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.

  1. 1d ago

    Greenport grapples with downtown vacancies; Hochul announces new restrictions on ICE; and more East End news

    Schools should do more to limit technology in the classroom but calls from the nation's second-largest teachers' union to impose sharp new restrictions on computer use — including a ban on screens for the youngest students — go too far, several Long Island educators said this week. The American Federation of Teachers’ president, Randi Weingarten, laid out the union’s proposals in a speech Wednesday in Washington, D.C. The AFT’s 1.8 million members includes about 130,000 New York State United Teachers members in Nassau and Suffolk counties, the union said. Maura McDermott reports in NEWSDAY that the union’s recommendations include an immediate ban on screens, including computer-based assessments, for students in kindergarten through second grade, as well as prohibitions on the use of artificial intelligence in elementary schools and on so-called “social companion” AI chatbots for those under 16. Weingarten cited Jonathan Haidt’s widely discussed book “The Anxious Generation” as an inspiration for the proposals. Students are “drowning in tech,” Weingarten said at the National Press Club. Educators and parents, she said, “cannot manage the tech juggernaut on our own.” The use of technology in the classroom has been a hotly-debated topic around the nation, with some states exploring measures to limit students' use of digital devices or artificial intelligence. Local educators have seen “very positive results” from the state's ban on students’ smart devices in schools, including better behavior and more interactions between students, and restrictions on in-class technology also would be welcome, said Bob Vecchio, executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association “There's studies that show too much screen time is not good for the developing brain, so obviously we would support that,” he said. Plus, he said, “the use of artificial intelligence by students has to be closely monitored” to make sure the technology is being used in ways that are age appropriate. However, Vecchio said it is important for local officials to maintain control over decisions such as which vendors to work with and what policies to implement, “as opposed to a one size fits all mandate.” *** By early afternoon on a recent Tuesday, Greenport was bustling. Tourists sauntered between boutiques, friends caught up over coffee at sidewalk tables, music spilled from open doors. But even against a busy backdrop, empty storefronts, "for lease" signs and dim windows are hard to miss as business owners and village officials grapple with a surge of downtown vacancies. Tara Smith reports in NEWSDAY that as the summer begins, with day trippers trekking from western Long Island and tourists arriving on marina docks, business leaders are launching a plan to fill empty stores, ideally beyond the three-month sprint from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Nearly a dozen storefronts remain vacant, largely concentrated across the waterfront on Front Street. Though there are glimmers of hope as several new shops and restaurants plan summer openings, a publicly funded business district is pushing to bring a burst of new business to the North Fork village. Rich Vandenburgh, the president of the Greenport Business Improvement District, described a “perfect storm” of challenges, including several retiring shopkeepers, coupled with rising rents, seasonal pressures and consumer trends. “We’ll find ways to bridge the gaps and get good quality folks in there, and hopefully have them be there year-round," Vandenburgh said in an interview. “Unfortunately, some of the landlords are looking for rents that are Southampton, East Hampton kind of rents that are just prohibitive." There are several vacancies on Main Street in Greenport, including a former candy store and pizzeria. Among the most prominent vacancies is The Arcade, a longtime general store that closed in 2017. The sprawling landmark, founded in 1928, once sold everything from beach towels and toys to sewing kits and household goods. Today, real estate posters fill the large windows of the 16,600-square-foot building. An online listing asks for a monthly rent of $27,667. Residents are split over the right path forward as a debate brews. One former mayor favors more forceful tactics, such as seizing properties by eminent domain. *** This Sunday from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., the Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton presents acclaimed pianist Olga Vinokur – who will return to the library for an afternoon of classical piano music. She has been praised by the New York Times for her “exquisite performance” and “the strength and consistency of her artistry.” From Great Romantics to American Favorites Sunday’s program will include pieces by Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and Gershwin among others. Reservations required. Visit the R.M.L. website at rogersmemorial.librarycalendar.com/event/olga-vinokur-piano-78124 That’s this coming Sunday from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Rogers Memorial Library, 91 Coopers Farm Rd, Southampton, NY 11968 (631) 283-0774 *** Roughly a week after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced new restrictions on federal immigration agents, including a mask ban, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security made clear it was girding for battle. Grace Ashford and Hamed Aleaziz report in THE NY TIMES that in an internal memo, the department’s general counsel assured agents that they were “not legally required to comply with state and local mask prohibitions while carrying out their official duties.” The memo, dated May 15 and reviewed by The New York Times, added that officers should “freely perform their authorized duties without concern for state interference or fear of prosecution.” The guidance signals that the agency has no intention of cooperating with a wave of legislation across the country that aims to curtail immigration enforcement. New York is the latest to join the fray, enacting legislation that bans masks, allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to be sued for constitutional violations, and prohibits agents from searching “sensitive locations” like hospitals and schools without a warrant signed by a judge. “If you are enforcing the law, you should not be hiding from it,” Jen Goodman, a spokeswoman for Governor Hochul, said in response to the news that the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, was already preparing to disregard New York’s mask ban. “Any ICE agent who comes to New York and violates our laws will be held accountable.” The state will also prohibit informal and formal arrangements, called 287(g) agreements, between counties and ICE that had allowed the federal agency to use local law enforcement and jails to arrest and detain people suspected of being in the country illegally. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said it does not comment on leaked materials. But it called mask bans like New York’s “despicable and a flagrant attempt to endanger our officers,” arguing that agents wear face coverings only to protect themselves and that under the Constitution, state and local politicians “do not control federal law enforcement.” “To be crystal clear: We will not abide by unconstitutional bans,” the statement said. The Trump administration’s border czar, Tom Homan, said earlier this month that New York’s legislation would make his agency’s work “more dangerous and less efficient.” “When I lose those 287(g) programs, I lose those jails, that means I’ve got to send more officers into the street to look for more people you released,” he said in an interview with The Washington Examiner. Lawmakers and immigrant advocates say that New York’s legislation, which was included in the state budget formally passed Wednesday evening, does not go far enough. Even though informal agreements between ICE and local law enforcement are prohibited, there is nothing in the law explicitly preventing the police from calling immigration officials after, for instance, a traffic stop involving someone potentially subject to deportation. Governor Hochul, who fought against creating a blanket rule to ban such calls, said yesterday that police officers still should not be calling immigration just because someone is speaking Spanish. “Why would you call ICE in that situation?” she said. “That is not your job.” *** More details are emerging about the death of Cesar Albarracin Guncay, a sixth-grade student from the Sag Harbor Union Free School District who died this week following a rafting accident during an annual school trip to the Poconos. Kathryn G. Menu reports on 27east.com that according to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, a party of five boaters was traveling the Lehigh River in East Penn Township, Pennsylvania. The group was in an inflatable raft as part of a larger guided excursion when the vessel capsized, ejecting everyone on board. Guncay did not immediately resurface, prompting a search and rescue operation that eventually recovered the child. According to the commission, everyone else on the boat was recovered safely. Guncay was one of 74 students on the school trip. A release issued by the Carbon County Coroner’s Office stated that emergency personnel were dispatched to reports of a drowning near mile marker 99 of the D&L Trail along the Lehigh River. The 12-year-old boy had already been removed from the water and was being transported by the Lehigh Fire Department Dive Team to an area known as “Marvin Gardens.” Guncay was pronounced dead at 6:50 p.m. An autopsy was scheduled for yesterday. An ongoing investigation is being led by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat...

