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The Long Island Daily
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The Long Island Daily, formerly Long Island Morning Edition, with host Michael Mackey provides regional news stories and special features that speak to the body politic, the pulse of our planet, and the marketplace of life.
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Rex A. Heuermann confesses to being Gilgo Beach serial killer
Apr 900:10:08Tap to summarizeRex A. Heuermann confessed to killing eight women yesterday, strangling and dumping their mutilated bodies as the elusive Gilgo Beach serial killer, bringing resolution to a case that has generated worldwide attention since the first victim's remains were found off the Ocean Parkway in 2010.As reported in NEWSDAY, Heuermann, who had lived a normal-appearing life as an architect and married father in Massapequa Park while clandestinely killing women in his basement when his family was on vacation, pleaded guilty to the murders of seven women and admitted killing an eighth woman — a vicious crime spree that began in 1993 and confounded Long Island for years.Standing in a suit and navy tie, Heuermann detailed his crimes one-by-one in response to a series of questions from Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney during a riveting and rapidly paced court hearing in Riverhead that lasted 27 minutes."Strangulation," he repeated in a matter-of-fact tone, eight times, when asked how he ended the lives of his victims in a courtroom packed with the tearful families of the victims, the authorities that had finally nabbed him after years of hunting, the journalists that had long chronicled the case, as well as a host of curious onlookers.NYS Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei sentences Heuermann on June 17. The 62 year old Heuermann, born and raised in Nassau County, Long Island, is expected to receive three consecutive sentences of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the killings of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Lynn Costello Heuermann is also expected to be sentenced to a consecutive sentence of 100 years to life imprisonment in the killings of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla and Valerie Mack.Heuermann was arrested on July 13, 2023, as he walked away from his Manhattan office. As Heuermann remained in custody at the Suffolk County jail in Riverhead, the case against him continued to expand. On Wednesday, Tierney vowed his office would continue to find answers to unsolved homicides. "There are still bodies on that beach," D.A.Tierney said. "There are still bodies in Suffolk County. There's no rest for the weary. We are going to continue to work with our partners and try to obtain hope for as many families as we can."*** In a last-minute bid to stop the Riverhead Town Board from authorizing the acquisition of its East Main Street building, the Long Island Science Center submitted a 92-page packet of engineering reports, correspondence and project records to the board this past Tuesday.Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that with Supervisor Jerry Halpin and Council Member Bob Kern dissenting, a divided board voted to authorize the town to pursue acquisition of the property through eminent domain, the legal process governments can use to acquire private property without a willing seller.The resolution adopted Tuesday authorizes the Town of Riverhead to pursue acquisition of 111 E. Main St. “for general municipal purposes.”The vote followed an extended public discussion in which science center supporters argued the nonprofit’s long-delayed redevelopment project remains viable and should be allowed to proceed, while a majority of board members said the building has remained vacant too long and now stands in the way of the larger town square project.Tuesday’s vote did not itself start an eminent domain proceeding. Rather, the resolution reaffirmed the board’s 2024 authorization for the town to pursue acquisition of 111 E. Main St. in Riverhead for “general municipal purposes,” allowing officials to continue taking preliminary steps toward a possible acquisition.Riverhead Town Attorney Erik Howard said after the vote that the town would still have to hold a public hearing before proceeding further.The Place for Learning, the nonprofit operating as the Long Island Science Center, bought 111 E. Main St. in 2020 for $1.45 million after selling its former West Main Street location in 2016. At the time, the move was celebrated by town, county and state officials as a major step in downtown revitalization, with then-Supervisor Yvette Aguiar calling the project a “heart transplant for Riverhead.”***The Submarine Veterans of Long Island will lead its annual Tolling of the Boats Ceremony at the New Suffolk Beach Submarine Memorial this coming Sunday at 11 a.m. It’s a solemn remembrance of U.S. Navy submarines and their lost crews at sea, in which the names of lost submarines and their crew members are read and a bell is rung to honor their service and sacrifice.The United States Submarine Veterans, Inc., also known as USSVI, proudly represents Long Island Subvets and all submarine veterans who have served in the U.S. Navy…honoring the commitment and sacrifices of every Subvet, ensuring that the legacy of our U.S. submarine fleet lives on.The annual Tolling of the Boats Ceremony is this Sunday at 11 a.m. at New Suffolk Beach, 2650 Jackson Street, New Suffolk, NY 11956***A looming Long Island Rail Road union strike would be "disastrous" for Long Island, despite MTA officials’ attempts to downplay the impact of the railroad’s first work stoppage in more than three decades, labor leaders said yesterday. Alfonso A. Castillo reports in NEWSDAY that representatives of the five unions involved in the three-year contract battle with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority suggested during a Manhattan press conference that a potential strike, which could commence at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, could result in commuter chaos, especially given what they say is an inadequate MTA contingency plan to move stranded commuters."I think it’s going to be a disaster for Long Island," said Kevin Sexton, national vice president for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and spokesman for the coalition of five LIRR unions."I’m sure we’ve all been on the expressway or the parkway during the rush hour," added Nicholas Peluso, national vice president of the Transportation Communications Union. "Can you imagine adding 350,000 commuters to that?"The coalition represents about half the LIRR’s 7,000 union workers, including train operators, ticket agents, electricians, signal workers, and machinists. They’ve rejected a three-year contract — already accepted by most other MTA unions — with 9.5% in raises that they say doesn’t keep up with the cost of living. The unions are seeking a four-year deal with 14.5% in raises. The MTA has said any raises beyond what they’ve offered would have to come with significant concessions, such as eliminating some work rules that provide extra pay.A Newsday analysis showed that workers represented by the five unions made, on average, $122,443 in total earnings in 2024, the most recent year for which MTA payroll data was available.In a statement, the MTA's chief of policy and external relations, John McCarthy, said both sides are in agreement regarding the terms of the first three years of a potential contract."The dispute pertains only to one future year, and there's no good reason why it can't be resolved at the bargaining table," McCarthy said. "Nobody wins in a strike — not the unions, not the LIRR, and not the Long Islanders who depend on our great service."The last Long Island Rail Road strike was a two day stoppage that began on June 17, 1994.***Southampton Fire Department will open its doors to the public on Sunday, April 19 as part of the statewide RecruitNY Weekend initiative, offering residents an opportunity to learn about volunteering in the fire service.The open house…a week from this Sunday…is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the department’s headquarters at 470 Hampton Road in Southampton. The event is part of a broader effort involving hundreds of volunteer fire departments across New York state aimed at raising awareness about the need for new members.Volunteer fire departments statewide have faced declining membership alongside increasing call volumes, creating an urgent need to recruit additional volunteers to maintain emergency response capabilities. The Southampton Fire Department is among those seeking to strengthen its ranks to continue providing essential services to the community.At the April 19 event, visitors will be invited to tour the station and firefighting apparatus, try on gear, observe demonstrations and speak directly with current volunteers about the responsibilities and rewards of service. Firefighters will also be available to answer questions and provide information about how to join.“We welcome the community to join us during RecruitNY Weekend,” said Polis Walker. “This is an excellent opportunity for people to meet their local volunteer firefighters and learn more about the fire service.”The initiative is organized by the Firefighters Association of the State of New York, which supports more than 1,700 volunteer departments across the state. Established in 2011, RecruitNY aims to help departments connect with their communities and recruit the members needed to sustain operations.For more information, visit southamptonfd.org or call the non-emergency phone number at 631-283-0853***ReWild Long Island will launch the fourth summer of its South Fork internship program in 2026, offering high school students hands-on experience in sustainability, food security and environmental stewardship.The Summer Program to Fight Hunger and Climate Change is open to rising freshmen through seniors and provides modest stipends along with environmental education focused on Long Island’s unique ecology. Students who complete 60 hours of supervised volun...
