Long Island Morning Edition

About Long Island Morning Edition

The Long Island Daily, formerly Long Island Morning Edition, with host Michael Mackey provides regional news stories and special features that speak to the body politic, the pulse of our planet, and the marketplace of life.

Publisher

WLIW-FM

Category

news · news

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

1 Dec 2023

Latest episode

26 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

598 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   26 Oct 2026

   NYS planning to phase out Regents exams as graduation requirement

   The state of New York is planning to phase out Regents exams as a requirement for high school graduation starting next school year. Dandan Zou reports in NEWSDAY that under the proposed vision of a yearslong initiative known as New York Inspires, seniors in the Class of 2028 would instead be asked to demonstrate proficiency in ways beyond standardized tests — including, possibly, capstone projects, industry-recognized credentials, work-based learning experiences and Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses. State officials have said high-stakes exams like the Regents block students who may not be good test-takers from graduating. They argued the change is about creating a system that is more equitable and relevant to what students will need to succeed after high school. But in interviews with more than two dozen educators, students and experts about the state’s ambitious plan to reshape secondary education, reaction has been mixed. Many expressed excitement and said they believed it would benefit students and open space for more creativity and innovation in the classroom. “It's a transformation,” Brentwood schools Superintendent Wanda Ortiz-Rivera said. “It just feels like a different era.” Others, however, said they worried poor execution of the state's lofty goals could end up lowering academic rigor and widening inequity. Individual districts have been told by the state to begin "immediately" drafting assessment plans. But some educators expressed reluctance to do so without first knowing what the state will require for graduation. Many have also expressed confusion over what the new graduation measures would look like across districts — Would a diploma from Buffalo, for example, carry the same weight as one from Babylon? “How are they going to make sure that [students] are accountable for what they know?” said Gloria Sesso, president of the Long Island Council for the Social Studies. “They tore down the system without a substitute for accountability.” State officials said more guidance will be rolled out in the coming months and have pushed back on critiques that decoupling Regents exams from graduation would lower academic expectations or weaken standards. *** A 48-year-old fisherman drowned early Saturday morning after taking off his life jacket to retrieve gear from a sunken boat off Southold Town Beach, according to Southold Town Police. Edward Glazarev reports in THE SUFFOLK TIMES that Luis Alciviades Encalada Ojeda, of Corona, Queens, and two other men had spent much of Friday night fishing from the beach before launching a 10-foot aluminum skiff around 4 a.m. Saturday,. Southold Town Police Chief Steven Grattan told The Suffolk Times that about 50 yards offshore, the boat began taking on water. All three men were wearing life jackets when they abandoned the skiff and swam safely back to shore. “They were at least somewhat prepared,” he said. But Mr. Ojeda went back out for his fishing equipment and removed his life jacket, Chief Grattan said. “It’s not clear if he was actually trying to dive down to the bottom to get the gear or if the boat was submerged and there was stuff underneath that he was trying to reach,” he said. The water in Long Island Sound was “a little choppy,” Chief Grattan added, and the current was running. Mr. Ojeda became separated from the small skiff and yelled to his friends for help. One swam out to reach him, but by then he was unconscious, Chief Grattan said. His companion brought him back to shore. The drowning happened around 4:30 a.m., but the men’s wet phones delayed their efforts to summon help, Chief Grattan said. A nearby resident eventually called 911 around 7:10 a.m. On Saturday. Emergency personnel found Mr. Ojeda on the beach and pronounced him dead at the scene, police said. His fishing buddies were treated but were not injured. “I mean, I can understand fishing gear can be expensive but it’s not worth your life,” he said. The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to assist with the investigation. *** The Mattituck-Laurel Civic Association hosts an “Update on the North Fork’s Aquifer” this evening at 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Beach in Mattituck. Frederick Stumm, research hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski will discuss recent U.S. Geological Survey {USGS} work to examine the state of the groundwater on the North Fork including updated results of the recent well drilling, 5 new