Riverhead ZBA postpones retail cannabis application until at least Feb. 13

Long Island Morning Edition

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This Is Woman's Work with Nicole Kalil

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QUALIFIED: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work with Shari Dunn | 284 33:58

منذ 10 أيام33:58

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33:58

In this episode, we delve into the concept of being "qualified" in the workplace, examining who gets labeled as such, who doesn't, and the underlying reasons. We explore "competency checking"—the practice of scrutinizing individuals' abilities—and how it disproportionately affects underrepresented groups, often going unnoticed or unchallenged. Our discussion aims to redefine qualifications in a fair, equitable, and actionable manner. Our guest, Shari Dunn , is an accomplished journalist, former attorney, news anchor, CEO, university professor, and sought-after speaker. She has been recognized as Executive of the Year and a Woman of Influence, with her work appearing in Fortune Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Ad Age, and more. Her new book, Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work , unpacks what it truly means to be deserving and capable—and why systemic barriers, not personal deficits, are often the real problem. Her insights challenge the narratives that hold so many of us back and offer practical solutions for building a more equitable future. Together, we can build workplaces and communities that don’t just reflect the world we live in, but the one we want to create. A world where being qualified is about recognizing the talent and potential that’s been overlooked for far too long. It’s not just about getting a seat at the table—it’s about building an entirely new table, one designed with space for all of us. Connect with Our Guest Shari Dunn Website& Book - Qualified: https://thesharidunn.com LI: https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/sharidunn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thesharidunn Related Podcast Episodes: How To Build Emotionally Mature Leaders with Dr. Christie Smith | 272 Holding It Together: Women As America's Safety Net with Jessica Calarco | 215 How To Defy Expectations with Dr. Sunita Sah | 271 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music…

منذ عام واحد 9:55

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More than 1.3 million Long Islanders could receive between $300 and $500 in state rebate checks at the end of the year and see substantial tax savings if two proposals from the governor are approved. Critics, however, argue that the measures merely paper over significant affordability issues throughout Nassau and Suffolk. Victor Ocasio reports in NEWSDAY that among the line items in New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget is an “inflation refund” that would give $3 billion in direct payments to about 8.6 million state residents, including more than a million on Long Island, the state said. Single taxpayers who make up to $150,000 per year would receive $300, and joint filers making up to $300,000 annually would get $500 total.

Separate from the rebate is an expansion of the Empire State Child Credit, which would give parents up to $1,000 in refundable tax credits for each child younger than 4, and up to $500 for families with children ages 4 to 16.

If approved, the credit's expansion would be phased in over two years, meaning Long Island parents with children younger than 4 would qualify for the savings when filing their taxes in 2026. Parents of children ages 4 to 16 would qualify the following year, the state said.

An estimated 215,000 households on Long Island, or roughly 355,000 children, would benefit from the expansion of the child tax credit, the governor’s office said earlier this month.

The State Legislature will review and potentially make changes to Hochul's proposed budget. A budget deal must be reached by April 1.

***

Twenty-five years ago, when current Southampton Village Mayor Bill Manger first served on the Village Board, as a trustee, he remembers talk about the need to replace the slate roof at the Southampton Arts Center, the 9,930-square-foot cultural institution on Jobs Lane that is owned by the Village of Southampton. Even a quarter of a century ago, it was evident that it was near the end of its lifespan. Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that now thanks to a recent half-million-dollar investment by the current board, the Southampton Arts Center is finally getting a new roof. Approximately $500,000 was set aside in the capital budget last year to replace the slate roof, and recently, the materials arrived from a company in Vermont, allowing workers to get the project underway. Mayor Manger said yesterday that the project would likely be complete in a few weeks. It will be a welcome relief for those who work at and visit the arts center regularly. In recent months, the roof had been leaking, requiring buckets to be set up inside to catch the water on rainy days.

***

Bridgehampton students in grades two through five are lacing up their skates again this winter thanks to the generosity of their community. As reported on 27east.com, through donations of ice time, skates and helmets, students take part in ice skating lessons at the Buckskill Winter Club in East Hampton during the months of January and February. For many years, Douglas and Katheryn DeGroot’s continued support has made this opportunity possible for Bridgehampton students, offering them a unique experience outside the classroom. With the help of physical education teacher Steve Meyers, students learn the fundamentals of ice skating, build confidence, and stay active throughout the winter months.

***

The Ladies Village Improvement Society of East Hampton is marking its 130th anniversary this year and, in a presentation to the East Hampton Village Board last Friday, LVIS announced a 2025 community programs budget of slightly more than $785,000. Christopher Walsh reports on 27east.com that this includes beautifying and preserving the village’s landscape through its more than 30 committees devoted to matters such as trees, greens and grounds, landmarks and the Nature Trail. The LVIS also awards scholarships to high school students, sells merchandise in its thrift shops and hosts an annual summer fair. “The LVIS works to care for over 3,500 trees and to plant new ones,” Joyce Tuttle of the LVIS told the East Hampton Village Board. “It’s likely one of the oldest private-public tree programs in the United States.” Members tend to some 700 memorial plaques along the streets and clean the tree enclosures on Main Street and Newtown Lane. Dead or downed trees are replaced with a variety of species. “Keeping East Hampton Beautiful Since 1895” the Society’s Greens program, founded in 1907, oversees mowing, irrigation and organic care of the greens on Main Street, from Town Pond to the Hook Mill memorial and the large open space at the western end of Pantigo Road. The LVIS Nature Trail Committee feeds and monitors the health of diverse waterfowl and birds, and in partnership with the Garden Club of East Hampton removes downed branches, limbs and litter there. “The LVIS is a wonderful organization,” Mayor Jerry Larsen said, “and you all work so hard and it’s so clear how much dedication and how much money is given to this Village. … From my heart, I thank you so much for all the hard work you do.”

***

A decision on the application for a use variance to allow a retail cannabis shop to open in a former bank building on Ostrander Avenue was postponed last week by the Riverhead Zoning Board of Appeals until at least the next planning commission meeting on Feb. 13. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the adjournment came pending receipt of the recommendation of the Suffolk County Planning Commission on the proposed use. Applicant Elizabeth McGrath, operating as Tink & E. Co. of Cutchogue, proposes a state-licensed dispensary in the former bank building at 1201 Ostrander Avenue, which has been vacant since the branch was shuttered by People’s United Bank in June 2017. McGrath appealed to the ZBA for relief from Riverhead Town’s cannabis code, which prohibits a retail cannabis dispensary at the site, because it is within 1,000 feet of existing residential uses and is outside a designated commercial corridor.

Amanda Grams of Reeves Park was the only member of the public to speak on the application during last Thursday’s meeting. Grams said the town invested a lot of time and energy in developing the cannabis code. She noted that Riverhead’s code has allowed the largest retail dispensary in the state to open on Route 58, near Tanger Outlets. “I’m standing here because I don’t want Riverhead to be the pothead place. That old bank is near homes, residences, children. It’s not zoned for it,” she said.

***

Several local organizations are among 15 nonprofits awarded a total of $378,000 by the Long Island Unitarian Universalist Fund in support of their efforts to advance progressive social change, the New York Community Trust announced last week. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that among the nonprofit organizations awarded grants is the Riverhead-based Butterfly Effect Project, which received a $23,000 grant to support its leadership initiative, which creates opportunities for young people of color to advocate for change in their communities.

Tijuana Fulford, founder and executive director of the Butterfly Effect Project said the grant will support the group’s college access and college retention program. BEP helps its members attend college tours, access resources like scholarships and financial aid, and prepare federal financial aid application documents known as FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

The group also helps high schoolers explore alternative pathways, including careers in public safety and other public service employment, various skilled trades, and entrepreneurship.

***

“Families shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not they can afford to put food on the table because of the rising cost of groceries,” Hochul said in a statement last week. “Making New York more affordable has been one of my top priorities."

However, Victor Ocasio reports in NEWSDAY that critics of the governor’s proposed child tax credit expansion and inflation refund said the state is leaving core affordability issues unaddressed.

“The governor is talking about affordability, and she’s going about addressing it in all the wrong ways,” said Ken Girardin, research director at the Empire Center for Public Policy, a conservative think tank in Albany.

“If you’re concerned about the cost of goods or services in New York, then go find ways to make it easier to provide goods and services in New York,” Girardin said. “You can do that by lowering taxes on the people who provide those goods or services or by easing their regulatory burden.”

The Fiscal Policy Institute, a progressive think tank in Albany, also took issue with the state’s proposed refund checks. Emily Eisner, an economist at the institute, wrote in an analysis earlier this month that the checks would not address structural issues, such as the high cost of housing.

She added that “the policy could easily backfire, giving a small boost to prices rather than easing household finances,” implying that a cash injection into the economy could have inflationary effects similar to what was seen with pandemic stimulus payments.

Eisner did suggest, however, that expanding the child tax credit represents a “recurring investment in New York families.”

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Riverhead ZBA postpones retail cannabis application until at least Feb. 13

Long Island Morning Edition

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An estimated 215,000 households on Long Island, or roughly 355,000 children, would benefit from the expansion of the child tax credit, the governor’s office said earlier this month.

The State Legislature will review and potentially make changes to Hochul's proposed budget. A budget deal must be reached by April 1.

***

The group also helps high schoolers explore alternative pathways, including careers in public safety and other public service employment, various skilled trades, and entrepreneurship.

***

However, Victor Ocasio reports in NEWSDAY that critics of the governor’s proposed child tax credit expansion and inflation refund said the state is leaving core affordability issues unaddressed.

Eisner did suggest, however, that expanding the child tax credit represents a “recurring investment in New York families.”

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National Grid unionized workers reject company's contract 10:08

منذ 24 ساعة10:08

10:08

Nearly four in 10 school board members are current or former teachers, according to a survey by the NYS School Boards Association, reflecting the rising influence of the state’s largest teachers’ union in electing its members to public office. Michael Gormley reports in NEWSDAY that the Pipeline Project of the New York State United Teachers union has helped elect more than 400 of its members to the more than 700 school boards since 2015, according to the union, which has nearly 700,000 members. Supporters say union members can provide school boards with direct insight from classrooms on curriculum, education policy, student needs and funding priorities. The project is also helping members win seats in the State Legislature and in Congress, according to the union. But the Pipeline Project has also drawn criticism that the already politically powerful teachers’ union now has a conflicting interest in school boards, which determine spending, including teacher compensation, and set instruction policy in a state with some of the highest property taxes in the nation. State law doesn’t allow teachers and other employees of a school district to serve on that district’s school board as a guard against conflicts of interest, but teachers can serve on their local school boards if they work in other school districts. In addition, Ken Girardin, director of research at the Empire Center for Public Policy think tank, concluded in his 2023 study that current teachers who work in other districts still pose a conflict by potentially promoting policies to benefit teachers as a group over fiscal prudence. He also said retired teachers and family members of teachers also pose potential conflicts on school boards. The teachers union, however, said Pipeline and the expertise and funding it provides works for the whole community, and will continue to put more members in elected roles. *** Members of National Grid’s unionized workforce overwhelmingly rejected the company’s "best and final" contract offer in a vote tallied yesterday afternoon, giving both sides about three weeks to reach a new pact before a potential strike. Mark Harrington reports in NEWSDAY that members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1049 voted 617 to 252 to reject the London-based company’s contract offer in a mail-in ballot. The union represents nearly 1,200 workers who operate the National Grid’s natural gas network and LIPA-contracted power plants. Their contract expired last month but both sides agreed to a contract extension to March 28. The existing four-year contract, which includes no strike and no lockout language, remains in place. National Grid, in a statement last night said they are “disappointed the tentative agreement we signed with Local 1049 leadership was not ratified by the members, and will continue to negotiate in good faith for a deal that is fair for our hard working employees and affordable for customers.” "The membership is unhappy and angry at the offer that was given to us after two months of negotiating," said Pat Guidice, business manager for the local, after the vote. "We intend to go back to the table as soon as possible to get an agreement that meets the needs of both sides so we can go on doing our jobs for our Long Island neighbors." *** PSEG Long Island expected to begin work today to remove another section of giant steel high-voltage poles in Eastport, this time on a stretch of roadway that has seen at least two pole-related fatalities. Mark Harrington reports in NEWSDAY that the utility plans to remove five steel poles around a section of County Road 51 that intersects with County Road 111, and replace them with underground lines, according to the company. Two other steel poles will be replaced with shorter "riser" poles that transition the line from overhead to underground. The work includes placement of four new wooden distribution poles on the shoulder of the highway. The cost to put the poles underground is $7.1 million. The entire steel pole project originally cost $31.7 million, The Long Island Power Authority, which owns the system and hired PSEG to manage it, in November changed its policy and now mandates that all new high-voltage lines like the Eastport project, with 69,000-volt capacity or above, be considered for placing underground first. Despite investigating the Eastport steel pole placement in 2021 following the two fatalities, PSEG has indicated no plan to remove any more of the nearly 200 poles that remain on a five-mile stretch of County Road 51, from Eastport to Riverhead. Many are only a few feet from the high-speed highway with no guardrails to protect them. *** In an ongoing effort to mitigate the negative impacts of cut-through traffic on residential streets during rush hour...the morning and afternoon trade parades...the Southampton Village Board listened to several different options offered by engineering firm VHB at its board meeting last week. Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that the presentation, made by Ryan Winter of VHB, included several potential changes for different problem areas in the village, and options that would perhaps represent a compromise for residents on those streets who have expressed differing views and strong feelings over the last few months about what can and should be done. Winter shared several options that the firm has been proposing, the result of six months of review and analysis, in coordination with the Southampton Village police force and department of public works, of the traffic flows and speeding issues on Somerset Avenue and Pleasant Lane and other streets between County Road 39 and Hill Street. Winter stressed that none of the proposed plans have been finalized, and that the presentation was meant to inform residents and the board of several options in an effort to solicit some feedback. For Somerset Avenue, and several other streets, adding speed tables and roadway striping — with double yellow lines and a shoulder edge line — were two popular ideas. Speed tables located both before and after the 90-degree curve — at an appropriate distance away — would help alleviate speeding on that road in that sensitive area, he said. The firm is also proposing green space bump-outs near the curve that would reduce the width of the road and force motorists to take a slower and more exacting approach on that curve. *** It’s not unusual across the East End to see chest-high piles of bamboo along the roadsides as local towns begin their free seasonal leaf and brush pickup. But the Town of Southold, which has been working for years to improve the quality of the compost it makes from the yard debris at its municipal waste site in Cutchogue, wants residents to stop piling invasive species at the roadside, because they can’t be used to make compost without contaminating it with weeds. “It actually costs us money to dispose of it. It’s not free. The landfill cannot turn it into a mulch product,” Southold Town Highway Superintendent Daniel J. Goodwin told the Southold Town Board at its work session this week. “These are invasives that should not be spread around, and placing these materials, typically bamboo, in large piles, is not honoring the spirit of the cleanup.” Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that bamboo and phragmites spread rapidly through underground rhizomes, creating a network of roots and sending up shoots that are very difficult to control. Southold Town Solid Waste Coordinator Nick Krupski said Southold is “trying to create a nice, salable product (compost) to bring in revenue. We’re trying to build a good reputation for what we put there.” Mr. Krupski added that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation recommends against municipalities allowing bamboo in their compost and mulch products, and when people bring loads containing large quantities of invasive species to the town transfer station, they are trucked out with construction and demolition debris. The Town Board agreed to add language to the resolution authorizing the cleanup adopted Tuesday evening that “bamboo, phragmites and other invasives will not be picked up.” *** Tomorrow at 2 p.m., the North Fork Chamber of Commerce and the Cutchogue Fire Department will hold their 18th Annual Cutchogue St. Patrick’s Day Parade down the Main Road in Cutchogue, the first St. Pat’s parade of this season on the East End as reported by Beth Young in EAST END BEACON. Then next Saturday, March 15 there are St. Patrick’s Day parades in Westhampton Beach from 12 noon to 2pm and in Jamesport from 1pm to 3pm. And in Hampton Bays two weeks from tomorrow on Saturday Mar22 there is the Hampton Bays Hibernians St. Patrick’s Day Parade from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm. *** Commuters at Union Station in Washington, D.C. have been confronted in recent days by an image of Lady Liberty with her finger pointed at them. “New York Wants You!” she says. Were she not sporting her standard robe and crown, she could be mistaken for Uncle Sam. Shayla Colon reports in THE NY TIMES that the ad, appearing on a station kiosk, is part of a campaign by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to recruit federal employees who have been fired by the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency. “DOGE said you’re fired?” the ad asks. “We say: You’re hired!” The governor’s ads have appeared in major transit hubs in Washington and New York, including at Moynihan Train Hall in Manhattan, and the state has been promoting the hiring effort online. There are more than 7,000 job openings available across the state, according to Governor Hochul’s office, who said it was looking for lawyers, health care workers, teachers, public policy experts and more. Roughly 100 people have signed up to attend information sessions hosted by New York’s Department of Labor since the campaign rolled out about four days ago, according to the governor’s office. The webinars are meant to help former federal workers develop their resumes, find jobs and, if they live in New York, apply for unemployment. The governor’s campaign comes as DOGE, Elon Musk’s cost-cutting effort, has pushed mass firings and layoffs across a host of government agencies. “Come work in the greatest state in the nation,” Governor Hochul said in a statement on Monday. “We won’t denigrate you, we will treat you with dignity and respect that you deserve because in New York, we know it’s not the demagogues and the technocrats who make America great, it’s public servants.” Many of President Trump’s orders have been challenged in court, with judges temporarily stopping them, but the administration has actively defied some of the legal limits placed on it.…

