presented by Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance July 19th, 2021
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Quote(s) of the Week
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Senator Schumer Seeking Federal Aid to Fight LI’s Brown Tide
Amid the worst brown tide in years, and a real-time threat to everything from oysters, clams—even people, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer announced on Saturday, July 10th, a $55 billion dollar push via the upcoming, bipartisan infrastructure bill he is now negotiating in the Senate to help further expand and construct badly-needed sewer systems across Suffolk County. The agreed to number was included in the early framework of the bill, and Senator Schumer hopes to lock it in for Long Island. Senator Schumer also announced that $42 million from the American Rescue Plan (ARP), which he negotiated into law, is now officially on the way to Suffolk to help address the problem, but that more will be needed to finish a slew of critical efforts and to contain the tide. “Improving Long Island’s handling of wastewater must be a paramount priority. Wastewater is the largest source of nitrogen to groundwater and surface waters of Long Island and the overloading of nitrogen to these waters represents a dire public health and environmental threat. Each year, Long Island’s bays, harbors, and estuaries are beset with toxic algal blooms and no oxygen ‘dead zones’ that are caused by nitrogen overloading and have caused the landings of Long Island’s Bay scallops and hard clams to plummet by 99% since the late 20th century. This nitrogen overload has also contributed toward the mass loss the seagrasses and salt marshes that are both critical marine habitats and a first line of defense for protecting coastal communities from flooding,” explains Dr. Christopher Gobler, Endowed Chair of Coastal Ecology and Conservation, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences and Director, New York State Center for Clean Water Technology at Stony Brook University. As Suffolk officials and Newsday have chronicled, only about a quarter of Suffolk homes have sewers and about 70% of the polluting nitrogen flows from 360,000 cesspools and septic systems. According to Newsday, more than two-thirds of cesspools put in before 1973 are essentially injection wells that direct contaminants to groundwater.” Additionally, Gobler's laboratory at Stony Brook University revealed that latest brown tide crisis’ density in Patchogue Bay is the highest since 2017, with more than 300,000 cells per milliliter—a number that, scientists told Newsday, is nine times the level that can hurt marine creatures. In response, Senator Schumer has pledged a Senate push, to commence Monday, to include funding for federal water infrastructure line items, as part of the bipartisan deal that would help Suffolk and New York tap additional federal water infrastructure funds that could be used across Suffolk to beat back the brown tide. Specifically, he is looking at two specific accounts: The Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Grant program; and The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). The Senator is seeking to fully fund the water infrastructure bill, which is slated to get $280 million annually, of which Suffolk would be eligible to tap millions. As it relates to the CWSRF, New York receives about 9% of the national funds, which was about $150 million last year, out of a total of $1.6 billion. The Senator’s push would bump this program up significantly, with the total allocation reaching $3.2 billion, delivering about $288 million in funds to New York that Suffolk would be eligible to receive. In addition, the bipartisan bill would include full funding for the Senate Drinking and wastewater bill and the Water and Sewer utilities accounts. The Senator acknowledges that while no one bill will do it all, given the cost and scope of Suffolk’s needs, government must use every chance presented to remedy local environmental and homeowner needs. “To beat back the worst brown tide in years and stay on track to save the Great South Bay will require robust support from the federal government, because local taxpayers and residents cannot afford the massive cost—but at the same time the work is essential.” “Clean water is the backbone of Long Island’s sustainability, quality of life and a thriving economy. Great South Bay is suffering, and it will continue to degrade unless we upgrade septic systems and expand existing sewer systems. Harmful algae blooms and low oxygen conditions will not cure themselves. The good news is we have a plan to upgrade our waste water treatment systems, but federal funding is critically needed to help us achieve this goal,” concluded Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment. You can read more at Newsday here and here. Redistricting in New York Listening Sessions
