The East Hampton Town Board is poised to spend $27.6 million via a 30-year agreement with New York State and the federal government to fortify Montauk against coastal storms. Jack Motz reports 27east.com that this agreement, if approved today, would be part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ larger Fire Island to Montauk Point Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, or FIMP — a plan that dates to the 1960s but, owing to bureaucratic hurdles only got moving in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Moving forward, the agreement would place the Town of East Hampton on the hook for 15 percent of the total cost of the Army Corps’s nourishment plan. A beach nourishment will likely take place every four years under the arrangement. For Montauk, this builds on the installation of geotextile sandbags in 2016, which were intended as a stopgap, pending a longer-term solution. The artificial dune the Army Corps initially constructed over the wall of sandbags was washed away the first winter the project was in place, and the revetment has intermittently been exposed, owing to erosion. Nonetheless, it has weathered the years and seemingly established a barrier between Montauk businesses and the ocean. Since FIMP got moving in the early 2020s, the Army Corps has provided full funding for one beach nourishment along 6,000 feet of shoreline in downtown Montauk. This, long awaited, came in early 2024. What the town’s new partnership agreement would do is ensure the beach nourishment projects happen in downtown Montauk every four years for the next 30 years. But this time the funding will break down differently. The federal government will cover 50 percent of the cost of the work, while New York State and East Hampton Town will split the remaining 50 percent — 70 percent to 30 percent, respectively. East Hampton Town officials anticipate the town’s share will even out to about $27.6 million over the course of the 30 years. At its meeting starting at 6 this evening, the East Hampton Town Board will have a resolution on its agenda whether or not to approve the Montauk beach nourishment agreement with the state.

***

New funding for a program that last winter provided $370 million to help elderly and low-income New Yorkers keep their homes warm — with nearly $25 million going to Long Islanders — is in limbo this year because of the U.S. government shutdown. Billy House reports in NEWSDAY that this uncertainty comes as seniors and other vulnerable New Yorkers already face an energy affordability crisis, with over 1.2 million households statewide at least 60 days behind on their gas and electric utility bills, owing close to $2 billion.

But with the federal government locked in its shutdown, no federal funds for New York’s Home Energy Assistance Program have yet been allocated for its 2025-26 year.

"This federal funding is especially important at a time when rising energy costs continue to threaten the household budgets of many New Yorkers — and as temperatures begin to drop across the state," Anthony Farmer, a spokesman for New York’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, said in a statement yesterday.

Last year, about $20 million in heating help went to Suffolk County households.

Typically, it’s early November when OTDA opens the application process for the heating help, ahead of the coming winter, and it continues until the funds are exhausted. But with just two weeks to go, OTDA is still awaiting guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families on how to proceed.

The federal program, LIHEAP, usually releases funding to states multiple times a year based on complex calculations. Right now, there are no carry-over funds in the New York program that are unused and available.

LIHEAP overall has been under ongoing threat from President Donald Trump and his administration. Trump fired LIHEAP staff in the

The issue of illegal short-term rental properties in East Hampton has grown so acute — with out-of-town investors buying up homes and flipping them for vacation rentals — that town officials are looking to beef up enforcement, they said. Alek Lewis reports in NEWSDAY that East Hampton Town officials said they will consider purchasing software to aid enforcement of their rental property registry law, which was established in 2015. Only about half the 1,874 properties listed online as short-term rentals are registered with the town, which has a $200 application fee, according to data presented by Deputy Supervisor Cate Rogers. Rogers used AirDNA, a vacation rental industry market analytics company.

Having more homes used by seasonal vacationers risks diminishing the area's housing stock for full-time residents and damaging the local hotel industry, Rogers said during a recent presentation before the town board.

Short-term rentals in East Hampton are limited to 14 days and can occur only twice in a six-month period, Rogers said.

Monitoring multiple online platforms for illegal or unregistered rentals through traditional methods is difficult, she said, recommending the town seek proposals for monitoring software.

Out-of-town investors — who she said are now supported by specialized lenders, marketing businesses and property management companies — have changed the game.

