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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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Riverhead Central School District states it will adhere to NY guidance over immigration enforcement
Jan 24, 202500:09:51Tap to summarizeCivil rights advocates and police reform activists on Long Island reacted with alarm yesterday to a new Trump administration directive that would severely limit federal oversight of local police departments.The Trump administration, in a memo, instructed lawyers in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division not to file any new complaints, The Associated Press reported Thursday.Another Justice Department memo ordered lawyers to notify Department of Justice leadership of any settlements or consent decrees reached in the last three months of the Biden administration, saying Trump’s administration "may wish to reconsider" the agreements, which lay out plans for police reform and are enforceable by the courts. It does not appear that any Long Island police departments have reached settlements in that time period. Nicole Fuller reports in NEWSDAY that New York Attorney General Letitia James, along with her counterparts in 10 other states, said they won’t abide by any Trump administration-ordered freeze on civil rights litigation. The attorneys general said they would focus on continuing to enforce laws to protect immigrants."Despite what he may say to the contrary, the president cannot unilaterally rewrite the Constitution," they said in a statement yesterday. In New York, State Executive Law 70-b gives the attorney general authority to investigate all instances in which a police officer may have caused a death.The law was passed in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020.***The Riverhead Central School District has notified the community it will strictly adhere to New York State guidance that “immigration enforcement actions cannot occur on school grounds without proper legal documentation.” Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the statement came two days after the Trump administration announced it was ending a ban in place since 2011 against federal immigration agencies making arrests at schools, churches and hospitals. In a letter to the school community sent out through the district’s Parent Square communications app and posted on the district website yesterday, the district said it would adhere to the state guidance “in the strictest sense” and would call on its “legal counsel to affirm the validity of any supposed legal documentation brought to the District by any federal agency before we commit to compliance.” The letter was signed by Riverhead School Board of Education President James Scudder and Interim Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich. They emphasized that New York State law and federal protections guarantee the right to a free public education for all children, regardless of citizenship or immigration status. The Riverhead School District student body is 66 percent Hispanic according to district officials.***Hampton Library in Bridgehampton is hosting “Winter Intermezzo: An Afternoon of Poetry & Music” on Saturday afternoon. That’s tomorrow at 2 p.m. in St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Bridgehampton. Inspiring words of verse will be read by local poets Peter Walsh and Candace Hill Montgomery, Canio’s Maryann Calendrille, Hampton Library’s Jill Burdge and Lisa Michne, student Poppy Edwards, and St. Ann’s Father Jim, with musical interludes by, among others, violinist Garry Ianco, associate concertmaster of The New American Sinfonietta. Blythe Danner will be the special guest. Refreshments will be served in the parish house after the reading. Tickets may be reserved in advance at myhamptonlibrary.org or by calling 631-537-0015. Admission is free but donations will be accepted at the door. All proceeds will go toward the Hampton Library’s Capital campaign.***The North Haven Village Board last week unveiled a slew of proposed code amendments, ranging from new definitions for what can be included in determining the size of a building lot to a proposal that would have banned the display of sculpture or other artwork on a front lawn, which was withdrawn by Mayor Chris Fiore without comment. The remaining hearings were kept open, pending a ruling by the Suffolk County Planning Commission that the proposed changes are appropriate. Stephen J. Kotz reports on 27east.com that the proposal that generated the most pushback was one that would exclude that portion of a property that is underwater or under a street from being included in the total lot area. Trustee Terie Diat said there are at least 175 waterfront lots in the village, where land below the high tide line is considered part of the property and taxed by both the Village of North Haven and the Town of Southampton. Eliminating that square footage could reduce the size of what could be built on it and would be particularly “punitive to waterfront homeowners who have small lots,” she said. Mayor Fiore said the village took up the proposed zoning changes because the board has received complaints over the years from residents who see modest ranch houses razed and replaced with McMansions, destroying the village’s character in the process. Another resident, Rob Remkus, told the board, “The village should be careful about how strict it is in restricting the size of houses because those larger houses pay higher taxes and will help support the village in the future. Trustee Terie Diat said she supported the general effort to protect the village’s character. However, she argued that the work was too important to do in “a piecemeal” fashion. “We should look at zoning changes in a comprehensive manner.” Barbara Roberts, a North Haven resident, backed Diat. She said the village should invest the time and energy into creating a comprehensive plan. “The conversation has to start with the entire community brainstorming,” said Ms. Roberts.***The Southampton Town Board has scheduled a public hearing for Feb. 11 at 1 p.m. on major changes to its town codes regarding Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), after massive public backlash last year against a proposed 100 megawatt BESS project proposed not far from the Shinnecock Canal in Hampton Bays.The board has scheduled the public hearing just in advance of the expected end of a moratorium on consideration of BESS systems on Feb. 13, 2025. That moratorium has been in place since mid-2023, as New York State has been working to revamp its code guidelines for battery storage in the wake of three 2023 fires at BESS sites throughout the state, including one in East Hampton. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that under Southampton’s proposed new regulations, BESS systems large enough to be considered Tier 2 and Tier 3 under the new code would be prohibited in residential areas, and stand-alone BESS systems would be capped at 5 megawatts, while systems tied to a solar array could be rated no greater than 20 megawatts. Southampton Town Planner Seth Race said 16 recommendations by the New York State Interagency Fire Safety Working Group, which are expected to become state code “at some point,” have been incorporated into town code, including mandatory peer review of applications by experts in the industry who do not have a financial stake in the project. The New York State Energy Research Development Agency is compiling a list of “qualified, certified individuals that should be able to assist the town.” The fee for this consulting work would be paid for by the applicant, he added.Here's a text of the code changes"The Southampton Town Board hereby directs that a public hearing shall be held on February 11, 2025 at 1:00 p.m., both in-person, at Southampton Town Hall, 116 Hampton Road, Southampton, New York, and via videoconferencing, to hear any and all persons either for or against a local law entitled: “A LOCAL LAW enacting Article VIIA entitled "Energy Storage" within Chapter 330 Zoning, of the Code of the Town of Southampton."***This coming Sunday the North Fork Polar Bears will host their third Annual North Fork Polar Bear Plunge — a charitable cold-water plunge open to the public at Veterans Beach on the Peconic Bay in Mattituck.Plungers and supporters will gather to brave the cold to raise funds for the Center for Advocacy, Support & Transformation (CAST) and Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program’s Back to the Bays Initiative.Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., and the plunge starts at 10:00 a.m. this Sunday.Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that The Plunge has become a highlight of the North Fork’s quiet winter season — more than 300plungers and supporters took part in the second annual event in January of 2024.This year, the North Fork Polar Bears are raising the stakes with an ambitious goal of 500 participants and a fundraising target of $100,000.***Southampton History Museum Executive Director Sarah Kautz recently confronted the Southampton School Board over “seemingly coercive comments” made during a previous meeting, comments that suggested the nonprofit could lose its spot on the district ballot in May following its termination of the Conscience Point Shellfish Hatchery’s lease. Michelle Trauring reports on 27east.com that efforts to clarify quickly deteriorated into a back-and-forth between Kautz and the School Board — with the museum administrator calling out specific members by name, and Board President Jacqueline Robinson insisting that this conversation be placed on pause until they had spoken with their attorney. “We take this extremely seriously,” Kautz said. “We do, as well,” Robinson interjected. Kautz responded, “We spent a lot of, over 100 years, serving this community, and not just any museum gets a charter.”...
Transcribe →Aquebogue duck farm facing bird flu outbreak, euthanizing 99,000 ducks
Jan 23, 202500:09:53Tap to summarizeLong Island education officials reacted with a mixture of concern and caution yesterday at the news that federal immigration agents can now make arrests at schools and other "sensitive" areas. Darwin Yanes reports in NEWSDAY that a directive was issued Monday — President Donald Trump's first day in office — rescinding guidance that had protected migrants from being arrested by law enforcement agencies, such as the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, while in or near locations like places of worship, health care facilities and schools.Dafny Irizarry, president of the Long Island Latino Teachers Association, criticized the policy change, saying, "Schools are places where our kids come to learn, not to be interrogated about their status, not a place to be arrested."The NYS Education Department, along with the offices of Gov. Kathy Hochul and state Attorney General Letitia James, issued a nine-page document that addressed issues such as enrollment requirements at schools, the release of student information and potential law enforcement detention of students. The guidance states that "law enforcement officers may not remove a student from school property or interrogate a student" without the consent of a parent or person in parental relation, unless a warrant or an order authorizing the custody is issued.In a statement yesterday, state Education Department spokesman J.P. O'Hare said, "New York State law guarantees every student, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, the fundamental right to a free public education. Through this joint guidance, we reminded school districts of their legal obligation to educate every student and offered our full support in this vital mission."***The Farrell Companies plan to install nitrogen-reducing I/A septic systems for all of the new “manufactured homes” they plan to install at the former Lier’s Mobile Home Park in Eastport — but maintain that they are still entitled to erect 93 of the units that were on the property’s original certificate of occupancy. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that the installation of new residences that had been underway has been halted since early December after Southampton Town issued a second stop-work order at the property demanding that no new concrete pads or new homes be built or installed until the Suffolk County Department of Health Services has determined how the development can move ahead. In June, a county health department official sent a memo to Southampton Town officials stating that the trailer park’s septic allowances were not, in fact, grandfathered in, allowing the existing decades-old wastewater systems to remain in place at the property. The site of the property being cleared in Eastport and new “double wide” residences being brought in sparked objections from neighbors, saying that the renewal of the trailer park as a bustling residential neighborhood would bring new problems of traffic, environmental conditions and soaring school population in the tiny hamlet. Only 14 residents still live at the property, some of whom have also raised concerns that they will be pushed out unfairly by Farrell. But an attorney for the Farrell Companies assured members of the Planning Board that the current residents would be allowed to remain as long their leases remain up to date and are paid regularly.