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New Bridgehampton Target location unlikely to open for this summer 9:50

منذ 8 أيام9:50

9:50

President Donald Trump released a flurry of executive actions over the past month that could lead to increased school taxes in New York, raise the cost of goods from construction materials to gas prices, cut federal funding for transportation and separate immigrant families. Keshia Clukey reports in NEWSDAY that New York and other states don’t necessarily need to follow all of the directives, according to constitutional and public policy scholars and attorneys. But some of the orders carry a threat of billions of dollars in reduced federal aid for not complying. “An executive order, just as a piece of paper, doesn’t do anything. It has to be implemented,” said Julie Novkov, dean of the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the state University at Albany. “So the real question lies in how federal officials are going to implement executive orders in ways that might have an impact on what the states are doing.” Generally executive orders are directed at federal government officials and agencies, but those agencies can try to enforce Trump’s policies on states even if they conflict with state-level policies and laws, constitutional scholars and attorneys said. State officials already have said they plan to resist federal orders that clash with NYS law. If the courts rule in favor of Trump or Congress backs the order, New York risks losing federal funding dollars for not complying — funding the state would likely have to make up for in tax increases, including school taxes. Several legal challenges have already been brought by state attorneys general, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, against Trump’s directives, setting up constitutional battles on several fronts. “We need to remember that it is the United States of America, that means 50 co-equal states and we have a government that is built on the consent of the governed,” said Susan Lerner, executive director of the Common Cause/NY good-government group. “We believe in the Constitution, we believe in checks and balances, and therefore we believe the states need to step up and assert their sovereignty in the federalist system and protect state residents.” *** Some Long Islanders plan to participate in a nationwide "economic blackout" today, as a form of protest against what organizers view as corruption among corporations and politicians. Brianne Ledda reports in NEWSDAY that the boycott is one of several protests planned by activists in the coming weeks against large corporations, especially those that have scaled back on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. People's Union USA, a group focused on economic resistance, has taken credit for today’s protest, which was organized primarily on social media. It is a midnight to midnight Friday only boycott, with participants instructed not to make purchases online or in-person — not even food or gas today. If protesters must purchase something, they should use cash and shop small, the group’s website says. Long Island experts expressed skepticism at how effective a one-day boycott might be at bringing about policy change, especially without a clear target or goal. Members of progressive coalitions on Long Island, however, still plan to join. *** First National Bank of Long Island, which has several branches on the east end, will merge with ConnectOne Bank, as announced by the two financial institutions this month. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that shareholders of the parent companies of both banks voted in separate special meetings to approve the merger, the companies announced in a press release Feb. 14. The companies expect the transaction to close in the second quarter of this year, subject to receipt of regulatory approvals. Upon completion of the transaction, the combined company will operate under the ConnectOne brand. It will have approximately $14 billion in total assets, $11 billion in total deposits, and $11 billion in total loans, according to the announcement. “The combination will establish ConnectOne as one of the top 5 banks on Long Island, in terms of deposit market share,” the press release said. ConnectOne currently operates 25 branches: 14 in New Jersey, nine in New York and one in Florida. It has Long Island branches in East Hampton and Melville. *** The new Target department store planned to take over the former Kmart space in Bridgehampton Commons shopping center seems unlikely to be opened by this summer. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that Target has begun working with the Southampton Town Planning Board on its plans to remake the store space, and while it has asked for part of its application to be expedited so that work can begin on the transformation of the building, the plans still face some time-consuming regulatory hurdles before the store can open. A spokesperson for the store said the company has no updated forecast of when it expects, or hopes, to be open. When it does open, the new store will have a Starbucks coffee kiosk inside it, as all Target stores now do, which will require upgrades to the interior plumbing system to install a grease trap. The store will be considerably smaller than a typical Target store. Target’s attorney Brian Kennedy told the Planning Board that the 91,000-square-foot former Kmart space is 35,000 to 55,000 square feet smaller than most of the other Target stores on Long Island. In order to install new cart corrals for its larger carts and to create waiting stalls for cars picking up drive-up purchase orders, the store has said it needs to eliminate six parking spots from the property lot, which will require a three-phase variance process involving both the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals. The parking lot spanning the former Kmart and current Walgreens and TJ Maxx sections on the eastern side of Bridgehampton Commons currently has 543 parking stalls. The preliminary application for parking changes alone must be considered by the Southampton Town Planning Board, then Target will have to apply for a variance by the ZBA before it can come back to the Planning Board for its final approval of the overall site plans. Chances of getting all that done by summer 2025 do appear dim. *** As the future of the offshore wind industry is very much in flux under a new administration that has put a halt on new federal leases to wind farms, Long Island is situated to be one of the few areas in the country where offshore wind projects already completed or under construction may power our communities in the years ahead. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON reports that New York State has bet heavily on wind over the past several years, encouraged by the Biden administration’s commitment to the technology’s use to decarbonize our energy grid. But on his first day in office Jan. 20, President Donald Trump issued an executive order for a “temporary withdrawal of all areas on the outer continental shelf (OCS) from offshore wind leasing” and a review of the federal government’s leasing and permitting practices for wind projects. On Eastern Long Island, the biggest player in this space is the Danish energy firm Ørsted, which has signed several dacades-long leases with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in recent years. Ørsted recently did a cut and run from its Ocean Wind 1 & 2 projects in New Jersey, but remains committed to projects on Long Island, according to the company’s Feb. 6 earnings call with new CEO Rasmus Errboe, who said the company has “a good feeling” about two projects — Sunrise Wind — where work is underway to tie an undersea transmission cable, coming ashore at Smith Point Park, with a transmission line currently being installed up William Floyd Parkway to a substation in Holbrook — and Revolution Wind, a project off the coast of Rhode Island. The Sunrise Wind Farm, has seen “adverse developments, with higher costs and schedule delays,” said Mr. Errboe. “That has been factored into our business case, and we’ve seen good progress in terms of onshore construction work.” As of the week of Feb. 24, 2025, onshore work was continuing on the transmission route and on the expansion of the Holbrook substation, while at Smith Point County Park, the company was mobilizing its equipment and continuing horizontal directional drilling. When completed, Sunrise Wind is expected to include 84 turbines, with a capacity of 924 megawatts, on a site about 30 miles off the coast of Montauk. The site is adjacent to the 132-megawatt South Fork Wind Farm, Ørsted’s 12-turbine wind farm that began operation in early 2024, providing power to the East End via a substation in East Hampton. Sunrise Wind was initially slated to begin providing power to Long Island this year, but Ørsted announced in January that it is now on target to begin providing power in the second half of 2027. *** Long Islanders will soon no longer need to listen for the familiar jingle of a Mister Softee truck rolling down the street to get some of its signature soft serve ice cream: a Mister Softee sign has gone up in East Islip in the former Pam’s Ice Cream Shoppe. Melissa Azofeifa reports in NEWSDAY that new owner Jimmy Ilya said the store will open tomorrow. Ilya has operated Mister Softee trucks in the Hamptons since 2007. He was inspired to open Long Island’s first brick-and-mortar Mister Softee franchise after visiting one in Westchester two years ago. Guests will be able to choose from around 40 flavors of hard ice cream. As for their soft serve, the options will be pistachio, strawberry, vanilla and chocolate. Ilya will also serve crêpes with fruit on the side. No mention in NEWSDAY’s story about whether Ilya’s Mister Softee truck will still be serving the streets of Southampton this summer. *** President Donald Trump has launched a campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, putting policies adopted by the Riverhead Central School District, which receives millions of dollars in federal funding, potentially at odds with the administration’s views. Trump signed executive orders at the start of his second term calling the initiatives, known shorthand as DEI, illegal, and banning them at federal agencies and businesses that contract with the federal government. And his administration has targeted DEI in education too. President Trump has threatened to pull federal funding from schools that don’t comply with his directives to push back on what an executive order called “radical indoctrination” — raising questions for educators across the country. Alek Lewis reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the Riverhead Central School District gets millions of federal dollars every year to improve the academic standing of its low-income and special education students, and to provide free meals to students. It is also an ethnically and economically diverse school district — a majority of its students are Latino. The district’s administration has embraced the growth of DEI efforts over the last few years. The district has a DEI plan, called the “Equity in Education Plan,” which it adopted in June 2022. It has a DEI committee made up primarily of volunteers; the committee has five subcommittees that target different issues in the district, including policy, advocacy and curriculum. The Riverhead Central School District also employs two administrators who oversee district DEI initiatives, along with English as a New Language services and community outreach programs. And it gives a stipend to a high school teacher, Jamaal Boyce, to be the district’s “DEI specialist.”…

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Hochul to resist Trump administration attempts to kill congestion pricing 9:47

منذ 9 أيام9:47

9:47

Federal officials are giving the MTA until March 21 to end its congestion pricing program in Manhattan, but Gov. Kathy Hochul said New York will continue to mount an "orderly resistance" to the Trump administration’s attempts to kill the tolling plan. Speaking at the monthly board meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Hochul addressed the uncertain future of congestion pricing after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, in a letter to her last week, said he was rescinding federal approval for the program and requesting an "orderly cessation" of the tolls. "I will propose something in the alternative: orderly resistance," Hochul said. "The fight’s not over." Alfonso A. Castillo reports in NEWSDAY that Federal Highway Administration executive director Gloria Shepherd followed up Duffy's letter with another telling state, city and MTA officials they "must cease the collection of tolls" by March 21. MTA CEO and Chairman Janno Lieber yesterday confirmed federal officials have told the transit authority to "wind it up" in just over three weeks, but made it clear the MTA has no intention of complying unless ordered by a judge. Launched Jan. 5 following years of planning, debate and legal challenges, the MTA’s Central Business District Tolling Program charges most vehicles $9 for driving on 60th Street and below in Manhattan during peak hours. The plan aims to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and generate funding for mass transit including the LIRR. *** The Southampton Town Board this past Tuesday closed a public hearing on a proposal to phase out all sand mines on residentially zoned property in town. The board did not indicate when it would vote on the proposal, which has the support of its Democratic majority. Stephen J. Kotz reports on 27east.com that after reading comments from the Town Planning Board, which also supported the measure, Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore said at the February 25 meeting that the board would still have to review the proposed law to make sure it meets the standards of the State Environmental Quality Review Act. Opponents of the measure, who packed an initial public hearing, were nowhere to be found both Tuesday and last month when the board also solicited public comment. The Planning Board also recommended that the Southampton Town Board use money from the Community Preservation Fund to purchase former sand mines, a measure it said would speed up the amortization process. The amortization proposal, which was unveiled last October, would require mines that have extracted all of the sand allowed by their mining permits to close within a year. Those that still have sand left to mine would be allowed to petition the Zoning Board of Appeals for an extension of up to seven years to exhaust their allotments. They would also be allowed to argue before the ZBA that they should be given additional time. *** A British-style boarding school complete with uniforms and boater hats is preparing to open in Oakdale in September, after receiving a provisional charter for a 6-12 school from the NYS Board of Regents. Harrow International School New York is scheduled to be the first American affiliate of the 450-year-old Harrow School in London, whose alumni include Winston Churchill and Benedict Cumberbatch. The Oakdale campus is undergoing a $100 million-plus renovation, officials said. Mark Harrington reports in NEWSDAY that Harrow officials led an open house at the 170-acre campus of the former LaSalle Military Academy and St. John’s University in Oakdale on Tuesday. The school expects to open for up to 80 students this year, with plans to eventually accommodate about 400, a school official said. *** With the infestation of the southern pine beetle on Long Island entering its 12th year, a separate insect and a fungus — along with humans, that is — could offer help over time with suppressing and managing outbreaks of the pine beetle. Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that for decades, forest services in the southeastern United States have researched the pine beetle and its destructive effects, ultimately finding that the clerid beetle — a natural predator to the pine beetle — can help predict and identify outbreaks. Essentially, according to Polly Weigand, the Northeast fire projects manager for the Forest Stewards Guild, “based on the increased abundance of clerid beetles” in forests in the Southeast, researchers can “predict” outbreaks of southern pine beetles. While the predictive model used in the South has not shown results further north, Weigand said, over time, the clerid beetle — in conjunction with the nurturing of healthy forests — could eventually help suppress populations of the southern pine beetle. As the southern pine beetle has traveled farther north — having been first identified on Long Island in 2014 — so, too, has research, namely at the Cornell Cooperative Extension, into the clerid beetle, known scientifically as Thanasimus dubius. On Long Island, Weigand researched the predictive model used in the South with the Central Pine Barrens, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the CCE, failing to find correlative trends. The beetle spreads predominantly through prevailing winds and pheromones. Essentially, female pine beetles release pheromones and the males travel upwind toward their mates. Weigand’s hypothesis is that the southern pine beetle invaded the New Jersey Pine Barrens, and from there, the prevailing north-northeast wind brought it to Long Island, where the pine beetle’s favorite host tree, the pitch pine, is abundant. In conjunction with warming winters, several factors have contributed to its suitability for Long Island’s ecosystem: a suitable habitat, drought conditions and the lack of natural predators. “So, it’s a win-win-win on all fronts for the southern pine beetle to continue its spread,” she said. *** Despite reports to the contrary, the Elizabeth A. Morton U.S. Wildlife Refuge in Noyac appears to be operating as usual, with the parking lot open and restrooms unlocked, although there was no sign of employees at the 187-acre site at Jessups Neck over several visits this past week. Stephen J. Kotz reports on 27east.com that a weekend staff member was reportedly among 400 people who lost their jobs with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They were among thousands of federal employees to be issued pink slips by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. The service oversees the Morton site as well as nine other properties under the umbrella of the Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex, including the Conscience Point Wildlife Refuge in North Sea and the Amagansett Wildlife Refuge. A woman who answered the phone at the Wertheim Wildlife Refuge in Shirley last week said that staff members are rotated to various refuges as needed and were not assigned to a single site. She referred additional questions to Keith Shannon, the chief of public affairs in the Office of Communications for the wildlife service’s northeast region. Reached Monday, Shannon requested an emailed list of questions and responded: “We have received your inquiry and are processing it in accordance with our current policy regarding media requests.” An answer was not received by THE SAG HARBOR EXPRESS as of yesterday. *** Black homeownership on Long Island is higher than the national average and increased to about 70% in 2023 compared to about 63% a decade earlier. But challenges remain for Black homebuyers, including a significant gap in homeownership rates compared to white households. Jonathan LaMantia reports in NEWSDAY that the homeownership gap reflects ongoing wealth disparities, historical discrimination in housing and a competitive real estate market that favors buyers with the largest down payment, among other factors, local real estate agents said. About 86% of white, non-Hispanic households on Long Island own their homes, a 16-point gap compared to the Black homeownership rate in Nassau and Suffolk. *** Organización Latino Americana of Eastern Long Island {OLA} operates two programs that last week appeared threatened by federal funding cuts, and while the money for one has been reinstated, the other remains jeopardized. As for the former, the Immigrant Justice Corps sent a law fellow — funded through the federal government — to work with the Latino-focused nonprofit advocacy organization to help migrant workers find pathways to citizenship. Last week, a stop-work order that OLA received was rescinded, said Executive Director Minerva Perez, “so we are back in business at the moment.” Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that funding for the second program — the one that remains cut — came from the CDC Foundation, a nonprofit authorized by the U.S. Congress to pursue the center’s mission. The program contracted OLA for at least five years of funding, of which OLA has so far received four, intended to boost the organization’s Healthy East End Initiative. Initially, the program was designed to provide access to testing and vaccines, but since then, it “morphed very quickly into just health access,” Perez said, and “getting out into the community to talk with people about health access and make sure they actually have health access.” Each year, OLA was to receive between $100,000 and $120,000 from the CDC Foundation for the initiative. “We are hoping to get that reinstated, and we shall see because it was a contract and the contract is legally binding,” Perez said. Further, Perez addressed the pro bono legal work that OLA does in immigration cases. With that, Perez said, “a lot of our community members have viable cases,” though the volume can add up for the organization. “When we can work with folks and know that there is a viable pathway and we can move forward, that’s what we’re leaning into,” she said. “So, the Know Your Rights Training is what to do if you experience ICE at your door.”…