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  2. 2d ago

    Sag Harbor grieves tragic loss of 6th grade student

    The United States Golf Association and New York State Department of Transportation will create an express lane along more than 3 miles of Sunrise Highway, solely for use by the shuttle buses ferrying spectators and volunteers from Calverton to the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in June. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that over the last two weeks, construction crews have been building a paved crossover through the Sunrise median between the eastbound and westbound lanes just east of the interchange with Flanders Road that will allow shuttle buses to bypass the chronic crawl of trade parade traffic on 27 eastbound in the mornings. For the seven days of the tournament week — from Monday, June 15, through Sunday, June 21 — shuttle buses running between the remote parking lots at the former Grumman aircraft factory in Calverton and the S.H.G.C. will cross over into the nearest westbound lane to travel east. The right-hand lane of westbound traffic will remain open at all times, separated from the so-called “contra-lane” by cones that will be put down and picked up each morning. The express contra-lane will run from the Flanders Road interchange to the intersection of Shrubland Road and County Road 39, where the buses will turn off and take Shrubland and Sebonac Road to the Shinnecock Hills G.C. property. The eastbound express contra-lane will only operate until 10 a.m. each morning, after which the dividers will be removed and both lanes on the north side of the median returned to westbound traffic for the remainder of the day. In 2018, the remote parking lots for the U.S. Open Golf Championship were at Gabreski Airport in Westhampton. But because much of what was once vacant on the Gabreski property has now been developed, the USGA this year was forced to move its remote lots all the way to the Grumman property in Calverton. Tournament directors said that in order to incentivize people to use the remote parking and the shuttle buses, they needed to find a way to cut down on the overall travel time from Calverton — otherwise more people might opt to try to drive and find parking around Southampton. *** The Bridgehampton School announced yesterday that it has hired Dr. Brigid Collins as its new superintendent of schools. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that Dr. Collins had been serving as interim superintendent since February, filling the void left by former Superintendent Dr. Mary T. Kelly, who announced her retirement in January. In a letter to parents in the district, Bridgehampton School Board President Jo Ann Comfort said that the board made the decision to hire Collins after a “thorough and competitive search process,” during which Collins emerged as the top candidate. “We have also been fortunate to experience her leadership style while she has served as the interim superintendent, and the board unanimously concluded that Dr. Collins brings the vision, experience and leadership qualities needed to guide our district forward.” Collins lives in Sag Harbor with her husband, Jim Stewart, who was a longtime teacher and coach in the East Hampton School District Bridgid Collins has more than three decades of experience as an educator. Her career began in upstate New York. After graduating with a teaching degree from Union College, Collins did a one-year internship at Niskayuna High School and taught for two years at Oneida Middle School as an English and reading teacher. Since then, she has moved to the east end where Dr. Collins has furthered her education and worked as teacher and administrator in East Hampton, Montauk, and Southampton…and now in Bridgehampton as that school district’s new superintendent of schools…no longer their interim leader. *** Thanks to a collaborative effort from several different groups, the Sag Harbor Village Police Department now has an officer with four legs and a mission to reduce stress. Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that Gillies, a 17-month-old English Labrador, is now an official member of the department, serving as a therapy dog, after a special shield ceremony held at Village Hall in Sag Harbor this past Tuesday. Gillies will play a key role in supporting officer wellness and overall well-being. In the few weeks he’s been with the department, he’s become something of a local celebrity. His handler, Sergeant Kelly Anderson, said people have come into the department on multiple occasions asking if Gillies is on the job, proving he’s already perfectly suited to one of his other job duties — serving as a connection between the department and the greater Sag Harbor community through outreach, events and overall public engagement. Gillies is named after Clark Gillies, the New York Islanders 4-time Stanley Cup Hockey Champion who was highly respected as the team’s chief protector and enforcer. The young yellow Lab came to the department thanks to the Matt Martin Foundation and the Suffolk County Police Foundation. Those organizations teamed up to help fund the purchase of Gillies and pay for his training. Veterinarian Dr. Teri Meekins will be taking care of Gillies, a service she is donating through the support of the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation. Martin, who used to own a home in Sag Harbor and regularly visits the area, played in the NHL for 16 years, with the Islanders, retiring last year. The Matt Martin Foundation prioritizes working with veterans and first responders, in particular raising and training service dogs for organizations that work with veterans and first responders. *** The Hampton Classic Horse Show in Bridgehampton has been sued by its primary fast-food vendor after the show ended its contract and allowed another vendor to offer items similar to those on its menu, according to the lawsuit. Tiffany Cusaac-Smith reports in NEWSDAY that G&L Gyro Concessions alleged in a lawsuit filed last week in state Supreme Court in Suffolk County it was not welcomed back to the 2026 event in August without prior written notice of dissatisfaction, despite an agreement the company would serve as the event's main fast-food provider through 2027. The Bethpage-based business also said Citarella, a gourmet market with several locations on Long Island, ran a food concession right next to G&L at the show and was allowed to sell items that were only supposed to be sold by G&L. The Hampton Classic Horse Show did not respond to Newsday’s request for comment, but court documents show the event’s executive director said in an email the event had received negative reviews of G&L and that it would have selected an alternative vendor whether or not Citarella was available or interested. "The Hampton Classic did not find G&L Gyro Concessions' food service satisfactory and has therefore terminated the agreement," an email listed in court documents said. For roughly 12 years, G&L had served as the primary fast-food vendor for the summer gathering, the lawsuit said. An agreement spanning 2023 to 2027 called for the company to operate a lemonade area, a Groom's Café and the main food hub within the Boutique Garden, court documents show. In 2025, G&L said the Hampton Classic had told the company verbally it would not be asked to return in 2026, according to the lawsuit. G&L maintains the horse show had provided it "no written notice of deficiency, and no documented expression of dissatisfaction at any point during G&L's twelve years of service, or at any time during the term of the Agreement.” *** Those hoping to learn more about career opportunities within East Hampton town will soon have the chance. Lisa Finn reports on Patch.com that the Town of East Hampton will host a job fair on Saturday, June 6, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon in the main meeting room at Town Hall, located at 159 Pantigo Road in East Hampton. The job fair will give residents and prospective applicants an opportunity to learn more about employment opportunities with East Hampton Town, the civil service process, and the many ways local government serves the community, officials said. Representatives from the Suffolk County Department of Civil Service will be on site, along with the town’s human resources department and representatives from the East Hampton town police, recreation, code and animal control, highway and sanitation departments. No registration is required. Interested applicants are encouraged to stop by, meet department representatives, ask questions, and learn more about current and future employment opportunities with the Town of East Hampton. *** A Sag Harbor Elementary School sixth grader died yesterday during a rafting trip in the Poconos. John Asbury reports in NEWSDAY that Sag Harbor Superintendent of Schools Jeff Nichols sent a letter to parents last night announcing the death of Cesar Albarracin Guncay, who died during an annual class trip. "There are no words to adequately express the depth of this loss," Mr. Nichols said. "Cesar was a cherished member of our school family, a child who mattered deeply to all who had the privilege of knowing him. His absence will leave an irreplaceable space in our classrooms, our hallways and our lives. Our deepest sympathies and condolences go out to Cesar’s family and friends during this very sad time. We will keep them in our thoughts and prayers." Cesar died while rafting on the Lehigh River in East Penn Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania after the raft overturned in the river. The death is being investigated by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. "On Wednesday, there was a large party of boaters on a raft on the Lehigh River in Carbon County, and that raft...

