As Labor Day approaches, so too does the height of tick season on the East End. An explosion of dozens of red bites up and down legs spells out quite an itch for victims, as well as perhaps some more dangerous side effects.

Mary Ella Reutershan, whose lifelong political associations, both national and local, began during World War II when she was a confidential secretary to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, died on Aug. 14 at the age of 98 at Peconic Landing, the retirement community in Greenport.