The Long Island Daily

The Long Island Daily, formerly Long Island Morning Edition, with host Michael Mackey provides regional news stories and special features that speak to the body politic, the pulse of our planet, and the marketplace of life.

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  The Long Island Daily

  County Road 39 in Southampton back to being two lanes

  Sep 30, 202610 min

  Last weekend’s nor’easter knocked out power to thousands of South Fork residents, flooded several neighborhoods and caused substantial beach erosion along both bay and ocean shorelines, but the South Fork was largely spared more costly or longer-lasting impacts. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that perhaps the most concerning lingering effect of the storm is what the next storm, and the one after that and the one after that might bring to some areas where the September 26 / 27 storm has already scoured away much of the protective beaches and dunes that had built up over the summer, with the whole of the usual winter storm season still to come. “All eyes are on the area west of Shinnecock Inlet, which is in dire straits,” said Aram Terchunian, a consultant for Southampton and East Hampton towns on most of their ocean shoreline management and beach nourishment projects. The local beaches that have been mechanically nourished with thousands of tons of sand in the last several years — in Montauk, Sagaponack, Bridgehampton and Westhampton — all weathered the nearly 48-hour storm very well, Terchunian said after doing a tour of the region on Monday. He said that Suffolk County would be requesting that the Army Corps of Engineers mobilize an emergency nourishment of the beach near the inlet in Hampton Bays — but that even if the federal engineers took action it would be several months before any kind of work would commence. “It’s not something that is going to happen next week,” he said. So the commercial fishermen and marina owners whose livelihoods sit just beyond the narrow sand barrier from the ocean will have to cross their fingers and see what the winter season brings. *** Getting ready to apply to college can be overwhelming for families and students, but experts say a key to a successful college application journey is starting early in high school and having the proper preparation. Educational advisers said waiting until junior year may hurt a candidate's chance of getting into their dream school. "Organization is the key to a successful admissions journey," said college admissions consultant Scott Gibney, of Long Island-based Gibney College Solution. "It’s actually sitting down as a family and discussing what college means to the family." Andy Lockwood, owner of Lockwood College Prep in Nassau County, said a student has to be the CEO of their college application journey and not solely rely on guidance counselors. Darwin Yanes reports in NEWSDAY that experts say freshman year is the perfect time to map out a student's college career. In 9th grade, students should consider taking advanced courses if their school offers them. This is the right time to explore International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement classes for the next few years. These courses give students a glimpse into college-level academics, boost their weighted GPA and allow them to potentially earn college credit, experts said. Teens should seek a rigorous course load. Students should create a professional email address and begin to build their resumes. A key for the next few years is to build strong study habits and focus on getting help with challenging courses. Students should also focus on joining clubs that align with their personal interests. It’s about the quality of the extracurricular activities and leadership roles over the quantity. Students should get in front of their guidance counselor early in their high school careers and not wait until junior or senior year. This time is great for students and parents to get on the same page about academic goals for the next four years. In 10th grade: Challenge and build yourself. The next two years will likely be the most vital of the application process. Consultants said it’s important for students to keep up a rigorous course load in areas such as STEM and mathematics. Colleges are looking for strong coursework and high GPAs along with meaningful involvement in activities. 11th grade: Refining coursework. Junior year is a continuation of sophomore year, but with more at stake. Experts say this year is about going deeper in academics as well as clubs and other activities. 