A lawsuit filed yesterday on behalf of four New Yorkers charges that the state’s congressional map unconstitutionally dilutes Black and Latino votes in a district that covers Staten Island and part of southern Brooklyn, according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by The New York Times.
The case marked New York’s official entrance into the national gerrymandering arms race. Rewriting the state’s existing congressional districts represents one of Democrats’ best hopes of improving their chances in the 2026 midterm elections.
Filed in State Supreme Court in Manhattan, the lawsuit argues that the lines for the 11th Congressional District unfairly disenfranchise Black and Latino residents. The district is represented by Representative Nicole Malliotakis, the only Republican member of Congress in New York City.
The combined Black and Latino population on Staten Island has grown from 11 percent to 30 percent over the past 40 years, the suit notes, arguing that the current boundaries “confine Staten Island’s growing Black and Latino communities in a district where they are routinely and systematically unable to influence elections.”
Ms. Malliotakis decried the case, calling it “a frivolous lawsuit trying to upend our congressional district.”
This lawsuit was filed by Elias Law Group, a Washington, D.C.-based firm that has handled much of the party’s redistricting litigation.
Grace Ashford and Nick Corasaniti report in THE NY TIMES that filing a lawsuit is a far less certain path to redistricting than having a partisan legislature simply draw new maps and pass them into law, which is what Texas did earlier this year. But New York placed its redistricting process in the hands of an independent commission years ago, in hopes of insulating it from partisan politics.
Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York, the official head of the state Democratic Party, pledged to “fight fire with fire,” saying: “If they’re going to rig the system, I refuse to sit on the sidelines and let our democracy further erode any more than it already has under the Trump administration.”
But Democrats may face an uphill battle convincing a judge that the current lines are unacceptable: It was just last year that they drew and approved the map, which Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, himself blessed as a modest but meaningful improvement over the previous lines.
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National Grid is more than doubling the capacity of a compressed natural gas facility in Riverhead, with ongoing construction work preparing to make it capable of injecting up to 24 tanker trucks of gas into the system at a time. Mark Harrington reports in NEWSDAY that the project, approved by the Town of Riverhead and Suffolk County, is part of National Grid’s state-sanctioned plan to improve gas capacity across the region on the coldest, most heavily used days of the year, the company said.
The 5.3-acre site, which abuts a retail building-supply yard and sits across from the Riverhead Post Office and along a Long Island Rail Road line, is listed in Suffolk maps as zoned for a gas regulation station.
The facility, which since 2019 has had the capacity to inject compressed gas from 11 trucks into the system at the plant at 8 Mill Rd., will more than double that with capacity for up to 24 trailers, to help meet demand, the company said in response to Newsday questions.
The ongoing work involves the removal of two legacy buildings at the site and underground cesspools, National Grid said, explaining that the work "represents an expansion to enhance reliability for customers on the East End of Long Island." The work also includes construction of a new maintenance and control building, according to a company website about the work.
Compressed gas at the site is stored within the compressed natural gas trailers, which are "brought to the site as needed, typically during the coldest periods of the year when demand is highest," National Grid spokeswoman Wendy Ladd wrote.
The Riverhead facility was previously owned by the Long Island Lighting Co., and became part of National Grid’s holdings when it bought KeySpan in 2007.
In addition to Riverhead, National Grid operates compressed natural gas sites in Farmingdale, Inwood and Glenwood. It also operates larger liquefied natural gas facilities in Holtsville and Greenpoint. The western Riverhead area is also home to propane tankers.
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The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation has released its list of night owl hikes and seal observation hikes. For the owl hikes, a state park naturalist will guide visitors in the woods to listen for owls and other night life. The location of each hike may vary. Wear clothing appropriate for the weather and comfortable shoes for hiking. Be prepared to hike without lights. The hike averages 2.15 miles (longer or shorter depending on the location) and is for those ages 12 and older. No dogs are allowed. This coming Friday, October 31, is the first in the series. To reserve and to see the full list of hikes, go to eventbrite.com and search for “Montauk Owl Hike.” Call Hither Hills State Park at 631-668-2554 with questions.
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The Town of East Hampton has begun its long-term and costly commitment to protect the future of downtown Montauk, after signing the Project Partnership Agreement for its Montauk Coastal Storm Risk Management Project this past Friday. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that in the winter of 2024, Army Corps of Engineers contractors pumped 450,000 cubic yards of sand onto Montauk’s downtown beaches as part of the agency’s Fire Island to Montauk Point (FIMP) Project, which has been studying the best way to protect the 83-mile South Shore and South Fork coastline since 1960, and received $1.7 billion in federal funding in 2021.