monitoring wells which have been dug, and the extent and depth of saltwater intrusion into the north fork water system. That’s the MLCA Forum: Update on the North Fork’s Aquifer, this evening from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm at Veterans Beach, 11280 Peconic Bay Blvd, Mattituck, NY 11952. *** The landmark $800 million settlement between 1,300 clergy sex abuse victims and the Archdiocese of New York came partly because of a similar legal battle with the Catholic Church on Long Island, attorneys for victims in both cases said yesterday. Unlike in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, the Archdiocese of New York never declared bankruptcy, the attorneys said. And in New York, attorneys were able to obtain an agreement from the church to release a trove of internal files on the abuse that have been kept secret for decades. The Rockville Centre diocese hasn't released internal files of abuse involving its accused clergy. "A lot of this was trying to learn from what didn’t go right in Rockville Centre," said Jordan Merson, a Manhattan-based attorney who represents victims in Rockville Centre and New York. Bart Jones reports in NEWSDAY that the Rockville Centre Diocese and victims engaged in a four-year battle after the diocese declared bankruptcy in October 2020. The diocese reached a $323 million settlement in December 2024 with about 600 victims. Legal fees combined for both parties surpassed $100 million — money that advocates and attorneys said could have gone to the victims. "I think all the parties wanted to avoid a multiyear, very expensive bankruptcy," Merson told Newsday, referring to the New York settlement. "Here we really wanted it [the money] all to go to survivors." Paul Mones, a Los Angeles-based attorney who represented victims in both cases, said the yearslong Rockville Centre Diocese court case taught that "it will take years for bankruptcy to unwind, during which period of time the claimants suffer even further emotional damage." The Diocese of Rockville Centre said through a spokesperson, the Rev. Eric Fasano: "The greed and intransigence of certain plaintiffs' lawyers is what drove costs, prolonged the process, and ultimately took monies from survivors. We are grateful that our process concluded nearly two years ago and pray that society seeks to prevent and end child abuse everywhere." He added that "bankruptcy is a public process, handled by a federal court. All documents and proceedings are open to the public and subject to public scrutiny. The Diocese concealed nothing." Settlement negotiations with the Catholic Church in New York State were spurred by a 2019 law that allowed childhood victims of sex abuse to sue their abusers regardless of how long ago the alleged abuse happened. *** New York Governor Kathy Hochul brushes off a federal investigation into a Long Island Democratic Party boss accused of trying to buy votes as a “political hit job.” Brandon Cruz reports in THE NY POST that the governor, speaking to reporters in Midtown Manhattan recently, stood up for Suffolk County Democratic Party Chairman Rich Schaffer after The Post reported that he was being probed by the FBI over alleged strongarm tactics to secure his reelection. “Anything coming out of the Trump administration days before an election… is calculated as a political hit job,” the governor said — despite the fact the accusations against the boss coming from fellow Democrats. “I don’t believe you can presume what the feds are alleging is true — you need to know the context of who’s doing it, [and] what their record is of using their investigatory powers to harass political opponents,” Hochul added. Though the governor admitted she didn’t know the details of the allegations against Schaffer…who is also Baylon Town Supervisor…or what allegedly transpired, she said she believes there is “a cloud” over the investigation. But when asked whether Schaffer’s alleged behavior was appropriate for an elected official, Hochul said she would “wait for the investigation” to review the findings and make a decision. “It was clear that she was caught off guard and hasn’t been briefed on the matter,” Leigh-Ann Bard, former longtime ally of Schaffer-turned-whistleblower, told The Post. “I have full faith in [Attorney General Letitia James’] office and the FBI doing their due diligence,” Bard added. Schaffer, who has been the Suffolk County Democratic Party boss for over 26 years, was reelected to the top party post last month despite being hit with accusations that he tried to threaten party members and even offered money to some if they voted for him to keep the crown. Schaffer has denied all allegations of wrongdoing and called them “baseless.” *** Early voting in New York began this past Saturday, and continues through Sunday, November 1. There is no early voting on Monday, November 2…Polling sites across Long Island are open on Tuesday November 3 - Election Day 2026 – from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. The NYS Board of Elections has an online portal where a registered voter may...