12th grade (senior year): Finish strong Senior year is full of deadlines, key dates and important decisions. Confirm every college's admissions, materials and decision deadlines, as many may vary. State and city universities also waive application fees during a certain period. Experts say that while many students get senioritis, it is imperative that they finish their high school careers strong as some colleges look at a student’s senior year grades as well. *** The interfaith educational group Project Genesis and the North Fork’s new Jewish congregation, Ohel Moed, are inviting the public to visit Ohel Moed’s Sukkah to learn about the Jewish harvest holiday of Sukkot and the roots of Hosanna tomorrow, Oct. 1 from 4 to 5 p.m. at the congregation’s new meeting hall at 27760 Main Road in Cutchogue, next to the Cutchogue Diner. Project Genesis in Greenport is a Jewish-Christian Learning Program, where Christians and Jews are invited to learn about the common roots of their faith and heritage, building bridges between the two communities. This process of learning is accomplished through interfaith lectures, pilgrimage experiences, and model Seders. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that tomorrow afternoon’s gathering is at the Ohel Moed congregation’s new meeting hall on 27760 Main Road in Cutchogue, next to the Cutchogue Diner beginning at 4 p.m. *** The Long Island Rail Road’s commuter satisfaction is tanking after transit bosses hiked fares, ended some ticket options and started slapping riders with surcharges for activating tickets after they’re on board. Brandon Cruz, Haley Brown and Alex Mitchell report in THE NY POST that rider satisfaction now sits at 73% after dipping seven points since January’s fare hike and ticket changes —- making it the LIRR’s second drop in the last 3 years and the steepest decline since falling 13% back in 2023, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s own survey. Commuters this week railed against the railroad’s changes earlier this year that saw the end of the 10-trip ticket package — good for 60 days — that also included a 15% discount for off-peak hours. Now, riders can only buy weekly or monthly passes with no option to carryover unused rides. Round-trip passes were axed in favor of “day passes” but both one-way tickets and day passes are only valid until 4 a.m. the day after they’re activated, a change that has commuters with late shifts out of luck. One of the most loathed changes, commuters said, was a new $8 penalty for riders who activate mobile tickets after they already board the train. That’s in addition to an 8% jump in ticket prices and a 4.5% hike on monthly passes, with an additional 4% hike set for March 2027. The MTA defended the changes and excused the dip in satisfaction as riders just needing time to adapt. “Satisfaction stats reflect that some riders are adjusting to the change in fare collection,” a spokesperson for the MTA told The Post about the survey’s results. “However, that’s delivering higher collection rates at improved speeds, giving conductors more time to help customers,” the agency said, adding that ridership is up and on-time performance is “through the roof.” *** Motorists heading west on County Road 39 have now returned to using two lanes as they drive through Southampton, following the removal last Tuesday and Wednesday of striping that had restricted traffic to a single lane. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that Suffolk County required Southampton Town to pay for removing the striping, having objected to the lane restriction in the first place. However, County Executive Ed Romaine has pledged substantial funding in his 2027 budget for other traffic-calming improvements along the roadway, according to town officials who met with Romaine earlier this month. Romaine has voiced a desire to see the New York State Department of Transportation take over planning and maintenance of CR 39, which is bookended by state-owned highways. Although Southampton Town officials emphasized to the county executive that NYSDOT involvement is not likely to occur in the near future. The Suffolk County Department of Public Works is putting the finishing touches on its latest engineering study of the entire CR 39 corridor between Water Mill and the Sunrise Highway extension to evaluate traffic relief options — at least the sixth such study conducted since the 1960s — with completion expected this December. Southampton Town Councilmen Michael Iasilli noted that the county plans to propose a multi-phase approach, with Romaine pledging funding for whichever priorities are selected for Phase 1. From there, it will be up to constituents to urge county legislators to approve the spending when finalizing the budget. “For the county executive to commit funding in the budget for this is really important, because if the county officially allocates funds, we can secure matching grants — potentially federal dollars — for the work as well,” Iasilli said. The county has asked the town to assemble a list of near-term projects that could alleviate congestion along the roadway, Southampton Town Councilmen Tom Neely said. “I also raised the fact that in three years, the county is going to be closing Montauk Highway in Hampton Bays,” Neely added, referencing plans to replace the LIRR underpass just east of downtown — a project local residents fear could cause nightmarish congestion along residential detour routes. “So, the clock is ticking to get work done...

