Feral Cat(s) #76
We slept by the old Chevy,
In the woods, so wild and free.
Today we hunt in gusty gloom,
Where feral cats roam, bare and
dreaming of bloom.
Our hidden place at The Dock,
Not a light on in sight!
Shocked by a trumpet-like blast!
Bright lights dance on the reflective sky,
Hope they don’t pass us by.
Down by the dock, a big boat berths,
Scup and squid await our search.
Big orange giants toss rope and steel,
One and two, two, one, our fate we seal.
At a quarter past one, we paw our way,
Past the big blond fellow, we sway.
Through the portholes, down by the keel,
We snatch our feast, our hunger to heal.
Under dark skies, big water, bright night,
We gather our bounty, a thrilling sight.
EDWARD HANNIBAL JR.
Unforgettable Night
East Hampton
March 23, 2026
To the Editor:
We want to extend heartfelt gratitude to the volunteer Fire Departments, police, and ambulance services, and community members who made an unforgettable night for our athletes. The East Hampton Hurricanes Y.M.C.A. Swim Team won the New York State Championship after months of hard work and sacrifice representing the East End of Long Island. Arriving home on a late and rainy night, these dedicated volunteers created an escort through town that our kids will never forget.
When our young athletes came home, children and parents were stunned and overwhelmed by the outpouring of support. Firefighters from East Hampton, Montauk, Amagansett, Springs, and Sag Harbor, along with village and town police and ambulance personnel, welcomed our champions in a way that truly celebrated their achievement. Their presence demonstrated that volunteers are always there — not just in emergencies, but in the moments that matter most to our families and community. Volunteers do so much more than respond to emergencies; they give up their time to give back to the community, embodying what it means to be part of a small town and an East End community.
But they weren’t alone. Our entire community rallied together. Families jumped out of bed in their pajamas to make signs and quickly line the streets. Schools sent out messages, calling neighbors to come celebrate. Their presence demonstrated that volunteers and our community are always there no matter the time or circumstances.
More than that, they showed our children what it means to give back and support one another. By leading through example, they taught our kids that community service matters and inspired them to follow in their footsteps. We can never thank them enough for getting out of bed on that rainy night. They created a memory that will last a lifetime, and they’ve taught our next generation the value of giving back.
We also want to recognize the Y.M.C.A., which helped our swimmers reach the state championship. Through its mission to support youth, it provided the foundation, coaching, and encouragement that made this achievement possible.
Our community came together beautifully that evening, and we are grateful.
With deep appreciation,
MELISSA KNIGHT
On behalf the East Hampton Hurricanes Swim Team and families
Truly Inspiring
East Hampton
March 23, 2026
To the Editor,
To the East Hampton Y.M.C.A. Hurricanes athletes, coaches, and families, congratulations on an incredible achievement — winning the New York State Y.M.C.A. swim championships! This accomplishment is a testament to your hard work, determination, and unwavering commitment throughout the season.
To our swimmers: Your hard work, long practices, and relentless determination have paid off in a truly inspiring way. You represented our Y.M.C.A., your team, coaches, and community with pride, sportsmanship, and excellence in and out of the pool. Each race, each turn, and each finish reflected the strength of your character and the power of your perseverance.
To our coaches: Thank you for your leadership, guidance, and belief in this team. Your ability to motivate, mentor, and bring out the best in these athletes has been instrumental in this success.
And to our families: Your support behind the scenes — cheering in the stands, coordinating schedules, and encouraging your swimmers every step of the way — has made all the difference.
This victory is more than just a title; it is a celebration of community, resilience, and what can be achieved when we work together toward a common goal. You have made our entire Y.M.C.A. and East Hampton community proud, and your accomplishment will inspire others for years to come.
Enjoy this well-earned moment of success. We look forward to celebrating with you and watching all that you continue to achieve in and out of the pool.
With great pride and admiration,
MOLLY TUZIL
Executive director
Y.M.C.A. East Hampton RECenter
Exercised Vigilance
East Hampton Village
March 23, 2026
Dear David,
I read with dismay last week’s “Guestwords” column in which our lovely East Hampton Duck Pond was described in a most menacing way without much fact. As chairwoman of the Nature Trail committee of the Ladies Village Improvement Society, composed of a dozen duck-loving, nature-friendly members, I can promise you we have exercised extra vigilance in these recent weeks when the specter of the sad avian flu disease has come so close.
To be clear, to date there have been no infected geese in or near the Duck Pond. The East Hampton Nature Trail, a.k.a. the Duck Pond, with which we locals are familiar, is distinct from the ocean shoreline.
