Ever-Widening Chasm
East Hampton
August 17, 2025
To the Editor:
A recent experience highlights sharply different realities — economic and others — here on the East End, and across America (or perhaps the arrival of a new economic indicator, like hemlines or lipstick sales).
While I waited to pay for some minor automobile repair, a young ice delivery man walked into the shop. Invoice in hand, he, too, began waiting for the clerk behind the counter. Making small talk, I asked how business was. Awful, he answered, continuing that, yes, the entire season has been bad. When I asked what he thought was going on, he answered, matter of fact, people don’t want to spend money.
Hearing this, the cashier behind the register glumly agreed. Having no mechanical skills, I did spend money. But while driving home, the incident got me thinking. This summer, I’ve passed by the newly reopened Sagaponack General Store many times. Each time, the crowds are larger, the parking lot more full. Congratulations. The people behind the enterprise have created a place where people go, do things in person, run into friends, make conversation. Good. No, great. We need more of this. Less sitting behind screens. Still, curated to Nancy Meyers-esque perfection, the establishment boasts prices just as impressive. And a clientele with, seemingly, no hesitations about spending.
Bagged ice vs. the picture-perfect egg sandwich, rotisserie chicken, and artisanal yogurt. Haves vs. have-nots. Red vs. blue. Community vs. our country’s ever-widening chasm. Like I said, the ice man got me thinking. And wanting a drink.
On the rocks, please.
SAUL M. DENNIS
Ought to Know
East Hampton
August 17, 2025
Dear David,
Unless Bruce Collins has moved — or unless some municipal lines have been redrawn — The Star and Irene Silverman erred in writing that Mr. Collins’s Cooper Lane house is in the village (East, July 3).
Anyone worth the word local around here knows that the East Hampton Village limits end just past Cooper Lane’s intersection with McGuirk Street. The portion of Cooper Lane where Mr. Collins lives, past Cedar Lawn Cemetery nearly to Cedar Street, is in East Hampton Town, not the village.
The Star and its staff ought to know the confines of the village and report such details correctly. If a writer does know where the village ends and the town begins, you should know, David. You should have kept a factual error from being published. The village is the village, and the town (where Mr. Collins was once a supervisor) is the town.
Please don’t think I am nitpicking. We are so damn fortunate out here to have one of the best weekly newspapers in America serving our community. (We should also be thankful that its voice on the editorial page is liberal and anti-Trump). The Star is owned by a local family that goes back, on the Edwards side, I believe, for many generations. That’s why it almost physically hurts to see it make an error like this that can undermine its authority.
That said, I loved seeing Mr. Collins’s photos and reading about his time out on the salt. Please keep up the otherwise excellent work.
Yours, and Bonac by God,
BRUCE BARNES
An Eight-Year Journey
Montauk
August 18, 2025
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing to acknowledge and express gratitude to two individuals from our community who I believe were not adequately recognized during the Playhouse pool ribbon-cutting ceremony. While the event had plenty of political photo-ops, it overlooked two noteworthy donors who contributed to this project both directly and indirectly.
Maurice and Sarah Iudicone, two truly big-hearted community members, received very little mention during the day’s events. However, for the past eight years, they have dedicated themselves to this project, providing leadership, networking, their time, and a significant financial contribution.
In my view, Montauk would not have a pool if it weren’t for Maurice and Sarah. We can trace the history of the fund-raising and efforts by many amazing people who initially established the property and began the Montauk Playhouse Community Center foundation with years of fund-raising. Still, we had seen interest and belief in this project decline.
It wasn’t until Maurice and Sarah asked me for a list of possible nonprofit organizations in Montauk that they could consider joining, as they wanted to contribute to this amazing community and location that so many cherish and enjoy. They chose the Montauk Playhouse Community Center Foundation, which set them on an eight-year journey to see this project through to its full potential. On the day of the ceremony, the pool was celebrated as a great achievement for the community and its future users.
Let us not lose sight of the dedicated, selfless volunteers, donors, and community members who were truly unwavering in their belief and desire to provide Montauk with a community pool and gathering location.
