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Brianna Kovit

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Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Long Island Fosters Much-needed Relationships

By
Brianna Kovit
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BBBSLI held its annual winter blast event in January.

Many adults go their entire lives without experiencing the love one has for a younger sibling. Other children spend much of their youth wishing for the protection only an older sibling could provide. Across Long Island, this wish is coming true. 

Big Brothers Big Sisters Long Island (BBBSLI) provides the opportunity to reimagine a sibling relationship. Since 1977, the organization has matched adult volunteers — “Bigs” — with children ages 7 to 16 — “Littles” — who could benefit from the additional guidance and support of an outside mentor. Its mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that “ignite the power and promise of youth,” according to the group.

“BBBSLI continues to make a positive impact throughout Long Island,” said the Islandia-based group’s CEO, Mark Cox.

The relationships formed through the work of this private, nonsectarian not-for-profit are as nuanced as any other sibling relationship. There are a variety of programs that help the children’s families, and the volunteers find the right match for them. 

The Sibling Support program matches children who are the siblings of a special needs child with a mentor who will be able to give them the time and attention that their parents may not always be able to. The High School Bigs program, where younger elementary-aged “Littles” are matched with high-school-aged “Bigs,” helps the younger student to gain confidence and teaches the young adult valuable leadership skills. But, no matter the program, its success depends on consistency in the relationships.

Annually, BBBSLI “Bigs” spend more than 25,000 hours with their “Littles.” And, of all the organization’s current matches, 20 percent have been paired for more than five years.

In 1997, in order to increase service to Long island children and their families, the organization expanded to create the Donation Center. Six days a week, BBBSLI sends out a fleet of trucks across Long Island to pick up gently used items. In partnership with SAVERS stores, these donations are turned into much-needed funds, of which 100 percent supports Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island. 

“I am always inspired by the work that is going on at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island as they work to foster the next generation of leaders in government, business, the arts and science,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. “We are encouraging anyone who can spare a few hours a month to strongly consider getting involved and help make a real difference in a child’s life.”

A list of acceptable donation items, information regarding scheduling a pick up, and instructions on how to become a “Big” can be found on its websitebbbsli.org/donation-center

New Takes on ‘The Great Gatsby’ Coming as Classic Novel Enters Public Domain in 2021

By
Brianna Kovit
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The Great Gatsby
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Jay Gatsby.

Scott Fitzgerald called Great Neck home for only two years in the early 1920s, but the then-budding Gold Coast community left such an enduring impression that it birthed the vision for The Great Gatsby. 

For the last 95 years, that vision has been protected under copyright laws. No literary remakes, movie adaptations, or theatrical productions could be created without approval from the Fitzgerald Trust. But, nothing lasts forever, and the copyright is set to expire in January. Anyone who has ever had their own vision for the high school required reading can finally turn their dreams into reality. 

“We’re just very grateful to have had it under copyright, not just for the rather obvious benefits, but to try and safeguard the text, to guide certain projects and try to avoid unfortunate ones,” Blake Hazard, the late author’s great-granddaughter and a trustee of his literary estate, told The Associated Press. “We’re now looking to a new period and trying to view it with enthusiasm, knowing some exciting things may come.”

Might Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan be reimagined in the Wild West? Maybe as superheroes? On Mars? Anything’s possible, now.

First up is Nick, a Gatsby prequel that tells the story of narrator Nick Carraway’s life before meeting Jay. Little, Brown and Company is set to publish the novel on Jan. 5, 2021, days after the Gatsby copyright expires on New Year’s Day.

“Whenever a great work comes into the public domain, it is an opportunity for tremendous creativity,” said Beth Horn, executive director of the Sands Point Preserve Conservancy. “You can take the source and really give it a new life, a new shape, and a new audience. It’s got all kinds of potential.”

The Sands Point Preserve Conservancy holds a special kind of potential when it comes to reimagining Fitzgerald’s work. It is situated in Sands Point, the exact location that inspired “East Egg,” and sits on the large Guggenheim Estate, which resembles the grandeur of the novel’s setting. This preserve is as close to a real life Gatsby as it gets.

“If the conservancy were to undertake doing a production, we would bring in literary experts to guide,” said Horn. “We wouldn’t just go off on a tangent.”

