Latest news with #LongIslanders
New York Post
3 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
Up-tick? Long Island seeing more of the blood-suckers this year
Long Islanders better brace for a bloodthirsty summer. Populations of several tick species across both Nassau and Suffolk counties have exploded since the fall, experts told The Post. 'I have friends working in the state and county parks, and the talk is, 'Oh, my God, it's so bad this year!'' said Janine Bendicksen, director of wildlife rehabilitation at Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown. Bendicksen said Sweetbriar has taken in more goslings this spring than in previous years, with groups of 10 to 20 coming in at a clip. 4 Tick populations appear to be booming on Long Island. Oleksandr – 'They were lethargic. Their feet were curling up, and they'd flip over, because they were dying,' she explained. 'All of a sudden, we saw all of these tiny black ticks coming off of them.' Sweetbriar's team realized the baby birds were anemic from the bloodsuckers. 'Goslings and ducklings never have ticks on them, because ticks tend to go for mammals,' Bendicksen said. 'That is an indication that, 'Uh-oh, it's gonna be a bad season.'' The Lone Star, American Dog, and blacklegged tick — which can transmit a bevy of illnesses such as Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that causes flu-like symptoms — have all been on the rise across Long Island, experts said. They can also spread potentially-fatal bacterial infections such as ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis, along with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Powassan virus. 4 Deers are among the many animals that help spread ticks on Long Island. Dan – Several factors account for the population explosion, including weather and host animal abundance. Long Island had a rather mild winter, which can increase tick activity, said Dr. Scott Campbell, Suffolk County's entomologist. A wet spring also tend to bring out more ticks. 'There's a lot of moving parts,' said Campbell. 'There's no silver bullet, but multiple factors are playing a role.' Rodent populations are also on the rise — potentially caused by a dip in the number of predators that feed on them including owls and snakes — helping boost tick numbers. In Suffolk, there were 3,299 reported cases of Lyme disease in 2023 — up from 2,668 the year before. Only 697 cases were reported in Nassau County in 2023, while data from the prior year was not immediately available. Over 21,000 Lyme disease cases were reported statewide in 2023. 4 Ticks carry a multitude of infectious diseases. meepoohyaphoto – And more than 89,000 U.S. cases were reported across the US in 2023, the CDC reported. Ulises Galdamez, 36, owner of Long Island Tick Sprays in Hampton Bays, told The Post this is the first season since launching his business in 2016 that his phone started ringing in early March. 'Normally, April is when we get people reaching out to us,' he explained. 'This year's going to be bad, because we've definitely had more people calling us this year than any other year before. We've been going nonstop — it's shaping up to be our busiest season so far.' 4 Ticks love tall grass, and wind can carry them towards sunbathers. Joe Trentacosti – Bendicksen suggested wearing 'socks on the outside of your pants' to keep the critters off exposed skin. Keeping rodents and larger mammals away with fences and other measures is also important she said. And keep a lint roller handy — they're excellent for removing ticks, she added.