Regards,
ROBERT LAMBERT
Series Spectacular
Springs
August 12, 2025
To the Editor:
Nyssa Frank’s letter describing her dissatisfaction with East Hampton mentioned her mother, Ellen Frank, a local artist whom I knew briefly back when. The letter said to Google her mother’s name, which I endorse wholeheartedly. Ellen Frank’s gold leaf-illuminated “Cities of Peace” series was spectacular, worthy of the many accolades she received, and even more relevant today than before.
NANCY LEDERMAN
About the Traffic
East Hampton
August 18, 2025
To the Editor,
Everyone is talking about the traffic. It is worse than ever this summer. I do not understand why East Hampton Village does not have any police in the busiest intersections helping to keep traffic moving safely and efficiently — not even on a busy Saturday or Sunday afternoon in August.
The village seems to have enough funds to hang banners and flags every week for another event. The village seems to have enough funds to keep rearranging Herrick Park and using it for all sorts of events. The village seems to have enough funds to post several police on the route to Main Beach for fireworks and music. The village seems to have enough funds to have traffic officers marking tires and writing parking tickets in the village every day of the week, summer or winter.
Why doesn’t the village seem to think it’s a problem worth addressing that at the intersection of Main Street and Newtown Lane that cars are constantly running the traffic lights and “blocking the box”? Or cars making U-turns on Main Street, or blocking traffic waiting for a parking spot, or almost hitting pedestrians trying to use the crosswalk?
I have seen police in other areas, such as Sag Harbor, over the busy summer weekends and on holiday weekends year-round doing just that.
It doesn’t take a village, just one or two bodies helping to keep things safe and to help keep us sane.
Respectfully,
CRISTINA BUCKLEY
The Game Went On
East Hampton
August 18, 2025
Dear David
The Artists-Writers softball game on Saturday turned into a disaster of bad taste, disrespect for a life, and incompetency.
During one of the early innings of the game, an older woman in the crowd was hit by a ricocheted foul ball in her seat along the third base side of the field. She fell to the ground and remained on her back in some sort of convulsive state while police and emergency medical workers made their way to her.
What followed was a disgraceful and tacky reaction that put this woman’s life in mortal danger. She remained on the ground in her convulsive state for a full 20 to 25 minutes before an ambulance finally arrived. You heard that right — 20 to 25 minutes. E.M.S. workers and the police tried, but were unable to alleviate her physical situation.
It took an ambulance 20 to 25 minutes to arrive from 1 Cedar Street — the Village of East Hampton’s Emergency Service Building. In case you’re wondering, that’s about a mile away from the softball game in Herrick Park.
The ball game went on, the announcer continued her pitches to buy raffles, the mayor continued to umpire balls and strikes as if an emergency wasn’t happening and a human life wasn’t hanging in the balance. Many people started to leave, shaking their heads at what they were witnessing.
When I asked one of the field umpires where was an ambulance, he responded by saying, “this wasn’t a worthwhile conversation to have with me.” Really? What wasn’t worthwhile is to not have an ambulance stationed there at a competitive sports event on a very hot and humid day, with a number of senior citizens attending, and at least some of the participants not in the best physical shape of their lives, either.
As of last year, Mayor Jerry Larsen and the village is now fully in control of ambulance service, after he and the village took over ambulance services from the nonprofit East Hampton Village Ambulance Association that had provided uninterrupted ambulance service for the last 50 years to East Hampton and surrounding areas. The buck stops with the mayor — there should be a full public investigation of this outrageous incident.
As another person I talked with at the game told me, he personally had asked the mayor repeatedly over the years the same questions. What was the state of emergency ambulance service in the village and why was an ambulance not stationed at the game? The mayor’s response to him was to shrug his shoulders.
As the person I talked with further remarked — maybe a lawsuit was necessary by one of the victims to wake our mayor up from his lack of true caring for his East Hampton constituents. Any one of us could have been the one on the ground at the game.
