A federal judge yesterday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from killing New York’s congestion pricing toll or carrying out retaliatory threats to withhold transportation funding unless the state capitulates. Matthew Chayes reports in NEWSDAY that ruling from the bench, Judge Lewis J. Liman of U.S. District Court for the Southern District said his temporary restraining order is in effect until June 9 at 5 p.m. as he considers arguments in a lawsuit by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which he said the agency is likely to ultimately win. The suit challenges the Trump administration's efforts to revoke permission granted under President Joe Biden and end the congestion pricing program, the nation's first, which charges most drivers $9 to enter 60th Street or below in Manhattan.

The Trump administration had threatened to implement "compliance measures" — including withholding federal transportation funding and stopping approvals for state transportation projects — beginning as soon as today unless New York ends the program.

Last year, while running for office, candidate Donald Trump vowed to "TERMINATE" congestion pricing” stating, "CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD."

On Tuesday, Judge Liman likened the Trump administration's threats — made by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy — to a sword of Damocles. Duffy has said it's unfair to toll drivers to get around Manhattan and force commuters onto a mass transit system that he has used profanity to describe. New York says the toll is essential to reduce traffic congestion, to make the air less polluted and to raise money for mass transit…including the L.I.R.R.

In a statement issued by her office, Gov. Kathy Hochul said, "We’ve won — again." She called Judge Liman's ruling "a massive victory for New York commuters, vindicating our right as a State to make decisions regarding what’s best for our streets."

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The Southampton Youth Bureau’s 22nd annual Battle of the Bands competition is bringing the sound of local bands back to Ponquogue Beach in Hampton Bays on Friday, June 6. Dan Stark reports on 27east.com that the concert is one of the largest annual events for high school bands in the Town of Southampton to showcase their talents in front of a large crowd of friends, family and peers, complete with a professional sound and lighting system.

Southampton Youth Bureau Assistant Director Peter Strecker, who runs the event, called it “a great opportunity for them to get out on stage to express their creativity in front of a live audience in a safe and supervised setting.”

Gates open at 7 p.m., and those arriving early will be treated to a series of special guest opening acts for the first hour. This year will feature four local high schoolers who participated in “Hamptons Got Talent,” a talent show hosted in Hampton Bays by the Youth Bureau in April.

The main show begins at 8 p.m., as the bands take the stage.

This year, five bands will be competing, which is the most bands since 2018. Each band will have 20 minutes to perform a set of three to four songs. The winning band also gets to perform an encore at the end of the show.

The event will be emceed by Casey Farrell and Julianna Najdzion of the Youth Bureau’s Youth Advisory Committee.

For more information, visit southamptontownny.gov/youthbureau or call 631-702-2425.

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The Wainscott Heritage Project will hold several events designed to engage the community, preserve local history and celebrate the cultural character of Wainscott.

The first is this coming Sunday, June 1, at 4 p.m. titled “Historic Preservation Myth Busting.” It will take place at LTV Studios. Tara Cubie, preservation director at Preservation Long Island, will present the talk that will debunk common misconceptions such as “historic designation means you can’t change anything about your house” and “preserving old buildings lowers property values.” Through real-life examples from East Hampton and beyond, Ms. Cubie will offer an informative look at the realities of preservation. Sunday’s event is free and open to the public, with light refreshments and a Q&A to follow. Reservations are encouraged.

For more information and reservations visit wainscottheritageproject.org.

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Businesses that pay manual workers biweekly, violating New York’s century-old weekly pay law, will no longer be on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages under provisions in the state budget that provide flexibility for first-time offenders. Keshia Clukey reports in NEWSDAY that the law, which has roots in the Industrial Revolution era, aims to protect manual laborers. But in 2019, a midlevel state court decision opened the door for certain manual laborers to sue their employers for "liquidated damages" if they were being paid biweekly instead of weekly. Liquidated damages by law include up to 100% of the total amount of wages found to be due going back up to six years, as well as attorney’s fees.

The decision opened the floodgates to hundreds of cases across the state, costing businesses anywhere from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars and forcing some small businesses to close.

