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Community News, March 27

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The Sag Harbor Community Food Pantry volunteers held a birthday celebration luncheon last week for its long time Executive Director Evie Ramunno, with sandwiches donated by Espresso Da Asporto. Ramunno has been a dedicated volunteer at the Sag Harbor Community Food Pantry for over 25 years. Pantry shelf stock is critically low. Those who wish to make a donation in honor of Ramunno may do so by dropping off non-perishable food items in the donation bins at the Old Whalers Church, Apple Bank, M&T Bank, Dime Bank or John Jermain Library. Or send a donation to Sag Harbor Community Food Pantry, PO Box 3191, Sag Harbor, NY 11963. COURTESY SAG HARBOR FOOD PANTRY
Four members of the Eastport Fire Department received Life Saving Awards, at the department's recent awards dinner, for rescuing Steven Almash, center, when his kayak was swept through Moriches Inlet in February. The recipients who are seen holding their awards were, from the left, Ryan King, Mark Yakaboski, Joe Dalen, and Chief John Dalen. With them are First Assistant Chief Virginia Haughn, far left, and Second Assistant Chief Chris Hulse, at right. COURTESY EASTPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT
Lieutenant Philip Tortorice, third from left, was named 2024 Firefighter of the Year of the Eastport Fire Department at the department's recent award's diner. With him are, from the left, Second Assistant Chief Chris Hulse, First Assistant Chief Virginia Haughn, and Chief John Dalen. COURTESY EASTPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT
Todge Nowakowski, third from left, was honored for his fifty years of service to the Eastport Fire Department at the department's recent awards dinner . With him are, from the left, Second Assistant Chief Chris Hulse, First Assistant Chief Virginia Haughn and Chief John Dalen. COURTERSY EASTPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT
Heidi Rohm, Denise Silva-Dennis and Saidah Belo Osagie at the opening of "Eternal Testament" at The Church in Sag Harbor on Saturday. The exhibit features works by Native artists regionally and from across the country and runs through June 1. LISA TAMBURINI
Jeffrey Pegram, Elisa Harkins, Meranda Roberts and Jeremy Dennis at the opening of "Eternal Testament" at The Church in Sag Harbor on Saturday. The exhibit features works by Native artists regionally and from across the country and runs through June 1. LISA TAMBURINI
A healing ceremony for the forest was held at the Quogue Wildlife Refuge on March 20. Inspired by the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto, participants use the power of words, intention, and community to strengthen and protect the trees as they face the challenge of a southern pine beetle infestation. DANA SHAW
A healing ceremony for the forest was held at the Quogue Wildlife Refuge on March 20. Inspired by the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto, participants use the power of words, intention, and community to strengthen and protect the trees as they face the challenge of a southern pine beetle infestation. DANA SHAW
A healing ceremony for the forest was held at the Quogue Wildlife Refuge on March 20. Inspired by the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto, participants use the power of words, intention, and community to strengthen and protect the trees as they face the challenge of a southern pine beetle infestation. DANA SHAW
A healing ceremony for the forest was held at the Quogue Wildlife Refuge on March 20. Inspired by the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto, participants use the power of words, intention, and community to strengthen and protect the trees as they face the challenge of a southern pine beetle infestation. DANA SHAW

The Sag Harbor Community Food Pantry volunteers held a birthday celebration luncheon last week for its long time Executive Director Evie Ramunno, with sandwiches donated by Espresso Da Asporto. Ramunno has been a dedicated volunteer at the Sag Harbor Community Food Pantry for over 25 years. Pantry shelf stock is critically low. Those who wish to make a donation in honor of Ramunno may do so by dropping off non-perishable food items in the donation bins at the Old Whalers Church, Apple Bank, M&T Bank, Dime Bank or John Jermain Library. Or send a donation to Sag Harbor Community Food Pantry, PO Box 3191, Sag Harbor, NY 11963. COURTESY SAG HARBOR FOOD PANTRY

Four members of the Eastport Fire Department received Life Saving Awards, at the department's recent awards dinner, for rescuing Steven Almash, center, when his kayak was swept through Moriches Inlet in February. The recipients who are seen holding their awards were, from the left, Ryan King, Mark Yakaboski, Joe Dalen, and Chief John Dalen. With them are First Assistant Chief Virginia Haughn, far left, and Second Assistant Chief Chris Hulse, at right. COURTESY EASTPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT

Lieutenant Philip Tortorice, third from left, was named 2024 Firefighter of the Year of the Eastport Fire Department at the department's recent award's diner. With him are, from the left, Second Assistant Chief Chris Hulse, First Assistant Chief Virginia Haughn, and Chief John Dalen. COURTESY EASTPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT

Todge Nowakowski, third from left, was honored for his fifty years of service to the Eastport Fire Department at the department's recent awards dinner . With him are, from the left, Second Assistant Chief Chris Hulse, First Assistant Chief Virginia Haughn and Chief John Dalen. COURTERSY EASTPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT

Heidi Rohm, Denise Silva-Dennis and Saidah Belo Osagie at the opening of "Eternal Testament" at The Church in Sag Harbor on Saturday. The exhibit features works by Native artists regionally and from across the country and runs through June 1. LISA TAMBURINI

Jeffrey Pegram, Elisa Harkins, Meranda Roberts and Jeremy Dennis at the opening of "Eternal Testament" at The Church in Sag Harbor on Saturday. The exhibit features works by Native artists regionally and from across the country and runs through June 1. LISA TAMBURINI

