Environment News » Fire Island News & Great South Bay News

Kawaii Art Workshop Saturday, August 8 (11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.) Kids can explore the playful world of Kawaii art during a beginner-friendly workshop hosted by the Islip Arts Council on Saturday, August 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The one-hour class will introduce young artists to the fundamentals of Kawaii-style drawing, including color, shapes, shading, and technique. Students will learn how to create adorable Kawaii-style animals and objects while building the skills needed for further study of the art form. The class costs $25 and will take place at the Islip Arts Council’s Offices & Gallery at South Shore Mall in Bay Shore, next to Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Summer in August: Things To Do this Weekend and the Week Ahead Along the Great South Bay and on Fire Island

Posted on August 6, 2026

Seatuck Environmental Association will begin transitioning out of the home it has occupied for the past 20 years. The conservation group announced on June 15, 2026, that it will end its stewardship role at the Scully Estate on South Bay Avenue in Islip. The organization plans to fully vacate the property by the end of October 2026, marking the end of two decades of storied success at Suffolk County’s environmental center.

The End of an Era: Seatuck Environmental Association to Leave Historic Scully Estate

Posted on July 17, 2026

Screenshot

LI Press

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

A new round of funding is now open to Long Island property owners willing to trade some lawn for native plants—and the reasons to apply go beyond a reimbursement check.

How Native Plants Pay Off for Long Island Homeowners

Posted on June 24, 2026

Weeks after a stretch of Kismet’s oceanfront beach was carved away by unusually concentrated wave action, local officials say the community may have little choice but to wait.

Kismet

What’s to Be Done About Kismet’s Localized Beach Erosion?

Posted on June 23, 2026

Have you ever looked out over the Robert Moses Bridge and wondered what lies below the surface of our waterways? Well, researchers at Stony Brook University in the Frisk-Shipley Laboratory can tell you using something called “acoustic telemetry.” The researchers have granted me access to their data from 2023 to 2025 for their equipment located off Ocean Beach and beneath the Robert Moses Bridge.

Acoustic Telemetry Explores Beneath the Surface of the Shores of Long Island and Beyond

Posted on June 8, 2026

A missing house cat from the Fire Island Pines has been reunited with his owner overseas after more than a year and a half.

Fire Island Pines

A Cat Called Kevin: The Missing Fire Island Feline Found After 18 Months Travels Across the Atlantic

Posted on May 31, 2026

On April 20, after 18 months of deliberations, the Incorporated Village of Saltaire entered into a 40-year lease with the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) to manage and operate its public water infrastructure. The motion was unanimously adopted by the Saltaire Village Board of Trustees, and the agreement becomes effective June 1.

Saltaire

Saltaire Village Enters into 40-year Agreement with Suffolk County Water Authority

Posted on May 29, 2026

Toasted Oysters AKA

New York State Awards $3 Million Long Island Aquaculture Grants

Posted on May 14, 2026

May arrives at the Great South Bay with familiar signs of the season—the days are longer and friendlier, boats are returning to the water, and communities are easing into the peaceable rhythm of late spring. It’s a time when neighbors reconnect, when outdoor spaces fill again, and when our calendars begin to hum with the quiet anticipation of summer’s respite. However, May has yet another layer of significance: Mental Health Awareness Month. Once observed more quietly, it has become an increasingly visible part of community life across the South Shore, marked not just by clinical messaging, but by active conversation, education, and, perhaps most importantly, connection.

OP ED: May and its Meaning During Mental Health Awareness Month

Posted on May 9, 2026

A walk past Argyle Lake in Babylon after the blizzards revealed the mute swans no going anywhere—massive white birds, with their reddish-orange bills and black face patches, gliding through half-frozen water as if it was just another day at the park.

Swan Story: Those Beautiful Birds Are Staying Put

Posted on May 3, 2026

Opening Friday, May 1 Awakenings The BAFFA Art Gallery will feature a multi-media exhibit by Women Sharing Art in May. The exhibit includes painting, photography, mosaics, sculpture, fiber arts, and mixed media. “Awakenings explores moments of transformation, discovery, and renewed awareness.” The show can be viewed at the Gallery, Thursdays through Sundays, from Noon to 4:00 p.m. An artists’ reception and awards for students whose work was exhibited at the student art show will take place on May 2 from 1 - 4 PMp.m. The BAFFA Gallery is located in the historic Gillette House at 47 Gillette Avenue in Sayville. This exhibition runs through May 31. The gallery is open Thursday-Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. For further information: www.baffa.org or www.womensharingart.org.

Books & Authors

May Day and More: Things To Do this Weekend and Week Ahead Along Great South Bay Long Island

Posted on April 30, 2026

More from our sister sites

salpolitoheadshot

Long Island Press

Meet the Massapequa Chamber of Commerce President Salvatore Polito

Jalen Brunson Knicks Spurs Game 1

Knicks get opening-night, Christmas Day honors after title win

Schneps Podcasts

Dani Roberts, Thank You For Coming Out (Minisode)

Tim Pocock as Aiden in "Body Blow."

Actor Tim Pocock on his role in queer Australian thriller ‘Body Blow’