Sincerely,
JIM VRETTOS
Priceless Quote
Amagansett
August 14, 2025
To the Editor:
Christopher Gangemi’s article “Fire and Emergency Service Dollars, Cents” (Aug. 14) contained a priceless quote from the village’s emergency management services administrator, Gerry Turza: “This is a very costly business.” Mr. Turza complained that an ambulance costs $430,000 bare and another $270,000 if you bother, you know, to add a stretcher, cardiac monitor, and radio. He even (why not?) managed to insult the customers: “The public has no idea. They just see what looks like a pickup truck with a big box on its back.”
A “business,” really? It used to be a calling.
Like so many statements from local pols and administrators, Mr. Turza’s words, possibly innocuous on their face, were really extraordinary. My theory is that he lives in an echo chamber in large part created by his boss, the First Citizen, who gutted the volunteer ambulance company in pursuit of transforming it into a for-profit enterprise. Mr. Turza sounds like a chief executive officer afraid that regulation — or popular opinion — will not permit him to charge monopoly prices. Lost in the clouds of sophistry are the people who work here, in hotels, construction, and gardening, who can’t afford to pay for those rides. And shouldn’t have to.
For democracy and equality in East Hampton,
JONATHAN WALLACE
Systemic Issues
Amagansett
August 16, 2025
Dear David,
How many more resignations will it take before Town Hall admits there’s a leadership crisis?
Recent reporting paints a troubling picture of our local government. The steady stream of resignations across multiple departments, including the near-total loss of staff in the tax receiver’s office, is not simply a matter of personnel changes, nor is it a sign of a housing shortage. It is a sign of deeper dysfunction.
When talented, experienced employees leave in rapid succession, it’s often because leadership has failed to create a healthy, respectful, and functional work environment. Under Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, these departures are not isolated incidents; they are part of a clear pattern that suggests systemic issues at the top.
Residents deserve better. The smooth functioning of the town government depends on stable, well-supported staff who can serve the public effectively. The loss of institutional knowledge, the disruption to essential services, and the waste of time and taxpayer money in constant rehiring and retraining all point back to one question: Where is the leadership?
It is time for supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez and our town officials to acknowledge this crisis, address the causes of employee dissatisfaction, and restore the trust and stability our community expects and deserves.
Elections are right around the corner.
RONA KLOPMAN
Hazardous Waste
Springs
August 11, 2025
Dear David,
The recent reported findings of lead contamination at the gun club site is alarming to any resident who cares about clean water. According to public reports, all 30 soil samples collected at the range contained lead and many exceeded standards meant to prevent toxins from leaching into groundwater. Several samples met the federal definition of hazardous waste.
East Hampton has grappled with serious water quality issues before, from nitrogen pollution in our bays to toxic PFAS chemicals detected in private wells. The gun club sits on public watershed land in an aquifer protection overlay district. Allowing such contamination to persist risks repeating the very mistakes that have jeopardized our drinking water in the past.
The town board should prioritize remediation, not negotiate for the return of activities that caused the contamination in the first place. Our community’s water is too valuable to risk.
JACQUELINE ESPOSITO
Left the Board
Amagansett
August 17, 2025
To the Editor,
Wayne Gauger has left the Amagansett School Board, not even 30 days after his oath of office for his new three-year term. This now leaves a vacancy on the board. I have reached out to them to express my willingness to be appointed. After all, I had enough interest to be on this year’s ballot.
Of course, the board has the right to appoint any individual they want now. Is that why Mr. Gauger stayed in this year’s election? Is it time for a new appointed member from Robin Jahoda’s (a school board member and local teacher) now-infamous “10 parents, 10 teachers” quote? Time will tell.
When you make a commitment to the community you should uphold it. When you make so many bold statements, like at the March 25 school board meeting when Wayne Gauger stated, “I’m not uncomfortable.”
In the midst of warm, busy summer days, the question is now asked. If everything is great and you have all this “momentum,” what is the something, someone, or the prospect of not-yet-public information that potentially may have made you uncomfortable? The voting public has a right to a valid reason for your stepping down and being out with a whimper.