1
NYS Dept. of Transportation assessing Ponquogue Bridge 9:40

منذ 11 يومًا9:40

9:40

Crescent Duck Farm’s eggs have hatched. The eggs saved for hatching after last month’s outbreak of avian influenza at the Aquebogue farm produced 3,700 ducklings, Crescent Duck Farm President Doug Corwin said last night. About half of them are females. Corwin said he was hoping for a better result, but “so long as we can keep them avian flu-free, we will have just enough for a first generation.” Newborn females will start laying eggs at six months of age. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that Corwin said last week he hoped 5,000 eggs would hatch. Some 15,000 eggs were sanitized and cleared by the state for hatching at an off-site hatchery. Of that number, 6,000 were discarded because they did not have embryos growing inside, a determination made by examining the egg with a light. The hatching of 3,700 eggs of the remaining 9,000 was a very low hatching rate, compared to normal rates, Corwin said. But the eggs were already old and a lower rate was anticipated, he said. “As a farmer, I was hoping for better,” Corwin said. With highly pathogenic avian influenza sweeping across the country, the potential looms for another avian flu outbreak. If it happens again, Corwin said, “We’re done.” Corwin said last week he expects the quarantine in place at his farm — Long Island’s last surviving duck farm — will remain in place for another 2-3 months. “We are truly doing our best to keep our legacy strong,” he said. *** Assessments are currently underway by New York State Department of Transportation officials to determine what will be done to address issues with the Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays after its closure last Friday, according to a spokesperson for the Town of Southampton. Michael Malaszczyk of Dan’s Papers reports that the bridge was closed after the department conducted a routine check on the structure and identified conditions that demanded the bridge’s closure. The Ponquogue Bridge, which runs over the Shinnecock Bay in Hampton Bays, is closed indefinitely. “The state has been out there all day today, rechecking some of the spots that they had identified in the routine inspection, taking a kind of a deeper dive into it to really get a better handle on exactly what’s going on,” Ryan Murphy, a spokesperson for the Town of Southampton, said yesterday. “We’re still kind of in holding pattern, waiting to see what the new assessment data reveals to them and whatever actions they decide are necessary going forward.” No further information on what was found to be wrong with the bridge was available, nor is a time frame on when the bridge could reopen. “We hope it’s sooner than later, but we don’t know what the timeframe is yet,” Murphy continued. “The engineers were looking at the data over the weekend. I guess we could surmise that as a result of looking at that data, they wanted to get some additional information, so they sent a team back out today. They’ve been up on the bridge taking a closer look at things. I would imagine that we’ll be looking at at least another couple of days, or day or two for them to go over whatever their findings were today and figure out what can and can’t be done.” Until then, the Town of Southampton advised drivers to pursue alternate means of accessing Dune Road, and urged everyone to be mindful of the effect the bridge’s closure could have on traffic for the area. *** Top chefs from across Long Island — are coming together for a one-night fundraiser to benefit Crescent Duck Farm workers. “Flock Together: A Culinary Tribute to Crescent Duck Farm” will take place this coming Friday; February 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Tellers Next Door, 599 Main Street in Islip. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the event will feature nine top chefs at chef-led food stations, local cocktails and wines, an auction, and donation opportunities — all with proceeds going directly to Cresent’s displaced workers. Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue, owned and operated by the Corwin family since 1908, is Long Island’s last commercial duck farm. A confirmed bird flu outbreak last month forced it to immediately cease operations and cull its entire flock of Pekin ducks, nearly 100,000 birds. It has had to lay off nearly all of its work force, numbering some 75 people. Local breweries and businesses in and around Riverhead held a fundraiser February 1 at North Fork Brewing Company and raised over $18,000 for Crescent Duck Farm workers. For more info regarding this coming Friday’s fundraiser go online to Eventbrite . Supporters can also donate directly via GoFundMe here . *** THE NEW YORK TIMES posted a story this week entitled, "They Help Make the Hamptons the Hamptons, and Now They're Living in Fear." Dionne Searcey and Ana Ley report in THE N.Y. TIMES that wealthy residents of the Hamptons demand perfection. Now, many of the people who make it "perfect" — Latino immigrants, some of them undocumented — are panicking about President Trump’s deportation orders. “Everybody is living in fear,” said Sandra Melendez, a trustee for the village of East Hampton and an immigration lawyer. “They think Immigration is coming out to get them.” In the Hamptons, with miles of privet hedges and luxury homes, Latino immigrants make up the bulk of the work force. Many of the workers arrived illegally or have overstayed their visa. Some have legal working papers but are worried they could be swept up in raids or that their undocumented family members and friends could. In both East Hampton and Southampton Towns, Latinos make up more than a quarter of the population, according to U.S. census figures. The student population in several south fork schools is more than half Latino. The disappearance of undocumented residents would have an immediate effect on some of the nation’s wealthiest residents. “Everyone relies on housekeepers and carpenters and tree cutters and grass cutters,” said Marit Molin, founder and executive director of Hamptons Community Outreach. “People come to the Hamptons to enjoy their houses, and who is going to take care of their houses?” Minerva Perez, the executive director of Organización Latino-Americana of Eastern Long Island, an advocacy group, said school districts and police departments should distribute clearer policies in both English and Spanish about how they plan to respond to federal immigration orders so that residents feel informed. “There’s sometimes a good degree of empathy. In this moment, empathy is not enough.” *** An additional 6,000 small- and medium-size businesses across the state would receive low-interest bank loans in the next couple of years under an initiative put forward by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, her economic development chief said yesterday. James T. Madore reports in NEWSDAY that the initiative in Hochul's proposed 2025-26 state budget would boost funding for the Low Interest Capital program from $560 million to $1 billion, said Hope Knight, CEO of Empire State Development, the state’s primary business-aid agency, which administers the program. She outlined the increased funding in remarks to local business executives, union leaders, educators and nonprofit leaders at a meeting on the campus of Long Island University in Brookville on Monday. Knight explained that the state helps to reduce interest rates on business loans by depositing money with the lender, matching the loan amount that the borrower is to receive. The state accepts a lower return on its deposit, allowing the lender to pass the savings to the borrower. After four years, the lender returns the deposit to the state, she said. Knight told Newsday, “We think we can serve approximately 6,000 small businesses” if the proposed funding increase is adopted by state lawmakers. The state budget is due by April 1. To date, the program has resulted in $2 billion in loans to nearly 6,000 small businesses that in turn have invested more than $4 billion in expansion projects, according to data from the state budget division. Knight said there’s only $7 million left in the program, which used to be called the Linked Deposit Program. *** The Cutchogue Civic Association will host “The Challenges and Rewards of Policing Our Town,” a conversation with Southold Town Chief of Police Steve Grattan this coming Thursday, Feb. 27 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cutchogue-New Suffolk Library, on Main Road in Cutchogue. Chief Grattan will discuss the many and varied roles of the department, its biggest challenges, residents’ most pressing concerns and the most common types of calls the Southold Town Police respond to. Sgt. Robert Haase will also discuss how to prevent scams. That’s this coming Thursday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cutchogue-New Suffolk Library, on Main Road in Cutchogue. *** Last week, after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul had theatrically laid down a “Rambo”-inspired challenge to President Trump, she found herself in Washington, face to face with the president’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller. They exchanged pleasantries that Friday morning. Ms. Hochul mentioned her desire to reschedule a canceled meeting with Mr. Trump. And that was that until several hours later, when the governor received word that the president would see her around 6 p.m. Benjamin Oreskes reports in THE NY TIMES that the hourlong meeting was largely civil. They discussed at length how they both sat behind desks that Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was governor of New York before he became president, had used. They debated several subjects including congestion pricing in Manhattan. Ms. Hochul told Mr. Trump she was frustrated that Sean Duffy, Mr. Trump’s transportation secretary, had quoted New Jersey’s transportation commissioner in his letter informing Ms. Hochul that the president was moving to kill the plan. Ms. Hochul said she didn’t appreciate an outsider “telling New Yorkers like you and me what to do.” Ms. Hochul left the president a booklet detailing some of the program’s early successes. She said she told him about the reduction in traffic around Trump Tower, and tried to dispel his impression that there were now fewer people entering the central business district. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said yesterday that the program raised $48.6 million during its first month. “He says: ‘It’s horrible. It’s not working,’” she recalled. “I say, ‘No, it is working. I didn’t know if it was going to work for sure either, but it’s working. You need to see this.’ And he said, ‘I’ll talk to Sean.’” Kush Desai, a White House spokesman, did not respond to a list of questions about the meeting except to say that “President Trump has made his position on New York’s congestion pricing program unambiguously clear. Thanks to his leadership, the slap in the face to working-class Americans that is congestion pricing is dead.”…

1
Ponquogue Bridge closed indefinitely 9:54

منذ 12 يومًا9:54

9:54

A little noticed element of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget proposal would extend a temporary tax on the wealthiest New Yorkers, which she said would fund programs to make life more affordable for middle class and poorer families, but which independent analysts warn could hurt taxpayers of all income levels . Hochul’s proposal would extend the temporary income tax surcharge on earners making more than $2.1 million a year in taxable income and provide the state $5 billion a year in revenue over five more years. The temporary tax rate, which began in 2022 and is scheduled to end in 2027, was created to help the state rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Hochul's proposal, the surcharge would continue into 2032. Michael Gormley reports in NEWSDAY that Democratic legislators along with advocates for the poor want the revenue to help pay for needs in public schools, which would also reduce pressure on property taxes; for health care, including hospitals in fiscal distress; and social services for food and housing as inflation hits middle- and lower-income families hardest. However, the proposed extension of the temporary tax is a concern for fiscal analysts. "First, it’s a question of economic competitiveness," said Patrick Orecki, director of state studies at the independent Citizens Budget Commission. "The next is the necessity of it ... this tax is just like the ‘millionaire’s tax’ 15 years ago that was passed to get through the recession," Orecki told Newsday in an interview. "Now, it’s built into the tax code." That millionaires tax rate was adopted as a response to the 2009 recession, extended once and then made permanent. The current proposal to extend the temporary surcharge is in addition to the millionaire's tax. Orecki said Hochul’s proposed tax extension has the potential to continue an exodus of wealthy New Yorkers to other states with lower income taxes or, as with Florida, no state income tax. That could force reduced spending on the same education, health care and social service programs and middle class tax breaks Hochul says the tax extension is needed to help fund, financial analysts said. *** The Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays is closed until further notice, officials announced Friday. Lisa Finn reports on Patch.com that Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore said the town received word from Suffolk County that the Suffolk County Department of Public Works had closed the bridge until further notice. Ryan Murphy, Southampton Town public safety and emergency management administrator, sent out a release that said the bridge is closed to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic in both directions. "The town was informed that, while the NYSDOT was conducting a routine inspection of the bridge on February 20, conditions were identified that have since resulted in the closing of the bridge. County and state engineers continue to analyze the data in an effort to determine what additional action may be necessary," the release said. "Until such time as the Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays reopens, residents and visitors are asked to pursue alternate means of accessing Dune Road. Residents and visitors are also urged to be mindful of the potential traffic impacts to other bridges and roadways that might provide access." The notice continued: "As the town becomes aware of additional information, or a projected timeline for the reopening of the bridge, we will share that information." *** The East Hampton Town Police Department’s 2025 Citizen Academy is now accepting applications, with the Spring 2025 session scheduled to begin on March 5. CHRISTOPHER WALSH reports on 27east.com that a 10-week program, the Citizen’s Police Academy gives participants firsthand insight into how the town’s police officers perform their duties and serve the community. The goal is for graduates to leave the academy as more informed citizens with an insider's view of local law enforcement functions and operations. The free, interactive 10-session program will run one to two times per week from 6 to 9 p.m. between March 5 and May 14. The course is open to those who live in East Hampton Town, are 17 or older and have a valid driver’s license. Applicants will be subject to a background check. The application submission deadline is this coming Wednesday, February 26. Those seeking more information can call 631-537-7575, extension 542. “We encourage residents to join us for this unique experience designed for East Hampton Town community members to gain greater insight into law enforcement and a working knowledge of the values and operations of the East Hampton Police Department,” Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez said in a January 27 statement. *** The Peconic Bay scallop season set to end next month has registered another period of decline but research and hatchery efforts are helping rebuild the East End’s fragile shellfish population. Meanwhile, in Southold, the Cornell Cooperative Extension’s shellfish hatchery on Friday kicked off another season of spawning oysters, highlighting a successful multiyear effort to bring back an industry that thrived on Long Island a century ago. Mark Harrington reports in NEWSDAY that public officials from across Suffolk were on hand to mark the event, and to discuss plans for a first-time Long Island Oyster Festival at Smith Point to promote local oysters, even as oyster growers pointed to supply issues last year that sent some scrambling for seed supply. This month's spawn event could produce 9 million to 15 million new oysters for use by local towns and villages, and in restoration work. Last year, Cornell also helped supply commercial hatcheries impacted by the supply crunch, officials said. But, perhaps, the biggest challenge the hatchery faces these days is the restoration of bay scallops, which have been primarily harvested in the Peconic Bay and had one of their biggest years in 2018 before a die-off starting in 2019-20, most likely tied to a pathogen devastated the fishery in the ensuing years. Figures released by the state Department of Conservation for the 2024-25 season show that only 897.6 pounds were brought to land from the sea since November. Before the die-offs, landings hit 110,802 pounds for the 2018-19 season, according to the DEC. The 2024-25 season was "awful,” Harrison Tobi, who leads the Cornell Cooperative Extension’s bay scallop restoration program, said of the harvest that began in November. “From what I’ve heard from fishermen and what I saw in field surveys, there was a drastically low adult population.” By comparison, Peconic Bay scallop landings for the 2022-23 season were 5,537 pounds and jumped to 6,057 pounds for the 2023-24 season. *** The potential gutting of hundreds of billions of dollars in funding for Medicaid under consideration by Congress could hit close to home for Long Islanders . Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that nearly 680,000 residents of Suffolk and Nassau counties rely on Medicaid for their healthcare, according to figures provided by the Healthcare Education Project at a forum on Medicaid equity at the Riverhead Free Library last Wednesday. Additionally, 48 percent of births here are covered by Medicaid, four in nine Long Island children and people with disabilities are covered by Medicaid, and 15.20 percent of recipients here are seniors. The Healthcare Education Project is a New York-based advocacy organization created by the Greater New York Hospital Association and the 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East union of healthcare workers, and is part of a national movement underway called “Hands Off Medicaid.” U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota…the Republican from Amityville who represents the east end…said Feb. 15 that he is “committed to common sense reforms” to Medicaid, including work requirements, ensuring only U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents receive benefits and stopping “waste, fraud and abuse in New York’s Medicaid system.” *** Following a routine inspection, Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays has been closed indefinitely, officials said Friday. Nicholas Grasso reports in NEWSDAY that a New York State Department of Transportation inspection of the bridge last Thursday revealed “deterioration of the concrete girders,” department spokesperson Stephen Canzoneri said in an emailed statement Friday afternoon. “In the interest of safety, the bridge has been closed pending further analysis,” he added. The Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays connects the mainland to Dune Road, known for its beaches and frequent flooding. Neither cars nor pedestrians are allowed to cross until further notice, officials said. The NYS DOT, which inspects the bridge, and Suffolk County, which owns it, will continue to review data from Thursday’s inspection to determine “the path forward” regarding both repairs and a timeline for reopening, Ryan Murphy, the Southampton Town emergency management administrator, told NEWSDAY on Friday. He said the town, county and state have been “in the loop together” and may have “a better handle on” a timeline and plan for reopening the bridge this week. *** The 12th floor office atop the H. Lee Dennison Building provides picturesque views and a glimpse into the past for Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine. Looking east out the window across from his desk, Romaine can see Hauppauge Middle School, where he once taught history. He occasionally reflects on how he likely would have retired years ago had his path not veered from education to elected office, he said. Instead, at 78, at the back end of a political career that spans four decades, he enters his second year as leader of a county of 1.5 million people with an eye toward economic development, boosting affordable housing, rebuilding county infrastructure and improving water quality through sewer expansion and water reuse projects. "I’m motivated by the job I do," he said. "I’m motivated by the people I serve." Joe Werkmeister reports in NEWSDAY that lawmakers describe the Suffolk County executive as accessible, evenhanded and focused on the task at hand — an old-school Republican who eschews culture wars in an increasingly polarizing national political landscape. Romaine, who lives in Center Moriches, highlighted the county’s 2025 $4 billion budget as a success of his first year. The budget fell within the state’s 2% tax cap in a "very difficult year." Looking at the current year, the Suffolk County Executive tells NEWSDAY he is addressing the future of the Ronkonkoma redevelopment formerly called Midway Crossing, his support for solar projects and renewable energy, public safety and the county’s role in immigration enforcement. Romaine has not yet indicated if he’ll seek a second term, saying that’s a decision he’ll make closer to the 2027 election. "A lot of that, at my stage in life, depends on my health," he said.…

