presented by Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance

May 20th, 2022

Quote(s) of the Week

“Congratulations to George Tsunis and family for taking on this important redevelopment project that has so beautifully re-purposed the iconic and historic former Huntington Town Hall building to meet the needs of residents and visitors to our great town." - Huntington Town Councilwoman Joan Cergol

“The LIRR Expansion project is not just about adding an additional 10-miles of track, it’s about revitalizing Long Island’s economy by working with community leaders and developers to deliver more access to retail space and housing which advances equity, creates more diversity and makes communities more attractive. Creating more places to park will incentivize people who live in Mineola to use mass transit to get to New York City or Connecticut, for work, travel and pleasure.” - MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber

2022 Long Island Youth Summit Brings Together Local Students for Lessons on Leadership

The 2022 Long Island Youth Summit took place virtually on Friday, April 8th, 2022.  The Summit brings together talented students of diverse backgrounds from dozens of school districts across Long Island and affords them the opportunity to work together in collaborative solution-oriented teams, focusing on important current socio-medical, environmental and socio-economic issues.

The Summit, founded by Dr. Nathalia Rogers as part of Vision Long Island’s Smart Growth Summit in 2011, is a partnership among public and private high schools, St. Joseph’s College, Northwell Health, Vision Long Island, and other contributing businesses and organizations. Students are invited to attend, and awards presented, based on original research submitted to panels of judges comprised of academic, business, and healthcare experts.

Addressing the students, Dr. Rogers stated, “These couple of years have been difficult for everyone. It is already difficult to be a teenager because there are lots of social pressures. You are in a more complex world and in a more difficult position. To tackle these issues, we have invited our keynote speaker Dr. Manish Sapra from Northwell Health.”

Keynote

The 2022 Summit’s keynote speaker Dr. Manish Sapra is executive director of the behavioral health service line at Northwell Health. Dr. Sapra oversees strategic clinical program development and physician management for all mental health and substance use disorder programs at Northwell.

“We are in a mental health crisis in this country,” Dr. Sapra began. “I will present a Call to Action at the end of this presentation, especially for our youth, because the future is theirs.”

Addressing the crisis, Dr. Sapra provided the following statistics:
Child and Adolescent Mental Health: Pre-Pandemic
• 1 in 5 children and adolescents have a mental health diagnosis
• Suicide is the SECOND leading cause of death of 10–24-year-olds
• There is a lack of timely access to reliable screening, assessment and treatment
• There is a lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate care for disadvantaged populations
• There is a gap between hospital based and ambulatory services
Child and Adolescent Mental Health: Current
• 25% increased youth with depression, 20% with anxiety
• Early 2021, ER visits suicide attempts increased 51% in adolescent girls
• Timely access even more challenging
• Hospitalizations for eating disorders increased, one study suggests 120% increase
• Late 2021, AAP, AACAP, CHA declared a nation youth mental health crisis. The Surgeon General issued a Youth Mental Health Advisory

Dr. Sapra explained, pandemic related stress includes: fear of infection and infecting others; loneliness; loss of loved ones, grief; online schooling; inconsistent messaging; politicization of illness; job losses, economic hardship; access to texting and treatment; healthcare disparities; and vaccination availability/mandates. 

During his presentation, Dr. Sapra highlighted the specific critical affects the pandemic has had on young adults, Hispanic and African American persons, essential workers, care givers, and people who were already suffering from behavioral health conditions.

According to Dr. Sapra, more than half of people with mental illness do not receive help for their disorders, or avoid or delay seeking treatment due to concerns about being treated differently or fears of losing their jobs. This is because stigma, prejudice and discrimination against people with mental illness is very much a problem. This is very prevalent in occupations such as healthcare, law enforcement, and the military. Stigma leads to loss of opportunity for many.

“Some of the good news is that COVID has changed how mental health services are delivered,” Dr. Sapra recognized. “The demand for services has gone up, but we are also using technology more and more, such as video conferencing, to connect with our doctors, including telepsychiatry. Telepsychiatry helps bust the stigma of mental illness in that telepsychiatry is a very confidential way of accessing treatment. We are also starting to see that people are normalizing mental health care. Employers, schools and families are starting to talk about mental health care. This conversation must be increased.”