Town officials acknowledged that short-term rentals are a vital part of the town’s economy. East Hampton is a seasonal tourist destination, and even some full-time and part-time residents rely on being able to rent property to vacationers for supplemental income, they said.

“It's a balance. We live in a very beautiful place. A lot of people want to come here. We want to support that; that helps our economy,” said Councilman Ian Calder-Piedmonte. “But we need to make sure that we don't become purely seasonal, and that we have a healthy, vibrant year-round community that we've always had.”

Councilman David Lys said his family has rented out homes and used it to “put kids through school, buy cars and other things.” The board needs to make sure new regulations don’t “affect that traditional form of revenue resources for our community members out here," he added.

***

Two south fork communities ranked among the top five most expensive ZIP codes to buy a home in the United States this year, according to the latest annual ranking from a national real estate data company.

Sagaponack - 11962 - ranked third, with a median home sale price of $5.9 million, and Water Mill – 11976 - ranked fifth, at $5.5 million based on sales that closed from January to September, according to the list from PropertyShark. The data include sales of houses, condos and co-ops but exclude multi-parcel transactions.

Sagaponack’s ranking fell from No. 2 last year, while Water Mill dropped from No. 3.

Jonathan LaMantia reports in NEWSDAY that the top spot for 2025 went to Miami’s Fisher Island, where the median sale fetched $9.5 million, and the cheapest home sold for $1.4 million, according to PropertyShark.

Overall, there were nine East End ZIP codes that cracked the top 100 most expensive in the country, up from eight last year. The others were Wainscott – 11975 - at $4.5 million (No. 12), Amagansett – 11930 - at nearly $3 million (No. 36), Bridgehampton – 11932 - at $2.9 million (No. 39), Quogue -11959 - at $2.7 million (No. 46), Fishers Island in Southold Town at $2.2 million (No. 85), Sag Harbor – 11963 - at nearly $2.2 million (No. 90) and Southampton – 11968 - at nearly $2.2 million (No. 91).

The report misses the difference in prices between homes in Southampton and East Hampton villages and the surrounding areas because of its reliance on ZIP code-level data.

***

OLA (Organización Latino Americana) of Eastern Long Island is partnering with the North...

The New York State Department of Health continued to evacuate all residents of a Greenport skilled-nursing facility late yesterday after Suffolk fire marshals determined the building's fire suppression and alarm systems were not working. The fire marshals' investigation came after a smoke condition was reported in a 911 call about 4:30 a.m. Monday at San Simeon by the Sound Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation on County Road 48 in Greenport. Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services coordinated the county transit buses and ambulances from across Long Island that arrived last night to pick up the residents, according to Fire Commissioner Rudy Sunderman. Nicholas Grasso and John Valenti report in NEWSDAY that the residents, some of whom could be seen being wheeled out of the San Simeon lobby on stretchers, were transported to other facilities throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties. Southold Town police told Newsday that 110 residents were being evacuated and taken to other facilities.

"All patients within this facility are safe," Sunderman said outside San Simeon on Monday evening. Behind him, a handful of patients waited in Suffolk County Transit buses parked in front of the facility. Ambulances from agencies in Brentwood, Mastic, Moriches, Port Jefferson, Shirley and other communities were also on standby for patients.

Suffolk fire marshals determined Monday afternoon that the nursing home's "fire suppression system as well as the fire alarms were not functioning properly," Southold Town Police Chief Steven Grattan told Newsday about 6 p.m. yesterday.

"They decided that it wasn't safe to keep the residence there until all of this is fixed," Grattan said.

The smoke condition reported at San Simeon remains under investigation, Sunderman said late Monday. That incident lead to responders and nursing home staff evacuating residents to the lobby area as a precautionary measure. Seven residents requiring oxygen were transported to local hospitals — four to Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport and three to Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead, he said.

Officials with Suffolk County's Emergency Management and the Southold Town police at the scene Monday evening did not know how long the evacuation of the facility would take.

