Behind The Headlines

This week, the panel discusses a number of topics, including life after vaccines; a recently released list of Catholic priests accused in the church’s abuse scandal; the first controlled burn in the Long Island Pine Barrens; a new home for Community Action Southold Town, which provides food to the needy; and the ongoing development pressure in Sag Harbor.

This week, the panel discusses local town and village reaction to legalized recreational marijuana and whether the municipalities plan to “opt-out” of allowing sales; issues surrounding beach access on Shelter Island and around the East End in general; and development issues in Sag Harbor and the Bay Street Theater’s plans to build a new home in the village.

Joseph Shaw, Executive Editor, The Express News Group

Bill Sutton, Managing Editor, The Express News Group

Stephen J. Kotz, Staff Writer, The Express News Group

Ambrose Clancy, Editor, The Shelter Island Reporter

Steve Wick, Executive Editor, Times-Review Media Group

This week, the panel discusses the latest advances in the story about the legalization of recreational marijuana in New York State and how local governments are responding; a report by Stony Brook University scientist Dr. Chris Gobler on the horrific quality of waterbodies in East Hampton Town and the general state of water quality on the East End; and an ethics complaint filed against a Riverhead planner for his work on a proposal to build a proposed 7-Eleven in Riverside, in the Town of Southampton.

Bill Sutton, Managing Editor, The Express News Group

Annette Hinkle, Arts & Living Editor, Express News Group

Grant Parpan, Content Director, Times-Review Media Group

David Rattray, Editor, The East Hampton Star

Denise Civiletti, Editor/Publisher,  Riverhead Local

This week, the panel discusses U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin’s announcement that he will seek the Republican nomination to run for governor in 2022, the passage of the state’s $212 billion budget and what that will mean for local school districts and the undocumented population, a Mattituck School senior who gained quite a bit of attention for dressing in “goth” for her senior picture, the return of outdoor dining this summer, and the legalization of recreational marijuana and what that might mean for the Shinnecock Nation in Southampton.

Bill Sutton, Managing Editor, The Express News Group

Annnette Hinkle, Arts & Living Editor, Express News Group

Joe Werkmeister, Editor: The Suffolk Times/Riverhead News-Review

Michael Mackey, Local Host For Long Island Morning Edition, WLIW-FM

Beth Young, Publisher/Editor, East End Beacon

The panelists discuss the plateau and slight rise in Covid cases and vaccinations, local police forces responding to new state reform mandates, and the impacts of legalization of marijuana on the East End.

Joseph P. Shaw, Executive Editor, The Express News Group

Brendan O'Reilly, Features Editor, The Express News Group

Denise Civiletti, Editor and Publisher, Riverhead Local

Jamie Bufalino, Staff Writer, East Hampton Star

Ambrose Clancy, Editor, The Shelter Island Reporter

This week, the panel discusses a wide range of topics, including the various scandals surrounding Governor Andrew Cuomo, the potential legalization of recreational marijuana in the state, migrant farming communities on the East End, affordable housing, and school budgets in the wake of the pandemic.

Joseph P. Shaw, Executive Editor, The Express News Group

Bill Sutton, Managing Editor, The Express News Group

Steve Wick, Executive Editor, Times-Review Media Group

Beth Young, Editor/Publisher, East End Beacon

Chrissy Sampson, Deputy Managing Editor, East Hampton Star

This week, the panel discusses COVID-19 and the effect it has had on nursing homes and nursing home workers, the current state of the vaccine rollout on the East End, and Thursday’s approval by the New York State Public Service Commission of a proposal to land the South Fork Wind Farm power cable in Wainscott.

Joseph P. Shaw, Executive Editor, The Express News Group

Bill Sutton, Managing Editor, The Express News Group

Michael Wright, Senior Writer, The Express News Group

Denise Civiletti, Publisher at Riverhead Local

David Rattray, Editor, The East Hampton Star

This week, the panel discusses a wide range of topics, including the one year anniversary of coronavirus being declared a pandemic; the current state of vaccinations on the East End; the story about a Calverton family that received a survey from a local nursing home asking about the stay of a family member who had died of COVID-19; the call to impeach Governor Andrew Cuomo; and the upcoming East Hampton Town election.

Joseph P. Shaw, Executive Editor, The Express News Group

Bill Sutton, Managing Editor, The Express News Group

Carissa Katz, Managing Editor, The East Hampton Star

Joe Werkmeister, Editor, Times-Review Media Group

Vera Chinese, Reporter, Newsday

This week, the panel discusses what appears to be a loosening up of the COVID-19 vaccine, with several pop-up PODs distributing doses in local communities on the East End in the past week; statements from U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin on his possible interest in running for Governor in New York State in November; Suffolk County’s decision last week to extend bay-bottom leases to oyster farmers for another 10 years; and the beginning of an abbreviated “fall” sports season this week, which will include spectators for the first time during the pandemic.

Joseph P. Shaw, Executive Editor, The Express News Group

Bill Sutton, Managing Editor, The Express News Group

Denise Civiletti, Publisher/Editor, Riverhead Local

Beth Young, Publisher/Editor, East End Beacon

Ambrose Clancy, Editor, Shelter Island Reporter

This week, the panel discusses the influx of new residents to the East End in the wake of the pandemic, and the effect that has had and will have in the future, including adding to the affordable housing crisis; an update on the Shinnecock Nation’s plans to construct a casino just outside of Southampton Village and the effect that might have on an already overburdened traffic situation; the arrest of Southold political figure Damon Rallis, who was charged with distributing child pornography; and efforts to preserve John Steinbeck’s former Sag Harbor home, which hit the market last week for $17.9 million.

Joseph P. Shaw, Executive Editor, The Express News Group

Bill Sutton, Managing Editor, The Express News Group

Kathryn Menu, Co-Publisher, The Express News Group

Grant Parpan, Content Director, Times-Review Media Group

Michael Mackey, Local Host For Long Island Morning Edition, WLIW-FM