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  3. 3d ago

    USDA declares Disaster Designation for Suffolk due to shellfish die-off; New pavilion at Cupsogue opens Friday; and more East End news

    Here’s a question everyone around here has been asking the past couple days… Are weekends rainier than the work week? If the question sounds preposterous, consider this spring: Including the sodden Memorial Day weekend we just experienced, it rained five of the last six weekends. Nicholas Spangler and Anastasia Valeeva report in NEWSDAY that it rained on half, or 10, of 20 weekend days since the start of the season on March 20. By comparison, it rained on a mere one-third of the 46 workweek days. Was this uneven distribution a function of chance? A cosmic conspiracy to ruin your golf game? Is there a scientific explanation? "Really, this is not much more than a bit of a bad luck pattern," said Newsday meteorologist Geoff Bansen. "Look at the global jet stream," the bands of strong wind that generally blow from west to east all across the globe, affecting temperature and precipitation, he said. "The movement is very rhythmic, but no one bats an eye when these things happen during the week." Finding a pattern to weekend rainfall, he added, would likely require sifting decades of climate data, not just a season’s worth. A Newsday analysis of decades of precipitation data collected by the National Weather Service in Islip suggested Bansen was correct: Analyses of five, 10 and 40 years of data found rain was not more frequent on weekends than weekdays. It also found no statistically significant change in the overall occurrence of rain events. The analysis did find that, over the last five years, Thursday was the rainiest day, followed by Saturday. A number of academic studies have analyzed historical precipitation data from other regions in search of weekly weather cycles, or what is sometimes called a "weekend effect." One hypothesis is that human activity that releases aerosols — tiny particles from smoke, dust or other sources that float in the atmosphere — could have meteorological impacts including on precipitation occurrence and amounts. Since that activity tends to increase during the week and decrease during the weekend, the thinking goes, it might be possible to discern cyclical variance. But the results of these studies are mixed. A 2008 paper found that "both the average area and intensity" of rain events over the southeast United States were greater in the middle of the week than on weekends; the phenomenon was reversed over the Atlantic. *** A forgotten baseball stadium that once drew thousands of fans — and one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history — has become the spark for a new community-driven effort to preserve Riverhead’s overlooked stories. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that Riverhead Free Library librarians Joann White and Michael Ryan say the idea for the library’s new “Riverhead Remembers” local history project grew out of their astonishment upon learning that Satchel Paige once pitched at a long-vanished Riverhead venue called Wivchar Stadium, later known as Riverhead Stadium. Neither librarian had ever heard of the stadium. Then they discovered many longtime Riverhead residents had not heard of it either. That realization led to a larger question: What else has Riverhead forgotten? Now the library is asking residents to help answer it — by bringing in photographs, documents, personal correspondence and stories tied to life in Riverhead through the decades. The library will digitize all materials and return originals to their owners, while building a growing archive of community history. “We really want to know their story,” White said. “A picture is great, but we need to learn a little bit about the story in the background.” The effort is centered partly around the mystery of Wivchar Stadium itself — a short-lived sports venue that operated from roughly 1949 to 1951 near what is now the Pulaski Street sports complex and the Riverhead Central School District offices on Osborn Avenue. Despite hosting professional-style events and drawing crowds reportedly exceeding 6,000 people, almost no photographic evidence of the stadium has surfaced. The legendary Satchel Paige appeared there in a barnstorming game on July 21, 1950. That game inspired the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame to install a historical marker at the site in 2022. The Riverhead librarians say they are especially interested in stories that often go undocumented — including African American history, immigrant experiences and everyday community life. For more information or to submit something for the Riverhead Remembers project, email RiverheadRemembers@riverheadlibrary.org. *** Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) located on the north shore of Long Island at the Nassau / Suffolk border since 1890…congratulates their Professor David Jackson, who has been elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society. Having the letters FRS (Fellow of the Royal Society) tacked onto the end of one’s name is among the very highest honors a scientist can achieve. It’s a mark of elite distinction. Other Fellows of the Royal Society include Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Stephen Hawking. “David Jackson has been a cornerstone of CSHL’s historic plant biology program since he joined the faculty in 1997,” said CSHL President Bruce Stillman. “His research has advanced science’s understanding of plant stem cell regulation, with significant implications for crop yield and other traits of agricultural importance. I congratulate Professor Jackson on his well-deserved election to the Royal Society.” Jackson came to CSHL after completing a fellowship funded by NATO and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Among his most recent discoveries are specific stem cell regulators in maize, which Jackson’s lab linked to corn ear size and productivity. For 136 years, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has shaped contemporary biomedical research and education with programs in cancer, neuroscience, plant biology and quantitative biology. Home to eight Nobel Prize winners, the private, not-for-profit Laboratory employs 1,000 people including 600 scientists, students and technicians. The Meetings & Courses Program hosts more than 12,000 scientists from around the world each year on its campuses in Long Island and in Suzhou, China. The Laboratory’s education arm also includes an academic publishing house, a graduate school and programs for middle, high school, and undergraduate students and teachers. *** The gaseous power duo that is heating up the planet consists of carbon dioxide, which is the largest contributor to global warming, and methane, its fast-acting, hot-tempered sibling. Hilary Howard reports in THE NY TIMES that carbon dioxide, which is mostly the result of burning fossil fuels, tends to get top-villain billing in climate policies. But in New York, methane — the stuff of cow burps, pipeline leaks and landfills — is getting its moment in the spotlight as legislators consider changing a metric for measuring greenhouse gases. It is part of an overhaul of the state’s 2019 climate law that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed. The suggested metric, a common — and some say outdated — formula for counting emissions since the early 1990s, would play a crucial role in weakening what was once described as one of the most ambitious climate laws in the world. It would downplay the warming effects of methane, many scientists argue. Methane can trap 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. So New York’s current climate law uses a metric that reflects this fact. Unlike carbon dioxide, which can linger in the atmosphere for hundreds of years, methane disappears fast; half of its presence is gone after 12 years. This means its heat-trapping effects diminish over time — which is why, many scientists said, it’s important to measure its effects at shorter intervals. Over 100 years, for example, methane’s heat-trapping powers are reduced to being about 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide’s. Now, Ms. Hochul wants to adopt a 100-year time frame to measure the effect of methane on the climate. That would be a significant shift from the current policy, which evaluates methane’s impact over 20 years. Doing that would dilute measurements of the planet-warming damage of methane, scientists argue. But it would also keep costs down by putting less pressure on waste management facilities, farmers and natural gas companies to reduce their methane pollution, an expensive undertaking that other New Yorkers could end up subsidizing through higher bills and prices, Ms. Hochul’s office argues. Governor Hochul, a Democrat, is up for re-election this year and is embracing an affordability platform. She seems more amenable to New York trading in its trailblazing climate leader status for what other states are doing. Ms. Hochul has the support of some moderate members of her party, along with unions and business organizations. *** United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement this year has detained at least a dozen young people locally with a special immigration status that protected them from deportation. The men, all of whom are from Central American countries, were released after challenging their detentions in court. The agency last year deported 132 people nationally with this status. Special Immigrant Juvenile Status applications have exploded in recent years. Roughly 78,000 people under the age of 21 applied nationally during the last fiscal year, up from 11,500 in 2015. Josefa Velásquez reports in NEWSDAY that across Long Island, young immigrants who came to this country years ago as children or teens — and believed the status would...