Great Gatsby book cover
The flapper with the sultry figures in her eyes evokes the provocative mood of the times on the cover of the first edition of The Great Gatsby.

The Sands Point Preserve Conservancy has hosted many Gatsby-themed parties and dinners in the past, but a free-rein production on the very land Fitzgerald intended would cross an unprecedented line between fiction and reality. 

“It would be entirely recognizable,” said Horn. “We would honor the original work and we would adapt it for the space and time.” 

Ironically, the original work get much attention when it was first published in 1925. When Fitzgerald died 15 years later, it was considered a flop. The book didn’t gain its Great American Novel status until after World War II, when it became the read of choice for homesick soldiers in the Army, according to NPR.

The themes of finding the American dream and growing from rags to riches resonated both then and now. 

“It just has this timeless quality to it,” said Keith Klang, library director of the Port Washington Public Library. “Even though it’s set in a previous time, the themes and the ideas are still relevant today.”

The Great Gatsby has been adapted several times before. From a silent film released shortly after the original publication in 1925 to the eight-hour stage show Gatz in which the entire book was read in 2010 and the Oscar-winning Baz Luhrmann production in 2013 starring Leonardo Dicaprio. With any adaptation, there is a risk that the original story will not be honored, but especially once the story is part of the public domain. 

“I think the pros here outweigh the cons,” said Klang of the novel’s integrity potentially being hurt once it enters the public domain. “The novel will always be the novel and I think people will continue to go back to that novel and read the text for what it was.”

Related Story: From Great Neck to Great Gatsby: F. Scott Fitzgerald’s L.I. Journey

Related Story: In Her Own Way: Zelda Fitzgerald

Related Story: Great Gatsby Book Sales Soar as Film Debut Nears

For more entertainment coverage, visit longislandpress.com/category/entertainment

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Apple & Eve: The Juice King of Long Island

By
Brianna Kovit
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In 1975, Hofstra Law student Gordon Crane was in search of a way to pay his tuition bills. His solution? Found a (now multimillion-dollar) juice business. 

In the beginning, Crane partnered with a cider mill in the Hudson Valley to press fresh apples. Unsurprisingly, the company’s first best-selling product was apple juice. Based in Port Washington, Apple & Eve was originally a niche northeast success. By the time Crane earned his unused law degree in 1978, the company had earned its first $1 million in revenue. 

“The whole concept of Apple & Eve is all-natural,” Crane told The New York Times. 

In 1982, the company became the first to sell 100 percent juice products in brick-pack single-serve boxes, according to Long Island Business News. Today, these are a kid’s lunchbox staple item. 

The taste of each juice used to be catered to Crane’s taste buds, except in the case of the children’s line, described as nothing but juice. When deciding on the flavor, Crane preferred a more tart juice but his quality control team insisted kids would prefer a sweeter drink. In 1992, Crane visited his niece Felicia’s third-grade class in Plainview to settle a taste test debate. 

The results? Kids liked it sweet. Kids won. 

In 1999, Apple & Eve introduced a line of Sesame Street-branded juices which featured Muppets on the packaging. This was the first time that the program’s parent company permitted a food product to use its characters to sell to kids and their families. This collaboration contributed to the juice brand’s steadily growing annual earnings.

In 2014, Crane sold his company to Canada’s Lassonde Industries Inc. for $150 million in cash. Apple & Eve has 14 juice-making plants across the country but is still headquartered in Port Washington. Lassonde, which is based in Quebec, reached out to Apple & Eve in an effort to enter the branded juice business in this country.

Crane, who serves as chief executive officer, and his brother, Executive Vice President Cary Crane remain with the company.

“This isn’t an asset,” Gordon Crane told Long Island Business News. “This is my life… something that I truly love to do.”

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10 Best Long Island Horseback Riding Trails

By
Brianna Kovit
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Horseback riding is a great way to discover Long Island’s hidden natural beauty. (National Park Service photo)

The coronavirus pandemic has pushed many Long Islanders to find social-distance-friendly ways to get out and appreciate the place they call home. One such way? Horseback riding. 

Long Island is home to many equestrian trails that offer miles of endless adventures. Whether someone’s never been on the back of a horse before or they are a trail riding expert, this is an activity that allows people of all experience levels to enjoy all the beauty the region has to offer. 