The $11.25 million project was paid for by the state and federal government, with the understanding that an array of partners would maintain it for the next 30 years.
Under the agreement signed Friday, the Town of East Hampton will reimburse the State of New York for 30 percent of the non-federal share of costs associated with work to maintain federal shoreline stabilization projects within the town.
East Hampton Town’s estimated total share of periodic renourishment over 30 years is $27.6 million, subject to adjustment based on actual costs of restoring the shoreline, with the first payment due in 2027.
“It’s taken years of hard work, difficult conversations, and strong partnerships to get here,” said East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez in a press release announcing the agreement. “FIMP has been talked about for decades, and today, Montauk finally has the long-term commitment it deserves. This agreement means Montauk will have continued protection, not just after the next storm, but for the next generation.”
“New York State, together with the Town of East Hampton and the Federal Government, is dedicating a total of $184 million to stabilize Downtown Montauk over the next 30 years as coastal flooding and storm erosion continue to threaten our fragile shoreline,” said New York State Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni.
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Westhampton Beach School District residents are voting today on two separate bond propositions. The polls opened at 7 this morning and will remain open until 9 p.m. at Westhampton Beach High School, 49 Lilac Rd., in the large group instruction room. Darwin Yanes reports in NEWSDAY that the Westhampton Beach school district is seeking voter approval for two propositions, totaling $30 million, which are aimed at making safety upgrades and infrastructure improvements.
If approved, Proposition 2 would cost the average homeowner — with a property assessed at $750,000 — about $165 annually, according to the district. Proposition 1 does not come with an additional cost to taxpayers, officials said.
Proposition 2 can only pass if the first proposition is approved, according to the district.
Westhampton Beach School District administrators said the projects are based on recommendations from the district’s facilities committee.
“When we invest in our schools, we invest in our community,” Superintendent Carolyn Probst said in a statement. “These improvements will not only benefit students, but also ensure our schools remain safe, secure and a continued source of pride for the community.”
Probst said the district anticipates work on the projects would begin in the summer of 2026. "The timeline for completion is dependent on state approvals," she noted.
Voting is today from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Westhampton Beach High School, 49 Lilac Rd., in the large group instruction room.
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Early voting continues today at any of 28 locations throughout Suffolk County, New York from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hours of early voting vary each day through Nov. 2.
No voting next Monday, November 3.
On Election Day, Nov. 4, you can only vote at your assigned polling place, which you can find online at the NYS BOE website: voterlookup.elections.ny.gov
Early voting for today and tomorrow - October 28 & 29 is 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Thursday and Friday, October 30 & 31 is 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Then next Saturday and Sunday, November 1 and 2 early voting in Suffolk County is 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
You can vote at any early voting center in Suffolk County for the General Election. Visit the Suffolk County Board of Elections website for a list of locations when available.
Voting during the early period means you cannot vote again on Election Day, November 4, 2025.
If you have an Early Mail ballot, you cannot vote in person on a machine; you must use an affidavit ballot.
The deadline to register to vote for the 2025 General Election is October 25, 2025.
Check your voter registration status and find your polling site on the New York State voter lookup website.
For questions, contact the Suffolk County Board of Elections at (631) 852-4500.
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The Town of Southold is considering banning new residential docks in nine water bodies, including Laurel Lake and Great Pond. The proposed revisions are provoking discussions about property rights, environmental protection and waterfront access. Under the new code, setbacks for swimming pools would also be increased from wetland areas to protect groundwater.
Tara Smith reports in NEWSDAY that when Kevin and Josephine Klein bought their waterfront home on Laurel Lake in Southold nearly three years ago, they envisioned spending their retirement years paddling on the tranquil fresh water and teaching their grandchildren about nature.
The couple sought permits to build a 50-foot dock, using untreated wood and open grates to minimize its impacts. In May, despite an approval from the state Department of Environmental Conservation, the Southold Trustees — a five-member elected body that oversees development on the shoreline — rejected their application, citing environmental concerns.
The Kleins filed an Article 78 lawsuit against the town, challenging the decision, last month. Mr. Klein estimates he’s spent about $10,000 in the permitting process. This all comes as Southold lawmakers consider a series of changes to its wetland regulations that would, along with modernizing code definitions and increasing pool setbacks from wetlands, ban new residential docks in nine bodies of water. The proposal has stirred debate over property rights and values, and public access amid mounting development pressures in the region.
The Southold Town board is accepting comments on the proposed regulations until Nov. 5.
Supervisor Al Krupski, who previously served as a town trustee, said he supports the new restrictions.
“This is public land, and public access to public land is really critical,” he told NEWSDAY. “Once you put a structure on it, you’re effectively monopolizing that area.”