Important in any discussion about mental health is What Can We Do. “This is a Call to Action for everyone, not just mental health providers,” Dr. Sapra stated. These actions include: reduce stigma; increase screening; reduce disparities; advocate for increased mental health and substance use programs; and seek regulatory relief and parity in payment for telehealth treatment.

Strategies to reduce stigma include:
• Talk openly about mental illness
• Educate yourself and others
• Be conscious of language
• Encourage equality between physical and mental illness
• Show compassion
• Be honest about treatment
• Call out stigma when you see it
• Choose empowerment over shame

Discussing mental illness with family, friends and others, Dr. Sapra stated, “It is important to let them know it’s ok to feel this way, it’s ok to seek treatment, and you are there for them and will support them.”

In conclusion, Dr. Sapra told the students, “Advocacy to reduce the stigma of seeking treatment for mental health issues is your Call to Action.”

The Long Island Youth Summit was sponsored by National Grid, St. Joseph's College, Vision Long Island, Greenman-Pedersen Inc, Cameron Engineering & Associates, Richie Kessel, PSEG Long Island, and Northwell Health.

You can view Dr. Manish Sapra’s keynote address here.

PPP Loans have Assisted Over 84 Thousand Long Islanders

More than 84,000 Long Island businesses and nonprofits have received a total of $10.5 billion in loans through the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
 
Established by the CARES Act in response to the March 2020 COVID-19 shut-down, the PPP provided small businesses with funds to maintain payroll, pay interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. Loans were forgivable if certain conditions were met. If borrowers did not qualify for forgiveness, the loans carry a 1% interest rate and must be paid back in two to five years. Three quarters of all loans have qualified to be forgiven as of April 4.
 
Initially, the PPP saw big corporations and publicly-traded companies snapping up multimillion-dollar loans. The situation improved in 2021, after criticism and advocacy by small businesses and their allies.
 
"There was a harsh inequity that occurred in the first weeks of the PPP when loans were going to the wealthy and not reaching the people that needed them the most," said Eric Alexander, director of the LI Main Street Alliance. The alliance, representing 45 downtowns that are undergoing revitalization, together with chambers of commerce, helped to educate small business owners about the relief program.
 
The PPP's second year saw lenders increasing the number of small loans to 77% of the total on the Island, a sign that more aid was directed toward mom-and-pop businesses. The program had a bigger impact in its second year on 32 low- and moderate-income communities, including Brentwood, Copiague, Hicksville, Glen Cove and Riverhead. Borrowers in those communities received about 12,800 loans in 2021, or nearly a quarter of all the loans made in the region that year, compared with about 9,550, or just 15% of the total in 2020.
 
The program ended on May 31, 2021, with some businesses and nonprofits not benefiting from it. "A lot of smart people didn't know about this program or applied too late," said Stephen Schwartz, a senior consultant at the financial advisory firm Asset Enhancement Solutions LLC in Uniondale, which helped borrowers to navigate the process. "A lot of people gave up when the financial institution wouldn't give them a reason for rejecting their loan application."
 
You can read the full Newsday article here.

LIREDC Provides Info on NYS Economic Initiatives

On May 6th, the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council (LIREDC) hosted an informative meeting at Farmingdale State College providing information on several important State economic initiatives. These included:

• Regional Economic Development Councils Round 12, Matt Isgro, Vice President, Regional Economic Development Councils presenting.
• FY 2023 Budget Highlights and COVID-19 Recovery Programs, Cara Longworth, Regional Director at Empire State Development presenting.
• 2022 Restore NY Program, Allison Argust, Sr. Project Manager, Industry Development at Empire State Development presenting.

Regional Economic Development Councils Round 12 Overview

• The Regional Councils support the State’s bottom-up, community based, and performance-driven approach to economic development.
• The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of inclusive growth and resilient strategies
• Strategic plans will continue to be the basis for economic development investment.
• In 2021, Regional Councils were asked to revisit their plans to consider effects of pandemic. They are required to provide annual reports reflecting the state of the region focusing on post-pandemic recovery efforts and workforce needs resulting from it.
• Councils will be provided survey results from employers which collected information on their post-pandemic workforce challenges & needs along with other metrics and surveys.
• This year, $150 million in ESD Grant funds will continue to be available on a rolling basis, meaning applicants will be notified of their awards as they are approved.
• Additional programs from 10 state agencies will be made available with awards in Fall 2022.