***The National Weather Service has announced on its website that it's seeking volunteers for its Cooperative Program to serve as volunteer weather observers in Mattituck, NY.Volunteers will participate by taking daily temperature and precipitation readings, the NWS said, adding, "Your data will help save lives and property!"Instruments and training will be provided free, including a temperature sensor and snow boards. Training will include instruction on how to take measurements and submit data through the NWS website.The perfect candidates should have "long-term commitment and a passion for weather observing," the NWS said. "We are looking for individuals who can commit to take observations for many years. A passion for weather is required."Backup observers are also needed for when volunteers are away.If interested visit the NWS website here.***A gift card went missing from the Amagansett School before Christmas break in 2023 — and now the school's principal could lose her job over it. Dandan Zou reports in NEWSDAY that the district is trying to fire principal Maria Dorr after accusing the longtime educator of stealing the card. District officials have said in disciplinary proceedings that she broke the trust of the Amagansett School community. But Dorr, who was never criminally charged, has denied she stole the card. Her attorneys called the allegations “scandalous, defamatory and without merit.” They asked: Why would an educator with an “unblemished record” of 25 years steal a gift card worth $50 or less, putting her career and reputation in jeopardy?After seven hearings — with more than 42 hours of testimony and 15 witnesses — the case could soon have a resolution. Attorneys for both sides filed post-hearing briefs last Friday and a state-designated hearing officer is expected to issue a decision within 30 days. Dorr, 51, who earned $215,764 in 2023-24, was suspended with pay last January.The hearing officer, Timothy Taylor, instructed the witnesses not to speak about the case. But unlike most disciplinary hearings, Dorr chose to make hers public.The Amagansett school system is one of the smallest on Long Island, with about 120 students in prekindergarten through sixth grade all housed in one building. ***Long Island’s last large commercial duck farm, in Aquebogue, had a bird flu outbreak, requiring 99,000 ducks to be euthanized. Any hope of saving the genetics of the ducks sits with 10,000 sanitized eggs that are in quarantine and must undergo rounds of testing before they can be safely hatched off the facility. The presence of the virus, which is highly contagious and deadly among domestic poultry, was confirmed by lab tests last Thursday, Crescent Duck Farm President Doug Corwin said yesterday. The farm was established in 1908 and remains the last commercial duck farm on Long Island, once world-renowned for its ducks. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that no one at Crescent Duck Farm is known to have contracted the virus, Corwin said. Everyone is being monitored. The Suffolk County Health Department said in a statement this Tuesday that the “county is working with state agencies to ensure public health and safety. There is minimal risk to public health.” Corwin said the outbreak at his family’s farm leaves its future up in the air. After culling operations are completed, which will take about a week, a massive cleanup will be undertaken.Mark Harrington and Lisa L. Colangelo report in NEWSDAY that 47 workers at Crescent Duck Farm were laid off. Around 20 Crescent workers remain on staff, helping in the effort to sanitize. The employees laid off were given notices explaining the situation of their release for unemployment benefits. Many of the workers have been with the company for 20 to 30 years, one for 35 years. The Corwin land in Aquebogue has been in the Corwin family since the 1600s.***Legal Counsel Natalia Rodriguez, of the Central American Refugee Center (CARACEN) says that local students have one overwhelming question for her: “What will happen to me if my parent gets detained or deported?” Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that Ms. Rodriguez explains to the students the process by which their parents can file for “Standby Guardianship,” an 18-page form available on the New York State Unified Court System’s website, which must be signed by two witnesses and notarized, allowing their parents to designate a person to care for them if they are detained.She said the families should give a copy of the form to the guardian, which they can bring to Suffolk County Family or Surrogate Court if the child’s parents are detained or deported. They will then be granted guardianship for 60 days. “They can get an extension, but what happens after 60 days, I don’t know,” said Ms. Rodriguez.CARACEN has long been a partner with the Center for Advocacy, Support and Transformation in Southold, better known locally as CAST helping immigrants on the North Fork navigate these challenges.CAST plans to hold informational seminars as national policy becomes clearer.New York State Unified Court System’s website***A new survey of Long Island CEOs shows division over the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the workplace. James T. Madore reports in NEWSDAY that among the 268 executives who participated in the annual Long Island Economic Survey, 35% said DEI is part of their company’s mission and is a company priority, while an additional 33% said DEI is important but not a company priority.“There’s a significantly high adoption rate on Long Island,” said Don Levy, a pollster and director of the Siena College Research Institute, which conducted the survey from Sept. 16 through Nov. 4 with the accounting firm PKF O’Connor Davies. "You've got two-thirds of CEOs that we interviewed who say DEI is either a priority or at least important to their company." But 32% of respondents said DEI isn't something they think about. The results of the survey, which was conducted before the presidential election, were re...