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  The Long Island Daily

  Farms and vineyards asses effects of nor'easter

  Sep 29, 202610 min

  The nor'easter that battered Long Island over the weekend left millions of dollars of damages along the coast from Long Beach in Nassau County to state parks on the North and South forks of Suffolk County, along with world-famous beaches in Southampton and Fire Island. It provided an early taste of the winter nor’easter season, which is almost certain to bring more flooding and erosion to Long Island’s coasts. Long Island’s geography — 23 miles across at its widest, reaching 120 miles into the Atlantic — makes it vulnerable to storms blowing in from the ocean. Carl MacGowan and Tracy Tullis report in NEWSDAY that such storms, on both the North and South shores, are expected to arrive more frequently as the seas grow warmer with climate change. Rising sea levels will bring higher, stronger waves, experts have said. The full moon made high tides higher and intensified the height and force of waves, said Southampton Village Mayor William Manger. And that meant significant beach erosion. “We probably lost about 4 feet of sand on a good portion of our beaches,” Manger told Newsday yesterday. “We're hoping that comes back, slowly, but it's a little concerning because obviously we've got all winter ahead of us and winter storms as well.” Many state beaches and parks sustained “significant” damage, resulting in temporary closures of fishing piers and campgrounds as officials assess the damage, said George Gorman, Long Island regional state parks director. Pounding wind and waves created a 6- to 8-foot cliff at Hither Hills State Park overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Montauk, Gorman said. Orient Point State Park on the North Fork was closed while crews assess damage to a road, he added. Erosion is a natural process that pulls sand from one part of the coast and redeposits it farther along. But a hotter climate has brought more frequent and powerful storms, which have accelerated the scouring on Long Island's beaches and bluffs. Some beaches have been replenished with sand dredged from the ocean floor, but in most cases the solution is short-lived. Sometimes the new sand washes away in the very next storm. “While coastal erosion is certainly worsened by climate change, due to factors such as rising sea levels, many of these coastal erosion processes are also naturally occurring,” Jase Bernhardt, associate professor of geology, environment and sustainability at Hofstra University, told NEWSDAY. “So trying to completely stop them in a certain area is going to be costly or unrealistic, as you are trying to stop something that ‘should’ be happening without human intervention.” Hard structures like sea walls and bulkheads can be effective in protecting a particular part of the beach, but coastal scientists say they just displace the erosion to another part of the shore. *** Riverhead Town officials, farmers and vineyard operators were assessing the effects of the weekend nor’easter yesterday after heavy rain, strong winds and coastal flooding battered the area for more than two days. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that initial inspections found no significant structural damage to town facilities, other than torn canvas coverings on both of the highway department’s salt/sand storage facilities at its Osborn Avenue headquarters. Local growers reported some crop damage but said the storm’s full agricultural impact may not be known for several days. Riverhead Town Police Chief Ed Frost, who also serves as the town’s emergency management officer, said Monday he inspected town beaches and facilities along with the town’s Engineering Department. They found that town beaches generally held up well. “The beaches fared as well as they could,” Frost said. There was a large amount of debris deposited on beaches by the storm, he said. Buildings and Grounds crews were working yesterday to remove it from town beaches. Riverhead Town Police handled 91 storm-related calls during the 64-hour response from Friday into Sunday. The storm did wipe out a key fall sales weekend for local farms. *** The East Hampton Healthcare Foundation will host a free community Health Fair this coming Friday, October 2, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Luke’s Church, 18 James Lane in East Hampton, N.Y. Friday’s event will offer free flu shots, glucose exams, blood pressure screenings and applications for colorectal screenings. Appointments also will be available for no-cost mammograms and Pap tests for uninsured women over age 40. Representatives will provide information about health insurance, Sun River Health Care, OLA of Eastern Long Island, SNAP benefits, mental health resources for children and adolescents, Meals on Wheels, the Town of East Hampton Human Services Department and Cornell Cooperative Extension’s family wellness and nutrition programs. Healthy refreshments will be served, and Friday’s event is open to the community. That’s the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation Free Community Health Fair this Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Luke’s Church. For more information, call 631-329-2425. *** Hampton Bays Public Schools Superintendent Lars Clemensen has been named the 2027 Superintendent of the Year for his "outstanding leadership, commitment to students and contributions to public education," the New York State Council of School Superintendents announced yesterday. Darwin Yanes reports in NEWSDAY that Clemensen's work in expanding the district's course offerings, including Advanced Placement, science research opportunities and dual enrollment college partnerships were highlighted, among other achievements. "This award is just evidenced by what my team at Hampton Bays does: A board of education that says yes to opportunities for kids and a leadership team, its faculty and staff who just take the ball with an idea they have or an initiative that serves our kids and our families and they run with it," Clemensen, 46, told Newsday. "I get to reflect that as superintendent." Clemensen touted the district's work in maintaining "strong" graduation rates for all students regardless of demographics. Hampton Bays had an 85% four-year graduation rate in the 2024-25 school year, according to state figures. The superintendent said the district's educators work hard to close the achievement gap for economically disadvantaged kids, English language learners and other kids who might struggle academically. Out of nearly 2,000 enrolled students at Hampton Bays, about 33% were classified as English language learners in the 2024-25 school year and 46% were considered economically disadvantaged, according to state data. Clemensen took over as Hampton Bays superintendent in 2010, at the time one of the youngest district leaders on Long Island. He had attended school in the Hampton Bays district as a child before his family moved to Texas. He was the founding principal of Hampton Bays Middle School when it opened in 2008. It was one of 78 awarded the first-ever Green Ribbon School recognition by the U.S. Department of Education for its environmentally friendly practices. Hampton Bays school board President Kevin Springer in a statement said the state honor reflects Clemensen's exceptional leadership and steadfast commitment to the district's students, staff and community. "His leadership has created a culture of excellence, collaboration and pride throughout our schools while continually working to make our district stronger every day, with students at the center of every decision," Springer said. *** OLA (Organización Latino Americana) of Eastern Long Island has launched a new nonpartisan, bilingual civic engagement initiative aimed at connecting Latino adults, youth and historically underrepresented community members with government at every level across the East End. As reported on 27east.com, the initiative seeks to provide educational resources in English and Spanish explaining the roles, decisions and responsibilities of local town, village, school and county governments. OLA also plans to conduct focus groups, surveys and one-on-one outreach to identify issues of concern among East End residents. The program’s key objectives include developing bilingual civic education materials; conducting community research and outreach; organizing nonpartisan civic workshops, voter registration opportunities, candidate conversations and community debates; and creating a leadership pipeline for youth and adults interested in elected public service, advisory boards and civic advocacy. Marili Yanes has joined OLA as project director of civic engagement and will lead the regional initiative. “I grew up on the East End knowing the power of community,” Yanes said. “Through this initiative, I hope to help grow the power of an informed community.” OLA Executive Director Minerva Perez said civic education is essential to creating an informed and equitable community. “Through the OLA civic initiative, we are building a clear bridge between local residents and government leaders, ensuring that members of our shared community are informed, active participants in civic life.” The initiative also endeavors to create opportunities for direct dialogue between residents and local officials. OLA is inviting community members, nonprofits, small-business owners, school leaders and municipal officials to partner on civic education workshops and focus groups, share bilingual resources and encourage residents to participate in upcoming civic engagement programs. *** Half Hollow Hills Central School District was ranked the best school district in Suffolk County in Niche's newly released 2027 Best Schools and Districts...

