- The East Hampton Star
- Posts
- Main Newsletter May 2
Main Newsletter May 2
May 2, 2026
Today: Showers early with clouds in the afternoon, high 55, winds south-southwest at 5 to 10 miles per hour. Tonight: Cloudy with some rain, low 41. Tomorrow: A mix of sun and clouds, high 57, winds west-northwest at 10 to 20 miles per hour. Sunset tonight: 7:46. Sunrise tomorrow: 5:44.
The East Hampton Village Board has codified that village personnel will not participate in federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions, nor assist civil immigration enforcement efforts, nor will village facilities be used to detain people solely for civil immigration enforcement absent a judicial warrant.
By Christopher Walsh
 | A two-vehicle crash on Napeague near the Ocean Colony Resort Tuesday morning resulted in serious injuries, according to East Hampton Town police, and traffic backups on the stretch for much of the afternoon. Detectives were still investigating as of Wednesday. By Leigh Goodstein |
 | Sensational mentions of a flesh-eating bacterium aside, the State of the Bays symposium at the Stony Brook Southampton campus offered dire news regarding degraded waterways and climate change. By Christopher Walsh |
 | The Vibrio vulnificus “flesh eating” bacterium “is not unusual in warm saltwater or brackish environments and does not necessarily indicate pollution or a widespread public health emergency,” the Southampton Town Trustees said in an advisory issued following a social media post that went viral. By Christopher Walsh |
 | Seasonal bans on gas-powered leaf blowers differ from one municipality to another, and there's a growing call for gas blowers to be phased out completely in favor of electric ones. By Christopher Gangemi |
 | At East Hampton High School’s annual Science Research Symposium last week, 25 seniors shared their findings from three years of scientific research under the guidance of mentors in their chosen field, while sophomores and juniors offered a glimpse of their inquiries so far. By Alison Morris Roslyn |
 | Three is the magic number in the East Hampton School District. Taxpayers will see three bond propositions on the ballot on May 19, along with the annual school budget and the school board elections. By Alison Morris Roslyn |
 | When Councilman Tom Flight and Councilwoman Cate Rogers fell into a debate last week about proposed income limits for a pilot program that would provide community housing fund grants for the construction of affordable dwelling units, or A.D.U.s, it was a sign of how far the town has come, in just the last year, to incentivize residents to build them. By Christopher Gangemi |
 | A vote that would have amended and ostensibly weakened the 53-year-old Endangered Species Act was scheduled by House Republican leadership for April 22 but was not held, after enough rank-and-file Republicans, including Representative Andrew Garbarino from Long Island’s Second District, spoke out publicly against its provisions. By Christopher Gangemi |
 | The New York State Democratic Committee issued a list of elected officials in Suffolk and Nassau Counties who have endorsed Gov. Kathy Hochul for re-election, in an announcement that coincided with the launch of an effort to tie Nassau Executive Bruce Blakeman, her Republican opponent, to President Trump. By Christopher Walsh |
 | What appeared to at first be a benign application for a building permit in Sag Harbor Village turned into anything but last week at the zoning board of appeals meeting — with the applicants accusing board members of privately opposing their project and the owner of the property accusing the applicants of forgery. By Leigh Goodstein |
 | An East Hampton Village resident who successfully sued the village for revoking his permit to park in one of the lots at Main Beach and ordering him to clear out his locker at the Main Beach pavilion suggested last week that he might sue the village for defamation of character, libel, and slander. By Christopher Walsh |
 | Sag Harbor Village adopted its 2026-27 budget on April 17, ushering in an 8-percent tax rate increase. The $17.6 million budget is up over 10 percent from last year. By Leigh Goodstein |
 | Town residents can now go online to apply for beach parking and beach driving permits, both of which are free. By Christopher Gangemi |
 | Over the weekend, East Hampton’s 4-by-400-meter relay team — Jasper Samuelson, Emmett Schumann, Hudson Goulart, and Liam Knight — ran their best time of the season and Bonac’s best in that event in a decade. By Alison Morris Roslyn |
 | Music, dancing, and a buzzer-beater for the home team. Unified hoops “are my favorite events of the year,” Kathy Masterson, the district’s athletic director, said. “I wouldn’t miss them for the world.” By Alison Morris Roslyn |
 | Last week the Bonackers erased the zero from their record, notching their first victory of the season in extra-inning walk-off fashion against Eastport-South Manor. By Alison Morris Roslyn |
 | The East Hampton High School softball team hasn’t lost back-to-back games this season and is undefeated at home. By Alison Morris Roslyn |
 | A group of elementary school girls with goggles and lacrosse sticks gathered at the turf field on Stephen Hand’s Path last month was proof that our community created something good in the wake of Covid. By Alison Morris Roslyn |
 | The L.I.R.R.’s Fishermen’s Special to Montauk and Hampton Bays was once a convenient and popular rail service for urban anglers. The photo here is from 1946. By Julia Tyson |
Also in the News
Opinion | Columnists |
From real estate to the environment, from the cultural zeitgeist to changing demographics in our neighborhoods, The Star's core mission is to be the source of information for those who want to understand the South Fork. We invite you to partner with us to ensure that The Star's independent coverage remains strong and available when it matters most — in emergencies, policy debates, land preservation, and community decisions. Everyone should be able to access local news. But producing trustworthy news and information takes great resources and investment in people and in time. Your support will help keep The Star's essential reporting affordable and accessible to all. We hope you will consider a one-time or monthly gift, which will enable us to bring you more of the in-depth news you have come to expect, as well as underwrite our beloved EAST magazine. Donations are tax-deductible. Please share this message! Thank you, David Rattray |  For Donor Advised Funds, gifts of stock, or crypto please visit altnewsfoundation.org/easthampton-star Checks can be made out to Alternative Newsweekly Foundation with East Hampton Star in the memo and sent to: The East Hampton Star |