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  4. 4d ago

    NY Blood Center calls for donations amid dangerously low supply; Montauk restaranteur faces criticism for potential nightclub; and more

    Scoring a 130 to 93 victory last night while finishing a four game sweep of the Eastern Conference Finals, the New York Knickerbockers now advance to the National Basketball Association championship round - the NBA Finals for the first time this century and the ticket-buying frenzy on the secondary market for the Knicks’ first Finals home game at the Garden next month already has begun. Anthony Rieber reports in NEWSDAY that seats for the first Knicks home game in the Finals — which will be Game 3 on June 8 — are listing for well over $3,500 on most online resale sites. And that’s for the nosebleed seats. The priciest tickets that were on StubHub on Sunday night were a pair listed for more than $104,000 each. The seats, which are in the first row at center court, include a complimentary buffet, plus champagne and beer. On SeatGeek, the cheapest ticket for Game 3 on Sunday night was listed at more than $3,700, with the same $104,000 seats also being listed. TickPick had center-court seats — not in the front row — being offered for more than $177,000. Gametime maxed out at more than $103,000 for its top offerings. The Eastern Conference champion Knicks, who have not played in an NBA Finals since 1999, will host Games 3, 4 and 6 (if necessary) in the Finals regardless of whether Oklahoma City or San Antonio is their opponent. The two teams in the Western Conference Finals, which is tied at two games apiece, both had better regular-season records than the Knicks, and that is how home-court advantage is determined in the Finals. Prices for Game 4, which is scheduled for June 10, are along the same lines as Game 3 on the resale sites. The lowest-priced tickets for Game 6, which is scheduled for June 16, were listed for more than $4,200. Expect that number to skyrocket if the Knicks are up 3-2 and have a chance to clinch their first NBA title since 1973. Some Knicks fans probably already are looking to attend Game 1 either in Oklahoma City or San Antonio to save a few bucks. On StubHub, Game 1 tickets to a potential June 3 game in San Antonio could be had for about $1,500. And for Oklahoma City? Just over $1,100 a seat. *** Jack Curio’s legacy at the Brentwood school district lives on through the Junior Olympics and Leader Corps programs he helped found. And now, the legacy of the longtime physical education teacher at Southwest Elementary School, who retired in 2006, will extend another two centuries — through a tree planted in his honor. Joe Werkmeister reports in NEWSDAY that the Brentwood School District partnered with Suffolk County for its Planting It Forward to 2276 Program as part of the county’s yearlong celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. For the past month, residents have been planting trees to create a Living Legacy Tree Registry that will be preserved through the county clerk's office. The county provided free red oak seedlings to anyone interested late last month at county parks. Participants receive a Suffolk 250 Living Legacy certificate of registration. The goal is to plant 2,500 red oak trees by June 1, “connecting generations for the next 250 years,” according to the county, which has encouraged residents to dedicate their tree in honor of a loved one, family member or future generations. “What better way to celebrate a community than planting a tree,” Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine said during a news conference last month to kick off the program on Arbor Day. “Years from now, the tree that you planted that hopefully will grow high and tall will remind people about the history of Suffolk County.” The United States of America celebrates its semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026. *** The New York Blood Center is urgently calling on New Yorkers to donate blood this week as the region faces dangerously low blood collections at the start of the summer “trauma season.” Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that there are numerous local blood drives across the East End through the next few days. To register for this or other NYBC blood drives click here. Tuesday, May 26 Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital, 201 Manor Place, Greenport. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 27 Hampton Bays High School, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Southampton High School, 7:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Box Pickleball, 605 Old Country Road, Riverhead. Noon to 6 p.m. Thursday, May 28 Pierson Middle/High School, 200 Jermain Ave., Sag Harbor. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mattituck Lions Club at the Mattituck Fire Dept., 1000 Pike Street, Mattituck. 1 to 7 p.m. *** The fleet of drones used to scan for sharks in the shallow waters off Long Island beaches will grow this summer, as will the number of pilots, officials said. Nicholas Spangler reports in NEWSDAY that the fleet, now at 30, will add 16 machines, and the number of operators will grow from 47 to 67, according to a news release from Gov. Kathy Hochul's office. The operators are mostly staffers of the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation who are federally licensed but trained by the state’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. “We started in 2021 with lifeguards who volunteered their drones, and we have evolved to the point where we are using top-of-the-line drones with better cameras and wind resistance,” George Gorman, Long Island regional director for parks, told NEWSDAY Friday on the Jones Beach boardwalk. As he spoke, a State Park Police pilot launched a DJI Matrice 300 RTK. Its four rotors made the sound of a swarm of angry bees, and the thing darted up to hover about 60 feet overhead. The Matrice can stay airborne for up to 55 minutes. This particular specimen cost $40,000 and was equipped with night vision, thermal imaging and a powerful zoom lens, making it useful not just for wildlife scans but also in searches for swimmers in distress, said Park Police Capt. Rishi Basdeo. The fleet’s cheaper models cost closer to $6,000. “In the past, we’d use marine assets,” basically, officers in a boat, Basdeo said. “It was line of sight. Because the drone is three-dimensional, it’s more efficient, more cost-effective, to survey a large area.” Expansion of the program will support drone patrols three times daily at state beaches — early mornings before swimmers arrive, in the afternoon and before beach closure, Gorman said. Operators will add patrols if they spot baitfish, a strong indicator that feeding sharks may also be present. Parks works with state Department of Environmental Conservation biologists to confirm potential shark sightings. Swimming is not permitted for at least one hour after a confirmed sighting, and lifeguards, park police and park staff continue monitoring the water. About 18 million people visit Long Island beaches each summer. *** A two-story restaurant with a rooftop, Este, is currently under construction near the entrance to downtown Montauk — but the owner is facing scrutiny from East Hampton Town officials and the public over fears of what the site could become once up and running. Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that Marley Dominguez, the managing director of Enduring Hospitality, got approval last fall for a 39-seat restaurant. On the first floor, under those approvals, there would have been eight couches and a bar area with coffee, while the second floor would host 16 seats across eight tables and no bar. The rooftop would have had 23 seats across 11 tables with a service bar. This complex, located on Montauk Highway just down the street from the IGA in Montauk, will clock in at 22,100 square feet. But two applications and an investor packet have come to light that have called into question whether Dominguez planned to comply with those approvals and move forward with simply a restaurant — and not an operation more akin to a nightclub. Dominguez was tasked, in an unusual meeting with the East Hampton Town Planning Board last Wednesday, with explaining the conflicting applications and either convincing the board he would move forward with the current approvals or submit revised plans. In the exhaustive meeting, Dominguez largely wrote off the discrepancies between his approvals and the new supporting documents as misunderstandings or miscommunications and said the thought of making the space a club never crossed his mind. The East Town Planning Board agreed that Dominguez should answer supplemental questions from town officials and confirm the use outlined in a narrative submission from last fall or submit revised plans that outline what the use would actually be. *** Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman dared New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to try and stop him from assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement in defiance of new sanctuary bills largely barring local cops from working with federal immigration authorities. The Democrat-passed package of bills would ban the Blakeman-brokered partnership with ICE that gives the agency space in Nassau County’s jail. Brandon Cruz and Matt Troutman report in THE NY POST that Blakeman, who’s running against Hochul as the GOP’s gubernatorial nominee, had a blunt response to the governor’s threats to have state Attorney General Letitia James force Nassau County into line with their anti-ICE laws. “Make my day,” said Blakeman. “We will not comply with the law limiting our ability to cooperate with (ICE),” Blakeman said, adding that he intends to sue the state over the new laws. The taunt imparted exclusively to The Post could put Blakeman and Hochul on a collision...

