27Speaks

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone visited Southampton in late August to announce that the county plans to seek proposals for “innovative traffic solutions” for a seven-mile stretch of County Road 39 from Hampton Bays to Southampton Village. He joined also the Express Sessions conversation on October 26 at Union Sushi & Steak in Southampton, with panel of local and county public officials exploring what those innovations might entail.

The addition to Bellone, the guests included Suffolk County Department of Public Works Assistant Chief Engineer Alex Prego, Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming, Southampton Village Police Chief Sue Hurteau, Southampton Town Highway Superintendent Charles McArdle and Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman.

The editors lift the veil on the endorsement process — how the editorial board interviews candidates for village, town, county and higher office then decides the best candidates to endorse.

The new issue of The Express Magazine has a special focus on local food by East End growers, producers and chefs. Reporter Cailin Riley joins the editors to discuss the stories appearing in the Harvest issue.

There is no easy solution for the South Fork’s affordable housing crisis, which is striking schools, police departments and volunteer emergency corps hardest. A new idea is to use some of those same properties where men and women are employed, or where they volunteer, to build affordable housing and to give them an inside track at a place they can truly call home, in exchange for their employment or volunteering. Sag Harbor Village Mayor Tom Gardella floated the idea as a Village Board member to use the Sag Harbor Firehouse property in that way, and a similar plan has been pitched to East Hampton schools. Is it one possible answer?

On October 12 for the latest Express Sessions discussion The Express News Group assembled Tim Fromm, assistant superintendent of East Hampton School District; Tom Gardella, Sag Harbor Village mayor; Curtis Highsmith, executive director, Southampton Town Housing Authority; Kirby Marcantonio, owner of Hampton Life; and Tommy John Schiavoni, Southampton Town councilman; at the American Hotel in Sag Harbor to discuss these innovation solutions.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney joins the editors and reporter Tom Gogola on the podcast to discuss how his office is confronting crime in Suffolk County, including on the East End.

A proposal unveiled in August would transform Lake Agawam in Southampton Village, making it into a destination garden designed by artist and landscape designer Peter Marino. This comes as village officials have worked in recent years to try to reclaim the lake — one of New York State's most polluted water bodies — in part with a major new plan to use an algae skimmer to filter the lake water. Restoring Lake Agawam to its rightful place as a centerpiece attraction of the village is a major undertaking across several administrations: What will the final result be?

Joining the Express Sessions panel are David Bohnett, board member, Lake Agawam Conservancy; Dr. Christopher Gobler, professor, Stony Brook University School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences; Michael Irving, former Southampton Village mayor; Bill Manger, Southampton Village mayor; Janice Scherer, Southampton Town planning director; and Shannon Willey, owner, Sea Green Designs in Southampton Village.

In a new series of articles, The Express News Group is highlighting former residents of the South Fork who have gone on to live in interesting places and work in exciting careers. On the 27Speaks podcast this week, the editors and reporters discuss some of the people covered so far and the plans for the series as it continues.

The 11th annual SouthamptonFest is this weekend, Friday, September 29, to Sunday, October 1, in Southampton Village, bringing family friendly fun with arts, entertainment, food and more. On this week's podcast, Southampton Village Deputy Mayor Gina Arresta and SouthamptonFest organizer Nancy Kane join the editors to discuss the festivities planned.

The U.S. General Services Administration has postponed its planned auction of 14 acres north of Stewart Avenue in Westhampton with 24 duplexes, two single-family units and a workshop to give Southampton Town, a private developer and other partners time to come up with a plan to acquire the property for affordable housing opportunities. However, neighbors south of Stewart Avenue are urging the town not to turn the units into affordable homes and to step aside while the GSA auctions off the surplus property as planned. Reporter Tom Gogola, who has been reporting on the attempts to direct the property toward affordable housing, joins the editors on the podcast this week.

Destructive southern pine beetles have been sweeping through the South Fork for several years, killing pitch pine trees. Standing dead trees are ideal fuel for wildfires, and they may also topple or drop branches onto roads and people. Southern pine beetle management has involved cutting down affected trees and often leaving them in place, but despite these efforts, the infestation continues to spread. To discuss how East Hampton Town is combating southern pine beetles and the risks, reporter Michael Wright and East Hampton Town Councilman David Lys join the editors on the podcast this week.