We invite you to join us for a live broadcast from East Hampton Library’s 21st annual Authors Night tomorrow from 5pm to 7pm right here on WLIW FM.

Brian Cosgrove, Gianna Volpe and Michael Mackey will interview nearly a dozen different authors appearing at this year’s fundraiser…which is one of the most popular and celebrity-studded events of the Hamptons’ summer calendar. Authors Night features 100 authors across all genres. The “Premier Literary Event of the Hamptons” has grown over its history to become one of the most successful celebrations of books and authors in America, and one of the largest library-author events of its kind in the country.

That’s tomorrow from 5pm to 7pm heard live on WLIW FM.

***

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested more than 1,600 people on Long Island with prior convictions since Jan. 20, the agency told Newsday yesterday.

The number of ICE arrests on Long Island since President Donald Trump took office has not been made public until now. But the agency did not respond to Newsday’s questions about how many people without a criminal record have been arrested, though reports include a popular Port Washington bagel shop manager, and Suffolk County Community College honors student, among others.

Bahar Ostadan reports in NEWSDAY that one way that ICE takes custody of Long Islanders with a criminal record is through an immigration “detainer,” a request from ICE for local law enforcement to share information about a specific detainee. Local officials in Nassau and Suffolk give ICE advanced notice about when someone is expected to be released from jail, according to sheriff’s departments in both counties, giving ICE time to arrest people at the jail’s entrance once they’re released.

ICE issued 635 detainers across Long Island from January through June, mostly men from Central and South America in their late 30s who are not charged with serious crimes, according to data obtained by the Deportation Data Project, a research group at the University of California, Berkeley, led by David Hausman.

ICE issued 341 detainers in Nassau and 294 in Suffolk, according to Hausman’s data. About a quarter of those with a detainer were previously convicted of a crime. Another 73% had pending criminal charges, according to the Deportation Data project.

Nearly 30% of the detainers were issued to people born in Ecuador, and another 20% to those from Honduras. The next largest groups were people from Guatemala and Mexico.

***

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, citing the ongoing threat of Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses across the country, is calling on Congress to reauthorize the Kay Hagan Tick Act, which would support research, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease.

Stephen J. Kotz reports on 27east.com that Senator Gillibrand is also fighting to secure more than $200 million for research and programs that address Lyme disease, protecting families, communities, and service members across New York.

“Tick-borne illnesses are a growing threat in New York and across the country, and we must do more to ensure that all Americans are protected,” the senator said in a release. Reauthorizing the Kay Hagan Tick Act “would help develop better treatments and preventative measures for the thousands of New Yorkers who suffer from tick-borne illnesses and for those who live in high-risk areas. Funding research and programs that address these diseases will also increase our ability to combat them.”

Gillibrand said New York State reports the highest incidence of Lyme disease in the country, with cases skyrocketing since 2020, when only 2,200 cases were reported, to 2023, when 22,000 cases were reported.

Suffolk County is among the leaders in reported cases, stated Gillibrand who is an American lawyer and politician serving as the junior United States senator from New York since 2009. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

***

Tomorrow at 10 a.m. the Southampton Sustainability Committee, the Peconic Land Trust and the Mecox Bay Conservancy are spearheading a forum, “Understanding Climate Change on the East End: Why It Matters and What We Can Do” at the Hampton Library in Bridgehampton, to help everyone understand the role of their homes and their choices in protecting the environment. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that every choice we make in our personal lives has a ripple effect outward, from our homes to our backyards to our neighborhood and the world.

Evan Mason, an architectural designer who serves on Southampton Town’s volunteer Sustainability Committee, has long seen this interconnectedness in her work. She will be present at tomorrow morning’s forum along with three experts providing advice that begins within the home, and then spreads to backyards and the bays surrounding us.

“We want to help people create these linkages, so they can understand how the choices they make impact the environment,” said Ms. Mason. “This seminar is aimed at connecting those dots.”

The first speaker, John Barrows, is a local builder and nationally recognized speaker on green building, building science, and production management.

He will be followed by Paul Wagner, the founder of Greener Pastures, a local organic property and lawn care company and a Board Certified Master Arborist and NYS Certified Nursery Professional with a degree in Ornamental Horticulture.

The final speaker will be former Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman, who now serves as the Executive Director of the Mecox Bay Conservancy which is dedicated to improving local water quality.