Transcribe →East Hampton Town officials to move forward on new law drafted by OLA of Eastern Long Island
Apr 800:10:14Tap to summarizeImmigration arrests on Long Island reached a historic high at the start of the year and continued steadily into last month, new data shows, offering the first comprehensive local look at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s crackdown.Anastasia Valeeva and Josefa Velásquez report in NEWSDAY that the 352 ICE arrests in January marked a peak in the monthly numbers covering October and early March. Newsday analyzed the statistics after the nonprofit Deportation Data Project released them last week. They confirm what immigration advocates called a "significant acceleration" in enforcement that also saw a record number of people challenging their detentions.In February of this year immigration arrests dipped nationwide as well as on Long Island that month to 223, data shows.But in the first 10 days of March, 118 people were arrested here, the data shows, potentially putting arrests on track to meet the January high, when there was an average of 11 people per day.Islip Forward, a nonprofit immigrant advocacy organization that tracks ICE activity on Long Island, said the findings are consistent with what the group’s been seeing: a "sharp escalation" in immigration enforcement in late 2025 and a "significant acceleration" into the new year.While the federal data only covers through March 10, Ahmad Perez, Islip Forward’s founder and executive director, said there’s been a drop off in ICE sightings on Long Island starting in late March, coinciding with ICE agents being deployed to airports to help during a partial government shutdown."Importantly, this shift should not be interpreted as a reduction in enforcement overall. Rather, it reflects a temporary redistribution of federal resources, following a period of sustained escalation," Perez told NEWSDAY.He also noted that immigration activity is becoming "less publicly visible.""Including early morning residential operations, activity near courthouses, and the use of unmarked or newly branded vehicles — dynamics that are not always captured in traditional reporting or arrest data alone," Perez said.***The U.S. House of Representatives has reauthorized the National Estuary Program, which provides federal funding for the Peconic Estuary Program and Peconic Estuary Partnership, as well as the Long Island Sound Program, through 2031. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that the measure still must win approval by the U.S. Senate and President Donald Trump.U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota…the Republican from Amityville who represents the east end…as well as local environmentalists applauded the House vote and championed the cause for further federal support.“[The] American Water Stewardship Act delivers exactly the results we need by locking in long-term support for the Long Island Sound and our estuaries,” LaLota said in a statement announcing the passage of the bill by the House, which he co-sponsored.The bill, which has initial bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, would fund the National Estuary Program’s 28 nationally recognized estuaries for fiscal years 2026-2031. The Peconic Estuary was adopted into the National Estuary Program as an “estuary of national significance” in 1992.The National Estuary Program {NEP} was created in 1987 and last reauthorized in 2021 as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the $1.2 trillion federal economic stimulus package passed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The act funded the NEP for 2022-26 with $132 million in annually available matching grant money for the national estuaries. The program’s supporters claim that for each federal dollar invested in the estuary programs around the country, the local program managers have generated $19 in local investment.The American Water Stewardship Act also reauthorizes the Long Island Sound Program, which coordinates state, local and federal agencies to manage the environment impacts on the Sound, whose watershed extends as far north as Vermont and Canada.The AWSA would also reauthorize, establish or expand more than a dozen other maritime and water quality programs nationwide.***The Town of Southold is holding a presentation on “Understanding Subdivisions & Land Preservation in Southold Town” hosted by the North Fork Civics tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Park in Mattituck. Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski, Planning Director Heather Lanza and Land Preservation Coordinator Lillian McCullough will discuss subdivision rules, the process for lot creation, conservation and affordable housing, balancing responsible development with farmland and open space protection, smart growth, data trends and the policies that have “preserved Southold’s rural character and land.”The Forum on “Understanding Subdivisions & Land Preservation in Southold Town” is free and scheduled for tomorrow at Veterans Beach in Mattituck from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.***East Hampton Town officials are moving forward on a law, drafted by OLA of Eastern Long Island, Inc. (Organización Latino Americana), that looks to boost accountability and establish reporting procedures for future Immigrations and Customs Enforcement raids. Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that OLA’s leaders have been attending East End town and village board meetings in recent months, lobbying for the boards that have a corresponding police department to pass the law, which is aimed at boosting accountability in the event of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid.What the blueprint drafted by OLA aims to do, primarily, is both establish a series of procedures and training programs that would help deter the impersonation of federal officers and adopt local requirements for reporting enforcement activity up and down the chain, with the goal of making that information publicly available. The purpose is to boost public safety and accountability and clarify the place that local governments occupy, in the event of an ICE raid. East Hampton Town’s version of the law also blocks any town participation in ICE actions under the 287(g) clause, which essentially allows ICE and local governments to work in partnership for detentions.OLA’s blueprint removed this provision after hearing feedback from local municipalities. The thinking was that the provision could serve as a stumbling block when looking to enact the law. But the one put forth by East Hampton Town officials, and that put forth earlier this month by East Hampton Village officials, contained a section blocking 287(g) partnerships.What East Hampton Town’s version of the law also calls for is the creation of a task force, which will make recommendations to the Town Board. These recommendations will need to be answered, by the Town Board, within 30 days.Further, mandatory reporting procedures will establish a flow of information, which will ultimately become publicly accessible. This will require East Hampton Town Police to notify the supervisor of any ICE activity that officers become aware of. The supervisor then has to share that information with the Town Board and the task force. This flow of information would, theoretically, be conveyed in real time.The last part of the law gives Town Police the authority to request identification from those claiming to be ICE officers.East Hampton Village officials became the first municipality to move on the law last month, when they slated it for a public hearing that will take place at the Village Board’s April meetingEast Hampton Town officials this month plan to notice the law for a public hearing which would be held on May 7. If passed, the law would sunset in July 2029.***U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests of “illegal immigrants” on Long Island reached a historic high at the start of the year and continued steadily into last month, per a Newsday analysis of new data.Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville), who’s been supportive of local police departments cooperating with federal immigration officials, said the rising arrests on Long Island are "rooted in common sense and public safety."Congressman LaLota, who represents the 1st Congressional District which includes the East End, criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYS Gov. Kathy Hochul for their sanctuary policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration officials."The contrast is undeniable. The Hochul-Mamdani approach is driven by ideology. And NYC residents continue to flee to Long Island where we are guided by a simple responsibility to keep our kids safe and our communities secure," LaLota told NEWSDAY.The Newsday analysis of the Deportation Data Project numbers show that people with no criminal background continue to make up the majority of those arrested on Long Island, outpacing the national numbers. Since last Fall, more than 60% of people arrested on Long Island were not convicted or charged with any crime committed other than entering and / or remaining in the U.S. without the required federal documentation.Nationally, this share reached its peak of 48% in January 2026.Newsday calculated all ICE arrests on Long Island by adding together four locations: Nassau and Suffolk Counties, the Nassau County Jail and the Central Islip processing area. Newsday looked at total arrests for each month in those locations and the average number of daily arrests.Anastasia Valeeva and Josefa Velásquez report in NEWSDAY that the 352 ICE arrests in January marked a peak in the monthly numbers covering October and early March. Newsday analyzed the statistics after the nonprofit Deportation Data Project released them last week. ***The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office is teaming up wit...