Suffolk fire officials said firefighters from Greenport, Southold and Mattituck responded to the smoke condition call.

***

The Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center has been awarded $4 million from Southampton Town’s Community Preservation Fund, providing funds to support the historic theater that will be used for “major capital projects and enhancements.”

“Years in the making, this investment marks a transformative moment for the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center,” says Julienne Penza-Boone, the theater’s executive director. “With these funds, we will be able to make long-term improvements that not only enhance the patron and artist experience but also elevate our capacity to bring in world-class talent to our stage.”

Penza-Boone began work in 2019 with then Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman and the town’s historian, Julie Greene, to put together a complete history of The Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center.

It opened as a movie theater, then called Prudential’s Westhampton Theatre, in 1932, with former New York Governor Alfred E. Smith on hand. The building was later bought by United Artists, but by the 1990s and the rise of Blockbuster Video and the multiplex phenomenon, the 425-seat single-screen movie theater wasn’t a viable business model, and the building was set for demolition.

As reported on 27east.com, in 1996, a group of concerned citizens worked to revive the art deco theater, raising money from the community for the effort. The theater reopened as the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center on July 4, 1998, and about 45,000 patrons...

Long Island consumers are more pessimistic about their immediate financial future than at any time in the past two years because of issues like the rising cost of food and housing, according to a new poll. The Siena Research Institute reported this week that its Index of Consumer Sentiment was 65.1 points in September in Nassau and Suffolk counties. That’s the lowest reading since June 2023’s 61.2 points and down from 70.1 in September 2024. James T. Madore reports in NEWSDAY that in the metropolitan area, which includes Long Island, the index was 72.6 points last month, compared with 78.1 a year earlier. Statewide, the trend was similar. Readings below the breakeven threshold of 76 points indicate the number of consumers who are worried about their financial outlook is larger than the number who are optimistic.

Worried consumers are more reluctant to open their wallets, which leads to less spending, said John A. Rizzo, an economist and Stony Brook University professor. He added that consumer spending accounts for about 70% of all economic activity.

Rizzo attributed the “sharp decline in consumer confidence” to rising prices, particularly for imported goods that are subject to U.S. tariffs, and uncertainty about the future of Obamacare.

“None of this bodes well for the holiday shopping season on Long Island,” he said.

In the Siena survey, the high cost of food and housing in Nassau and Suffolk was among the factors holding down the local consumer-sentiment index reading.

More than 7 in 10 Long Islanders said food prices and housing costs were having either a very serious or a somewhat serious impact on their finances in September.

Travis Brodbeck, associate director of data management at the institute, which is part of Siena University, said gasoline prices also “remain a serious strain on New Yorkers’ finances. Yet, residents are not signaling any major belt-tightening."

***

Educators on Long Island have sought to reassure students and parents that schools are safe amid the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Darwin Yanes reports in NEWSDAY that U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents were spotted carrying out enforcement activities near schools in Brentwood and Hempstead last month, and educators said some students have questioned whether they should attend classes. The Department of Homeland Security, which has said more than 2 million undocumented people have been removed or have self-deported from the country since January, issued a statement last month emphasizing the federal agency does not target schools. "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is not conducting enforcement operations at, or ‘raiding,’ schools," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is not going to schools to make arrests of children." She noted, "Criminals are no longer able to hide in America’s schools to avoid arrest. The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement and instead trusts them to use common sense."

Echoing the sentiments of other Long Island school administrators, Brentwood Schools Superintendent Wanda Ortiz-Rivera said. "Our role is to provide reassurance, resources and consistent support…I want every parent to know that their child is safe, supported and loved in Brentwood. ... We need our students in school; they are the heart of our community and the reason we do this work…Together, we will continue to ensure that every child who walks through our doors feels welcomed, inspired and ready to succeed."

***

Free Family Fun tomorrow in Bridgehampton.

It’s the 26th Annual Long Pond Greenbelt Celebration on Saturday, October 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Vineyard Field, behind the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO). This free event features nature-themed activities like games and crafts, guided walks,...