New York Post
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
A look inside Westhampton Beach — the ‘commuter Hamptons' that caters to ‘local' Long Islanders
The tide is turning in Westhampton Beach. Though the quiet eastern Long Island town has been perceived as poorer in relation to other, celeb-packed Hamptons hotspots — the popularity of the seaside playground has been steadily growing with locals who don't have helicopter-and-private-yacht-level money. 'Westhampton Beach is the Hamptons for the commuters, for the local Long Island people,' pizzaiolo Michael Brunetti, whose restaurant of his namesake is a hot spot on Main Street, told The Post. Advertisement 9 'Westhampton Beach is the Hamptons for the commuters, for the local Long Island people,' pizzaiolo Michael Brunetti said. Dennis A. Clark One advantage is that Westhampton Beach is about 20 to 30 miles closer to the heart of the Island than Southampton and East Hampton. As of Friday morning, a viral video captured what's bound to be months of bumper-to-bumper east end exodus from the Big Apple. Advertisement 9 Westhampton is expecting a big season this summer. Dennis A. Clark 'On a Friday afternoon or evening, to go from Westhampton to Southampton, it could take a few hours,' Brunetti, who boasts that Westhampton Beach's initials stand for 'where Hamptons begin,' added. 'Long Islanders love to come here because it's so close. In Huntington, you could be here in 45 minutes or half an hour sometimes.' Fear of missing what the other Hamptons offer is also minuscule, as Main Street underwent a complete cosmetic overhaul during Covid. Advertisement 9 Main Street in Westhampton has enjoyed a major makeover since the pandemic. Dennis A. Clark The town moved utility poles underground, phased out stinky septic tanks, and ripped up the entire roadway — and that's brought in tons of new restaurants, stores, a reopened theater, and local visitors on a prettier stretch of blocks. 'People coming from Long Island increased, I would say potentially, 45% in the past five years,' Carlos David Vega, the general manager of the posh Westhampton Bath and Tennis Club, said. 9 Long Islanders are carving a niche in Westhampton this summer. Dennis A. Clark Advertisement Folks from up island are using the club's tennis courts, beach access, and saltwater pool — all while returning home by 9 p.m., the 25-year-long employee of the resort and hotel added. 'They've gone from staycation and now make it a daycation.' The 'mom and pop' Hampton 9 The West Hamptons attitude is much more relaxed and low-key, said Shock Ice Cream owner Elyse Richman. Dennis A. Clark That's not to say A-listers don't swing by themselves — Tom Brady has been known to sign pizza boxes inside Brunetti's eatery — but the attitude is much more relaxed and low-key, said Shock Ice Cream owner Elyse Richman. 'We don't really have corporate restaurants here, we don't have stores like Cartier from the city,' she said, adding that people from the other status quo Hamptons and Sag Harbor are also starting to trickle into the charming town. 'Most of the stores on the street are mom and pop…everyone knows everyone, and it's much more personal. I think that's what they enjoy about it. It's very homey. It's just a nice place to be.' Brunetti added that Westhampton also picks up islander appeal as a place where keeping up with the Joneses is virtually non-existent as opposed to other destinations on the fork. Advertisement 'You just don't find it like that here — even though the affluence is here,' he said. 'It's not very flaunted. People here are much more laid-back.' 9 Westhampton caters to the community as much as it does to celebrities. Dennis A. Clark 9 Affluence is present yet relaxed in Westhampton Beach. Dennis A. Clark By land or by sea Another lure for Westhampton Beach is that it's only a quick trip on the boat, explained Peter Haskell of Haskell's Seafood. Advertisement 'That's another way to travel on Long Island,' he said. 'Many times, we're servicing people who would like to take a meal back to their boat to enjoy or fish to barbecue at their marinas. Even during 'shoulder seasons' outside of summer, Haskell hears customers say they're coming by from nearby, such as one couple from Port Jefferson on the North Shore. 'I think things are just getting better season by season now.' 9 Long Islanders are also boating to Westhampton to make the most of a soon-to-be summer day. Dennis A. Clark Advertisement 9 Agata Riccioli and her cousin Maria Burriesci are opening a jewelry business in town because of its new, excellent reputation. Dennis A. Clark The town's turn inspired Ronkonkoma native Agata Riccioli and her cousin Maria Burriesci to open Isola Bella Jewelers on Main Street in the coming days. 'We feel like this is going to be the new spot of the Hamptons, and we're really excited about what it's going to be in the next few years,' Riccioli said.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Memorial Day event recreates ‘Lone Survivor' hero's grueling Navy SEAL workout: ‘Very moving'
