On this weekend's edition of Behind The Headlines, the regular panel invites former Assembleyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. on to take a close look at recent trends and changes in East End politics, especially as voters respond to national polarization with smaller races.

ICE has been enacting sudden raids throughout the East End of Long Island, causing widespread alarm and confusion, especially within the Latino community. Many families have stopped sending children to school, avoid medical appointments, and other basic parts of life for fear of being detained. Minerva Perez is Executive Director of OLA of Eastern Long Island, a Latino advocacy organization. She joined the panel to give detail and context around these instances as well as her position on what elected officials and leaders could be doing to prevent more violence from occurring.

This week's panel is:

• Joe Shaw, Executive Editor at The Express News Group
• Bill Sutton, Managing Editor at The Express News Group
• Beth Young, Editor & Publisher of East End Beacon
• Denise Civiletti, Editor & Publisher of RiverheadLocal
• Minerva Perez, Executive Director of OLA of Eastern Long Island

Find out how to help OLA further its mission here.

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WLIW-FM is community media for Eastern Long Island. Donate to WLIW-FM here.

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Please enjoy this Express Sessions while Behind The Headlines is off. This was recorded live on October 9th, 2025 and has been edited for time and conciseness. An unedited version can be found here.

The first in a series of five special Express Sessions events titled “Local Matters” focused on Southampton Village and the issues that are important to its residents. Topics included traffic, sewers, workforce housing, Lake Agawam and the business community’s struggles and successes.

The panel included Southampton Village Mayor Bill Manger, Southampton Village Trustee Rob Coburn, Southampton Association member Jay Diesing, Southampton Village Police Chief Sue Hurteau, Topiaire Flower Shop owner Erin Meaney, and Government Advisor, Lake Agawam Conservancy Janice Scherer.

In this episode of 'Behind the Headlines,' Joe Shaw and Bill Sutton welcome Denise Civiletti, Beth Young, and Cailin Riley to take a deeper dive into Eastern Long Island news. Denise and Beth explain the controversial Riverhead Town Square development and public opinion on it, the demand for hotel accommodations, and a significant subdivision proposal on the North Fork. Cailin goes into the historical significance of the Amistad and local efforts to preserve its story, and the group talks about ongoing initiatives for affordable housing in Riverside. The conversation wraps with the importance of environmental education for children.

This week's panel is:

• Joe Shaw, Executive Editor at The Express News Group
• Bill Sutton, Managing Editor at The Express News Group
• Cailin Riley, Staff Writer at The Express News Group
• Beth Young, Editor & Publisher of East End Beacon
• Denise Civiletti, Editor & Publisher of RiverheadLocal

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WLIW-FM is community media for Eastern Long Island. Donate to WLIW-FM here.

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On this week's show, the panel has a serious conversation about the role of local journalism in giving formal endorsements of candidates in local and regional political races. Denise Civiletti and Beth Young express why they each hold policies against the practice as very small organizations, and Joe Shaw gives a counterargument from the perspective of a larger operation. They also talk about New York State's new law requiring all elections to be held on even years, the significance of state support for oyster farming, and the development of a community center in East Hampton.

This week's panel is:

• Joe Shaw, Executive Editor at The Express News Group
• Bill Sutton, Managing Editor at The Express News Group
• Jack Motz, Staff Writer at The Express News Group
• Beth Young, Editor & Publisher of East End Beacon
• Denise Civiletti, Editor & Publisher of RiverheadLocal

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WLIW-FM is community media for Eastern Long Island. Donate to WLIW-FM here.

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In this episode of Behind the Headlines, the panel takes another deep dive into the cannabis issues on the East End, spurred by a legalization lawsuit filed by Southampton and Riverhead Towns. They also talk about the challenges of local zoning laws, the evacuation of a nursing home during a nor'easter, the expansion of the Riverhead Ambulance Corps, and the controversial purchase of an armored vehicle by the Southampton Town Police Department. Beth and Denise close the conversation with tributes and recognition of recently passed community leaders.

