Editorial: Let There Be Light - 27 East

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Editorial: Let There Be Light

Editorial Board on May 28, 2019
The Sag Harbor Cinema fire of December 16, 2016 left a deep wound in a village where generations of locals, summer people and visitors had fond memories of its old-fashioned... more

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Slap in the Face

John Neely, this is not our first rodeo [“Improvement?” Letters, June 12]. We see things differently, and we are not alone. I realize Democrats are very upset that the political winds have deserted them. If anything has been learned over the decades, it is that change is not the exception, it is the rule. What was once conventional wisdom is scoffed at today. Race, gender, climate, speech and immigration are just a few topics under reconsideration. Even basic belief systems can change in a society free to question them. Today, progressive Democrats have pushed the boundaries on so much of ... 16 Jun 2025 by Staff Writer

Sickening Situation

Waste, fraud and abuse, right? That’s what Republicans in Washington, D.C., claim to be hunting down and eliminating. Even after Elon Musk’s unceremonious departure, his many successors are flying the same flag, singing the same hymn — that they’re after waste, fraud and abuse. Well, I’ve got some for them. I’ve got all three, in fact, in a place where they haven’t looked (or maybe have looked and cravenly passed over). Waste, fraud and abuse are abundantly present in the actions of Donald Trump regarding Los Angeles in the last few days. Let’s start with waste, one of the most ... by Staff Writer

Road Secured

Our neighborhood at Mountain Laurel Estates would like to acknowledge and show a tremendous amount of gratitude for the work that Southampton Town Councilman Bill Pell has put forth in helping securing our country road and restoring it to its original beauty. A special thanks is also expressed for Stephanie at the Southampton Town Highway Department. Joseph P. Lebonitte Southampton by Staff Writer

Democracy in Action

June 14 was Flag Day, and a nationwide No Kings Day of Defiance, in which millions participated in more than 2,100 marches and rallies across the country in support of democracy, the rule of law, due process and freedom of speech — all in opposition to a presidential power grab unprecedented in our history. The actions took place during Donald Trump’s lackluster $45 million taxpayer-funded military/birthday parade in Washington, D.C. In Riverhead, more than 1,000 residents voiced their vehement opposition to autocratic rule by the Trump administration at a peaceful No Kings rally organized by the Southampton Democratic Committee, the ... by Staff Writer

North Haven's Ballot

North Haven is a small village with remarkable energy, a deeply engaged electorate, and a government that is active and passionate about the 2.7-square-mile peninsula they call home. In recent years, it has been a political hotbed of sorts, and its elections are almost always contested — and interesting. This year is no exception. Two seats on the Village Board are up next Tuesday, June 17, and there are three candidates: incumbents Terie Diat and Peter Boody, and challenger Max Rohn. At a virtual debate on June 4, they didn’t disappoint — the three engaged in a substantive discussion aimed ... 11 Jun 2025 by Editorial Board

Preparation Saves Lives

An email to constituents last week contained an important message: As we start the 2025 hurricane season, it’s important to be prepared. The note, from U.S. Representative Nick LaLota, included contact information for a variety of important resources: the National Hurricane Center, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “As a lifelong Long Islander and your representative in Congress,” LaLota wrote, “I’ve seen how storms like Gloria, Bob, Irene and Sandy can devastate our communities. Preparation saves lives.” He’s absolutely right, on all counts. Except one. LaLota supports domestic funding legislation, and an administration in Washington, ... by Editorial Board

Community Service

Few people embody the spirit of community service better than Hampton Bays resident Robert Ross, who recently retired after decades of making his home a better place for its residents. Ross spent the last 42 years, before retiring from his position late last month as vice president of community and government relations at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, fighting for and giving back to an adopted community that he loved. His retirement came just as Stony Brook put the finishing touches on a standalone emergency room in East Hampton, a project that Ross, by all accounts, fought for and helped shepherd ... by Editorial Board

Calm and Steady

I am writing to you as Max Rohn’s wife and partner in parenting, work and life. Max is the most wonderful, loving and committed husband and dad. He is also the most rational person I have ever met and can manage any type of person in any situation. I have watched him over the past 17 years turn into an incredible leader and teammate. He is calm and steady but stands up for what he believes in. His love for our community, and North Haven more specifically, is genuine. He would make a wonderful addition to the group of North ... 10 Jun 2025 by Staff Writer

Keep the CCA Ban

As a local, growing up my childhood summers were idyllic, spent freely at the ocean with my siblings. My earliest memories are of the beach, a place that shaped my life. I became an ocean lifeguard, a surf instructor and a climate activist. Now, I’m a mom of three, raising my kids to experience those same joys. My husband also grew up here and has similar stories. Sadly, we’re a rarity: two locals raising our children where we were raised. Like all parents, our goal is to provide a safe, healthy environment for our children to thrive. We want them ... by Staff Writer

Not Underhanded Deal

In following The Press’s continuing coverage of the Shinnecock, there seems to be a trend wherein the newspaper has become an apologist for the tribe. According to your recent stories, they are always, seemingly, fighting against the inhumanities perpetrated by the East End white man. During olden times, it was the rapacious English Southamptoners who confiscated their land and impoverished their people. Now, it’s the Town of Southampton officials who frustrate the tribe’s “inherent” right to bully the town, legally, by invoking their so-called “sovereign” rights as a “nation.” The sovereign status of the Shinnecock is a discussion for another ... by Staff Writer