1
Trump administration downsizing lays off hundreds of Long Islanders 9:57

منذ 15 يومًا9:57

9:57

Employees at the Holtsville branch of the Internal Revenue Service said staff reductions were ongoing yesterday, as the Trump administration moves to downsize the federal government and terminate 6,000 IRS employees nationwide. Department of Homeland Security officers were dispatched to the only IRS office in Suffolk and patrolled the hallways while IRS employees awaited their official termination via email at their desks, according to an account from one employee to Newsday. Another employee described a scene of chaos, confusion and heartbreak Thursday as scores of employees were laid off and escorted out of the building. Employees, many of them in tears, spent the day walking around and saying goodbye to each other as they absorbed the news. Jennafer Martens, 25, of Centereach said IRS managers confiscated their government badges, computers and other equipment, estimating about 160 employees in her section alone were laid off at the Holtsville IRS branch. Officials with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, the agency that handles tax revenue collection for the state, said its operations were not impacted by the layoffs. The agency, which has one main office in Hauppauge, said the processing of state tax returns won't be affected by the federal job cuts. Aaron Fallon, spokesperson for the NYS Labor Department, told NEWSDAY yesterday their Rapid Response Team was "working to identify impacted employees to offer job search assistance." "Federal agencies are not required to file WARN notices with the NYSDOL," Fallon said, referring to the state’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, which requires employers with 50 full-time employees or more to file a notice 90 days in advance with the state in the event of a mass layoff or closing. *** Riverhead Town is appealing a state Supreme Court ruling that found the town overcharged Suffolk County for sewage treatment at county facilities in Riverside from 2018 to 2021. Tara Smith reports in NEWSDAY that Suffolk County sued Riverhead in 2021, alleging the town sought to “penalize” the county by charging more for sewer services at the county complex that includes the jail, county center and courts. In a ruling last month, state Supreme Court Justice Maureen Liccione sided with the county, writing Riverhead’s sewer rates were “arbitrary and capricious” and had “no rational basis” according to the law. The ruling, which prohibits the town from collecting the fees for the four-year period for now, could put nearly $2 million at stake for Riverhead. In court documents, Riverhead claims the county owes $2.8 million in sewer fees while the county has argued the actual cost of providing the services was $1.1 million. Riverhead Town Attorney Erik Howard said in an email the town was “disappointed” in the decision. “The trial court’s decision did not focus on the unreasonable, unfair and substantial impact imposed upon our sewer district and ratepayers ... to reserve a certain amount of flow for the comparatively massive County Center and Jail property,” Howard wrote. Agreements between Riverhead Town and Suffolk County for wastewater treatment at the county center complex date back to 1969, and the last long term contract expired at the end of 2017. The county had been paying Riverhead an average of $345,966 per year for the services from 2006 to 2017, according to court documents. But when officials failed to iron out a new agreement, and that contract lapsed, Riverhead began setting the annual fees by town board resolution, according to court papers. The town effectively doubled the annual fee, which ranged from $684,171 to $756,343 between 2018 and 2021. “Surely such a dramatic increase would need to be justified,” Justice Liccione wrote in her decision. Riverhead has continued setting sewer rates for the “out of district” county center in 2022, 2023 and 2024, though the court ruling did not address those years. *** Since the news broke last month that all the ducks at Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue would be euthanized due to an outbreak of bird flu, Long Island chefs have been scrambling to find a replacement for this most iconic local ingredient — or scrapping their duck dishes altogether . Now, nine of them are coming together to raise awareness of the farm’s plight, and to raise money for the more than 40 workers who were laid off while the business regroups. Erica Marcus reports in NEWSDAY that on Feb. 28, Tellers Next Door in Islip will host "Flock Together: A Culinary Tribute to Crescent Duck Farm." The venue, owned by Bohlsen Restaurant Group, will be set up with multiple stations featuring an impressive lineup of chef specialties, local wines and spirits. "For years, Crescent has supplied some of the best local ingredients to our restaurants," said Francis Derby of Shands General in Patchogue, one of the event’s organizers. "Now, it’s our turn to give back and help support their workers; eventually bring them back to life." "This isn’t just about our farm; it’s about preserving the hardworking farmers behind what we’ve built here in Aquebogue," said Doug Corwin, owner of Crescent Duck Farm. "We are entirely overwhelmed by the support from our community and these incredible chefs." Flock Together, Feb. 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Tellers Next Door, 599 Main St., Islip. Tickets, $161.90, are very limited and are available at flocktogether25.eventbrite.com. *** The Town of East Hampton is assessing options with respect to East Hampton Town Airport in Wainscott, including a settlement to resolve ongoing litigation “in a manner that provides reasonable access for aviation users while also providing relief to East Hampton residents,” according to a statement issued from Town Hall this week. A status conference in pending litigation before Justice Thomas Whelan of Suffolk County Supreme Court is scheduled for next Thursday, February 27. Christopher Walsh reports on 27east.com that with the expiration of federal grant assurances in September 2021, the Town of East Hampton was free to retake control of the airport, which had become the source of numerous complaints about the detrimental impact on quality of life, particularly noise associated with the growth in helicopter and private jet traffic. With input from consultants and residents, the East Hampton Town Board planned to briefly close the airport in May 2022 and open a “new,” private airport on the site with a prior-permission-required framework on takeoffs and landings in place. While the airport’s designation was changed from public to private, implementation of restrictions was thwarted when a Supreme Court justice, shortly after hearing oral arguments in three parallel lawsuits challenging the plan, issued a temporary restraining order enjoining the town from closing the airport. The restrictions were never enacted. *** Greenport became the final hamlet in Southold Town to launch its own civic association this month, hosting a forum on “Shaping the Future of the North Fork” in the big theater at the North Fork Arts Center last Sunday. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that leaders in New York State, Suffolk County, Southold Town and Greenport Village government hashed out their views on issues ranging from the deepening housing affordability crisis on the North Fork to coastal resilience, the use of land preservation funds and the role of civic groups in helping government work effectively. The bulk of the two-hour discussion centered on the housing crisis, which Greenport Mayor Kevin Stuessi put in stark perspective. At the grand opening of a new affordable housing complex he recently visited in East Hampton, he met a family who would be paying $1,600 per month for an apartment big enough to meet their needs. “You know what the rent is for a studio in Greenport now? $3,000,” he said, adding that paying that much for rent is out of the question for village employees making around $60,000 a year. He added that a big part of the problem is the rapidly appreciating real estate on the North Fork. “If houses are selling for $1 million, what is the cost of a mortgage? $6,500 a month, plus $500, easy, in utilities,” he said. “Is anyone willing to rent it for less than their carrying costs?” All the elected officials agreed that they want to hear from their constituents and urged attendees to join committees, show up for public hearings, join their local civic organizations and call their offices if they would like help addressing an issue in their community. “I feel like this is something that needs to become an annual event, if not more often,” said Greenport Civic Association President Carol Lindley. “We all need to work together and communicate together, and all of you are here to do that. That’s exactly what’s behind our civic association.” To find out more about the Greenport Civic Association, visit greenportcivic.org. *** The Hampton Bays Civic Association will host a debate/forum for candidates running in the special election for the open seat on the Southampton Town Board. The debate/forum will be held this coming Monday, February 24, at Hampton Bays Middle School, 70 Ponquogue Avenue in Hampton Bays, from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Former Southampton Town Councilman Republican Rick Martel will face the Democratic Party candidate John Leonard in the March 18 special election for the open seat on the Southampton Town Board. The winner will serve until the end of this year, completing the term vacated by Tommy John Schiavoni, who was elected to the New York State Assembly in November. That debate is this coming Monday in Hampton Bays Middle School, from 7 to 8:45 p.m. *** Since the November election, Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York had preached patience in dealing with President Trump, favoring a more deliberative, compromise-building style that has guided her tenure. But this week, Ms. Hochul seemed intent on following a different course. Benjamin Oreskes in THE NY TIMES reports that after Mr. Trump announced his move to kill New York City’s congestion pricing program, the governor responded on Wednesday with uncharacteristic drama and anger. She invoked “Rambo,” the Sylvester Stallone film franchise, saying that Mr. Trump would answer for drawing “first blood.” She took a jab at Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s time as a reality television contestant, and displayed a Trump-like showmanship when she derided the president for likening himself to royalty. “At 1:58 p.m., President Donald Trump tweeted, ‘Long live the king,’” she said at a news conference. “I’m here to say, New York hasn’t labored under a king in over 250 years and we sure as hell are not going to start now.” Congestion pricing challenges among others facing Governor Hochul may heavily shape her political prospects as she struggles in the polls ahead of a difficult re-election next year. She is hardly alone among the Democratic governors who are seeking an effective way to respond to the array of actions taken by president Trump since his return to office. Some have taken extraordinarily combative stances. Ms. Hochul had adopted a more diplomatic approach, saying her relationship with Mr. Trump “does not have to be adversarial.” She spent weeks working behind the scenes trying to find common ground with the president on congestion pricing, only to see him move to kill it without warning. The governor said the tolling program would continue unless a judge ordered otherwise, and her team made clear that they did not expect such instructions. “Until a judge rules, these cameras are staying on,” Ms. Hochul’s legal counsel, Brian K. Mahanna, said. “And we expect a judge to rule in our favor.”…

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Army Corps of Engineers began emergency dredging of Montauk Inlet 10:03

منذ 17 يومًا10:03

10:03

Builders would have to install automatic fire sprinkler systems in new single-family and two-family homes in New York if a key state regulator adopts the policy at a meeting later this month. Long Island’s largest group of homebuilders opposes the change, which it says will add tens of thousands of dollars to home construction costs and worsen housing affordability in the region. Builders could absorb these costs and keep prices the same, but the shortage of available homes for sale gives them greater power to pass costs on to consumers. “Our concern is you’re adding to the already expensive cost of a home,” said Mike Florio, CEO of the Long Island Builders Institute. Jonathan LaMantia reports in NEWSDAY that the measure is backed by the Firefighters Association of the State of New York, which represents volunteer firefighters, as necessary to protect people caught in house fires and contain blazes until firefighters can arrive. “It’s a worthwhile investment,” said John D'Alessandro, the association’s board secretary and a volunteer firefighter in Halfmoon, New York, in Saratoga County. “When it comes down to it, what price for a life?” Local builders and the state firefighters association expect the State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council to consider a requirement at its Feb. 28 meeting. There were 126 home fire fatalities in New York last year, according to U.S. Fire Administration data for 2024. Ten Long Islanders had died in home or apartment fires last year as of late November. New York builders estimate the addition of fire sprinklers to new homes would cost $20,000 to $30,000 based on a report published last year by Churchville, New York-based Asterhill Research Company for the New York State Builders Association. *** There has been talk of converting the difficult intersection of Noyac Road and Long Beach Road in Noyac into a roundabout for years . But while that plan may or may not ever come to fruition, Southampton Town Highway Superintendent Charles McArdle offered members of the Noyac Civic Council last week a cheaper and easier fix — in the form of a stop sign. Peter Boody reports on 27east.com that McArdle said the sign would be placed on an island alongside the westbound lane of Noyac Road. It would allow eastbound traffic to turn left onto Long Beach Road, while still enabling westbound traffic to turn right onto Long Beach Road without stopping. McArdle said Suffolk County, which would share at least some of the cost of the project because Long Beach Road is a county road, is resistant to the idea of a roundabout, because it would be expensive, but that it had signed off on the addition of a stop sign. “It’s a quick answer, and it could solve the problem,” he said. Several members of the small audience initially objected to the idea, pointing out that traffic is bad in all directions at the intersection and that a more comprehensive solution is needed. McArdle urged patience. He said the town believes that eastbound traffic on Noyac Road is heavier than westbound traffic, though he conceded that the stop sign might cause westbound traffic to back up in the afternoon, as workers head home. “This is something we can try,” he said. “If I come back in a year and you say, ‘Charlie, you blew it,’ we can yank it out.” *** Southampton Town Highway Superintendent Charles McArdle told the Noyac Civic Council last week that the Town Board had approved a $9 million, three-year plan to repave Noyac Road. Peter Boody reports on 27east.com that this spring, the section from North Sea Road to Deerfield Road will be done, and next year, a second section, from Sag Harbor Village westward, will be completed. That project will extend south along a portion of Stony Hill Road near the Serene Green farmstand and west to the Long Beach intersection, if not farther, but McArdle said he did not know exactly where that phase would end. The final portion of the Noyac Road paving project will be completed in 2026, he said. *** After four weeks of communication with local, state, and federal officials, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deployed a dredge for an emergency 12-foot deepening operation at Montauk Inlet this past Saturday, a project intended to ensure safe passage for the 500 fishing ships that use the waterway. As of yesterday, the project was halfway done, Colonel Alex Young announced during a Tuesday morning press conference with officials at Inlet Seafood in Montauk, and he expects the project to be completed this week. Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that since the last dredging operation, shoaling has reduced the channel’s depth, often stranding fishermen at sea while they wait for an opportunity to dock, sometimes in dangerous conditions. In some areas, according to a press release from East Hampton Town, the passage had been as shallow as 3 feet. After approval from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Army Corps deployed the Murden, a 156-foot, 550-ton vessel, for the operation, having given 10-day public notice of the project the previous week. The operation will see about 10,500 cubic yards of sand placed along the western shoreline of the inlet. Four weeks ago, when this problem was first brought to Colonel Young, the Army Corps began surveying and planning. Once complete, they had to permit and fund the operation, before ultimately deploying the dredge: “There’s a lot that has to go into it both before and after to restore the depth here to 12 feet,” he said. The current dredging operation will not interfere with another planned operation, which will deepen the Montauk Channel further to 17 feet, set to occur in the fall of 2025. *** Reduction and mitigation of threats to public safety, protection and promotion of rare and vulnerable species and natural communities, and strengthening of ecosystem resiliency to pests and disease are the goals for management of the invasive southern pine beetle in East Hampton Town, which has caused devastation to woodlands including Napeague and Hither Hills State Parks . These goals were enumerated during a public meeting hosted by New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation officials at Montauk Downs State Park last week. Christopher Walsh reports on 27east.com that the invasive species was discovered in the Town of East Hampton in the autumn of 2021 and “crashed over our parks like a tidal wave in this area,” said Ron Rausch, the Parks Department’s deputy commissioner of environmental stewardship. An estimated 40,000 trees were killed “within just a couple years,” said Becky Sibner, the department’s forest health specialist. The Parks Department and other agencies including the Department of Environmental Conservation “jumped on top of it as quickly as we possibly could to squelch southern pine beetle spread,” added Lynn Bogan, the Parks Department’s assistant division director for environmental stewardship and planning. “That didn’t work. And then we moved into response: protect public health and safety, and then protect the natural system and ecological health, and we are going to continue to do that.” The infestation is a manifestation of climate change, Sibner said, the southern pine beetle having dramatically expanded its geographic range due to warmer winters. “We just don’t know if it’s going to kill every last standing tree or not. I tend to doubt that it will,” Rausch said, suggesting that the beetle infestation “may have burned out already” or that this winter’s cold temperatures may impact it. “The short answer is we just don’t know,” he said. *** The Hampton Bays Civic Association will host a debate/forum for candidates running in the special election for the open seat on the Southampton Town Board. The debate/forum will be held this coming Monday, February 24, at Hampton Bays Middle School, 70 Ponquogue Avenue in Hampton Bays, from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Former Southampton Town Councilman Rick Martel will face John Leonard in the March 18 special election for the open seat on the Southampton Town Board. The winner will serve until the end of this year, completing the term vacated by Tommy John Schiavoni, who was elected to the New York State Assembly in November. *** A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers vessel began emergency dredging of the Montauk Inlet channel Saturday after weeks of pleas from fishermen, though windy weather paused the work for part of yesterday. The vessel, Murden, arrived at the inlet over the weekend and began the weeklong work of clearing the channel of dangerous shoaling which has kept some of the region's largest commercial fishing boats out of the state’s largest fishing port. Mark Harrington reports in NEWSDAY that a gale warning was in place through last night, leading to a temporary pause on the work. Officials said the Murden would continue to clear the channel to a depth of 12 feet through Friday or Saturday to finish the work before returning to work in Cape May, New Jersey and moving on to Galveston, Texas. The price tag for the work is $75,000 a day, Army Corps officials said at a briefing in Montauk Tuesday morning, or $525,000 for the week. The dredging will remove about 10,000 cubic feet of sand from the channel, before a more extensive dredging of the inlet will take place in the fall to a depth of 17 feet, said Col. Alex Young, commander of the Army Corps' New York district. U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville), who has worked with fishermen, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Republican Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine, NYS Sen. Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) and Democratic East Hampton Town Councilman David Lys to expedite the emergency work over the past four weeks. said he would make sure federal funding remains in place for the full dredging in the fall, regardless of cost-cutting efforts by Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency. The Montauk inlet hadn't been dredged since 2018, said Bonnie Brady, of the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association, an industry group that pushed for the emergency dredging. Maintenance dredging is supposed to be done every three years, she said. She pointed to the dangers of fishing boats potentially running aground and said, "It matters to everyone who enjoys a seafood meal."…

