What seems like perennial roadwork around Sag Harbor from the Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike to Route 114 will continue this fall, PSEG Long Island said this month. Elizabeth Flagler, a spokeswoman for the utility, said it had, in fact, stopped work on laying a new power cable from its Bridgehampton transmission site to East Hampton during the busy summer season, but had begun again in earnest earlier this month. “We recently began working on the remaining approximately 3,000 feet of trench work on Route 114 that will be completed at night by roughly the end of September, first week of October,” she said. “That will allow the crews to install conduits and pull the cable to increase reliability for customers.” Stephen J. Kotz reports on 27east.com that motorists driving between East Hampton and Sag Harbor at night have been encountering several lit-up work areas along Route 114. PSEG has also been working on the Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike north of Scuttle Hole Road in Bridgehampton and along Jermain Avenue in Sag Harbor during the daytime hours, causing delays for motorists and leaving a bumpy road in their wake. Flagler said relief will come later this year. “We expect permanent restoration to be complete before the holidays,” she said. “This will include not only repaving the work area, the road will be paved from curb to curb.”

***

You are invited to: How to Survive the Change of Life: A Free Symposium on Healthy Aging for Women After 40

Later today from 5 p.m. to 8 pm, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, is hosting a free, informative gathering for women

40 + years of age who are interested in learning how to manage perimenopause and menopause symptoms, as well as how to maintain good health and well-being. The event is sponsored by, and held, at The Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Hamptons at 111 St. Andrews Road in Southampton. Leading physicians and experts from Stony Brook Medicine, Meeting House Lane Medical Practice and Stony Brook Southampton Hospital’s Wellness Institute will be joined by leaders of local organizations to address the top questions women have about navigating life after 40.

There will be two panel discussions: “What to Expect During Perimenopause and Menopause” which will examine the wide range of symptoms that can occur during this life stage, including irregular periods, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, sleep difficulties, mood changes, brain fog, headaches and skin breakouts, and “How to Manage Symptoms and Thrive” which will provide holistic and medical approaches to managing symptoms and supporting overall well-being, including the role of exercise, nutrition, behavioral health, pelvic floor therapy, and women’s safety.

Following the panel discussions, guests are encouraged to visit information tables featuring Stony Brook women’s health services. Spanish translators will be available onsite to assist attendees. This community event is part of Stony Brook Southampton Hospital’s ongoing commitment to empowering women with knowledge, resources, and support for every stage of life.

That’s How to Survive the Change of Life: A Free Event on Healthy Aging for Women After 40…today from 5pm to 8 pm

at The Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 111 St. Andrews Road, Southampton, NY

This evening’s symposium is Free.

***

The Amagansett Life-Saving and Coast Guard Station Museum will host its 34th annual Largest Clam Contest this coming Sunday, October 5, from 12 noon to 3 p.m. at the station on Atlantic Avenue in Amagansett. Sunday’s event will feature live music, a chowder contest, a live marine species exhibit and other activities. Chowder entries must be delivered by 11:30 a.m. Sunday, and clams entered must be dug between September 29 and October 4 from waters in the Town of East Hampton. That’s the East Hampton Town Trustees Largest Clam Contest this coming Sunday from 12 noon to 3 p.m. at the station on Atlantic Avenue in Amagansett. The Amagansett Life-Saving and Coast Guard Station Museum is open weekends from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. through October. More information is available at amagansettlss.org.

***

Solo commuters on the Long Island Expressway should brace for more traffic congestion starting tomorrow while carpoolers can expect faster speeds as the Clean Pass program comes to an end. Peter Gill reports in NEWSDAY that the program, which grants exemptions for zero- and low-emission vehicles in high-occupancy vehicle lanes, stops tonight because the federal government did not renew permission for New York and 14 other states to continue their programs. Beginning Oct. 1…that’s tomorrow…only carpoolers will be able to use the HOV lanes — no matter if they're fuel- or battery-powered.

There are currently over 160,000 electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids on Long Island and in New York City, but about 48,000 vehicles are registered with Clean Pass, according to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the Department of Motor Vehicles. It is unclear how many Clean Pass vehicles regularly use the LIE, which daily handles about 180,000 vehicles across all lanes in both directions at the Nassau County-Queens border, where the HOV lanes begin. The lanes stretch 40 miles east to Medford.

In the short term, the impact on traffic will depend on how strictly the change is policed, but in the long term, it may depend on whether people adapt by sharing rides, according to Michael Shenoda, a professor of traffic engineering at Farmingdale State College. "Over time, "carpooling may start to look more attractive again" if the HOV lanes speed up relative to the regular lanes.

Robert Sinclair, spokesman for AAA Northeast, said except carpoolers, other LIE users should leave extra time to get to work beginning tomorrow.

Some clean-energy advocates said the program's days were numbered anyway, given increasing congestion in the HOV lanes as more electric vehicles used them. Under federal law, once HOV-lane traffic slows past a certain threshold — defined as a 45-mph minimum-average speed 90% of the time over 180 consecutive days during peak hours — the lanes must revert to only carpooling.

Spokespersons for the Nassau and Suffolk County police departments told Newsday they plan to enforce the new HOV lane rules.

***

Surrounded by shellfish growers, representatives from the fishing industry and local elected leaders, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine signed a bill creating a county Working Waterfront Protection Program by the Greenport Village Commercial Dock yesterday.

Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that the legislation will enable owners of commercial waterfront property to seek easements ensuring that their property remains used in perpetuity for a variety of water-dependent business purposes, at a time when many commercial waterfront properties are being sold off and converted to large homes for the wealthy.

Capital funding for the program, which was approved by the Suffolk County Legislature earlier this year, includes $2.5 million in 2026, with a total commitment of $9.5 million between 2026 and 2028.

Mr. Romaine said the program is modeled on the county’s successful Farmland Preservation Program.

“Fifty years ago, the second Suffolk County Executive, John V.N. Klein, looked and began to see farmland disappear, and he understood the necessity of trying to save farmland,” said Mr. Romaine, adding that Mr. Klein then helped develop the farmland development rights purchase program that has now preserved “well over 12,000 acres of farmland.”

“We began to look at our waterfront, and began to see that a lot of our working waterfront was disappearing, because of the attraction of real estate to build condos, restaurants, etcetera, on our waterfront,” said the county executive. “If we let that continue, we might not have as successful a working waterfront as we have today. The largest fishing fleet in the State of New York comes out of Montauk, the second largest out of Shinnecock and the third largest out of Greenport…. If we do not have a working waterfront… we’re going to miss out on one of the heritage industries in our county.”

“Today marks a turning point,” said Bonnie Brady, Executive Director of the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association, at Monday’s bill signing. “This legislation is an investment in our economy, our maritime traditions and the future of the East End,” she said. “For generations, families have made their living on the water — fishing, aquaculture, boatbuilding and marine repair, all have been essential to our way of life.”

She said these industries support the jobs of 38,000 county residents and 3,000 businesses, generating more than $3 billion in revenue each year, half of which is for salaries.

The bill was passed unanimously by the Suffolk County Legislature on Sept. 3.

***

Long Island’s largest and most controversial zoo is set to close its doors and ship all its animals off to rescue facilities, as the sanctuary prepares to “wind down” by early next year, officials confirmed yesterday.

Brandon Cruz and Nicole Rosenthal report in THE NY POST that the Holtsville Ecology Center’s zoo, a taxpayer-funded animal refuge will be phased out after more than 40 years in operation as Brookhaven town officials look to cut costs and shift focus and funding.

“The operations at the Holtsville sanctuary are going to wind down,” Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico revealed at a special town meeting Monday. Brookhaven Town leaders said there is no official closing date at the moment, but they are aiming to empty and close the zoo by the end of March 2026 and relocate each animal to various “SPCA approved and accredited” rescue facilities.

Having opened its doors in 1979 on a reclaimed landfill, the Holtsville zoo grew into one of the most prominent free attractions across Long Island — drawing families from all over Suffolk County and beyond.

The refuge houses roughly 100 animals, a majority of which were rescued or donated and can’t survive in the wild on their own anymore, ranging from bald eagles and bobcats to buffalo and farm livestock that patrons are allowed to feed and pet.

Animal advocates have long argued the town lacked the veterinary expertise and resources to properly care for such a wide range of species, and hailed yesterday’s announcement as long overdue.

***

The transformation of historic Montauk Playhouse into a community hub, in the making for nearly three decades, is nearly complete.

The property at 240 Edgemere St. in Montauk was built as part of a resort in the 1920s, then donated to the Town of East Hampton in 1999. Renovations began soon after, as a new gym, basketball court and day care center opened as part of the first half of the project in 2006.

Sam Kmack reports in NEWSDAY that the final portion of the multimillion-dollar initiative is now set to open before the end of the year, concluding what East Hampton Councilman David Lys described as “the most complex and perhaps most costly project within the township ever accomplished.”

It includes a new aquatic center with an indoor swimming pool — one of the only in East Hampton open to residents during the winter — and a cultural center for events like concerts, art shows and TED Talks to keep the community alive after Labor Day.

Specific opening dates for the new facilities have not yet been set but are expected to be determined soon, according to Jennifer Carney-Iacono, president of the nonprofit Montauk Playhouse Community Center Foundation.

“Our teens and our seniors and all of us need a place to gather,” Carney-Iacono said of the cultural center. “We now have a space for the community to come together, learn, enjoy performances and even break bread.”

The new additions cost about $16 million. The Town of East Hampton contributed about $5.6 million, New York State put $1.75 million toward the effort, and private donations totaled about $8.25 million, according to the Montauk Playhouse Community Foundation.

The aquatic center will be opened this fall after it receives permits from Suffolk County and other minor “punch-list items” are complete, Carney-Iacono told Newsday. Access will be membership-based, and residents will be able to sign up closer to opening day. A company called Imagine Swimming will operate the aquatic center. The organization runs four other pools in the metropolitan area and offers a slew of swimming programs, including lessons for both kids and adults.

Many voters in Long Island’s minority neighborhoods have left the Democratic Party in the last decade to become independent voters, a data analysis by Newsday found.

Ten years ago, nearly 60% of Long Island voters in "majority-minority" districts were registered Democrats. Last year, that number dropped to about 50%, with a growing number of voters declaring themselves "unaffiliated" with any party.

"This has been a yearslong crisis in the making," said Ahmad Perez, founder and executive director of Islip Forward, a group working to grow voter registration in Brentwood. "These are pockets that have historically been the bedrock of Democratic turnout … but Democrats are struggling to maintain relevance in working class and minority communities."

Meanwhile, voters in majority-white districts were loyal to their political parties. A decade ago, about a third of that population was Democrat, a third Republican and a quarter “unaffiliated.” Those percentages are almost exactly the same today.

