Our June 20 edition of Fire Island News features a vibrant green cover, marking the arrival of summer. It’s a beauty, adorned with a pitch-perfect rendition of the Davis Park Casino painted by Linnea Rhodes. This work was chosen to commemorate the 80th anniversary of this fabled institution. The community columnist, Lisa Daglian, writes about its history, as well as the recent birthday bash the Casino Café and Bar threw to celebrate the occasion. Daglian was also recently honored with her first Press Club Long Island (PCLI) journalism award. Our coverage of the awards ceremony is also included in this issue.
On the subject of anniversaries, this coming Fourth of July will mark the 50th anniversary of the Invasion of Fire Island Pines, and we have several articles within this issue to observe this milestone. Christopher Verga documents this moment in his history column. FIN has published articles about the history of the Invasion before, of course. Still, no two have ever been quite alike, and Verga has brought new insights to the table—a special thanks to Thom Hansen, and Cherry Grove historian Carl Luss for their assistance in its preparation.
The dialogue continues with Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines community columnist Robert Levine, who has recently become a Guinness World Record holder for being the oldest performing drag queen. Schneps Media reporter Emma Fiona Jones seized the opportunity to hear Levine share his story, as well as the story of Rose Levine, who will be performing at the Cherry Grove Community House Theater on July 19. Read more about it in our community calendar, which features a wealth of events happening in Fire Island and the Great South Bay neighborhoods leading up to the July 4th holiday and beyond.
This issue also includes real estate news, and helpful advice. Our Behind the Dunes real estate section continues the dialogue on the Fire Island housing market in our Real Estate Roundtable column. Also meet stained glass master craftsman Frank Pillitteri of Ocean Bay Park. Looking for a place to take that special someone on a Fire Island date night? Samantha Salerno offers some pointers. Curious about how to get to Fire Island? The subject is more nuanced than you might think, and Skylar Epstein has prepared a comprehensive guide. Read his guide, then visit us this summer!