Available Resources for Regional Councils in 2022
Programs subject to the 4:00 PM July 29, 2022 Deadline

Empire State Development: Up to $25.125 million
• Up to $15 million for Market New York
• Up to $8.125 million for Business Incubator & Innovation Hot Spot Support Program
• Up to $2 million for Strategic Planning and Feasibility Studies
Homes and Community Renewal: Up to $24.2 million
• Up to $4.2 million for New York Main Street Program
• Up to $20 million for New York State Community Development Block Grant Program
Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation: Up to $20.875 million
• Up to $20.875 million for Environmental Protection Fund Grants Program for Parks, Preservation and Heritage (EPF)
Department of State: Up to $26.3 million
• Up to $16.3 million for the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program
• Up to $4 million for the Brownfield Opportunity Area Program
• Up to $2 million for the Smart Growth Comprehensive Planning Grant Program
• Up to $4 million for Local Government Efficiency Program
New York State Canal Corporation: Up to $1 million
• Up to $1 million for the Canalway Grants Program
New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets: Up to $5.8 million
• Up to $5.8 million for the NYS Grown & Certified Infrastructure, Technology & R&D Program
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority: Up to $25 million
• Up to $10 million for Carbon Neutral Economic Development Program
• Up to $15 million for Commercial and Industrial (C&I) Carbon Challenge
Department of Environmental Conservation: Up to $92 million
• Up to $14 million for the Climate Smart Communities Grant Program
• Up to $75 million for the Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) Program
• Up to $3 million for the Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Mapping Grant Program
Environmental Facilities Corporation: Up to $18 million
• Up to $15 million for the Green Innovation Grant Program
• Up to $3 million for NYS EFC Wastewater Infrastructure Engineering Planning Grant

Open Enrollment Programs

Empire State Development: Up to $225 million
• Up to $150 million for ESD Grant Funds
• Up to $75 million for Excelsior Jobs Program
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority: Up to $2 million
• Up to $2 million for Energy Efficiency Programs
New York State Power Authority: Up to 17.9 Megawatts
• Up to 17.9 Megawatts for the ReCharge NY Program
Federal Industrial Development Bond Cap: Up to $150 million
• Up to $150 million for Industrial Development Bond Cap (IDBC)

Enacted Budget - Overview of ESD Initiative

Highlights include:
• $1B Small Business Rescue Plan
• $250M Restore NY
• $350M New Office of Strategic Workforce Development
• $200M Shovel Ready Investments (FAST NY)
• $200M NYC Musical and Theatrical Tax Credit Extender / Enhancement
• $35M Restaurant Return to Work Tax Credit Enhancement
• $150M REDC Round XII
• $100M DRI Round VI (DOS Led)
• $100M NY Forward Communities (DOS Led)
• $426 Million Legislative adds, including $350M Long Island Regional Projects

RESTORE New York Communities Initiative Municipal Grant Program Round 6

Overview
• Financial assistance for revitalization of communities through the elimination and redevelopment of blighted structures
• Attract residents and businesses by redeveloping residential, commercial, and mixed-use
properties
• The “Project” Application can be submitted by a County, Town, Village, or City
• Cities with populations over 1M can only apply in distressed areas. This applies to Counties within a City (ie. NYC)
• Municipalities can sub-grant the funds to a private entity

Eligibility
• Buildings that are vacant, abandoned, condemned, surplus
• Can be demolished, deconstructed rehabilitated, reconstructed
• A project should align with its REDC strategic plan. Additionally, projects should be either: Architecturally consistent with nearby and adjacent properties, or consistent with the municipality’s local revitalization or urban development plan
Ineligible Activities
• Redevelopment of properties for municipal use such as state offices, fire departments, DMV, local government facilities, etc.
• Projects at locations classified as greenfield development sites
Goals and Scoring
• Revitalize communities and induce commercial investment
• Effort to fund more rural projects this round
• Projects in economically distressed communities
• Projects that leverage other state or federal redevelopment funds
• Project feasibility and readiness
Funding Limits
• Anticipated to be higher than Round 5
• Projects must have at least 10% in matching funds of total project cost

More information will be coming out in the coming months.

You can learn about the programs offered for Round XII here.

Reclaim Our Water 2022 Poster Contest

Calling all Suffolk County student artists in Grade 5. It is time to show off your artistic talents and illustrate your favorite moments with our most treasured natural resource – Water.