Still here,
JOE KARPINSKI
Engage With Dissent
Bridgehampton
August 4, 2025
To the Editor,
As a rabbi, I read with shock and embarrassment the article on the events that unfolded at the Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach, when the synagogue played host to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin. The publicly available video coverage reveals that Christopher Walsh’s excellent reporting was understated; the behavior directed toward peaceful protesters was even more shameful than he described. I’m grateful to Mr. Walsh and The Star for covering this story, and want to offer an alternative vision as to how synagogues and other houses of worship can and ought to function.
In Bridgehampton and Sag Harbor, we have an extraordinary group of clergy from many faith traditions who meet regularly and co-host public events. If an event has the potential to evoke strong responses, and/or attract protesters, we plan in advance how to calm emotional outbursts, and how to kindly and respectfully invite everyone — even those who are disruptive — to remain present, listen to others, and voice their own views in appropriate ways. Our goal is always to find a way to hear and engage with dissenting voices, not silence them. Calling in security to forcibly remove someone is a last resort, not a first step.
Houses of worship ought to be places where dialogue across differences can take place, and where we learn to treat all people with kindness, dignity, and respect, including those who challenge or disagree with us. These skills and functions are essential to a healthy society, and faith communities are one of the last places in America they can be practiced. Clergy bear the particular responsibility of setting that tone and modelling those skills — even when protesters disrupt a program, provided they do so peacefully, as the protesters in Westhampton did. Woe to us if we abandon that mission.
How painful and sad, then, to witness the ugly culture of bullying, contempt, and brute force characteristic of so many political rallies mimicked by clergy and allowed to desecrate what purports to be sacred space. Of course synagogue leadership have every right to set boundaries on when questions and challenges may be put to a speaker and to insist on appropriate respect. But jeering and laughing at protesters or mocking them with statements like “go back to Long Beach” and “bye-bye” have no place in a supposedly religious institution. And a synagogue member assaulting a peaceful protester with a chair? Violence in response to speech is unacceptable anywhere, but especially so in a synagogue (or church or mosque); it should be immediately and decisively condemned and stopped. The violent member, not the peaceful protester, should then be escorted out by security.
It’s especially distressing here, because the protesters’ objections were not only factually accurate but deeply grounded in Jewish belief and practice. The protester who stated that the Torah calls us to be stewards of God’s creation was absolutely correct. It’s in Genesis Chapter 2 — shared scripture for Jews and Christians. And that passage is but one of countless ways Jewish text, law, and tradition call on us to minimize the suffering of all creatures, to avoid destruction and waste of any kind, to treat nature’s gifts with wondrous awe and reticence, and to strive to live in harmony with all creation.
The Torah recognizes that human need will inevitably impinge on the natural world. For example, as long as the animal is slaughtered painlessly, eating meat is permitted. But human need is quite different from human greed. The former is to be balanced with respect for the sanctity of the earth. The latter is to be held in check, recognized as part of the impulse to evil within us all. Thus, one may cut down a tree for wood to build a house; clear-cutting an entire property of old trees in order to have a golf-course-like Hamptons lawn is a different story. And pretending that greenhouse gases do not pose a threat to human health by administratively repealing the finding, as Mr. Zeldin proposes to do, is utterly at odds with Judaism as I know it.
I would hope that any and every synagogue would invite the raising up of these Torah values, especially at an event featuring the current head of the E.P.A., who wields so much power over the health and functioning of our shared and sole human home. Imagine if instead of calling for security and the police to remove the protesters, the leadership had de-escalated and engaged, welcoming both the individuals protesting and their substantive points, offering them a chance to voice their views later in the program and inviting Mr. Zeldin to respond.