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  The Long Island Daily

  Nor'easter leaves behind flooded roads, toppled trees, eroded beaches, and knocks out power

  Sep 28, 202610 min

  The powerful weekend nor'easter that swept across Long Island, flooding roads, toppling trees, eroding beaches and knocking out power for thousands, had lost steam by late Sunday, but not enough to prevent a wet start to the workweek. The rain continues this morning, as cleanup from the storm's damage will continue. As reported in NEWSDAY the Long Island Rail Road is operating on schedule right now. The region's airports are operating with minimal delays, according to FlightAware's Misery Map A coastal flood advisory remains in effect until 2 p.m. today, continuing the risk of nor'easter erosion that had swallowed up chunks of Long Island beach by late Sunday. In Suffolk County, winds hit 81 mph early Saturday. "We'll have this area of low pressure, the nor'easter itself, really start to spin down and weaken as it meanders off to the north and east, passing over Long Island [Monday] afternoon," Dominic Ramunni, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service told Newsday last night. "So we'll still be dealing with gloomy conditions, overcast skies, showers really continuing intermittently before starting to taper late [Monday] afternoon," Ramunni said. Riverhead officials warned of flooding up to 2 feet in waterfront and shoreline areas until 2 p.m. on Monday. They urged drivers not to try to drive through the inundated areas. PSEG Long Island was reporting 774 outages, affecting well over 8,000 customers as of about 8:45 p.m. on Sunday. Those numbers were slightly reduced as of this morning. The utility said more than 1,000 employees had fanned out across Long Island during the nor'easter. *** A majority of Long Islanders would embrace state leaders' efforts to curb screen time in schools, according to a Newsday/Siena University poll, highlighting widespread concerns about the role digital technology should play in education. Lorena Mongelli reports in NEWSDAY that the poll found 85% of likely voters on Long Island would support a push to limit classroom time spent on digital devices, especially for younger children. The sentiment was widely felt across party lines, with 87% of Democrats and Republicans and 81% of independent or unaffiliated voters supporting such efforts. The poll was conducted by the Siena Research Institute between Sept. 11 and 17 among 411 registered voters on Long Island. The margin of error was +/-5.7 percentage points , meaning answers may vary by that amount. Don Levy, director of the Siena Research Institute, said the poll shows Long Islanders favor children using less technology in schools. "Overwhelmingly Long Islanders support the idea to do something — to control, to restrict, to find a way to lessen the amount of screen time that students are engaged in," Levy said, adding sentiment could change depending on what specific measures are rolled out. The debate over technology’s expanding use in the classroom has prompted reaction from a range of voices, including state officials and national and state organizations. In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul has signaled interest in reviewing screen time for younger children. The federal Education Department has also weighed in, arguing the focus should not be on limiting screen time but rather on whether technology being used in the classroom was meaningfully helping students and teachers. Kenneth Bossert, president of New York State Council of School Superintendents, said there was a misconception among parents regarding how digital devices are used in the classroom and educators across Long Island are “very cognizant of finding a balance between screens and devices and technology, and using traditional time-proven, effective classroom pedagogy.” Southampton Superintendent Fatima Morrell told families in a Sept. 3 letter the elementary school was “taking a thoughtful and intentional approach to the use of one-to-one devices." Students in pre-k would not have access to one-to-one devices, but students in kindergarten and first grade would use them for assessments three times per year, she wrote. The focus would remain on physical books, handwriting and play, she added. Some research has found handwriting engages multiple brain networks involved in learning and memory. Writing by hand is a slower process that involves deeper comprehension than typing, some reports show. Other studies suggest reading physical books can help develop a more thorough understanding of the material. *** The Town of Riverhead has received a state grant of nearly $2.4 million for its planned adaptive children’s playground on the Peconic River waterfront, the largest Long Island award in New York’s first round of NY PLAYS funding. Denise Civiletti reports in RIVERHEADlocal.com that the grant completes the funding needed to build the park as designed, town Community Development