2. 

   23 Oct 2026

   Ragamuffin Parade returns to Sag Harbor 10/24

   Two Long Islanders are among those who must forfeit millions in profits reaped from an international cryptocurrency scam that targeted Haitian communities and defrauded hundreds of thousands of victims, including more than 11,000 New Yorkers, Attorney General Letitia James announced in a Thursday news release. Nicholas Spangler reports in NEWSDAY that Frantz Ciceron, of Farmingdale, James Corbett, of Mastic Beach, Ricardo Roy, Sr., of Ridgewood, and Martin Zizi, a Queens native who resides in Kennesaw, Georgia, must pay a combined $6 million in separate settlements for their roles in what constituted "an illegal pyramid scheme,” James’ office said. The defendants, "acting as unregistered brokers,” made "false and misleading statements in the offer and sale of securities” for a pair of crypto firms, the release said. They are all barred from "participating in the securities, commodities, and cryptocurrency industries.” The settlement stems from A.G. James’ June 2024 lawsuit against cryptocurrency trading company NovaTechFx and cryptocurrency mining company AWS Mining Pty Ltd. On Thursday James asked the New York State Supreme Court to order two other defendants, NovaTech founders Cynthia and Eddy Petion — who court documents identify as a husband and wife who last year fled the country — to pay $1.3 billion in damages and unjust enrichment. The Petions were among the promoters of AWS Mining who "promised investors 15 to 20 percent monthly returns, 200 percent returns on investments within 15 months,” according to James’ office. The company failed to generate returns to fulfill those promises and collapsed in 2019. The couple then started NovaTech, which hooked investors with similar promises of high profits through trades. The company misrepresented that it was a licensed crypto trading platform and "targeted minority and religious communities, particularly Haitian communities, in prayer groups and WhatsApp group chats with advertisements in Haitian Creole and religious messages that appealed to their faith,” the release said. Less than $26 million of the more than $1 billion worth of crypto deposited with NovaTech was ever traded, according to James’ office. The platform collapsed in May 2023, and investors could not recoup their funds. *** It’s been an existential question in Sag Harbor for months — how to address the proliferation of chain retail or “formula” stores that have had an increasing presence in the village’s downtown over the last few years, in order to preserve the charm, feel and character of a village that has always prided itself on being unique. Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that this conversation, and the debate that often accompanies it, will return to the public stage for the first time since June when Sag Harbor Village hosts a formula store workshop at Village Hall on Thursday, October 29, at 4 p.m. Members of the public can attend in person or via Zoom for the conversation. The last community forum on the topic, held in June, was heavily attended and there was a lively conversation about different ways to curb or regulate formula stores. Environmental planning consultant Rich Warren of Inter-Science presented several different options, along with the pros and cons of each, at that meeting. He will be on hand on October 29 with another presentation. The Sag Harbor Partnership, the nonprofit focused on cultural and environmental preservation and advocacy on behalf of locally owned small businesses, has taken an active role in the conversation and debate around the proliferation of chain retail stores, and has worked with village officials on various ways to address the issue. This week, the partnership formally announced that it has launched a new initiative focused on preserving the unique character, diversity and long-term vitality of Sag Harbor’s Main Street Business District. The partnership also announced that it will host a public meeting related to its Main Street initiative on Sunday, November 8, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at The Church on Madison Street. At that public meeting, members of the Sag Harbor Partnership-led task force will present the initiative’s objectives and explore opportunities for community participation and public-private collaboration. *** Early voting starts tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 28 locations across Suffolk County. Voters registered in Suffolk can vote at any of these locations at specified hours from Oct. 24 through Nov. 1, ahead of the Tuesday, Nov. 3 election. No early voting on Monday, November 2. On the East End, early voting will be held at the Shelter Island Community Center at 1 Bateman Road on Shelter Island, Southold Town Recreation Center at 970 Peconic Lane, Riverhead Town Hall at 4 West Second