Government

The Town of East Hampton appears to be following the lead of other municipalities on the South Fork in moving to enact restrictions on the use of gas or diesel-powered leaf blowers.

East Hampton can take a large step toward deriving its energy needs from renewable sources by joining 61 other municipalities in New York State with an active community choice aggregation program, speakers said during a webinar on the topic on Monday.

Poll workers are needed more than ever before as the threat of the pandemic looms over older populations afraid to work on Election Day because they may be at increased risk for Covid-19.

The most recent test of the air quality at the Manor House complex, a new affordable housing development on Accabonac Road in East Hampton, once again found elevated levels of volatile organic compounds in the units' basements, according to Tom Ruhle, director of the town's office of housing and community development. 

In his re-election campaign, Representative Lee Zeldin on Tuesday welcomed endorsements from 14 Long Island and statewide law enforcement associations, including the East Hampton Village Police Benevolent Association, the Suffolk County P.B.A., the Suffolk County Police Conference, and the Suffolk County Detectives Association.

Laura Ahearn, the Port Jefferson attorney and social worker who won New York’s First Senate District primary in June, announced that she has been endorsed by the 2.5-million-member state A.F.L.-C.I.O.

The Sag Harbor Village Board took a first step toward a temporary moratorium on commercial redevelopment in waterfront areas, proposing to suspend site plans, special permits, and subdivisions.

A bloom of toxic cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, was discovered in the Georgica Cove section of Georgica Pond on Saturday. It is the first such event of the year in the pond, which has experienced varying degrees of cyanobacteria blooms every summer since 2012, but came as little surprise given the ripe conditions for such an occurrence.

Residents of Southampton Town have been asked to fill out an anonymous online survey intended to help officials create policies and plans around housing needs. The survey is open through Sept. 15 and can be found at southamptonhousingsurvey.metroquest.com.

"Public participation is most important to this important process and we welcome everyone to take the survey," the town says, welcoming residents, businesses, and employees alike to respond.

The New York State Department of Labor issued a statement on Twitter Tuesday reminding those who are currently receiving unemployment benefits to continue to certify their status each week, amid what it called "confusion following the president’s announcement on Saturday about additional unemployment benefits."

The Town of East Hampton's 2019 financial statement had "no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies," an auditor told the town board on Tuesday.

The Town of East Hampton and the advocacy group Renewable Energy Long Island will co-host a webinar on community choice aggregation on Monday from noon to 1 p.m.