“Horses are for everyone,” says Diana Russo, owner of DDR Farm in Melville, which offers lessons and trail rides. “It’s usually total beginners and they go out with this look of horror and they come back with this happy everlast face.”

And the best part is, there’s no worrying about whether or not the horses are wearing masks!

BABYLON RIDING CENTER
Located at Belmont Lake State Park, this riding center provides a convenient location to learn a new skill and take in the beautiful scenery of the area. Riders have the option of a 30- or 60-minute lesson and reservations are required. 1500 Peconic Ave., West Babylon, 631-587-7778, babylonridingcenterny.com

BETHPAGE EQUESTRIAN CENTER
The self-proclaimed “premier spot for horseback riding on Long Island,” this equestrian center provides guided hour-long trail rides through Bethpage State Park with gorgeous views of the Bethpage State Park Golf Course. Rides are one hour long and operate every day, weather permitting. 499 Winding Rd., Old Bethpage, 516-845-1000, bethpageequestriancenter.com

BIG RIVER BARN RESCUE, INC.
This trail riding spot doubles as a horse rescue initiative. It helps the animals recover from any injuries and rehabilitate them for a new life where they can support themselves, namely through going out on trail rides. Located in the Muttontown Preserve, this hidden gem serves rides that range from an hour and 15 minutes to more than four hours upon request. 1864 Muttontown Rd., Syosset, 516-650-0016, bigriverbarn.com

DDR FARM
Located in West Hills County Park, DDR Farm provides scenic trail rides all year round. Walk-ins are accepted, but a reservation is recommended to avoid a long wait. 412 Sweet Hollow Rd., Melville, 631-616-9656, ddrfarm.com

DEEP HOLLOW RANCH
The oldest working ranch in the United States, this family run business offers not only trail rides but one-of-a-kind beach rides along the Long Island Sound as well. Experience a beautiful coastline in the most extraordinary way. 8 Old Montauk Hwy., Montauk, 631-668-2744, deephollowranch.com 

NASSAU EQUESTRIAN CENTER
Located adjacent to the Muttontown Preserve, this equestrian center provides trail rides along miles of scenic paths. Walk or trot along in either an English or Western saddle here. Children with no prior riding experience are required to take one lesson before being sent out on the trail. 62 Route 106, Jericho, 516-342-1771, nassauequestriancenter.com

NATIVITY RIDING ACADEMY
This Ridge horseback riding spot is home to horses named “Nativity’s Angel” and “Nativity’s Prince,” who are known to provide a great trail riding experience. 48 Woodlot Rd., Ridge, 631-504-0085, nativity-riding-academy.com

NEW YORK EQUESTRIAN CENTER
Next to the 775 acres of Hempstead Lake State Park, New York Equestrian Center has 9 miles of dedicated bridle paths. From horseback, riders have a view of the beach, five lakes, the hills of the Hempstead Private Country Club golf course and more. 633 Eagle Ave., West Hempstead, 516-486-9673, mynyec.com

PARKVIEW RIDING CENTER
Located in Connetquot State Park, this equestrian center provides hour-long trail rides along the scenic Connetquot River State Park Preserve from sunrise to sunset. Rides are available by appointment and are offered from beginner to advanced levels. 989 Connetquot Ave., Central Islip, 631-581-9477, parkviewridingcenter.com

ROCKY POINT PINE BARRENS STATE FOREST
This state forest is home to five horseback riding trails that make up almost 20 miles of bridle paths in addition to trails for mountain biking, hiking, and more. NY-25A, Rocky Point, 800-456-2267, dec.ny.gov/lands/75900.html

For more guides about things to do on Long Island, visit longislandpress.com/category/everything-long-island

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The Great Migration: How The Pandemic Is Boosting Competition in The Long Island Housing Market

By
Brianna Kovit
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New York City residents are moving to Long Island and LI residents are upgrading. (Getty Images)

The Long Island residential real estate market has bid farewell to the coronavirus-driven slump and said hello to a pandemic-inducted boom. 

After months of at-home lockdown, both New York City dwellers and Long Island natives are looking for upgraded spacious homes on the Island. Before the pandemic outbreak, for many, the home was a place to eat, sleep, and spend some family time. Today, it is everything. 