Director Dawn Thomas said last week. The project has been through the design process. The new award brings its identified funding to about $3.69 million, per the Riverhead Town press release. Thomas credited Community Development Department staff member Carissa Collins with preparing the successful application. “Carissa Collins led the charge on it,” she said. “The project is designed to provide free, accessible outdoor play for children of all ages and abilities while advancing downtown Riverhead’s broader revitalization and flood-resiliency efforts,” the town said. The playground is planned as part of the town’s broader Town Square project. Designed by LVF Landscape Architects, the playground includes accessible paths, inclusive play equipment, sensory landscaping and maritime-themed play structures, along with features intended to improve flood resilience. Construction of the playground is scheduled to begin next summer, Thomas told the Riverhead Town Board at its Aug. 6 work session, where she presented a timeline for the downtown revitalization project, for which the town won a $10 million downtown revitalization grant from the state in 2021. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $67.5 million in NY PLAYS grants for 89 playground projects statewide last Tuesday. With the final funding in place, Thomas said, “we’ll be able to build it exactly how it’s been designed, which is beautiful.” *** The number of high school football players on Long Island dropped 30% in a decade, a Newsday analysis found, with researchers blaming the decline on parental concerns about long-term head trauma. Jim Baumbach reports in NEWSDAY that middle school football participation lost an even greater share of players. An athlete pool that eclipsed 5,300 has been nearly cut in half in 10 years, representing what officials called an ominous sign for schools already struggling to field a varsity team. Three Long Island high schools — Amityville, Port Jefferson and Holy Trinity — canceled their varsity football season this fall because they couldn’t find enough players, sending the remaining athletes scrambling for other places to play. At a time when professional football is thriving, fewer young athletes are donning uniforms, pads and helmets across Nassau and Suffolk counties. The decline signals a parental shift to safer alternatives such as flag football. Long Island’s decline is nearly nine times the rate in high school football participation nationally over the same time frame, according to figures released Sept. 10 by the National Federation of State High School Associations. Researchers say Long Island's drop in the number of football players is amplified by a declining overall school enrollment, a changing demographic of residents and rise in youth sports specialization, where athletes focus on playing one sport year-round. Researchers point to the moment 15 years ago when thousands of former players filed a lawsuit accusing the NFL of deliberately covering up the dangers of head injuries. They say that was the catalyst for parents to begin questioning whether they would allow their children to play the game. The NFL has paid the former players more than $1.7 billion via an uncapped settlement fund established in 2015. The settlement provides former players and their beneficiaries with monetary awards based on their age and diagnosis, such as ALS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. "There's just way more awareness now than there used to be with concussions and head injuries, and I think that’s affected all kinds of parents," said Andrew Lindner, a sociology professor at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, near Albany, who has studied football participation. Through nationwide polling, Lindner found in 2023 that college-educated parents who live in more affluent areas like Long Island "are not only paying closer attention to news about concussions, but they’re also less inclined to let their own kids play tackle football." Participation in tackle football in high school is down 3.5% nationwide in the last decade, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. *** A pod of about 10 bottlenose dolphins broke the surface of the Long Island Sound this month as marine scientist Allison Rugila and her colleagues watched from a boat near Plum Island. "It was just lovely to see," said Rugila, who is the western Long Island soundkeeper with the environmental group Save the Sound. Tracy Tullis reports in NEWSDAY that in the past several years, scientists and boaters have reported more frequent sightings of dolphins and in larger pods in the Long Island Sound, from Sands Point to Huntington Bay and Port Jefferson. "There definitely are more dolphins now than there were a few years ago," she said. The reasons for those increases are varied,...

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  The Long Island Daily

  National Weather Service confirms early-season nor'easter will impact Long Island this weekend