Transcribe →Riverhead's Alive on 25 likely to be approved after supervisor raises questions
Apr 700:10:14Tap to summarizeLong Island officials use a number of tools to discuss potential terror threats. Long Island's proximity to New York City makes it an attractive target for a variety of attacks by more organized groups, or a lone-wolf attacker, authorities said. Nicole Fuller reports in NEWSDAY that a slew of upcoming high-profile events, such as the U.S.A. semiquincentennial, the FIFA World Cup and the U.S. Open Golf Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton are capturing the attention of local law enforcement. Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said the department's connection with the NYPD — and its vast counterterrorism efforts — as well as its involvement in organizations like the Major Cities Chiefs Association are key to helping protect Suffolk residents.Catalina, a 27-year veteran of the NYPD who became Suffolk police commissioner in 2025, said he's bolstered security at large-scale events in the county since becoming Suffolk's top cop. Some of the enhancements have included officers on roofs toting long guns, garbage and fire trucks along the perimeter to protect foot traffic and metal barriers, as well as more covert things the public may not see, such as cameras and undercover officers in crowds.A counter-drone program is on Suffolk's wish list. "Drones scare me," Catalina said. "We see what's happening in the Middle East. We see what's happening in Ukraine and Russia, as far as weaponizing drones. So that's something that we want to be able to have the autonomy to stop on our own."Catalina also brought on an NYPD leader in counterterrorism last year. Suffolk’s Deputy Police Commissioner Thomas Galati, a 39-year veteran of the NYPD, retired as the chief of intelligence and counterterrorism where he oversaw the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Intelligence Division and the Counterterrorism Division.***Curriculum changes, teacher training and extra-help sessions have aided multiple East End school districts in raising English language arts assessment test scores. Desirée Keegan reports on 27East.com that four New York school districts saw proficiency levels increase more than 20 percentage points during the 2024-25 school year, according to state data, with the Remsenburg-Speonk School District seeing the biggest rise — a 31 percent jump from the previous year to 73 percent. The test is graded on a 1-4 scale, with a 3 or higher indicating proficiency. “It’s exciting because we invested time and resources, and the teachers really put their best feet forward to make sure they were addressing the things that students really needed to know in order to be successful,” Remsenburg-Speonk Superintendent Denise Sullivan said. This included teaching students how to type and utilize computer tools, like the highlighter, that could assist in test taking. Educators also looked at assessment vocabulary to see if there were words that could be causing students confusion and implemented test-taking strategies to work on fatigue.Similar strategies were implemented in the East Quogue School District, which saw a 17-percent increase in ELA proficiency, to 67 percent. The district implemented new ELA curriculum, with The American Reading Company, which the superintendent said strengthened literacy instruction across all grade levels. To further support students, East Quogue expanded academic intervention services and introduced an after-school academy for both ELA and math, funded through a grant from Paddlers for Humanity.Westhampton Beach and Tuckahoe School districts’ ELA test results also rose 12 percent, to be 65 and 57 percent proficient, respectively.Sag Harbor results increased 8 percent to reach a 69 percent proficiency level, Southampton rose 8 percent to be 45 percent proficient and Montauk increased 6 percent to reach a 68 percent proficiency level.***The Horticultural Alliance of the Hamptons is now accepting applications for scholarship grants through its Karish Education Fund, supporting students pursuing studies in horticulture and related fields.Eligible applicants include graduating high school seniors, college students and individuals enrolled in professional certification programs in disciplines such as agriculture, botany, landscape architecture, garden design and environmental science. Applications are due by Earth Day, April 22.The fund honors Paul Karish, a founding member of the organization and noted horticulturalist, who established the endowment through a 1991 bequest. Additional contributions from members have helped expand the program over the years.Since 2001, the fund has awarded more than $70,000 in scholarships, with 47 individual grants ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 distributed to students pursuing careers in plant science and environmental fields.Application details and submission instructions are available on the Horticultural Alliance of the Hamptons website. ***A week after the supervisor raised questions about whether Riverhead's Alive on 25 is a worthwhile investment, the popular summer street festival seems poised for approval, with a majority of Riverhead Town Board members in support of continuing it.“Absolutely yes, there will be an Alive on 25,” Council Member Ken Rothwell told Denise Civiletti of Riverheadlocal this past Saturday, adding that he expects the board to move quickly because whoever is hired to organize the event will need time to secure a date, vendors and logistics.Rothwell said he expects the matter to be formalized soon, likely at the board’s April 21 meeting.The council member said he expects the event will probably be held late July or August because of U.S. semiquincentennial celebrations scheduled for early summer. And on a Thursday rather than a Friday, reflecting comments from some downtown businesses that Thursday is a slower day and therefore a better target for an event meant to increase foot traffic.The question of whether the event would return surfaced at the board’s March 26 work session, when new Riverhead Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin raised concerns about costs, police staffing and whether downtown businesses still support the event.Costs do remain part of the conversation.Rothwell said the latest estimate he has heard for police costs alone was about $17,000, with additional expenses associated with highway crews, building and grounds staff, barricades, setup and cleanup.But he dismissed the idea that those costs justify dropping the event.“I don’t want to lose the community events,” he said. “I think they’re great for the businesses. I think we’re obligated to help the downtown businesses,” and the cost of the event is “very miniscule” compared to other things. As for now, Riverhead’s Alive on 25 event remains without a formal vote, an approved organizer or a confirmed date.***Long Island’s oyster and kelp farmers, reeling after a brutal winter, could get a lifeline in low-interest emergency loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced yesterday that the state was requesting a disaster declaration for Suffolk County that would make farmers eligible for loans covering damage to aquaculture gear, vessels and farm infrastructure. Nicholas Spangler reports in NEWSDAY that emergency loans through the USDA’s Farm Service Agency are used to replace essential property, cover production costs and pay essential family living expenses. The loans cover up to 100% of losses and are capped at $500,000. Rates are typically lower than conventional rates."With freezing temperatures that lasted for several weeks, the Long Island coast saw ice conditions like they haven’t experienced in years, leading to a halt in operations and damage to equipment that will cost the aquaculture industry millions of dollars," Hochul said in a news release announcing the disaster declaration request. "I urge the USDA to take swift action to declare Suffolk County a disaster area and help our growers get the assistance they need to recover and move forward."A survey this winter by an industry group, Long Island Oyster Growers Association, found that the industry as a whole on Long Island lost about a third of its crop — millions of oysters — and faced about a $2.4 million bill for gear replacement. The group has more than 50 members.Eric Koepele, a partner in the oyster farm, North Fork Big Oyster, and the industry group’s president, said that many member farmers carry crop insurance and so they avoid a total loss. But Long Island’s aquaculture farms are almost all small, family-run outfits without easy access to capital, he said."After a winter like this, it’s going to be a scramble to repair equipment and seed purchases are coming in next month," he said. "Just like any farm economics, you’re got to reserve money from harvest for seed."Plans are moving ahead for the Suffolk County Oyster Jamboree and the Oyster Bay Oyster Fest, in August and October, respectively, he said. Demand for Long Island oysters could increase this year because an oyster disease called MSX is limiting supply from Canada, Koepele said.A representative for the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Denis Slattery, said that state officials were also gathering information to support a potential fishery disaster declaration request that could result in additional federal assistance. ***The Town of Southold is holding a presentation on “Understanding Subdivisions & Land Preservation in Southold Town” hosted by the North Fork Civics this coming Thursday, April 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Park in Mattitu...
Transcribe →LIRR to build second temporary platform at Hamptons Bays
Apr 600:10:06Tap to summarizeThe Long Island Rail Road is adding a second temporary platform at Hampton Bays and making several other improvements to its Montauk Branch as it preps for a busy summer surge on the South Fork and the U.S. Open Golf Tournament. Alek Lewis reports in NEWSDAY that the temporary platform, on the station's southern side, will allow two trains to simultaneously unload passengers in Hampton Bays, according to Southampton Town and state officials. That could help trains run more often on the South Fork and provide a boost for visitors, residents and commuters.The second platform will provide “operational flexibility" on the Montauk Branch, especially on busy weekends, according to the MTA. The first four-car lengths of the platform are expected to be completed by Memorial Day, with another two-car lengths before the start of the U.S. Open Golf Championship in mid-June. The tournament this year is being hosted at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton.The LIRR is expecting a surge in ridership on the line during the tournament. In 2018, when the event was last in Shinnecock, spectators using the Montauk Branch filled parking lots at two high-volume LIRR stations west of the South Fork to capacity. Railroad use helped relieve traffic congestion on roadways, local officials said at the time.A temporary platform will be installed at Stony Brook University's Southampton campus. Riders can walk from there to the golf course. A temporary bridge will also be built over County Road 39 so pedestrians can walk to the course without disrupting traffic. The LIRR platform and bridge will be taken down after the tournament, the MTA said.While currently deemed “temporary,” local officials are hopeful the additional Hampton Bays platform could become permanent and boost the South Fork Commuter Connection, the coordinated rail and shuttle bus system that brings riders from Speonk and Montauk to job centers in East Hampton and Southampton towns.***Smoother commutes could be on the horizon for Long Islanders as state highway crews launch an aggressive spring cleanup effort to fill potholes and resurface roads after a harsh winter.New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the state will invest $58.8 million in Nassau and Suffolk counties to repave roads, fill potholes and improve curb and sidewalk ramps. Tara Smith reports in NEWSDAY that the effort includes projects on the Northern State Parkway, Hempstead Turnpike, Nassau Expressway, Veterans Memorial Highway, Sunrise Highway service roads and Route 25 that will begin “immediately,” according to Gordon Tepper, a spokesman for Hochul's office.They are the first batch of a larger, $107 million commitment to repave approximately 225 lane miles of state roads on Long Island. Additional projects are expected to be announced later this year, officials said. Winter weather wreaked havoc on Long Island roads with heavy snow, frequent plowing and freeze-thaw cycles that cracked pavement and carved potholes, some of them massive.“This has been one of the coldest, most unforgiving winters in New York in recent memory, but the great news is that paving season is finally here and we will be renewing thousands of miles of roads across New York,” Hochul said in a statement.