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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Two Steps Forward

There is a healthy debate surrounding The Express News Group’s annual list of “Water Hogs,” the somewhat inelegant moniker given to the South Fork’s biggest residential consumers of water. Is it an effort to shame the Suffolk County Water Authority’s “super users”? Or a reasonable effort to inform the authority’s other customers of the property owners who are doing far less to preserve water, especially at a moment when all 1.2 million customers are subject to a Stage 1 Water Alert calling for conservation? Either way, the focus should be on what needs to happen — and that is clearly ... 3 Sep 2025 by Editorial Board

Stop Stalling

In January, at an Express Sessions event, Kara Bak, who is the director of housing for Southampton Town, made clear the stakes when it comes to affordable housing: “Both East Hampton and Southampton have this crisis, and we are at a crisis level,” she said. “We have young people who are leaving the area, we have seniors who can’t afford to stay, we have this huge traffic problem because the people who work in our community can’t afford to live in it.” Advocates of more affordable housing in both towns said streamlining the process and maximizing the impact of each ... by Editorial Board

'Fixing' Immigration

This letter is in response to “Fix the Problem” [Letters, August 28]: President Donald Trump campaigned on fixing “the immigration problem,” a serious issue that has persisted in our country for years under past administrations, both Republican and Democratic. So when a bipartisan-supported Immigration Border Security Bill was on the table in the Senate in early 2024, why did Trump interfere and have it blocked? A Senate bipartisan-supported Immigration Border Security Bill at our fingertips in 2024 would have been great for our country, but not so great for Trump. It would have challenged his presidential campaign. Trump didn’t want ... 2 Sep 2025 by Staff Writer

Speak Up

My wife, Lisa, and I have lived in Westhampton Beach for over 11 years. I am currently running for Southampton Town clerk in the upcoming November elections. I write today with deep concern about recent decisions from Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin — decisions that threaten the very environmental future of Long Island residents. Since being sworn in on January 29, 2025, Zeldin has launched an aggressive deregulatory agenda. He has proposed cutting the EPA budget by as much as 65 percent, far exceeding earlier proposals, and dismantled key research and enforcement functions within the agency. Scientific capacity has been slashed, ... 1 Sep 2025 by Staff Writer

Stand Up

This summer on the East End has been tragic for those seeking a just peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Three institutions, the Southampton Arts Center, the Sag Harbor Cinema and the Jewish Center of the Hamptons, have aligned with those who fight criticism of Israel’s genocide. The Southampton Arts Center hosted a benefit for the Lawfare Project, the far-right “legal arm of the pro-Israel movement,” which focuses on criminalizing pro-Palestinian speech. Lawfare’s head, Fox News regular Brooke Goldstein, has insisted that there is no such thing as a Palestinian, while advocating expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza. The Lawfare Project uses ... by Staff Writer

Community of Faith

Now more than ever, families are searching for places where they feel truly welcome, a space where children and parents alike can grow, connect and find joy together. At Old Whalers’ Church in Sag Harbor, we invite your family to be part of our vibrant community, where every Sunday is a celebration of togetherness and belonging. Remember when Sundays were reserved for family and reflection? While times have shifted and our weekends have grown busy, we believe that church can still be an oasis, a place to slow down, reconnect, and build lasting memories with your loved ones and new ... by Staff Writer

Lucky To Have LaLota

What happens when an editorial board becomes antagonist? Challenging Congressman Nick LaLota to having a public forum so that he can be publicly flogged by anti-Trumpers [“A Seat Awaits,” Editorial, August 21] has nothing to do with transparency, nor does it serve any purpose other than to create the illusion that his representation isn’t consistent with his constituents’ beliefs. Nothing can be further from the truth. Congressman LaLota clearly won a majority mandate that neither warrants public flogging nor embarrassment. So if The Express News Group needs to continue a process that has continually ignored the current administration’s successes, so ... by Staff Writer

No Better Person

Traffic is a major problem on the East End of Long Island and in the Town of Southampton. It’s especially troublesome in the summer months and has grown exponentially in the last few years. Luckily for Southampton voters, we have Tom Neely, an amazing traffic expert. And Tom is running for Town Council when we need him most. A longtime resident of Southampton, Tom has the crucial experience for the problems we face today. Tom knows the people who work on traffic issues in the East End towns, the county and state. He knows who to call and how to ... by Staff Writer

Hate Has a Home

I watch a man reach his arms into a vehicle carrying a family. Through the window, he forcefully rips something from the driver’s hands. It was the flag of his country, his proud heritage. His Palestinian flag, his Palestinian heritage. The flag-stealing man’s face is painted with hatred, disgust and satisfaction. Let it be noted that flag-waving is a common sight on Sundays. Almost exclusively, Israeli flags will be waved out of car windows as they stop to show their support for the pro-Israel side of a longstanding weekly demonstration [“On Sag Harbor’s Wharf, Weekly Vigils Reflect Global Strife and ... by Staff Writer

Not the Same

I appreciate the challenge editors face, given the immense pressure on the news media to self-censor, and the avalanche of misinformation regarding the genocide in Gaza, and those who oppose it. However, under the guise of neutrality, the story in The Express News Group newspapers [“On Sag Harbor’s Wharf, Weekly Vigils Reflect Global Strife and Local Anguish,” 27east.com, August 21] reveals a striking editorial bias, made evident by the choice and placement of photographs, the choice of examples and quotes, by an inaccurate premise, and, in The Sag Harbor Express, by the final quote. There is nothing equal in a ... by Staff Writer