VIDEO: Justice Schiavoni Talks Religion in Public Life

On this episode of "The Hamptons Lutheran Parish," Schiavoni also discusses how she came to be a judge for Sag Harbor Village and Southampton Town.

Pastor Katrina Foster and the Honorable Andrea Schiavoni discuss her service as a justice for Southampton Town and Sag Harbor Village, the role of religion in public life and how the she came to be a judge. Foster, the pastor of Incarnation Lutheran Church in Water Mill and St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Amagansett, hosts "The Hamptons Lutheran Parish," filmed at LTV in Wainscott.

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POLLS: Will You Vote 'Yes' or 'No' on School Budget?

How will you cast your ballot Tuesday in Southampton, Bridgehampton, Sagaponack, Tuckahoe or Sag Harbor?

How will you cast your ballot when you perform your civic duty Tuesday and vote on your school district budget? Help us get a sense of how budget proposals will fare by voting in Patch's poll first, below. Please only vote in your respective district. In Southampton School District, voters will consider a $59.5 million budget. Total spending will rise 1.74 percent while the tax levy will increase 2.48 percent The election will take place May 15 in the Southampton Intermediate School music room from 10 a.m to 9 p.m. In Tuckahoe, voters will  consider a $17.8 million budget, representing a 4.40 percent spending increase. Inclusive of collected property taxes and STAR reimbursement from New York State, the tax levy is budgeted to increase 1.…

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Where Do You Go to Find Beach Glass?

Beach glass is a treasure for many.

You can spot them on any East End beach  —  heads bent, bags in hand, walking slowly along the water's edge, desperately searching. But the scores of treasure hunters are not looking for shells; instead, they're hoping to spot a glistening piece of beach glass. Beach glass comes in a rainbow of colors. Blue, green, brown and the elusive red, which is the second hardest to find, next to prize orange pieces that can only be found on the most successful hunts. Patch wants to know where you have been successful in finding beach glass? Respond in the comment section below.

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Lisa Finn

1:09 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012

JS. There is no formal numbering system for the jettys. . . That's a local term for the beach formally known as Laschley in Westhampton Beach. :)   more ›

East End Hospice: Phone Solicitations Are Not From Us

Priscilla Ruffin, the president of East End Hospice, Inc. tells residents to beware of a possible scam.

Recently, it was brought to my attention that some area residents are being solicited by phone to give donations to “hospice” and in at least one incidence when asked, the caller was reluctant to reveal the name of the organization to receive the donation. Please be aware, East End Hospice has never, is not now nor has any plan to engage in soliciting donations via the telephone. Granted, donations to East End Hospice are welcome and necessary to support activities such as our highly acclaimed children’s bereavement programs, providing groups and individual therapy sessions to children and parents all across the East End; Camp Good Grief which in this the 15th year is expected to be attended by over 100 children; and the very exciting new …

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Do You Know How Much a Yard Sale Permit Is? Take Our Code Quiz

Test your knowledge of local village and town codes.

What to Do About Wasted Space in Village Hall? [Empty in Southampton]

The second and third floors of Southampton Village Hall have been empty for years.

Southampton Village Hall is more than a century old and at one point or another has housed the Police Department, Building Department, Village Justice Court and U.S. Post Office, as well as private firms and a phone company. In 2012, while the first floor contains the Village Board room and several offices for village business, the second a third floors are used for nothing more than storing boxes of old documents. It's still apparant where the holding cells once stood for the Village Police Department, which relocated to a new building on Windmill Lane in 2002. Flooring, walls and fixtures have been gutted, leaving both the second and third floors in need of major renovation before they can be occupied again. In recent years, there have …

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Mary Beth

11:51 am on Wednesday, May 2, 2012

If you stop and think for a moment of a use that could generate revenue or benefit the people of Southampton, then the tax dollars would be well spent. Not all government spending is automatically bad.   more ›

What Our Readers Think: Baymen Ask for Historic Recognition

A round-up of readers' comments.

On April 19 Patch published an article about area Baymen asking the Preservation League of New York State that "baymen and their skills" be added to the list of historic and cultural resources in need of saving. The request came on the heels of a decision in Maryland last month to add "watermen" to the Endangered Maryland List for 2012. Patch readers' had a lot to say on the topic and began questioning government regulation over waterways. The following is a round-up of their thoughts. Feel free to add to the conversation by posting a comment below and/or answer the poll question. Via East Hampton Facebook, Patricia Hope said, "That's not a bad idea." mickey miller said, "You bet — it's a great idea for the fishermen to have recognition …

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Do You Drink Local?

There's no arguing that the local vino has its fans, but how deep does the juice run in the community?

Earlier this week in a drive along Sound Avenue we spotted new signs outside Martha Clara Vineyards in Riverhead asking passersby to "Drink Local." It's a common call-out found in areas that support robust local wine regions, and there's no denying that there is a very healthy community, living on the North or South forks or in other areas of Long Island, who live and breathe this credo. One Facebook group, Eat Long Island, Drink Long Island, is clear testament to this. But how deep does that run in the community at large? We'd love to find out. In the comments section below, let us know if you count yourself among the "Drink Local" crowd. If so, what are your favorites? Do you join wine clubs or hit the tasting rooms when either stocking …

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What Our Readers Think: 'Legs' Brought to a Heel

Controversial sculpture in Sag Harbor denied permission to stay displayed on side of Madison Street home.

"Legs," a 16-foot tall sculpture by the late artist Larry Rivers, has been ordered to be removed from Ruth Vered and Janet Lehr's Madison Street home by Sept. 15, according to The Sag Harbor Express, and Patch readers had a lot to say about the Sag Harbor Zoning Board of Appeals' move. Some will not miss the legs: SagHarborBob said, "I'll be glad to see the legs gone, and the issue closed. Nothing against Ruth & Janet, but those legs are really ugly." Iloveeasthampton said, "Glad to see them go." Others cracked jokes: Preliator quipped, "These legs are made for walking...." While others disagreed with the ZBA's decision and lamented the loss of "Legs" (Though it must be noted that Vered says the fight isn't over): East Ender said, "The …

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What Our Readers Think: Osprey Catches Fish, Plastic Bag

A round-up of reader comments on a photo from Lorelei Galardi that Patch posted this week from

On Wednesday, Patch posted a photo taken by Shinnecock Hills birdwatcher Lorelei Galardi, who has been keeping an eye on a pair of ospreys since late March, when they nested on Dune Road in Hampton Bays near the Ponquogue Bridge. The photo depicts an osprey carrying a fish and plastic bag. Patch readers had a lot to say about the photo. The following is a round-up of their comments. Add to the conversation by posting your thoughts below. Roger Blaugh wrote, "The fish collected the bag from the waters of Shinnecock Bay and gave it to the osprey who, in turn, recycled it at King Kullen in Hampton Bays. The Town Board's plastic bag recycling program is working like a charm...like a Lucky Charm, if you believe in leprechauns. Now, imagine that…

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