    10 min

  5. May 22

    EPA seeks to allow greater levels of "forever chemicals" in drinking water; Memorial Day events taking place across the East End; and more

    The Environmental Protection Agency this week announced a long-anticipated proposal to rescind federal limits on certain toxic "forever chemicals" in drinking water, established two years ago by the Biden administration, a move New York has sought to neutralize. Tracy Tullis and Laura Figueroa report in NEWSDAY that the Trump administration plans to roll back restrictions on four types of these chemicals, known as PFAS. Another proposed rule would allow water suppliers to request two more years to comply with limits on two other PFAS compounds, PFOS and PFOA. Water suppliers were initially given until 2029 to meet the standards under the Biden-era plan, but they will now be eligible for an extension to 2031. PFAS — or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — have been used in thousands of industrial and consumer products, from nonstick pans to artificial turf to fast food wrappers. There are tens of thousands of PFAS compounds, very few of which are regulated, and they do not easily break down — thus the term "forever chemicals." They enter groundwater when they are washed down the drains of ordinary households and when they leach from landfills where such products are dumped. High concentrations flow from industrial sites such as airports and firefighter training facilities. When PFAS leach into soil and water they poison wildlife and farm animals; they also accumulate in the tissues of humans when they ingest them in water or food. Researchers have found long-term exposure to PFAS, even in tiny amounts, increases the risk of prostate, kidney and testicular cancers, developmental problems in infants and children and other health problems. Many districts across Long Island have been installing filtering systems to remove the chemicals, which are highly effective but costly. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, the former congressman from Shirley, Long Island, defended the proposed rules during an event at EPA headquarters in Washington on Monday, where he argued the Biden administration regulations were "rushed out the door." He said water suppliers across the country, particularly in rural areas, were raising concerns about meeting the original compliance deadline. "The water systems were given deadlines that many of them have communicated to us that they were going to have trouble meeting, and we left the rule open to be struck down in court," Zeldin said at a roundtable on PFAS where he was joined by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The New York State legislature is considering a bill that would codify the regulations that the Trump administration seeks to roll back. *** Riverhead Town Board members repeatedly defended a proposed eminent domain taking of the former Swezey’s building Wednesday night during a contentious public hearing that exposed sharp divisions over the future of downtown redevelopment, the town square project and the Long Island Science Center’s stalled plans for the property. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the nearly three-hour hearing on the proposed condemnation of 111 E. Main Street in Riverhead frequently blurred the line between public testimony and board debate, with board members openly rebutting critics, questioning speakers and arguing the merits of condemnation from the dais. Riverhead Town officials argued the long-vacant building is a critical piece of the town square project and must be brought under town control to ensure proper flood mitigation and “activation” of the downtown public space. Opponents countered that the town had failed to identify a specific public use for the property and accused officials of using eminent domain powers to advance broader redevelopment interests. “This is not about the science center,” Council Member Joann Waski said during the hearing. “This is about 111 East Main Street.” The hearing was held under New York State’s Eminent Domain Procedure Law, which requires municipalities to hold a public hearing before condemning private property. No decision was made Wednesday on whether to proceed with condemnation. The board voted at the end of the hearing to close oral testimony while leaving the record open for written comments for 10 days. The property was purchased in 2020 by A Place for Learning Inc., a nonprofit corporation that operates as the Long Island Science Center, for a proposed downtown science center and planetarium project. Town officials initially supported the plan enthusiastically as part of the broader downtown revitalization effort. Under New York State law, the Riverhead Town Board will have up to 90 days after the hearing record closes to decide whether to move forward with condemnation proceedings. *** Southold Town Historian Amy Folk will discuss “What Happened in Southold During the American Revolution” at a 10 a.m. talk tomorrow morning at the East Marion Community Association’s annual meeting in the East Marion Firehouse. Amy Folk serves as the official Town of Southold Historian. She oversees the town's historical records, assists with genealogical research, and manages various local archival collections. Her passion for North Fork history has led her to compile rich stories of local participation in the American Revolution. Everyone knows how American patriots fought the British and won during the American Revolution. But do you know what happened in Southold during the war? Join Amy Folk tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the East Marion Firehouse where she’ll discus “What Happened in Southold During the American Revolution” Admission is free. *** Sag Harbor will be commemorating the 249th anniversary of the Meigs Raid by American Continental Army forces on the village, which was then occupied by the British, throughout this weekend, with reenactments of the raid by the Third New York Regiment centered on the Sag Harbor Whaling & Historical Museum. Tomorrow’s event is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sag Harbor Whaling & Historical Museum at 200 Main Street. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that the Meigs Raid (also known as the Battle of Sag Harbor) was a military raid by American Continental Army forces, under the command of Connecticut Colonel Return Jonathan Meigs, on a British Loyalist foraging party at Sag Harbor, New York on May 24, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War. Six Loyalists were killed and 90 captured while the Americans suffered no casualties. The raid was made in response to a successful British raid on Danbury, Connecticut in late April that was opposed by American forces in the Battle of Ridgefield. On Meigs Raid Weekend, The Whaling Museum will be invaded by a host of Revolutionary War reenactors. Members of the Third New York Regiment, Long Island’s premier reenactment group, will be encamped on the museum grounds and conduct demonstrations of drill and musket firing throughout the day. This 18th Century encampment, including canvas dining fly, troop tents and officer’s quarters, Continental Army soldiers, their wives, and other camp followers dressed in period clothing will transport visitors back centuries for an experience not to be missed. The camp is interactive and open to the public from the opening of the Museum to closing. Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that the Sag Harbor Historical Museum, Preservation Long Island and the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation are also teaming up for a day of fun on Saturday. Their event - “Revolutionary Days” – is at the Custom House, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., right next door to the Whaling Museum in Sag Harbor. *** Men’s recreational outdoor soccer leagues in Latino communities have flourished on Long Island over the last few decades. But this year a pall is hanging over the fields as the federal government's immigration crackdown has made many players afraid to come out for games, organizers said. Bart Jones and Gregg Sarra report in NEWSDAY that some teams are folding for lack of numbers, while some leagues have postponed the starts of their seasons. Even fans are staying away. "They’re scared to come to the soccer fields," said Miguel Flores, who has been running the Brentwood Soccer League since 1990. Other than the COVID-19 pandemic, when they had to shut down entirely, he’s never seen anything like it, he said. "All the leagues are suffering." In Riverhead, which usually has 14 teams, the league is down to nine, said its president, Paul Villafranco, who called the drop "a big hit." Some leagues have lost entire teams or delayed the starts of their seasons because of low numbers. The decline in participation is lamented by organizers who contend the hugely popular soccer leagues provide a healthy outlet for young men, offer a family-oriented weekend activity and even serve as a lynchpin for communities when tragedy hits. "It's bad, because a lot of young men are staying home instead of being in a park and enjoying soccer," Hempstead Soccer League President Robinson Barralaga told Newsday in Spanish. While immigration agents have conducted numerous raids and arrests in Brentwood over the past year, according to advocates, they have not raided the soccer fields, Flores said. But many players are still suffering from what he called "the fear factor." Many worry they will get stopped at checkpoints on the way to games. They often travel together in vans or other vehicles, making them feel particularly vulnerable as a target, he said. *** Shelter Island Friends of Music presents Junction Piano Trio performing music by Dvorak, Zorn, and Beethoven this coming Sunday at 6 p.m. in the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church. Admission Free. There will be a post-concert reception...