Aside from the L.V.I.S. involvement, I live precisely next door to the Nature Trail. Ergo, I am a close observer of all that goes on there.
I promise you, to date, our mallards, wood ducks, pintails, American black ducks, and any other ducks are healthy and safe, and we are praying for continuing vigor and well-being at the precious East Hampton Duck Pond.
Hopefully,
DIANNE BENSON
Knows the Pond
East Hampton
March 23, 2026
Dear David,
Regarding the recent avian flu-related die-off of Canada geese at Georgica Pond, we are very lucky to have Jim Grimes as a member of our community and a town trustee. He is truly a font of local knowledge, particularly when it comes to local flora, fauna, and waterfowl.
As a long-term member of the Georgica Pond committee, deputy clerk of the town trustees, and an expert local landscaper, Jim knows the pond and the beach.
Thanks, Jim.
RICK DREW
Time to Plan
Hampton Bays
March 23, 2026
To the Editor,
East Hampton Town and regional efforts have made great strides in protecting our environment and in addressing many local environmental issues. The community preservation fund has preserved vast tracts of land to preserve habitat and community character, water quality projects address inadequate wastewater treatment to keep excess pollution out of our drinking water and bays, and there has been a concerted effort to address the ever-expanding blight caused by the southern pine beetle’s attacks on our native pitch pines. But where is the concerted effort or collective concern when it comes to addressing a mass casualty of wildlife?
This winter’s outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza dealt a swift blow to our waterfowl, primarily the Canada geese that have become increasingly commonplace on the East End. And while the severity of this year’s outbreak has been widely attributed to the unusually cold winter, concentrating waterfowl that were likely stressed from lack of available food, avian influenza remains an ongoing threat carried by winged messengers whose peregrinations span hemispheres, continents, and ecosystems.
Avian influenza has shown that it is also very capable of jumping ship from time to time. The virus has been found in numerous mammalian species that can be found locally. These include red foxes, racoons, opossums, harbor seals, and domestic cats. Of greatest concern is that avian influenza can and occasionally does jump to humans.
Surviving for extended periods outside of a warm-blooded host in cool conditions (35 days in feces and up to 32 days in water), every effort should be taken to isolate deceased waterfowl and other wildlife to mitigate spread when possible. This should certainly be the case when dozens or hundreds of waterfowl wash up on the shoreline, as was the case at Georgica Pond, and it has also occurred at other sites around the East End.
With guidance from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the East Hampton Town Trustees did take action recently, burying hundreds of dead Canada geese that succumbed to avian influenza at Georgica Beach, sparking community concerns, as well as those shared by Peconic Baykeeper, about the site’s sandy-soil composition, distance to adjacent waters, and potential unearthing during coastal storms.
But a bigger issue has come to light in the search for better guidance in dealing with a mass casualty event of avian influenza in wildlife. In short, there is no guidance for New York State aside from D.E.C. guidelines specific to agricultural avian influenza scenarios. This single page of guidelines does not address jurisdictional boundaries, management for environmentally sensitive areas, or the notification of the public.
After poring through a variety of avian influenza guidelines from other states, the Environmental Protection Agency, and from avian influenza experts, two things have become clear: Avian influenza should be taken seriously for its risks to wildlife, agricultural, and human health, and the D.E.C. and our municipalities should be prepared and have a coordinated plan for the collection and proper disposal of wildlife impacted by avian influenza or whatever may come next. This should include public messaging, best management practices for disposal including proper site selection if burial is the only option feasible, and the coordination of resources instead of a game of jurisdictional hot potato.
Just as 2020 caught us fully off guard when dealing with a human global pandemic, avian influenza is the equivalent for our avian world and potentially, much more. It’s time for East Hampton, the state, and others to develop a coordinated plan of response to protect the ecological and human community of the East End.
PETE TOPPING
Peconic Baykeeper
Urgency Is Needed
Springs
March 19, 2026
To the Editor:
New York should be accelerating its transition to clean energy — not retreating from it, as Gov. Kathy Hochul claims.
The same governor who is pushing the construction of new gas pipelines at Trump’s demand is proposing to weaken or delay implementation of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act just when urgency is most needed.
Consider what New Yorkers are already facing. More than 1 million households fell at least 60 days behind on utility bills last year, owing over $1.8 billion. Hundreds of thousands experienced shutoffs. These are not abstract numbers; they reflect a system already failing people, even before the war on Iran sent oil and gas prices skyrocketing.
