Yet again this year, a “straw woman” candidate is on the Republican line on Tuesday’s ballot for the seat in the State Assembly from the 1st District, which includes the... more
Last week’s Express Sessions event in Southampton Village, part of a five-part series called “Local Matters” — upcoming events will turn to Sag Harbor, East Hampton, Hampton Bays and Westhampton Beach — was largely dominated by a trio of interconnected issues: traffic, most significantly, but also affordable housing and the need for septic solutions. As it turns out, the three are so intertwined that you simply can’t discuss them individually, and no “solution” will slay this three-headed dragon alone. Still, there was a great deal to take away from this first conversation, and it impacts the entire South Fork, because ...
15 Oct 2025 by Editorial Board
The three-day weekend just past is generally known as Columbus Day weekend, but in recent years the holiday has an alternate identity, Indigenous Peoples’ Day. More than four decades after the idea was first suggested in 1977 at a United Nations conference, former President Joe Biden issued a proclamation in 2021, making it a federal holiday alongside Columbus Day. President Donald Trump countered that proclamation with one of his own last week, restoring Columbus Day as the lone federal holiday, bringing it “back from the ashes,” in his estimation. This matters only symbolically, except for the federal holiday designation — ...
by Editorial Board
Re: Southampton Town proposed 2026 budget: a Bearcat armored vehicle for the police department [“Southampton Town Unveils $143 Million Budget That Would Hike Taxes 9.7 Percent, Add More Police,” 27east.com, October 2]? Seriously? Literally and figuratively, where are we going with this? Joanne Celi Hampton Bays
13 Oct 2025 by Staff Writer
I am so disappointed and deeply saddened by the Regal Cinema corporate decision to discontinue broadcasting the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD series at its Hampton Bays theater. For many years, many locals were able to access and experience world-class opera close to home, and now, for some reason, the decision has been made to no longer broadcast these award-winning performances. I hope they will reconsider. Deborah DeLuccy Westhampton Beach
by Staff Writer
Perhaps you have seen the latest social media video targeting Councilwoman Cyndi McNamara, which was paid for by the Suffolk County Democratic Committee. The ad starts by promoting Democratic Town Board candidate Tom Neely’s achievements, then quickly transitions into a rather dark, inaccurate portrayal of McNamara, describing her as a “MAGA extremist” and stating that her “extremism is hurting Southampton.” I guess this is a thing now. This is the second election where Councilwoman McNamara has been on the receiving end of very expensive and very untrue negative ads. This time, it’s the Suffolk County Democratic Committee slinging the mud. ...
by Staff Writer
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. For about 20 years now, under both Democratic and Republican administrations, Sundy Schermeyer has performed flawlessly as town clerk. It’s not a headline-grabbing type of job, but it is key to the operations of Southampton Town Hall. In all the years she has run the office, I have never — and I do not use that word lightly — heard a complaint about Sundy’s performance, or that of her staff. Not only does she meet the expectations of the job, but she always seems to aim higher. Digitize maps. Get all forms online. ...
by Staff Writer
When Tom Neely entered the race for Southampton Town Council, it was already a win. A win for elevating candidates with experience, good character, know-how and common sense. Tom is someone who is dedicated to the work of local government, showing up every day to solve problems. On November 4, progress on issues like traffic, clean water, public safety, and retaining the rural beauty of our farmland and coastal waterways is on the ballot. Tom raised a family here; he has devoted his career to the logistics and people-skills work of getting us to where we need to be on ...
by Staff Writer
Last week, Pete Hegseth, the pretty boy of Fox News, womanizer, and former drunk, summoned all of the leaders at the highest levels of our armed forces from all over the world to a meeting in Quantico, Virginia. At that meeting, he lectured them for an hour. He essentially told them that the military is full of wusses, it is subpar because it is too “woke,” and that the alpha male is the gold standard. Oh, yes, and that many in the military are “fat.” Then, ironically, our Baby Huey Commander-in-Chief, Donald Trump, was next to speak. He suggested to ...
by Staff Writer
My name is Mark Bernardo, and I am running for the office of Southampton Town clerk. My wife, Lisa, and I have resided in Westhampton Beach for over 11 years. I have over 50 years of experience in computer animation and visual effects. My wife and I have raised our son, Dr. Sebastian Bernardo. If I am successful in this election, the first task at hand is a comprehensive cybersecurity audit of the data systems and records of the Southampton Town clerk’s office. In an age where almost every aspect of government is digitized, the recent rise in cyber attacks ...
by Staff Writer
The proposed town budget item to acquire a Bearcat armored tactical vehicle for the Southampton Town Police Department is troubling [“Southampton Town Unveils $143 Million Budget That Would Hike Taxes 9.7 Percent, Add More Police,” 27east.com, October 2]. The purchase of a military-grade vehicle seems completely out of proportion to the needs of our town. Southampton, like many communities across the country, is not engaged in military conflict, and there is no justification for the acquisition of such an aggressive piece of equipment. We live in scary times, with too much conflict. The presence of a “tank-like” vehicle on our ...
by Staff Writer