    10 min

  6. May 21

    Multiple fire departments put out fire at Dockers Waterside Marina; New traffic patterns for summer in place on County Rd 39; and more East End news

    State aid to Long Island schools is expected to total $5.5 billion for the 2026-27 school year, with most districts receiving at least a 2% increase in foundation aid, according to a Newsday analysis of state data. The majority of school districts in Nassau and Suffolk will get more funding from the state for the next school year, according to aid runs published yesterday, the day after Long Island voters approved 118 local budget proposals. Five failed and one district had not yet released results as of last night. The districts that are to see the highest jumps in state aid in Suffolk County are Amagansett (35.58%) and Montauk (23.62%). Five Suffolk districts are expected to see a dip in funding: Eastport-South Manor (-2.06%), Rocky Point (-1.71%), and Connetquot (-1.35%). Dandan Zou and Michael R. Ebert report in NEWSDAY that school officials said the latest aid figures did not come with any big surprises as most districts had anticipated receiving at least a 2% increase. However, they wished the news had arrived sooner. The NYS budget was due April 1 but lawmakers did not begin voting on budget bills until yesterday. School districts, meanwhile, had to present their budgets to voters on Tuesday, requiring them to guesstimate how much revenue they would get from the state. “We finally know what our state aid package is the day after our communities voted on our budgets. It's insane,” said Tim Eagen, president of the Suffolk County School Superintendents Association. “Thankfully it landed where we had anticipated it would.” Bob Vecchio, executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association, said the 2% increase is better than the 1% jump that Gov. Kathy Hochul had proposed in January but still isn’t enough. Total school aid for Long Island districts will grow by $230 million, or 4.35%, but Vecchio said that funding increase includes an additional $54 million in universal prekindergarten grants, as well as reimbursements for building projects. Foundation aid, the single largest source of state financial support for public schools, is considered "new money," he said. Foundation aid will rise to nearly $4 billion — a 3.51%, or $134 million, increase for 2026-27 from the current school year. In Nassau and Suffolk counties, 80 out of 121 districts would receive the minimum 2% increase in foundation aid. (Sagaponack and Wainscott districts receive funding under a different formula; New Suffolk is non-instructional.) *** Firefighters from multiple departments were on the scene yesterday to put out a fire at Dockers Waterside Marina and Restaurant on Dune Road in East Quogue. The East Quogue Fire Department was the first department on the scene at 3:53 p.m. after those at the restaurant, which was closed Wednesday, smelled smoke, according to Dockers owner Larry Hoffman. Members of the Hampton Bays, North Sea, Quogue, Southampton and Westhampton Beach fire departments, as well as the Hampton Bays and Southampton Village ambulance, soon arrived. The fire was deemed under control 30 minutes later. Dan Stark reports on 27east.com that the fire was contained and a majority of the damage was limited to the interior, with exterior damage occurring on the eastern facing side, according to Southampton Town Chief Fire Marshal John Rankin. A firefighter said that the kitchen and bar areas were heavily damaged. Nobody was injured. The cause of the fire has not been determined yet and an investigation is underway, according to East Quogue Fire Department Chief Glenn Bullock. *** Shelter Island Friends of Music presents Junction Piano Trio performing music by Dvorak, Zorn, and Beethoven this coming Sunday, May 24 at 6 p.m. in the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church. Admission Free. There will be a post-concert reception with the musicians. Comprised of violinist Stefan Jackiw, cellist Jay Campbell, and pianist Conrad Tao, the Junction Trio is known for its adventurous spirit and electrifying ensemble chemistry. Their performances combine intellectual rigor with expressive warmth, offering audiences programs that range from the classical core to daring new works. That’s this Sunday at 6 p.m. in the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church. For further info visit sifriendsofmusic.org/ *** Like it or not, the summer season is here — and the new traffic patterns on County Road 39 in Southampton are about to be truly tested. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that the Town of Southampton last fall embarked on a still somewhat experimental redesign of the travel lanes along notoriously congested County Road 39, known on maps as the “Southampton Bypass,” in particular between the intersections with North Main Street and Tuckahoe Lane. The new patterns are meant to mimic — in part — the experiment from the spring of 2025, in which the town turned off some County Road 39 traffic signals which allowed traffic to flow freely. The effort was perceived as successful at moving traffic west much faster than the usual crawl. But it was far too expensive, costing somewhere in the neighborhood of $20,000 a week for the four hours each weekday the lights were turned off and intersections were manned by police and Highway Department staff to ensure safety. So two of the lights — Magee Street and Tuckahoe Road — have returned to their usual red-yellow-green cycle. But to allow the town to keep the light at the Sandy Hollow Road merge green for both cars coming off Sandy Hollow and the County Road 39 traffic approaching from the east, the town has restriped lanes on both roads to create single lanes of westbound traffic that can come together without having to alternate who proceeds west. As was done with cones last spring, the town convinced Suffolk County Department of Public Works to restripe County Road 39 west of the North Sea Road intersection, just west of the Burger King, to force traffic to merge from two lanes down to one. That has caused a new congestion — though whether it is any worse than what was there before is a matter of debate. The traffic on County Road 39 between North Sea Road and North Main Street has also been restricted to a single lane recently, to reduce the clog of cars rushing into the area ahead of the Burger King merge with each green light cycle. But that constriction has worsened the back-ups at the eastern end of County Road — the junction of 27 and 27A {“the turn”} where Montauk Highway and Flying Point Road feed onto the bypass — which have extended on some days through the intersection and east on Montauk Highway as far as back as Hank’s Pumpkintown, and sometimes Head of Pond Road in Water Mill. The effort has trade-offs, Southampton Town Highway Superintendent Charlie McArdle conceded, and he said the town is still making adjustments as they learn what impacts come with which changes and working with the county on ways to make small improvements where they can. *** More Long Island schools were named to the Advanced Placement honor roll for 2025, and the number of schools that earned the highest ranking rose by one-third, according to the College Board, which administers the tests. Lorena Mongelli and Michael R. Ebert report in Newsday that across Nassau and Suffolk, 110 schools received either platinum, gold, silver or bronze awards — up from 107 in 2024. Eight earned spots on the honor roll for the first time. And of the 110 on the list, 23 schools notched platinum awards, compared with 17 the year prior, according to a Newsday analysis. Some Long Island educators said they have expanded course offerings and sought to make classes more accessible for all students. They argued that the advanced coursework remains relevant, despite a move away from standardized testing — with the state poised to drop its Regents graduation requirement in 2027, and many colleges making SAT and ACT scores optional for admission. AP exams, they said, offer students a less expensive way to potentially earn college credit, while the rigorous coursework prepares them for higher learning. Studies have found that taking AP coursework helps students excel at four-year colleges. But some experts say low-income students and students of color are not equally represented in the program. *** The Sag Harbor Whaling & Historical Museum will host a Colonial Village Living History Festival this coming Saturday, May 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to celebrate America250 and commemorate the historic Meigs Raid, also known as the Battle of Sag Harbor, when Continental Army forces raided British Loyalists occupying Sag Harbor during the American Revolution. You’re invited to join a free, family-friendly, immersive experience as the 3rd New York Regiment recreates an 18th century Continental Army encampment and conducts military drills throughout the day. Watch and interact with historic tradespeople dressed in period clothing as they demonstrate trades and crafts such as...