Meanwhile, new demand from artificial intelligence data centers is accelerating fossil fuel consumption, tightening supply, and pushing costs even higher. Add to this the mounting financial toll of climate disasters — floods, fires, storms — and it becomes clear: delay is the most expensive option. Clean energy — wind, solar, storage — is not only essential for the climate; it’s the cheaper path forward.
And the most important advantage? Real energy independence.
Despite the lies Trump spouts about “drill, baby, drill,” producing our own oil and gas doesn’t make the price any cheaper. That’s because the price we pay is set on the world market. But nobody can block the sun or the wind. Once our home-grown solar and wind power is built, the supply is free forever. Australia is already giving some free energy to millions of its residents because of its robust solar buildout.
Delaying the transition simply locks New Yorkers into higher bills and greater risk. We cannot afford to kick the can down the road. The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act must move forward — faster, not slower.
Sincerely,
FRANCESCA RHEANNON
A Defining Resource
Springs
March 19, 2026
Dear David,
Our Springs community calls on all candidates for East Hampton Town supervisor to publicly support adding the Crandall-Norfolk woodlands in Springs to the town’s nature preserves.
This is one of our hamlet’s last remaining intact woodland habitats, and both the Springs citizens advisory committee and the nature preserve committee have voted in favor of including the woodlands in the town’s nature preserves. A qualified scientific expert issued a report confirming that the property meets multiple preservation criteria under the town code, finding a high diversity of native species that rely on the woodlands for habitat. Despite this, Kathee Burke-Gonzalez has failed to act, citing excuses based on no clear legal justification or analysis.
The Crandall-Norfolk woodlands are a defining natural resource for Springs. The woodlands provide essential habitat for the eastern box turtle, a New York State species of special concern, along with many other species that depend on large, undisturbed landscapes. The woodlands also protect groundwater, a resource already under increasing strain from decades of overdevelopment. Springs has experienced significant habitat fragmentation, and the loss of ecological corridors continues to accelerate. Every remaining woodland matters.
At a time when federal environmental protections are being decimated, local governments must step up. Instead, the town board has failed to preserve the Crandall-Norfolk woodlands while claiming to support climate resilience, clean water, and biodiversity. Those claims ring hollow in the face of inaction on one of the most straightforward and justified preservation opportunities before it.
Importantly, the town owns the woodlands, which makes the failure to preserve even more of a head scratcher given the millions of dollars the town has spent purchasing parcels for preservation under Burke-Gonzalez’s leadership.
Committing to the inclusion of the Crandall-Norfolk woodlands in the town nature preserves and standing with the town’s own advisory committees is the baseline for any candidate who claims to offer real leadership. Our Springs community overwhelmingly understands what is at stake. Now the only question is who will lead.
JACQUELINE ESPOSITO
Lack of Leadership
Amagansett
March 22, 2026
Dear David,
I am writing to express my concern regarding the recent town board meeting held on March 19, where the pressing need for support for our Latino community was addressed. The proposed adoption of the Safety and Accountability Law, authored by former state legislator Fred Thiele, would provide much-needed clarity and support to East Hampton residents, particularly in light of the troubling news that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is opening centers throughout Suffolk County.
During the public portion of the meeting, 10 individuals spoke passionately in favor of adopting this important legislation. Notably, among those voices were at least four members of the newly established Latino advisory committee, which has as a direct liaison our current supervisor, Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, and the committee’s chair, who called in support for this local law. Despite the compelling arguments presented by this esteemed group, the supervisor remained silent at the meeting on their call for immediate action.
It is inconceivable that the supervisor, after 13 years on the town board and almost three years as supervisor, would exhibit such a lack of leadership at a critical time when our Latino neighbors are facing immense challenges. Her reliance on others to do the hard work, coupled with her own statement to the press days later that the federal government “should be providing notification to local authorities,” indicates that she does not make definitive decisions. This highlights a troubling trend in her leadership style. At a time when decisive action is necessary, we have a leader who appears hesitant to take a stand.
In stark contrast, I watched the village board meeting on March 20, where the members unanimously voted to support legislation and the local law aimed at protecting our Latino neighbors. This clearly demonstrates a difference in leadership and commitment to the community’s needs.
As we head toward the Democratic primary on June 23, I urge voters to consider who they want in a leadership role. For me, the choice is clear. I will be supporting Jerry Larsen, who has demonstrated a commitment to doing what is right for East Hampton and its diverse community.
RONA KLOPMAN
Predictable
East Hampton Village
March 22, 2026
David,
Jerry’s reaction to Kathee Burke-Gonzalez’s endorsements is entirely predictable. He’s once again dressing up disappointment as principle. At this point, it’s a pattern, not a surprise.