Hanging in the balance as the federal government shutdown enters its ninth day today are health insurance plans for nearly 100,000 Long Islanders, some of whom could face thousands of dollars in premium increases if government subsidies aren’t extended on Jan. 1. David Olson reports in NEWSDAY that one of the key sticking points in the shutdown is a Democratic demand that enhanced federal subsidies for the Affordable Care Act — also known as Obamacare — that were first enacted in 2021 be extended past their expiration date and made permanent. Democrats also are asking for the reversal of Medicaid changes that would, according to independent analyses, lead to cuts of hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicaid spending.

On Long Island, the average increase for about 28,000 people with subsidized ACA plans would be 32%, according to data from the NYS Department of Health. Another 70,000 who now pay no premiums will have to pay something no matter what — but more without a subsidy extension. "Millions of low and middle income Americans are facing a looming health care affordability crisis," U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said in a virtual news conference yesterday. Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, said discussions about extending the subsidies shouldn't be tied to the shutdown, and some support proposals to temporarily extend the aid.

Senator Gillibrand said there’s little time left to reach an agreement, because ACA open enrollment begins Nov. 1.

Congressman Nick LaLota…the Republican from Amityville who represents eastern Suffolk in the U.S. House…said in a statement he supports a bill sponsored by Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) to extend the subsidies for a year.

***

Failure to pass a pair of referendums in May didn’t change the minds of Montauk School District officials: They maintain that many of the school’s facilities are dated and in need of renovation or replacement. For instance, with no cafeteria, students at Montauk School currently eat in their classrooms. A set of portable classrooms dating back to the 1970s remain, despite being around 30 years past the end of their expected lifetime. The gymnasium, lacking air conditioning, can get up to 90 degrees. But when two proposals — one for $38 million, the other for $2.9 million — hit ballots earlier this year, voters elected to sink the former in a vote of 361-318, and the latter in a vote of 342-334. Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that after those failures, the district regrouped, and this week officials announced a revised proposal for a $34.8 million bond that dials back certain measures in an effort to make it more palatable to voters. The $2.9 million proposal, which would utilize savings and does not require a bond, will stay the same. The referendum for the new $34.8 million bond is tentatively scheduled for December 9, and the district plans to post the details on its website later this week, with fliers to follow. Bond length is yet to be determined. If it lasts for 20 years, which officials said the district has looked at, Montauk taxpayers would see an average tax hike of about $30 per month. The revised plan will still include a new gym, which, if approved, would be built in the back of the building. The current gym would be converted into an arts space.

***

The 32nd annual Stroll to the Sea Dog Walk will take place this coming Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. at Mulford Farm in East Hampton and ending at Main Beach. Every year, hundreds of ARF supporters gather at Mulford Farm in East Hampton for a festive 2-mile walk to the ocean and back. This Saturday morning will begin with prewalk festivities and an awards presentation led by designer and entertainer Isaac Mizrahi at Mulford Farm, followed by the two-mile stroll to Main Beach. Kim Nichols, executive director of ARF said, “This event has always been about community, joy and compassion, and now, with our new...

Elected leaders on Long Island are asking for an inquiry into how a 14-year-old East Patchogue girl was allegedly sex trafficked while missing for 25 days last year after her family pleaded with county officials for help.

"It's our responsibility as legislators to find out what's going on, and I don't want to be accusatory but I think the No. 1 thing is, what was reported and when was it reported and who found out?" Suffolk Legis. Jason Richberg said.

Looming large over this girl’s case is whether new county safeguards failed after the 2020 killing of 8-year-old Thomas Valva, who was forced to sleep in a freezing garage by his NYPD officer father and his fiancee. "After things that have happened in the past, I think it's important that we ensure that we're doing our due diligence to get those answers," Richberg said.

The Suffolk Legislature's Democratic minority leader said his staff has asked for a briefing on the county's involvement in the girl's case, but has yet to get one. Even before the formal meeting, some new ideas for changes were beginning to emerge, including more education on the issue of sex trafficking for parents and children, and better screening for at-risk youth.