This years’ poster theme is “My favorite water-related adventures with family and friends!” Create original artwork of your favorite water-related adventures in Suffolk County using the phrase “I like…” (Examples: swimming, kayaking, fishing, gardening, and more!)

Contest Rules & Guidelines:
• Artwork must be in poster format and include positive visual and verbal messages that illustrate the contest theme – poster submissions must meet the following criteria:
a. Poster size either 8.5” x 11” or 11” x 17” for physical/hard copy or digital submission
b. Poster must include the following text “Suffolk County Reclaim Our Water” and the website address “www.reclaimourwater.info”
• Submissions accepted from Suffolk County students in grade 5 only
• Submission must include contest Entry Form signed by student’s parent or guardian
• Submission must include written description about the artist and their poster inspiration to best explain “Why Water is Important to You”
• Original artwork only – No professional or copyrighted materials or images
• Submit final posters by the deadline as a hard copy or electronic version:
a. Mail/Drop Off – “ATTN: ROW 2022 Poster Contest” to Suffolk County Economic Development & Planning, 11th Floor, 100 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge, NY 11788 (must be postmarked by the poster contest due date – May 20th)
b. Email – “Subject: ROW 2022 Poster Contest” to EcoDev@SuffolkCountyNY.gov

Important Dates
•  Poster Submissions Due: Friday, May 20, 2022
• Winners Announced: Friday, June 3, 2022
• Award Ceremony: Thursday, June 9, 2022

Contest Winners & Awards Ceremony
• Posters judged in four categories: Creativity, Originality, Message, and Relevance.
• Prizes awarded to one (1) Grand Prize winner and up to four (4) Finalists

Winners notified in advance of award ceremony at the Long Island Maritime Museum

You can find more information here.

Nassau County's Proposed Community Development Annual Action Plan Available for Review

Nassau County’s proposed Annual Action Plan for FY2022, prepared pursuant to the National Affordable Housing Act (42 USC Part 91), is available for public review and comment.

The development of the Action Plan was undertaken by the Nassau County Office of Community Development and included coordination with the 29 communities in the Nassau Urban County Consortium, various Nassau County agencies and departments and other housing providers and social service agencies in Nassau.

Major components of the proposed Action Plan include an assessment of housing and community development needs, including a one-year plan of activities to address housing and community development needs. Based on the assessment of needs, overall priorities are established in the area of housing, homelessness, special needs housing and community development. Each reflects a targeting of efforts to those households and facilities most in need, taking into consideration the importance of maintaining and improving housing opportunities in the County, expanding economic development opportunities, preserving the County’s low-and-moderate income neighborhoods, improving community facilities, and providing assistance to the County’s homeless and special needs populations.

The proposed FY2022 Action Plan includes a range of housing and community development activities which will be funded with approximately $14,500,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program funds; $2,522,991 in HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program funds; and $1,230,000 in Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program funds.

You can find more information and review the Draft Plan and Proposed Allocations here.

For zoom link contact Kevin J. Crean, Director Nassau County Office of Community Development at 516-572-1916.

Hampton Inn & Suites Huntington Cuts Ribbon on Downtown Hotel

Image from Google Earth

Dating back to 1910, 227 Main Street in Huntington was once home to the Old Huntington Town Hall. It is one of several civic center pieces in Huntington which had fallen into disrepair. Throughout the years, the question of what should be done with this property lingered. The answer came in the form of a 24-million-dollar, 81-room hotel which was unveiled on Thursday, May 5th.

Local officials, business owners, chamber members and developers George Tsunis and Ross Cassata gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of the new Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton.

Town Councilwoman Joan Cergol stated, “Congratulations to George Tsunis and family for taking on this important redevelopment project that has so beautifully re-purposed the iconic and historic former Huntington Town Hall building to meet the needs of residents and visitors to our great town." 

“This is a great addition to our town and I wish everyone many years of success,” Town of Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth added.

This project received a 2020 Vision Long Island Smart Growth Award for Strengthening Communities. “This property has been transformed into a destination. There is now a hotel in downtown Huntington to complement the over 70 restaurants, theaters, all kinds of activities and retail. We are excited about that,” stated Eric Alexander, Director of Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance. “The collaboration between the Town of Huntington, Huntington Village Hotel Partners, LLC and the Suffolk IDA breathed new life into this 110-year-old historic building and it will serve to support the region’s overall economic growth," Mr. Alexander added.