They're a force to be reckoned with. Hundreds of military members and Long Islanders took part in a grueling, emotional event Saturday to commemorate the extraordinary grit of Navy Lt. Michael Murphy, a slain SEAL from Patchogue whose heroics were worthy of Hollywood. Participants of the annual Suffolk County gathering took on the punishing workout routine of the 29-year-old Navy SEAL, who was killed in action in 2005, deliberately sacrificing himself to Taliban gunfire to call in reinforcements during a famous mission portrayed in the Peter Berg film 'Lone Survivor.' 'It's a 1-mile run followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, capped off with another 1-mile run,' said former SEAL Kaj Larsen, who was Murphy's roommate during Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL training, or BUD/S, to The Post. 'To do it at the full expression of the Murph, you do it wearing a 20-pound bulletproof vest,' Larsen said. Larsen and Murphy, who Taylor Kitsch portrays as a main character in the 2013 flick, first concocted the daunting exercise on their base in Coronado, Calif. Larsen, now 47, re-enacted it Saturday along with nearly 350 other people at the LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in Sayville, running his first mile with an American flag in hand in honor of his dear friend. 'I know if Mike were down here, we'd be right next to each other, pushing ourselves, seeing who could win,' said Larsen, who knew many of the other 18 service members who perished along with Murphy during 'Operation Red Wings' in Afghanistan in late June 2005. Since the museum opened in 2022, the annual Memorial Day Weekend event has exponentially increased in local popularity, according to Executive Director and former SEAL Chris Wyllie. He noted that one woman flew in from Italy just to do 'The Murph' challenge. 'My big focus is making this an emotional experience that's so positive and fun that people want to come back and want the news to spread,' Wyllie said. For Murphy's brother, John Murphy, a 37-year-old SUNY police officer stationed in Stony Brook, it represents a bigger picture. 'It's very moving and very nice to see that people appreciate and have not lost sight of the meaning behind this weekend,' he said. The beginnings of the event date back to 2007, when Air Force Capt. Joshua Appel — the man who recovered Murphy's body from the horrific firefight — first tried it in a Tucson, Ariz., gym to venerate the sacrifice of the SEALs and the Army Night Stalkers, the nickname for an elite military air group, that day. 'The Murph' went on become a Memorial Day Weekend tradition done by athletes around the globe. 'Michael could do it in about 32 minutes, but once in Iraq, he was able to in 28,' said his father, Daniel Murphy, a Vietnam veteran heavily involved in the museum. A few years ago, the dad moved to Wading River, LI, to be closer to Calverton National Cemetery to visit Michael's grave about twice a week. During visits there, he talks to his son, updating him on what's happening in the museum and lets him know who stopped in. 'I'm going to tell him how competitive it was this year,' Daniel Murphy said. 'We've had two people who did it in 33 minutes and 34 minutes. I'll explain to him that, and how many people came through this time.' Muprhy's mother, Maureen Murphy, who regularly gives tours at the museum, appreciates that the event helps more people 'get to know' her son. 'He had a big heart, and honestly, he could have his leg or his arm torn off and not cry,' she said of her son, who was a lifeguard and Penn State graduate before becoming a SEAL. 'But if his friends were having a hard time, he'd cry with them,' she said. Larsen remembers how Murphy's call to duty was only rivaled by his caring for his buddies, even in just the littlest ways, such as when Larsen had to go through SEAL hell week after he did. 'I was like, cold, almost hypothermic, on just the hardest, hardest night,' Larsen recalled. 'Out of nowhere, I see this figure in camouflage sneak around the corner of the barracks with a Snickers bar — and it was Murph. He took care of his brothers,' he added of the beloved man widely nicknamed 'the protector.' Nearly two decades since his death, Murphy — who posthumously awarded the medal of honor — is still changing lives, including 16-year-old Finn Schiavone of Bay Shore, who was paralyzed in middle school from a wrestling accident. The wheelchair-bound teen met Dan Murphy at the museum and credits the family for helping him find the strength to recover fully through rigorous physical therapy. 'I don't even know how to explain it. They instilled a sense of drive into me,' said the high-schooler, who marvelously completed the challenge this year. 'I want to apply to the Naval Academy and hopefully become a SEAL,' said Schiavone, who wore a weighted vest signed by Robert O'Neill, the SEAL who killed Osama Bin Laden.