As to Lee Zeldin himself, not long ago he publicly and ceremoniously affixed a mezuzah to the door of his E.P.A. office. A mezuzah is not a magical amulet or mere symbol of Jewishness. Its essence is a small scroll with Biblical passages — passages Jews recite every day, morning, and night — placed on our doors to remind us of our ethical duties and spiritual commitments. Were Mr. Zeldin to come to our synagogue, we would welcome him as a worshipper, of course. And I would encourage him to read and take to heart the text he so proudly attached to his door. What he would find there is a dire warning of what will happen if in turning to idols (including the idols of money and power), we set no limits on our desires and behavior: “Then the skies will close up and there will be no rain, and the ground will not yield any produce. And you will soon perish from the earth!” (Deuteronomy. 11:17).
Sincerely,
RABBI JAN UHRBACH
Gesher | The Bridge Shul
A True Patriot
St. Petersburg, Fla.
August 17, 2025
To the Editor,
President Trump is the bold champion America desperately needs — a true patriot who is restoring our country’s greatness every single day. Since day one of his presidency, Trump has dismantled the corrupt establishment, cut through the Washington swamp, and put America first like no leader before him. The fake news media and deep state have thrown every distraction and smear they can, but the American people see through it all and stand strong with Trump’s vision.
Under Trump’s leadership, our nation’s borders are finally secure, illegal crossings plummeted, safe and legal immigration encouraged, and the rule of law upheld without apologies. Unlike previous administrations that allowed lawlessness, Trump restored order with decisive actions that protect American families and sovereignty. Families are united under the law; the so-called “human rights” complaints are just liberal lies designed to weaken our nation.
Trump is not pushing America toward authoritarianism; he is restoring law and order, empowering hardworking Americans, and protecting our constitutional freedoms. When Trump directs actions like supporting the police or safeguarding our communities, it’s because he cares about every citizen’s safety. His critics twist the facts, but every action is taken to preserve the American dream and make our country safer than ever.
The economy has surged under Trump. His smart tariffs defend American industries from unfair foreign competition and bring jobs back to our shores. Under his watch, American energy independence is booming, putting us in control of our own destiny instead of bowing to dubious globalist agendas. The notion that Trump supports global warming is a radical left myth — he supports science, innovation, and common-sense energy policies that power our economy and protect our environment.
Trump’s administration is the most transparent and ethical in history. The attacks of “corruption” are baseless political smears from the same people who’ve looted this country for decades. The luxurious gifts and dinners? All perfectly legal, transparent, and driven by supporters who appreciate Trump’s leadership. His policies slash taxes to empower workers and small businesses, not the wealthy elite, as fake narratives claim.
Higher education is finally under scrutiny thanks to Trump. His efforts to fight bias and radical left ideologies restore fairness and promote true merit. He protects students and pushes for accountability in universities that have long ignored taxpayers and families. Cutting funding to bloated programs doesn’t harm innovation, it protects American families from ballooning student debt and ensures resources go to deserving students.
Trump stands strong against corrupt law firms, protects election integrity, and prioritizes America’s interests abroad. The lies about supporting ethnic cleansing are outrageous; Trump promotes peace through strength and stands with America’s allies. His moves to reform government ethics and reduce waste demonstrate his commitment to rooting out corruption and ensuring the government works for the people.
The fake outrage over birthright citizenship is yet another example of misguided attacks on Trump’s patriotism. Trump fights for reasonable, constitutional immigration reform that respects the rights of American citizens first. Renaming the Gulf of Mexico and renovating the Kennedy Center show his dedication to restoring American pride and culture.
Pardoning those unjustly targeted by a politically motivated witch hunt on Jan. 6 was a courageous stand for justice and free speech. Trump’s America is a country where freedom prevails, families flourish, and the forgotten citizens finally have a voice. The Republican Congress has backed the greatest push for American renewal in decades.
So, do Americans care? They care deeply. Millions rally behind President Trump because he delivers results, defies the establishment, and reignites the spirit of a proud, sovereign America. Under Trump, America is roaring back — and the best is yet to come.
