Jerry Larsen’s campaign touted $132,000 raised between Sept. 9 and Dec. 16 last year, calling it “the largest fund-raising total ever recorded” in a race for the East Hampton Town supervisor seat. Some donors gave as much as $5,000, which the Suffolk County Democratic Committee alleges violated state election law.
Backlog Bedevils Overwhelmed Department
The town’s Building Department will be moving to a new suite at 300 Pantigo Place. “This will allow for scalability if more staffing is potentially requested,” Councilman David Lys said. This comes as the department works to solve ongoing staffing issues and process a backlog of hundreds of permit applications that is frustrating building professionals.
February 5, 2026
Napeague Stilt House Surrenders to the Bay
A much-photographed house on stilts that was surrounded by water since around 2004 fell into Gardiner’s Bay last weekend when the pilings holding the abandoned house, perched off the end of Mulford Lane on Napeague, snapped. On Friday, it slipped further into the frozen water.
February 5, 2026
Police & Courts
A man police allege broke into Bostwick’s Chowder House on Pantigo Road in May was charged with burglary in the third degree early on Friday.
Feb 6, 2026
East Hampton Town will acquire a parcel in Montauk’s downtown on which a multi-department public safety center housing the town’s police, Marine Patrol, Code Enforcement, and East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue operations is planned, it was announced this week.
Feb 5, 2026
Suffolk County is among nine counties that have been early backers of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Local Cops, Local Crimes proposal, a push to limit the actions of federal law enforcement in New York State.
Feb 5, 2026
Warming Centers to Open Across Town and Village
With dangerous cold and high winds expected Saturday, East Hampton Town and Village will have a number of warming centers open, from libraries to the Emergency Services Building.
Feb 6, 2026
Parking Rule Redo for Busy Montauk Road
The East Hampton Town Board intends to modify parking restrictions on Edgemere Street in Montauk, possibly in time for Memorial Day weekend, to improve public safety on a stretch of road where the Surf Lodge has tied up traffic and created dangerous conditions for motorists and pedestrians alike.
Feb 5, 2026
Government
State officials will hold a public meeting Tuesday evening at Montauk Downs to discuss a habitat restoration project in response to southern pine beetle impacts at Napeague State Park and Hither Hills State Park.
Feb 5, 2026
A United States District Court has granted a preliminary injunction allowing construction of the 924-megawatt Sunrise Wind farm in federal waters east of Montauk Point to continue. It will generate electricity sufficient to power nearly 600,000 residences.
Feb 5, 2026
How the public will use the town’s $56 million C.P.F. purchase at 66 Main Street in Wainscott came into slightly clearer focus as Scott Wilson, the land acquisition director, presented final edits on a draft management plan for the property, which will be the topic of a public hearing on March 19.
Feb 5, 2026
The East Hampton Town Trustees took another step forward in their long-discussed plan to reopen the east channel of Napeague Harbor, which began to close early in this century and has been completely closed since 2012.
Feb 5, 2026
Arts
Celebrating Love, Long Distance
The Southampton Arts Center will be the site of the Long Island premiere of “Dear Jack, Dear Louise,” a two-character play by Ken Ludwig that celebrates the cross-country courtship of his parents conducted entirely by letters.
Feb 12, 2026
A new wine movement called Cab Franc Forward is taking hold in New York. Co-founded by two Long Islanders, Gabriella Macari and Max Rohn, its mission is to make great wine while declaring cabernet franc the state’s premier grape.
Feb 12, 2026
The Church in Sag Harbor will host a performance by the pianist Baron Fenwick of original music by Roberto Scarcella Perino, an acclaimed Italian composer, and a printmaking demonstration by Samuel Havens.
Feb 12, 2026
The Sag Harbor Cinema will launch a weeklong series of classic westerns from the 1960s by John Ford, Howard Hawks, Sergio Leone, Sam Peckinpah, Gordon Douglas, David Miller, and Monte Hellman.
Feb 12, 2026
Villages
Through Loss and on to Healing
With her company, Master Grief, Toni Filipone seeks to change the perception of grief and train counselors to help others. “The five stages of grief are for people who are dying — not for the living,” she said.
Surf Safety: A Plan Brings Order to Chaos
When dealing with the unpredictability of the ocean, a systematic, disciplined approach to identifying and mitigating risk is a good place to start, Jonathan Joseph, a retired Marine Corps officer, said at a safety session hosted by Surfrider Eastern Long Island.
Freezing Fun at Harborfrost
Forecasts are calling for windy and chilly conditions this weekend, but with the notable exception of the fireworks display Saturday, the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce’s Harborfrost festivities are mostly set to proceed as planned.
Sports
Long Island Books
Food
South Fork Somm: New York Winemakers Champion Cab Franc
A new wine movement called Cab Franc Forward is taking hold in New York. Co-founded by two Long Islanders, Gabriella Macari and Max Rohn, its mission is to make great wine while declaring cabernet franc the state’s premier grape.
Feb 12, 2026
News for Foodies 02.12.26
Silver Spoon Specialties on Race Lane has four workshops coming up, on grazing, making fresh mozzarella, hors d’oeuvres, and Italian cuisine.
Feb 12, 2026
Jeff Ragovin Charts a New Path
In his award-winning video series, "Bounty Uncharted," Jeff Ragovin takes people deep-sea fishing, then brings them and their catch to his house in Springs for a group meal.
Feb 5, 2026