New offshore wind farm under construction in Brookhaven

Long Island Morning Edition

For nearly a decade, the Spanish Embassy’s Ministry of Culture, Education and Sports has recognized each of Southampton’s Public Schools…SES, SIS, and SHS…as an International Spanish Academy, or ISA, which “implement a Spanish-English dual language immersion curriculum with the support, consultancy and recognition of the Ministry,” according to its website. Michelle Trauring reports on 27east.com that in the last three years alone, more than 40 Southampton students have graduated as fluent Spanish and English speakers from the rigorous program — the only one of its kind on Long Island, setting an example for other districts as the region’s Latino population grows. “We’re no longer a homogeneous, English-speaking region — and the numbers will only continue to increase,” explained bilingual speech language pathologist Selene Yoel, who is the director of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and bilingual programs at Stony Brook University. “Exposure to things that are different — whether it be language, whether it be disability, whether it be different foods, whether it be anything — is what our kids need to be successful and good humans. It makes them more flexible in life.” According to Superintendent of Southampton Schools Dr. Fatima Morrell, the student body in 2021-22 was 47 percent Latino and increased to 49 percent the following year. Last year, the number of Hispanic students in Southampton Public Schools reached 51 percent.

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When Mega Millions tickets doubled in price from $1 to $2 in 2017, Gary Dhindsa, owner of One Stop Cards And Convenience in Farmingdale said his business dwindled.

"At the beginning, when it started ... it was going very good," he said. "People used to play in a group, $200, $100."

Now, people who come in play around $20 or $40 maximum, Dhindsa said. But next year, he fears, no one will play.

Dhindsa is one of many Long Islanders and business owners who were concerned yesterday, after Mega Millions announced it would again increase its prices from $2 to $5, going into effect in April 2025.

Lottery director Gweneth Dean said in a statement there will be "improvements" to the game, starting at the time the price increase takes effect, including "bigger prizes at every level, improved odds, and more chances to win life-changing money.”

But Dhinsa said after owning his convenience store for about 12 years, he has "slowly" seen a decrease in Mega Millions customers.

"I don't think they will play, because it is almost a 300% hike, not 5 or 10%," he said. "When it goes from $2 to $5, forget about anything."

Raj Patel, owner of Dix Hills Lotto, said a large amount of his profits are from lottery tickets.

"I am busy always," Patel said after serving at least six lottery players during a Tuesday afternoon lunch rush. "A lot of customers say that's ridiculous," he said, referring to the price increase.

Customer Marty Gerig, of Huntington, said that, with the general increase of prices these days, he's not surprised.

"New York never runs out of ways [of] making more money. Never," said Gerig, who bought a Mega Millions ticket at Dix Hills Lotto. "Pretty soon, they're going to be taxing us for the air we breathe."

According to the state lottery, operations for the 2023-24 fiscal year ended with $10.6 billion in combined sales, providing $3.8 billion to public schools and school districts throughout the State of New York.

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The Restoration Advisory Board for the former Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant in Calverton will hold its next meeting on Oct. 29, at the Residence Inn in Riverhead. That Tuesday night meeting is scheduled to start at 6:15 p.m. and end at 9 p.m.

As reported on Riverheadlocal.com, there will be an open house session prior to the meeting, beginning at 5:30 p.m. This session will feature informational displays and representatives from the Navy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

The Residence Inn is at 2012 Old Country Road in Riverhead.

The public can attend the October 29th Restoration Advisory Board meeting in person, by phone, or virtually through the free webinar tool Microsoft Teams. Virtual attendees can join the webinar up to 30 minutes prior to the start of the meeting.

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New York State officials are warning student loan borrowers that the 12-month grace period that had protected them from being reported to credit bureaus if they missed or were late making payments ended this month.

"As the federal student loan grace period has now ended, the New York Department of State's Division of Consumer Protection is warning student loan borrowers to avoid scams and negative financial and credit reporting consequences while navigating the loan repayment process," the office said in a statement yesterday. "Any late or missed federal student loan payments can now be reported to the credit bureaus, which can lead to severe negative consequences for borrowers who are unable to make payments."

New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosely urged borrowers to "work directly with their loan servicer to help prevent significant financial and credit reporting consequences" if they can't afford their payments. Olivia Winslow reports in NEWSDAY that federal student loan payments resumed October 2023 after a three-and-a-half year pause caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. After that, borrowers had a yearlong grace period protecting them from being reported to credit bureaus for being delinquent for missed payments. That grace period ended this Oct. 1, the department said.

"Don't trust any person or program that promises you special access or guaranteed eligibility for loan forgiveness," the department's statement cautioned. "You might be contacted by a scammer saying they will help you get your loan canceled or reduced for a fee. You will never need to pay for advice or help with your federal student loans or any deferment or income-based plans. All federal student loan borrowers can stay updated at no cost by contacting the U.S. Department of Education directly at StudentAid.gov."