Nationally, Democrats are hemorrhaging enrollment. The party lost about 2.1 million registrants across 30 states between 2020 and 2024, while Republicans gained about 2.4 million, according to a New York Times analysis.

Though Democrats are losing enrollment among minority neighborhoods, they still make up almost half of active voters across New York state. Independent voters are second, making up a quarter of active voters, followed by Republicans at 23%.

Bahar Ostadan reports in NEWSDAY that on Long Island, about 36% of voters are registered Democrats, 31% are registered Republicans and 29% independent. There are differences by county: Nassau is home to more Democrats and Suffolk leans slightly more Republican.

***

With the start of the school year, the Southampton School District has launched its five-year “Set, Sail, Soar” strategic plan, to serve as a blueprint for improving student performance, student wellness and teacher efficacy.

Michelle Trauring reports on 27east.com that developed by district stakeholders, including administrators, teachers, parents and students, the plan comprises four main pillars of focus: student academic achievement, social-emotional learning and mental health supports, STEAM education — which stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics — and culturally responsive practices, explained Superintendent of Southampton Schools Dr. Fatima Morrell at a recent Board of Education meeting.

“It is essentially going to be the engine that drives the work of our district for this entire year,” she said, “and the next four.”

The strategic plan was largely informed by an analysis of performance data, community surveys, two dozen stakeholder meetings, and administrative presentations during Board of Education meetings, Morrell explained.

“With a five-year plan, we had to decide, as an administrative team and as a collaborative, what will we focus on?” she said. “It’s a 15-page plan…So we chose strategically what areas will give us the biggest bang for our buck in our budget this year.” Dr. Morrell added, “We know that our students will achieve and soar beyond their wildest dreams…We just have to get on the same page with them, because they believe in themselves. We need to believe in them, as well, and this plan will help us to do that.”

***

Southold Town Planning Director Heather Lanza told the Southold Town Board at its work session last Thursday that a draft code will not be ready in time for the town to discuss it at the Sept. 30 code committee meeting. Thus, tomorrow’s meeting was postponed. A new date has not yet been set.

Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that the Town of Southold currently sets a minimum stay at 14 days but that code has proven to be difficult to enforce. A task force last year recommended a permitting process to allow individual people to provide short-term rentals of any length in their homes.

The task force had proposed that Southold Town issue permits for homeowners wishing to rent their primary residence for less than 30 days, and instate a lottery for people wishing to rent out a property they own that is not their primary residence, capping the total number of short-term rentals in non-primary residences at 1 percent of the houses in each hamlet.

***

Few costs on Long Island are as hefty as the price of child care, with some parents paying as much as $24,000 a year to ensure their child is safe while they are at work.

Victor Ocasio reports in NEWSDAY that parents on Long Island, regardless of income levels, often find covering the cost of child care difficult, and few options to help with the costs, local experts said. Even as the income thresholds that determine which families can receive financial assistance have increased, demand for child care aid, particularly for children 5 or under, remains high.

Although Long Island residents report higher incomes than the rest of the state and nation, according to U.S. Census Bureau data — the median household income for Nassau was $143,144 in 2024, and $126, 863 in Suffolk, compared with $83,730 for nation and $85,820 statewide — the cost of care represents a significant financial barrier for local families, experts said.

"The cost of living on Long Island has just increased exponentially and child care just adds to that cost," said Vanessa Baird-Streeter, president and CEO of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island. The nonprofit connects struggling Long Islanders and their families to local social services.

"In certain instances, child care costs more than our state colleges," she said. "That's difficult for parents to be able to navigate without some assistance from government."

To help parents make ends meet, the state, through federal funding, provides billions of dollars in assistance programs for families that qualify, according to the state comptroller's office.

The average price to care for an infant in a day care center is $24,000 per year on Long Island and around $20,000 for a licensed in-home provider to offer 30 hours of care or more a week, according to a 2024 market rate survey conducted by the NYS Office of Children and Family Services.

"Child care costs more than a year of public college," said Jennifer Rojas, executive director of the Child Care Council of Suffolk, an advocacy group for children and families based in Commack. "With our housing costs on Long Island and everything else, it's just unsustainable."

***

After receiving a smattering of comment last Thursday, the Greenport Village Board has closed a public hearing on a proposed new code requiring permits for short-term rentals.

Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that board members said they expect to discuss the comments from the public hearings of September 18 and September 25 at their next work session Oct. 16 before holding a vote.

Greenport’s public hearing was opened at the Village Board’s Sept. 18 meeting, and about a half dozen people spoke both in favor and opposed. The new code would require people who rent their homes for less than 30 days to obtain short-term rental permits and prove the home is primarily used by long-term residents, either by a property owner or a long-term tenant.

At the first meeting several people spoke to short-term rentals’ making them feel like their quiet neighborhoods had turned into revolving door hotels, while two people who rent their property short-term raised concerns — one had a three unit home and was renting out two units (the new code would only allow him to rent one unit), and the other raised concerns about the code requiring off-street parking for the rentals.

At the continuation of the hearing last Thursday, Greenport Village Zoning Board Chairman John Saladino, who worked on the new code over the past two years as a member of the village’s Code Committee said a survey by the committee found that the “overwhelming majority [of residents who responded] would rather have full-time housing than short-term rentals.”

He added that the Code Committee studied the impact of short-term rental laws on long-term housing in more than three dozen different municipalities, both large and small, and found that they overwhelmingly did lead to more year-round housing in those areas.

***

At the first Sag Harbor Board of Education meeting of the new school year, members shared some of the work they’ve been doing to try to organize and make better use of the various committees that exist to focus on a wide range of needs and initiatives. Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that School Board President Sandi Kruel and Vice President Jordana Sobey, along with Veronika Rodriguez-Moya, the district’s director of pupil personnel services and English as a New Language coordinator, recommended putting the district’s diversity and inclusion committee together with the shared decision-making committee.

Rodriguez-Moya said there are more benefits to combining the committees. “A diversity and inclusion lens should be applied to the shared decision-making process,” she said. “So it seems like pairing the two would make sense.”

The shared decision-making committee is one of a few state-mandated committees and, as such, coordinates closely with the school administration. That’s another benefit to the diversity and inclusion committee being part of that larger group, Rodriguez-Moya said.

Superintendent of Schools Jeff Nichols agreed that pairing them “makes more sense.”

***

The manager of the historic Canoe Place Inn in Hampton Bays claims his bosses demoted him for being gay, discriminated against him and his partner and retaliated against him for complaining about it, according to a new $6 million lawsuit. Janon Fisher reports in NEWSDAY that Adrian Albino, 48, who started working for celebrity restaurateur Danny Meyer’s Tacocina restaurant in April 2022, said his career was on an upward trajectory at Union Square Events, once a subsidiary of Union Square Hospitality Group, which was founded by Meyer, according to the suit filed Sept. 16 in Manhattan Supreme Civil Court. Adrian Albino claims he was demoted and retaliated against after his new boss found out he is gay. The Union Square Events employee said he was told that it wasn't a "good look" for him to be seen at the inn with his partner.

The owners of the property in Hampton Bays said that they were unaware of Albino's allegations, but vowed to look into it.

"The ownership of Canoe Place Inn has just learned of allegations made against Union Square Events, the food and beverage service provider to the property by their employee," according to an email statement sent to NEWSDAY by spokesman David Chauvin.

"To be clear, the ownership of Canoe Place Inn has zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind and will look into these allegations immediately. We intend to take all steps possible to ensure that discrimination does not occur at its property. Canoe Place Inn will continue to be a destination of inclusion, respect, and dignity for all," the email said.

Albino said the company claimed to have launched an investigation into the matter, but he was never informed of its outcome.

Contradicting claims by Albino, the President of Union Square Events Anthony Mastellone has denied that Albino’s male partner, Jason Feldman had ever been banned from the inn.

Two Republican super PACs paid nearly $1 million this month to quietly settle an inquiry into whether they illicitly coordinated with the campaign of former U.S. Congressman Lee Zeldin, during his 2022 run for governor of New York. Nicholas Fandos and Shane Goldmacher report in THE NY TIMES that the state’s top elections watchdog spent years investigating the matter, using subpoenas to try to show that there was illegal overlap between the Zeldin campaign and two groups that spent $20 million supporting it, Save Our State Inc. and Safe Together New York.

An agreement to settle the case, reached in recent days, ultimately does not include an admission of wrongdoing by the super PACs, a copy of the document obtained through a Freedom of Information request shows. Zeldin, a Republican from Shirley, Long Island, who is now the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, was not a party to the agreement.

But the $900,000 fine is the largest ever paid in a super PAC coordination case in New York, where the free-spending groups seeking to sway elections have grown in size and number over the last decade.

In an unsealed report of the state’s chief election enforcement counsel provided to The New York Times yesterday, an investigator wrote that he had found that “substantial evidence demonstrates that respondents knowingly and willfully coordinated with candidate Lee Zeldin, both directly and through agents, resulting in unlawful contributions.”

The current chairman of the New York Republican Party, Edward F. Cox, is also linked to the investigation and his emails are included in the documents as a leader of one of the pro-Zeldin super PACs.

Eric Amidon, who was Mr. Zeldin’s 2022 campaign manager, said the campaign had “no involvement whatsoever” in the investigation. He called it “nothing more than political extortion by New York aimed at silencing political opposition.”

In addition to Lee Zeldin, the case has touched party operatives, a pollster for President Trump and Ronald S. Lauder, a billionaire cosmetics heir who helped bankroll the groups.

***

The Butterfly Effect Project is a nonprofit, community-oriented organization which seeks to empower young girls by giving them the tools to achieve emotionally stable and self confident futures, in hopes of bringing forth a generation of women who are strong, independent and knowledgeable. Alek Lewis reports on Riverheadlocal.com that volunteers with the Butterfly Effect Project have brought the historic Tuthill farmstead in Jamesport back to its roots, creating a garden club to help bring fresh food to local families and teach gardening to the next generation. The garden club was created “as a means for kids to meet safely outside and also provide supplemental nutrition for the community,” said Brienne Ahearn, the BEP’s garden club coordinator. It supports the nonprofit organization’s mission of encouraging collaboration and youth empowerment.

The garden club first launched at the First Baptist Church in Riverhead, where the Butterfly Effect was headquartered during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Butterfly Effect Project moved its headquarters to the Daniel and Henry P. Tuthill family farmstead, at 1146 Main Road in Jamesport last year…where it will host a ribbon cutting on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 12 to 2 p.m. to celebrate the new community garden. The public is invited to attend.

