East Hampton Will Hold Community Meeting For Improvements To County Road 40

Long Island Morning Edition

Long Island has recouped the full number of jobs it lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the rate of recovery has been far slower than nationwide, according to a data analysis released yesterday. James T. Madore reports on Newsday.com that employment in Nassau and Suffolk counties was up 0.4% in March compared with February 2020, before the coronavirus struck, the data shows.

Employment in New York City was up 0.3% in the same period.

However, both NYC and Long Island lagged the job growth of the nation, which was 3.8%, based on the data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics and the research firm Moody’s Economy.com.

Joelle Scally, an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, said the differences are due to the strengths and weaknesses of economic sectors in each area. For example, health care is a big employer on Long Island and that sector bounced back from the COVID-induced recession of 2020, she said.

“There has been a strong recovery in that sector over the last year,” Scally said during a briefing for journalists on Tuesday when the bank released its analysis of employment data for 2020-24.

“Almost 1 in 5 Long Islanders are employed in the health care sector. … And I think the strong growth in that sector” helped overall employment, she said in response to a Newsday question.

***

The state is providing new online tools and dispatching mobile units throughout Long Island in the next several months to help New Yorkers apply for the more secure driver’s licenses they will need for air travel beginning next year, motor vehicles Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said yesterday. Michael Gormley reports on Newsday.com that the federal REAL ID Law will require a deeper level of security for a state driver’s license, learner’s permit or non-driver identification card to board even domestic flights beginning May 7, 2025. A REAL ID license also will be required to enter many federal buildings and facilities such as military bases.

Separate from a REAL ID license is the state's Enhanced Driver License, permit and non-driver ID, which are already held by thousands of New Yorkers. The enhanced license is all a holder needs to board a flight because those documents comply with the federal law passed in 2005.

The federal REAL ID Law is an outgrowth of homeland security measures begun after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

“The deadline is fast approaching,” Schroeder said Tuesday at media events in Garden City and Queens. “There’s no time to waste.”

Schroeder advises appointments be made for DMV office visits at dmv.ny.gov/offices.

***

Come celebrate Southampton Public School’s Class of 2024 Wall of Distinction Induction Ceremony and Reception this coming Friday May 10 at 6:00 PM in the Southampton High School Auditorium

The ceremony is free and open to the public.

The Wall of Distinction recognizes the rich heritage and tradition of successful academic and athletic programs of the Southampton School District, honoring Alumni, Coaches, Teachers, Administrators and Teams

The 2024 Induction Class features Carol Gulija, Charles “Chuck” Henke, Vincent Mangano, Kristen Stephens, Dr. Merritt, Burke White.

The Induction Ceremony will take place Friday May 10th at 6:00 PM in the Southampton High School Auditorium with a reception to follow. The event is free and our east end community is welcome.

***

A community meeting has been planned to discuss improvements to Three Mile Harbor Road, or County Road 40, in East Hampton. Lisa Finn reports on Patch.com that the meeting is scheduled for this evening at 7 p.m. in East Hampton Town Hall, 159 Pantigo Road in East Hampton.

The Suffolk County Department of Public Works, and the East Hampton town board and town staff, along with Suffolk County Legislator Ann Welker are holding the meeting to discuss ongoing plans for improvements to Three Mile Harbor Road. Public comments will be received during the meeting, after the presentation.

Organizers say the project aims to achieve the following goals to improve various aspects within the Three Mile Harbor Road / Springs corridor:

• Roadway resurfacing and pavement rehabilitation
• Construct new curb and sidewalk on both sides of the roadway, providing continuous pedestrian facilities throughout the corridor.
• Upgrade existing pedestrian facilities to conform with the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Install bike lanes on both sides of the roadway between Springs Fireplace Road and Copeces Lane
• Repair and upgrade existing drainage system
• Traffic signal improvements at Cedar Street and Collins Avenue
• Replacement of traffic signage and pavement markings

The meeting is scheduled for this evening at 7 p.m. in East Hampton Town Hall.

***

Long Island has regained all the jobs it lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks in part to strong hiring by health care institutions. Employment growth on Long Island was stronger than in New York City but lagged the nation according to economists from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. They said the metropolitan area has returned to job growth rates seen in 2019 and early 2020.

James T. Madore reports on Newsday.com that employment in Nassau and Suffolk counties was up 0.4% in March compared with February 2020, before the coronavirus struck, the data shows. Employment in New York City was up 0.3% in the same period. Aside from the health care sector, the jobs recovery in Nassau and Suffolk also benefited from a new pool of employees: people who moved out of New York City and other densely populated places where the coronavirus spread rapidly, according to Jaison R. Abel, head of the New York Fed’s urban and regional studies department.

“The availability of workers is a key factor to growth,” he said. “…being able to attract workers, whether that’s people who left New York City or just attracting people from other parts of the country.”

Abel said employment in New York State's 10 regions has returned to 2019-early 2020 growth rates.

“We've shifted out of this recovery phase and resumed kind of normal growth patterns,” he said. “People have changed their behavior to some extent back to the pre-pandemic way and businesses look like they did before.”

***

Stony Brook University will go ahead with its main graduation ceremony on May 17th, school officials said yesterday, despite the turmoil on campus over the 29 arrests of students and faculty during a pro-Palestinian protest last week. Bart Jones reports on Newsday.com that the head of the university’s main governing body also said it has full faith in Stony Brook’s president, even with the possibility of a “no-confidence” vote by the Faculty Senate expected next week.

The responses came a day after a heated two-hour meeting of the S.B.U. Faculty Senate. That group overwhelmingly approved a resolution demanding that the university drop charges of disorderly conduct against students and faculty members who were arrested last Thursday after a standoff involving their encampment on campus.

The university did not respond directly to a question Tuesday about whether President Maurie McInnis will move to have the charges dropped and arrest records expunged, as the faculty demanded. It did say that of the 20 students who received interim academic suspensions, 15 appealed, 12 of those were granted, and three are pending. If the remaining five appeal their cases, they will be decided rapidly, the school said. The university referred questions about the charges to the Suffolk County district attorney’s office. It said its campus police department “works in close consultation” with the DA’s office.

Kevin Law, head of the Stony Brook Council, which serves as an oversight and advisory board for the university, said yesterday the council “has total confidence in Maurie McInnis as president.” “We believe Stony Brook has handled this properly … a lot better than other universities across the country,” he said.