  Sep 25, 202610 min

  After days of debate about potential storm tracks, the National Weather Service is now certain an early-season nor'easter will impact Long Island this weekend, with strong winds and localized storm surge-related coastal flooding beginning today — and "a prolonged period of rainfall" expected to follow on its heels and continue straight into Monday. John Valenti reports in NEWSDAY that as much as 5 inches of rain could blanket Long Island, forecasters said, adding that wind gusts as high as 55 mph are expected today, adding that the strength and duration of the system will likely cause the downing of tree limbs and power lines. Beach erosion also is a key concern for all South Shore ocean beaches while the timing of the storm to a full moon and astronomic high tides will likely lead to coastal flooding on both the North Shore and South Shore. In fact, the wide range of storm-related concerns has led the weather service to issue a gale warning, coastal flood watch and advisory, wind advisory, storm warning, high surf advisory, small craft advisory, gale warning and a warning about life-threatening rip currents. Seas of 14-to-19 feet are expected in the Atlantic Ocean from Sandy Hook, New Jersey, to Montauk. The NWS said sustained winds of 20-25 mph are expected with the storm — and the resulting wind advisory is in effect from 2 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Sunday for Nassau, Suffolk and Queens. "Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects," the warning read. "Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outage may result." The weather service said high-profile vehicles — trucks and SUVs — will be at risk during travel. The East End is expected to see the heaviest rainfall in coming days, while the strongest sustained winds and wind gusts are predicted along the South Shore — also stronger and with higher velocities toward the Twin Forks. *** Long Islanders are sharply divided along partisan lines over a state law that bans local law enforcement agencies from signing cooperation agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to a Newsday/Siena University poll. After New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, Nassau County in August ended its agreements with federal immigration officials. Days later, 15 upstate sheriffs filed a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn the law. Steve Hughes reports in NEWSDAY that the poll found 51% of Long Islanders oppose the NYS measure, while 45% support it. The remaining poll respondents said they didn’t know about the law. Democratic and Republican voters express equally strong levels of support and opposition in their responses. For Democrats, 75% support the law, and 74% of Republicans oppose it. "You look at the party breakdown on that, and you can’t be more mirror image," said Don Levy, director of the Siena Research Institute. A majority of independent voters are against the law, with 57% opposing it and 38% supporting it. That could present an opening on the issue for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican challenging Hochul in November, Levy said. Blakeman has argued the agreements, such as the one Nassau had, are a key public safety measure. Hochul has said the federal government has the resources it needs to enforce immigration laws and she wants law enforcement agencies in the state to focus on crime in their communities. "It is quite possibly an inroad for Blakeman on Long Island," Levy said. He added that statewide, voters have expressed higher levels of support for the law than they have on Long Island. The law’s support was consistent across Nassau and Suffolk counties, with 45% and 44% indicating their support, respectively. Fifty-seven percent of younger voters, between 18 and 34 years old, support the ban. The Newsday poll was done in conjunction with the Siena Research Institute from Sept. 11-17 among 411 likely voters on Long Island. The margin of error was 5.7 percentage points, meaning answers may vary by that amount. *** If you’ve ever been to a Southold Town Board meeting, you might notice that members of the public are able to talk at length without being asked to stop. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that this practice is in stark contrast to other neighboring municipalities, which generally have strict time limits on public speaking. But it turns out, Southold does have a time limit on the books — it’s just quite generous and never enforced. The Southold Town Board debated whether to enforce time limits on speaking at its work session this week, before landing on a very Southold solution — asking people nicely to respect other peoples’ time. By law, municipalities are allowed to set a minimum limit of three minutes for speakers from the general public, and five minutes from subject matter experts, said Southold Town Attorney Ben Johnson, who added that, if the town were to enforce the limit, it would be advisable to have a visible timer clock that was reset for each speaker, so the public could see the rule was being enforced equally. *** White-tailed deer are not the only vector for ticks that carry various diseases which plague the South Fork, but they are the foundational one, and as the concerns about tickborne illness grow, so has the view that the local deer population should be reduced and kept in check. Several local municipalities have mounted concerted efforts to reduce their deer populations and say the number of ticks found in surveys of lawns and woodlands has fallen too, leading many to argue that the best — perhaps only — way to really reduce the threat of tickborne diseases in sum total is to substantially reduce the deer population across the region. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that proponents of reducing deer herds by “taking,” “removing” or “harvesting” deer — which all mean killing them — say that the distribution of ticks is not the only negative impact of a deer population in our region that is widely understood to be unnaturally large for the ecosystem it inhabits and the human population it lives within. Deer collisions with vehicles number in the several hundreds across the South Fork each year. Deer browsing of the plant life in wild areas is widely seen to be having a negative impact on the biodiversity of flora and fauna of the region — stunting or eliminating native tree and shrub species from areas, which in turn pushes out songbirds and other species. Efforts to rein in deer populations have gone through fits and starts around the East End for more than two decades. Farmers have for years used federally licensed professional sharpshooters to reduce deer herds by dispatching them at night with the aid of night-vision equipment and silenced guns that cannot otherwise be used on Long Island at all. But public use of such methods in Sagaponack and North Haven, and proposals in East Hampton Village, in the 2010s led to outcry over the practice, both from animal lovers and from recreational hunters and at least one lawsuit before the approach was abandoned. Plus, recreational hunting alone has proven too sparing to have a measurable impact on deer populations. Some have said that if venison meat could be sold it would incentivize more hunters — but the DEC has said that will never be an option. There are butchers that will take deer and process them to be donated to food pantries and some private “clubs” that arrange for deer to be donated to members by hunters, but monetizing the hunting of deer is still a faint prospect. The companies that conduct the culls don’t even pay their hunters; they simply offer avid hunters access to land and the opportunity to hunt in more places than they would otherwise. *** North Haven has seen remarkable success in reducing its tick population with 4-poster stations, but the municipality remains largely alone on the South Fork in opting for the devices. Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that these feeding devices are used to draw deer close before directly applying pesticides intended to kill the ticks they carry. The devices have largely worked in North Haven, where 4-posters have persisted despite some bumps in the road along the way. But they have not yet seen widespread adoption on the East End — though Shelter Island Town did at one point have a 4-poster program of its own. The town, though, had to abandon it due to shifts in the State Department of Environmental Conservation’s homeowner consent requirements for the devices. “You’ll never wipe out ticks completely,” North Haven Village Mayor Chris Fiore said. “But we have substantially reduced the amount of ticks...” The devices operate as a gravity-fed corn feeding station. When a deer sticks its head in, its neck moves past what are effectively paint rollers treated with permethrin, an insecticide. The neck is the area on the deer most prone to carrying ticks, so the devices tend to kill the lion’s share. These devices are operational from March through December in North Haven. The North Haven Village Board first introduced the 4-poster program about 10 years ago. There was a moderate level of success. But a few years back, the State DEC introduced new consent guidelines requiring homeowners within 745 feet of a station to give approval, and North Haven cut its program for a time. This brought the number of 4-posters from 10 down to zero. About five years ago, Fiore became mayor and got to work on reviving the program alongside Deputy Mayor Claas Abraham, who began getting homeowners to sign the consent form. The 80 signatures Abraham secured paved the way for 20 new 4-posters — double what was on the ground 10 years ago during the program’s previous...