“They’re coming from Manhattan. They’re coming from Brooklyn,” said Todd Bourgard, a Hamptons real estate broker for Douglas Elliman Real Estate. “What they’ve realized is that they can remotely work from home. That’s become a real viable new option for them.”

Nationwide, there was a 20.7 percent increase in existing-home sales — which includes single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums, and co-ops — between May and June of this year, according to the National Association of Realtors. 

The total home sales volume for the Hamptons market skyrocketed 34 percent from $1.4 billion in 2019 to nearly $2 billion so far in 020, according to the Town & Country Real Estate Hamptons Mid-Year 2020 Home Sales Report. 

The drastic increase is largely credited to the Village of Southampton, which had five of the nine sales above $20 million. The most common sales, however, are between $1 million and $4 million for a single-family home. 

“Most of them that are coming out here have been here before and I think they really view it as a good investment,” said Bourgard. “Many have rented, some came out for weeks at a time, vacationing out here. It’s a place they’re familiar with and love to be at.” 

The North Fork has not experienced the same increased prices as elsewhere on the Island. The East End experienced the most substantial rate of annual decline in listing inventory in at least 13 years of tracking, according to the Douglas Elliman Market Report. 

While the Hamptons have become a haven for those evacuating the city, many homebuyers who already live in Nassau and Suffolk counties are moving elsewhere on Long Island. 

The average sales price for Nassau and Suffolk grew 4.3 percent from $523,997 to $546,399, including condo and one- to three-family sales, according to Douglas Elliman Real Estate’s Quarterly Market Report, provided by Miller Samuel Inc. appraisers and consultants.

“There are people moving up from their first-time home,” said Ann Conroy, CEO of Douglas Elliman Real Estate’s Long Island Division. “There are people moving out from Queens and the city. Most of it is actual Long Islanders who intend to live on Long Island. 

“The percentage of people coming from outside of the Long Island marketplace obviously adds to the new influx of buyers but it’s not everybody,” she continued. “Everybody thinks it’s everybody coming from the city and that’s just not true.”

At the peak of the pandemic, Manhattan residents wanted to escape their close quarters — but so did everyone else. The Long Island real estate market has become a post-quarantine game of who can get the most space with the most versatility.  

“People like their space now,” said Conroy. “They like their larger homes. They’re looking for amenities in their homes. For example, an office space so that they can work without noise from the family. They like recreational things like pools; they like gyms in their houses…The home has become a little bit more of an all-purpose center.”

Unsurprisingly, condominiums on Long Island, including the Hamptons, have dropped in price and sales. 

Remarkably low interest rates are powering the higher selling prices throughout the Island. As of mid-July, rates had fallen to as low as 3.24 percent for a 30-year fixed mortgage rate, according to Bankrate.com. High demand, low inventory, and an anomaly of a low interest rate make the perfect recipe to sell a home. 

“It’s very important that people evaluate their lifestyle, and where they are and where they want to be…,” said Conroy. “It’s really about the home becoming so much more important. That’s what is really driving this.”

For more real estate news, visit longislandpress.com/category/real-estate

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Back-to-School Shopping Lists Shift Amid Pandemic

By
Brianna Kovit
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FILE PHOTO: Walmart department manager Karren Gomes helps stock shelves with school supplies as the retail store prepare for back to school shoppers in San Diego, California August 6, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

Just like the upcoming school year, annual back-to-school shopping is going to look quite different during the coronavirus pandemic.

As Long Island schools work out their reopening plans for the fall, Long Island parents are working out their back-to-school shopping lists. And some brand new binders and backpacks are not making the cut.

“I do not plan to buy any new things,” said Avital Madjar of Woodmere of purchasing new supplies for her elementary, high school, and college-aged children.

On a national scale, the accounting firm Deloitte projects that $28.1 billion will be spent on back-to-school items this year, which is roughly consistent with that of 2019. The consultancy, however, estimates that this is because a stronger spending on electronic supplies will neutralize the steep decline in spending on traditional back-to-school items such as clothing and notebooks.

But spending varies regionally and so does schools reopening. The deadline for LI schools to submit their fall plans to the state government was on July 31. A concrete plan — whether that’s entirely remote, in-person, or a combination of the two — could greatly reassure parents of what they should be buying in preparation of the new unprecedented school year. On the other hand, time has proven that all plans made during the age of the coronavirus should indeed be taken with a grain of salt.