Street, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church at 40 Main Street in Westhampton Beach, the Stony Brook Southampton gym at 70 Tuckahoe Road in Southampton, and Windmill Village 219 Accabonac Road in East Hampton. *** A new tactic the Trump administration says will be a net positive for taxpayers by using the IRS to track down immigrants in the country illegally has outraged advocates who say it violates federal law and will take billions from the financially struggling Social Security system. Bart Jones reports in NEWSDAY that the federal government last year started trying to locate immigrants who use Individual Tax Identification Numbers, or ITINs, by getting the IRS to turn over their names and addresses to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to court papers. The government obtained information on about 47,000 undocumented immigrants before a judge put a halt to the practice in November. Several high-level IRS officials resigned last year in protest of the agency’s data-sharing agreement with ICE. Millions of immigrants who work while living in the United States illegally use ITINs to pay taxes on their wages because they cannot obtain Social Security cards. These immigrants pay about $59 billion a year into federal programs including Social Security and Medicare but never get a penny back because they are not eligible for the programs, said Ben D’Avanzo, a senior policy strategist at the National Immigration Law Center. Immigrant advocates say the Trump administration's tactic could funnel off billions of dollars in federal tax revenue meant to fund Social Security and other programs. A federal report released in June warned that Social Security’s primary trust fund was expected to run out in late 2032 unless Congress steps in to shore up the program's financial health, according to a Newsday story at the time. "I think it’s outrageous," Patrick Young, a longtime immigrant advocate on Long Island and a professor of immigration law at Hofstra University Law School, told Newsday of ICE using the IRS. "The whole purpose of" ITINs "is to have people pay as much tax as they owe," Young said, "not to try to track people down for expulsion from the United States." Immigrants pay taxes through ITINs because it shows good moral character and can help their case when they try to legalize their status and become U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, D’Avanzo said. Immigrants in the United States without legal authorization who use ITINs pay $25.7 billion a year into the Social Security system, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. The Department of Homeland Security defended the practice of using the IRS and ITINs to locate people in the United States illegally. "Under President Trump’s leadership, the government is finally doing what it should have all along — sharing information across the federal government to solve problems," DHS said in a statement to Newsday. "With the IRS information specifically, DHS plans to focus on enforcing long-neglected criminal laws that apply to illegal aliens but which the Biden Administration ignored." The agency did not respond to questions about the lost revenue for Social Security and other programs that could result from the crackdown. *** The Southold Town Board decided on one of the final pieces in its proposed sweeping overhaul of its short-term rental code at its Code Committee meeting this week, paving the way for upcoming public hearings. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that board members agreed, at least initially, to cap the total number of permits issued at 1 percent of the housing stock in each hamlet, for a total of 119 rentals. The cap would not apply to Fishers Island, where there are no hotels and people often rent property to their relatives during the summer season. The Southold Town Board is expected to schedule public hearings on the proposal later this year, and town planners have posted the proposed local law, and the per-hamlet breakdown of the cap on southoldzoningupdate.com. Short-term rentals of less than 14 days are currently prohibited in the Town of Southold, but this law has proven difficult to enforce, and the town estimates nearly 1,000 of them are operating here. The town is now proposing to change the definition of short-term rentals to less than 30 days. Southold is planning to strengthen its code enforcement department with new hires, including a Director of Code Enforcement and issue a limited number of short-term rental permits through a lottery. If the proposal is adopted, people who wish to rent their property short-term must first apply for a regular two-year rental permit, which costs $300. After that they would apply separately to be entered into the lottery for a short-term rental permit, which is also valid for two years. The price of that permit...