Elected leaders who spoke to Newsday said it was too soon to cast blame on Suffolk County Child Protective Services, one of the agencies that had been involved in the girl’s case before her disappearance.

Michelle DiDio, the girl's stepgrandmother, said Child Protective Services was involved in the case in a letter written to Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine pleading for help from county officials in the months before the teen's disappearance.

Newsday has chronicled the girl’s story in an exclusive investigation called "Unprotected."

Newsday is not naming the girl, now 15, because she is a minor and the victim of alleged and adjudicated sex crimes.

***

Southampton Town officials unveiled plans for the renovation of the Red Creek Park skate park in Hampton Bays to a crowd of skateboarders and parents last week to what the town said was an enthusiastic reception. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that the plans, which were developed by engineering firm L.K. McLean Associates and custom skate park designers, the Platform Group, were presented to skaters in two potential arrangements, with variations in the obstacles and skating features that were offered. Those interested are being asked to take a survey on the town’s website southamptontownny.gov/survey to share their preferences for the skate park’s final design. The survey will remain live until October 15. The skate park renovation is expected to cost about $1.25 million and will be funded by the Town of Southampton. The work is anticipated to be completed by fall 2026.

Once again for your input on the renovation of Red Creek Park skate park in Hampton Bays visit southamptontownny.gov.

***

Saving Cold-Stunned Sea Turtles is a free program being presented this evening at Quogue Wildlife Refuge from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Atlantic Marine Conservation Society biologists will review the species of sea turtles found in NY waters and the threats they face during this presentation in the Nature Center. Participants will learn what cold-stunning is and the effect it has on sea turtles, as well as learn how to effectively monitor their local beaches for cold-stunned sea turtles. Learn what to do if you come across a stranded sea turtle this Fall or Winter! This evening’s free program for adults and families begins at 6 p.m. in the Quogue Wildlife Refuge.

***

An effort is afoot for the second year in a row to get New York Governor Kathy Hochul to sign a bill banning the harvesting of horseshoe crabs for bait and biomedical purposes....

As two sides in Washington dig in on a stalemate to reopen the federal government, the ramifications for county governments won’t be drastic initially, county officials said. But an extended federal shutdown, which began last Wednesday after the U.S. Senate failed to pass a funding bill, could begin to impact the local economy and dry up funding used for critical social services initiatives. "We are very concerned about this," Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine, a Republican, said Friday at an unrelated news conference. "Government should operate. Government should not shut down. It's unfortunate that it's come to that and everybody has to play chicken." Joe Werkmeister reports in NEWSDAY that during the first few days of a shutdown, there's little direct impact on county governments. Suffolk Legis. Steven Flotteron (R-Brightwaters), the deputy presiding officer and chairman of the Budget & Finance Committee, said the shutdown is not "directly affecting the operations of Suffolk County that I know of," while acknowledging it can be "hurtful" to some residents.

Flotteron said he doesn’t envision the federal shutdown impacting Suffolk’s 2026 proposed budget, which is under review by legislators this month.

Suffolk County’s 2026 recommended operating budget released in late September includes $274 million in federal aid, which accounts for 5% of total revenue. The county budgeted about $296 million in federal aid in 2025, according to budget records.

"Any federal funding the county receives from grants is on a reimbursement basis," said Michael Martino, Romaine's spokesperson. "The county has sufficient cash reserves to cover expenses until funding resumes."

***

Prospective college students in New York can apply for free to nearly 130 higher education institutions statewide this month and in November, Gov. Kathy Hochul's office has announced.

Dandan Zou reports in NEWSDAY that participating universities and colleges in the 3-year-old fee waiver include the State University of New York and City University of New York systems and dozens of private institutions, Hochul’s office said in yesterday’s news release.

An application fee typically ranges from $50 to $90, according to the governor’s office.

"By waiving application fees at SUNY, CUNY and nearly 50 private colleges across the state, we’re saving families money and ensuring that more students can access the opportunities and futures they deserve," Hochul stated.

With the fees waived, students can apply without worrying about that cost and then decide after they evaluate and compare the financial aid packages from the colleges, she said.

