Fire Island News & Great South Bay News

Bay Shore vigil offers prayers for victims of the Venezuelan earthquakes

Bay Shore community members gathered for a vigil to pray for those who died during the earthquakes in Venezuela.

LI Press By Nicholas Piretto

A Venezuelan flag waved above around a dozen people in the parking lot of a Bay Shore auto repair shop Thursday evening as they prayed for the casualties of the recent earthquakes. The earthquakes hit home for Franklin Montilla, who is originally from La Guaira, a Venezuelan city that has suffered catastrophic damage. He…

Paradise Lost: South Shore Featured in LIM’s Exhibit About 1970s Long Island Suburbia

Long Island

By Christopher Verga

Long Island Museum (LIM) in Stony Brook is featuring a new exhibit, Long Island in the 70’s, that revisits suburban life during the 1970s. One of the exhibit’s many features is its exploration of how the South Shore was shaped environmentally, politically, and socially. At the center of the exhibit’s retelling of the social changes […]

During one of Fire Island’s busiest weekends, the Fourth of July, do sellers benefit from increased foot traffic, or can the holiday chaos become a distraction from serious buying activity?”

In my experience, sellers often benefit from having their home on the market over the Fourth of July weekend. Fire Island is at its peak, with homeowners, renters, and visitors out enjoying the island, which naturally creates more exposure for listings and open houses. While some people are here strictly for the holiday and not actively looking to buy, the Fourth of July gives prospective buyers a chance to experience the community at its absolute best. These visitors can see the beaches, restaurants, events, and neighborhood atmospheres at their liveliest, immersing themselves in the traits that make each village on Fire Island unique. Real estate on Fire Island is often a lifestyle purchase, and buyers frequently decide they want to own here after experiencing that cherished lifestyle firsthand. I find the holiday weekend’s increased visibility and energy generally outweigh any distractions that come with the crowds; the island sells itself!

Between the Canals

By Samantha Salerno

Nathaniel Larson Licensed Real Estate Salesperson Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty nathaniellarson@danielgale.com (631) 800-1301 In my experience, sellers often benefit from having their home on the market over the Fourth of July weekend. Fire Island is at its peak, with homeowners, renters, and visitors out enjoying the island, which naturally creates more exposure for […]

After the Fourth of July: Where to Go and What To Do After the Big Holiday

Davis Park

By Nikita Cook

Fourth of July may be in the rearview mirror now, but summer is only getting started, and there is so much to do over the glorious week that lies ahead. Don’t miss a minute of it! Movie in the Park: Daddy Day Camp Monday, June 6 (6:30 p.m.) The Town of Islip’s Summer Fun Series […]

Kindness Continues to Lead the Way Through the Live Like Jeyson Foundation

Nearly five years after the loss of Sayville teenager Jeyson Reyes, his legacy continues to grow through scholarships, community outreach, and acts of kindness in his name.

Ocean Beach

By Ava Stringer

Nearly five years after the loss of Sayville teenager Jeyson Reyes, his legacy continues to grow through scholarships, community outreach, and acts of kindness in his name. What began as a scholarship fund established after Reyes’ death in 2021 has evolved into the Live Like Jeyson Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to honoring the […]

SUMMER READING: What’s in My Beach Bag?

Time feels a little more precious during the summer compared to the other times of the year, making the question of how to spend it all the more consequential. Like many, I devote a great deal of my time to reading. Whether lazing in a hammock or lounging on a beach chair, this summer's stack has something for everyone: a giant glowing jellyfish, an art heist in Paris, a missed romantic connection at 30,000 feet, family secrets on Block Island, murder, mystery, and enough emotional drama to keep you slathered in sunscreen and suspense all summer long.

Books & Authors

By Jane L. Rosen

Time feels a little more precious in the summer than at other times of the year, making the question of how to spend it all the more consequential. Like many, I devote a great deal of my time to reading. Whether lazing in a hammock or lounging on a beach chair, this summer’s stack has […]

“For the Blessings of Liberty,” at the Suffolk County Historical Society Museum’s ’s America 250 Exhibit

George Washington’s original 1795 letter to several East End Suffolk County citizens is a primary attraction in For the Blessings of Liberty: Suffolk County and the American Revolution, 1775-1783, an exhibit at the Suffolk County Historical Society Museum (SCHSM), which opened on May 19.

History

By Linda Leuzzi

George Washington’s original 1795 letter to several East End Suffolk County citizens is a primary attraction in For the Blessings of Liberty: Suffolk County and the American Revolution, 1775-1783, an exhibit at the Suffolk County Historical Society Museum (SCHSM), which opened on May 19. “It was in our library archives,” SCHSM’s executive director Victoria Berger […]

Extreme Heat Warning extended to Fourth of July on Long Island amid heat wave

LI Press By Timothy Bolger

A heat wave blanketing Long Island in dangerously hot conditions that, combined with the humidity feels like above 100 degrees this week, is expected to scorch historic 250th Fourth of July celebrations, forecasters say.

Fire Island News Fourth of July Edition Hits Newsstands Ahead of the Big Weekend

My Editor’s Window column in the July 3, 2026, edition of Fire Island News opens with the following paragraphs:

Fire Island Pines

By Shoshanna McCollum

My Editor’s Window column in the July 3, 2026, edition of Fire Island News opens with the following paragraphs: Fifty years ago, I was 10 years old, having my school picture taken. Unlike prior years, the students and I were instructed to hold a miniature replica of the Liberty Bell in recognition of the Bicentennial. […]

Long Island Museum exhibit offers new look at America’s mysterious Founding Father

Xiomáro in front of his photographs at the Long Island Museum.

LI Press By Jerry Shi

The Long Island Museum has opened a new exhibition offering a closer look at William Floyd, the only Long Island signer of the Declaration of Independence, through a collection of photographs and artifacts marking the nation’s 250th birthday. The Seat of Action: Long Island in the American Revolution and Beyond features several large-scale photographs…

St. Ann’s Episcopal Church and People’s ARC See Partnership have Flourished in its First Year

As St. Ann’s Episcopal Church and People’s ARC of Suffolk County mark one year of partnership, leaders from both organizations say the collaboration has created new opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and strengthened ties within the Sayville community. The partnership, which began last spring, brought one of People’s ARC’s community-based adult day programs to the St. Ann’s campus. Over the past year, participants have engaged with the church’s outreach ministries, gained vocational experience, and built relationships with parishioners and community members.

Sayville

By Angelina Zingariello

As St. Ann’s Episcopal Church and People’s ARC of Suffolk County mark one year of partnership, leaders from both organizations say the collaboration has created new opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and strengthened ties within the Sayville community. The partnership, which began last spring, brought one of People’s ARC’s community-based adult day […]

John Dempsey’s Fire Island Art: 100 Years

Before Fire Island, on one hazy 1960s summer, at a Girl Scout Camp on Long Island, a young Meryl Meisler hears whispers of a mystical realm just across the bay. On this island, they say, “fairies ran about naked and lived in little houses with charming names like Shirley’s Temple.” This opening vignette — shared by a now-renowned, longtime photographer of queer New York nightlife — sets the tone for John Dempsey’s ambitious account of Fire Island’s art history.

Books & Authors

By Emma Fiona Jones

Before Fire Island, on one hazy 1960s summer, at a Girl Scout Camp on Long Island, a young Meryl Meisler hears whispers of a mystical realm just across the bay. On this island, they say, “fairies ran about naked and lived in little houses with charming names like Shirley’s Temple.” This opening vignette — shared […]