***The Town of Southold is holding a presentation on “Understanding Subdivisions & Land Preservation in Southold Town” hosted by the North Fork Civics this coming Thursday, April 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Park in Mattituck. Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski, Planning Director Heather Lanza and Land Preservation Coordinator Lillian McCullough will discuss subdivision rules, the process for lot creation, conservation and affordable housing, balancing responsible development with farmland and open space protection, smart growth, data trends and the policies that have “preserved Southold’s rural character and land.”The Forum on “Understanding Subdivisions & Land Preservation in Southold Town” is free and this coming Thursday at Veterans Beach in Mattituck from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.***Long Islanders are getting slammed in every direction by rising utility costs — with electric bills jumping as much as 20% and water rates increasing for the third straight year for millions of customers.Local power costs have surged, going $294 million over budget through February alone, mainly driven by record cold weather and the war in the Middle East, according to the Long Island Power Authority and experts. Brandon Cruz reports in THE NY POST that those costs have been passed along in the form of massive bill increases of 15% to 20% this year to customers already averaging around $200 a month in 2025.The Suffolk County Water Authority meanwhile approved a $346 million budget at the end of last month effectively hiking customer rates by 2.81%, to bump the average homeowner’s annual water bill just over $16 and bring the average cost — just for access to clean water — to more than $600 a year starting June 1. The water authority previously approved hikes as high as 4.17% in 2024 and 2.99% last year.The water authority — which serves about 1.2 million Suffolk County residents — said the budget boost helps upgrade infrastructure and treatment capabilities without “placing an undue financial burden” on its customers.The SCWA said its rates remain a relative bargain compared to its regional competitors.“Our bills remain well below the industry average in New York,” SCWA CEO Jeff Szabo said during a State of the Authority address recently, adding his team developed the budget with “fiscal responsibility” in mind. ***New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the state will invest $58.8 million in Nassau and Suffolk counties to repave roads, fill potholes and improve curb and sidewalk ramps. Tara Smith reports in NEWSDAY that the state is spending $17.7 million on Suffolk County roads including Route 25 in Riverhead, from Route 25A to Splish Splash Drive.Deteriorating conditions on the roughly 3-mile stretch of Middle Country Road in Calverton have drawn concerns from local officials and first responders.Riverhead Town Councilman Ken Rothwell, who also volunteers with the Wading River Fire Department, said first responders have had to pull over on the side of the road to take vital signs and perform EKG tests.“It is so bumpy and choppy that EMTs and paramedics in the back [of an ambulance] cannot get a good EKG reading,” he told NEWSDAY on Saturday.NYS Assemb. Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) said the project was originally slated for completion in 2028 but accelerated after hearing from emergency crews and a tough winter.Lights and cones were already visible along Route 25 on Friday.That heavily traveled stretch of NY-25 in Calverton will be closed overnight on weekdays starting April 16, as the much-anticipated resurfacing project begins. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that Rosemar Contracting, the contractor on the project, said there will be full closures of Middle Country Road (NY-25 between Parker Road (NY-25A) and Manor Road/Splish Splash Drive in Calverton, Monday through Friday from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. for milling, paving and line-striping operations.The overnight closures are expected to continue through about May 29. Detour signs are being posted to route traffic around the work zone.The NYS Department of Transportation lists the project completion date as Dec. 31, 2026.***The Southampton Rose Society will host its annual Rose Planting and Pruning Session this coming Saturday, April 11, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon in the Rose Garden at Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton Village.The free, hands-on program marks the start of the society’s spring season and is designed to make rose gardening accessible to all. Attendees will learn essential techniques from noted rosarian Peter Bertrand, who will demonstrate how to properly plant and prune a variety of rose bushes, including climbers.Bertrand will also offer guidance on fertilization, soil management and proper watering practices, and will be available to answer questions from participants. No registration is required; instructional pamphlets will be provided to attendees.The rose holds special significance as the official flower of the United States, New York State and Southampton Village, underscoring the importance of the society’s work in preserving and promoting rose cultivation locally.Now in its 50th year, the Southampton Rose Society will host its annual Rose Planting and Pruning Session this coming Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon in the Rose Garden at Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton.For more information, visit southamptonrose.org.***King Kullen's meat and seafood workers reached a tentative agreement with the company on Saturday, ending a strike that began Thursday in response to failed negotiations for a new contract and allegations that the grocer engaged in unfair labor practices. Tory N. Parrish and Sam Kmack report in NEWSDAY that the union announced that it reached a tentative deal with the company after talks resumed Friday night and extended into Saturday morning. The company confirmed the provisional pact."Our members are happy to get back to work so they can provide for their communities," UFCW Local 342 wrote in a news release.Keeley Lampo, director of activities and communications for the union, said the tentative agreement was reached about 4 a.m. Saturday and that it includes compensation and retirement increases for workers."We got the language that we wante...
Transcribe →Southampton Town explores bill to to protect large trees and habitat from rampant development
Apr 300:10:14Tap to summarizeThe 404 new converts to Catholicism in the Diocese of Rockville Centre this year is the highest figure in nearly 40 years, church officials said. Church experts cite a range of reasons, including the diocese’s evangelization efforts, people’s hunger for deeper meaning, effective use of social media, the first American pope and a welcoming environment, especially for Hispanic immigrant families. The converts will officially become Catholics at Easter Vigil Masses throughout the diocese on Saturday night. Bart Jones reports in NEWSDAY that the Long Island numbers mirror a nationwide trend with many dioceses seeing high and even record numbers of converts. The converts go through a process that can last a year or more before becoming officially Catholic. The new high on Long Island comes nearly a year after the church elected its first American pontiff, Pope Leo XIV. While church officials said that may be a small factor for the growth, there are probably many others, including simply the mystery of faith.“More than any program or initiative of ours, God does the calling and God allows the growth,” said the Rev. Eric Fasano, a spokesman for the Diocese of Rockville Centre which serves Catholics across Nassau and Suffolk counties..The 404 new members will receive the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Holy Eucharist at Easter Vigil Masses tomorrow night throughout the diocese. It is the highest number since 1988, the last year for which the diocese has readily available records, Fasano said. The second-highest number of conversions was last year, with 320 new Catholics. The number has nearly doubled in the last seven years, rising from 208 in 2020, according to diocesan data.While the converts include many Latinos — the fastest growing group of Catholics in the United States and on Long Island — there are also other ethnicities coming into the religion, though there was no demographic breakdown, Rev. Fasano said.Converts who were not raised Catholic but become one as an adult, make up about 8% of the 32 million Catholics in the United States, according to a June 2025 Pew Research Center report. Long Island is home to 1.2 million baptized Catholics, according to the diocese.***Two people have been charged with receiving bribes in the East Hampton Town Building Department, as part of an investigation conducted by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Public Corruption Squad that stretched back into 2024. Ryan Benitez and Evelyn Calderon, both suspended Building Department staffers, were arraigned in Suffolk County Criminal Court yesterday. Both were released on their own recognizance, as the charges are not bail-eligible. This comes on the heels of what has been a turbulent year for the East Hampton Town Building Department, as town officials have sought to work through a backlog and boost efficiency within a department plagued by turnover, lawsuits and now a pair of indictments.Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that Benitez and Calderon, in a joint indictment, were charged with 10 counts each. Five of those counts are for bribe receiving in the third degree, a class D felony. The remaining five are for official misconduct, a class A misdemeanor. Adding up the total amount in the indictment puts the number at $16,100 accepted or planned bribes across the five counts. The pair face two and a third to seven years in prison, if convicted of the top count.A grand jury in Suffolk County indicted the pair, who surrendered to the D.A.’s office on Thursday morning April 2 and were then arraigned by Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei. Alyssa Constantino from the Suffolk D.A.’s Public Corruption Bureau is prosecuting the case. Benitez and Calderon are due back in court on May 21. ***The Long Island Oyster Growers Association is hosting a “Peconic Oyster Dregs Hunt” tomorrow — a chance for the community to help oyster farmers collect ghost oyster gear and other winter debris washed up on the shoreline after this winter’s devastating deep freeze. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that you show up on Saturday morning between 9 and 11 a.m. at the Greenport Harbor Brewery in Peconic, Ram’s Head Inn on Shelter Island, or Kidd Squid Brewing Company in Sag Harbor, and the organizers will point you toward a beach that needs some love. After the Cleanup, haul your collected debris to the nearest designated drop-off point (trucks and trailers recommended). If you do not have a vehicle, pile the debris neatly near the road for later pickup. When you drop off your haul, we will reward you with a token good for two drinks (beer or wine) and oysters compliments of LIOGA at either Greenport Brewery location on the North Fork, Ram’s Head Inn Shelter Island , or Kidd Squid East Hampton.For further info visit the Long Island Oyster Growers Association website. ***The whine of chain saws and sudden thinning of woods have become a familiar — and jarring — backdrop to life on the South Fork. Towering oaks and dense thickets that buffer homes and define the region's rural feel are being cleared for luxury homes. The trend has fueled unease among residents who say their neighborhoods are changing in real time. Alek Lewis reports in NEWSDAY that currently, most properties in Southampton Town can be cleared and regraded without restriction. But town officials say they are looking to change that with a bill that will ensure large trees, vegetation and habitats are not removed unnecessarily during the construction process. The Town of Southampton issues thousands of building permits annually, including 184 last year for new homes and 695 for renovations.The proposal would require the town's land management department to review and issue permits for any major clearing, regrading, or excavation, save for several exceptions. Clearing more than half a property would require the planning board's approval. “The sheer physical beauty of the land and the water [on the East End] is extraordinary. And yet, if we continue to cut down mature trees, that character of various hamlets [and] communities start to disappear on us,” Mark McIntyre, co-chair of the town’s sustainability committee, told Newsday. “It's part of what makes the South Fork so special." Those activities are already restricted in other South Fork communities, including the Town of East Hampton as well as the villages of Sag Harbor and Southampton. In those municipalities, a permit or building department approval is typically required to remove trees and clear land.Trees and vegetation are an “integral and irreplaceable part of” Southampton’s character, the proposed bill states. Their removal is harmful to wildlife habitat and means there are fewer trees that can capture greenhouse gases, which can worsen the effects of climate change, said Councilman Michael Iasilli, one of the bill's sponsors.But opponents say the proposal would give the town too much control over private property and could lead to delays in real estate deals and construction timelines. Councilwoman Cyndi McNamara, the board’s only Republican, opposes the measure. She said it will bring “more red tape" and is "another permit to get" for residents and contractors. The requirement could cause delays for contractors and strain the department's staff, she said.Southampton Town officials will incorporate revisions based on comments from the public, Iasilli said.