New York Post
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Memorial Day event recreates ‘Lone Survivor' hero's grueling Navy SEAL workout: ‘Very moving'
They're a force to be reckoned with. Hundreds of military members and Long Islanders took part in a grueling, emotional event Saturday to commemorate the extraordinary grit of Navy Lt. Michael Murphy, a slain SEAL from Patchogue whose heroics were worthy of Hollywood. Participants of the annual Suffolk County gathering took on the punishing workout routine of the 29-year-old Navy SEAL, who was killed in action in 2005, deliberately sacrificing himself to Taliban gunfire to call in reinforcements during a famous mission portrayed in the Peter Berg film 'Lone Survivor.' 4 Lt. Commander Kai Larsen, LT Michael P. Murphy's roommate in Seal Training, leads off over 300 participants, one from as far away as Italy, in the 2025 Murph Challenge at The LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in West Sayville, NY. Dennis A. Clark 'It's a 1-mile run followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, capped off with another 1-mile run,' said former SEAL Kaj Larsen, who was Murphy's roommate during Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL training, or BUD/S, to The Post. 'To do it at the full expression of the Murph, you do it wearing a 20-pound bulletproof vest,' Larsen said. Larsen and Murphy, who Taylor Kitsch portrays as a main character in the 2013 flick, first concocted the daunting exercise on their base in Coronado, Calif. Larsen, now 47, re-enacted it Saturday along with nearly 350 other people at the LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in Sayville, running his first mile with an American flag in hand in honor of his dear friend. 'I know if Mike were down here, we'd be right next to each other, pushing ourselves, seeing who could win,' said Larsen, who knew many of the other 18 service members who perished along with Murphy during 'Operation Red Wings' in Afghanistan in late June 2005. 4 Navy Lt. Michael Murphy was killed in action by the Taliban in 2005. LP Media Since the museum opened in 2022, the annual Memorial Day Weekend event has exponentially increased in local popularity, according to Executive Director and former SEAL Chris Wyllie. He noted that one woman flew in from Italy just to do 'The Murph' challenge. 'My big focus is making this an emotional experience that's so positive and fun that people want to come back and want the news to spread,' Wyllie said. For Murphy's brother, John Murphy, a 37-year-old SUNY police officer stationed in Stony Brook, it represents a bigger picture. 'It's very moving and very nice to see that people appreciate and have not lost sight of the meaning behind this weekend,' he said. A hero's memory The beginnings of the event date back to 2007, when Air Force Capt. Joshua Appel — the man who recovered Murphy's body from the horrific firefight — first tried it in a Tucson, Ariz., gym to venerate the sacrifice of the SEALs and the Army Night Stalkers, the nickname for an elite military air group, that day. 'The Murph' went on become a Memorial Day Weekend tradition done by athletes around the globe. 'Michael could do it in about 32 minutes, but once in Iraq, he was able to in 28,' said his father, Daniel Murphy, a Vietnam veteran heavily involved in the museum. A few years ago, the dad moved to Wading River, LI, to be closer to Calverton National Cemetery to visit Michael's grave about twice a week. During visits there, he talks to his son, updating him on what's happening in the museum and lets him know who stopped in. 'I'm going to tell him how competitive it was this year,' Daniel Murphy said. 'We've had two people who did it in 33 minutes and 34 minutes. I'll explain to him that, and how many people came through this time.' 4 Over 300 people participated, one from as far away as Italy, in the 2025 Murph Challenge at The LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in West Sayville, NY. Dennis A. Clark Muprhy's mother, Maureen Murphy, who regularly gives tours at the museum, appreciates that the event helps more people 'get to know' her son. 'He had a big heart, and honestly, he could have his leg or his arm torn off and not cry,' she said of her son, who was a lifeguard and Penn State graduate before becoming a SEAL. 'But if his friends were having a hard time, he'd cry with them,' she said. Larsen remembers how Murphy's call to duty was only rivaled by his caring for his buddies, even in just the littlest ways, such as when Larsen had to go through SEAL hell week after he did. 'I was like, cold, almost hypothermic, on just the hardest, hardest night,' Larsen recalled. 4 Sixteen-year0old Finn Schiavone, who was wheelchair bound last year due to a wrestling injury, competed today in the 2025 Murph Challenge at The LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in West Sayville, NY. Dennis A. Clark 'Out of nowhere, I see this figure in camouflage sneak around the corner of the barracks with a Snickers bar — and it was Murph. He took care of his brothers,' he added of the beloved man widely nicknamed 'the protector.' Nearly two decades since his death, Murphy — who posthumously awarded the medal of honor — is still changing lives, including 16-year-old Finn Schiavone of Bay Shore, who was paralyzed in middle school from a wrestling accident. The wheelchair-bound teen met Dan Murphy at the museum and credits the family for helping him find the strength to recover fully through rigorous physical therapy. 'I don't even know how to explain it. They instilled a sense of drive into me,' said the high-schooler, who marvelously completed the challenge this year. 'I want to apply to the Naval Academy and hopefully become a SEAL,' said Schiavone, who wore a weighted vest signed by Robert O'Neill, the SEAL who killed Osama Bin Laden.
