Southampton Press / Column / 1765531

Storm Surges

It was no coincidence that last week we saw the combination of destructive storms in America’s interior and an escalating crisis on the country’s southern border. These are two of... more

Suffolk Police Unions Indeed Wield Exceptional Political Clout

It was quite a blast at the power of the Suffolk police unions in The New York Times last month — two full pages with the headline “The County Where Cops Call The Shots.” The county is Suffolk, and the article was written by Farah Stockman, a member of The Times editorial board. It began by quoting a person who cannot be described as “anti-police” — Suffolk Legislator Rob Trotta, “a cranky Republican county legislator on Long Island who worked as a [Suffolk] cop for 25 years,” an “unlikely voice for police reform.” He’s “full of praise for the rank ... 14 Apr 2021 by Karl Grossman

The Spring Of Bystanders And Racial Reckonings

It’s spring, and hate is in the air. Or, more accurately and refreshingly, a reckoning with it. I’ve been the object of hate. I’ve also witnessed it. I was reminded of that fact by the cosmic conjoining of the recent spate of hate crimes against Asian Americans and the trial of Derek Chauvin, the white former Minneapolis police officer whose knee pinned George Floyd, a Black man, allegedly leading to Mr. Floyd’s death. Three years ago, as I was walking along lower Sixth Avenue on one of those crisp late spring afternoons when the blue of the sky has the ... by Carlos Sandoval

Community News for April 15, 2021

Hampton Bays Music Program Applauded The Hampton Bays School District has been honored with a ... 13 Apr 2021 by My27east

People News for April 15, 2021

Welcome to the World, John Dominick Christine and Dominick Abbate, of the Brockett Funeral Home ... by My27east

Nonprofit News for April 15, 2021

Seven Local Nonprofits Launch the East End Fund for Children This week, seven local nonprofit organizations announced the launch of the East End Fund for Children. Designed to meet the needs of the community’s most vulnerable during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the Fund for Children will help coordinate the efforts and build the capacity of these vital community partners through joint fundraising and collaborative programming. The seven nonprofit organizations involved in the fund include the Bridgehampton Child Care & Recreational Center, the Children’s Museum of the East End, the Eleanor Whitmore Early Childhood Center, i-Tri, Project MOST, The Retreat and ... by My27east

Community News for April 15, 2021

East End Farm to Food Pantry: Addressing Food Insecurity on the East End The Peconic Land Trust, 292 Hampton Road in Southampton, will host “Farm to Food Pantry: Addressing Food Insecurity on the East End” on Wednesday, April 21, from 6 to 7 p.m. Food insecurity on the East End has been exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic, affecting many families. Learn about the Peconic Land Trust’s Farm to Food Pantry Program and the organizations that have worked alongside the Trust to help address the problem. Moderated by Jill Schlesinger, the Emmy-nominated and Gracie Award Winning Business Analyst for CBS News, ... by My27east

The First Day Of Planting

The surveillance camera that is on the post at the beach parking lot is not yet being used to enforce the rules. But a sign, propped on a traffic barrel at the entrance, leaves open the possibility. The public beach is a pet-free zone, and ignoring that rule may result in a fine. When the weather begins to warm up, so do the ordinances and signage. Take a step onto the beach and where you expect a deep breath and a sense of freedom you are again met with more restrictions. The thin and flimsy line that protects plovers and ... by Marilee Foster

A Life Of Death

It was “a dark chapter in Long Island’s labor history,” as notes a just-published and important book, “Long Island Migrant Labor Camps: Dust for Blood.” The book relates the building and operation between the early 1940s and the 1960s of more than 100 migrant farm labor camps in Suffolk County. “Thousands of migrant workers, lured by promises of good wages and decent housing, flocked to eastern Long Island, where they were often cheated out of pay and housed in deadly slum-like conditions. Preyed on by corrupt camp operators and entrapped in a feudal system that left them mired in debt, ... 6 Apr 2021 by Karl Grossman

A Column Almost No One Will Read

The wife, excited, from an adjacent room: “Ooh, what’s your absolute favorite thing?” Me: “Beer?” “No!” “Golf?” “No!!” “Sex?” “No!!!” “The beach?” “NO!!!!” I was stumped. There were other things? “Lamination!” she said, showing off something about to be laminated. It is true that I have a weakness for laminating anything (or at least having someone else do so, because I don’t know how), but it did occur to me later that I left something else off the list (other than my wife). And that is the United States Men’s National Soccer Team. (Sound of newsprint being diverted to wrap ... by Tim Motz

Witnessing Spring

The crocus is almost nothing. The petals, conversely suited for the nighttime freeze, are a saturated stroke of pigment in thin air. A lone bee works the saffron centers of these tough and early flowers. If you can, stop and listen. Rule out the ambient noise of man’s industry, listen down, more closely to the garden, and you’ll be able to hear worms move in the leaf litter. Everyone likes to make tidy order in spring. The tradition is tied to the function of being organized and prepared, and it is symbolically based in cleanliness. In the Hamptons, where everything ... by Marilee Foster