Minerva Perez, the executive director of latino advocacy organization OLA of Eastern Long Island, joins the editors to discuss the challenges the East End's immigrant population faces and how they are bracing for a new presidential administration promising mass deportation.
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a debutante? Recently, our reporter Cailin Riley found out for herself when she attended the 70th anniversary International Debutante Ball which was held at the Plaza Hotel in New York City on December 28. Among the several young ladies “coming out” that evening was Southampton summer resident Kelli Ford, daughter of Gerald and Kelli Ford.
The editors look back on the ten biggest stories of the last year.
The Southampton Village Ethics Board last month found that Southampton Village Trustee Robin Brown violated the village's ethics code on two occasions, each time by attending a fundraiser while not paying her own way. Brown has strongly pushed back on the Ethics Board's dispositions and says the complaints against her were politically motivated. On this week's 27Speaks podcast, the editors discuss ethics in government and journalism, and what constitutes a violation.
Lance Gumbs, the vice chairman of the Shinnecock Nation Council of Trustees, recently spoke to Express News Group Executive Editor Joseph Shaw about the Shinnecock Nation's gas station and travel plaza, which is currently under construction on the Shinnecock's Westwoods property just west of the Shinnecock Canal. While the Shinnecock say Westwoods is aboriginal land and may be developed as they wish, some Hamptons Bays residents say that is not the case and town zoning should apply. In this week...
A juvenile bald eagle that found itself in a precarious situation experienced a happy ending, thanks to the work of the staff at the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center in Hampton Bays. Executive Director Kathleen Mulcahy and animal care assistant Rose Lynch join the editors on the podcast to recount the rescue, rehabilitation and release of the bird of prey and also discuss the East End's eagle population and the rescue center's important work.
While the commercial harvest of bay scallops from local waters has been all but ended by six years of massive die-offs, the clam population is booming, and local baymen are enjoying a bountiful windfall. The rebound of clams in Shinnecock Bay has been so robust that baymen have asked the Southampton Town Trustees to impose new limits on their harvest to protect the resurgent clams from being overexploited by opportunistic harvesters, and even some rule-breakers. Reporter Michael Wright joins the...
As the holiday season approaches, there is an opportunity to take a moment to appreciate — and to support, financially — the many nonprofit organizations that enrich the cultural life of the South Fork, and provide a "Helping Hand" to so many families in need. This special Express Sessions event had multiple purposes: to shine a spotlight on the often underappreciated work of so many local charities and volunteers, to talk about the challenges they face in a difficult economy and a post-COVID wo...
The East Hampton/Pierson/Bridgehampton football team made the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. For a program that more or less didn't exist just seven years ago, it was a huge accomplishment. Gavin Menu, co-publisher of The Express News Group, and sports editor Drew Budd join the editors on the podcast this week to discuss the future of high school football and what surrounding districts struggling in the sport can do to revive their football programs similarly to the Bonackers.
Southampton Town Councilman and State Assemblyman-elect Tommy John Schiavoni joins the editors to discuss the state and local challenges that he will confront — including affordable housing and transportation — when he heads to Albany in January to assume the Assembly seat held for three decades by Fred W. Thiele Jr.
After a woman was found dead last week at a high-end spa and wellness resort in Water Mill — an apparent "victim of violence," according to police — the suspect fled to Pennsylvania and took his own life. On this week's 27Speaks, reporter Michael Wright joins the editors to discuss how the police investigation unfolded, how it was reported by journalists and the sensitive nature of reporting on homicides.
Since the recreational use of marijuana was legalized in March 2021, the rollout of the new industry has been erratic. Today, the state is still struggling with creating a legal network of private shops — though Native American tribes, including the Shinnecock, have successfully operated on their own. The Town of Riverhead is expecting a pair of cannabis shops to open in the months ahead, and plans for multiple locations in Southampton Town are underway. What will the final structure of a legal ...
After months of rumor and speculation, Gosman’s Dock has been sold. What began as a modest chowder house on Montauk Harbor more than 80 years ago has since grown to become a celebrated family-run enterprise with a complex of restaurants, shops and a wholesale and retail seafood business. The sale of the company, Bob Gosman Co. Inc., is expected to be finalized by year’s end. This week, the editors are joined by reporter Christopher Walsh, who wrote about the sale of the property.
As we face ever more severe weather, Long Island is a frontline region in navigating climate change. Flood insurance, agriculture, and more are all at stake. What can Congress do to help Suffolk County move forward sustainably in this new world? Hear 1st District Republican Congressman Nick LaLota and Democratic congressional candidate John Avlon share their views on the issue in their own words, recorded in two separate panel interviews September 2024 at WLIW-FM studios in Southampton. These re...
The Kmart in the Bridgehampton Commons, the last full-size Kmart store in the continental United States, closed its doors for good on Sunday. But as the South Fork says goodbye to blue light specials, it appears that another big box store, Target, is preparing to take over the 90,000-square-foot retail space. On this week's podcast, the editors discuss the fate of the Bridgehampton Kmart, the reasons it went bust, and the possibilities for the space's future.
Is the health care system on Long Island broken? What can the federal government do to make sure that Suffolk County residents have health care infrastructure that will keep them safe and healthy? What does having a “public option” really mean? Hear 1st District Republican Congressman Nick LaLota and Democratic congressional candidate John Avlon share their views on the issue in their own words, recorded in two separate panel interviews September 2024 at WLIW-FM studios in Southampton. These rec...
