When Long Island school officials learned they would not have to make up for missing class last Monday — after a historic blizzard dropped about 2 feet of snow on the region — some breathed a sigh of relief. Lorena Mongelli reports in NEWSDAY that it meant meticulously planned school calendars could remain intact. Even districts that had depleted their limited snow days would not need to scramble to meet the state's required 180 days of instruction — which could result in a loss of state aid if they fell short. It was "a welcomed decision because safety of our students and staff is paramount first, and no district wants to be in a position of making a decision about instructional days and the potential of losing state aid,” said Bob Vecchio, executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association. This winter's severe weather — which has included two major snowstorms in as many months — highlights the challenges educators face as they develop their school calendars for the year. School administrators must balance contractual obligations, an increasing number of religious and cultural holidays and constraints imposed by the state. Some districts have responded by limiting the number of snow days built into their calendars. With recent winters being on the milder side, this has not been an issue. But this year's snowstorms have forced some school officials on Long Island to choose between canceling classes now and taking back vacation days later in the year, or offering virtual learning, which has had mixed reactions from parents.

School districts in New York State must have 180 instructional days in their calendar every year. Educators said the year cannot extend past the last Regents exam at the end of June and often does not begin prior to Sept. 1, because state aid does not kick in until then.

Some districts have added new holidays to their calendars in recent years, including Diwali, Eid al-Adha and Lunar New Year, which was designated an official public school holiday in 2023.

“Some people think a school calendar is an easy thing to navigate but between mandated holidays, traditional breaks, it gets very difficult,” Vecchio said.

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A State Supreme Court justice has dismissed all but one of Calverton Aviation & Technology’s claims in its lawsuit against the Town of Riverhead, the Riverhead Community Development Agency and the Riverhead Industrial Development Agency over the planned sale of 1,643 acres at the Calverton Enterprise Park.

Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that in a 19-page decision and order filed late Friday afternoon, Justice David Reilly granted the town’s motion to dismiss 16 of the 17 causes of action in CAT’s complaint.

But the judge let one claim proceed: CAT’s claim against the town for tortious interference with contractual relations.

On Saturday, Supervisor Jerry Halpin said, “This is a WIN for the Riverhead taxpayers. The 1,643-acre EPCAL property belongs to the taxpayers and is literally our most valuable real estate asset. I look forward to exploring all ideas — big and small — and hearing from taxpayers about what they think would be the best fit for the future of EPCAL. I also want to thank our Town Attorney’s office, who under the leadership of Erik Howard, successfully navigated the Town through this case,” he said.

Friday’s decision came 15 months after attorneys for both the town and CAT argued the town’s motion to dismiss before Justice Reilly on Nov. 21, 2024 and more than two years after CAT first filed its complaint.

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The 2026 “I BIRD NY” challenge began yesterday. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s annual “I BIRD NY Challenge” asks birders of all ages and experience levels to identify 10 wild bird species anywhere in New York State.

As posted on Riverheadlocal.com, the 2026 challenge runs from March 1 through Nov. 1, with entries due to DEC by Nov. 18. Participants who complete the challenge receive a commemorative patch and a completion certificate and are entered into a prize drawing, DEC said. Two youth and two adult winners will be selected, with an extra prize entry available for those who submit a photo documenting their challenge experience.

To complete the challenge, participants identify any 10 wild bird species and submit a challenge sheet to DEC. The agency said more than 1,600 birders completed the challenge in 2025.

Challenge sheets can be submitted online via SurveyMonkey or sent by email or mail, according to DEC. Entry forms are available in several languages un addition to English, including Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French and Urdu.

The program as a low-cost or no-cost way to get outside and connect with nature, the DEC said. Many birds can be identified without specialized gear, though binoculars can help, the agency said. New York’s range of habitats supports more than 450 bird species throughout the year.

For people looking for places to go, DEC points birders to the New York State Birding Trail, a statewide network of birding locations across multiple regions.

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Long Island and other key New York congressional representatives Saturday were divided along party lines over the U.S.-Israel attack on Iran and President Donald Trump’s call for the Iranian public to seize control over their Islamic leadership.

Billy House reports in NEWSDAY that Republicans rallied behind Trump and his “Operation Epic Fury,” while Democrats were largely critical of his unilateral action without first making a case to the American people or obtaining approval from Congress, a route some branded as unconstitutional.

Here in Suffolk County, Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) said he supported the action as “a necessary step to defend American lives and interests and to confront a regime that has long funded the killing of Americans from Beirut in 1983 to more recently in Iraq and Afghanistan.” Congressman LaLota...who represents the east end... said the operations are geared to holding Tehran accountable “for its decades of destabilizing conduct and attacks on U.S. forces,” to make clear that America will not tolerate a nuclear-armed theocracy and to empower the Iranian people “by creating conditions for them to reclaim their destiny and build a future rooted in liberty and engagement with the world.”

Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport), chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said, “America stands with our military. America stands with Israel.” He added: “The Iranian regime is the world’s top state sponsor of terrorism and has been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans.”

Garbarino noted the congressional standoff over a Department of Homeland Security funding bill that has frozen some of that agency’s operations in a fight over immigration enforcement tactics. “As we face a heightened threat landscape” amid hostilities with Iran, Garbarino said “it is more important now than ever” the department gets its funding and operates at “maximum readiness.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the Senate — which was away from Washington during the weekend — should quickly return to session “and reassert its constitutional duty by passing our resolution to enforce the War Powers Act.” He is referring to a separate bipartisan resolution to block Trump from the use of U.S. military forces against Iran without congressional authorization.

“Iran must never be allowed to attain a nuclear weapon, but the American people do not want another endless and costly war in the Middle East when there are so many problems at home,” Schumer said.

New York’s junior senator, Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand, said no one disputes that the Iranian regime is a “brutal dictatorship” or that it is a destabilizing threat to the United States and its allies. But she said “no one should be comfortable with Congress giving President Donald Trump a blank check for war at taxpayers’ expense.”

“Congress should return to session immediately to vote on a war powers resolution,” Gillibrand added. “The president lacks the constitutional authority — and in my opinion, the temperament and judgment — to act in such a reckless fashion."

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This winter's severe weather left many schools without traditional snow days, forcing them to go to virtual instruction or risk falling short of the state's instructional minimum mandate. Failing to meet the state's 180-day instructional requirement could mean losing a portion of state aid that school districts said is vital. School officials said developing academic calendars, including incorporating snow days plus meeting other obligations, is challenging.

Lorena Mongelli reports in NEWSDAY that Hampton Bays schools Superintendent Lars Clemensen…who recently served as President of the New York State Council of School Superintendents…said administrators need to respect the religious and cultural customs of students and their families.

“While we're looking for regional consistency...we also acknowledge holidays and recognize them, particularly when there's significant areas in the community who are represented by that cultural religion," he said.

Clemensen said his district built in two snow days this school year. Officials there are saving one, in case unforeseen circumstances arise.

"Emergency days are not just for snow. If a pipe burst or something else unexpected happened and we had to close school, that's what those days are for," he said.

Schools are also bound by employee contracts, which can include how many days staffers must work.

Failing to meet the 180-day instructional requirement can have serious consequences for a district. For every day lost, districts risk losing a ...

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