He’s right that the race should be about accountability, transparency, and delivering results for East Hampton residents. But that standard applies to everyone, including him. And “residents” doesn’t just mean builders, real estate interests, and attorneys; it includes the full community, many of whom don’t see themselves reflected in his priorities.
He would do well to remember that.
Okay?
DAVID GANZ
Sit This One Out
Amagansett
March 19, 2026
To the Editor:
Even though I now think Jerry Larsen can win, which would be a very bad thing, I decline to vote for Kathee Burke-Gonzalez on a “lesser evil” theory.
This has been a leading motivation of many of my neighbors and acquaintances for years, ever since the local Democratic Party gave up trying to have either a narrative or a relationship with its voters. That kind of voting perpetuates the entropic political wasteland we are living in now, allows our elected officials to be perfectly complacent, passive, and irresponsible, and never brings the change we hope for.
Instead, I will sit this one out, then bring my voice and my activism to bear on whichever of the candidates and retinues takes office in January 2027.
There are various overlapping and some contradictory reasons I feel really good about this, but, full disclosure, the most intense satisfaction comes from your basic Athenian morality, as preached by Socrates: of helping your friends, and not trying to rescue your enemies from an “own goal.”
Kathee Burke-Gonzalez and her friend Voldemort charged up this bill and overdrew their account by a grievous sum. Now let them pay it. I will not contribute a penny or a peppercorn.
For democracy in East Hampton,
JONATHAN WALLACE
Sham of a Case
Old Bridge, N.J.
March 22, 2026
To the Editor,
Thank you for printing the letter from Karen Lockard regarding Barbara Feldman and the way she has been treated by our local “justice system.” That letter was well written, and it was absolutely correct. This situation has not gotten the attention it deserves, and people need to know.
Anyone who has been a longtime user of our Springs dog park knows that Barbara has been an integral part of it since the early 2000s, and that it’s her favorite place in the world. Last year she spoke up when the town board and its Springs Park Committee wanted to change what people who actually use the park think is perfection to a more “curated” park. Barbara presented our point of view and a petition signed by about 200 people to the board.
The next week, at a committee meeting in which the public filled the room, she tried to make the same presentation. The committee chairman [ . . . ] and his friend, one of the “rich and famous” [ . . . ] were argumentative and interruptive. The liaison to the committee, who was hand picked by the town supervisor to make sure her agenda was carried out in exchange for an appointment to the town board, cut Barbara off when she was presenting the petition. There were multiple letters written to The Star about that meeting and the committee’s terrible attitude.
A week later they retaliated against Barbara by filing a criminal charge, claiming she was driving around the parking lot at a high speed trying to hit them with her car after the meeting. That is just ridiculous. We know there is a witness who said she did nothing wrong. The police never called her, and the judge ignored that information. I think that’s illegal, but I’m not a lawyer.
And what about that surveillance video? Many people, myself included, have watched it. Anyone can see that Barbara wasn’t speeding or trying to hit anyone with her car. You can actually watch the “rich and famous” person walk over to her car when she stopped. You can see him laughing the entire time. He was no more afraid of being hit by a car than I am sitting here typing,
This travesty has been going on since August 2024 and could have been dismissed right away, but for 18 months the judge has refused to look at anything that could prove her innocence. Why? Barbara told me he said on the record (again, not a lawyer) that it’s not his job to look at evidence. It’s not? Then what is his job?
Now it seems he wants to put her through a trial. A trial? For a 76-year-old, ill senior citizen who is representing herself when there is a video, a witness, and other documentation that completely absolve her? For a misdemeanor? That’s like killing a mosquito with a sledgehammer. Barbara is working night and day trying to learn the law and do the paperwork because she can’t afford any more legal representation. She is very smart but she is tired and stressed beyond belief. She got dizzy this week and fell in her house, hurting herself badly. She lives alone. And now she’s worried about some kind of meeting with the judge that’s staring her in the face. It’s never ending.
This judge is showing shockingly poor judgement and a mean disposition that is a black spot on the Town of East Hampton. Whatever happened to “innocent before proven guilty”? Whatever is going on here, something’s not right and the rest of Barbara’s life is at stake.
What’s even worse is that if this can happen to someone like Barbara, it can happen to any of us. All it takes is one disgruntled, mean, dishonest person or someone in power using the law as a weapon to retaliate against anyone who stands up to them and a judge closing his eyes to right and wrong. We see things like this in the news every day. And now it’s happening here.
For the sake of all that’s good and holy, stop it already and do the right thing. Dismiss this sham of a case and let her try to enjoy the rest of her life.
If she can.
