As memorials go, the Edith Windsor Heart Project at Southampton Town Hall is imbued with emotion, and it will forever be a locus where love is celebrated both passively, in its lovely design, and actively, as the spot where couples will pledge their devotion in ceremonies open to all.
On the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that paved the way for same-sex couples to be legally married in the United States — thanks to a lawsuit brought by the former part-time Southampton resident, a fixture on the local LGBTQ+ scene for years — the memorial was dedicated. It’s already been used for a wedding ceremony, and it will see so many more.
Supervisor Jay Schneiderman, working with Windsor’s widow, Judith Kasen-Windsor, created a perfect remembrance of Windsor’s impact on the world — and Schneiderman perfected the interlocking hearts design in his own workshop.
It looks back with gratitude, to Windsor and her dogged pursuit of a civil right, and forward, with the weddings it will host many years into the future. As memorials go, Mark Olivito, whose New Jersey company made the pavers, said it best: “I don’t think there’s anything like this in the world.”
The Urgency of RealThe Hamptons International Film Festival typically takes up a lot of oxygen in the fall on the South Fork, but it’s worth celebrating a slightly smaller but just as vital event in late autumn: the Hamptons Doc Fest. Running this...
Proceed With CautionOverlay districts are a common zoning tool used by many municipalities. Southampton Town has used them to varying degrees of success — the aquifer protection overlay district has been a winner; a downtown overlay district in Hampton Bays less so...
Sign the BanPity the poor horseshoe crab. It is, without question, a survivor almost beyond compare. Consider this: There are fossils of the creature dating back 445 million years. Dinosaurs arrived about 200 million to 250 million years ago — which means...
Gold Stars and Dunce Caps⭐️ : To Cami Hatch, for reminding everyone why learning to swim and lifeguard training are important. The East Hampton graduate, now a University of Tennessee student, has been studying in Italy and was visiting Malta recently when she heard...
Landmark StatusAt the Sag Harbor Cinema on Saturday, a group of admirers came together to pay tribute to a local legend. Karl Grossman recently retired from teaching, which offered an opportunity to gather in his honor and express appreciation for a...
Behind the MasksU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions are taking place across the United States, and not just in urban areas, as we discovered on the South Fork last week. But the most alarming thing about ICE raids is the aggressive nature,...
Stop the HungerSetting aside politics for a moment, the federal government shutdown, now in its fifth week, is having significant consequences. A Washington Post story last week estimated that it will cost the economy up to $14 billion. The Congressional Budget Office...
Expect DelaysAnyone who commutes east and west on the South Fork daily, or who needs goods or services that come by truck — so, really, everyone — endured several days of stress. New York State and Suffolk County officials were able...