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Domestic violence organizations in jeopardy with federal funding suspended 10:00

منذ 18 يومًا10:00

10:00

Nonprofit organizations serving survivors of domestic violence on Long Island say the suspension of a federal grant program has jeopardized critical services for their clients, including those who have fled abusers. Nicholas Spangler reports in NEWSDAY that leaders of East Hampton-based The Retreat and Suffolk County-based Brighter Tomorrows said they had planned to renew grants for transitional housing through the federal Office on Violence Against Women. The office, part of the U.S. Department of Justice, removed grant opportunities earlier this month for fiscal year 2025, just as many area nonprofits were preparing to submit their applications. The office, also known by its acronym, OVW, was the source of $63 million in grants last year across New York State to victim service organizations, local governments and other recipients. The Feb. 6 notice on its website read in entirety: "At this time, OVW has withdrawn notices of funding opportunities, and you should not finalize any applications started under them. Please continue to check back on the OVW website to stay up-to-date on current and future open funding opportunities." Cate Carbonaro, executive director of The Retreat, said she and her colleagues received an email from OVW with similar language. They had already begun work on an application for a transitional housing grant through the office. Had it been successful, Carbonaro said, the grant would have provided $800,000, starting in October, to continue funding rental assistance on Long Island, where housing costs are high and rental apartments scarce. "It’s housing money for victims of crimes," she said. "The way these people are eventually able to get out of these situations is by getting financial support that lets them become independent from their abuser. It’s temporary money to help them get back on their feet." Carbonaro said she worried too about the status of a legal services grant through OVW that her organization uses to hire lawyers to represent its clients in family court. *** The Riverhead Town Board approved the creation of a seven-member Hispanic Development, Empowerment and Education Committee at their meeting on Feb. 4. Tara Smith reports in NEWSDAY that the volunteer board led by 45-year-old Alexander Escobar is tasked with making recommendations to “build a bridge” between local government and the growing Hispanic community to improve quality of life, according to the resolution. About 18.7% of Riverhead’s 35,723 residents are Hispanic or Latino, according to the most recent U.S. Census data. State education data from last year shows 64% of students in Riverhead schools are Hispanic or Latino. Through the new committee, Escobar hopes to address systemic challenges for Hispanic entrepreneurs by providing mentorship, workforce development and networking opportunities. He said Latinos are hardworking people who may be deterred by bureaucratic processes like navigating permits, licenses and insurance. Riverhead Town officials applauded the formation of the committee, which they said would foster unity and allay fears some Hispanic residents may have about doing business at Town Hall. The committee plans to meet monthly, and meetings will be open to the public, officials said. Escobar assembled the group with town Councilman Ken Rothwell, who will serve as its liaison. Rothwell hopes the committee will lead to more positive interactions at Riverhead Town Hall. One of the committee’s first priorities will be discussing ways to translate the town website and key town forms and documents into Spanish. *** Members of the Greater East Hampton Chamber of Commerce elected a board of directors for 2025 and new leadership at their general membership meeting, held at Clinton Academy in East Hampton last week. Gavin Menu, the publisher of The Express News Group and the website 27east.com, was elected president of the board and Nicole Castillo, the owner of WordHampton Public Relations, as vice president. Steve Long, the executive director of the East Hampton Historical Society, was elected as board secretary and Robert Mangels, a vice president at Dime Bank, will continue as treasurer. The Greater East Hampton Chamber of Commerce is a member organization comprising businesses and individuals throughout East Hampton Town, including the hamlets of Amagansett, Springs, Wainscott and Montauk. Visit greatereasthamptonchamber.com for a list of upcoming events, or to become a member. *** An emergency dredging operation to alleviate shoaling in the navigational channel at Montauk Harbor is underway . Christopher Walsh reports on 27east.com that shoaling has dramatically reduced the inlet’s depth forcing fishermen to wait for high tide or take their catch out of state. A site visit is scheduled for this morning at 11 a.m. including local fishermen, members of the East Hampton Town Board, U.S. Army Corps and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation representatives, a representative of Governor Kathy Hochul’s office, state officials, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and U.S. Representative Nick LaLota. The Army Corps will deploy the Murden, a 156-foot, 550-ton vessel that is currently in the region to carry out the emergency dredging, according to a statement from Congressman LaLota. Meanwhile, the Suffolk County Democratic Committee is arranging a “Lookin for LaLota!” demonstration at this morning’s event in Montauk. “We will meet at the public parking lot across from Gosman's Restaurant, 500 W Lake Drive, Montauk at 10:30am. LaLota is scheduled to be on the other side of the inlet at Inlet Seafood. We will make our way to the beach and jetty where we will hold our signs for LaLota and the press to see. We will have very large poster board with letters that spell out our specific town hall message to LaLota. But please bring your own signs if you want to say something else. It's going to be cold and windy. Dress very warm!!!” *** A dolphin stranded on an East Hampton beach Friday died, likely of natural causes, shortly after rescuers arrived that morning, marine officials said. A necropsy report released yesterday found signs of a possible viral infection in the adult male, as well as parasitic infection in his lungs and liver. Worn teeth and the amount of scarring on the 9½-foot-long dolphin indicates he was likely older, and he was "very emaciated ... with no presence of food in his digestive tract," said the report from Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, a Westhampton Beach-based nonprofit. Even if the male Risso’s dolphin had survived rescue attempts, it's unlikely he could have been rehabilitated, said Maxine Montello, executive director of New York Marine Rescue Center, a Riverhead-based nonprofit that led the recovery team. “It definitely was a very compromised animal,” she said. “The fact that it passed on its own when we removed it from the water means that it was on its way out.” Brianne Ledda reports in NEWSDAY that the center responds to sea turtles, seals, dolphins, porpoises and small-toothed whales. While Risso’s dolphins are less common, the center responded to two last year, Montello said. Friday's stranding marks the first Risso's dolphin the center has encountered this year. Two rescuers from New York Marine Rescue Center led Friday’s response with help from the Department of Environmental Conservation and East Hampton Marine Control. Beachgoers who come across strandings of sick, injured or deceased seals, sea turtles, dolphins and whales should call the NYS Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Hotline at 631-369-9829, DePerte said. *** This coming Saturday at 3pm in the North Fork Arts Center at 211 Front Street in Greenport, historians Jennifer L. Morgan and Donnamarie Barnes will talk about The Daughters of Judah: A Multigenerational Story of Slavery and Freedom on the East End. Jennifer L. Morgan (an award-winning author, a 2024 MacArthur Fellow and a professor at New York University) and Donnamarie Barnes (Director of History & Heritage at Sylvester Manor) bring their extensive expertise to uncover the hidden narratives of African American families on Long Island. Their collaboration in telling the story of The Daughters of Judah explores the generational impact of slavery and the enduring fight for freedom in the region, shining a light on the remarkable stories of women who shaped the course of history. NFAC Presents “Daughters of Judah: A Multigenerational Story of Slavery & Freedom on the East End” Saturday, February 22 @ 3:00 pm There is a $15 admission fee. Visit northfork-artscenter.org for further information. *** On the heels of a rally outside U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota’s Hauppauge office yesterday urging Mr. LaLota to hold an in-person town hall meeting with constituents during the winter recess of Congress this week, the Suffolk County Democratic Committee is organizing another rally in Montauk this morning, where the Congressman is planning to visit the site of an emergency dredging of Montauk Inlet. Beth Young in EAST END BEACON reports that since taking office in 2023, Mr. LaLota...a Republican from Amityville...has yet to hold an in-person town hall. Yesterday’s protest was organized by groups including Long Island Network for Change and Suffolk Progressives, and organizers said Mr. LaLota’s constituents “want to know where their Congressman stands on key actions in Washington that will adversely affect their lives. Wholesale freezes on congressionally allocated funds across broad sectors of our government will impact jobs throughout Long Island and threaten every resident’s health, safety and security,” according to a statement from the organizers. “CD1 constituents are particularly alarmed about the proposed massive cuts to the National Institutes of Health, cuts that will mean layoffs and substantial economic damage to Stony Brook University and Brookhaven Lab, both vital engines of economic activity in our district.” At 11 o’clock this morning Congressman LaLota will be attending a press conference about the emergency dredging of Montauk Inlet. The East Hampton Town Democratic Committee says it “is deeply grateful for the joint effort made by East Hampton Town Councilman David Lys, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, Senator Chuck Schumer and Rep. LaLota to expedite emergency dredging of the Montauk Inlet channel by the Army Corps of Engineers,” which is expected to begin this week. “But we are also deeply concerned by the real-world effects of President Trump’s harmful executive orders on Long Islanders,” the committee added. “Constituents of New York’s 1st Congressional District need to hear directly from their Congressman about how he intends to protect us from the impacts of Trump’s freezing of federal funds and gutting of federal agencies. Rep. LaLota works for the people, not the president. He has held zero in-person town halls since first taking office in 2023 and it’s long past time that he did so.”…

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Newly found historical documents may mean Southampton History Museum does not own hatchery land 9:59

منذ 29 يومًا9:59

9:59

The owner of Long Island’s last remaining duck farm is pressing federal regulators to allow currently available vaccines to help protect U.S. poultry farms in the wake a devastating bird flu outbreak on his farm last month that led to the euthanization of his entire flock. "We need a vaccine!" Doug Corwin, owner of Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue, wrote in a letter to newly named EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin on Wednesday. Current federal policies for dealing with the disease — killing large numbers of birds — at the farm level have been ineffective, Corwin wrote, necessitating consideration of vaccines. The U.S. Department of Agriculture "policy of euthanizing flocks is not working," Corwin wrote to Zeldin. "Vaccines are available and being used in Europe for Avian Flu. We must start allowing farmers this protection." The letter also will go out to other federal, state and local officials, Corwin said. Mark Harrington reports in NEWSDAY that Corwin said resistance to vaccines has come chiefly from large-scale "corporate agriculture" concerns, which are "hugely worried about losing exports. This has led to the prolonging and spreading of this outbreak." Corwin last month was forced to lay off 48 workers, some of whom had been with the farm for decades, and euthanize his entire flock of 99,000 birds after tests confirmed a bird flu outbreak there. The farm was able to save upward of 10,000 sanitized eggs that will be hatched off the farm in the hopes of reviving the operation, which has been in business since 1908. Ducks euthanized at Crescent Farm are being composted on site, Corwin said this week, with temperatures high enough to eradicate the disease. It’s all under the supervision of the USDA. Corwin told Zeldin that Crescent Duck Farm, with community and other support and successful hatchings of salvaged duck eggs, could be back producing ducks for the marketplace by 2026. *** On the eve of a court hearing on whether the Southampton History Museum can evict the Conscience Point Shellfish Hatchery from the corner of a dirt parking lot that the hatchery has leased for the past decade, the Southampton Town historian revealed that she has found century-old deeds and documents that would seem to indicate the museum may not, in fact, own the land the hatchery sits on. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that the land that has since the late 1980s been considered to be one single parcel, owned by the museum, appears in deeds that Town Historian Julie Greene uncovered recently to have historically been two separate parcels — one owned by the Southampton Colonial Society, and the other by the Town of Southampton. The land where the Southampton Town Trustees’ boat ramp and the hatchery shed are today is one parcel. The second, immediately to the north, comprises the spit of land known as Conscience Point, where a trail through marshlands leads to the rock dedicated by the Southampton Colonial Society in 1910, memorializing the nearby arrival of English settlers on Long Island in 1640. In January, the museum filed a petition to the court to eject the hatchery from the property. The first hearing in court this Wednesday was expected to be adjourned considering the recent revelations. *** HarborFrost, Sag Harbor’s annual celebration of winter, returns to the village this Saturday with a packed schedule of events culminating with a Grucci fireworks display off Long Wharf on Saturday night. “Like most chamber events, HarborFrost was conceived and is organized annually to support businesses in Sag Harbor and attract foot traffic during the offseason months,” said Ellen Dioguardi, the president of the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce. “This year, there’s something for everyone: live music, ice carving, fire dancers, children’s activities inside several shops, and world-famous fireworks by Grucci off Long Wharf at approximately 5:45 p.m. tomorrow evening. A full listing of Harborfrost events that will be going on throughout the business district can be found at the chamber’s website - sagharborchamber.com. *** Suffolk County officials yesterday unveiled a new multiagency, coordinated approach to find missing children and curb what they say is an "epidemic" of human trafficking in the county. The initiative, dubbed "Operation Safe and Lasting Return," brings together law enforcement, social services and community organizations to break down what officials described as siloed. The goal is to not only find missing children but provide additional services faster to help break the cycle of repeated runaways. Joe Werkmeister reports in NEWSDAY that the announcement comes amid the arrest of 11 people in connection with a 14-year-old East Patchogue girl who had been missing for 25 days. Two of the suspects face charges of child sex trafficking, while others face a range of charges from kidnapping, rape and endangering the welfare of a child. The teen was among the many victims who had been identified as trafficked in Suffolk County. The county executive's office and Department of Social Services will lead the interagency initiative. Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. said the Suffolk County Jail has identified 354 victims and 224 traffickers since establishing a human trafficking unit in 2018. Newly sworn-in Suffolk Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said this approach allows victims to receive additional support "before they can be dragged into this horrible, horrible world." Faith Lovell, a county attorney and bureau chief of the family court division, which manages the state and county's first-ever human trafficking court for juveniles, said the first step is implementing a program modeled after Project Harmony — an initiative in Omaha, Nebraska that supports child abuse victims and human trafficking survivors. *** Twenty-two states, led by West Virginia, are suing to block a recently approved New York law that requires fossil fuel companies to pay billions of dollars a year for contributing to climate change. Under the law, called the Climate Change Superfund Act, the country’s biggest producers of greenhouse gas emissions between the years 2000 and 2024 must pay a combined total of $3 billion annually for the next 25 years. The collected funds will help to repair and upgrade infrastructure in New York that is damaged or threatened by extreme weather, which is becoming more common because of emissions generated by such companies. Some projects could include the restoration of coastal wetlands, improvements to storm water drainage systems, and the installation of energy-efficient cooling systems in buildings. The measure, which was signed into law in December, is slated to go into effect in 2028. At a news conference yesterday unveiling the legal challenge, the attorney general of West Virginia, John B. McCuskey, said the legislation overreached by seeking to hold energy companies liable in New York no matter where they are based. West Virginia, a top producer of coal, is joined in the lawsuit by 21 other states, including major oil, gas or coal producers like Texas, Kentucky, Oklahoma and North Dakota. The West Virginia Coal Association and the Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia are also among the plaintiffs. The lawsuit contends that the Clean Air Act, which authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate air quality and protect public health, gives the federal government, not individual states, “the chief role in determining interstate emissions standards.” The coalition opposing New York’s law has an ally in Long Island’s Lee Zeldin, President Trump’s new head of the E.P.A., Mr. McCuskey said. “He looks at energy policy in a way that says that fossil generation of electricity is the current and future of this country.” *** The Fourth Annual Southold WinterFest is scheduled for tomorrow on the Main Road in Southold from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s an admission-free day filled with ice carving, fun, music, food and special events sponsored by the Southold Town Economic Development Committee. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that in addition to free food and beverage tastings, there is a full slate of entertainment, including DJ Phil, Eastern LI Old Time Jam, Greg Humphreys Band, GUNK Girl Band, The Hoodo Loungers, Lady T Dance Troupe, NYC’s Emphasis Break Dancers, Roth and Fuhr Men Band, and the renowned Wantagh American Legion Pipe Band. There will be 50 exhibits and 20 local merchants, prizes, gift basket drawings, and complimentary food and beverage samples at tomorrow's Southold WinterFest. For updates about Saturday's event, visit the WinterFest Facebook page at SoutholdWinterFest. *** Downtown Sag Harbor was packed last summer, with pedestrians crowding the sidewalks, and cars crowding the streets. It would be reasonable to assume that business was booming for the shops and restaurants that call the village home. Stephen J. Kotz reports on 27east.com that it ain’t necessarily so, say some business owners. They say their sales for 2024 were flat to off by 10 or even 20 percent, despite the throngs of people crowding the Village of Sag Harbor. “Sales were solid for us, but I was expecting bigger numbers given the people in town” during the summer months, said Kevin Menard, the owner of Dragon Hemp, a CBD-hemp and Chinese herb apothecary, that opened in spring of 2022. Menard said he had heard similar stories from members of the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce, but rather than rely on anecdotal evidence, he said he wants to complete a detailed business study of the village, including having business owners complete a survey that he hopes will provide meaningful data about economic conditions in the village. “We definitely know more people than ever have been in town, yet business is down,” Menard said. “I want to know why.” David Brogna, an owner of In Home, a home furnishing shop in the village, points to a shift in the rental market. Where once people rented from Memorial Day through Labor Day, today, shorter-term rentals of a week and even less are becoming more commonplace. He said people who stayed the entire summer were likely to become more attached to the community and do more shopping. Brogna said his sales were flat this year, “but if you’re flat and your costs continue to rise, you are losing ground.” Lisa Field, an owner of the Sag Harbor Variety Store, agreed that business was off. “We had COVID, which was definitely a boost, because a whole new population was living here, and the people who already lived here weren’t going anywhere,” she said. “That bubble lasted a couple of years, but 2024 is definitely the year when we were scraping bottom again.” Field estimated her sales were off by about 10 percent for the year. Many local merchants agree that an increase in day-trippers coming through the village doesn’t significantly enhance sales. But, it does increase traffic congestion.…