ELLEN SHEPARD SUKKAR
Message Management
East Hampton
March 22, 2026
Sir,
Representative Nick LaLota’s recent tele-town hall was not a town hall. It was a tightly controlled exercise in avoiding accountability. Questions were screened. Follow-ups were not allowed. Constituents were reduced to passive listeners who couldn’t challenge anything he said. This wasn’t engagement, it was message management.
This approach is not accidental. Speaker Mike Johnson has urged Republican members of Congress to avoid in-person town halls after a series of deeply uncomfortable encounters. Rather than admitting that many of those confrontations came from their own voters, Republicans have chosen to blame Democrats. It is a convenient excuse, and an unconvincing one.
Voters are not confused about what’s happening. Increasingly, they realize they’re being managed because their representatives do not want to face them.
Mr. LaLota’s posture reflects the same problem. His near-total alignment with Donald Trump may satisfy party leadership, but it does not reflect the breadth of opinion in his district. This is not a constituency that rewards blind loyalty. It expects independence and judgement. What we’re getting is deference.
His fixation on state and local tax relief only underscores the disconnect. Mr. LaLota has inflated it into a headline achievement when, for most of his constituents, the benefit will be marginal at best. Cents on the dollar if they are lucky. To present this as meaningful tax relief is not just exaggerated, it is fundamentally misleading.
If in-person town halls are considered too dangerous to hold, that is not an indictment of the public. It’s an indictment of representatives who no longer wish to be held accountable.
A member of Congress who cannot face unscripted questions from their own constituents is not holding a town hall. He is avoiding one.
Sincerely,
ANDREW VAN PRAAG
Hit It ‘for Fun’
East Hampton
March 19, 2026
Dear Mr. Rattray,
Undoubtedly the most frightening character in Trump’s administration is Trump himself. Consider his statement when questioned as to when the Iran war will end: when “I feel it in my bones.” This statement is not surprising.
After all, Trump has no brain capable of reasoned thought. How else can you explain his recent statement concerning the bombing of Kharg Island, “We may hit it a few more times just for fun.”
Trump also has no heart indicative of compassionate feelings. Consider his crass statement following reports of the first United States combat deaths in the Iran war: “And sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is. Likely be more.”
Besides his juvenile brain and hardened heart, Trump has another anatomical feature that is even a better description of his character. You can find it embedded in two words in this letter.
SALVATORE TOCCI
To Satisfy Greed
North Haven
March 23, 2026
Dear David:
How or when will this long political nightmare be over? Authoritarian policies are being imposed here and worldwide. Meantime, our own country is about to celebrate our mostly successful 250 years as a constitutional republic.
Our political leaders have become subservient followers of a personality-based leadership that seems hell bent on destroying 250 years of our success, in favor of unapproved agendas like Project 2025, DOGE, and MAGA. Critical services and protections are being abandoned to satisfy personal greed and vindictive purposes.
We see lawless behavior by officials allowed, causing local and international disorder. People are being murdered extra-judicially by our own government, and legal due process is being disregarded. Presidential decrees and a cascade of executive orders, absent the necessary congressional approvals, now include two unauthorized war engagements.
Such behavior resembles the royalty system that the founders of our country fought to be independent of. What happened to bring this about?
Let’s consider history to help understand this.
Hardships after World War I were so harsh they gave political opportunity for the promises and simplistic racism spouted by Adolf and his collaborators. National socialism with far-right totalitarian ideology associated with Adolf Hitler helped gain power. Many Germans years ago must have asked the same “nightmare” questions — first in the 1930s, and again in the 1940s, as Nazi rhetoric and killings became intolerable. Have we learned nothing from history?
Our post-World War II economy boomed as we built a strong middle class. The stock market and business boomed as well. But greed set in. Corporate ambitions realized that for greater wealth they could easily overcome any individual citizen by strong lobbying of government agencies to tilt the rules and laws to their favor.
Years later, the Citizens United Supreme Court decision again greatly favored corporations over citizens, with legislation allowing unlimited donations for advertising and other campaign activities. Once again, along with powerful corporate lobbying, this gave them unlimited ability to counteract the individual citizen’s constitutional “one man, one vote” basis of our original constitutional election scheme.
Gerrymandering is adding to this situation. Citizens are being abused by this and will eventually rise up.
Are we destined to a repeat authoritarian tragedy or can we wake up and motivate ourselves to demand of our elected representatives to actually represent us — and not their own misguided greed and allegiance to authoritarianism?
Hey, LaLota, and the rest of the obedient followers of MAGA, are you with us or against your own country?
ANTHONY CORON