Opinion | East End Beacon

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Editorial: Happy September.

September 1, 2026September 8, 2026 Beth Young

As the madness of late summer drew to a close and we were putting our September issue to bed, we were combing through photos for images of events from other Septembers when we were overcome with emotion at the sight of an idyllic personal photo from 2023. In it, we’re holding our granddaughter’s hands as we walked away from the camera, down a dirt road just a block from our

Column Greenport Opinion Recent

Opinion: Southold’s Agenda Priorities Leave Water Quality Behind — And Greenport at Risk

August 10, 2026August 17, 2026 East End Beacon

by Greenport Village Trustee Mary Bess Phillips When the Southold Town Board met on July 28 for its Work Session, the agenda told a story that Greenport residents have seen too many times. The Board entered Executive Session to discuss a possible land acquisition under the Community Preservation Fund (CPF). Yet nowhere on the full agenda was there any mention of updating the CPF Land Preservation Plan or creating the long‑overdue CPF

Column Editorial Opinion

Editorial: We Need to Adapt

August 3, 2026August 14, 2026 East End Beacon

Back when we were starting our careers in journalism around the turn of the millennium, the term climate change was just being adopted by scientists, who realized that the concept of “global warming” will not accurately reflect the changes in our atmosphere that we are now seeing every day. This summer on the East End has been marked by many climatological events, despite the fact that we’ve not, to date,

Column Letters Opinion Recent

Letters: On Skipping the Stuff & Doug Cooper’s Flag

July 28, 2026August 1, 2026 East End Beacon

To the Editor: I have lived in Southampton Town my entire life, learning to swim and surf in our waves. But over the years, I've watched something besides tourists accumulate on our beaches: a tide of plastic waste arriving faster every season. Every day, thousands of takeout orders go out stuffed with plastic forks, napkins, condiment packets, and stirrers — "stuff" nobody asked for and most of us toss straight

Minerva Perez spoke with the North Fork Action Center Monday evening.

Column Letters Opinion

Letters: OLA on LaLota’s Threats, The American Dream

July 20, 2026July 25, 2026 East End Beacon

To The Editor: In a letter dated July 16, 2026, Congressman LaLota addressed myself and members of our team along with several others trying to justify threats against our East End municipalities. The congressman continues to avoid the very simple question we have posed to him directly: “What are the specific provisions of the local law that the Congressman opposes?” Pictured Above: Ms. Perez addressed a crowd of concerned North

Column Letters Opinion

Letters: Enclaves & Affordable Housing, Sustainable Gardens, Public Safety & The Reflecting Pool

July 2, 2026July 6, 2026 East End Beacon

Housing Crisis & The Enclaves To the Editor: We are in a "housing crisis". Southold Town is looking for ways to help with down payments on homes. Buy The Enclaves property with taxpayer dollars, zone it residential and get HUD NYS grant money to help. Hire a builder and there ya go! A Hotel and 100 people event room along with whatever else is planned is way too big to

Column Opinion Recent Viewpoint

Opinion: Greenport’s Strengths Deserve to Be Matched With Investment, Not Generalizations

June 30, 2026July 6, 2026 East End Beacon

by Mary Bess Phillips Greenport is a village with a rare combination of assets — the kind most communities spend decades trying to build. We are a historic, walkable, human-scale village with a working waterfront, a diverse year-round population, and a small-business ecosystem that punches far above its weight. These are not abstract qualities. They are the foundation of our economic resilience, our cultural identity, and our sense of place.

Editorial Housing Opinion Recent

Editorial: Think Big On Community Housing

June 25, 2026June 30, 2026 Beth Young

It’s become abundantly clear that a lack of housing for people who work on the East End is a true, community-threatening crisis, and we’re heartened to see that the public at large recognizes the urgency of the situation. At a recent public discussion on Southold Town’s zoning update priorities, speaker after speaker echoed support for community housing, the town’s top priority. Business owners, longtime housing advocates and environmentalists alike all

Lukas Ventouras at an April 23 Town Hall in Mattituck.

Column Letters Opinion

Letters: On Democratic Primary, Nick LaLota, Southold Recreation Grant and Theater

June 9, 2026June 12, 2026 East End Beacon

Voting for Lukas To The Editor: I’m a registered Democrat, and I care who the party runs in November against incumbent Congressman Nick LaLota, a Republican who is a loyal supporter of the President and who supports the insane and impoverishing war of choice against Iran. So I will be voting in the primary to pick that candidate. Pictured Above: Lukas Venturas at a Town Hall in Mattituck in April.

Opinion Recent

Opinion: Greenport Seasonal Parking Fees Support Vital Services

June 5, 2026June 10, 2026 East End Beacon

by Mary Bess Phillips Kelly Ferraro’s recent opinion piece raises concerns worth discussing, but many of its central claims are not supported by Greenport’s history, our data, or the lived reality of those who actually manage this village day to day. Because the article presents assumptions as conclusions, I feel compelled to respond directly. The author writes: “I am writing this because this is my home… Speaking up felt less

Column Letters Opinion

Letters: On Southold Tree Clearing & Greenport Parking

June 5, 2026June 11, 2026 East End Beacon

How Much Polishing Does A Tree Code Require? As with so much in Southold Town government, progress seems measured not in months but in years. I was encouraged to read "Southold Sets Zoning Priorities" in the June EEB and to learn that the town plans to update the zoning code in manageable pieces rather than attempting another all-encompassing overhaul. That approach at least offers the possibility of movement. Unfortunately, the