Borrowers can also go to edcapny.org., (Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program) an independent, New York State funded that helps New Yorkers navigate the student loan process by offering free, one-on-one counseling.

In addition to the website, borrowers seeking help can also call the program at 888-614-5004, or email at [e-mail] for more information.

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NYS Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., of Sag Harbor who will retire from government at year’s end and has assumed the role of executive director of the Friends of Georgica Pond Foundation, made a spirited pitch for passage of the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act to the Wainscott Citizens Advisory Committee when it met this past Saturday. Christopher Walsh reports on 27east.com that the measure on the November ballot would fund water quality improvement initiatives through a 1/8-cent sales tax increase. It must be approved by voters via referendum. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Suffolk County Water Restoration Act in May, authorizing county officials to let voters decide whether to implement the sales tax increase, which would fund sewer expansion and replacement of nitrogen-polluting septic systems with clean water technology. Passage of Proposition 2 would be “a game-changer,” said Thiele…adding degradation of water quality over the course of decades “has been perhaps the most important environmental issue that we’ve been dealing with. Not just here in the Town of East Hampton, not just in Wainscott, not just in Georgica Pond, but across Long Island, across the state.” The Water Quality Restoration Act has wide support, said Thiele a Democrat, including from environmental, civic, business and labor groups. “It is really the next step in being able to improve water quality and what makes the East End special. Water is critical, not just for the environment, but for the economy. Whether agriculture, commercial fishing, tourism, it all depends on clean water,” said retiring NYS Assemblyman Fred Thiele…who’s born and raised on eastern Long Island.

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Town officials are gearing up to implement a paid parking system in downtown Riverhead as they start the next phase of development for the town square — set to include an amphitheater, boutique hotel and more — and a multi-story parking garage in the First Street parking lot.

Dawn Thomas, Riverhead’s planning, economic development and community development director told the Town Board during last week’s work session that, “We want people to park once in the garage or in a neighboring lot and walk throughout downtown. We want that pedestrian activity. This is a part of how we get that to happen.”

Alek Lewis reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the town will conduct a 30-day trial for paid parking in the Riverhead Town parking lot between Roanoke and Griffing avenues starting later this month to collect data on the use of the lot by businesses and visitors. It will also conduct “written and detailed” surveys of people using the lot and people on Main Street. The results of the survey and other elements of the trial will be in a “comprehensive report” delivered to the town, according to Kevin Wood of Parking and Mobility Consultants. The Town of Riverhead hired Wood in April to develop a comprehensive downtown parking plan.

The date for the start of the 30-day trial will be determined this week and will be discussed at this week’s work session, said Wood on Monday.

The town will use a digital parking management system for payment and enforcement called HONK, which is used in other business districts like the Village of Port Jefferson, officials said. Prices during the trial will be $1 per hour and $5 for one day, with a 35 cent “convenience to parker fee,” according to Wood. (An agreement with HONK for the trial period is being negotiated by the town attorney’s office, he said.)

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With Long Island’s first offshore wind farm already producing energy for the East End, and a second under construction in Brookhaven, power producers last month proposed another round of reworked projects that could see hundreds of turbines spinning off Long Island in the next decade. Mark Harrington reports in NEWSDAY that most of the newly bid projects will be located in wind-lease areas between Long Island and New Jersey called the New York Bight. Most were rebid last month after the State of New York canceled a previous award following a turbine manufacturer’s unexpected decision to abandon plans for the industry’s biggest turbines, which most of the projects had planned to use.

The newly rebid projects include one that would be around 24 miles from Fire Island that proposes to make landfall at Jones Beach State Park; another that will be located off the New England coast and transmit energy via a new cable from over 100 miles away; a third that proposes a cable that will make its way around Manhattan to a landing point in Queens; and a fourth that didn’t list its landing point. All told, the projects would produce upwards of 7,000 megawatts of power, enough for millions of New York homes and businesses if they're approved and completed sometime after the end of the decade.

One project that proposes injecting its energy into the LIPA grid is being offered by Orsted, the Danish wind-energy giant that has already completed a project for LIPA known as South Fork Wind and is currently building Sunrise Wind, which will make land at Smith Point near Shirley by 2026.

Orsted’s new project is known as Long Island Wind. The 1,485-megawatt project promises to deliver enough energy for 1 million homes.

Orsted said Long Island Wind will be built 48 miles from Montauk, or 28 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, though its landing site, number of turbines and costs aren't disclosed. It’s expected to be in operation by 2032.

Mentioned in this episode:

Long Island Morning Edition is part of Your Election 2024, a special collection of programs, series, and resources from The WNET Group to illuminate election issues on-air, online, and on YouTube leading into the November 5th elections. Find more at wliw.org/yourelection2024.