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  The Long Island Daily

  NYC enacts one-year moratorium on student-facing AI

  Sep 24, 202610 min

  Citing the need to "protect the human connection, curiosity and creativity" in learning, New York City officials announced earlier this month that the nation's largest school system would enact a one-year moratorium on "student-facing" generative artificial intelligence from preschool through eighth grade. Companion chatbots would be prohibited across all grades and screen time limits would be imposed for students in eighth grade and below. NYS Gov. Kathy Hochul has also signaled interest in regulating how AI is used in the classroom. But Darwin Yanes reports in NEWSDAY that on Long Island, educators say AI is here to stay, and they must adapt. For some districts, that has meant incorporating AI through means like chatbots that can offer personalized lessons while others are taking a more cautious approach, studying how best to use it in the classroom. Kenneth Bossert, president of the New York State Council of School Superintendents, told NEWSDAY that each district is taking the approach that makes the most sense for its staff and students. "There are certainly districts that are at a different comfort level with how they've incorporated AI and AI platforms," he said. "Some [are] more forward-facing, directly working with students. Others [are] limiting AI resources to that used by administration and the teachers. It's definitely a time of careful investigation." Bossert, who is also the Great Neck schools superintendent, said what many districts have in common is that they restrict AI for primary school learners. "As it becomes more age- and developmentally-appropriate, there's a greater exploration and greater application," he said. The Brookings Institution found in a January report that while AI could provide benefits such as saving teachers time when it came to lesson planning, grading and assessing students, it could also threaten students' safety, undermine their cognitive and emotional development and degrade trust in education. In addition to outlining the potential dangers and benefits of AI, the authors of the Brookings study recommended developing regulations to protect students' data and emotional well-being and fostering AI literacy among teachers and families. *** Mostly sunny skies and breezy conditions today across Long Island will give way to thickening clouds by the evening and likely showers, along with the potential for flooding and high winds, the result of a nor'easter forming off the Atlantic coast. Forecasters said offshore winds could hit 60 mph by the weekend, bringing the potential for widespread moderate coastal flooding for southern Nassau during times of high tide Friday evening and Saturday morning, the National Weather Service said. Wind gusts will increase as the weekend gets closer, with a predicted 39 mph for Montauk today and 47 mph Friday. Offshore wind gusts will reach as high as 60 mph tomorrow. The National Weather Service has issued gale warnings on ocean waters out to more than 20 miles off the coast through Friday. Gale watches on eastern Long Island Sound and the South Shore bays were converted to gale warnings for Friday. Newsday meteorologist Geoff Bansen said while it is still too early to confirm an official weather model, the nor'easter looks like it will remain offshore with its center coming about as close as Block Island. Ocean waves could reach as high as between 7 and 10 feet, the service said. The Cross Sound Ferry canceled all trips between Orient and New London, Connecticut, due to "impending weather and sea conditions," the operator said on its website . *** A free marine wildlife conservation and safety event will be held Sunday, October 4, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sag Harbor Fire Department, 1357 Brick Kiln Road in Sag Harbor. The event is being organized by Quincy Renaud, a Life Scout with Sag Harbor Troop 455, as part of his Eagle Scout Service Project, in partnership with Ellie Sywak, education and outreach coordinator at the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society. The event will teach community members and recreational boaters how to identify marine wildlife in distress, what to do when an animal is found and whom to contact for assistance. Attendees also can learn about sea turtle rehabilitation, receive a free boat sticker and participate in a child-friendly activity. Scouts from Troop 455, ages 11 to 17, will assist with the event. The event coincides with the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society’s 10th anniversary of rehabilitating sea turtles and responding to stranded seals and whales. It also comes following the signing of New York’s Whale Awareness Act, which adds educational guidelines for boater safety courses aimed at