    10 min

  7. May 20

    Most LI school budgets pass except 5; County Rd in Southampton to be closed today; and more East End news

    At least five Long Island school budget proposals failed to garner enough voter support yesterday while 115 others won approval, according to early returns last night. As reported by NEWSDAY, in Suffolk County, Three Village failed to win a simple majority, meaning more than 50% of voter support Tuesday. The outcome was 2,051-2,340 in Three Village. Results for the remaining four Long Island school districts were still pending by midnight. Also in Suffolk, Bayport-Blue Point, Islip and South Country failed. The districts were three of seven on Long Island seeking a tax cap override, meaning they needed a 60% supermajority to pass. Voters greenlit the proposals in Greenport and Shelter Island which had also sought to pierce their tax caps. With a result of 398-153, Greenport had a 72% passage rate. Greenport Superintendent Beth Doyle thanked voters in a statement last night: “This budget allows us to continue supporting our students while taking important steps toward long-term fiscal stability.” Shelter Island’s budget was approved by a vote of 549-256. Voters last year rejected the Shelter Island tax cap override request but approved it this year with a 68% passage rate. “We deeply appreciate the trust placed in the District as we work to balance fiscal responsibility with maintaining the high-quality educational opportunities our students deserve,” stated Shelter Island Superintendent Brian Doelger. *** It appears all east end school districts passed their budgets yesterday. On the south fork, long time local teacher Margaret “Midge” H. Fowler ousted incumbent Germain L. Smith in a 601-342 vote for one seat on the Southampton School Board. As reported on 27east.com, Southampton School District voters approved, 722 to 211, a $84.5 million budget with a nearly $65.5 million tax levy. Voters also passed all of the propositions, which will authorize a number of capital projects, including capital repairs and technology upgrades. The last six propositions will authorize the district to contract with The Water Mill Museum for $125,000, the Parrish Art Museum for $461,700, the Southampton History Museum for $290,000, the Southampton Youth Association for $500,000, the Southampton Arts Center for $175,000 and the Southampton African American Museum for $125,000, and levy taxes for the 2026-27 school year. In neighboring Tuckahoe, Sam Kelly – a Southampton High School Class of 2000 graduate - beat longtime incumbent Bob Grisnik in the Tuckahoe Common School District Board of Trustees election, 142-58. Grisnik will finish his 40th year as trustee in June. Voters also approved the Tuckahoe School district’s nearly $26.4 million budget in a 157-54 vote. An additional three propositions also passed, which will authorize a number of capital projects and levy funds for the Southampton Youth Association and the Parrish Art Museum. *** Tonight - County Road 39 in Southampton will be closed to through traffic between Tuckahoe Lane and Shrubland Road from 8 p.m. until 4:30 a.m. tomorrow for the construction of the pedestrian bridge linking the Stony Brook Southampton college campus and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club for the U.S. Open next month. Starting tonight at 8 p.m. westbound traffic will be detoured south on Tuckahoe Lane to Montauk Highway and eastbound traffic will be detoured north onto Shrubland Road and Sebonac Road to get around the closure. Residents and employees of businesses between the detour points will be allowed to use the closed stretches of roadway but will not be able to pass Tuckahoe Road where the construction is taking place at any point. *** With the LIRR strike settled on Monday night, South Fork Commuter Connection service was set to resume its normal schedule today. The South Fork Commuter Connection {SFCC} is a coordinated train and bus service offered on weekdays on the Long Island Rail Road’s Montauk Branch where upon exiting at stations between Montauk and Speonk, riders board buses to and from nearby businesses. Dan Stark reports on 27east.com that many in East Hampton Town government, and in the private sector in town, use the SFCC. In April alone, the service carried over 2,100 passengers over 22 days of service, said East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez. "It just demonstrated how much our community and our town government depend on reliable public transportation, as we had a number of folks battling the traffic and others working remotely from home," Burke-Gonzalez said at a Town Board work session yesterday. Meanwhile, MTA and union sources told NEWSDAY on Tuesday that the agreement reached between managers and LIRR labor leaders to end the strike represented a middle ground between the sides' long-held negotiating positions. The final deal pays workers 4.5% in raises in the fourth year. It also extends the contract six weeks…so it won’t expire until August 2027…less than a year and a half from now. The agreement still has to be ratified by union members and the MTA Board. LIRR President Rob Free during a press conference Tuesday morning said, “Through negotiations we were able to find a common ground to come to an agreement,” Free said. “A contract they feel [union members] can ratify and something we know wouldn’t cause a financial burden to the taxpayers and the riders.” He also said there were “factors within the contract that were worked on to make it more affordable.” *** At least five Long Island school budget proposals failed to garner enough voter support yesterday while 115 others won approval, according to early returns last night. Results for the remaining four districts were still pending by midnight. It appears all east end school districts passed their budgets yesterday. As reported by NEWSDAY staff, voters on Tuesday also weighed in on about 90 propositions, mostly for capital projects to improve school facilities. A total of 358 candidates were also running to fill 257 school board vacancies. Fewer than half the districts — 51 — had contested races. This year’s budget season was marked by widespread cuts. A Newsday analysis found a third of the spending proposals called for reductions in staffing or programs. Officials have cited rising costs — in some areas double-digit spikes — among reasons for the cuts. Only a few Long Island school districts said they would add programs or jobs. *** The New York Blood Center is urgently calling on New Yorkers to donate blood ahead of Memorial Day weekend as the region faces dangerously low blood collections at the start of the summer “trauma season.” Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that there are numerous local blood drives across the East End in the upcoming week, including one today from 1p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hampton Bays Public Library. Here are the upcoming NYBC blood drives across the East End in the week ahead. To register for these or other blood drives, visit NYBC’s Blood Drive Locator. Tuesday, May 26 Stony Brook ELIH, 201 Manor Place, Greenport. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 27 Hampton Bays High School, 88 East Argonne Road, Hampton Bays. 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Southampton High School, 141 Narrow Lane, Southampton. 7:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Box Pickleball, 605 Old Country Road, Riverhead. Noon to 6 p.m. Thursday, May 28 Pierson Middle/High School, 200 Jermain Ave., Sag Harbor. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mattituck Lions Club at the Mattituck Fire Dept., 1000 Pike Street, Mattituck. 1 to 7 p.m. *** After a messy public fight between New York transit officials and five Long Island Rail Road unions whose three-day strike shut down the nation’s busiest passenger rail service, both sides are claiming victory. Stefanos Chen and Grace Ashford report in THE NY TIMES that Gov. Kathy Hochul struck a conciliatory note when announcing the deal that ended the strike at a Monday night news conference in front of the Manhattan headquarters of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency that runs the railroad. “I always believed we could reach a good, fair compromise that achieved two principles,” Ms. Hochul said. “Protecting affordability for Long Islanders and commuters, while giving fair wages to the employees.” Kevin Sexton, the national vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, one of the striking unions, also celebrated the deal on Monday, though he said he wanted to discuss the specifics with his members before sharing more details. Ms. Hochul said the agreement, which includes a wage increase for the current year and a retroactive raise for the past three years, would not result in higher fares or state taxes — a key consideration for the governor ahead of her November re-election bid. But the new contract could set a new precedent for the M.T.A.’s dealings with more than 80 unions, with repercussions that could be felt for years to come. “There are no winners in a strike,” said William Dwyer, an associate professor at Rutgers University and a former labor negotiator for management at the utility company PSE&G in New Jersey. The acrimonious dispute has eroded trust between the railroad’s workers and leadership, Mr. Dwyer said, noting that the two sides must negotiate their next contract in just a year…Monday’s agreement expires in August 2027. And it is unclear how much the deal will cost the M.T.A. in the long run, as it prepares to engage with other unions that are likely to now seek higher wage increases than those the agency has...