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Southampton Town Police begin efforts to rein in speeding 9:07

منذ 30 يومًا9:07

9:07

Southampton Town Police are beginning a major push to rein in speeding and improve safety along County Road 39 that will employ new strategies and technologies, like car-tracking drones, teams of police officers stalking speeders and the use of “pace cars” to train motorists to drive slower. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that as complaints have mounted from residents of neighborhoods that spur off County Road 39 about the daily fears for their safety while running basic errands, Southampton Town Police Chief James Kiernan said that he has been searching for strategies on how to make the road safer. Speeding in the hours between the morning and evening “trade parade” is at the top of the list, since it drives much of the dangers of turning into and off the roadway for residents and the employees and patrons of hundreds of businesses. County Road 39 is the highway that runs through Southampton between Hampton Bays and Water Mill. “That road, when you get beyond the rush-hour times, it is a wide road, and drivers can see far ahead of them, so it gives them the sense that they can go fast. But people need to take into consideration that people have to be able to get out of businesses and side streets, and when everyone is going fast, it makes that very dangerous,” Kiernan said this week. *** The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Monday issued a public notice describing a new plan for "emergency maintenance dredging" at Montauk Inlet this winter, but Montauk fishing interests are concerned that a start date for the work still wasn’t clear as of yesterday. Mark Harrington reports in NEWSDAY that the Monday notice said the Army Corps has "received the needed emergency declaration" to start the work after finding there were "no adverse impacts" to any relevant endangered species in the channel. Up to 10,500 cubic yards of sand expected to be dredged from the inlet will be placed just west of the inlet, the project plan states. "The dredging and placement west of the west jetty is currently anticipated to occur during the winter of 2025, subject to the availability of funds," the notice states, while also discussing public comment periods and a possible public hearing before work can begin. Newsday has reported that at least five commercial fishing boats that are based in Montauk have had to offload fish and station in Rhode Island because of the dangers of shoaling at Montauk Inlet. Montauk fishermen and their advocates say the work is already months late, as ships loaded with fish and ice have been hitting shoals and clogging the inlet as they pass to and from, particularly at low tide. "What are you waiting for, gang?" Bonnie Brady, executive director of the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association, said Tuesday, adding the state’s largest fishing port has already lost around $100,000 in revenue because of the problem. *** Sound Aircraft Services at East Hampton Airport is hosting a program for young people to learn about becoming a pilot. The “Guide for Aspiring Aviators and Their Families” is scheduled for tomorrow from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the airport, 173 Daniels Hole Road in Wainscott. As reported on 27east.com, the program will touch on local training options, and a panel of experts, including East Hampton Town Airport director and former United Airlines Captain James Brundige, and ex-FAA regulator turned flight instructor Lou Cusimano will answer questions. Those who wish to attend should email fbo@soundaircraftservices.com. East Hampton Town Airport is in Wainscott with over 7 acres of ramp, new pilots lounge, and separate passenger waiting area. *** Democratic legislators are suing Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman claiming that the Long Island Republican illegally created a tax-payer-funded militia — allegations his office quickly slammed as bogus. Shane Galvin reports in THE NY POST that a lawsuit filed in Nassau County Supreme Court by Democrats Debra Mule and Scott Davis and the Free and Fair Litigation group names Blakeman, Nassau County, and county sheriff Anthony LaRocco as defendants alleging they created an illegal and redundant “militia” by starting an emergency “special deputies” program of civilians last year. “New York State law does not authorize defendants to create a taxpayer-funded militia,” the lawsuit states. “Defendants’ militia is illegal and represents a substantial and ongoing waste of public funds,” it later adds. The so-called “militia” refers to the “provisional emergency special deputy sheriffs” program Blakeman established on March 17, 2024. The program deputizes volunteer citizens who are licensed to carry firearms to assist local law enforcement agencies during emergencies. The civilian members would be expected to help protect critical infrastructure in Nassau County in the event of a natural disaster, terrorist attack or other emergency. Nassau County swore in its first 26 citizen members on Dec. 31. Many of the members are retired from the military, police departments, or other emergency service organizations. They’re not paid unless they are deployed. The lawsuit claims the program includes expenses that qualify as illegal spending of taxpayer money — including shelling out funds for background checks, conducting random drug screening, providing training, and the $150-a-day stipend when they are activated. The suit further claims that Blakeman’s office intended to keep the details of the program secret and has refused to comply with Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests. But Blakeman’s office said the lawsuit slanders the gracious volunteers and called the legal action needless and shameful. *** Amid uncertainty over changes in national spending, a state official said this week that New York’s ability to help struggling residents who depend on certain federally-funded safety net programs could be hindered. That was the message from Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara Guinn to Island Harvest Food Bank leaders on Tuesday. The visit was designed to highlight Gov. Kathy Hochul's proposed budget items to serve residents in need even as President Donald Trump's administration tries to freeze and revamp federal spending. Tiffany Cusaac-Smith reports in NEWSDAY that a preliminary look at a proposed House budget would add a work requirement to access food benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Guinn said. If enacted, she said, the move would be administratively burdensome and slow access to the program formerly called food stamps. Officials, she said, are also concerned about the possible elimination of broad-based categorical eligibility. For example, people who receive cash assistance under Temporary Assistance for Needy Families could also be eligible for food assistance benefits. The loss of that category would reduce the number of people who could get SNAP benefits, she said. And although the state has been focused on building its financial reserves, she said it could not cover a long-term loss of funding. "The level of federal investment in safety-net related services is not something that state budgets can make up in the long-term," Guinn said. At Island Harvest, any potential cuts to funding are concerning, said Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO of Island Harvest. On Long Island, the food bank supports more than 220,000 people who are food insecure and gets 11% of its income from the federal government. The remainder comes from grants from corporate foundations, individuals and local communities, she said. *** The Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce presents Harborfrost this Saturday throughout Sag Harbor Village, with ice carving demonstrations, live music, community and family activities, AND a Grucci Fireworks display off Long Wharf at 5:45 p.m. Saturday evening. As part of the annual HarborFrost activities this Saturday, you are invited to join Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt Saturday morning for a fun walk for kids of all ages along the StoryWalk Trail in Sag Harbor (about 30 minutes). The more adventurous can continue on for another half hour to see Long Pond and learn about the amazing Long Pond Greenbelt. Meet at the bleachers at Mashashimuet Park on the corner of Main Street and Jermain Avenue in Sag Harbor at 10 a.m. this coming Saturday. For more info contact leader: Dai Dayton, 631-745-0689. *The StoryWalk Trail was made possible through a grant from the Sag Harbor Partnership. *** Southampton Town Police are beginning a major push to rein in speeding and improve safety along County Road 39 in Southampton which will employ new strategies and technologies, like car-tracking drones, teams of police officers stalking speeders and the use of “pace cars” to train motorists to drive slower. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that after announcing the safety initiative last week, the department has already deployed enforcement teams to work the roadway each day after the morning rush-hour and enforce speed limits and has posted a digital speed monitoring sign on a utility pole near Saaz restaurant that indicates the speeds cars approaching it are traveling. But pulling over a speeder on a four-lane roadway with no shoulder and a nearly constant stream of cars in every lane that can grind to a halt with any interruption in the flow poses some substantial safety challenges of its own. To address the dangers, police will employ several novel strategies to try and collar speeders without creating a hazard to themselves or other drivers. Officers will use business driveways and side streets to pull cars over, positioning themselves strategically in places that will give them an option downstream for pulling over a vehicle in a safe spot. Officers can also work in two-car teams, staging along the road in locations where one can monitor speeds and when a vehicle is pegged for excessive speed can radio ahead to a second car positioned to be able to pull it over safely. The speed crackdown will also deploy 21st century technology — using license plate readers linked to speed cameras to identify chronic speeders, or those who travel at particularly excessive speeds. Southampton Town Police Chief James Kiernan said even the department’s state-of-the-art remote-controlled drones could be brought into the game.…

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Stony Brook Medicine directs faculty and staff to only allow ICE access with validated warrant or subpoena 9:41

منذ عام واحد9:41

9:41

With multiple news outlets reporting that the Trump administration is drafting an executive measure to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, local educational advocates and experts had a message for Long Islanders. "Don’t panic, but we’re going to pay attention," said Bob Vecchio, executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association. "Know that organizations like mine and school board members from across Long Island and New York State and the nation will be advocating to make sure that whatever changes come about will not negatively impact the children and their public education." Darwin Yanes and Laura Figueroa Hernandez report in NEWSDAY that the executive order would reportedly halt all functions of the department that aren’t enshrined in law or transfer powers to other agencies. Vecchio noted that two federal laws would remain in place, even if the department was dismantled: The Every Student Succeeds Act, which governs public education and sets academic standards for K-12 students, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which guarantees "free and appropriate" public education for children with disabilities. Vecchio also pointed out that federal funding is usually a small portion of a school district’s funding, but he said people should be paying attention to any decrease. Lars Clemensen, Hampton Bays Schools superintendent and president of the New York State Council of School Superintendents, said the state's constitution protects the right to a free and appropriate education. "We’re not at a point of panic," he said. "Schools districts will continue to deliver and be creative and respond to challenges sent our way." *** More than half of New York State’s first responders, including those in law enforcement, fire services and emergency medical services, experience high levels of stress, burnout and anxiety, according to a state-funded report being released today. Keshia Clukey reports in NEWSDAY that the approximately $14,000 state-funded survey and subsequent report aim to identify the unique mental health challenges faced by first responders. Chronic stress from exposure to traumatic events and everyday strain can significantly impact the mental health and wellness of first responders, according to the report, conducted by the State University of New York at New Paltz’s Institute for Disaster Mental Health and the Benjamin Center. The report found that 68% of those surveyed experienced stress, 59% felt burned out, and 52% faced anxiety. The report was commissioned by the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and conducted in 2024. More than 6,000 first responders from across the state took part in the voluntary survey, including those in law enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services, emergency communications and emergency management. Five follow-up focus groups were also held with emergency responders with varying lengths of service, including both those who volunteer and those for whom this is a career. Governor Kathy Hochul, in her January executive budget proposal, announced the creation of a first responder counseling scholarship program through SUNY to encourage first responders to pursue counseling degrees and micro-credentials in areas such as trauma-informed care and peer support leadership. The scholarship aims to create a pipeline of mental health professionals who are equipped to support the emergency responder community. *** Riverhead Town’s first committee focusing on the needs of the town’s Hispanic and Latino communities was formed by the Town Board yesterday . Alek Lewis reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the Hispanic Development, Empowerment and Education Committee is expected to “develop and recommend strategies to abate and address the issues related to and necessary to improve quality of life of Hispanic members of the community and build a bridge between the Town government and the Hispanic community to better serve everyone and represent everyone.” The resolution was passed by the Riverhead Town Board establishing the committee. Council Member Ken Rothwell will serve as liaison to the committee. "The Hispanic Development, Empowerment and Education Committee is dedicated to advancing the economic development, empowerment and education of the Hispanic community in Riverhead,” according to Counci member Rothwell. *** Nassau County is authorizing 10 of its police detectives to work with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to arrest and deport immigrants accused of a crime, officials announced yesterday . Nassau police will detain arrested immigrants accused of a crime in jail for 72 hours, then U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will either jail them in a federal detainment facility or deport them, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said at a news conference on Tuesday. The New York Civil Liberties Union assailed Blakeman's directive, releasing a statement saying it will only create a tougher relationship between immigrant communities and police officers. Bahar Ostadan reports in NEWSDAY that the Nassau County Police Department’s cooperation with ICE is not new, according to Commissioner Patrick Ryder. But under the new program, police "will be notifying ICE" to come pick up people in the country illegally who have been arrested even for low-level crimes who would normally be released with a ticket, Ryder said yesterday. Ryder also warned those hanging with illegal immigrants subject to arrest will also be detained. "If there are people in those targeted enforcements that are illegally in that house with that MS- 13 gangbanger and their name was checked, yes we will be detaining them along with ICE," Ryder said. If an ICE officer is not immediately available to detain the person, the newly appointed detectives will jail them until ICE arrives, according to Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder. *** Stony Brook Medicine has directed faculty and staff to only allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents facility access after the health system’s legal counsel has validated their warrant or subpoena. Nicholas Spangler reports in NEWSDAY that the move comes in response to President Donald Trump's efforts since his return to the White House to deport millions of immigrants in the United States illegally. "Local hospital staff should not provide access to hospital patient care areas or medical record areas," an email sent Friday from Stony Brook Medicine to faculty and staff reads. "Please ask the authorities to have a seat in a designated waiting area, and a representative will come by to speak with them shortly ... The ICE agents will not be permitted access to the hospital or its records, or to engage in any enforcement activities (arrests, searches, interrogations) in the hospital without presenting a valid judicial warrant (order signed by a federal judge or magistrate)." Matthew Lopas, director of state advocacy & technical assistance at the Los Angeles-based National Immigration Law Center, said Stony Brook’s guidance appeared sound and grounded in constitutional protections against unreasonable searches. Those protections "aren’t just there for immigrants, they are there for all their patients who may not want law enforcement searching confidential patient records and entering patient examination rooms," he said. *** Carole Brennan, East Hampton Town’s clerk since 2014 and its deputy clerk for 20 years before that, will not seek reelection, completing a 36-year career with the Town of East Hampton. Christopher Walsh reports on 27east.com that the clerk’s office handles most of the permits issued by the town, for things from home improvement licenses, taxis, films and shellfish to boat launching and beach parking. “Carole Brennan has been a joy to work with,” East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez said this week. “Folks don’t always realize the breadth of responsibilities entrusted to the town clerk…Carole is the keeper of town records and ensures that the agendas for Town Board meetings are timely and complete, which is no small feat. Her professionalism, vast institutional knowledge and tremendous sense of humor will be greatly missed when she retires.” Along with the supervisor, members of the Town Board were also effusive in their praise for the long-serving town clerk. As her retirement looms, Brennan voiced one lament. “People just aren’t as nice as they used to be,” she said of visitors to the clerk’s office. “I don’t understand it. And I have always maintained that if somebody came in and got loud, I got up. I didn’t expect my counter help to go through that. “Everybody feels they’re entitled now,” she said. “It’s difficult.” Councilwoman Cate Rogers tells 27east.com, “I am deeply appreciative of Carole Brennan’s long service to our community and to our municipal government. Carole has been a trusted gatekeeper for access to many of the services the town provides as well as the town records and has led the town clerk’s office through many challenging times over the years, including weather emergencies and COVID. Carole has set the standard for integrity and respect for her office." *** A bilingual statement released yesterday by East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez’s office stated that its police will not detain anyone per the request of ICE without a federal warrant signed by a judge, as required by state law . "There is no means for local law enforcement to determine anyone’s citizenship status, nor is the [police] allowed to inquire as to their status," the statement read. Later on Tuesday, East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larsen held a press conference about local police and immigrants at the village’s Emergency Services Building, where the message was the same, that the village would not be enforcing immigration issues. Christopher Walsh reports on 27east.com that emotions were laid bare in the crowded meeting room at East Hampton Town Hall as some 17 residents, among them an attorney and advocates for immigrants, implored the board to reject the Trump Administration’s moves to round up, detain and deport undocumented immigrants and to refuse cooperation with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency or ICE. Many more would have spoken up, some speakers insisted, were it not for the fear pervasive in the Latino community. “As policies at the federal level continue to evolve,” Burke-Gonzalez read from a prepared statement, the town and the police department “remain committed to protecting public safety and addressing violent crime by focusing resources on those who pose clear threats to our community, such as repeat DWI offenders, violent criminals and sex offenders.” The police department “has a duty to cooperate with federal and state enforcement agents to ensure the safety and security of our community while remaining steadfast in treating all residents with fairness and dignity, recognizing that immigrants are vital to the strength, character and success of our community,” stated East Hampton Town Supervisor Burke-Gonzalez. Speakers including East Hampton Village Police Chief Jeffrey Erickson, Sag Harbor Village Mayor Tom Gardella and East Hampton Superintendent of Schools Adam Fine, reiterated the message. “Public safety is our main concern,” Mayor Gardella said. “We want everybody in the public to feel safe, regardless of what your immigration status is.”…