You can read Huntington NOW’s coverage, including photos of the ribbon-cutting event, here.

Possible Act II for Islip Cinemas

Image from Google Earth

A proposal to transform the shuttered Islip Cinemas into loft style apartments has been endorsed by the Town of Islip Planning Board, Newsday reports. 

The former movie theater, located at 410 Main Street, first opened on April 5, 1947, according to Cinema Treasures. The Islip Theatre’s colorful old neon marquee continued to welcome moviegoers until it closed again in 2006. In January of 2013, the theatre began a renovation, and reopened on June 20, 2013 as the Islip Cinemas. It then closed on March 17, 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Development group Global Team LI LLC is seeking a zone change for an overlay of Planned Landmark Preservation District and permission to modify the density and dimensional requirements to accommodate 23 loft-style apartments and a restaurant, Newsday reports. According to the site plan submitted to the town, studios would be approximately 800 square feet with outdoor patio space. The building would include a lobby for tenants, a private garden, a package room and fitness space. The development would include 16 studios, two one-bedroom units and five duplexes. The 3,000-square-foot restaurant will have a garden entry area and outdoor seating on the ground floor. Developers agreed to renovate the theater’s parking lot on Smith Street and add lighting, Newsday writes. They will also pay $34,500 in parking mitigation fees to the town, which the planning board said could be used to upgrade parking at Town Hall West.

 There is no date yet for the proposal to be in front of the town board.

You can read Newsday article here, and view Cinema Treasures here.

MTA Celebrates Grand Opening of Commuter Parking Garage at LIRR Mineola Station

On Monday, May 9th, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and village officials celebrated the grand opening of a 551-space commuter parking garage at Mineola Station west of Mineola Boulevard between Harrison Avenue and First Street, replacing the surface parking area. The new garage represents a net increase of 446 parking spaces serving both LIRR commuters and Downtown Mineola. The garage will be managed by Village of Mineola.
 
The garage is equipped with one elevator making it easy to reach the ground level and proceed towards the station platforms. There are Help Points on every level and it is located only 3 blocks from Mineola Station.
 
“The LIRR Expansion project is not just about adding an additional 10-miles of track, it’s about revitalizing Long Island’s economy by working with community leaders and developers to deliver more access to retail space and housing which advances equity, creates more diversity and makes communities more attractive,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. Creating more places to park will incentivize people who live in Mineola to use mass transit to get to New York City or Connecticut, for work, travel and pleasure.”
 
“The Village of Mineola is excited to be able to offer this state-of-the-art parking amenity in the heart of our downtown. The facility will help create much needed parking to service our revitalized downtown, our residents, our businesses and commuters,” said Mineola Mayor Paul A. Pereira. “This garage is a testament to the spirit of cooperation and hard work between the Village of Mineola, the MTA-Long Island Railroad and its contractor 3TC.”
 
The operation of this parking garage is consistent with Mineola’s most recent parking study. The new Mineola Harrison Avenue parking structure will help accommodate a future increase in capacity on the LIRR.
 
You can view photos of completed garage here, and watch the news conference here.

Celebrate Small Business Week: Enjoy the Little Things

The following op-ed was written by John Keating, the manager of economic and community development at PSEG Long Island.

Why do small businesses matter? There are more answers to that question than there are streetlamps on your local Main Street, but the best reasons may be, well, the smallest.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses account for about 44 percent of our national economic activity. On Long Island, they are our economic backbone. Roughly 90 percent of the businesses here are small or medium-sized.

While these are strong arguments, let’s zoom in a little further: Personally, small businesses are the center of our everyday lives. You probably know exactly what shop in your town serves the best slice of pizza; the only dentist gentle enough to keep your panicky spouse coming back for regular cleanings; the bakery that makes the only red velvet cake your sister will eat; the day care center that helped your kids learn their ABCs.

These are all small businesses, and during National Small Business Week 2022, which began last Sunday and ends on Saturday, PSEG Long Island celebrates their importance. We couldn’t imagine life without them, and we recognize the blood, sweat and tears that local entrepreneurs pour into their small businesses to overcome endless challenges and find success in an ever-changing economic climate.

PSEG Long Island has been supporting small businesses since 2018 with economic development grants and other incentives that keep local commercial districts thriving.

