Gold Stars and Dunce Caps

DUNCE CAP: To various international media organizations — principally the Daily Mail in the United Kingdom and the New York Post — for the wretched treatment of a young local police officer for having the audacity to do his job. When a certain big-name singer (let’s not use any names for once, since everyone involved has gotten far too much ink already) was arrested a few weeks ago in Sag Harbor on a charge of driving while intoxicated, some media outlets in the feeding frenzy decided to focus sharply on the arresting officer, who may not have recognized the celebrity. They went beyond that, digging into salacious gossip about the young cop and the way he performs his duties. The horror of becoming an international meme is a modern-day phenomenon. This time, it felt personal and over the top. It was ghastly.

DUNCE CAP: For new cellphone towers that only do half the job this summer. In Springs, most people report that the two new towers have done wonders for what had been worthless service in that hamlet. At least for AT&T customers. But Verizon — a company that is AT&T’s equal in wireless presence, and in fact has slightly more customers nationally — remains blacked out. Maximizing the benefits of adding new infrastructure is essential: It’s past time to get Verizon customers the same clear service in Springs.

GOLD STAR: To the Class of 2024, at every single high school. It’s been noted, but it should be emphasized: This is a class that was truly affected by the pandemic and the chaos it brought to the educational system. This class felt it throughout the high school years, and had to endure the uncertainties surrounding remote learning and returning to the classroom. The accolades for so many graduating seniors, and the big plans they have, show just how resilient they have been. That earns them a giant gold star in our book.

GOLD STAR: To East Hampton Village, for rededicating the basketball courts in Herrick Park to Roy Mabery, a young man whose untimely death at age 18 in 1972 remains a tragic loss. The moving rededication ceremony was a chance to re-tell the story and keep Mabery’s memory alive for a new generation. As young basketball players take to the courts to improve their skills and have some fun, they’ll know they’re on solemn ground.

GOLD STAR: To the Sag Harbor Ladies Village Improvement Society, for well over a hundred years of service to the Village of Sag Harbor. The organization, which was established in 1887 and endured through the various eras of Sag Harbor history, was known most recently for its beautiful displays of flowers and Christmas wreaths along Main Street. But an aging membership and a changing demographic in the village combined to convince remaining members to say it was time to end the organization. We should not soon forget the commitment from LVIS members to making the village all it could be, and a special toast to all the volunteers across the East End who will need to double down in the absence of this historic and much-appreciated civic organization.

GOLD STAR: To Kirby Marcantonio, for tirelessly advocating for affordable housing, often in unconventional ways. For instance, his recent pitch to privately develop employer-owned housing, which then could be provided to employees as part of a compensation package, making affordable living on the South Fork a reality. Some of the ideas are unconventional, and perhaps imperfect, but it will take creative solutions to make a difference in this crisis. Kirby is doing his part.

DUNCE CAP: To all the landscape companies that park their trucks and trailers all over residential roads, blocking traffic and creating hazardous driving conditions. We understand the landscape industry is a crucial part of our local economy, but the proliferation of large trailers, attached to even larger trucks, parked on the sides of small roads instead of in their customers’ driveways has become a real hazard. Homeowners, if you’re going to hire a landscape company that brings an arsenal of equipment to your house every week, please make room in your driveway for them to park.

GOLD STAR: To emergency service personnel for their work over the recent pre-holiday weekend. From 6 a.m. Friday morning to 6 a.m. Monday morning, East Hampton emergency crews responded to 262 calls, from noise complaints to traffic accidents to ambulance calls. Already busy volunteers and emergency crews are hitting a new level of activity, all to keep the community safe. We owe them a debt of gratitude. One easy way to show it? Be generous and pull over when you hear a siren or see flashing lights of an emergency vehicle, or a private vehicle rushing a volunteer to respond to a crisis.

DUNCE CAP: To you — you’ll know if and when it’s you — when you’re driving too aggressively, or texting while behind the wheel, or even checking maps and social media on your phone while driving. Even when you’re sitting in the endless streams of traffic on our local roadways, there’s no safe time to do these things. Instances of rear-end accidents are everywhere — and we know why some of them are happening. Put your phone down. Let someone merge. Wave someone through. Don’t be a jerk.