Transcribe →East End environmental projects receive grant money through state initiative
Jan 2, 2025Tap to summarizeRestoration of a park near the Nissequogue River, preservation of 110 forested acres in Riverhead and planning for reclamation of industrial land along the Long Beach bayfront are among the projects receiving grants through a state initiative that has so far poured more than $1 billion into Long Island economic development. Nicholas Spangler reports in NEWSDAY that the latest round of state aid announced this week through the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative will steer $16.7 million to Long Island for nearly 30 projects across the region. More than a dozen are intended to improve water quality, fund the purchase of sensitive land, map and identify problem areas of local storm sewer systems, and pay for improvements like storage facilities to replace outdoor road salt piles. Other projects are aimed at revitalizing local waterfronts by planning for redevelopment or building shoreline protections. Half a dozen projects cover restoration of parks and landmarks including the Dix Hills home of jazz giants Alice and John Coltrane. The state economic development initiative, started in 2011 under then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, pools much of the money, formerly doled out by state agencies. Since its inception, the initiative has steered $8 billion to more than 10,000 projects statewide.Lawrence Levy, executive dean at the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University, said the initiative has primed "the job generating pump" on Long Island, distributing its windfalls evenly across the region. It's also created a model of cooperation for business, nonprofit and educational leaders on Long Island, said Levy, who worked for the regional development council in its first decade.***New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has vetoed legislation that would’ve required industrial development agencies to have representatives from unions and public schools on their boards of directors.James T. Madore reports in NEWSDAY that IDAs grant breaks on property taxes, sales taxes and other levies to expanding businesses in return for job creation and capital investment. The tax savings impact the budgets of school districts by shifting the tax burden to homeowners and other companies not receiving IDA assistance, while unions want the construction jobs for their members. Statewide, there are more than 100 IDAs, including eight on Long Island.Proponents of the vetoed bill said it would've make IDAs more accountable to the communities where projects receiving tax breaks are located. In her Dec. 21 veto message, Hochul said the legislation, which passed overwhelmingly in the state Senate and Assembly in the spring, wasn’t necessary. She said labor leaders and educators are already eligible for IDA board seats, and the agencies must seek input on their tax incentive packages via public hearings and meetings.“It is most appropriate to ensure specific industrial development agency members are chosen by the municipality to best represent the interests of the community rather than imposing an inflexible statutory requirement,” said Hochul, a Democrat.The legislation passed by wide margins in both chambers of the state legislature in June. East end supporters included State Senator Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk), Assembly Member Jodi Giglio (R-Baiting Hollow) and Assembly Member Fred Thiele (D-Sag Harbor). ***It’s going to grow like a weed. Carl Campanile reports in THE NY POST that the legal cannabis industry will take New Yorkers even higher in 2025, with state regulators projecting the number of new licensed pot stores will more than double — soaring from 275 to more than 625.In 2024, consumers purchased more than $840 million in legal ganja. When factoring in sales from 2023, the legal market has exceeded the milestone of $1 billion in total sales.The Office of Cannabis Management said sales in 2025 could exceed $1.5 billion, or about double last year’s haul while law enforcement will expand efforts to padlock illegal stores. “With the Office licensing approximately 30 dispensaries per month in the last quarter of 2024, we would expect over 350 dispensaries to open in 2025,” according to OCM policy director John Kagia. “Doubling the number of stores opening in 2025 would be huge. It will help suffocate the illicit operators,” said Joe Rossi, a Park Strategies lobbyist who reps a dozen clients in the cannabis industry. “There’s reason to be optimistic. The cannabis industry is starting to turn the corner,” added Rossi, who’s been an outspoken critic of the Empire State’s cannabis rollout.