    10 min

  8. May 19

    LIRR union reaches agreement; School budget votes being held today; and more Eastern Long Island news

    A deal to end the historic Long Island Rail Road union strike was reached late last night, with riders expected to see a resumption of rail service by noon today, Gov. Kathy Hochul said. As reported by Newsday Staff, the agreement reached shortly before 9 p.m. Monday, provides relief to the tens of thousands of harried and frustrated Long Islanders who saw their commutes double or even triple during the first workday of the dispute. "I want to thank New Yorkers, Long Islanders, particularly, who made all the accommodations; who had to work from home; who sacrificed; who had to put up with inconveniences," Hochul said at a news conference last night. Hochul declined to answer questions about the terms of the deal, including about wages and work rules, but said MTA negotiators reached the deal without having to raise fares or taxes. LIRR president Rob Free said service will resume on the four electrified branches — Port Washington, Huntington, Ronkonkoma and Babylon — at noon today. All other branches will resume service at 4 o'clock this afternoon using normal weekday schedules, he said. The deal was reached on the third day of the strike, which brought service on the nation's busiest commuter rail system to a grinding halt and after the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the leaders of the five LIRR unions representing about half the railroad's 7,000-member workforce restarted talks early yesterday. An MTA spokesman said there will be no morning service today on the LIRR given how long negotiations had continued. "We're looking forward to our members getting back to work and doing what they do best, which is serving the region," said Kevin Sexton, vice president of the locomotive engineers union. MTA chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said shuttle buses will operate in the morning, just as they did Monday. "We had to find a deal that gave people fair raises, but didn't put the hit on the riders; the taxpayers; that didn't blow up the MTA budget, which would have bad consequences for everybody," Lieber said. *** Long Island voters today will decide whether to approve the budget proposals of 124 school districts, with seven taking the risky move of attempting to pierce their tax cap. Dandan Zou reports in NEWSDAY that if all budgets pass, spending across Nassau and Suffolk public schools would total nearly $16.9 billion in the 2026-27 academic year, a 3.26% increase over the current year. Local property taxes would rise 2.5%, to $10 billion Long Islandwide. The spending increase is on par with the latest Consumer Price Index of 3.8%, as of April. This year’s budget season was marked by widespread cuts. A Newsday analysis found a third of Long Island districts have adopted budgets calling for reductions in staffing or programs. Only a few said they would add staff or programs. School officials across the region have cited skyrocketing costs, driven in part by inflation, among reasons for the cuts. “Inflation impacts us as homeowners, but it also impacts school districts and to some extent to a greater degree because of the size of our budgets,” said Tim Eagen, president of the Suffolk County School Superintendents Association. Another challenge districts faced this year was the uncertainty posed by the delay of the state budget, which was due April 1 but had yet to be finalized as of yesterday. Without an approved state budget, districts did not know exactly how much state aid their schools would receive next school year. Most were anticipating a minimum 2% increase in their foundation aid, as opposed to the 1% laid out in the budget plan unveiled by Gov. Kathy Hochul in January, said Eagen, also superintendent of the Kings Park district. “We have the most unusual and bizarre task of putting together a budget not fully knowing what our revenue is,” he said. “Albany's got to do better.” *** Greenport’s East End Seaport Museum is holding a reopening celebration for the season this coming Friday, May 22 with revamped gallery space and a new major installation by nationally recognized Shinnecock artist Courtney M. Leonard. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that the museum’s other gallery spaces have also been refreshed for the new season, with the main gallery featuring “Stories from Our Working Waterfront,” curated by Paul Kreiling. The museum has also revamped its Children’s Discovery Area with a new experience, All Hands on Deck, where young visitors can explore the sea through microscopes, interactive touchscreens, a restored boat helm, and a rope and knot station. The museum’s gift shop has also been fully renovated and restocked with all-new merchandise for the season. Friday’s festivities start with an exclusive first look for museum members from 5 to 6 p.m., and the galleries will open up to the public at large from 6 to 8 p.m. East End Seaport Museum is at 100 Third Street in Greenport, New York. *** Cantwell Court has received a $7 million boost from the State of New York, which establishes and plots out a clear course for the future of the long-awaited 16-unit affordable housing development set to pop up in the coming months between East Hampton Village and Amagansett. Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that initial bids for development at Cantwell Court came in high, at around $600,000 per unit from Habitat for Humanity, which prompted the move toward more affordable, alternate options — ultimately leading town officials to lean on the state for a helping hand. The $7 million, which is part of a $19 million package spread out throughout the state, will support the installation of 16 CrossMod homes, which are so-called because they are essentially a cross between a traditional site-built house and a manufactured home, at Cantwell Court. The idea behind the CrossMod homes, which will be installed via the state’s MOVE-IN NY program, is to provide the benefits of a prefab house — speed of installation at a fraction of the cost — while still resembling a more traditional single-family house. Spokesman Patrick Derenze said East Hampton Town officials plan to meet with officials from Housing and Community Renewal later this week to iron out the details, like how much the houses will cost and when move-in is expected to occur. Installation, however, is on track to take place on a speedy timeline, with the expectation being that the homes will be sited on the 7-acre property by this summer. Cantwell Court is on Montauk Highway between East Hampton Village and Amagansett. “All these programs, we should remember ourselves, are taxpayer supported and paid for, so it’s great to see our tax dollars coming back to East Hampton,” said Councilwoman Cate Rogers. But the bottom line is that East Hampton Town officials, with a helping hand from the state, will be moving forward, at a reduced cost, on an affordable housing development that is years in the making and that will provide homes to 16 individuals or families — despite the wait time. *** Residents in Long Island's more than 120 school districts can decide on board candidates, budgets and propositions by voting today at their local school district polls. Meanwhile, Stefanos Chen and Ashley Southall report in THE NY TIMES that transit officials and unions representing Long Island Rail Road workers agreed to a new contract last night, ending a three-day strike that shut down the nation’s busiest passenger rail service and wreaked havoc on commutes between Long Island and New York City. Details of the new contract were not immediately clear, but Gov. Kathy Hochul said the deal would not lead to an increase on fares or state taxes. Even with a deal reached yesterday, this morning’s commute was disrupted as the M.T.A. moved trains into place to restart regular service. Rob Free, the president of the L.I.R.R., said hourly train service would begin at 12 noon today on the four main electrified branches — Port Washington, Huntington, Ronkonkoma and Babylon — and full service would return to all lines by 4 o’clock this afternoon, in time for the evening rush. Workers for the five striking unions, which represent about half the railroad’s work force, had not received a raise since 2022. They had been seeking a raise of up to 5 percent in 2026, in addition to three years of retroactive raises. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state transit agency that runs the railroad, had balked at the workers’ demands, arguing that the wage increases could jeopardize their negotiations with dozens of other unions and force them to raise fares or cut service. This strike shut down the entire service for 3 days, which carries an average of more than 270,000 passengers a day between Long Island and New York City. It was the first strike on the railroad since 1994, when a similar...

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Ratings & Reviews

3
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    WLIW-FM
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    60
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 WLIW-FM
  • Show Website
    The Long Island Daily

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