***

On Saturday, September 27…that’s tomorrow…from 7:30 a.m. until 2 p.m., the Hamptons Marathon will run through the Village of Southampton. The Southampton Village Police Department is advising motorists that they should expect sporadic travel delays as the event takes place. The event includes a 5K (3.1-mile race), marathon (26.2 miles) and half-marathon (13.1 miles), that will be run south of Hill Street and Hampton Road in Southampton Village. Pond Lane will be closed for the duration of the event. Motorists should expect intermittent closures and delays in the area of First Neck Lane. The Southampton Village Police Department urges motorists to avoid this area if possible. Most roads will be open to traffic, however, motorists are encouraged to proceed with extreme caution tomorrow in Southampton Village from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

***

Southampton Town officials will ask a judge for an injunction to halt a County Road 39 cannabis dispensary from operating until it has received the proper planning and building permits from the town. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that the Southampton Town Board this week authorized Town Attorney James Burke’s office to take the dispensary, known as Charlie Fox, to court in Suffolk County and seek injunctive relief to compel the business to comply with town zoning, planning and safety codes.

Charlie Fox has been open since September 16 despite having never been approved to occupy its building which is next to the Tuckahoe School playground.

The town issued the business a cease-and-desist order within minutes of it opening its doors for business last week, because the property has not been issued a site plan permit to operate a new business at the site and has not been inspected by the town’s fire marshals or building inspectors for compliance with electrical, fire and public safety codes.

The company’s owners have said they do not need any town permits because New York State issued them a retail cannabis license to operate at the location.

But that authorization stated that the business is still required to meet all other regulatory demands.

The state law that legalized the retail sale of cannabis in 2021 requires that dispensaries meet local zoning and regulatory codes.

The state law did put limits on local regulation to ensure that municipal governments did not try to effectively ban cannabis stores from operating with unreasonable restrictions and allows dispensaries to appeal to the State Office of Cannabis Management if it feels it is being inappropriately constrained.

Southampton Town Councilwoman Cyndi McNamara said the state’s licensing of cannabis dispensaries, like that of the State Liquor Authority, does not mean the businesses can sidestep the basic zoning and building safety codes the town requires of any business.

“It doesn’t matter if you are selling T-shirts or cannabis, the town has a process for businesses to open and operate,” she said of Charlie Fox’s opening last week. “Not only wasn’t it followed in this case, they gave public notice that they weren’t going to follow it. We responded accordingly.”

On Tuesday, McNamara joined all four of the other Southampton Town Board members in approving the town turning to the courts to force the business to close and said she is confident a court will agree the business is operating outside of all the applicable laws.

***

The Supreme Court of New York has granted a preliminary injunction that protects more than 150 licensed dispensaries from forced relocation or closure while the case proceeds against the state's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). The injunction showcases the validity of the plaintiffs' case and was issued without prejudice, allowing for it to be renewed after six months. As reported in prnewswire.com, signed by Judge Savona, the order requires the OCM to revert to its previously established method of calculating distances between dispensaries and schools, as outlined in its March 11, 2024 "Guidance for Adult-Use Retail Dispensaries." This injunction remains in effect through February 15, 2026, covering both license renewal applications expiring on or before that date and new applications submitted by existing licensees, provisional licensees, or applicants during this period. Carl Campanile reports in THE NY POST that the preliminary injunction issued by Albany Supreme Court Judge Kerri Savona protects operators of cannabis selling stores that were approved under a rule mandating licensed marijuana sellers must be located at least 500 feet away from schools. State Office of Cannabis Management officials admitted in July that they’d mistakenly calculated the distance requirements using a “door-to-door” measure. Under the law, the buffer zone should have been measured starting at the “property line” of a school, not its doors, officials said — a stricter requirement that put 152 approved cannabis licensees out of compliance. A dozen cannabis operators sued the OCM and Cannabis Control Board over the sudden change.

***

Tomorrow…from 7:30 a.m. until 2 p.m., the Hamptons Marathon will run through the Village of Southampton. The Southampton Village Police Department is advising motorists that they should expect sporadic travel delays as the event takes place. The event includes a 5K race, marathon, and half-marathon that will run south of Hill Street and Hampton Road in Southampton Village. Pond Lane will be closed for the duration of the event. Motorists should expect intermittent closures and delays in the area of First Neck Lane. The Southampton Village Police Department urges motorists to avoid this area if possible. Most roads will be open to traffic. However, motorists are encouraged to proceed with extreme caution tomorrow in Southampton Village from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

***

The Riverhead Town Republican Party has agreed to have its Town Council and Supervisor candidates attend just one Meet the Candidates forum this fall, hosted by the Greater Calverton and Wading River Civic Associations on Oct. 16.

The Greater Jamesport and Heart of Riverhead Civic Associations have decided to go ahead with their candidate forums without them.

Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that members of the Greater Jamesport Civic Association, which had been planning to hold a Meet the Candidates forum with all the candidates as well, had been informed Sept. 6 that the Republicans will not attend their forum. They voted this weekend to hold the forum Sept. 30 regardless of whether the Republicans attend. The Civic Association added, “All candidates for Riverhead Town Supervisor and Riverhead Town Board were invited and are welcome to participate.”

“The Greater Jamesport Civic Association is a non-partisan organization that does not endorse candidates,” according to the Civic Association’s statement.

The Republican candidates have agreed to one Meet the Candidates event being held by the Greater Calverton and Wading River Civics on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Riley Avenue Elementary School in Calverton.

The Greater Jamesport Civic Association Meet the Candidates event is scheduled for the Jamesport Meeting House at 1590 Main Rd. in Jamesport, next Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.

The Heart of Riverhead Civic Association is also planning to hold a candidate forum on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 10:30 a.m. at the Riverhead Free Library at 330 Court Street. No Republican candidates are expected to show.

Speeding, weaving, cutting off other drivers and other angry behavior from behind the wheel are on the rise on Long Island roads and nationwide, according to a AAA study that shows a major uptick in aggressive driving and local law enforcement.

In what may come as little surprise to Long Island drivers, 96% of those surveyed admitted to aggressive driving behavior in a nationwide study that surveyed about 3,000 drivers and focus groups.

Mike Armstrong, 73, of Lindenhurst, who served 32 years as a Suffolk police officer, said yesterday that aggressive driving has increased with rising tempers and distracted drivers.

“It’s pretty wild. Aggressive drivers are a reflection of more aggression in society,” Armstrong said.

“People, just think about where you're going and why you have to be there.”

John Asbury reports in NEWSDAY that according to AAA’s study, 82% of drivers admitted to speeding up through a yellow light to beat a red light and about 68% of drivers admitted to using the slow right lane to pass another vehicle. About 65% of respondents admitted using their horn rather than other measures to avoid a crash. The same number of drivers admitted to glaring at another driver when passing on the road.

More than half of drivers admitted to going 15 mph over the normal flow of traffic, which can often go well above the speed limit.

The national increase in aggressive driving is certainly showing itself on Long Island, said Robert Sinclair, a spokesman for AAA’s Northeast Division.

"I think Long Island typifies all of the bad behaviors in this study. They all manifest while driving on the Long Island Expressway," Sinclair said. "Aggressive driving is going to lead to crashes, injuries and may lead to fatalities. These things come about as a result of bad behavior and can lead to road rage, the physical manifestation of aggressive driving,"

***

Accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex A. Heuermann will face a single trial for all seven alleged killings, a Suffolk judge ruled yesterday in Riverhead.

NYS Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei informed attorneys for both sides during a brief conference Tuesday morning that he ruled against a defense request to split the cases into multiple trials.

Mazzei also determined for the second time that nuclear DNA evidence in the case will be admissible at trial, denying a final push by Heuermann’s defense to exclude the DNA because an outside laboratory lacked New York State Department of Health permits.

Grant Parpan reports in NEWSDAY that Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney described the judge’s decisions as victories for his office, which he said properly joined each of the killings in a single superseding indictment because they are "inextricably interwoven." D.A. Tierney noted that an alleged planning document for the killing that investigators found Heuermann once maintained was a considerable factor in Mazzei’s decision to keep the cases joined together.

Justice Mazzei, who previously indicated a trial date could be set this week, instead set a Jan. 13 deadline for defense motions to be filed.

***

Brookhaven National Laboratory’s first female director has stepped down two years after coming from the West Coast to take the post, the Upton, Long Island lab announced yesterday.

JoAnne Hewett decided earlier this month to resign to focus on her other role as a faculty member with the C.N. Yang Institute of Theoretical Physics at Stony Brook University, lab officials said in a news release.

Carl MacGowan reports in NEWSDAY that John Hill, the lab's deputy director for science and technology, will serve as interim director until a permanent director is named. The lab plans a nationwide search to find Hewett's permanent successor.

BNL is part of the U.S. Department of Energy and is operated by Brookhaven Science Associates, which includes Stony Brook University and Columbus, Ohio, tech company Battelle.

***

“New Neighbors Coming Soon.”

That’s what the sign at the entrance to the building that was formerly home to Schmidt’s Market, on North Sea Road in Southampton Village, declares in bold red letters, with the Red Horse Market sign and emblem emblazoned above the store entrance making it clear, for the last several weeks, exactly who that new neighbor will be.

Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that the Pineda family has been working on making the space their own over the last few months and is hoping to open for business in the next few weeks, although a grand opening date has not yet been set.

The Pineda family has run their primary Red Horse Market location in East Hampton for years now.

Husband-and-wife team Fran and Martha Pineda have always put a strong emphasis on creating strong community relationships, according to their son, Chris Pineda, who will manage the new Southampton location, along with his brother, Anthony Pineda. Their sister, Katherine Pineda, also will work at the Southampton location and help run the new venture alongside her brothers, particularly during the summer months.

Chris Pineda said both of his parents worked for Schmidt’s in Southampton for a period of time many years ago, before they began working at Red Horse in East Hampton.

They eventually acquired a stake in the Red Horse Market in East Hampton, and over time they became sole owners as other stake-owners sold their shares of the business to them.

Schmidt’s moved out of the Southampton space in October 2022 and eventually moved to Quogue, where it has operated on Quogue Street since the spring of 2023

The Pinedas bought the building in Southampton across the street from the U.S. post Office for $6.5 million last October.

***

The East Hampton Town Board has approved an emergency grant of up to $75,000 to Project Most in support of its Montauk Childcare program, located at the Montauk Playhouse Community Center. As reported on 27east.com, Project Most is a nonprofit organization that has been serving East Hampton families for more than two decades through high-quality after-school, summer, and early learning programs. In July 2024, Project Most expanded its services to include the Montauk Childcare program, offering full-day care for children as young as 6 weeks old, as well as pre-K after school care. The East Hampton Town Board authorized an emergency allocation to ensure that the program continues uninterrupted. The funds will be used for operating expenses under an amended agreement. In addition to this grant, the town also provides Project Most with rent-free use of its space.