***Home improvement giant Home Depot is looking to open a large warehouse and distribution center in Yaphank, with the help of tax breaks. Celia Young reports in NEWSDAY that Brookhaven Logistics Center, an affiliate of Kansas City-based NorthPoint Development, applied in March to bring in Home Depot as a subtenant for a proposed $157 million building. Home Depot has requested tax breaks from the Town of Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency to equip the facility, according to Brookhaven Logistics Center’s application to the IDA.If the deal is approved, Atlanta-based Home Depot would lease the yet-to-be-built, 414,000-square-foot building for 15 years, according to the application.The new development would sit on 50.64 acres on the northern end of a massive swath of land south of the Long Island Expressway, slated to become a warehouse development under a 2021 deal with the Brookhaven Town IDA.The developer behind the warehouse project, another NorthPoint affiliate, already secured 15 years of tax breaks for the overall warehouse project, which run through 2037, according to a 2021 IDA resolution and the IDA's 2024 annual report.The project is part of Home Depot’s "larger, multiyear North American supply chain expansion plan," according to the application, and comes as the company looks to grow its business to serve larger contractors as well as individual consumers.If approved, the new center would create an estimated 200 jobs, with salaries ranging from $97,702 per year to $191,127 per year and hourly wages ranging from $23 to $24.50, according to the application.***You are invited to join the 10th Annual Greenport Egg Roll presented by the Greenport Business Improvement District tomorrow morning. Bring the family to Mitchell Park in Greenport for a Saturday morning of egg hunting and magic! Magic show at 10:30AM, Egg Hunt right after, followed by free carousel rides until 1:30PM!That’s tomorrow starting at 10:30am at Mitchell Park on Front Street in Greenport.Also tomorrow is Hampton Library’s Annual Egg Hunt from 10am – 11am at the Bridgehampton Museum – Corwith House, 2368 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton, NY. Find all the ...
Transcribe →Oyster industry dealing with fallout of "worst winter of the century"
Apr 200:10:16Tap to summarizeSuffolk County argued this week that a $112 million jury verdict handed down five months ago on the detention of immigrants in the country illegally was “fundamentally flawed” and should be overturned.The county made its case in court filings that the trial in a nearly decade-old lawsuit featured "several substantial errors."Joe Werkmeister reports in NEWSDAY that the case stems from Suffolk's policy under former Sheriff Vincent DeMarco to honor detainers issued through the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement agency, a practice halted after a 2018 court ruling found it unlawful.A federal jury awarded the verdict in November following a weeklong trial. The county’s Manhattan-based law firm Dewey Pegno & Kramarsky filed a motion in December to have the verdict either vacated or a new trial.The two sides presented arguments on the motion before Judge William F. Kuntz II in Eastern District Court in Brooklyn Tuesday. Both sides now wait for Kuntz to issue a written decision.The original complaint was filed on behalf of Joaquin Orellana Castaneda, an immigrant from Guatemala, who had been stopped by Suffolk police for a traffic violation and booked on a driving while intoxicated-related arrest. He was held on an ICE detainer for two days after his bail was posted on the local charge, according to previous reports. The case grew to include about 650 people who were similarly held longer than the local charge required. The county had argued it was entitled to immunity because it acted under federal authority, an assertion the court had dismissed. At the November trial, a nine-person jury awarded $75 million based off Kuntz’s January 2025 ruling and an additional $37 million on a separate due process claim.***As Southampton Village waits for a pair of corresponding bills in the New York State Assembly and Senate to be passed that would authorize the alienation of Lola Prentice Memorial Park for use in a land swap plan, village residents who oppose the swap have raised further points in why they believe the plan should not go through. Dan Stark reports on 27east.com that in the current plan, the village seeks to alienate the park to use as underground leach fields for a sewage treatment plant that would be located behind the village ambulance barn. A neighboring property a few hundred feet down the road at 135 Windmill Lane — currently home to The Express News Group building — would be turned into a new dog park. In response, five residents filed a lawsuit against the Village of Southampton last week for going through with the plan, arguing that the village is violating the park’s 1962 deed and a 2019 court injunction by using the park for something other than recreational and educational use.As the plaintiffs wait for a response, some raised the question of whether the village can pursue a land swap if the two properties aren’t the same size. The park measures in at 2.478 acres, while the proposed new dog park site is 1.10 acres, less than half the size of the current park.Under New York State law, the determining factor for alienating two properties is not its acreage, but rather its fair market value. Specifically, state law says that “the fair market value of the substitute property must be no less than the fair market value of the property being alienated.” State law also includes provisions about requiring new properties to “be of reasonably equivalent usefulness and location to the lands being alienated” and to “be of equal environmental value and usefulness to the lands being alienated.”***The Horticultural Alliance of the Hamptons is now accepting applications for scholarship grants through its Karish Education Fund, supporting students pursuing studies in horticulture and related fields.Eligible applicants include graduating high school seniors, college students and individuals enrolled in professional certification programs in disciplines such as agriculture, botany, landscape architecture, garden design and environmental science. Applications are due by Earth Day, April 22.The fund honors Paul Karish, a founding member of the organization and noted horticulturalist, who established the endowment through a 1991 bequest. Additional contributions from members have helped expand the program over the years.Since 2001, the fund has awarded more than $70,000 in scholarships, with 47 individual grants ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 distributed to students pursuing careers in plant science and environmental fields.Application details and submission instructions are available on the Horticultural Alliance of the Hamptons website.***A NYS Supreme Court justice has ordered the county clerk to lift restrictions on land within Enterprise Park at Calverton, which could allow Riverhead Town to pursue new ideas for the 1,600-acre property. Tara Smith reports in NEWSDAY that Calverton Aviation & Technology, a venture aerospace company, filed a lis pendens — a public record of a pending lawsuit — as it sued Riverhead for backing out of a $40 million deal to sell the property to the company in 2024. The notice effectively blocked the town from marketing or selling the land, since most buyers will not make offers on properties tangled up in litigation.Justice David Reilly, in a March 24 ruling, directed the Suffolk County clerk to cancel the notice within 30 days, noting “there are no remaining claims that would directly affect title to, or the possession, use or enjoyment” of the site. The decision removes a hurdle Riverhead Town officials have previously cited as delaying action on the property intended to be an economic engine for the town, though attorneys for the aerospace group say they plan to appeal.Town attorney Erik Howard said the latest development in the legal dispute is a win for Riverhead. Justice Reilly previously dismissed 16 of 17 claims alleged in CAT’s initial complaint, and the company has since filed an appeal seeking to reverse the dismissed claims.Howard told NEWSDAY yesterday that the cancellation “whittles away at any leverage CAT has in the case going forward and drastically limits relief that can be pursued.”“More importantly, for the Town and the residents, it allows them to move forward with entertaining new proposals for development of the property,” Howard added.Calverton Aviation & Technology proposed 10 million square feet of development at the former Grumman hub for aerospace, energy and academic tenants, noting in court papers that it would be a boon to the regional economy and pledged to invest $250 million in its first phase. The town board terminated the deal in October 2023 after the Riverhead Industrial Development Agency ruled the company was not financially capable of delivering its vision.Ronald Rossi, a Manhattan attorney representing Calverton Aviation & Technology, said the company plans to seek a stay of the cancellation of the notice of pendency during the appeal process.***New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration has proposed substantially lifting the oversight and review demands of one of the state’s foundational environmental protection laws for residential developments in its latest attempt to improve housing affordability. But East End civic and environmental groups say that the proposal would do nothing to reduce the cost of housing and would have sweeping unintended consequences on the East End, and in many other areas, from overdevelopment that would simply be high-priced luxury residences. The administration’s proposal, which it has dubbed “Let Them Build,” would, in part, free some small- and large-scale residential developments from scrutiny by local planning and zoning boards currently demanded in the State Environmental Quality Review Act, or SEQRA, a 1975 law that is the overarching guide of all development regulatory review in the state.Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that projects of fewer than 100 units — either in subdivisions or multifamily structures — on land that is already “disturbed” and serviced by public utilities, like water and sewer mains, essentially would be freed from subjective review, other than making sure they comply with underlying zoning standards. Development hawks say that the state’s approach — which the governor has included as a line-item in her budget proposal — would open up untold numbers of properties to newly unconstrained development that would almost certainly be exploited by developers. “What the governor is trying to do is eliminate the review process for a variety of project types which, in our area, have nothing to do with affordability,” said Bob DeLuca, president of the Group for the East End. He pointed out that, “The word affordability does not appear in any of these amendments…It’s easy to beat the drum and say let people build and suddenly things will become affordable. When you get down to the nitty gritty, there’s a zillion reasons why things are not affordable, and it’s not just putting a building up.” NYS Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni of Sag Harbor said that if the governor thinks SEQRA should be amended to remove some of the hurdles to responsible development in appropriate areas and streamline the review process, it should be done through legislative amendments, not in the state budget bill — an increasingly common approach to forcing through controversial legislative changes since Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration. Schiavoni emphasized, “This is not what the people of the East End want. We need housing initiatives…We need to create affordable housing. We’ve created the transfer tax to do that. I think loca...