It all comes down to uncertainty.

Once many adults started working from home in the spring, companies such as Wayfair Inc. and West Elm parent Williams-Sonoma Inc. indicated that the sales for home office furniture spiked. Might there be a similar jump in the demand for miniature desks and bean bag chairs for those students sticking out remote learning?

Similarly, back-to-college shopping is just as up in the air. Some universities plan to work entirely remotely, some have committed to welcoming students back to campus, and some still don’t know. And who’s to say students who move into their dorms at the end of August won’t be sent home because of a campus coronavirus crisis by October? Before students and their parents can worry about buying dorm decor, they need to feel confident they’ll get the time to enjoy it. And,

Deloitte estimates that parents of college students will spend around $25.4 billion this year on school items, while parents with children in elementary, middle, or high school will spend $28.1 billion. The firm found that online-only shopping options were appealing to 58 percent of parents of college students as well as 44 percent of parents of kids in K-12 grades.

A bulk of all school supply shopping is expected to take place online, either via delivery or curbside pickup, as consumers are still wary of entering public spaces. Gap Inc. has reported that its e-commerce sales increased more than 100 percent from the previous year in the month of May, and Macy’s Inc. shared an online sale growth of 80 percent during the same period. As physical retailers continue to open up, this growth will likely settle but it does suggest that major back-to-school retailers will need to adapt their merchandising strategy for a new shopping climate.

Once school reopening plans are more conclusive, parents will make their final decisions about their children’s plans for the fall and what supplies their children may need.

“I want the kids to go back because I think being isolated from peers is damaging, emotionally and intellectually,” said Madjar. “That being said, I am nervous about everyone’s health, the death rate, and getting our economy back on track. That is all directly tied to schools reopening.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is set to release a decision on whether or not schools will reopen during the first week of August.

“We want to make that decision with the best available data because facts change here day to day and week to week,” said Cuomo.

Related Story: Coronavirus Concerns Loom Over Fall College Semester Plans on Long Island

Related Story: Back To School Season Anxiety Abounds on Long Island Amid Coronavirus Uncertainty

For more education coverage, visit longislandpress.com/category/education

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No Cure For Sharing A Name With A Global Pandemic

By
Brianna Kovit
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The novel coronavirus affects many people in particularly novel ways — some more than others. In my case, it’s been akin to sharing a name with a deadly hurricane. But worse.

My name is Brianna Kovit. I’m 19 years old, and COVID-19 is really trying it’s best to kill my vibe. Before going any further, I want to take a moment to thank the virus gods for waiting until college to drag my last name through the mud. It is duly appreciated. 

Just before vacating my freshman year of college in Allentown, Pen. to quarantine at home on Long Island, I started to hear talk of COVID on the news. Despite the phonetic similarity between the name of the virus and my own, I tried to convince myself that these were obviously very different words. 

Whenever I said COVID, I would place emphasis on the “D” sound: “covi-DUH.” See? Different! 

I wondered if anyone in my life was making the linguistic connection and correlating it back to me. Was I the subject of whispers? If this went on, would people be afraid to associate with me? Would people think I could give them the virus? Can I sue all major news outlets for slander? 

For a while, I kept daily tabulations on which name would prevail in public discourse, coronavirus or COVID. I also saw “Ms. Rona” and really hoped that would take off. But, alas, no matter how tightly I cross my fingers, coronavirus has too many syllables and, just my luck, COVID flows right off the tongue. (Still hoping that Ms. Rona can catch on.)

The first time my college roommate called me “Kovit-19,” I knew it wasn’t just me. Others could hear this too. Here I was, a nice college girl minding her own business, and all of a sudden my name is inextricably linked with the first major pandemic of the 21st century. Why me?! 

Why not the Smith virus? Or Jones-19? At least then, the shame could be diffused among the many, instead of spotlighted on me and my equally astonished family members. 

Are we famous or infamous? Is this what they mean when they talk about your 15 minutes of fame? Can’t wait for them to be up! 

Since entering quarantine, nine out of 10 of my family’s grocery deliveries have come with a variation of “KOVID,” “COVIT,” and plain, “COVID” written on the boxes. If I weren’t in the situation I am, I’d take this to be a hate crime. Imagine getting a shipment of COVID to your door! 