***

Suffolk County now has its first Greek Orthodox Cathedral after the worldwide spiritual leader of that religion bestowed the title on a parish in Southampton. Bart Jones reports in NEWSDAY that His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who is touring the United States with stops at the White House and the U.N. General Assembly, bestowed the title of cathedral on the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons on Sunday.

It is only the second Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Long Island — another is in Hempstead at St. Paul’s. A cathedral is considered the principal Greek Orthodox church in a certain geographical area.

Fr. Alexander Karloutsos, who leads the church in Southampton, said the upgraded status was a great honor and would help energize the church’s outreach work throughout the East End.

The Southampton Greek church that is now a cathedral is a visually beautiful $24.5 million structure completed in 2013, Fr. Karloutsos said. It replaced a far humbler church built in the mid-1980s by local faithful who wanted to establish a parish on the East End.

But he said the congregation is more focused on its service work than its building, which is why it was declared a cathedral.

The congregation of about 275 families includes 39 different ethnicities and is involved in a plethora of outreach work, he said. It includes a residence for people with autism, language and culture classes, and support for impoverished people locally and worldwide.

"It's not about the building. It's about building up the body of Christ," Karloutsos said. "It's about bringing people together in the presence of the Lord. And so that is the cathedral challenge."

"Our church will continue to be a light on a hill in the Hamptons," he added.

There are about 2,000 Orthodox Christian churches in the United States, including a subset of 650 that are Greek Orthodox, Karloutsos said. Long Island is home to 15 Greek Orthodox churches with about 40,000 members. There are about 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.

House Democrats are calling on Long Island Republican Rep. Andrew Garbarino to force Trump administration border czar Tom Homan to testify about allegations he took a bribe from undercover FBI agents last year as part of an anti-corruption investigation.

"No one is above the law," the Democrats wrote yesterday to Congressman Garbarino (R-Bayport), who in July became the new chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security.

"We call on you to require Trump administration ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan to appear before the committee to answer allegations that he accepted cash bribes in exchange for promises to deliver government contracts," states the letter signed by the panel’s ranking member, Rep. Bennie Thompson, (D-Miss.) and other committee Democrats.

The demand leaves Garbarino — who holds congressional subpoena power — in a bit of a political pinch.

Billy House reports in NEWSDAY that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Homan "did absolutely nothing wrong," and President Donald Trump stands by him 100%. She said Homan "is a brave public servant who has done a phenomenal job in helping the president shut down the border."

In addition, Trump appointees at the Justice Department already have shut down an investigation by that agency into the matter earlier this year, according to multiple news accounts.

Garbarino represents New York's 2nd congressional district which is along the South Shore of Long Island. It includes southwestern Suffolk County and a small portion of southeastern Nassau County.

***

The East Hampton Library’s Long Island Collection has unveiled a new exhibit, “Taking Care of Business,” now on display in the library’s front lobby cases.

Originally presented as a limited pop-up in July, the exhibit drew strong interest from the community. “The exhibit was so popular over the summer, and we received many requests to see it again, so we’ve moved it to a space where the public can continue to enjoy it,” Andrea Meyer, head of the Long Island Collection, said in a news release.

The exhibit highlights the history of East Hampton’s business district, focusing on Main Street, Newtown Lane and the shops that once lined them. It features historic images, maps and documents, along with a “then and now” list, property ownership maps, photographs and vintage postcards.

“Taking Care of Business” is available for viewing during regular East Hampton Library hours and will remain on display through the end of the year.

***

When flashing highway department signs recently began advertising “Roundabout Begins 9/22/25” at the intersection of County Road 48 and Route 25 in Greenport, they weren’t kidding. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that after a lengthy hiatus, the New York State Department of Transportation resumed work yesterday on the new roundabout at the intersection that had long been controlled by a blinking light at the north end of Greenport’s Main Street. By late Monday afternoon, the longstanding traffic pattern there had been upended by a series of traffic cones and signs directing drivers to follow the outline of the future three-way traffic circle at the intersection, which had been shaped like the letter T.

The project, funded by the 2021 federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, has been in the works since April of 2024, and was initially slated to be completed in the fall of 2024.

In earlier phases, trees were cleared, utility poles were moved and drainage was installed in anticipation of the roundabout work, which the state had planned to do in the spring and fall months to lessen the effect on traffic.

The state said at the time the project was approved that it was designed to “help traffic continuously move in a smooth pattern and reduce congestion to and from the historic Village of Greenport and the Cross Sound Ferry nearby at Orient Point. Roundabouts have been proven to lessen the instances of serious crashes while maximizing capacity.”

The restart of the work in Greenport coincides with National Roundabouts Week, which the NYS DOT has been touting on its social media accounts.

When finished, the Greenport roundabout is slated to include center medians designed to slow the flow of traffic at each of the approaches to the three-way intersection, as well as on Sound Road, just to the north and east of the intersection. It also is slated to include sidewalks, curb cuts and pedestrian crosswalks at each entrance to the intersection.

***

The Riverhead Town Planning Board gave preliminary approval last Thursday to an expansion of BJ’s Wholesale Club, and the addition of a 16-vehicle gas station there. Alek Lewis reports on Riverheadlocal.com that BJ’s, located in East End Commons on Route 58 in Riverhead, intends to expand its existing 191,348-square-foot store by 10,530 square feet and build the new gas station, along with other site improvements. The expansion would be built on the north side of the building, in an area currently used for parking. The board’s resolution also determined that the project will not result in any significant adverse environmental impacts. According to the project’s application, construction of the new B.J.’s gas station is expected to be completed by early 2026. BJ’s currently operates an eight-pump gas station a half-mile west of the store, at the southeast corner of the Route 58 and Ostrander Avenue intersection in Riverhead. The station is available only to the wholesale club’s members and often offers lower prices than other stations in the area, making it a popular spot to fuel up — and the source of traffic back-ups on Ostrander Avenue. An attorney for the project previously told the Planning Board that the new gas station will reduce traffic at the existing one.

***

The Cutchogue Civic Association will hold a presentation on “Climate Change, Up Close and Personal: Local Stories” at the Peconic Community School, 27685 Main Road, Cutchogue this coming Thursday, Sept. 25 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Speakers include Tom Wickham, 11th generation Cutchogue fruit farmer and owner of Wickham’s Fruit Farm; Ron Goerler of Jamesport Vineyards & EAerly Rising Farm and Dennis Schrader of Landcraft Garden.

Panelists will share their stories of how climate change is impacting them, and how they are responding.

All are welcome.

This Thursday’s event is free at Peconic Community School, 27685 Main Road, Cutchogue starting at 6 p.m.

***

Contractors have begun clearing compost piles from a Calverton tree farm as part of an agreement in which the property's owner consented to removing the material, according to Riverhead Town officials.

The 45-acre farm on Youngs Avenue had drawn the ire of neighbors because of foul odors, as well as the presence of pests and increased trucking. The former tree nursery is owned by Joseph DeFigueroa, who also owns the Oceanside-based Patriot Recycling. The removal began yesterday, Riverhead Town Attorney Erik Howard confirmed to NEWSDAY.

Howard said town code required the piles' removal.

Joshua Needelman reports in NEWSDAY that Town officials had given the property nearly a dozen violations after the complaints were lodged. Recently, Riverhead ordered DeFigueroa to remove the piles by Sept. 29. Under town code, farms can import up to 3,000 cubic yards of organic material per year. But town officials said the property was not actively operating as a tree farm, a requirement for hauling in the organic material.

"The property is located in our Agricultural Protection Zoning Use District and the purchase of development rights strictly limits use of the property to agricultural activities and uses," Howard said.

The material on DeFigueroa's property needed "additional processing" before it could be used for agricultural purposes, Howard told Newsday. The town code does not allow for composted materials to be processed if it's "not immediately useable," Howard has said previously.

DeFigueroa must remove the piles within 14 days, according to the agreement struck between DeFigueroa and the Town of Riverhead.

After the soil is removed, the property owner must within two business days certify that "no unfinished or partially finished material remains" on the property, according to the agreement.

Jeffrey Seeman, Riverhead's environmental engineer consultant "will monitor the removal of the material and will be in contact with the on-site manager during the removal process," according to the release. DeFigueroa must pay the town $1,650 for Seeman's services, according to the agreement.

Steven Losquadro, DeFigueroa's attorney, said in a statement "all material brought to the farm was certified organic by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation."

DeFigueroa "now knows that Town organic material standards are stricter, and is pleased to comply with them," Losquadro said.

Long Island's towns and cities spent $341.3 million on employee and retiree health care premiums in 2024, nearly 12% more than in 2023, while state-set rate hikes quadrupled in recent years, a Newsday analysis found.

Premium costs for Long Island's 13 towns and two cities have climbed since 2021, according to data from the state Department of Civil Service, which administers health insurance to town and city employees. The municipalities paid a total of $341.3 million in 2024, an 11.8% increase over the 2023 Nassau / Suffolk total of $305.4 million.

Joseph Ostapiuk reports in NEWSDAY that the increased spending comes as the state has hiked premiums between 2021 and 2024 by a larger amount each year. Rates for the New York State Health Insurance Plan rose by 2.2% in 2021, 7.4% in 2022, 8.6% in 2023 and 8.9% in 2024.

Health insurance costs rose by 20% in 2024 over 2023 in three towns on Long Island's East End: Shelter Island, by 25%; East Hampton, at 22%; and Southampton, which had a 20% jump.

Becky Hansen, East Hampton's administrator and budget officer, said the town has tried twice to find a better alternative to the New York State Health Insurance Plan {NYSHIP} through a competitive bidding process. The efforts were unsuccessful, she told NEWSDAY. "That was kind of disappointing," Hansen said. "Yes, it's expensive for us as the employer, but it's also expensive for employees, too." Next year, the Town of East Hampton plans to allow retirees to use accrued sick leave to pay down health insurance premiums through the use of a state Civil Service law.

Governments would also benefit, she said, if the State Legislature allowed towns and cities to stash money in a reserve fund dedicated to health insurance costs.

"Because otherwise, health insurance is pay as you go," Hansen said. "We fund it during that year, we pay for it during that year."

NYSHIP sets its annual rates in December, generally weeks after towns and cities have approved their budgets for the following year.

That means towns and cities are setting budgets without knowing the exact cost of health insurance in the year ahead.

***

The owner of the Youngs Avenue site in Calverton where organic materials have been stockpiled by a Nassau County waste management company has agreed to remove the materials over a two -week period beginning today.

Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that Joseph DeFigueroa, owner of both Patriot Recycling and Youngs Avenue LLC, the company that purchased 45 acres of preserved farmland off Youngs Avenue in Calverton, has signed a stipulation with the Town of Riverhead requiring the removal of the approximately 3,000 cubic yards of materials from the site, Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard announced Friday afternoon.

The stipulation between Patriot and the Town of Riverhead requires the company to pay upfront the $1,650 cost of environmental consultant Jeffrey Seeman, hired by the town at $165 per hour to monitor the removal activity.

Patriot is prohibited by the terms of the agreement from bringing any other materials onto the site.

The owner said removal of the material will begin on Monday, Sept. 22…that’s today…and will take several days to complete, according to the press release. The agreement requires removal of stockpiled materials to be completed within 14 days from the commencement of removal.

The stipulation states that it does not settle any of the outstanding tickets now pending in Riverhead Justice Court, which were issued for alleged town code violations. Patriot in the stipulation acknowledges the alleged violations. The town will pursue disposition of the violations, including applicable penalties, in Justice Court, according to the stipulation.

The stipulation also does not prevent the town from issuing additional tickets for future alleged violations or pursuing other remedies including an injunction, as it deems necessary.

***

The Cutchogue Civic Association will hold a presentation on “Climate Change, Up Close and Personal: Local Stories” at the Peconic Community School, 27685 Main Road, Cutchogue this coming Thursday, Sept. 25 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Speakers include Tom Wickham, 11th generation Cutchogue fruit farmer and owner of Wickham’s Fruit Farm; Ron Goerler of Jamesport Vineyards & EAerly Rising Farm and Dennis Schrader of Landcraft Garden.

Panelists will share their stories of how climate change is impacting them, and how they are responding.

All are welcome.

This Thursday’s event is free at Peconic Community School, 27685 Main Road, Cutchogue starting at 6 p.m.

***

The announcement earlier this month that Southampton Town has agreed to buy a 2.5-acre waterfront parcel on Ferry Road is not the only land preservation news for North Haven.

Stephen J. Kotz reports on 27east.com that during the North Haven Village Board’s meeting last week, Mayor Chris Fiore said the town was close to buying a 1.8-acre parcel at 3 North Haven Way and Sunset Beach Road, across the street from the Lovelady Powell property, which has been preserved as a park.

Fiore told the board that before the deal can be finalized, the North Haven Point homeowners association has to sign off on the sale by a two-thirds vote that would waive maintenance fees for the property.

Jacqueline Fenlon, the director of Southampton Town’s Community Preservation Fund, confirmed this week that the town was eyeing the property, but she would not disclose the price, saying the parties were “still in the confidential stage of the process.”

According to Southampton Town records, the property is owned by Brian Naylor and Loren Chidoni.

Mayor Fiore, who said land preservation has been one of his top priorities, told the board the town is interested in preserving a third parcel in North Haven Village, but that negotiations were still at the preliminary stage and he could not discuss where that parcel is, who owns it, or how much it would cost.

Fiore said he was excited about the recently approved purchase at 10 Ferry Road. “It’s the second, nonprivate beach access in all of North Haven, to my knowledge,” he said.

The mayor said the owner of the 10 Ferry Road parcel wanted to build a 9,000-square-foot house on the parcel. Now, he said, “it makes for a wonderful mix of recreation and natural beauty.

***

Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine has proposed a $4.3 billion budget for the upcoming year that will raise taxes and sustain services amid a period of national economic uncertainty.

The budget, which was submitted late Friday to the Republican-controlled Suffolk County Legislature for review, would rise about 5.2% from the current $4 billion. The additional spending is attributed to increased employee benefits, such as state retirement contributions, as well as funding for public safety and social services.

Joe Werkmeister reports in NEWSDAY that the budget is the second submitted under Romaine, a Republican, since taking office in 2024 and stays within the state-mandated cap on property tax increases. The average homeowner would pay $86 more per year if the budget is passed, or about 6.8%, according to the budget's projected property tax impact.

Romaine said in a statement the goal is to make the county "safer, stronger and more affordable" and added that the budget provides a balance of "fiscal discipline and forward-thinking investments."

The legislature's Budget Review Office will prepare a report analyzing the budget for legislators in the coming weeks.

Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst) said the budget was due to the legislature Friday and delivered on time. He said the legislature will hold hearings on the budget during the week of Oct. 20 where lawmakers and department heads can propose changes and the public can comment.

The Suffolk County Legislature votes on adopting the budget at the Nov. 5 general meeting.

***

The Riverhead Community Blood Drive will be held tomorrow from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Riverhead Fire Department headquarters.

Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that homemade baked goods will be offered to each participating donor, along with juice and water. Also, each participating donor will receive a coupon for a free scoop of ice cream from Snowflake Ice Cream Shoppe in Riverhead.

Donating blood is safe and easy. It requires one hour from registration through refreshments, according to blood drive organizers.

Appointments are preferred but walk-ins are welcome. Schedule an appointment online or call 1-800-933-2566.

Riverhead Fire Department headquarters are at 540 Roanoke Avenue, Riverhead.

New York Blood Center runs blood collections and distribution in this region. NYBC, established in 1964, is one of the largest community-based, non-profit blood collection and distribution organizations in the United States.

***

A Southampton cannabis dispensary is defiantly staying open despite town officials serving the business with a cease-and-desist order for what they said is a failure to obtain town permission to operate.

Southampton Town Attorney James Burke told Newsday that the Charlie Fox dispensary, which opened last Tuesday and continued to operate throughout this weekend, had not gone through the permission process for opening a cannabis dispensary.

He said it also had not obtained any of the permits required for any new business to open that is a change in use, such as a certificate of occupancy and fire marshal inspection. The building was previously home to Hampton Car Club, a car service and repair business. The property on the north side of County Road 39 in Southampton shares a border fence with the Tuckahoe School playground.

“We don’t want people in an unsafe building,” Burke said, noting that in addition to the cease-and-desist, the business was issued numerous citations. “We were giving them the opportunity to comply.”

Charlie Fox co-founder James Mallios told Newsday that “no town permits are required” for the business to operate. The dispensary is owned by Birchwyn & Tess LLC. That company does not own the former Charlie Fox dispensary in Manhattan that was fined by the NYS Office of Cannabis Management this summer for violating cross-tier manufacturing and retail rules, according to the OCM.

"This isn’t about a 'rogue' dispensary — it’s about a licensed business being blocked in defiance of state law,” Mallios told Newsday. “We’re fully licensed by New York State and need no permission from Southampton to open.”

Burke said interior renovations and a change of business require a new certificate. He said the owners applied for a pre-admission approval but did not get planning board approval as required by the town for a cannabis dispensary.

Denise M. Bonilla reports in NEWSDAY that New York legalized recreational marijuana sales in 2021 but allowed local municipalities to decide whether to allow retail cannabis dispensaries in their communities.

Babylon, Brookhaven, Riverhead and Southampton are the only Long Island towns to allow recreational marijuana sales. There are currently more than a half-dozen dispensaries in operation in the towns, with several more receiving approval and poised to open.

There are more than half a dozen shops selling cannabis products in Shinnecock Tribal Territory on the south side of Montauk Highway in Southampton.

About 100 faith leaders, social justice advocates and others rallied simultaneously at three Long Island congressional offices yesterday, frustrated over what they said was their inability to meet with the three representatives to discuss the mass deportation of immigrants in the country illegally. Olivia Winslow reports in NEWSDAY that Ani Halasz, executive director of Long Island Jobs With Justice, which sponsored the rallies along with Long Island Immigrant Justice Alliance, said the rally came about because they were unable to secure meetings with local members of congress including 1st Congressional District Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) during the August recess, typically when members of Congress return from Washington to their home districts. Richard Koubek, community outreach coordinator for Long Island Jobs With Justice.said the faith leaders were seeking support for legislation that would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to identify themselves with badges and uniforms, to "stop wearing masks" and to "restore protected status of places of worship, hospitals and schools."

Advocates attending the rallies at the 3 district offices said they handed off the letter to aides.

Koubek said about 60 people attended the rally at Congressman LaLota’s office in Hauppauge.

Mary O'Hara, a spokeswoman for LaLota, said in a statement regarding the faith leaders' request for an August meeting: "If we received a request to meet, it would have been considered. But our office never received such a request." As for reaction to the faith leaders' concerns, LaLota said in a statement: "Only in today’s politics could a group claim to fight for justice by opposing the very laws that uphold it."

***

Long Islanders and businesses borrowing money will benefit from the Federal Reserve’s decision this week to lower its benchmark interest rate, economic experts said.

But they said the Fed’s cut will deliver limited relief to Long Island homebuyers seeking out mortgages.

Jonathan LaMantia reports in NEWSDAY that The Fed lowered the key rate by a quarter point on Wednesday to between 4% and 4.25%.

That decision will help borrowers taking on short-term loans, but the Fed has less influence over long-term debt, such as 30-year mortgages, said Stephen Kates, a financial analyst at Bankrate. A new report yesterday from Mortgage News Daily also showed mortgage rates may not continue their decline that started earlier this summer. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate hasn't dipped below 6% since September 2022.

The federal funds rate is the interest rate banks use to lend from one another overnight. The Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee sets this rate and uses it as a monetary policy tool to advance its dual mandate of maximum employment and stable prices, according to the Fed.

Essentially, the Fed wants to promote job creation and keep inflation in check, said Steven Kent, chief economist for the Long Island Association, the Melville-based business group.

***

The East End Seaport Museum’s 35th annual Maritime Festival in downtown Greenport is this weekend. Folks from the north fork and beyond will be celebrating Greenport’s rich maritime history with their annual “Merry Merfolk” parade, street fair, local food, live music, a cardboard boat race, and an abundance of artisan vendors throughout the Village of Greenport!

Sailor, painter, designer, rigging specialist, volunteer, community leader and all around good guy, Paul Kreiling is this year’s Maritime Festival Grand Marshal!

That's the 2025 Maritime Festival this Saturday and Sunday from 10AM - 5PM in Greenport, U.S.A.

***

The chairman of the New York State Democratic Party said yesterday that he would not support Zohran Mamdani, his party’s nominee for mayor of New York City, citing fundamental disagreements over Israel and democratic socialism.

The position puts the chairman, Jay Jacobs, directly at odds with both Democratic primary voters and Gov. Kathy Hochul, his de facto boss, who endorsed Mr. Mamdani on Sunday despite her own differences with the nominee.