When the coronavirus pandemic struck, small businesses faced their greatest challenge in at least a decade, amid diminished foot traffic and new safety measures. We increased our support efforts with targeted grants, supporting local chambers of commerce and business improvement districts in their efforts to provide outdoor seating and signage to create a safe shopping and dining experience for their customers.

In the past four years, our company committed more than $2 million to economic development grants and incentives across Long Island and the Rockaways. To learn more, you can visit www.psegliny.com/inthecommunity/revitalization.

You can see the results of these grants in communities all across Nassau County: thriving small businesses like Rosario’s Pizzeria in Seaford, K-Fit Studio in Valley Stream, Noble Savage Brewing in Glen Cove, and Bright Eye Beer Company in Long Beach.

More than 100 businesses received “vacant space” discounts for opening up in previously empty storefronts in their communities. Some received Main Street Revitalization grants for making major upgrades that increase foot traffic in their commercial districts. And many businesses have received a much-needed bump from the outdoor dining and shopping improvements made possible by the dozens of grants we have provided to local chambers of commerce. All of these grants help optimize the use of the energy grid in these commercial districts.

We have also given beautification grants of up to $2,000 to many local chambers to enhance the visual appeal of shopping districts, and you can see these results, too. The Glen Cove Downtown Business Improvement District used the money to string lights through downtown to make it more inviting for residents and visitors to walk around in the evening. The Baldwin chamber used its grant for a “Welcome to Baldwin” sign. 

The East Meadow chamber purchased American flags to line the business district.

So, this week, we encourage you to celebrate National Small Business Week in the simplest, realest way possible: Do the little things that make life worth living in your community. Buy a pie from that pizzeria. Make a dental appointment for your spouse. Bring your sister a slice of that red velvet cake. Bring home a “growler” of beer from the local craft brewery.

Enjoy the vibrancy of your community, and PSEG Long Island will be there to provide the programs and support that will continue to make your Main Street a destination for years to come.

Long Island Main Street News, Under Production, makes Extended Interviews with Local Leaders Available

Vision Long Island has been in the process of interviewing some of our community partners: local civics, small business/chamber friends, municipal officials and local food pantry and religious leaders. 

As part of these efforts, we have reached over half of the communities we work in and are starting now to connect to some of our friends not rooted in any one community from development, design and infrastructure professionals and environmental leaders as well.   These interviews will be pieced together into a future show titled "Long Island Main Street News," but, in the meantime, you can view an extended version of these interviews here.

Special thanks to our guests for sharing their experiences, to our friends at Pink Tie for providing access to their studio, and to Rob Comforto from Videomasters for the filming and production.

Great to have NYS Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages in for a LI Main Street News interview.

The Assemblywoman shared with us an update from Albany on the budget and potential legislation this session supporting child care, small business and local communities.  

Check it out here.

Great to have former Village of Northport Mayor Damon McMullen in for a LI Main Street News interview.  

Mr. McMullen shared with us about his 12 years on the Board and 4 as Mayor working on upgrades to the sewer plant, setting up outdoor dining for local businesses, managing Coronavirus and a number of other initiatives and experiences.  We discussed the challenges of working with the public through the toxicity of social media.  He shared that his approach was always to try to bring folks together through difficult decisions.  

We wish him well in private life and look forward to seeing him around town.  Check it out here.

Great to have newly elected Suffolk Legislator Stephanie Bontempi in for a LI Main Street News interview.  

The Legislator shared with us the issues she is working on in her new role and what she has heard from local residents and business owners.  Her down to earth, open and pragmatic approach are welcoming and we look forward to working with her.  

Check it out here.

Great to have both John Keating and Michael Voltz from PSEG-LI speak about their economic development and energy efficiency programs.  

Mr. Keating shared information on the newest round of grants for Main Streets and Chambers along with their Vacant Space program.  Mr. Voltz covered how to access energy efficiency programs for residents or businesses.  

Check it out here.

Great to have Peter Florey from D&F Development in for an edition of LI Main Street News. 

Mr. Florey primarily covered the recently approved Matinecock Court project in Northport that he is building along with updates on recent affordable housing projects in Farmingdale and Bellport.  

Check it out here.

We had Matthew Donno in from the Manhasset Chamber of Commerce for a LI Main Street News interview. 

Mr. Donno shared with us the work the Chamber has done through the pandemic to help small businesses in the community.  They have engaged in marketing, lobbying for sewer investment and outdoor dining among other activities.  

Check it out here.