I have had multiple encounters on the dating app, Hinge, where the guy’s opening line is to tell me that my name sounds “eerily” similar to the virus. And who says romance is dead?

When I went to vote, I spelled my last name for the clerk and she still mistakenly typed it out as “K-O-V-I-D!” Can’t you hear it? It’s a ‘T’ not a ‘D’! ‘T’ as in testing center! “T’ as in transmission rate! ‘T’ as in toilet paper!

Thankfully, I’m 19 years old and my ego can handle this mild hit. The truth is, my family name, in its original form, is “Chovet,” the Yiddish word for honor. It comes from the word “Kavod” in Hebrew, which also means honor. 

When my great-grandfather arrived at Ellis Island from Poland, the immigration officer presumably could not understand the guttural “Ch” sound of Yiddish, and thus anglicized it to Kovit. For that, despite any freaky similarity to a pandemic, I’ll always carry my name as it was intended, with honor. 

That being said, I am very much looking forward to Ms. Rona — it will catch on! — exiting the stage. But until that happens, I will count down the days to my 20th birthday, when I will no longer be Kovit-19.

For more editorials visit longislandpress.com/category/perspectives

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Steiger Craft: Long Island’s Last Boat Builder

By
Brianna Kovit
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Steiger Craft’s 21 DV MIAMI.

Years ago, Long Island superstar Billy Joel commuted from Oyster Bay into Manhattan on a one-of-a-kind 23-foot inboard boat. It’s no surprise that, today, Steiger Craft, the company that built and sold the boat to him, sails strong as the last major boat-building operation on LI. 

When Alan Steiger founded his Bellport-based company in 1972, he wasn’t looking to sell boats to the likes of Billy Joel — he just wanted to avoid working for his family’s baking business. More interested in clams than cupcakes, Steiger knew his career would cater to the sea, not the kitchen. Alas, he found his niche in constructing fishing boats.

“We never really tried to be the biggest boat company in the world,” Steiger told The Fisherman Magazine. “We’re just trying to be the best boat company in the world for what we do.”

Originally, Steiger was building boats intended only for commercial fishermen but soon realized that he could cater to sport fishermen as well. Essentially, every fisherman wants the same thing — a boat that drifts well, has a stable platform, and can withstand some ice in the wintertime. 

Steiger’s secret? Fiberglass. A nonbiodegradable material, fiberglass hulls cannot break. It’s the reason Steiger has never needed to pay a dime in warranty. These boats have never failed. 

Steiger Craft has managed to stay at the top of its industry because, in addition to their boats’ top-of-the-line structure, they are always evolving. By the mid-1990s, the company was designing deep-V hulls that brought their inventory from boats only suitable for the shallow waters of the bay to full recreational ocean fishing capabilities. 

“We’re making changes every year to all of our boats,” Steiger told Soundings Online. “We recently changed the freeboard on the 21, 23, and 25, and now we’re changing the freeboard on the 28 and 31.”

Steiger Craft prides itself on the fact that all its construction is done by hand. In that way, this business has an old-fashioned feel. But its use of the latest materials, technologies, and engineering show that this boat maker is anything but behind.

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Hamptons Leaders Question Cuomo’s Comments on Social Distancing Violations

By
Brianna Kovit
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A woman carries her surfboard from the beach in the Hamptons.

Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman pushed back against Gov. Andrew Cuomo‘s claims of the Hamptons of being a “problem” area in regards to executing safe reopening protocols from the coronavirus shutdown.

​Cuomo recently named the Hamptons and Manhattan as leading areas of reopening related violations out of about 25,000 complaints statewide. Cuomo said that many of these complaints were about unsafe interactions in restaurant and bar settings — and if such non-compliance continued, he said that he would shut down businesses again.

The Hamptons and Manhattan are both currently in phase two of the reopening plan, with Long Island entering phase three on Wednesday.

In a letter sent to Cuomo on June 15, Schneider wrote, “as Supervisor of the largest Town in the Hampton’s region, I am aware of your comments during the June 14tg COVID-19 press conference where you stated that ‘The Hamptons’ region is not enforcing compliance with the re-opening guidance.”

The Hamptons region consists of two towns and eight villages on Long Island’s South Fork; there are seven independent police departments and a similar number of ordinance departments, Schneiderman said.