Nicholas Fandos and Benjamin Oreskes report in THE NY TIMES that Mr. Jacobs, a moderate from Long Island, was so opposed to the governor’s endorsement that he told associates in recent days that he would sooner resign as chairman than back Mr. Mamdani, a 33-year-old NYS lawmaker and democratic socialist, according to people who spoke with the chairman.

It appears not to have come to that. But Mr. Jacobs’s exceedingly rare public break with Democratic voters and the governor underscores the deep divisions that persist around Mr. Mamdani within the party’s establishment, even as more elected officials move toward supporting him.

In a statement to The New York Times on Thursday, Mr. Jacobs, who is Jewish, said he told Mr. Mamdani directly that “I strongly disagree with his views on the State of Israel.”

“Furthermore, I reject the platform of the so-called Democratic Socialists of America and do not believe that it represents the principles, values or policies of the Democratic Party,” Mr. Jacobs said.

At the same time, Mr. Jacobs said he respected Ms. Hochul’s decision, pledged not to endorse any other candidate in the mayor’s race and called the “fearmongering” about Mr. Mamdani a “wrong and a gross overreaction.”

***

Aided by work rules, the Long Island Railroad’s top three overtime earners in 2023 — a year in which the MTA set an overtime spending record — all made more than $200,000 in overtime, according to pay records obtained by Newsday. The top earner was a train car repair worker with a base salary of around $75,000, who made more than $331,000 in 2023, including almost $3,000 in a single day. The now-retired worker said she did nothing wrong and earned her pay. MTA officials said through improved oversight and management, they have made meaningful reductions in overtime, though critics said broader reforms are needed.

Alfonso A. Castillo reports in NEWSDAY that LIRR worker pay is again under intensified scrutiny as the railroad remains locked in a contract impasse with several of its labor organizations that could result in its first union strike in more than 30 years. Five LIRR unions representing around half of the railroad's approximately 7,000 union workers are asking for raises above what other MTA workers have already accepted, saying that larger increases are needed to keep up with inflation and the cost of living. A request by the unions Monday for White House intervention delayed a potential strike until at least mid-January.

Ricardo Sanchez, who recently retired as general chairman of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 589 — the union representing LIRR electricians — said, historically, union work rules concerning overtime have disproportionately benefited workers from the SMART union, including train car repairmen. That's a key reason why other unions banded together to demand higher raises than those accepted by SMART, leading to the looming threat of a strike, he said.

Sanchez said he was "not surprised" the LIRR's highest overtime earner came from SMART. "The overtime rules benefit them," he said.

***

Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt “Sundays at Two” series presents this Sunday at 2 p.m. “Bats on the Beach, Bay & Beyond” at Long Pond Greenbelt Nature Center in Bridgehampton.

Understanding the distribution and habitat use of bats is important to their conservation. While many people know about bats in the woods, relatively few realize that there are bats in coastal ecosystems as well!

Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that PhD student Delaney Constante uses passive acoustic monitoring to better understand where bats are spending their time. In her talk this Sunday afternoon, you’ll learn about our local bat species, why they’re so important to their ecosystems, and that you just might find them at the beach!

Meet at the Long Pond Greenbelt Nature Center, 1061 Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Turnpike. Sundays at Two events are free and open to the public. To RSVP: [email protected].

***

For the past few days in Southampton folks have been asking about all the signs posted downtown proclaiming, "Southampton Village welcomes THE GREEN PATRIARCH." Who is our distinguished visitor this weekend?

He is Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of 300 million Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide. The 85 year old is making his first visit in four years to the United States, where he met earlier this week with President Donald Trump. Previously, His-All Holiness has been received by Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama and George W. Bush. He has also been recognized by the United Nations and the John Templeton Foundation for which he's the 2025 recipient of the $1 million Templeton Prize for efforts at the intersection of faith and science.

Tomorrow at 12 noon in Avram Hall on the Stony Brook Southampton Campus the Stony Brook Council University Medal will be presented to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, in recognition of his efforts on behalf of climate action, faith-based environmentalism and helping to foster interfaith dialogue.

Tomorrow’s event honoring the globally renowned "Green Patriarch" will also highlight Stony Brook Southampton's vital role in marine sciences and its groundbreaking Shinnecock Bay Hope Spot designation.

Tickets to tomorrow's medal ceremony at the Avram Theater are free. But, tickets are required.

To secure a free seat, please contact Stony Brook’s Office of Conferences and Special Events by email at [email protected]

Later on Saturday, Patriarch Bartholomew will preside over the Synaxis of the Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the U.S. at the Dormition of the Virgin Mary on the grounds of the Greek Orthodox Church in Southampton. He will also celebrate the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy at the same church on Sunday.

With the vision of a fully public Long Island Power Authority long vanquished, there are new worries an evolving LIPA could fall prey to some of the same political practices that characterized its patronage-saddled past. With a new leader, Carrie Meek Gallagher steeped in Suffolk County and state politics, and a board of mostly political appointees, some say LIPA is in danger of becoming a bastion of patronage for Democrats in Long Island’s swelling sea of Republican red.

Mark Harrington reports in NEWSDAY that the prospect of a politically driven LIPA was visible earlier this summer when PSEG returned to the negotiating table with LIPA officials over a contract extension for PSEG to manage the electric grid. Among the PSEG negotiating team were Hahn, a former aide to Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, and Tom Garry, a partner at the law firm Harris Beach, according to people briefed on the negotiations. Garry is also a first vice chair of the Nassau Democratic Party and counsel and law chair of the state Democratic Party. He is also a Long Island adviser to Gov. Kathy Hochul.

On the LIPA team, in addition to four LIPA officials, were LIPA trustees Anthony LaPinta, former vice chair and counsel to the Suffolk Democratic Committee, LIPA chairwoman Tracey Edwards, a former Democratic Huntington Town councilwoman and now senior vice president of Sands Las Vegas, and Valerie Anderson Campbell, an appointee of the Democratic-controlled Assembly.

One longtime LIPA watcher said the signals of change at LIPA are apparent.

"This is a shift to the political," said former NYS Assemblyman Fred Thiele Jr. (D-Sag Harbor), who championed the fully public LIPA bill specifically to inject utility expertise after Tropical Storm Isaias. "The people on the board and the staff changes are people who are talented and well-meaning, but their skill set is more in politics and government than it is in the world of utilities."

Thiele said he’s convinced the shift is deliberate, and that the strategy will ultimately cede more control formerly wielded by LIPA to the contractor PSEG.

"I don’t think there will be people at LIPA who can perform the needed oversight of the utility," he said. "What I worry about is that there are people who are steeped in politics who can be extremely good managers, but the focus is different."

***

As more electric bikes zoom around Riverhead roads, town officials are considering cracking down on where they can operate.

The Riverhead Town board is weighing new restrictions on e-bikes to improve safety for riders and pedestrians townwide.

Electric bikes would be prohibited in the heart of downtown Riverhead — on Main Street between Court Street and Route 58 — under the proposal.

The measure also bans e-bikes on sidewalks, sets a maximum speed limit of 15 mph and prohibits use between a half-hour after sunset and a half-hour before sunrise.

Tara Smith reports in NEWSDAY that a public hearing on the proposal drew no public comment this past Tuesday night, though town officials said the changes are aimed at improving safety and closing a gap in the town code. Under Riverhead's current code, these restrictions only apply to electric scooters.

“Bikes shouldn’t be operated on any sidewalks,” Town Attorney Erik Howard said during this week’s meeting. “This was a gap in the code that came to us from the police department, so we put in the amendment.” Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard said the code changes are important and that he often sees electric bikes and scooters “flying down” sidewalks and streets. Keeping them off sidewalks, particularly on the congested Route 58, is a key safety improvement, Hubbard said.

Most electric bikes would be banned from the town’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial Recreational Trail that loops 9 miles around the Enterprise Park at Calverton and is popular with cyclists, joggers and dog walkers.

The legislation would only allow Class 1 e-bikes, which only provide assistance while the user is pedaling and stops at 20 mph, on the trail.

The Riverhead Town board is accepting public input on the proposal until Sept. 26 and could vote on the measure at its next meeting on Oct. 7.

***

The Shelter Island Friends of Music presents The Rhythm Future Quartet in a free concert this coming Saturday, September 20th at 6 p.m. in the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, 32 North Ferry Road Rte. 114 on Shelter Island.

Rhythm Future Quartet performs a mix of swing era music classics along with original compositions, with hints of classical music, and inspired by Brazilian music and rhythmic grooves from around the world.

The concert is free.

The performance will begin promptly at 6 pm and last for 75-90 minutes.

You are invited to join a reception with the musicians immediately following Saturday evening’s concert at the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church.

***

The rogue cannabis dispensary Charlie Fox opened for business this week despite having no approvals from Southampton Town to occupy the building they are operating out of on the north side of County Road 39 in Southampton next to the Tuckahoe School playground. Its owners were promptly served with a cease-and-desist order by town code enforcement officers.

Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that Charlie Fox’s Instagram page broadcast that it was “open for business” this past Tuesday afternoon, offering cannabis products for order via the website charliefoxhamptons.com for delivery — which, indeed, had a large selection of edibles, joints and various accessories for sale.

A spokesperson said the doors to the Charlie Fox dispensary store at 471 County Road 39 would open at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, but an employee told Southampton Press staff who visited the store at the time that it was only “a soft opening.”

The Charlie Fox website says the store will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily going forward for “walk-in, pickup and delivery.”

The owners of Charlie Fox — Julia Levi, the company CEO, and James Mallios, who also owns the Water Mill restaurant Calissa — have a retail dispensary license from the NYS Office of Cannabis Management and have maintained that is all they need to open for business, despite not having formally applied to Southampton Town for the site plan approvals that all commercial businesses are required to secure before opening in the town.

Levi said in an email that the OCM gave the company “clearance to commence operations” on August 22 and had previously rejected an objection by Southampton Town to the issuance of a retail license to the company at the Tuckahoe location.

Town Attorney James Burke said that more citations will be issued in short order and that the Town of Southampton will seek a court injunction ordering the store to close if the business does not comply with the town’s code on its own.

***

This year, Long Island will once again celebrate the 13th Annual Car Free Day on Monday, September 22, 2025. Last year, Car Free Day was recognized in more than 3,100 cities in 50 countries around the world. It's celebrated in different ways but with the common goal of taking cars off the road. Peter Gill reports in NEWSDAY that officials, students and environmental advocates highlighted progress but also shortcomings in Long Island's alternatives to car travel at Farmingdale State College yesterday.

Outside the event at the Campus Center, held in preparation for next week's World Car Free Day, volunteers collected pledges from students to walk, bicycle or use public transportation this coming Monday.

Elisa Picca, Suffolk County's deputy planning commissioner, said Suffolk County has experienced some small improvement in its public transportation.

