hikeJean-Paul SalamancaJanuary 23, 2025 6:19 pm
- Smithtown awarded $1.5M for Given Park upgrades, new welcome centerJean-Paul SalamancaJanuary 20, 2025 3:55 pm
- More than 200 attend public hearing on planned Smithtown code changesJean-Paul SalamancaJanuary 10, 2025 5:00 am
- Smithtown public hearing Tuesday on rail-focused changes to town codeJean-Paul SalamancaJanuary 6, 2025 5:00 am
- Smithtown wins $200G to bolster emergency command centerJean-Paul SalamancaDecember 30, 2024 5:00 am
- Smithtown exhibit honors grit of early San Remo residentJean-Paul SalamancaDecember 26, 2024 5:00 am
- Civic group appeals Flowerfield lawsuit dismissalJean-Paul SalamancaDecember 11, 2024 5:00 am
- Smithtown to buy iconic St. James Calderone TheaterJean-Paul SalamancaDecember 9, 2024 2:14 pm
- Federal judge tosses Bull Run Farm lawsuitJean-Paul SalamancaDecember 2, 2024 5:00 am
- 'Great love on the corner': Future of historically Black church property uncertainJean-Paul SalamancaNovember 22, 2024 5:00 am
- Smithtown approves $134M budget for 2025Jean-Paul SalamancaNovember 18, 2024 5:00 am
- Smithtown gets $21.3 million for downtown sewer projectJean-Paul SalamancaNovember 14, 2024 5:00 am
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