preventing vessel strikes. That’s Saturday, October 4 at 11 a.m. at the Sag Harbor Fire House on Brick Kiln Road. *** Water quality in Long Island Sound appears to be improving, according to testing by the nonprofit Save the Sound, but many bays showed poor levels of oxygen needed to sustain marine life. The organization released a report card for Long Island Sound this week. It tested samples of the open water for nitrogen levels that indicate human activity and looked at trends in the bays on Long Island and in Connecticut. The report found 98% of open waters in Long Island Sound scored a grade of B or better, said Peter Linderoth, director of healthy waters and lands for Save the Sound. John Asbury reports in NEWSDAY that Save the Sound, scientists with Cornell Cooperate Extension of Suffolk County Marine Program and elected officials discussed the results Tuesday at Gold Star Batallion Beach in Huntington, as they pointed to successes and challenges of improving water quality. "The 2026 Long Island Sound report card gives us reason to be encouraged, but it also reminds us that our work is far from finished," Assemb. Keith Brown (R- Northport) said. "The good news is that the open waters of Long Island Sound continue to show meaningful improvement, which is a pattern that we love, and we should recognize why we are seeing that progress," he said. "Decades of investment in wastewater treatment and efforts to reduce nitrogen entering the sound are producing results." The picture for bays that come off Long Island Sound proved different, with just more than half of the 62 measured registering an A or B in overall water quality, and 44% of bays from Connecticut to New York City, including Long Island's North Shore, receiving grades of C, D or F. The open waters of Long Island Sound north of Suffolk County saw improvement over the last biannual Save the Sound report, which was issued in 2024. These segments, referred to as the Eastern, Central and Western Basins, traditionally have had the best water quality. The Eastern and Central Basins registered A+ grades. The Western Basin scored an A. The study found 56% of bays on Long Island Sound, including in Connecticut and Long Island, had grades of A or B. Some of the remaining bays had failing grades due to low levels of oxygen to support marine life. The study was based on measurements of dissolved oxygen, microalgae, water clarity, seaweed and oxygen saturation. Advocates credited Connecticut and New York wastewater treatment facilities for taking steps to reduce nitrogen from entering Long Island Sound. "We're seeing this remarkable improvement ... largely based on wastewater infrastructure investments that are paying dividends," Linderoth said. "Those local actions are really key. So the grades help as a road map of identifying where we need to do some restoration and where we can do preservation." *** During the many years that Tim Treadwell has served as Chief Harbormaster for the Town of East Hampton, he’s dealt with many disabled sailboats — just never a mystery one. Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that Treadwell spoke earlier this week about a strange situation that unfolded off Main Beach over the weekend, where a 1969 34-foot Morgan sailboat was anchored and then abandoned just off the shoreline, with the owner nowhere to be found. While the boat was anchored off Main Beach, which is technically an East Hampton Village beach, the Town of East Hampton’s jurisdiction extends 1,500 feet off the shoreline, putting the vessel squarely in the town’s area of responsibility. When lifeguards boarded the boat, they spotted a registration placard inside that helped them track down the previous owner. That man, who hailed from Massachusetts, said he had recently sold the boat — for just a dollar — to its current owner, a Florida man named Michael Summar. Treadwell later learned that Summar had set sail from Massachusetts with the intent of eventually bringing the boat to Florida. However, a host of issues apparently forced him to make an abrupt pit stop at Main Beach. Treadwell believed Summar originally intended to take the dinghy back out to his sailboat, but choppy conditions led him to change his mind. Towing the boat was no easy task, requiring Treadwell to draw on both his skills as a harbormaster and his experience as a lifeguard. Because the boat was only 125 yards from shore, Treadwell grabbed a pair of fins, swam out to the vessel, grabbed the anchor line, and, with assistance from his team, used a sliding shackle method to break the anchor free. From there, fellow East Hampton Marine Patrol officers Melanie Anderson, Mike Mirras and Chris Pennisi had the unenviable task of towing the sailboat to Montauk — a choppy, bouncy, three-hour journey. “We had to tow it to Montauk; there was no other safe

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