New York Post
22-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Amtrak ready to close NYC tunnel despite fears of possible delays, chaos from Hochul, MTA
Amtrak is moving full speed ahead with tunnel closures in the city on Friday — despite pleas from Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams who fear the three-year project could cause transit chaos. Amtrak leadership had a 'productive' meeting with Hochul and leaders of the Metropolitan Transit Agency Thursday, but Amtrak will still close one of two westbound train tracks in the East River Tunnel, according to Amtrak spokesperson Jason Abrams. 'Amtrak reassured the Governor and MTA of our commitment to minimizing impacts to passengers throughout the project,' Abrams said. 4 The East River Tunnel opened to train traffic in 1910. The 2.5-mile stretch runs under the East River and connects Queens to Penn Station. James Keivom 4 As part of the rehabilitation, Amtrak will upgrade the tracks to stop water from pooling and replace crumbling concrete to stop leaks. James Keivom The transit giant's much-maligned plan earned the ire of Long Islanders and top city and state officials over worries the closure could affect MTA trains from Queens into Penn Station. Any unforeseen construction problems may mean all access in the tunnel has to be closed off, potentially disrupting train traffic on a major regional scale, critics have argued. But Amtrak said to try to avoid delays it will provide around-the-clock engineering coverage during the outage, conduct more frequent inspections of the remaining westbound track — and strategically position rescue equipment so delays can be swiftly resolved. Hochul said Amtrak also agreed to allow third-party consultants to examine the project to determine if the second tunnel needs to be fully closed when that construction begins in the fall of 2026 and runs for 13 months. The construction on the first tunnel starting Friday will also take about 13 months, Amtrak engineers said. 4 Gov. Kathy Hochul is worried Amtrak's repair plans will cause delays for millions of New Yorkers. Darren McGee/ Office of Governor Hochul asked Amtrak to suspend dynamic pricing on affected train trips during the shutdown. Abrams said Amtrak is assessing the feasibility with the New York State Department of Transportation. 4 Mayor Eric Adams blasted Amtrak's East River shutdown plan and demanded feds step in — they haven't. Andrea Renault/ZUMA / Mayor Eric Adams jumped into the tunnel tug-of-war May 6, sending a fiery letter to US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy — blasting Amtrak's East River shutdown plan and demanding feds step in before commuters are left stranded and steaming. City Hall sources said Adams has been going back and forth with the White House on the shutdown, even having Randy Maestro, the first deputy mayor, make the admin's case. But ultimately, the mayor's office is letting Hochul lead the discussion. 'Top administration officials have had numerous conversations with Amtrak and the White House on this issue, and negotiations are still ongoing with the White House,' a City Hall rep said in a statement. The MTA's Long Island Railroad service uses the East River Tunnel for hundreds of trains each day. LIRR President Rob Free has tried to distance the MTA from the closure plan, calling it 'Amtrak's operation' last week — even though the MTA green-lit Amtrak's plan to close the tunnels back in October 2023. Amtrak has maintained that the full closure of the tunnels is necessary because of the extent of damages since it was walloped by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. 'Amtrak is committed to delivering for today's riders while making the long-overdue investments needed to protect service for future generations,' Abrams said.