A healing ceremony for the forest was held at the Quogue Wildlife Refuge on March 20. Inspired by the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto, participants use the power of words, intention, and community to strengthen and protect the trees as they face the challenge of a southern pine beetle infestation. DANA SHAW

YOUTH CORNER Circle of Fun East Hampton Library, 159 Main Street in East Hampton, will host Circle of Fun, a rhythmic class for infants to preschoolers, on Thursday, at 9:30... more

A Rat in the Coop

Because we have chickens, we have rats. When people who don’t have a farm tell me they are getting chickens, I try to warn them. That’s nice, I say. But be ready for some rats. You might want to consider getting a terrier. This is a messy lifestyle, and your Maltese won’t be able to manage it alone, if at all. As rats are associated with at least a few plagues, cities rightly fear them. In the countryside, we do our part to control them. Each night, when we go to close the coops, there is a hunt. We once ... 25 Mar 2025 by Marilee Foster

We Are the Living Dead

Welcome to the Land o’TrumpElon, where flying monkeys in the Department of Government Efficiency T-shirts are sucking out our brains and feeding off our democracy. The flying monkeys are attacking from all sides. Incoming for my Social Security. Incoming for my wallet. Incoming for my Medicare. Incoming for my nerdy niece’s future. Incoming to shrink my America on the world stage. Incoming. Incoming. Incoming. I’d like to wipe my hands of the whole thing, “Not my circus, not my monkeys,” but I can’t, not when I’m feeling the water in the pot already steeping to the boiling point. I don’t ... 24 Mar 2025 by Carlos Sandoval

Democracy Can’t Wait

“The decline of local journalism is a clear and present threat to our democracy,” declares the Empire State Local News Coalition, which describes itself as “a statewide coalition of hometown newspapers fighting for the long-term sustainability of local journalism in New York.” It continues: “Hometown newspapers are a foundational part of the American experience; we uplift the stories of everyday New Yorkers making a difference in their communities and serve as watchdogs that hold those in power accountable.” The coalition says it is “championing a robust legislative package that ensures local papers will survive through the 21st century and beyond. ... by Karl Grossman

Breaking Open

The geese have grazed all that is left. They take surviving collards to stubs; there are bald patches in the rye. The carrots we passed over are mined out, gnawed like only a goose bill could, conically downward into the dirt. The oats are bleached linen white. A few more days of winter, and there is no icy grip. It is the witch hazel that gets the show rolling. Not as common as forsythia, and not always yellow, the early blooming tree is the most obvious thing in the landscape, because it glows. Honeybees, nearby scavenging for crocus, are secured ... 18 Mar 2025 by Marilee Foster

Learning From Coach Vishno

Althea Gibson, the trailblazing African American female athlete, famously said, “No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helped you.” I’ve had several of those somebodies who helped me in my life. One of them was Bob Vishno, the iconic coach at Pierson High School from the 1950s to the 1980s. On March 7, Coach died of natural causes at his home in Sag Harbor at the age of 93. A local reporter asked me upon his passing how long I had known Coach Vishno. For a moment, I was stumped. I couldn’t remember when I didn’t know Coach Vishno. When ... by Fred W. Thiele, Jr.

An Environmental Warrior

Carol Annia Meyer Yannacone and Victor J. Yannacone Jr. were more than a married couple for many decades — they were a Suffolk County-based team in the environmental movement here and beyond. Sadly, Carol, at 90, died last month. “My wife of 66 years passed away,” Victor emailed the couple’s many friends. “She was an extraordinary woman who did much for many, and she will be sorely missed.” Indeed, she will be. One of their important crusades was a legal challenge in the mid-1960s to the spraying of the pesticide DDT by the Suffolk County Mosquito Control Commission. The commission ... by Karl Grossman

Ahora Sí

What have been the most significant changes in this little corner of the world over the past 30-plus years? Anyone paying attention would point to two things. From these two, everything else has flowed. But before we go there, before the narrow focus on this place, an acknowledgment: It is hard to think or write about anything other than what this administration is doing. And “doing” is too kind a word. More like undoing. In Elon Musk’s case, gleefully, waving a chainsaw. No matter where you stand on President Trump’s America, this is at the very least a very stressful, ... by Biddle Duke

Community News, March 20

YOUTH CORNER Circle of Fun East Hampton Library, 159 Main Street in East Hampton, will ... 17 Mar 2025 by Staff Writer

An Ancient Battle

Aesop was my first author. I was 6 when I received a beautifully illustrated anthology — I read it forward and back. The mainly cautionary and instructive anecdotes anthropomorphized animals and elements and struck a chord with my world view. The fox, the crow, the goat and, of course, the boy who cried wolf were tangible compatriots. I shared in their flaws and learned from their lessons. It would be mid-March, late morning, when the North Wind challenged the Sun to a duel. Presumably, they are both bored — up there on a clear spring day with not even a ... 11 Mar 2025 by Staff Writer

Living on (and With) the Edge

Even though only two people and spammers call my land line, I refuse to part with it. I have lived in the same house that I built 49 years ago. My hair is short, as it has been for most of my life. The Brownie saying, “Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver, the other is gold,” rings true to me. I don’t like change. As Leslie Pearlman at Good Ground Yoga recently reminded our class, change is uncomfortable. But it kept me alive in my professional, as well as my personal, life. I get it — ... by Denise Gray Meehan

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Community News, March 27

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