For SUNY campuses, each student can have the application fees waived for five SUNY schools from Oct. 20 to Nov. 3.

The SUNY schools on Long Island include Stony Brook University, Farmingdale State College, SUNY Old Westbury, Nassau Community College and Suffolk County Community College.

For families living paycheck to paycheck, educators said, the fee waiver reduces stress for them during an application process that can feel overwhelming.

Students can look up the complete list of participating schools on the New York State application waiver webpage, which also includes the time frames of the waiver period, which differs from school to school.

For the CUNY system, students from New York City schools can apply for free from Oct. 27 through Nov. 21. For those from outside the city schools including Long Island, the waiver period is in effect from Nov. 10 through Nov. 21.

Prospective college students in New York can apply for free to nearly 130 higher education institutions statewide this month and in November, Gov. Kathy Hochul's office has announced.

For further info visit

A NYS Supreme Court justice ordered a marijuana dispensary in Southampton to temporarily shut down Friday for operating without town approvals. Tara Smith reports in NEWSDAY that the Town of Southampton sought an injunction to halt Charlie Fox cannabis dispensary from operating on the north side of County Road 39 adjacent to the Tuckahoe School playground. The dispensary, which has a state license to sell marijuana, opened Sept. 16 despite a lack of town permits and approvals.

Town code enforcement issued a cease-and-desist order once the business opened, according to court records.

"Since [Charlie Fox] continued to open, we felt that we had to bring the application for the restraining order to have him close until he gets his approvals," Southampton Town Attorney James Burke told Newsday this weekend. "We had to treat them like any other business. Forget about the cannabis issue — any kind of retail business, you can't just open without any town approvals," he said.

Court records show the business was cited for not having site plan approval, no building permit for interior alterations, no updated certificate of occupancy and other violations. The property was previously used as a car service and repair business.

Justice Paul Hensley signed the temporary restraining order on Oct. 3 barring Charlie Fox from "the use and occupancy" of the site until at least Oct. 15, when both parties are due back in court.

Charlie Fox co-founder James Mallios confirmed Saturday that the dispensary is closed.

"That's sort of the temporary legal timeout that we have while the court adjudicates this," he told Newsday.

The court-ordered shutdown is the latest in the dispensary's legal saga Mallios described as "unbelievably frustrating."

***

When Southampton Village Mayor Bill Manger donned a bathing suit and jumped into the waters of Shinnecock Bay last week to play the “victim” in a simulated rescue drill, he helped bring attention to a unit of the Southampton Fire Department that flies under the radar.

Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that the Water Rescue Squad is made up of fire department members who put in the time and energy to undergo the extra training required to assist in water-based search and rescue efforts. The water rescue team, made up of members of all the department companies, assists agencies like the United States Coast Guard and Southampton Town Bay Constables. The water rescue squad has two vital pieces of equipment at its disposal: a 23-foot center-console boat and a quick-deploy 10-foot inflatable boat. The squad also has 14 members who are certified rescue swimmers, and many of them are cross-trained as EMTs with various local agencies, meaning they can provide immediate medical assistance, if necessary, out on the water. The squad’s training also includes ice rescue procedures, and the swimmers are equipped with special gear that allows them to enter icy water for rescues, if necessary. Alfie Callahan is the squad leader, and is assisted by Christopher Gaynor.

The Southampton Fire Department Water Rescue team responds to calls in the general vicinity of the Southampton Fire District, and is funded by taxpayers in the district.

***

Governor Kathy Hochul, with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, this past Thursday announced a statewide burn ban in effect due to increased fire risk and continued dry conditions. The ban will be in effect for 14 days from Oct. 2 to Oct. 15 and will be revaluated prior to expiration. New Yorkers can help prevent fires in communities and in the backcountry by complying with the prohibition on most outdoor fires and protect water supplies by continuing to conserve water whenever possible. The statewide burn ban now in effect prohibits the starting of outdoor fires for purposes of brush and debris disposal, as well as all uncontained...