GOLD STAR: To Southampton Village Deputy Mayor Gina Arresta, for her service to the village. She lost the recent election after a year when she spent much of her time and energy on very unsexy projects in the village that needed to be done: infrastructure work that had been pushed off for years. Sometimes it can be hard to explain to voters how important that is, and why it matters. Arresta should take some comfort in knowing that the village will be better off as a result — and she should get credit.

GOLD STAR: To the Quogue Wildlife Refuge, for an amazing 90 years of service. The organization’s work with animals is laudable, but it’s also simply one of the most peaceful, beautiful places on the South Fork, and its trails are a treasure. The organization regularly holds fun events to highlight the property. Go visit.

GOLD STAR: To Heart of the Hamptons, for a successful move to Meeting House Lane. It wasn’t without some drama, but the food pantry is better situated and can now prove to worried neighbors that it can be a benign presence as it provides absolutely necessary support to families in need. But it’s good to know it’s there.

DUNCE CAP: To commercial landlords who allow storefronts in the villages and hamlets to stay vacant for the summer season. There are reasons for that, we suppose, including tax benefits and holding out for higher rents. But there’s no reason to leave gaping holes in the sweep of summer offerings. There are creative solutions, such as allowing “pop-up shops” for local charitable organizations. Landlords should realize that being good neighbors is also part of the deal.

GOLD STAR: To Andrew Hurley and Keith Phillips for donating months of time, energy and sweat into building a replica of a historic boat as a testament to Shinnecock history. The boat, the Nowedonah, will be on exhibit for a period of time at the Southampton History Museum, allowing visitors to get a glimpse of important history, and then it will be gifted to the women of Shinnecock. It’s a terrific project that highlights the region’s maritime past, and the partnership between the nation and settlers.

DUNCE CAP: To the self-styled at-home pyrotechnicians who insist on extending the Fourth of July fireworks tradition to days and even weeks after the holiday, with little regard to neighbors who may have pets sensitive to the loud bangs. It’s great to have fun — if you don’t blow your hand off — but be respectful and limit it to the few days around the actual holiday. Better yet, just leave it to the professionals.

GOLD STAR: To the organizers of the Palm Tree Music Festival, and the Shinnecock Nation, which hosted it on a recent weekend on short notice, for a positive outcome. Another star to the attendees, who seem to have turned expectations on their head: It was a long, hot day full of music and fun, and not a lot of drama. The mere size of the event, more than 10,000 people, brought a lot of hand-wringing, but the festival has been a regular event here and has earned a reputation for getting it right. If it returns next year, perhaps everyone can just chill.

GOLD STAR: To East Hampton Little League, for once again entering its full complement of four teams into the local District 36 Tournament, the ultimate tournament for any Little League. It shows that the vitality of the league is still strong, and should serve as a blueprint for surrounding leagues on the South Fork, showing how to build a successful league.

DUNCE CAP: To Sag Harbor Mayor Tom Gardella and Trustee Ed Haye, for a clumsy roll-out of a complicated and controversial proposal to establish a local development corporation that would have the power to issue tax-exempt bonds on behalf of the village. Whether the idea is as bad as critics say it is doesn’t matter. What matters is that it appeared village officials were trying to sneak it through without sufficient review on the eve of the village election.

GOLD STAR: To the North Haven Village Board, for finally approving a basic plan for the development of a new village park on the former Lovelady Powell property and an adjoining parcel. It’s time now for the village to raise the money needed to establish basic paths, remove invasive plants and replace them with native ones, and get on with the planning of a pollinator garden, as well as a final debate over whether or not a footbridge is needed over the man-made pond on the property.

GOLD STAR: To the volunteers at Ruta27, for going beyond merely teaching language skills to new arrivals. As a recent article reported, the English classes are so much more: Instructors use the opportunity at the Ruta27 Language Lab in East Hampton to allow Spanish-speaking adults to tell their stories, creating new bonds and deeper connections to their adopted community. The nonprofit organization provides support in other ways as well. Now the program has a permanent home on Toilsome Lane, which is good news that crosses the language barrier.