Transcribe →Police across New York to focus on enforcing distracted driving laws in April
Apr 100:10:12Tap to summarizeLong Island Rail Road crews began installing new track sidings at the Southampton Village station on Monday that local officials celebrated as a concrete — well, steel — step toward improving train service along the whole of the South Fork. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that the work in Southampton will extend the existing second set of tracks so that they can accommodate the longer trains the LIRR runs in the summertime.While the MTA has not announced any plans for new scheduling yet, officials said they are encouraged that the substantive work is underway on the sidings system, which has always been a major impediment to increasing the frequency of service along the South Fork.“This is something we’ve been working with them on for years,” Southampton Town Councilman Tom Neely, who was previously the town’s transportation director, said. “It will improve scheduling and I hope it’s going to improve frequency.”In the immediate future, Neely said, the improved siding in Southampton should help the South Fork Commuter Connection scheduling because the small shuttle trains hopefully won’t have to wait as long when a regular Montauk line train is scheduled to pass through.The MTA has a $262 million project plan for improvements to the South Fork’s rail system in its five-year capital plan, much of which is for extending or adding new sidings and incorporating existing sidings into the remote signaling and control system.The LIRR has already begun construction of siding extensions and a second platform at the Hampton Bays station that it says will help the SFCC service by allowing two trains to embark and disembark passengers at the same time at that station — something New York State Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni and Councilman Neely have said will be a major improvement for the SFCC.Also on the MTA’s schedule for this year is the repainting of the two LIRR trestles in Southampton Village and the replacement of three aging bridges over the LIRR tracks — in Eastport, Sagaponack and Amagansett.***Biosolids found in some fertilizers have been linked to a class of toxic chemicals commonly known as forever chemicals called PFAS and PFOS. Mark Harrington reports in NEWSDAY that some of those chemicals recently turned up in a study of Long Island farm stand vegetables. While the exact source remains a mystery, the study has heightened concerns as farmers and gardeners embark on the 2026 growing season. New York State is working on regulations that would require testing of biosolid products, but it's not just biosolids that are cause for concern. Experts say ubiquitous forever chemicals have so many pathways into garden and farm products that they may be impossible to avoid.Nearly all the compost and garden soils Newsday surveyed at garden centers across the East End did not list biosolids on their ingredients lists or disclaimers."Not all biosolids [are] bad," said Long Island Farm Bureau executive director Bill Zalakar, who emphasized that Long Island farms do not apply biosolids to their fields. "That’s where maybe if they did conduct testing of biosolids before they were applied, and they tested OK, then they would be a great source of fertilizer material."And while scientists say much research remains to be done, some studies already have identified pathways. "These PFAS compounds are just spreading farther and farther and concentrating more and more and just because they ban them doesn’t mean the problem has gone away," said Walter Hang, president of Environmental Health Research Group, Inc., an advocacy organization. "We have just not solved this problem in any fashion," he said. "It’s everywhere and it's bioconcentrating in humans, in foodstuffs and cattle, you name it; it’s just a problem of unprecedented proportions because of the toxicity and the incredible persistence and the volume of these compounds that are produced to this very day."The state regulations under consideration would require the testing of "class A biosolid" products, including certain composts, heat-dried pellets and related products for the presence of PFAS. "The policy is being finalized, and it will cover all biosolids-derived products," the state Department of Environmental Conservation said in a statement to Newsday.***Sagaponack Village and the Bridgehampton Museum have entered into a new stewardship agreement to restore one of the oldest cemeteries in the village. Dan Stark reports on 27east.com that Bridgehampton Museum will serve as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit sponsor to Poxabogue/Evergreen Cemetery, located on the corner of Sagg Main Street and Montauk Highway, to help to maintain the site and preserve it for future generations.Sagaponack Village Trustee Mark Landis and museum Executive Director Connor Flanagan were the main forces behind the agreement. The museum currently has a stewardship agreement for the Nathaniel Rogers House in Bridgehampton.In Sagaponack, since the Poxabogue/Evergreen Cemetery is still active it doesn’t fall under the purview of Southampton Town, leaving it to the cemetery board to be responsible for maintenance.Currently, the museum and cemetery are working with $10,000 that was given to them by the Village of Sagaponack. Landis said that they are looking for $40,000 to begin their improvements.***Republicans’ hopes of flipping the New York governor’s seat were dealt a blow yesterday when their candidate, Bruce Blakeman, was denied up to $7 million in matching funds because of an oversight in his filings. Grace Ashford reports in THE NY TIMES that the decision rests on a somewhat convoluted web of new paperwork deadlines and requirements. Last year, the New York State Legislature changed election law to require candidates for governor and lieutenant governor to run together on a single ticket. As a result, the Public Campaign Finance Board altered its process to require the lieutenant governor and the governor to jointly apply for matching funds.But when Mr. Blakeman, who is currently the Nassau County Executive, filed his application for matching funds in December, he did so without listing a lieutenant governor — a seemingly understandable omission since he had not chosen one. When he did select his running mate, the Madison County sheriff, Todd Hood, Mr. Blakeman did not update his paperwork.Both oversights were cited by the Democrat-controlled board, which voted 4 to 3 along party lines to withhold matching funds from Mr. Blakeman.The absence of matching funds may be a daunting obstacle for Mr. Blakeman, who faces an uphill battle in his quest to unseat Gov. Kathy Hochul. The governor has a $20 million war chest, and her party maintains a commanding registration advantage over Republicans across the state.A spokeswoman for Mr. Blakeman, Madison Spanodemos, said in a statement that the decision “reeks of corruption.” Referring to the Democratic chair of the board, who Ms. Hochul had appointed, she added: “With the race tightening and her poll numbers sagging, it’s no surprise Kathy Hochul’s handpicked appointee would vote to take away funds from Bruce Blakeman’s campaign.”A spokesman for Ms. Hochul’s campaign, Ryan Radulovacki, defended the decision. “The onus is on each campaign to ensure they meet its requirements,” he said. “‘100% MAGA’ Bruce Blakeman doesn’t need any help from us to run an incompetent, losing campaign.”Republican commissioners on the Public Financing Campaign Board saw more than a hint of conspiracy in the decision. They complained that board staff members did not flag the issue, despite communicating about other issues and application deficiencies. There does not appear to be any process for Mr. Blakeman, or any other candidate affected, to challenge the decision outside a lawsuit.Democrats insisted that the rules were clear and that candidates were responsible for following them.***A former Westhampton Beach music and choir teacher has filed suit against the district, saying she was wrongfully fired after posting a TikTok video about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Lorena Mongelli reports in NEWSDAY that Laura Mara posted the 14-second video on Sept. 11, the day after Kirk was assassinated, according to the lawsuit filed Friday in Suffolk County Supreme Court. In the video, Mara said in part, "We are not celebrating his death. We are responding to his death the way he responded to" school shootings.She added, "And that response is thoughts and prayers. I guess that’s the price you pay to freely bear arms in the United States of America," the suit states.Mara’s video was about “gun safety,” according to the suit. Her views are protected under the First Amendment and her comments were made after work hours, the complaint states. But after a parent reposted the video to Facebook, the suit says people complained about Mara at a school board meeting. She was placed on leave and in the weeks that followed, Mara — identified in the suit as a "homosexual" woman — alleges she was accused of making inappropriate comments in class based on stereotypes and tropes of LGBTQ+ behavior.Mara was fired in December, the suit states.Mara said the district’s actions have caused her "significant emotional distress, humiliation, mental anguish [and] damage to professional reputation.” She is seeking at least $5 million in compensation.“Laura Mara’s most fundamental constitutional rights were violated by the Westhampton [Beach] Union Free School District in a situation made worse by the discrimination based on sexual orientation," her Smithtown-based attorney, Austin Smith, said in a statement.Mara was hired by the Westhampton Beach district in August 2024. She re...