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Gov. Hochul proposes restriction on personal internet devices during school days 9:53

منذ عام واحد9:53

9:53

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed restricting use of internet-connected phones, smartwatches and tablets during the school day to cut down on distractions and improve students’ mental health . Many Long Island educators and parents support limits on screen time, but some want school districts to set their own policies. Existing smartphone restrictions on Long Island tend to prohibit smartphones through eighth grade and allow limited use in high schools. Maura McDermott reports in NEWSDAY that the governor’s proposal, unveiled in January, aims to create “distraction-free” school days and improve students’ mental health. It comes as a growing body of research shows excessive screen time is harming kids’ ability to learn and their psychological well-being. In a research letter published yesterday in JAMA Pediatrics, researchers led by Lauren Hale of Stony Brook University found that teens spent an average of 1½ hours on their smartphones during school hours. Much of that time was spent internet browsing, text messaging, video streaming, listening to audio or using email or Instagram. “As a public health researcher and a mother of two middle schoolers, I am concerned that too many kids are missing out on both learning and in-person social opportunities during the school day by looking at their phones," stated Ms. Hale of S.B.U. Governor Hochul wants to allocate $13.5 million to help schools buy cubbies, pouches or other phone storage devices. The proposal requires lawmakers’ approval as part of negotiations over the NYS budget, which is due April 1. If approved, the policy would take effect this fall. *** The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has invited the public to a meeting to discuss a multiyear habitat restoration project in response to impacts of the Southern pine beetle at Napeague State Park and Hither Hills State Park. Christopher Walsh reports on 27east.com that the meeting happens on Thursday, February 13 at 6 p.m. at Montauk Downs State Park, at 50 South Fairview Avenue. It will include a summary of already-completed emergency work and an overview of planned work for 2025 and beyond, addressing efforts to ensure the safety and sustainability of the park. Those attending will also learn about phased tree removal efforts, trail safety improvements and upcoming work to reduce wildfire fuel loads. Project highlights include creation of fuel breaks near residences adjacent to pitch pine forest; the cutting of dead trees along the Promised Land Trail and the Paumanok Path; and continued development and implementation of a restoration plan to support resilient habitats. The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will also discuss environmental considerations guiding the work, including compliance with federal protections for the Northern long-eared bat. Public input is encouraged, and officials will be available to answer questions. Those seeking more information about the meeting or the project can contact the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation at 631-321-3529. *** Student artists at East Hampton High School have spent the last three months creating a mural of Ruby Bridges — an African American civil rights activist — displaying their creativity, teamwork, and passion for art. For the past three years, students in Margaret Zubarriain’s art club have worked in collaboration with the East End Arts Council to create an artistic piece honoring Martin Luther King Jr. This year’s group of young artists collectively decided to create a mural of Ruby Bridges after noticing they had yet to explore age as a focal point. Bradley Rodriguez reports on 27east.com that Bridges was one of the first African American girls to be integrated into the New Orleans Public School system. At the age of 6, Bridges was tormented and faced waves of racism. Despite the racism she faced, Bridges would attend school every day, empowering those faced with similar bigotry. Students worked on the mural after school during art club, during school in their free time, and even some working on their panel at home, driven by their artistic passion. E.H.H.S. students agreed to follow a New Orleans color palette, sticking to colors such as purple, yellow, and green. With the framework set, students were given free rein on each one of their panels, allowing the young artists to express their creativity and artistic abilities. The completed mural will be displayed and put up for auction at the East End Arts Council in Riverhead, with all proceeds going toward local scholarships. *** Long Island retailers and manufacturers spent yesterday bracing for potential price hikes before President Donald Trump reached an agreement with Canada and Mexico to temporarily suspend his plans to impose a 25% tariff on both allies. As reported in NEWSDAY, hours before the tariffs were to go into effect, leaders from Canada and Mexico announced Trump had agreed to a 30-day pause, as they pledged to boost their border security spending. But the threat of a tariff war still sent stocks tumbling on Monday morning and left local business owners weighing the potential impact should Trump decide to impose the tariffs. "We need long term stability and we need clarity when it comes to trade," said Matt Cohen, president and CEO of the Long Island Association, a nonpartisan group that promotes local businesses. Cohen told Newsday, "at the end of the day" a trade war "helps no one," noting "small businesses and merchants are not going to be able to absorb increased costs without passing them on." On Long Island, most store owners and manufacturers interviewed by Newsday said tariffs on imported goods would likely lead to price hikes and higher construction costs. Some Long Island store owners and managers said they expect that if tariffs were to be implemented, it will lead to higher wholesale costs that they will have to pass on to retail customers. Developers and construction groups on Long Island said they were hoping tariffs could be avoided, noting any future tariffs would lead to price hikes for construction materials like steel and lumber. Cohen also said potential tariffs on Canadian gas and oil, though only 10%, as proposed by a carve-out included in Trump's executive order, could still lead to a hike in energy costs for Long Islanders already struggling with affordability issues. *** New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation yesterday aimed at protecting medical providers by allowing them to request that only the name of their practice be printed on prescription abortion medication labels instead of their personal name. The law, which is effective immediately, looks to shield physicians from being prosecuted in other states that have limited abortion access. Hochul signed the bill contingent on the New York State Legislature passing an amendment that would legally require pharmacies to comply, heading off any potential issues. "This is an urgent situation," Hochul told reporters. Keshia Clukey reports in NEWSDAY that the legislation comes after a grand jury in Louisiana on Friday indicted a New York doctor for providing abortion pills to a Louisiana resident. The physician, Dr. Margaret Carpenter, was identified because her name was found on the prescription label. She was charged with criminal abortion, a felony in Louisiana. Governor Hochul vowed she would "never, under any circumstances" sign an extradition agreement to send the doctor to be prosecuted in Louisiana. State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) said "While other states escalate efforts to criminalize abortion, New York stands firm. We will not allow anti-abortion extremists to intimidate providers or block access to care." The doctor had been operating under the state’s shield law, enacted in 2023, which protects New York-based doctors who serve patients in restrictive states through telehealth. *** Yesterday, NYS Attorney General Letitia James wrote a letter to groups that receive federal funding saying the freeze that President Donald Trump wanted on certain federal grants was on hold and they could not deny gender-affirming care to minors. James and 22 other attorneys general had sued to block the freeze which could have impacted federally funded programs at the state and local level. James noted that withholding services from an individual because they are transgender is discrimination under state law. Advocates and members of the LGBTQ+ community said they were heartened by James’ letter but still deeply worried about the future. Lisa L. Colangelo reports in NEWSDAY that President Trump has signed executive orders that would only allow male and female genders to be recognized and end gender-affirming treatments for people under the age of 19. *** The Corwith Windmill, on the village green in Water Mill, is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the Town of Southampton and, along with the water mill that provided the inspiration for the small hamlet’s name, it is a cherished monument to the area’s roots and history. On the south side of Montauk Highway, the Water Mill Green area has undergone massive changes since the windmill was built for its original location in North Haven and moved to Water Mill in 1813 by James Corwith. Corwith and his family then ran the mill for the next 75 years. While the mill was considered to be on the small side, it served a vital service to the farming community of Water Mill. Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that for the past several weeks, evidence of Water Mill’s 21st century community dedication and teamwork has been on display for anyone passing through Water Mill via 27 eastbound or westbound. A crew of local carpenters and craftsmen have been hard at work, in the cold of winter, on a restoration project, expected to cost roughly $170,000, to ensure the mill’s survival and operation into the future. Nearly 40 years after the last major renovation project, in 1987, the Water Mill Village Improvement Association has helped spearhead the restoration effort, assembling a talented crew to oversee the significant maintenance project, which began in December of last year and is expected to be completed sometime in the late spring. In a letter sent out to community members seeking fundraising support for the restoration, the Water Mill Village Improvement Association Inc. stated, “Everything needs to be reassembled before we can return this beautiful ‘old friend’ to watch the modern world go by for the next several years.”…

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New York officials say they will oppose Trump executive order for patriotism in schools 9:55

منذ عام واحد9:55

9:55

New York officials said they will oppose President Donald Trump’s executive order to replace what he calls "radical indoctrination" of "anti-American ideologies" in public schools with "a patriotic admiration for our incredible nation and the values for which we stand." Michael Gormley reports in NEWSDAY that in an apparent reference to gender-altering operations and separate sex restrooms, Trump said schools are “steering students toward surgical and chemical mutilation without parental consent or involvement or allowing males access to private spaces designated for females.” The order also targets teaching about structural racism and "white privilege." A day after Trump issued the order, New York officials said they are ready to resist it. The president "lacks authority to disregard acts of Congress," said J.P. O’Hare, spokesman for the NYS education department. "We are reviewing the recent executive orders," O’Hare told Newsday in a written response. "This review is informed by our belief that state and local control remains the bedrock of our nation’s education system, and this principle will not be enhanced through federal curriculum mandates. "We remain committed to ensuring that schools are safe, welcoming environments for all students, which is a bipartisan issue," O’Hare said. "We will continue to work with the Legislature and governor to ensure that our schools remain devoted to truth, excellence, and free inquiry." In New York state, education policy is set by the state Board of Regents, who are chosen by the State Legislature. Under law, local school boards have great latitude in what is taught in schools. *** Median teacher salaries have risen to $130,000 a year or higher in 34 school districts across Long Island — up from 24 a year earlier, a Newsday review found. And a majority of the region’s school systems — 72 of 125 — report median salaries of $120,000 or higher. That number is also up from the previous year’s figure of 64. John Hildebrand and Michael R. Ebert report in NEWSDAY that payroll numbers show that Long Island's school systems maintained their longtime position as among the highest-paying, not only statewide, but also nationally. Teacher representatives in the region said the salary levels reflect high living costs in Nassau and Suffolk counties, as well as in similar suburban counties such as Westchester. But state and local finance watchdogs questioned whether the rise in teacher pay was resulting in higher academic achievement for students. Recent national assessments, for example, showed middling results for New York students in math and reading. Andrea Vecchio - a founder of Long Islanders for Educational Reform, a regional advocacy group focused on school-finance issues – tells NEWSDAY, “If we keep rewarding failure, we’re going to get more of it,” The salary medians, also known as midpoints, were based on records covering more than 37,000 full-time classroom teachers in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Figures were for the 2023-24 school year, the latest available, and were provided by the state's Department of Education. Among more than 650 districts statewide, five of the 10 top-paying systems were located in the Nassau-Suffolk area. The highest-paying districts on Long Island, and their median salaries, included: Cold Spring Harbor, $150,089; Syosset, $146,892; Jericho, $146,105; Commack, $143,402 and Three Village in Suffolk, $142,041. *** The East Hampton Town Police Department’s 2025 Citizen Academy is now accepting applications, with the Spring 2025 session scheduled to begin on March 5. CHRISTOPHER WALSH reports on 27east.com that a 10-week program, the Citizen’s Police Academy gives participants firsthand insight into how the town’s police officers perform their duties and serve the community. The goal is for graduates to leave the academy as more informed citizens with an insider's view of local law enforcement functions and operations. The free, interactive 10-session program will run one to two times per week from 6 to 9 p.m. between March 5 and May 14. The course is open to those who live in East Hampton Town, are 17 or older and have a valid driver’s license. Applicants will be subject to a background check. The application submission deadline is Wednesday, February 26. Those seeking more information can call 631-537-7575, extension 542. *** The Town of Southampton on Wednesday filed court papers seeking to stop leaders of the Shinnecock Indian Nation from continuing to build a gas station on Sunrise Highway in Hampton Bays. Mark Harrington reports in NEWSDAY that the town's motion for a preliminary injunction, which seeks a court hearing on Feb. 19 in State Supreme Court in Riverhead, follows its Dec. 20 filing of a lawsuit that seeks to block tribal leaders from building the travel plaza. The nation has said the gas station/travel plaza is essential to its economic development and is being built on long-held tribal land over which the Town of Southampton has no zoning authority. Earlier this month, the Shinnecock Nation received a letter from the U.S. Department of the Interior affirming that the 80 acres that constitute its Westwoods property in Hampton Bays are part of its legally protected, aboriginal sovereign land. Separately, lawyers for Shinnecock leaders, including chairwoman Lisa Goree and other council members, last Friday filed a motion to dismiss the town's suit against the gas station, arguing they had not been properly served. On Wednesday, Lance Gumbs, vice chairman of the Shinnecock council of trustees, called the town’s latest court filing a "modern-day land grab." Gumbs said the nation has not stopped construction, nor has it stopped operating its adjacent billboard and monuments on Sunrise Highway which are the subject of an ongoing lawsuit by the state Department of Transportation. Westwoods "has been affirmed as what we always said it was," said Gumbs. "It’s aboriginal restricted-fee land and not under the jurisdiction of the state or the town." *** The Trump administration is considering a move to halt New York City’s congestion pricing program, according to multiple people with knowledge of the matter. As reported in THE NY TIMES, the U.S. Department of Transportation is discussing whether to withdraw a key federal authorization that the tolling plan received from the Biden administration last year. Such a move would almost certainly touch off a legal battle between the state and federal government and could effectively kill congestion pricing in its infancy. No final decision has been made but President Trump had vowed to halt congestion pricing when he entered office, saying it was harmful to the city’s economy. The tolling program, which is meant to provide funding for public transit…including the LIRR…started on Jan. 5 after surviving a number of lawsuits seeking to block it and a last-minute suspension by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in June. Ms. Hochul and Mr. Trump have spoken twice this week. They discussed a range of issues including congestion pricing, according to a person familiar with the matter, with the governor conveying to Mr. Trump that the program was showing signs of success. President Trump told Governor Hochul that there would be no immediate action and that before any decisions were made they should touch base again next week. There is little precedent for the reversal of a transportation project of this magnitude, transit experts said. New York’s congestion pricing plan, which first took shape more than six decades ago, is the first such program in the country. Legal experts said that it was unlikely the federal government could directly scrap congestion pricing and whatever maneuver it employed to derail the plan would undoubtedly be challenged in court. *** "Locals helping locals." That's the slogan for an event taking place tomorrow, meant to help workers laid off from Crescent Duck Farms in Aquebogue, where an outbreak of avian bird flu left owners with no choice but to cull their entire flock and quarantine the business . Lisa Finn reports on Patch.com that the fund-raising event is tomorrow from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at North Fork Brewing Co., 24 East 2nd Street in Riverhead. A raffle will be held, with prizes and experiences provided by local restaurants, hotels, vineyards, breweries and artists. Crescent Duck Farm had to lay off about two-thirds of its 75-person workforce after bird flu was confirmed at the farm Jan. 16, Crescent Duck Farm president and a fourth-generation farmer Doug Corwin told RiverheadLOCAL last week. Nearly all the farm’s employees have been working there for many years, he said. Crescent, founded in 1908, is the last duck farm remaining on Long Island, where duck farming once prospered with about 100 operating farms. *** The Town of Southampton on Wednesday filed court papers seeking to stop leaders of the Shinnecock Indian Nation from continuing to build a gas station on Sunrise Highway in Hampton Bays. Mark Harrington reports in NEWSDAY that the town's motion for a preliminary injunction, which seeks a court hearing on Feb. 19 in State Supreme Court in Riverhead, follows its Dec. 20 filing of a lawsuit that seeks to block tribal leaders from building the travel plaza. The nation has said the gas station/travel plaza is essential to its economic development and is being built on long-held tribal land over which the Town of Southampton has no zoning authority. Earlier this month, the Shinnecock Nation received a letter from the U.S. Department of the Interior affirming that the 80 acres that constitute its Westwoods property in Hampton Bays are part of its legally protected, aboriginal sovereign land. The town’s papers state the federal affirmation about Westwoods "does not purport to make a finding that the nation holds aboriginal title to Westwoods, or that Westwoods is 'Indian Country.' " Southampton Town attorney James Burke said, "I have not seen authority that clearly provides that lands held in restrictive fee make such lands sovereign from local municipal authority." After speaking recently with the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, Burke said he's awaiting a response from them. The Town of Southampton says tribal leaders’ efforts to build the gas station/travel plaza are "highly disruptive and cause material adverse impacts to the surrounding residential community." Tribal construction efforts "disregard town regulations and authority, ignore questions from the town about the environmental and safety impacts, flout zoning and permitting requirements, trample on town property rights, and otherwise threaten the quiet enjoyment of the surrounding area," the town's papers stated. The suit includes aerial photos from November alleging the "natural character of the land has been utterly destroyed by the perpetual and increasing activity."…