***East Hampton Town officials will consider approving about $3.7 million in grants and a loan to a variety of affordable housing initiatives. The funding would be the first large-scale use of a new fund designed to boost affordable housing. The lack of it is a regional problem that has become particularly acute across the East End. Joe Werkmeister reports in NEWSDAY that in 2022, voters approved the creation of the East Hampton Community Housing Fund, which generates money through a 0.5% tax on most real estate transactions. Since the fund’s adoption, the town began developing programs for spending money that started flowing into the fund in April 2023.Officials said the fund has generated about $10 million as of Dec. 1. The applications under review now are part of a program to award grants or loans to individuals, developers, nonprofits or municipalities such as local villages. The town’s community housing advisory board reviewed seven applications it received between June and August and has recommended the board approve funding for five, ranging from a $338,000 loan to $1.5 million grant.Eric Schantz, East Hampton Town’s housing director, provided an overview of each request to the town board in early December. Each application requires a public hearing, which the board held on Dec. 19. Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez said the board plans to discuss each application again at its meeting Tuesday so “the community can hear the town board deliberate on the requests.”As part of the new housing fund, the Town of East Hampton has also implemented a separate down payment assistance pilot program that offers qualified homeowners $30,000.***As it moves closer to an anticipated 2025 grand opening, the Southampton Playhouse has announced the hiring of two leaders who will be at the forefront of bringing the iconic Hill Street venue back to a place of prominence in the Southampton community. Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that The Playhouse, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has hired Maria A. Ruiz Botsacos as its inaugural executive director, and has tapped Eric Kohn as its artistic director.The Southampton Playhouse was born after real estate developer Aby Rosen and his son, Charlie Rosen, through their company, RFR Holdings, purchased the Southampton Movie Theater — in partnership with Alex Black, CEO of Lyrical Media — for $8 million back in 2022 from former owner Ken Karlin.The nine decade old theater, which was in desperate need of upgrades and repairs, had been shuttered since the start of the pandemic. It was originally built in 1932 as a single-auditorium theater. Extensive upgrades have been happening at the theater for more than a year, and when it reopens in 2025, the Playhouse will include three state-of-the art movie theaters, and an IMAX theater as the fourth house, making it the only IMAX theater in the surrounding area.The Playhouse will have the ability to show first-run theatrical features as well as 35mm films, and will also host community events and even outdoor movie nights in the parking lot.***A federal judge this week found that New York had taken most of the necessary steps to enact a plan that charges drivers when entering the center of Manhattan, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said it will go into effect this coming Sunday.But the judge also ordered federal transportation officials to review and further explain some aspects of the program, known as congestion pricing. And a lawyer for the State of New Jersey, which had sued to block the plan, said the ruling meant it could not be implemented. Ana Ley and Winnie Hu report in THE NY TIMES that the 72-page decision from Judge Leo M. Gordon does not appear to stop New York from going forward with the program while the federal authorities address his concerns.New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul called the decision from Judge Gordon in U.S. District Court in New Jersey “a massive win for commuters in both New York and New Jersey.”Congestion pricing aims to provide funding for mass transit in New York City and its suburbs...including the L.I.R.R...by charging most motorists $9 to enter Manhattan at 60th Street or below.***A good home is hard to find — even for Wall Street's masters of the universe. Jonathan LaMantia reports in NEWSDAY that Hamptons real estate brokers involved in the 10 priciest deals of 2024 reported having trouble finding the right oceanfront mansion or verdant estate for their buyers because too few came to market last year."I have 10 people who want to spend over $20 million on a property and there's nothing that's attractive for them to purchase," said Kyle Rosko, a real estate agent at Douglas Elliman in Bridgehampton. Newsday compiled a list of the 10 most expensive Hampton home sales through data supplied by Jonathan Miller, CEO of Manhattan appraisal firm Miller Samuel, property records and interviews with luxury real estate brokers.The number of mega deals of at least $50 million in the Hamptons was down to just one in 2024, according to Newsday's analysis. That is down f...
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