The organizers are hoping for a lively Q&A discussion, which will be moderated by Suffolk County Legislator Ann Welker, a longtime environmental advocate and former Southampton Town Trustee.

That’s “Understanding Climate Change on the East End: Why It Matters and What We Can Do” tomorrow from 10 am to 11:30 am at the Hampton Library in Bridgehampton.

***

Metallica will perform at Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett on Thursday, August 28 to kick off the launch of "Metallica Maxima," a new SiriusXM music channel.

The concert was announced by drummer Lars Ulrich during a Wednesday appearance on SiriusXM's "Howard Stern Show."

Emma Tufo reports in NEWSDAY that the new "Metallica Maxima" channel will officially launch Aug. 29. A recording of the Long Island concert will premiere on the channel Sept. 1 at noon and will stream free in all SiriusXM-equipped vehicles through September.

The performance will be rebroadcast throughout the week on "Metallica Maxima" and be available on the SiriusXM app. The full concert will air on Howard Stern's SiriusXM channel Howard 101 on Sept. 5 at 7 p.m.

Max Honerkamp, general manager of the iconic venue his father grew from a dive bar, said he is "personally pumped" for the band to descend on the East End, especially after seeing them at MetLife Stadium on Aug. 6, 2023, which he described as "my favorite show probably of all time."

"The fact that they are playing here is just insane," Honerkamp, 36, of East Hampton, said. "It will be, I think, one of the most iconic nights we’ve had, and could potentially be the most iconic ever."

Stephen Talkhouse has a collaborative relationship with SiriusXM, often hosting exclusive concerts tied to the launch of new SiriusXM programs. Jelly Roll performed a special concert last year at the venue and hosted an "eat and greet." In 2023, Ed Sheeran had a private show for the winner of a SiriusXM contest.

"This allows us to have exposure, which helps build the lore of the place," Honerkamp said of the shows the venue hosts through its relationship with Sirius. "To have those random drop-ins and this signature event allows us to have more eyes on us to do more for up-and-coming artists. It helps in ways you can’t really quantify."

***

For those who think the news can't get any more depressing than it already is - here's a timely story for you.

The days are getting shorter...in fact much shorter, with some areas of the United States losing well over an hour of daylight between Aug. 1 and Aug. 31.

Yes - Daylight loss is accelerating this month…AccuWeather meteorologist Brian Lada reports that through August, each day is 1 to 2 minutes shorter than the day prior for many areas of the U.S. This adds up fast…especially around here…so by the LAST day of August - from Manhattan to Montauk - the time between sunrise and sunset will be over 70 minutes shorter than it was on the FIRST day of August.

For the next 4 and a half months across the northern hemisphere days will continue to shorten while nights perpetually grow longer until the winter solstice, which occurs at 10:03 a.m. EST on Dec. 21, 2025...if man is still alive...If woman can survive...they may find...

***

Two Democrats have entered the 2026 race to unseat Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) in New York’s First Congressional District. Alek Lewis reports on RiverheadlocaL.com that Chris Gallant, a National Guardsman and former air traffic controller from Amity Harbor, and Lukas Ventouras, a law student from Northport, have both filed with the Federal Elections Commission to challenge LaLota next year.

Gallant, 36, declared his candidacy earlier this week. He is an Army National Guardsman, a Black Hawk helicopter pilot and a volunteer firefighter, he said. He recently resigned from his job as a Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controller to run for Congress, as federal employees are prohibited from running in partisan elections.

Ventouras, 24, declared his intent to run late last year, after former CNN host John Avlon lost to LaLota. He is a graduate of New York University and a law student at St. John’s University. He has served as an intern on several Democratic political campaigns.

The First Congressional District has been held by Republicans since Lee Zeldin beat Democratic incumbent Tim Bishop in 2014. LaLota, a Navy veteran and former Suffolk elections commissioner, was first elected in 2022 and won reelection last year with more than 55% of the vote.

In a statement, LaLota spokesperson Mary O’Hara said the campaign is “confident” heading into 2026, “having worked with our party to secure the border and stood up to our party to quadruple” the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, from $10,000 to $40,000. O’Hara noted that nonpartisan political analysts with the Cook Political Report and Inside Elections list LaLota’s seat as solidly Republican. The district represents the entire East End and stretches west across most of the northern half of Suffolk County, up to and including Melville.