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Long Island nonprofits express alarm and confusion over Trump attempt to freeze funding 9:59

منذ عام واحد9:59

9:59

Long Island nonprofits, social service groups and other recipients of federal funds responded with alarm and confusion yesterday to a Trump administration memo that sought to impose a freeze on targeted federally funded programs. Tom Brune and Laura Figueroa Hernandez report in NEWSDAY that the memo issued Monday night by the Office of Management and Budget put a "temporary pause" on federal grants and loans to align spending with President Donald Trump’s priorities and to eliminate "Marxist equity, transgenderism and green new deal" policies. U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan in Washington, D.C., halted the memo’s orders until Feb. 3, moments before it was to take effect at 5 p.m., to consider its complicated ramifications. 1st Congressional District Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) said in a statement that he and Trump made campaign commitments to pause funding for some foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations and initiatives like DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion), gender ideology and the Green New Deal while protecting Social Security and Medicare. "Should the courts block the President’s actions and instead require Congress to step in, I will work closely with him and my colleagues to achieve a balanced budget, strengthen national security, improve affordability, and ensure that Long Island gets its fair share," said Congressman LaLota. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said, "Last night, President Trump plunged the country into chaos. Without a shred of warning, the Trump administration announced a halt to virtually all federal funds across the country." Meanwhile, Nassau and Suffolk county health agencies and nonprofits are scrambling to understand the order and whether it applied to them. *** Jessica Lynn Elliott was recently named as the new executive director of the Southampton African American Museum in Southampton Village, taking over for founder Brenda Simmons, who has transitioned into a new role as the museum’s president and CEO. Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that Ms. Elliott was a teacher and history professor at Syracuse University before taking the role with the museum in December. Its mission is to promote an understanding and appreciation of African American culture by creating programs that will preserve the past, encourage learning and enhance the life of the community. The museum fulfills that mission by researching and collecting local history, producing media events, and creating exhibits and community celebrations. Located at 245 North Sea Road in Southampton, the museum is the former home of a Black barber shop that was founded by Emmanuel Seymore, who came to the North during the Great Migration in the late 1940s to escape the Jim Crow South. He purchased the land in Southampton and opened the shop, becoming a successful businessman. Elliott has been an educator for 20 years, working as a teacher of U.S. history, government, global history and geography in the Syracuse City School District, and writing and teaching African American history curriculum for the same district for 15 years before taking a role as a history professor at Syracuse University. Elliott earned both her doctorate and masters from Syracuse after graduating from Delaware State University in 2006 with a double-major in history and political science and a double minor in African American studies and philosophy. After working at Syracuse University for five years, Elliott said she was ready for a change, and in looking for new opportunities, came across the opening at the museum. *** The Sag Harbor Zoning Board of Appeals last week issued three variances to the John Jermain Memorial Library that will allow it to replace a failing heating and ventilation system. Stephen J. Kotz reports on 27east.com that the variances allow for a soundproof fence that will be placed around the system on the north side of the library building to be 6 feet tall, where 4 feet is ordinarily the limit. Two other variances would ease restrictions on total lot coverage and building coverage, which the library building already exceeds on the 14,172-square-foot lot. With the variance now in hand, the library is expected to receive site-plan approval from the Planning Board. And not a minute too soon. The library reported that its existing heating system broke down on January 13. *** The Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue, which lost its entire flock of 99,000 to an outbreak of bird flu, has begun the long, methodical process of sanitizing its facilities. Mark Harrington and Lisa L. Colangelo report in NEWSDAY that Doug Corwin, president of the family-owned operation in business since 1908, said all the ducks have been euthanized, as required by federal officials, and two layers of quarantine remain in effect around the operation. None of his workers has fallen ill or tested positive for the virus. "The worst is over as far as any viral spread," he said. "Now we’ve got to do an intensive cleanup here. USDA will come down once or twice a week and monitor our progress. We talk with them multiple times a day." The future of the popular farm, which supplies duck meat to restaurants and gourmet shops throughout Long Island, New York City and beyond, hinges on several thousand eggs that are being safely kept off site. Infectious disease experts have said the risk to health among the general public is still low, especially since there have been no confirmed cases of person-to-person transmission. Corwin was forced to lay off 48 workers but kept 20 to help with the cleanup. He said the company was successful in salvaging many of the 10,000 eggs that he hopes could represent the future of Crescent, which has developed a unique genetic strain of duck over generations. Eggs were kept off the farm and sanitized and tested along the way, and many are now being incubated at an undisclosed location. Corwin has not yet determined whether he will raise ducks at the site again. He has been frustrated with the lack of a vaccine that would protect ducks from the virus. "There’s a lot of challenges left," he said. "But don’t get me wrong. We’re making every step forward so that at least we can try. I’m not backing down by any means." Richard Ball, commissioner of the state Department of Agriculture and Markets said there have been no other recent detections of bird flu on Long Island. *** Following a similar announcement by Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard last Friday, Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski released a statement Monday reaffirming the Town of Southold’s long-standing policy to “not assist Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) or any other federal agency in the enforcement of federal laws. The Town of Southold’s Police Department will focus on maintaining public safety and will continue to treat all residents with respect, regardless of race, national origin, citizenship or any other matter which may define us,” states Supervisor Krupski. Beth Young in EAST END BEACON reports that a Community Informational Session to provide important and timely information to residents on the Southold Town Policing Policy will be held on Thursday, Jan. 30…that’s tomorrow evening from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Southold Town Recreation Center, 970 Peconic Lane, Peconic. Southold Town Police Chief Steven Grattan, along with representatives from the Southold Town Anti-Bias Task Force and the Police Advisory Committee, have been invited to participate in this discussion and “to be responsive to issues of greatest concern to our residents,” according to Supervisor Krupski’s statement. For more information, contact the Supervisor’s office at 631.765.1889. *** A proposal to phase out sand mines on most residentially zoned land in Southampton Town was adjourned until February 25 by the Town Board on Tuesday. Stephen J. Kotz reports on 27east.com that Councilman Bill Pell, the legislation’s sponsor, said that the board had received comments from the Town Zoning Board of Appeals and the Suffolk County Pine Barrens Commission, but had yet to hear from the Town Planning Board, necessitating the need to adjourn the hearing. However, the board accepted testimony from the four people who signed up to speak during a public hearing on the measure, three of whom supported the town’s action. The only speaker to oppose amortization, Aram Terchunian of Westhampton Beach, urged the town to use incentives to encourage sand mine operators to transition from mining to less intense uses. *** Fear and uncertainty, but also an invincible devotion to God, permeated a Roman Catholic Church in Riverhead where hundreds of immigrants gathered for Sunday Mass despite President Donald Trump’s order that federal agents can enter houses of worship to arrest people in the country illegally. Some immigrants, who acknowledged they were living here without documentation, said they came to pray anyway at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Riverhead since their faith and belief in God was stronger than any threat Trump might level. "We are afraid but we have confidence in God," one immigrant, a landscaper who is in the country illegally, said in Spanish. Bart Jones reports in NEWSDAY that the church attracted a standing-room-only crowd of about 800 people, larger than even the typical showing of 650 to 700 of the faithful, said the Rev. Larry Duncklee, pastor of St. John. Immigrants from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and other Latin American countries packed the pews. The aisles along the walls were also full. Hispanics are among the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the United States. Many denominations including the Catholic Church are catering to them to try to stem declining membership, in part by offering Spanish-language services. Most Latinos traditionally are Catholic but Evangelicals and other denominations are making inroads in the community. The U.S. is home to an estimated 11 million people who do not have legal documentation. Many on Long Island work in restaurants, factories, landscaping and — especially on the East End — farms, according to advocates. "I’m afraid to go anywhere," another parishioner at the Mass who is also living in the country illegally, said in Spanish. "I have a little fear to go to Mass because they have threatened to take people out of the churches," the parishioner said. "But the will of God is the most essential thing ... We have to go to Mass and thank our Father and our creator."…

1
Riverhead ZBA postpones retail cannabis application until at least Feb. 13 9:55

منذ عام واحد9:55

9:55

More than 1.3 million Long Islanders could receive between $300 and $500 in state rebate checks at the end of the year and see substantial tax savings if two proposals from the governor are approved. Critics, however, argue that the measures merely paper over significant affordability issues throughout Nassau and Suffolk. Victor Ocasio reports in NEWSDAY that among the line items in New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget is an “inflation refund” that would give $3 billion in direct payments to about 8.6 million state residents, including more than a million on Long Island, the state said. Single taxpayers who make up to $150,000 per year would receive $300, and joint filers making up to $300,000 annually would get $500 total. Separate from the rebate is an expansion of the Empire State Child Credit, which would give parents up to $1,000 in refundable tax credits for each child younger than 4, and up to $500 for families with children ages 4 to 16. If approved, the credit's expansion would be phased in over two years, meaning Long Island parents with children younger than 4 would qualify for the savings when filing their taxes in 2026. Parents of children ages 4 to 16 would qualify the following year, the state said. An estimated 215,000 households on Long Island, or roughly 355,000 children, would benefit from the expansion of the child tax credit, the governor’s office said earlier this month. The State Legislature will review and potentially make changes to Hochul's proposed budget. A budget deal must be reached by April 1. *** Twenty-five years ago, when current Southampton Village Mayor Bill Manger first served on the Village Board, as a trustee, he remembers talk about the need to replace the slate roof at the Southampton Arts Center, the 9,930-square-foot cultural institution on Jobs Lane that is owned by the Village of Southampton. Even a quarter of a century ago, it was evident that it was near the end of its lifespan. Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that now thanks to a recent half-million-dollar investment by the current board, the Southampton Arts Center is finally getting a new roof. Approximately $500,000 was set aside in the capital budget last year to replace the slate roof, and recently, the materials arrived from a company in Vermont, allowing workers to get the project underway. Mayor Manger said yesterday that the project would likely be complete in a few weeks. It will be a welcome relief for those who work at and visit the arts center regularly. In recent months, the roof had been leaking, requiring buckets to be set up inside to catch the water on rainy days. *** Bridgehampton students in grades two through five are lacing up their skates again this winter thanks to the generosity of their community . As reported on 27east.com, through donations of ice time, skates and helmets, students take part in ice skating lessons at the Buckskill Winter Club in East Hampton during the months of January and February. For many years, Douglas and Katheryn DeGroot’s continued support has made this opportunity possible for Bridgehampton students, offering them a unique experience outside the classroom. With the help of physical education teacher Steve Meyers, students learn the fundamentals of ice skating, build confidence, and stay active throughout the winter months. *** The Ladies Village Improvement Society of East Hampton is marking its 130th anniversary this year and, in a presentation to the East Hampton Village Board last Friday, LVIS announced a 2025 community programs budget of slightly more than $785,000. Christopher Walsh reports on 27east.com that this includes beautifying and preserving the village’s landscape through its more than 30 committees devoted to matters such as trees, greens and grounds, landmarks and the Nature Trail. The LVIS also awards scholarships to high school students, sells merchandise in its thrift shops and hosts an annual summer fair. “The LVIS works to care for over 3,500 trees and to plant new ones,” Joyce Tuttle of the LVIS told the East Hampton Village Board. “It’s likely one of the oldest private-public tree programs in the United States.” Members tend to some 700 memorial plaques along the streets and clean the tree enclosures on Main Street and Newtown Lane. Dead or downed trees are replaced with a variety of species. “Keeping East Hampton Beautiful Since 1895” the Society’s Greens program, founded in 1907, oversees mowing, irrigation and organic care of the greens on Main Street, from Town Pond to the Hook Mill memorial and the large open space at the western end of Pantigo Road. The LVIS Nature Trail Committee feeds and monitors the health of diverse waterfowl and birds, and in partnership with the Garden Club of East Hampton removes downed branches, limbs and litter there. “The LVIS is a wonderful organization,” Mayor Jerry Larsen said, “and you all work so hard and it’s so clear how much dedication and how much money is given to this Village. … From my heart, I thank you so much for all the hard work you do.” *** A decision on the application for a use variance to allow a retail cannabis shop to open in a former bank building on Ostrander Avenue was postponed last week by the Riverhead Zoning Board of Appeals until at least the next planning commission meeting on Feb. 13. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the adjournment came pending receipt of the recommendation of the Suffolk County Planning Commission on the proposed use. Applicant Elizabeth McGrath, operating as Tink & E. Co. of Cutchogue, proposes a state-licensed dispensary in the former bank building at 1201 Ostrander Avenue, which has been vacant since the branch was shuttered by People’s United Bank in June 2017. McGrath appealed to the ZBA for relief from Riverhead Town’s cannabis code, which prohibits a retail cannabis dispensary at the site, because it is within 1,000 feet of existing residential uses and is outside a designated commercial corridor. Amanda Grams of Reeves Park was the only member of the public to speak on the application during last Thursday’s meeting. Grams said the town invested a lot of time and energy in developing the cannabis code. She noted that Riverhead’s code has allowed the largest retail dispensary in the state to open on Route 58, near Tanger Outlets. “I’m standing here because I don’t want Riverhead to be the pothead place. That old bank is near homes, residences, children. It’s not zoned for it,” she said. *** Several local organizations are among 15 nonprofits awarded a total of $378,000 by the Long Island Unitarian Universalist Fund in support of their efforts to advance progressive social change, the New York Community Trust announced last week. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that among the nonprofit organizations awarded grants is the Riverhead-based Butterfly Effect Project, which received a $23,000 grant to support its leadership initiative, which creates opportunities for young people of color to advocate for change in their communities. Tijuana Fulford, founder and executive director of the Butterfly Effect Project said the grant will support the group’s college access and college retention program. BEP helps its members attend college tours, access resources like scholarships and financial aid, and prepare federal financial aid application documents known as FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The group also helps high schoolers explore alternative pathways, including careers in public safety and other public service employment, various skilled trades, and entrepreneurship. *** More than 1.3 million Long Islanders could receive between $300 and $500 in state rebate checks at the end of the year and see substantial tax savings if two proposals from the governor are approved. Critics, however, argue that the measures merely paper over significant affordability issues throughout the NYC Metropolitan area including Nassau and Suffolk. The NYS Legislature will review and potentially make changes to Governor Kathy Hochul's proposed budget. A budget deal must be reached by April 1. “Families shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not they can afford to put food on the table because of the rising cost of groceries,” Hochul said in a statement last week. “Making New York more affordable has been one of my top priorities." However, Victor Ocasio reports in NEWSDAY that critics of the governor’s proposed child tax credit expansion and inflation refund said the state is leaving core affordability issues unaddressed. “The governor is talking about affordability, and she’s going about addressing it in all the wrong ways,” said Ken Girardin, research director at the Empire Center for Public Policy, a conservative think tank in Albany. “If you’re concerned about the cost of goods or services in New York, then go find ways to make it easier to provide goods and services in New York,” Girardin said. “You can do that by lowering taxes on the people who provide those goods or services or by easing their regulatory burden.” The Fiscal Policy Institute, a progressive think tank in Albany, also took issue with the state’s proposed refund checks. Emily Eisner, an economist at the institute, wrote in an analysis earlier this month that the checks would not address structural issues, such as the high cost of housing. She added that “the policy could easily backfire, giving a small boost to prices rather than easing household finances,” implying that a cash injection into the economy could have inflationary effects similar to what was seen with pandemic stimulus payments. Eisner did suggest, however, that expanding the child tax credit represents a “recurring investment in New York families.”…

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Long Island Morning Edition « »
Riverhead ZBA postpones retail cannabis application until at least Feb. 13

Riverhead ZBA postpones retail cannabis application until at least Feb. 13

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Riverhead ZBA postpones retail cannabis application until at least Feb. 13 9:55

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Long Island Morning Edition « » Riverhead ZBA postpones retail cannabis application until at least Feb. 13

Riverhead ZBA postpones retail cannabis application until at least Feb. 13

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Long Island Morning Edition « »
Riverhead ZBA postpones retail cannabis application until at least Feb. 13