Great to have our good friend Lionel Chitty Executive Director from the Nassau County Office of Minority Affairs for a LI Main Street News interview. 

Mr. Chitty shared with us the work of his office helping small businesses, MWBE certification, access to County contracts and a disparity study.  

Check it out here.

Great to have John Dianellos from Old Spirit Distillery and the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce for an edition of LI Main Street News.  

Mr. Dianellos shared with us his work running a local distillery that has a range of organic and kosher spirits that includes a tasting room.  He covered how he managed through the Coronavirus and the journey starting his business as well.  

Check it out here.

Great to have Trudy Fitzimmons Board Chair of Vision Long Island on for a LI Main Street News interview.  

Ms. Fitzimmons shared with us some of the values of community involvement from our early days as Vision Huntington that remain true to our work today.  She also shared her work with Leadership Huntington.

Great conversation with Trudy as always.   Check it out here.

Great to have Jacob Dixon from Choice for All in Roosevelt in for a LI Main Street News interview. 

Mr. Dixon shared with us his organizations work in education, public health, food insecurity and community revitalization.   We also talked about the importance of creating safer walkable streets through their downtown. 

Check it out here.

Upcoming Small Business Webinars

Let’s welcome the New Normal with more information and networking.  Check out these events:

Thurs. 5/26/2022 12:00pm-1:00pm (SBA and Manhattan Chamber of Commerce)
Marketing Strategies-with Neuro-Marketing Concepts
https://www.manhattancc.org/common/Events/event_info.cfm?QID=30313&ClientID=11099&ThisPage=EventInfo

Thurs. 5/26/2022 2:00pm-3:00pm (SBA and Queens Chamber of Commerce)
DIY-Building a Blog for You and Your Business Step-by-Step
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RTv6krNcTMKoMqgFOhOiBQ

Farmingdale to Host Ikebana Workshop on May 22nd

Farmingdale Village Hosting Second Ikebana Workshop - Hiroko Uraga-Senese to Lead Flower-Arranging Session

Spring is coming and with it is another opportunity to celebrate nature by learning about the Japanese art of flower arranging known as Ikebana. The Farmingdale Village Cultural Arts Committee is pleased to host its second Ikebana workshop on May 22. This year’s workshop will be led by Hiroko Uraga-Senese, an expert in the Misho-Ryu style of Ikebana, which she studied in Japan and has taught throughout Long Island.

Ikebana is more than simply arranging flowers in a container. It is an art form, dating back to 1807, intended to encourage harmony between nature and humanity through an appreciation of flowers, seasons, and each container that is used.

The Village is offering two sessions of the workshop: one beginning at 11 AM and the other at 2 PM, both at Farmingdale Village Hall located at 361 Main Street in Farmingdale. Seating is limited to 15 participants per session, and pre-registration is required by Friday, May 13. The course fee is $25 per student, which includes the lecture, demonstration, workshop, vase, flower materials, and green foam frog to hold the flowers. Participants should bring their own scissors, and will be able to take home their arrangements after the class.

To register, mail a $25 check payable to the “Incorporated Village of Farmingdale” to Ann Rodenburg, Farmingdale Village Hall, 361 Main Street, Farmingdale, NY 11735. Registration must be completed by Friday, May 13 in order to ensure adequate materials are available. Participants should include their contact information (name, cell phone number, and email address), as well as session preference (AM or PM). For more information, contact Ms. Rodenburg at 516-249-0093, ext. 204.

East End Arts to Host 26th Annual Community Mosaic Street Painting Festival

East End Arts is hosting the 26th Annual Community Mosaic Street Painting Festival on Sunday, May 29, 2022, from 12 PM to 5 PM in downtown Riverhead and on the green at East End Arts at 133 E. Main Street.
 
Gather on the grounds of East End Arts and along the Peconic River for this day-long celebration of the arts, centering around the Street Painting Festival, fashioned after the Italian street painters "Il Madonnari", a street chalk art form dating back to the 16th century, as well as activities and entertainment for everyone. Street painting squares sponsored by businesses, families, and individuals are used as a canvas for inspirations in chalk.
 
The day’s activities include: Street Painting; Crafts Fair; Fine Arts Festival; Live Music; Drumming; Dance; Craft & Artisan Vendors; Theatre; Children's Activities & Family Fun; and Local Restaurants.
 
You can find more information here.

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