Redistricting is the process of drawing new congressional and state legislative district boundaries. Upon completion of the 2020 census, New York will draft and enact new district maps. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. Federal law stipulates that district must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity. A significant outcome of the 2020 census finds New York losing representation in the U.S. Congress; therefore, one congressional district must be cut. An Independent Redistricting Commission was created to establish senate, assembly and congressional districts. The New York State Independent Redistricting Commission is seeking to solicit input from communities in order to gather feedback and guidance from the residents of New York, an important step to fairly and equitably redraw Congressional and State Legislature lines. This past Monday, it was announced that virtual listening sessions have been scheduled. These hearings are the best opportunity for residents to participate in this process. By submitting input, New Yorkers have the chance to contribute to the redistricting process. Participants will have up to three (3) minutes of speaking time. Participants are encouraged to submit written testimony. This includes, but is not limited to: how do you as a resident feel about the current lines outlining your district? What would you like the Commission to know about your community of interest? All hearings will be recorded for public record, also live-streamed as they occur. The first meeting will be held on Monday, July 12th. You can view meeting dates and further information here. |
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Oyster Bay Requests Governor’s Mediation in Dispute with MTA
The Town of Oyster Bay has requested Governor Andrew Cuomo step in and help mediate its dispute with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which has stalled the town’s plans to revitalize downtown Hicksville, Long Island Business News (LIBN) reports. In an effort to get local support for its Third Track project, the MTA promised to build a parking garage at the Hicksville Long Island Rail Road station which would have accommodated more than 1,250 vehicles. The parking garage had been included in the 2018 Hicksville Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) plan and various environmental impact statements. The MTA has defaulted on that agreement. “We have received a number of questions from Hicksville residents and business owners about the status of the planned and promised parking garage for the train station area,” states Eric Alexander, Director of Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance. “This commitment was made from the MTA during the third track planning process, which the Hicksville community supported.” The Town of Oyster Bay was awarded a $10 million DRI grant in 2017 to assist in the downtown revitalization of Hicksville. According to the state, “Improvements to the busiest station on the Long Island Rail Road will provide the opportunity for a true renaissance of the area. With anticipated increases in commuter traffic and demand for housing, the vision for Hicksville also includes new public space for events and increasing the diversity of housing stock.” A plan, which included improvements to the pedestrian environment making it safer for walking and biking, was created with legitimate community input and support. In the Hicksville Downtown Revitalization Initiative Strategic Investment Plan, dated March 2018, it specifically states, “The Metropolitan Transportation Authority intends to provide a new parking structure to accommodate 1,100 cars.” After the plan was completed, Town of Oyster Bay officials were informed the MTA would not be building the parking garage, which has forced the town to significantly scale back its revitalization plans. “For several months, revised DRI plans have sat idle with the Department of State due to a lack of response from the MTA,” Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino wrote in his June 15 letter to Governor Cuomo. “Despite repeated requests by the Town of Oyster Bay and Department of State, the MTA has yet to provide feedback or the necessary approvals for the commencement of a new Festival Pathway and Kennedy Park Expansion on properties owned by the authority and targeted for improvement under DRI.” Moreover, Oyster Bay Deputy Commissioner Colin Bell, Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Deputy Commissioner James McCaffrey still want the MTA to honor its commitment to build a parking garage at the Hicksville LIRR station. “New York State funding commitments through the DRI were planned with the garage in mind. As such, there needs to be a hard look at priorities in order to find a way to allow the MTA to build a parking garage for Hicksville’s LIRR station, while utilizing town land to build some mixed-use development,” Mr. Alexander states. The town faces a deadline of May 31, 2024 to complete all its DRI projects or lose the state funding. The MTA has states that it is in the process of reviewing the Town’s new plans and expects a joint meeting once that is completed. Nassau County Legislator Rose Walker, a life-long Hicksville resident and a member of the Hicksville Downtown Revitalization Committee, told the LIBN, the MTA had promised to put in a parking garage in Hicksville as part of its Third Track project, which helped get the support of the community for the LIRR expansion plan. “In my opinion, the MTA got what they wanted and then as soon as they got what they wanted they really didn’t care about the Hicksville community,” Ms. Walker said. “Thankfully, Hicksville downtown revitalization is moving forward, with the Town passing a zoning code to bring Mixed Use projects forward on older and blighted buildings,” Mr. Alexander underscores. This change has led to several private developers proposing projects in the blocks surrounding the Hicksville train station. You can read more on this story at LI Business News. The 2018 Hicksville Downtown Revitalization Initiative Strategic Investment Plan can be viewed here. Painted Piano Comes to Downtown Sayville