Transcribe →Today is the last day of WLIW-FM's Spring Fund Drive!
Mar 3100:06:00Tap to summarizeWLIW-FM gives us something to believe in. If you’re enjoying this podcast, consider a donation today, during our Spring Fund Drive.Donate hereCan’t afford to make a donation? Rate and review this show on your favorite podcast platform, and send this show to just 1 person who could benefit from it. Word of mouth makes our community stronger.***A proposal to allow farming at the historic Osborn Homestead in Wainscott is drawing opposition from residents and civic leaders who say its agricultural use would threaten the site’s environment and rural character. Alek Lewis reports in NEWSDAY that the Town of East Hampton acquired the 30-acre property from billionaire Ronald Lauder in 2024 for $56 million, the largest purchase ever using its Community Preservation Fund. The town is developing a management plan for its public use that says part of the property could be licensed for agricultural purposes.That prospect became a flashpoint at a recent East Hampton Town board hearing, where residents said modern farming practices could damage the property’s historic character, open-space views and nearby Wainscott Pond. Esperanza Leon, president of the Wainscott Heritage Project, said heavy machinery, large-scale irrigation and other modern agricultural operations don’t fit with the site’s “historic character.”“We need clear, enforceable restrictions that prioritize the homestead as a heritage site first, ensuring that any agricultural activity is low impact, sustainable and respectful of the property's primary historic mission,” Leon said. “Preservation is not about freezing time. It is about managing change and ensuring that the most important pieces of our past aren't compromised or erased by the present.”The Osborn family started farming the land in 1675, after English settlers arrived in the area in the mid-17th century. The family grew potatoes there through much of the 20th century before shifting to strawberries until 1994, according to the town. In recent decades, the property has remained largely fallow and is now mostly meadow.East Hampton Town Councilwoman Cate Rogers said she supports farming on the property, but only if it preserves the open-space view and does not adversely affect the environment.The town purchased the land for its open space, historic significance, agricultural use and to protect water quality. “I don't think any of our usage should usurp or be in conflict with the other reasons that we bought the property,” Rogers told NEWSDAY.Kim Quarty, executive director of the Wainscott-based Friends of Georgica Pond, urged the town to prioritize the health of Wainscott Pond.“We do not support agricultural practices on the property that would contribute to increased nitrogen loading,” Quarty said. “Traditional fertilizer-intensive agriculture poses a clear and documented risk to the pond.”She said the Town of East Hampton should consider “low impact and emerging agricultural models that minimize ... or eliminate nutrient runoff” like beekeeping and snail farming.Bruce Wayne Solomon, of Wainscott, said the Osborn Homestead’s open-space view is “rare” and should remain protected.“In a place that changes as quickly as the Hamptons, that brief feeling that you somehow stepped back into 17th century is something special,” he said. “And once a view like that disappears, well, it's not exactly something we can rebuild later with a permit, a ribbon cutting and a few truckloads of asphalt.”***Riverhead’s anti-bias task force is caught in a dispute regarding its mission and oversight following the resignation of Riverhead Anti-Bias Task Force chairman Mark McLaughlin. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that a longtime member’s near-resignation further reveals the widening dispute over whether the town-appointed body is still being allowed to do the proactive education and outreach work many members see as central to its mission.McLaughlin, who was appointed chairman in September 2023 as part of a Riverhead Town Board overhaul of the task force, said he resigned last month because restrictions placed on the group left it unable to respond meaningfully to bias-related concerns in the community.Longtime member Connie Lassandro, who earlier this month said she had decided to resign for similar reasons, said this past Thursday that she’d changed her mind after discussions with Town Board member and task force liaison Denise Merrifield and fellow task force member Marjorie Acevedo. Lassandro said she agreed to remain on the task force for now, so long as its mission is not altered and it continues to engage in education, outreach and prevention work.At the center of the dispute is a basic question: Is the Anti-Bias Task Force supposed to work proactively to address prejudice through public programs, outreach and education, or should it act only in a more limited, reactive role when specific complaints arise.A resolution adopted by the Riverhead Town Board in 2015 to re-establish the task force following a period of inactivity, set forth the purpose of the task force: “to assist this government in identifying issues related to prejudice or bias…”The resolution also said the task force would serve in an advisory capacity to the Town Board, to make “recommendations as to the direction the Town can take in combating bias and improve social conditions for all and further a proactive means to eradicate various forms of social oppression.” A Town Board resolution adopted in 2021 requires the task force to submit in writing all recommendations for events, programs, co-sponsored activities, publications, announcements, policies and funding requests to the Town Board for review and approval before taking action —including events or programs to be co-sponsored with other departments, schools or government agencies. That dual structure — a body charged with broad anti-bias work but subject to Town Board oversight — has been a source of tension before.Riverhead Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin, who took office in January, said that he intended to review the task force’s bylaws and history and speak with ABTF liaison Council Member Merrifield before responding further.Halpin said he still believes the Anti-Bias Task Force is important to the Town of Riverhead.