She said Suffolk County Transit bus ridership increased 30% in 2024 over the previous year — an additional 600,000 rides — and is on track to increase another 10% this year.

Picca credited the growth to a redesign of Suffolk's bus system in late 2023. That's when the county eliminated 14 of 41 bus routes, while increasing frequency on the busiest lines and expanded evening and weekend hours. Suffolk also added app features for GPS bus tracking and is preparing to add 40 new hybrid buses to the system in 2026, she said.

"When you provide frequent, reliable, interconnected service ... customers respond," Picca said.

However, speakers also said Long Island still has a long way to go to provide a robust alternative transportation network.

A recent Newsday-Siena College poll found most Long Islanders think public transportation is worse in Nassau and Suffolk than other places.

***

An East Hampton mechanics shop was condemned yesterday after a car caught fire and caused the building to go ablaze, the East Hampton Fire Department said. Maureen Mullarkey reports in NEWSDAY that around 9:54 a.m. on Wednesday the department received a 911 call about a car on fire inside a structure on Springs Fireplace Rd., the site of CMG Auto Repairs Inc.

East Hampton Fire Chief Duane Forrester said by the time firefighters arrived, the structure also had caught fire and flames were bursting from the sides and top of the building.

About 50 firefighters, including mutual aid from Amagansett Fire Department and a Rapid Intervention Team from the Sag Harbor Fire Department, worked to put out the bulk of the fire within 10 minutes.

Firefighters then worked to extinguish the car fire.

The car was on top of a lift when it caught fire and fell into the mechanical pit due to its hydraulic system, creating difficulty in putting it out, Chief Forrester said.

No one was injured.

The East Hampton Fire Marshal condemned the building as the roof appeared to sag.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

***

This coming Saturday, Sept. 20, is International Coastal Cleanup Day, and throughout the East End, environmental groups are pitching in to protect the shorelines of the place we call home. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that since 1986, the international non-profit group now known as The Ocean Conservancy has helped organize 18 million volunteers and partner agencies worldwide to collect more than 380 million pounds of trash from the world’s beaches, not only making them more beautiful but protecting wildlife from becoming entangled in trash, both on the shoreline and out at sea.

Here are some local cleanups scheduled for this Saturday:

The Town of East Hampton and the East Hampton Litter Action Committee have designated Saturday as East Hampton CleanUp Day, inviting all residents, businesses, civic organizations, and environmental groups to take part by organizing their own local cleanup, which doesn’t have to be a beach — it can be a trail, park or roadway as well.

The Peconic Baykeeper, the Peconic Estuary Partnership, the Friends of Havens Beach and the New York Marine Rescue Center are scheduled to host a cleanup on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Havens Beach in Sag Harbor.

The North Fork Environmental Council is leading International Coastal Cleanup Day cleanups on Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. at Reeves Park Beach on the Long Island Sound in Riverhead (at the end of Park Road) and at Breakwater Beach (at the end of Breakwater Road) in Mattituck from 1 to 3 p.m.

The Surfrider Foundation’s Eastern Long Island Chapter will also be holding a cleanup from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Iron Pier Beach on the Long Island Sound in Jamesport.

President Donald Trump has formally stepped into the ongoing contract fight between the MTA and five Long Island Rail Road unions, assigning an “emergency” mediation board to try to resolve the dispute. The White House yesterday published an executive order “establishing an emergency board to investigate disputes between the Long Island Rail Road Company and certain of its employees represented by certain labor organizations.” Alfonso A. Castillo reports in NEWSDAY that the move came in response to a request made Monday by five labor organizations representing around half of the LIRR’s 7,000 union workers. The request delayed a potential strike by the unions that could have otherwise begun as early as tomorrow morning..

“Ask and you shall receive,” Kevin Sexton, national vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and spokesman for the coalition of LIRR unions involved in the dispute, said in a statement Tuesday. “We are confident that the members of that board will find our coalition’s contract proposals exceedingly reasonable.”

The unions represent several LIRR trades, including locomotive engineers, machinists, ticket clerks, signal workers and electricians. The MTA wants the organizations to accept a three-year contract with 3% raises in the first and second years, and a 3.5% raise in the third year — the same terms accepted by several other MTA unions, including at the LIRR.

But the holdout unions say the 9.5% total wage increase doesn’t keep up with the high cost of living in New York and on Long Island and effectively amounts to a wage cut. Union leaders on Monday said they've accepted the three-year, 9.5% terms, but want a fourth year at a 6.5% raise.

The board will come up with nonbinding recommendations on a resolution to the dispute. As dictated by federal law, the establishment of the board delays a potential work stoppage for 120 days, or through mid-January 2026. A second board could then be empaneled, pushing a strike deadline to mid-May of next year.

***

Governments on the North Fork are seeking out the best way to address the preponderance of short-term rentals in the upcoming weeks. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that the public will have a chance tomorrow during a Greenport Village Board public hearing at 6 p.m. to address Greenport’s latest proposals regarding short-term rental codes.

Meanwhile, the Southold Town Board is expected to hold a Sept. 30 code committee meeting to discuss changes to its code, which currently sets a minimum stay at 14 days but has proved to be difficult to enforce. A task force last year recommended a permitting process to allow individual people to provide short-term rentals in their homes.

While both Greenport and Southold have long been areas where the housing mix has included seasonal and full-time residents, short-term rental websites that make it easy to pair property owners with renters have led to the commercialization of residential neighborhoods and decreased the stock of long-term housing, according to the town. Southold’s task force found last year that more than 40 short-term rentals listed in Southold are listed by just four property management companies.

***

The Riverhead Community Awareness Program (CAP) is seeking community volunteers to teach the Too Good for Drugs Prevention Program to fifth and sixth grade students at Pulaski Street Intermediate School in Riverhead.

Alek Lewis reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the volunteers would teach eight monthly presentations at Pulaski Street Intermediate School assisted by peer leaders in grades 8-12, according to a Riverhead CAP press release. The commitment to the program is approximately two hours per month during the 2025-2026 school year, with a flexible training schedule. Both English and Spanish speaking volunteers are needed.

The program is an “evidence-based, skill development program” designed to mitigate the risk factors — and enhance protective factors — related to alcohol, tobacco, and other substance use, according to Riverhead CAP. The lessons help develop skills linked by research to health development and academic success, including “social and emotional skills for setting goals, making healthy choices, building positive friendships, communicating effectively, and resisting peer pressure,” according to CAP.

For more information about becoming a CAP volunteer, or to sign up, please contact Prevention Supervisor Cynthia Redmond at (631) 727-3722 or [email protected].

***

The traffic light that was installed, temporarily, on Hill Street and Halsey Neck Lane in Southampton Village as part of a two-week pilot program…which began September 8…and also included left-turn restrictions off both Captains Neck Lane and Lee Avenue …turned Halsey Neck Lane into a parking lot according to residents there. Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that the light was removed less than halfway into the pilot program after public feedback about how it had made the situation worse. Gigi Howard, who lives in a home on Halsey Neck Lane spoke at Southampton Village Hall last Thursday about how their automated driveway gate was constantly opening and closing during rush hour as motorists who had come down the street decided to make U-turns in various driveways and head in a different direction.

The only possible hope for something approaching a solution, Trustee Roy Stevenson explained at the end of the meeting, is the ongoing effort of Southampton Village officials, led by Deputy Mayor Len Zinnanti, in combination with Southampton Town officials, to appeal to the county to reinstate the pilot program from last spring that kept traffic moving on County Road 39.

“Even that isn’t a solution,” Stevenson said. “It will definitely help. But right now, there are just a lot of cars and not enough space, and we’re dealing with it. We are working our butts off, and it’s really frustrating to be working on a problem that is intractable. But we’re doing everything we can.”

The Village of Southampton is paying the traffic engineering firm VHB to collect data on both the north and south sides of Hill Street.

Ryan Winter from VHB said that he should have data from the two-week pilot program, which ends tomorrow evening, available to present at the next work session, set for Tuesday, September 23.

***

With the affordable housing crisis in mind, the East Hampton Town Board has reached consensus on a handful of sweeping changes to the way it regulates accessory dwelling units. Next up will be Planning Board comments in advance of a public hearing. Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that recently the East Hampton Town Board has settled on accessory dwelling units, or a small, apartment-like structure located on a lot with a larger single-family house, as a key tool in combating the affordable housing crisis. In recent months, ADU policy changes have maintained a frequent place on work session agendas. There is a limit of 40 ADUs allowed in each hamlet, but changing that number is not currently in the East Hampton Town Board’s sights. To reach consensus, the board agreed ADUs could be built on lots as small as 15,000 square feet; the Town Board would allow five vehicles per lot. The changes did not, and do not, call for an income limit for property owners or tenants. East Hampton Town Attorney Jake Turner discussed enforcement of the pitched rules. The rules come with added teeth, he said, including sworn statements of compliance from property owners. The board plans to send the matter to the Planning Board for comments in advance of a public hearing, which will be scheduled at a later date.

***

The Shelter Island Friends of Music presents The Rhythm Future Quartet in a free concert this coming Saturday, September 20th at 6 p.m. in the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, 32 North Ferry Road Rte. 114 on Shelter Island.

Rhythm Future Quartet performs a mix of swing era music classics along with original compositions, with hints of classical music, and inspired by Brazilian music and rhythmic grooves from around the world.

The concert is free.

The performance will begin promptly at 6 pm and last for 75-90 minutes.

You are invited to join a reception with the musicians immediately following Saturday evening’s concert!

***

The Town of Riverhead will pay the owners of a downtown bar $170,000 to settle an eminent domain proceeding, paving the way for development of a boutique hotel as part of a new town square. Tara Smith reports in NEWSDAY that the Riverhead Town Board voted 5-0 last night to approve the agreement with SNR Bar 25 Corp., which has run Craft'D at 127 E. Main St. since 2019. Under the stipulation, the business agrees to vacate the building by Sept. 30 and the town must pay the $170,000 by Oct. 15.

Finalizing the settlement means the town’s master developer, Joe Petrocelli, can demolish the building. In its place, Petrocelli plans a $32 million mixed use building with hotel rooms, penthouse condos, shops and a restaurant.

Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard said yesterday demolition could happen by the end of October.

"By time he gets that cleaned up and his final drawings and everything are done, he'll be ready ... by spring to put shovels in the ground," Hubbard said of the timeline.

Riverhead has owned the bar building since 2021 and began the eminent domain process in April to acquire the remaining years on Craft’D’s lease. A judge granted the town’s eminent domain petition on Aug. 27.

SNR Bar 25 Corp. did not challenge the eminent domain action in court, though its co-owner Sean Kenna had asked the town to reconsider at public meetings earlier this year.