3. 

   22 Oct 2026

   Early voting in Suffolk County begins Saturday

   At a news conference yesterday bolstering safe driving around school buses in Suffolk, officials disclosed that about 75,000 summonses were issued to drivers illegally passing a school bus in 2025, a 13% drop from the year before. Joe Werkmeister reports in NEWSDAY that the data, which is the most recent, was mentioned at a news conference by Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine announcing a weeklong initiative, now underway, called Operation Safe Stop to remind drivers of the dangers of illegally passing a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing. Romaine was flanked by legislators, Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina, students from Saxton Middle School in Patchouge and transportation officials for the announcement. Catalina said officers have been "aggressively enforcing" bus violations since Monday and called it a "zero-tolerance effort." Operation Safe Stop is an annual event that began in 1995 in other parts of the state. In 2024, the county issued about 83,000 summonses for illegally passing a school bus with its light flashing and the figure declined last year to about 75,000, according to Romaine, citing an annual report released in June. Numbers for this year were not available. "The number is still way too high," said Maurita Coleman Simpson, a member of the New York Association for Pupil Transportation, and the transportation director for the Half Hollow Hills school district. Those summonses come from Suffolk County's school bus camera program that began in 2021. Officials said most buses are now equipped with them. Catalina said there's a difference between the bus camera summonses, issued to the registered owner of the vehicle, and a ticket issued by an officer to a driver. Those tickets carry a fine, points on a license and potentially jail time, he said. In 2025, Suffolk officers issued 42 tickets for passing a stopped school bus. This year, there have been 29 tickets issued directly by officers, according to the department's press office. Catalina said he did not know of any student injuries in the past year due to a driver illegally passing a stopped school bus. A Newsday investigation in 2024 found 70% of camera summonses in 2023 were issued on streets that students don't cross when getting on or off the bus. *** A former Riverhead High School teacher and soccer coach was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for soliciting nude images from underage girls and sending them sexually explicit images of himself, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Ryan McCaffery, 38, of Ridge, will also serve five years of post-release supervision, District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that McCaffery pleaded guilty Sept. 21 before Acting State Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis to two counts of first-degree disseminating indecent material to minors as a sexually motivated felony and one count of endangering the welfare of a child. “Adults have a responsibility to protect children, not expose them to sexually explicit material,” stated D.A. Tierney. According to prosecutors, a forensic examination of McCaffery’s electronic devices revealed that he posed as a teenage boy on Snapchat between December 2024 and January 2025, using the account name c_chambers77 to message multiple underage girls. He added hundreds of random accounts to contact girls, sent images of his exposed genitals and requested nude images from them, prosecutors said. Investigators also found that he attempted to view and purchase child sexual abuse images and videos and shared at least one such video with another user on the messaging app Kik. McCaffery was arrested by state police May 12, 2025, and was subsequently indicted in Suffolk County on child sexual performance and related charges. He worked as a social studies teacher and junior varsity boys soccer coach at Riverhead High School before resigning Feb. 5, 2025. School officials said after his arrest that the charges were unrelated to his work in the district or interactions with Riverhead students. McCaffery has also been convicted and sentenced for similar crimes in Bergen County, New Jersey, according to Wednesday’s release by the Suffolk County D.A. *** The Kiwanis Club of East Hampton will host its 27th annual Halloween Family Fun Day this coming Saturday, October 24, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at AThe Kiwanis Club of East Hampton will host its 27th annual Halloween Family Fun Day on Saturday, October 24, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at American Legion Post 419 in Amagansett. Admission is $5 and includes access to a variety of family activities, including a petting zoo, pony rides, bounce houses and slides, games, face painting, pumpkin painting and more. The event will also feature the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, a juggling act by Keith Leif, music, popcorn, cotton candy and a costume contest with prizes. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase, including $1 hot dogs, $2 hamburgers, coffee, soda, water and cakes. The annual event aims to bring local families together for an affordable day of Halloween-themed entertainment and activities. That's this Saturday from 11 a.m. To 4 p.m. at American Legion Post 419 in Amagansett. *** Early voting in New York begins this coming Saturday, and registered voters have several ways to cast ballots in the general election now through Election Day on Nov. 3. Joe Werkmeister reports in NEWSDAY that this year’s election includes races for New York governor, comptroller and attorney general, all four of Long Island's congressional seats, and for State Senate and Assembly and some town offices. People can vote by: Absentee ballot. early voting by mail. early voting at polling places from Saturday October 24 through Sunday Nov. 1…there is no early voting on Monday, November 2…Polling sites across Long Island are open on Tuesday November 3 - Election Day 2026 – from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. The NYS Board of Elections has an online portal where a registered voter may look up early polling sites. https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/ By clicking on an early voting site, the portal provides the days and times during which ballots can be cast at each polling place. The portal also provides a voter’s assigned polling site for Nov. 3. Early voting days and hours in Suffolk County: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, noon to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Any site in Suffolk County may be used by a registered Suffolk County voter for early voting. The county website here provides times and locations (https://suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/BOE/2025-General-Locations-and-Timings). An application by mail for a mail-in ballot must be received by the local board of elections no later than 10 days before Election Day (in this case, tomorrow!) *** East Hampton Town officials are planning to settle a lawsuit against the owners of the former pasturelands turned high-end art gallery in Montauk known as “The Ranch.” Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that the East Hampton Town Board approved a resolution this past Tuesday to authorize the town’s attorneys to settle the case. But the terms of the settlement agreement have not yet been released publicly, as town spokesman Patrick Derenze told Press staff that the town’s attorneys would not have anything to say until the end of this week. Attorney Rick Whalen, who represented The Ranch in the lawsuit, was reluctant to disclose the terms of the settlement prior to the town doing so, but said that the agreement will allow artwork — sculptures, essentially — to be installed on the property with restrictions. One East Hampton Town councilman, Tom Flight, voted against the resolution to pursue the settlement, keeping his vote consistent with his objections raised over the summer about suing the owners of the property in the first place. He was the lone dissenter in the 4-1 Town Board vote on the settlement. The saga began this summer on July 28, when attorneys working on behalf of the town filed court papers to sue both the owner of The Ranch, Max Levai, and the Los Angeles-based artist who designed the 60-foot-tall sculpture made of shipping containers that was at the heart of the litigation. The artist, Matt Johnson, was subsequently dropped from the litigation — though the suit against the owner of The Ranch continued. Known as “Meditating Figure,” the towering sculpture was installed in June and is a temporary installation, set to be removed in November, part of an exhibition called “LA Monumental.” Over the summer, the town’s attorneys argued in Suffolk County Supreme Court that the massive sculpture was constructed without the proper permits in place and is in violation of the agricultural reserve that restricts the development of the 26-acre property at 8 Old Montauk Highway. The Town of East Hampton purchased the development rights for the former pasturelands in the early 2000s, before which The Ranch and the nearby Deep Hollow Ranch horse stables were owned by Rusty and Diane Leaver, whose family had owned the land for generations. *** The Riverhead Rotary Club dedicated a Peace Pole on the Peconic Riverfront yesterday. Riverhead Rotarians and town officials gathered at the site of the...

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