Transcribe →Gov. Hochul and NYS legislators unlikely to meet budget deadline
Mar 3000:05:27Tap to summarizeWLIW-FM gives us something to believe in. If you’re enjoying this podcast, consider a donation today, during our Spring Fund Drive.Donate hereCan’t afford to make a donation? Rate and review this show on your favorite podcast platform, and send this show to just 1 person who could benefit from it. Word of mouth makes our community stronger.***Welcome to budget time in Albany.It’s just days before New York’s April 1st budget deadline, which apparently Gov. Kathy Hochul and state legislators won’t meet. Again.Yancey Roy reports in NEWSDAY that lawmakers are trying to hammer a deal on a roughly $260 billion budget, and it’s not dollars and cents holding them up so much as key policy differences.Democratic Governor Hochul and the Democrat-controlled Legislature don’t appear terribly far apart on how much New York should spend on the 2026-27 fiscal year, which begins this coming Wednesday.Here are some of the issues being debated:Hochul proposes easing or suspending some environmental reviews when a project involves housing, child care or clean energy. She says the red tape of the state’s Environmental Review Quality Act (SEQRA) can add two years to a building completion. Builders and some unions like it. But it’s opposed by environmental groups and progressive Dems — and Republicans in the Legislature who say the way Hochul would cut red tape would override local zoning control. The governor says she wants to slow down the state’s target goals for transitioning off fossil fuels (a 70% reduction by 2030) because it is a key part of her "affordability" agenda.The NYS Senate and Assembly has proposed raising tax rates on annual incomes of $5 million or more, while Hochul has been steadfast in opposing any income tax hikes.Legislators will want to bump up Hochul’s $37 billion earmark for school aid, as they always do. They’ll also want to be more generous on child care (especially workers’ pay), prekindergarten and higher education. One area of financial turbulence is whether to boost state pension benefits for people hired in the last 15 years.And Governor Hochul wants to ban counties from signing formal cooperation agreements with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. She wants to prohibit local police from transferring custody of people to ICE without a judicial warrant.But immigration activists and progressive Dems are pushing for more. They favor the "New Yorkers For All" bill, which, among other things, would ban ICE agents from entering nonpublic areas of government-run locations like schools or motor vehicles agencies, ban local and state agencies from sharing information with ICE and prohibit local police from asking a person’s immigration status.***Thousands of people gathered Saturday at anti-Trump "No Kings" demonstrations across Long Island. The 16 rallies were among more than 3,000 protests scheduled nationwide, where participants decried what they called overreach of executive power, as well as ramped-up immigration enforcement and the emergence of a new Middle East conflict. Joseph Ostapiuk and Tara Smith report in NEWSDAY that Show Up Long Island, Engage Long Island, Long Island Network for Change and other grassroots groups organized Long Island's rallies.Neither Nassau nor Suffolk County police departments reported any incidents or arrests at the protests.Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that nearly 500 people gathered in Greenport’s Mitchell Park and then marched through the village in Saturday’s No Kings protest. A crew of singers (many involved with the North Fork Community Theatre’s current production of “1776”) led the crowd in folk songs. Prior to the march, a half a dozen or more speakers including New York State Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni spoke to the crowd.Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that demonstrators gathered in downtown Riverhead Saturday afternoon for their “No Kings” rally. The “No Kings 3″ event in Riverhead followed a march from Riverhead High School to Town Hall, where nearly 200 people gathered to express support for OLA of Eastern Long Island’s proposed legislation regarding public safety in the face of ICE activities.And more than 1,000 protesters packed Lake Street in Patchogue this past Saturday. They were occasionally heckled by passersby, some of whom held Trump flags. NO KINGS demonstrators marched past Republican congressman Andrew Garbarino’s office, chanting, "Garbarino, do your job." Garbarino is chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security.Suffolk County Republican Committee chairman Jesse Garcia dismissed the demonstrations as "failed PR stunts" by Democrats that do little to influence political issues.Alleging the protesters were paid, Garcia told Newsday the demonstrators merely "hoot and holler, make noise, disrupt intersections with identifying problems but with no real solutions."Some demonstrators pushed back against claims that they were paid. Debbie Hooper, 73, of Greenport, joked that she hadn't yet received a paycheck."We do it for the love of our country," Hooper said***On the north fork this evening, Southold and Greenport officials will give updates about current affordable housing projects in Mattituck and Laurel at the Mattituck-Laurel Civic Association’s monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Beach in Mattituck.Meanwhile, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is proposing to exempt a majority of new housing from state environmental reviews, arguing that sufficient safeguards are in place at the local level. Grace Ashford reports in THE NY TIMES that building in New York is infamously complicated, expensive and burdensome, in part because of a maze of required reviews and permits.Now Gov. Hochul is pushing the state to adopt a different approach: getting out of the way.In her budget proposal, Ms. Hochul has called for changing the 50 year old State Environmental Quality Review Act (known as SEQRA) to expedite new housing projects and major infrastructure, saying that substantive reviews are already being done at the local level.The plan threatens to put the governor, a Democrat, on a collision course with environmentalists, particularly as she seeks to convince state lawmakers to use the state budget to weaken and delay the state’s ambitious climate goals. But as Ms. Hochul enters the final stages of budget negotiations, she has won the support from mayors and leaders in Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany, Yonkers and New York City.Governor Hochul, who is running for re-election this year, is aware of how she failed in 2023 to compel local governments to build housing. The governor’s current plan is deferential to local governments — in fact, it places nearly all of the authority for approving or denying a development in their hands by, for example, allowing local rulings on water and air quality to be final.For communities that are eager to build, this change would allow them to do so. But it would do little to create new housing in places where communities are resistant, regardless of the need.
Transcribe →Several No Kings rallies to be held across East End
Mar 2700:05:47Tap to summarizeWLIW-FM gives us something to believe in. If you’re enjoying this podcast, consider a donation today, during our Spring Fund Drive.Donate hereCan’t afford to make a donation? Rate and review this show on your favorite podcast platform, and send this show to just 1 person who could benefit from it. Word of mouth makes our community stronger.***Last Saturday, the Southampton High School robotics team – known as the Marinators — won first place at the FIRST Long Island Regional competition at Hofstra University. They are now eligible to compete at the FIRST Robotics World Championship in Texas next month, though they are waiting on the official invitation. Michelle Trauring reports on 27east.com that over the course of three days, the competition saw 24 total practice matches and 72 qualification matches, which placed the Marinators in 24th out of 50 teams, according to Assistant Principal Dr. Melissa Mitchell, who pioneered the Southampton robotics team in 2023. Then, the top eight teams picked the two teams that they wanted in their alliance for the final matches of the competition. The Marinators couldn’t believe when they heard their team number — 9646 — called by the Kings Park and Southold high schools.The 35-member Southampton team earned the top spot by designing, engineering and operating a robot capable of performing multiple complex tasks, including shooting balls into a target, retrieving them from the ground and climbing to hang from a bar. They dedicated countless hours to building, testing and refining their robot, working under the guidance of adviser Eric Pflug, who has a background in engineering.In the final match, the Marinators faced off against a formidable trio — Floyd Robotics from the William Floyd School District, Riptide Robotics from Long Beach High School, and Formosan Sika, a team from New Taipei City, Taiwan.They snared the win in a stunning victory, scoring 475 points to 292, in just two minutes and 30 seconds.“It was insane,” Dr. Mitchell said. “It’s like when you see someone win a Super Bowl, literally.”After cheering on their robots, the three allied teams all celebrated together in the stands — united by their one common goal and a shared love of robotics.“At that point, you’re one team,” Mitchell said. “That’s the beautiful thing about FIRST Robotics.”***There are several events this weekend across the east end you may be eager to join or avoid.The No Kings movement, which began in June of 2025 as a series of rallies across the country coinciding with a military parade held on President Donald Trump’s birthday, is rallying across the country for the third time tomorrow. Local organizers are holding No Kings 3 events on the twin forks in Riverhead, Hampton Bays, Greenport, Sag Harbor and East Hampton. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that concurrently with the Greenport No Kings activities, Slow Food East End is organizing an ICE Cakes not People bake sale to benefit the Latino advocacy group OLA (Organización Latino Americana) of Eastern Long Island at the Hold Fast Stay True Studios at 216 Main Street in Greenport tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meanwhile the 12th annual Jamesport St. Patrick’s Day Parade is scheduled for tomorrow stepping off at 1 p.m. from the Main Road in Jamesport beginning at Washington Avenue.And the final East End St. Pat’s Parade of the season is in in Montauk this coming Sunday.The 63rd Annual Montauk St. Patrick’s Day Parade starts Sunday at 12 noon on Edgemere Road. Organized by the Montauk Friends of Erin, they call their gathering a premier East End event, featuring marching bands, floats, and community members, drawing thousands to celebrate.***The Wall Street bonus pool soared to a record high of $49.2 billion last year, a mighty sum that nevertheless fell short of what New York City budget planners had predicted, the New York State comptroller said in a report yesterday. The growth of the pool came as profits surged on Wall Street and the cost of living soared in New York, where an affordability crisis powered the election of N.Y.C. Mayor Zohran Mamdani last year.Liam Stack reports in THE NY TIMES that the office of the NYS comptroller, Thomas P. DiNapoli, said Wall Street profits jumped 30 percent last year, to $65.1 billion, and the roughly 200,000 people employed in the securities industry were awarded an average bonus of $246,900 per person.Ana Champeny, vice president for research at the Citizens Budget Commission, estimated the shortfall in tax revenue from the bonuses would be between $100 and $200 million, but said that was just a drop in the bucket of the $18 billion the state collects each year in income tax.The report on estimated Wall Street bonuses, which the comptroller’s office releases annually, is based on an analysis of personal income tax withholding trends. The office said the bonuses it tracks are both cash payments for work performed in 2025 and deferred bonuses from past years that have been newly cashed in.The City of New York was counting on a 15 percent rise in bonuses to produce tax revenues to fill its budget gap. The actual increase was 9 percent, the NYS comptroller said. Rahul Jain, the deputy comptroller for New York City in the state comptroller’s office, told THE NY TIMES that he thought the softer-than-expected growth of the bonus pool would not be “a major problem for the city this year.” “There are other places they can get money from,” he said.On the whole, Mr. Jain added, the report was “still pretty good news.”“They were more optimistic about what that growth would be, and that will hurt a little bit.” he said. “But every dollar counts — especially right now.”
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