Editorial: An American Success Story - 27 East
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Sag Harbor Express / Editorials / Opinion / 1895353

Editorial: An American Success Story

Kathryn G. Menu on Feb 27, 2020
As Black History Month comes to a close, February delivered a devastating blow with the death of B. Smith, whose pioneering role as an African American entrepreneur cannot be overstated.... more

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Three Problems

The days since the September 10 murder of Charlie Kirk, an influencer and activist on the right, at a Utah college campus have brought an avalanche of reactions. Observers on both sides have tried to use the event to score political points, which is simply ghoulish. Political violence is an American reality, but it can never be an American principle — it is indefensible. Period, full-stop. Among the reactions, a few have been standard, but there are three points that deserve special consideration as we try to find a path forward after the death of the 31-year-old father of two, ... 17 Sep 2025 by Editorial Board

Tracking Reality

Thank you for “Water Hogs” [“The Water Hogs of the Hamptons, 2025,” Residence, 27east.com, August 28], a deeply necessary, smart service to us all, tracking the reality — what the press can do. I teach a course in the spring, “Language as Action: Reading & Writing Water,” and I will use “Water Hogs.” Kathy Engel Sagaponack 15 Sep 2025 by Staff Writer

Rare Treasure

I am urging the Southampton Town Board to keep this land as is, regardless of classification [“Fate of Southampton Town-Owned Poxabogue Field, Within Sagaponack Village, Is Debated at Town Board Meeting,” 27east.com, September 10]. I understand that it is in consideration to be returned to an agricultural use, but it has become an increasingly rare treasure here on the East End: an “old field” environment that now serves as habitat for wildlife, as well as having become a natural water quality buffer to Poxabogue Pond. As development continues to insidiously encroach on our wild neighbors, we threaten that very unique ... by Staff Writer

Ecologically Important

I am a resident and voter in Sagaponack and Southampton Town. Poxabogue Field provides many important ecological services. It serves as: • A wildlife sanctuary, and if farmed, as projected, would be fenced and plowed, obliterating the wildlife that has come to live there. • A natural buffer protecting Poxabogue Pond, its wetlands, and our aquifer. • An important ecosystem for ground-nesting birds, like the American woodcock (photographed in the field last month by Jane Gill), salamanders and turtles, grasshoppers and beetles, butterflies and moths. • A shelter for foxes, rabbits, deer, field mice, raccoons, chipmunks and more. • An open, natural field vista. I believe ... by Staff Writer

Essential Programming

As many East End town residents know who tried to access their public, educational and government (PEG) channels recently, they were no longer available on channels 20 and 22. Instead you were directed to find your channels somewhere in the 1300s. Because of the hue and cry in Newsday and all the local East End print and online media, and by town and village officials and the PEG industry, Altice/Optimum later backtracked and promised to return the channels to their original slots “on or about September 16, 2025” [“Optimum Walks Back Public Access Shakeup With Plan To Restore LTV, Sea-TV ... by Staff Writer

Open Space Impact

I am hoping you will understand the environmental impact of what natural open space, near watering holes, does for our native wildlife. I can only speak professionally as a New York State licensed expert for our state-protected “species of special concern,” Eastern box turtles, and the “endangered” Eastern mud turtles, and “threatened” Eastern spotted turtles, that all call this Poxabogue meadow and Poxabogue Pond home [“Fate of Southampton Town-Owned Poxabogue Field, Within Sagaponack Village, Is Debated at Town Board Meeting,” 27east.com, September 10]. You may ask why our native turtles are important. They are a keystone species, which means if ... by Staff Writer

Rewild Your Yard?

Many neighbors spoke last week at the public hearing on the future of the Poxabogue Field [“Fate of Southampton Town-Owned Poxabogue Field, Within Sagaponack Village, Is Debated at Town Board Meeting,” 27east.com, September 10]. Most speakers wanted the field to not be farmed, as it had been for the past century, but instead wanted the field be left to return to nature. Points were raised about environmental imperatives such as water quality, habitat for birds, pollinators, etc., and also an unobstructed view. Knowing many of those speakers and how their own properties are landscaped and maintained, it occurred to me ... by Staff Writer

Confusing Facts

Representative Nick LaLota released a statement supporting the Shinnecock’s right to develop their land without addressing the complications around Westwoods. He states that the courts “affirm that most state and local zoning rules do not apply to federally recognized tribal land.” Nice, but this statement does not actually apply to Westwoods. The facts are not that complicated, but they are confused all the time, and not only by Rep. LaLota. Westwoods was determined to be subject to Town of Southampton zoning by a federal court in 2007, which, after a lengthy trial, ruled that “the evidence overwhelmingly demonstrated in a ... by Staff Writer

Not Either/Or

I am a beekeeper with hives of honeybees in locations across the South Fork. In response to the recent article about a redesignation of Poxabogue Field from farming to open space [“Fate of Southampton Town-Owned Poxabogue Field, Within Sagaponack Village, Is Debated at Town Board Meeting,” 27east.com, September 10], I strongly agree with those in favor of allowing its conversion to grassland to continue officially. It’s obvious that nature agrees. A wide range of feathered, furred, winged, scaled and assorted other tenants make their homes there. And, as for too many working humans, there are few places left for them ... by Staff Writer

Safeguard the Future

Regarding the article on September 10, about Poxabogue Field [“Fate of Southampton Town-Owned Poxabogue Field, Within Sagaponack Village, Is Debated at Town Board Meeting,” 27east.com, September 10]: Most people care about the environment and understand how essential natural resources are for water quality and maintaining wildlife diversity, to support our ecosystems (and us). Changing the designated status of Poxabogue Field into open land makes sense, as it aligns with many of the area’s environmental objectives. We do need food from farms, and, in 1987, the vision for a farm made sense. However, today we face significant water pollution issues, loss ... 13 Sep 2025 by Staff Writer