State law allows governments to take private property if they pay the owner "just compensation" and the seizure is for public use.

Riverhead Town's use of eminent domain was unpopular among some residents who believed the taking didn’t constitute a public benefit since the property is being transferred to a private developer.

"The actions of this board have basically destroyed an important, vital community institution," Riverhead resident John McAuliff told the board at yesterday’s meeting, adding that he believes the town will "regret ... this humongous boutique hotel that is going to affect the character of the town square."

It’s unclear if the bar is searching for a new location. The business announced it would close Saturday and hold a "drink the bar dry" party as a last hurrah.

According to a project timeline Petrocelli presented this summer, the hotel is expected to open in June 2027.

A potential Long Island Rail Road worker strike that could have begun as soon as 12:01 a.m. this coming Thursday will be delayed at least for months after LIRR union leaders requested the Trump administration intervene in contract negotiations yesterday. Peter Gill and Alfonso A. Castillo report in NEWSDAY that the announcement comes after five unions, representing about half of all LIRR workers, rejected a three-year contract that several other unions accepted. At a news conference in Manhattan on Monday morning, the leaders of the holdout unions announced they have asked or will ask President Donald Trump to appoint a panel to mediate the dispute, which could delay any potential strike until the spring.

"This action does not mean a strike won't happen, but it does mean it won't happen now," said Gil Lang, general chairman for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen. President Trump is expected to appoint a Presidential Emergency Board of mediators to consider both sides’ arguments and issue nonbinding recommendations to resolve the dispute.

Union officials said the process would delay a potential strike until mid-January, at the earliest. Additional public hearings, federally mandated "cooling off" periods, and the possibility of a second Presidential Emergency Board could push that date until mid-May, according to the unions.

If there's no agreement and a strike happens, it’s impossible to say for sure how long it would last.

The last LIRR strike, in 1994, lasted three days until the railroad agreed to certain union demands. Before that, an LIRR strike in January 1987 lasted for 11 days, until Congress passed emergency legislation and mediated the dispute.

In 2014, the LIRR came within three days of a strike, but it was called off after an eleventh-hour settlement between union leaders and then-Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

Is the president required to intervene now that a request has been made?

The Railway Labor Act states that upon request from either party in a commuter railway labor dispute, or from a governor, "the President shall create an emergency board to investigate and report on the dispute."

Samuel Estreicher, a professor of labor law at NYU Law School, said the law is not optional — it obligates the president to move forward with creating an emergency board.

***

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico says town officials are nearing a decision about the future of the town-owned zoo in Holtsville that some animal welfare activists want to see closed.

Carl MacGowan reports in NEWSDAY that Panico said town officials were weighing “whether or not the town should be in the animal sanctuary space” and hinted a resolution could come by the end of the month.

He did not say what options he was considering but said the resolution could be tied to Brookhaven Town's 2026 budget.

“The seminal question is, number one, whether or not [the zoo] is germane to the operation of town government and, number two, … is Holtsville the best place for these animals?" Panico told NEWSDAY on Friday.

Calls from animal welfare activists to close the facility escalated last November when an American black bear named Honey was euthanized at the site. Critics said Honey had been mistreated. Town officials denied the allegations.

A Newsday investigation last year found some animals were kept in filthy enclosures, medical problems were ignored for weeks or months, and surgical procedures were performed without anesthetic by staff who lacked formal veterinary training or licenses, according to seven former employees who spoke to the paper.

The zoo, which houses more than 100 animals, including foxes, a bison, a bobcat, birds of prey, cows and chickens, is part of the town's Holtsville Ecology Site, which also includes swimming pools, hiking trails and picnic areas. The property, a former landfill, is run by the town highway department.

John Di Leonardo, president of Humane Long Island, an animal welfare group, called Panico's comments "a positive development."

"I think taxpayers want their highway dollars to go towards fixing roads, and they want their parks dollars to go towards maintaining their parks,” Di Leonardo said.

***

Many residents of New Suffolk were surprised last week to see a large pile of dirt appear on an expanse of long vacant lawn adjacent to the historic New Suffolk School. The excavation is the beginning of a new playground being built and paid for by Just Kids, whose 2025-2026 program for students with autism at the schoolhouse is fully enrolled with 18 students.

Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that the addition of a new playground adjacent to the school has been part of the conversation between the New Suffolk School District and Just Kids, which is into the second year of its lease of the school property, over the past several months, although the project wasn’t anticipated to be built until 2026.

But in August, Just Kids informed the school board that, because of their full enrollment, New York State is requiring them to build a bigger playground for the safety of the students. The school board held a special meeting Aug. 21 to approve the project.

School Board President Brook Dailey said, “They are paying for the playground, which is not at New Suffolk’s expense, which is great because it will still be open to our community, even though we aren’t paying for it…It will have a ship theme, which is in line with the nautical theme of New Suffolk.”

Facing dwindling enrollment, New Suffolk voters had agreed in 2024 to discontinue holding public school classes in the 1907 red schoolhouse and instead bus New Suffolk students to Southold, becoming what’s known as a “non-instructional school district.”

The New Suffolk School District says the playground is expected to be open to the students and the community by December.

***

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul seemingly got little-to-nothing in exchange for her bombshell endorsement Sunday of socialist mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani — except to appease the far-left in a desperate attempt to stave off a real primary challenge next year, insiders tell THE NY POST.

Hochul likely will have Mamdani’s endorsement in the Democratic primary, where she faces a challenge from her estranged Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, sources said.

One Democratic operative called Hochul’s endorsement — which failed to sway some prominent Democratic Party holdouts and took some business leaders by surprise — “inevitable” given the political calculus.

“It’s a calculated political risk,” the operative said.

“Delgado is gaining ground on her and they want to neutralize him. There’s concern of him running to the left. She’s losing ground in the suburbs and upstate and they have to consolidate the downstate vote.”

Craig McCarthy, Carl Campanile, Vaughn Golden and Matt Troutman report in THE NY POST that Governor Hochul, in both her NY TIMES op-ed endorsing Mamdani and subsequent comments, gave no signs that Mamdani had offered any concessions on his controversial stances in exchange for her endorsement.

Hochul did offer yesterday that Mamdani invited her to be part of discussions about public safety and the NYPD’s leadership.

When asked if police Commissioner Jessica Tisch would stay on if Mamdani were elected, she reiterated she would be part of the selection process for the potential next mayor’s top cop.

“I’ve been invited to participate in conversations about strong leadership at NYPD,” Hochul said, praising Mamdani as “very smart” and understanding of what needs to be done with crime.

Hochul, for her part, said she was driven to endorse because of President Trump’s apparent meddling in the mayoral election. Mamdani still hasn’t received official backing from New York State’s other most prominent Democrats: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. State Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs flatly told THE NY POST yesterday that, “I won’t be endorsing Mamdani,” before claiming he had another call and hanging up.

​***

A strike on the Long Island Rail Road, the biggest commuter rail service in the United States, will be avoided for at least several months, after the unions threatening a work stoppage took the unusual step of seeking the White House’s intervention.

Stefanos Chen reports in THE NY TIMES that unions representing thousands of workers for the railroad, which carries more than 270,000 passengers a day between Long Island and New York City, could have walked off the job as early as this coming Thursday morning. A federal mediation agency that had been overseeing negotiations with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency that runs the railroad, last month permitted the workers to proceed with a strike.

But yesterday, representatives of the five unions — including engineers, machinists and signalmen — said they had asked President Trump to form a panel known as a presidential emergency board, which would postpone the strike and seek a contract settlement.

“This action does not mean a strike won’t happen, but it does mean a strike won’t happen now,” said Gilman Lang, the general chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, one of the unions.

The soonest a strike could now occur is mid-January, but further federal intervention could delay it until May, according to union officials.

The walkout would have caused major disruptions for LIRR riders from Manhattan to Montauk….and likely increased motor vehicle traffic dramatically in Nassau and Suffolk.

***

The East End Arts and Humanities Council has a new (temporary) home. Alek Lewis reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the Riverhead-based nonprofit has completed its move into 206 Griffing Avenue, the town-owned building on the corner of West Second Street, adjacent to Riverhead Town Hall. East End Arts relocated there from its town-owned campus of historic buildings on East Main Street, which will be reconfigured as a part of a flood mitigation project and the development of the Riverhead Town Square. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday celebrating the grand opening, Executive Director Wendy Weiss thanked East End Arts’ staff and board, and town officials, for all their efforts in relocating the organization. “We all can agree that we’ve got the same collective goal, and that the culture and arts in the Town of Riverhead is so important,” Weiss said. Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard presented Weiss and East End Arts with a certificate of recognition. “Congratulations to East End Arts on the grand opening of your temporary facility at 206 Griffing Avenue — the annex building, as we refer to it — adjacent to Riverhead Town Hall,” Hubbard said. “We’re pleased the annex proved a suitable space for programs, classes, courses and camps, as your programming affords the community invaluable access to music and the arts.” “We wish you great success in continuing to support, advocate and inspire our community of artists and performers,” the supervisor added.

***

The golf hoopla on Long Island will take off at next week’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in Nassau County, but it will not stop there.

Major championship golf is returning to Long Island next June in Suffolk County, when the 126th U.S. Open tees off at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton.

Ben Dickson reports in NEWSDAY that the United States Golf Association welcomed media members to Shinnecock Hills yesterday for a first-look event to start the journey toward the 2026 Open. The tournament is returning to Shinnecock Hills for the sixth time and the first time since 2018.

“It's truly, I think, one of the cathedrals of the game of golf, and obviously a USGA founding club,” said Brent Paladino, the USGA senior director of championship administration. “So we're super excited to be back at Shinnecock Hills. It's going to be truly an amazing test of golf for the players. The elements out here can really dictate a lot of what will happen in June, and especially if you get some wind, it'll be really exciting to watch.”

The U.S. Open, which will also be held at Shinnecock Hills in 2036, is arguably the hardest of the four golf majors to win given the demanding courses. With a par-70, 7,434-yard setup that remains true to William Flynn’s original design from 1931, next year will be no different.

The course is built for the elements, with a wide-open layout and very few trees. The winds are certain to be a significant factor, regardless of direction.

Course maintenance is a science at Shinnecock Hills, which needs enough moisture to start the day and can dry out quickly.

The USGA conducts 15 championships over the course of the year, and preparation for June will heat up over the winter. Jon Jennings, the golf course superintendent at Shinnecock Hills, said they will start working on road infrastructure in November, and the USGA will bring in their tents and other necessities to build up in March of 2026.

There's real reason for a sense of history regarding this local international event. The second ever U.S. Open Golf Championship was in 1896 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York.