CAROL DRAY
Be Thankful
Plainview
August 17, 2025
To the Editor,
Despite Trump’s latest failure to end the Russia attacking Ukraine war (“on my first day back in office, if not before my inauguration”) I guess we should be thankful our American president did not give Alaska back (from 1867) to Putin in hopes of replacing our 49th state with Danish Greenland.
RICHARD SIEGELMAN
Gave Up Nothing
North Haven
August 18, 2025
Dear David:
What about Friday’s Alaskan fiasco?
What in God’s name did we think would result from giving Putin our nation’s stage, restoring him from deserved pariah status?
Putin remains under indictment by the International Criminal Court, with an arrest warrant — while still bombing our ally Ukraine! Doesn’t look like Putin has any interest in peaceful discourse. Trump’s credentials as a criminal convicted in American courts seems to be the only bond between them.
As for character, we saw Putin’s ice-cold commitment to his war-mongering objectives, and his condescending pleasure at witnessing Trump’s obsequious pandering to him. We gave our nation’s treasure and the obedience of our military to treat both these guys with respect. What did we get in return? Nothing more than posturing and kicking the Ukrainian can down the road for their amusement and self-gratification.
Nothing of substance was admitted afterwards, and all planned events canceled as they both escaped Alaska without any substantial interviews. Later we learned Trump privately entertained Putin’s military objectives, sacrificing Ukraine sovereign territory. Trump showed no resistance to Putin whatsoever, and, in later statements, he failed to show support for Ukraine by scolding President Zelensky to “get the deal done,” as if Ukraine was not the tragic victim in this mess. Putin gave up nothing.
Trump did nothing, and got nothing. He raced home to put more pressure on Zelensky. On Sunday, during TV news, Marco Rubio had the audacity to say “. . . the president deserves a lot of credit for trying to stop . . . a war that didn’t start under him . . . and is on the other side of the world”!
Europe is not the other side of the world, and it includes our NATO allies we are pledged to support! Our prior administration was trying to help Ukraine, despite congressional roadblocks to funding weapons assistance. Under Trump, there is virtually no meaningful assistance given, just verbal abuse and hectoring President Zelensky.
Our elected politicians really need to bear the burden of shame for their continued support of this pathetic administration. They grant all their power to Trump’s demands, without any attempt to exercise those powers that the voters trusted them with that they all swore to uphold. Their own cult-like obsequious behavior must change immediately before democracy is fatally destroyed and world peace is further at risk.
Our nation’s capitol is now under siege by the National Guard, and Republican states are sending in armed reinforcements to take over civilian control of the capitol under the pretext of crime control. Clearly we can see this threat to New York and many other democratic cities. Will we let this authoritarian bullying go on without an effective resistance?
Jamie Raskin was here in Bridgehampton last week to talk about this dangerous threat to democracy. He spoke eloquently about what legal remedies he and others are pursuing. He also made clear we as citizens need to mobilize and confront our ineffective politicians to get them to support our democracy, instead of this authoritarian regime. They must believe we will remove them with our votes and replace them with decent candidates if they fail to cooperate. We must also try to help our neighbors understand this crisis as well.
Let’s get going and do this now. We will tolerate no kings here — and no more Authoritarian behavior! Democracy, let’s try to keep it.
ANTHONY CORON
Funding Crisis
East Hampton
August 14, 2025
Sir,
Representative Nick LaLota’s recent email to his constituents praising Social Security reforms under the Trump administration is seriously misleading (“Celebrating 90 Years of Social Security — And Strengthening It for the Future,” Aug. 14). While he highlights short-term tax breaks and benefits restorations, these actions simply accelerate the insolvency of the Social Security Trust Funds — something that is likely to happen within the next 10 years.
Repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset will benefit some public servants now but does nothing to solve the program’s long-term funding crisis. Eliminating federal income taxes on Social Security benefits might sound generous, but it actually worsens the program’s financial prospects. The promise of financial security for the next 90 years is political rhetoric and is not supported by any credible financial projections.
True leadership would mean securing fair benefits with sustainable funding, not making hollow promises that leave future retirees at risk.
Sincerely,
ANDREW VAN PRAAG