The $254 billion state budget passed this month included language championed by Gov. Kathy Hochul to limit the amount of damages employees who are paid in full on a biweekly basis are entitled to. For a first time violation, businesses will only be required to pay the interest the employee lost by not being paid weekly. Second violations would still be subject to full liquidated damages. The law applies to pending and future cases.

The change evoked concern from some worker advocates and attorneys who say manual workers have the right to not only be paid on time but to seek full damages if an employer violates the law.

Business groups applauded the move, saying the original law is not only ambiguous in how it defines manual laborers, but that businesses shouldn’t be so heavily penalized if they are fully paying their employees, just on a biweekly basis.

New York State law in 1890 required weekly pay for certain employees, including railroad, manufacturing and mining workers. The current version of the pay frequency law was put in place in 1966 and has been interpreted to mean individuals who spend more than 25% of working time engaged in "physical labor," according to the labor department.

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The Suffolk County Water Authority is continuing a water main improvement project in Quogue by replacing approximately 3,420 feet of aging cast iron water main with new iron pipe. Dan Stark reports on 27east.com that the project started last year by replacing nearly 1,300 feet of cast iron water main that SCWA ruled had “reached the end of its useful life.” This is not limited to Quogue, as other water main breaks have been reported on Dune Road. The goal of the project is to lower the risk of future water main breaks on Dune Road, as well as to increase water flow in the system.

“This project is another example of our ongoing commitment to upgrading critical infrastructure to better serve our customers,” SCWA Chief Executive Officer Jeff Szabo said in a recent press release. “By replacing aging cast iron with modern ductile iron pipe, we’re ensuring that residents and businesses in Quogue continue to receive reliable, high-quality water service for years to come.”

SCWA is currently working on performing these upgrades, and work is expected to continue over the next few weeks.

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At their latest work session Southampton Village Board members unanimously approved creating a new green energy fee.

Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that the law essentially authorizes a variance with respect to sustainable building requirements, providing a way for certain homeowners, including those who live within the historic district, to comply with the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) requirements without needing to place solar panels on the roofs of their home or elsewhere on their property, if doing so would either not be logistically possible or aesthetically appropriate.

Homeowners who apply for and are then approved for the variance will now be able to comply with the HERS requirements by paying a fee to the village that is 1.5 times the normal cost of what the compliance would require, which would then go into a restricted fund that allows the village to use the money to further green energy initiatives. The law also states that money from the fund can also be used to help pay down bonds that were issued to pay for green energy initiatives in the Village of Southampton.

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In a bid to balance aesthetic concerns with environmental benefits, the North Haven Village Board on May 21 agreed to take up legislation governing the placement of solar panels on homes in the village.

Mayor Chris Fiore, who said he had heard from a resident whose proposal for solar panels had been denied by the village’s Architectural Review Board because they were visible from the street, polled board members about their feelings on the matter.

Stephen J. Kotz reports on 27east.com that the board was divided, with Trustees Dianne Skilbred and Claas Abraham arguing that the environmental benefits trumped aesthetic concerns.

“In my heart, I believe we should allow them,” Skilbred said. “I don’t think they are ugly.”

While Abraham and Skilbred agreed, as Abraham said, to favor “the environment over fossil fuels,” Trustee Peter Boody said he believed the ARB had a role to play even if the village wanted to encourage solar panels.

“It’s a small village. Everybody makes a big impression on the local scene when they do something,” he said. “And there’s a big potential for an aesthetic nightmare with these, although it’s not a problem now.”

Trustee Terie Diat, said she thought there could be a way to keep the ARB involved without making it “an onerous process” for applicants.

Although Diat said she found solar panels to be unattractive and would like to see the village encourage people to use solar shingles, Abraham said his research had shown that shingles are cost-prohibitive.

Fiore agreed with Boody and Diat that the ARB should “retain final approval,” but that it should know the Village of North Haven supports the use of clean energy whenever possible.

Abraham agreed to look into ways the Village Board could amend its code to take its members’ thoughts into consideration.