This week's panel is:

• Joe Shaw, Executive Editor at The Express News Group
• Bill Sutton, Managing Editor at The Express News Group
• Michael Mackey, Host of The Long Island Daily on WLIW-FM
• Beth Young, Editor & Publisher of East End Beacon
• Denise Civiletti, Editor & Publisher of RiverheadLocal

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WLIW-FM is community media for Eastern Long Island. Donate to WLIW-FM here.

Download the WLIW-FM app so you never miss a beat!

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On this week's Behind The Headlines, the panel details concerns over contaminated soil in Calverton, the unsolved cold case of Montauk Mary, and innovative care programs for the aging population. The conversation also touches on traffic management experiments aimed at improving flow on County Road 39 and highlights the upcoming Hamptons International Film Festival, with Annette Hinkle mentioning A24's "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You" and Joe Lauro's “Newport & the Great Folk Dream" in particular.

This week's panel is:

• Joe Shaw, Executive Editor at The Express News Group
• Bill Sutton, Managing Editor at The Express News Group
• Annette Hinkle, Arts and Living editor Staff Writer at The Express News Group
• Beth Young, Editor & Publisher of East End Beacon
• Denise Civiletti, Editor & Publisher of RiverheadLocal

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WLIW-FM is community media for Eastern Long Island. Donate to WLIW-FM here.

Download the WLIW-FM app so you never miss a beat!

for Apple devices | for Android devices

On this week's edition of Behind The Headlines, the panel discusses the cannabis shop in Southampton which opened without complete permitting, state regulations versus local laws in cannabis and the frustrations of local cannabis operators. They also talk about the political dynamics surrounding candidate engagement in Riverhead and recent changes in COVID vaccine accessibility in New York State, and more.

This week's panel is:

• Joe Shaw, Executive Editor at The Express News Group
• Bill Sutton, Managing Editor at The Express News Group
• Joe Werkmeister, Staff Writer at Newsday
• Beth Young, Editor & Publisher of East End Beacon
• Michael Mackey, host of The Long Island Daily on WLIW-FM

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WLIW-FM is community media for Eastern Long Island. Donate to WLIW-FM here.

Download the WLIW-FM app so you never miss a beat!

for Apple devices | for Android devices

In this episode of 'Behind the Headlines,' Bill Sutton covers the recent removal of trash cans in Southampton. Denise Civiletti discusses the cold case of the murder of anonymous woman known only as Montauk Mary and the historical significance of Sound Avenue. The panel invites Jack Motz to dive into the approval of a dock in Three Mile Harbor and the history of the HMS Culloden shipwreck. Christine Sampson talks about the impact of the decline of civics education, and they also touch on the controversy surrounding a teacher's comments on social media, and more.

This week's panel is:

• Joe Shaw, Executive Editor at The Express News Group
• Bill Sutton, Managing Editor at The Express News Group
• Denise Civiletti, Editor & Publisher at RiverheadLocal
• Jack Motz, Staff Writer at The Express News Group
• Christine Sampson, Director of Community Engagement at LTV

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WLIW-FM is community media for Eastern Long Island. Donate to WLIW-FM here.

Download the WLIW-FM app so you never miss a beat!

for Apple devices | for Android devices

In this episode of 'Behind the Headlines,' the panel reflects on the recent assassination of political commentator Charlie Kirk, highlighting the dangers of political violence though expressing disagreement with his views. They also discuss dredging projects in Montauk and Mattituck, Poxabogue Field debates, and the Osprey and Bald Eagle population recoveries. Denise and Alek explain the Riverhead Town Square project, exploring its potential impact on the community and the controversies surrounding it, and Beth Young outlines the legal complexities of seaplanes landing on the North Fork.

This week's panel is:

• Joe Shaw, Executive Editor at The Express News Group
• Bill Sutton, Managing Editor at The Express News Group
• Denise Civiletti, Editor & Publisher at RiverheadLocal
• Beth Young, Editor & Publisher at the East End Beacon
• Alek Lewis, Staff Writer at RiverheadLocal

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WLIW-FM is community media for Eastern Long Island. Donate to WLIW-FM here.

Download the WLIW-FM app so you never miss a beat!

for Apple devices | for Android devices