“Did you mean to imply that every local jurisdiction is ignoring the state rules? At the press conference you said ‘The Hamptons’ were a problem area,” he wrote.

Southampton Town has enforced the accommodations enacted by the state including social distancing requirements, mask wearing regulations, non-essential business restrictions, and limitations on gatherings.

“Our agencies are quick to investigate complaints of non-compliance,” he wrote. “We receive concerns regarding non-compliance from Suffolk 311 as well as through our own departments. We speak regularly on conference calls with your local representatives who have never raised concerns about a pattern of non-compliance in our area or even a single concern about a business ignoring the requirements.”

​Schneiderman concluded the letter asking Cuomo to forward any of the 25,000 complaints Cuomo received that pertain to Southampton Town so that local law enforcement could properly investigate them.

​

Long Island Farmer’s Market Guide 2020

By
Brianna Kovit
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Babylon: Babylon LIRR Parking Lot, 126 N Carll Ave., Sundays 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 

East Hampton: Calvary Baptist Church, 60 Spinner Ln. Fridays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 

Farmingdale: Farmingdale Village Green, 361 Main St. Sundays 10 a.m.-3 p.m. through Nov. 22.

Hampton Bays: St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 165 Ponquogue Ave. Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. through Sept. 1. 

Islip: Town Hall Parking Lot, 655 Main St. Saturdays 7 a.m.-12 p.m. through Nov. 21. 

Lake Grove: Smith Haven Mall. Thursdays 4 p.m.-7 p.m. through Oct. 1. 

Long Beach: Kennedy Plaza, 1 West Chester St. Wednesdays 9 a.m.-2 p.m. through Nov. 21 Saturdays 9 a.m.-2 p.m. through Nov 25. 

Malverne: Crossroads Farm, 480 Hempstead Ave. Fridays 3 p.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Starting June 19. 

Montauk: Montauk Green, 742 Montauk Hwy. Thursdays 9 a.m.-2 p.m. through Sept. 3. 

New Cassel: First Baptist Cathedral of Westbury, 212 Garden St. Saturdays 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Starting July 11 through Oct. 31. 

Northport: At the foot of Main Street in the Cow Harbor parking lot, Saturdays 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Starting June 20 through Nov. 21. 

Old Bethpage: 140 Bethpage-Sweet Hollow Rd. Tuesdays & Thursdays 3 p.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays 10 a.m.-1 p.m. through Oct. 31. 

Patchogue: East Side of the Patchogue LIRR Parking Lot, Division Street and Ocean Avenue. Sundays 9 a.m.-2 p.m. through Nov. 8. 

Port Jefferson: Jeanne Garant Harborfront Park, 101 East Bwy. Sundays 9 a.m.-2 p.m. through Sept. 13. 

Port Washington: Town dock, Main St. at Covert St., Saturdays 8 a.m.-12 p.m. through Oct. 31. 

Rockville Centre: Long Beach Road and Sunrise Highway, railroad parking lot No. 12. Sundays 7 a.m.-12 p.m. through Nov. 22.

Rocky Point: 115 Prince Rd. Sundays 8 a.m.-1 p.m. through Nov. 24. 

Roslyn: Christopher Morley Park, 500 Searington Rd. Wednesdays 7 a.m.-1 p.m. through Nov. 25. 

Seaford: Railroad St., East End of Parking Lot of Seaford LIRR Station. Saturdays 7 a.m.-12 p.m. through Nov. 21. 

Sag Harbor: Corner of Bay St. and Burke St. Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. through Oct. 31. 

Sayville: Islip Grange, 10 Broadway Ave. Saturdays 9 a.m.-2 p.m. through Nov. 

Sea Cliff: St. Boniface Church, 145 Glen Ave. Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Opening day TBD.

Shelter Island: Shelter Island Historical Society, 16 South Ferry Rd. Saturdays 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. through Sept. 5. 

Southampton: Agawam Park, Sundays 9 a.m.-3 p.m. through Columbus Day Weekend.

Westbury: Parking Lot, 1500 Old Country Rd. Sundays 7 a.m.-1 p.m. through Nov. 29 Thursdays 7 a.m.-1 p.m. through Nov. 30. 

Westhampton: Westhampton Beach Village Green, Mill Road and Main Street. Sundays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. through Nov. 15. 

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