In a major step forward for the proposed South Fork Wind farm, the New York State Public Service Commission voted unanimously on Thursday to issue a conditional Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need, a requirement in order for the project to move ahead.

An East Hampton Town supervisor in the 1970s, he served as deputy Suffolk County treasurer for 24 years and was an associate professor at Suffolk Community College.

An international corporate attorney, pilot, sailor, and veteran, he enjoyed a remarkable "second act" after taking up the guitar around the time of his 80th birthday. He became one of the most recognized and beloved among the numerous musicians who call the South Fork home.

She "was a steel magnolia in the best sense of the word: pretty and delicate on the outside, strong as steel on the inside," wrote a friend.