There are numerous passionate residents offering input, though the conversations are splintered and many voices are competing. A major proposal by the Shinnecock Nation for a gas station off Sunrise Highway — and, in the longer term, development on the bluff at Westwoods — has sparked concern among Hampton Bays residents. But there are other pressures: a developer has amassed parcels and has a vision for redevelopment. This Express Sessions forum brings together many of the players in one room t...
For nearly a decade, the Spanish Embassy’s Ministry of Culture, Education and Sports has recognized each of Southampton’s public schools as an International Spanish Academy, which implements a Spanish-English dual language immersion curriculum with the support of the ministry. The dual language program has helped students from Spanish-speaking households become proficient in English, and vice versa, and has had the added effect of bridging social and cultural divides in the schools. This week on...
Women’s rights are under scrutiny in a way they have not been in a generation. What is the federal government’s role in protecting women’s rights? Where do most Americans actually stand on the right to abortion? Hear 1st District Republican Congressman Nick LaLota and Democratic congressional candidate John Avlon share their views on the issue in their own words, recorded in two separate panel interviews in September at WLIW-FM studios in Southampton. These recordings have been lightly edited wi...
The feature-length mockumentary “The Premiere,” which was shot on the East End, will have its world premiere at Guild Hall this Thursday, October 10, as part of the Hamptons International Film Festival. Hamptons residents will see many familiar faces on screen, as this film uses true locals in its cast of characters. The premise of the film is a documentary about the debut production of "Scream: The Musical" at Bay Street Theater, but it turns into much more. Co-director and co-producer Miles An...
Is the 1st District safer now than it was a year ago? How can the federal government address such a localized issue as criminal justice? How does the Second Amendment come into play in conversations around public safety? Hear 1st District Republican Congressman Nick LaLota and Democratic congressional candidate John Avlon share their views on the issue in their own words, recorded in two separate panel interviews in September 2024 at WLIW-FM studios in Southampton NY. These recordings have been ...
Westhampton resident Jack Weber is 100 years old and the subject of “Lessons From 100,” a forthcoming short documentary that will feature Weber in conversation with his grandson as they explore his life, how the world has changed over the last century and what has led to his incredible longevity. Joining the editors this week to talk about his life and the film are Jack Weber, his grandson, filmmaker Matthew Floyd, and his daughter, Barbara Weber-Floyd, the film’s producer.
Much of the economy of the 1st Congressional District on Long Island depends on immigrant laborers, making immigration a key issue in the race for the congressional seat between 1st District Republican Congressman Nick LaLota and Democratic candidate John Avlon. Hear them share their views on the issue in their own words, recorded in two separate panel interviews in September 2024 at WLIW-FM studios in Southampton, NY. These recordings have been lightly edited without changing the content of the...
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joins the editors on 27Speaks this week to discuss the status of the Equal Rights Amendment, which could have implications on reproductive rights, as well as her push for more funding to combat tick-borne illnesses, particularly Lyme disease, and legislation to address and prevent traumatic brain injuries among members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
The state of the economy is one of the most pressing issues across the country, but in the 1st congressional district it's especially urgent to address ever-rising costs of living, record-breaking housing costs, and a dwindling middle class. Democratic congressional candidate John Avlon and 1st District Republican Congressman Nick LaLota hold distinct philosophies on solving the economic problems present throughout Eastern Long Island. Hear them share their views on the issue in their own words,...
For the residents of a smattering of streets that can only get out of their neighborhoods via accessing County Road 39, the South Fork traffic situation far transcends inconvenience. Terrifying, nerve-wracking and life-threatening are the terms many use to describe their predicament. A group of residents of the Greenfield Road neighborhood join the editors and reporter Michael Wright on the podcast this week to share their experience.
Miniature whaleboats have been a hallmark of HarborFest in Sag Harbor going back to the 1960s, when author John Steinbeck and others founded the annual event, originally known as the Old Whalers Festival. The whaleboats went under a long-overdue restoration this year to keep them afloat for many HarborFests to come. HarborFest Whaleboat Committee leader Gavin Menu, who is also a co-publisher of The Express News Group, joins the editors on 27Speaks this week to talk about the history of whaleboat...
A replica of the Amistad docked in Montauk in August, during the same week in 1839 when the original Amistad came aground at Culloden Point in Montauk. The schooner became famous after the Mende people onboard, who had been abducted in Africa to be sold into slavery, revolted against their captors. The ship was seized, and the Mende were put on trial in Connecticut for mutiny. Ultimately, the court sided with the Mende and defended their actions to secure their freedom. Brenda Simmons, the execu...
The Express News Group and WLIW-FM are collaborating on separate, issues-based interviews with incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Nick LaLota and Democratic challenger John Avlon. The interviews serve as a way to drill down on topics of importance to the East End and the entire 1st Congressional District and get the candidates on the record about their plans and positions. Diane Masciale, the vice president and general manager of WLIW21 and WLIW-FM, and Gavin Menu, a co-publisher of The Ex...
Express News Group interns Hope Hamilton and Dan Stark join the editors to discuss their experience this summer.