If the pandemic has shown us anything, it has shown us the creative ingenuity of downtowns, not only to survive, but to thrive. Case in point, the addition of a "Painted Piano" in the Village of Sayville. The Greater Sayville Chamber of Commerce teamed up with local music teacher, Jack Licitra, to periodically set up a painted piano throughout the year. The interactive public piano was unveiled Thursday, July 15th, during the Chamber’s “Music Paints the Night” series. The piano visited the Mini Monet Art Studio on Main Street, where there was an "open mic" for children. Mr. Licitra then lead a music jam at the at Five Points Café, a popular Main Street restaurant, from 5 PM to 9 PM. Sayville High School students Noelle Bartolotta, Jimmy Herbst and Sophia Pensabene painted the piano at Mr. Licitra’s South Bay Arts Pharmacy music school in Bayport. Artistic inspiration came from Sayville resident and artist Natalie Duplessisa, and the public piano is dedicated to longtime Sayville music and art teacher Gail Harper, who passed away on December 24th, 2020 at the age of 80. Sayville Chamber President Eileen Tyznar noted how deeply affected community arts and music were by the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the public piano is another example of the community’s resilience. “Now that events are coming back, Jack and I really wanted to showcase the piano as a way of bringing people together in a universal language — music,” she said. “Individuals will be able to showcase their talents and tickle the ivories, and just have sheer fun with it. The laughter alone will be music to our ears.” You can read more at Greater Sayville. Plaza Theatrical Opens Professional Theater at Elmont Memorial Library
The Plaza Theatrical theater company has announced the opening of the very first professional theater in Nassau County, located at the Elmont Memorial Library Theater. This 400 plus seat theater is part of the new Nassau County entertainment hub, with the UBS Arena down the road. Plaza Theatricals’ beginnings date back to 1982 when they first started presenting live musical theatre productions in outdoor venues on Long Island. In 1984 the theatre began presenting shows year-round in local restaurants and libraries. In January 2021, The Plaza Organization entered into a multi-year lease, to be the professional theatre company in residence, operating under a contract with the Actors’ Equity Association, at the 420 seat fully-equipped state-of-the-art theatre located in a separate wing of The Elmont Public Library, 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont, New York. Upcoming shows include South Pacific, Man of La Mancha, The Color Purple, and Something Rotten. Shows will be accompanied by a live orchestra. They will also host an annual musical theater festival which will create many jobs in the community. Tickets are now on sale. Performances begin on September 1st. You can find more information here. Long-Awaited Dredging Completed in Amityville
Suffolk County Legislator Jason Richberg recently joined Village of Amityville Mayor Dennis Siry to announce the completion of the long-awaited dredging of the Bayview Canal and Ketcham Creek in Amityville. “South Shore boaters have been patiently waiting for the dredging of Ketcham Creek and the Bayview Canal, and I’m proud to join Mayor Siry in announcing that the work has been completed.” said Legislator Richberg. “Aside from allowing boats to safely travel through the canals, dredging also removes the sediments and debris that build up over time, potentially exposing our waterways and wildlife to pollutants. I’d like to thank Mayor Siry for his dedication to getting this project over the finish line.” The dredging of the Bayview Canal and mouth of Ketcham Creek along the Amityville/Amity Harbor border took place starting in the middle of June and was completed within two weeks. Since the window of time for dredging is very brief, crews worked 7-days-a-week to accomplish the job. The main channel remained open for boating and only a temporary closure was required at the mouth of one canal in Amityville, where dredging crews monitored a marine radio channel to help boats maneuver around equipment. Village of Amityville Mayor Dennis Siry stated, “Together we have created safer boating conditions for our residents and maintained access to the beautiful Great South Bay for this boating season and beyond.” Public Meeting on Lake Ronkonkoma Watershed Management Announced
The Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning (SCEDP) invites stakeholders to attend a Public Information Meeting regarding the Lake Ronkonkoma Watershed Management Plan. Suffolk County, Town of Brookhaven, Town of Islip, and Town of Smithtown all own land on the lake's surrounding shoreline. The goal of the project is to outline priorities and projects that will help restore the lake to a fully functioning recreational space, improving water quality, and contributing to a greater quality of life. This project is funded in part by a grant from New York State Department of State, under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund, to assist with creating a Watershed Management Plan for Lake Ronkonkoma. The meeting will be held at Lake Ronkonkoma County Park on Thursday, July 22, 2021, from 5 PM to 7 PM, to discuss the following topics: • Project Updates Space is limited, so please register for the event here. In case of inclement weather other arrangements will be made. New Westbury Imagined Short Story Released
Westbury Arts is a nonprofit delivering arts and cultural programs aimed at connecting, educating, and inspiring the Westbury community. One such popular offering is Westbury Imagined: Short Stories. Westbury Arts has recently announced its continuing presentation of an interesting and informative series of short stories from local author, Arthur Dobrin. Mr. Dobrin has authored, co-authored and edited more than 20 books, including children’s books and books on ethics. He is also the author of more than 100 poems and articles that have appeared in journals, magazines and newspapers. Each month or so, Westbury Arts publishes an original work of fiction by Mr. Dobrin that reflects the history and diversity of Westbury. Some works are historically based and some purely imagined. This month’s installment is titled The House I Live In. You can read the newest installment, The House I Live In, here. And you can learn more about local author Arthur Dobrin here. Huntington Arts Council Present Wearable Art 2.0 Through July 31st
The Huntington Arts Council (HAC) is proud to announce the presentation of Wearable Art 2.0, Juried Exhibition, Juror, Dominique Maciejka, July 2nd through July 31st, 2021. The exhibition will be presented in its Main Street Gallery, 213 Main Street, Huntington NY 11743 and on its website at huntingtonarts.org. The Huntington Arts Council invited artists to participate in Wearable Art 2.0. Since this exhibit's initial success in 2018, the wearable art theme is back by popular demand. The artwork meets at the intersection of fashion and fine art through design, costume, or culture. Submissions are representative of the creative inspiration found in garments, accessories (art jewelry, masks, bags, etc.), and representational work (design boards, performance images, etc.). "Wearable Art 2.0 is a direct extension of the first version of this theme that took place in our Main Street Gallery 3 years ago. The creativity, technique, and artistry represented in this revival of Wearable Art has exceeded our expectations. The interpretation of the call is a true testament to how art can be designed and expressed in so many impactful and beautiful ways. Whether it be jewelry, quilted jackets, existing items that have been customized or hand painted silk, the exhibit is a show stopper. All are invited to stop by our gallery and experience the work in person," says Marc Courtade, Executive Director of the Huntington Arts Council. Juror Dominique Maciejka studied art and art history at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her shops, Paper Doll Vintage Boutique in Sayville and Paper Doll Curiosity Shoppe in Patchogue, combine her passions that bridge the art, history, and fashion worlds with unique clothing and merchandise, as well as local art shows of New York. "The work submitted showcased a beautiful range of what wearable art can mean to artists and how it can be interpreted. The works chosen exemplified a strong vision conceptually, technically or a combination of both. Some pieces were more traditional, while others had a modern and contemporary spin for a wonderful variety of work," explains Juror Maciejka Congratulations to the artists selected for this exhibition: Lisa Cangemi, Oksana Danziger, Ciamara Donawa, Diane Godlewski, Steven Goldleaf, Nathaly Gomez, Jan Guarino, Veronica Haley, Drew Kane, Julianna Kirk, Allison Mack, Lorraine Manzo Angeletti, Meagan J. Meehan, John Micheals, Gail Neuman, Luda Pahl, Eileen Palmer, Athena Protonentis, Amanda Reilly, Cindy Russell, Jasmine Scarlatos, Meryl Shapiro, Danangelowe Spencer, Steven Tze, Ana Urbach, and JoAnn Zambito. Main Street Gallery hours are Tuesday - Friday 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM. For weekend hours please refer to its social media platforms @huntingtonarts or call 631-271-8423. You can download a selection of images here. Proposed Amendment Causes Stir at Huntington Town Hall
A proposed change in Town of Huntington downtown zoning rules, scheduled for a public hearing on Tuesday, July 13th, provoked an uproar online and dueling press releases from members of the Town Board prior to the hearing, Huntington Now reports. At issue is an amendment to the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 198 (Zoning), Article XI (Conditional Uses; Supplementary Regulations), so as to add §198-68.2 (Uses Permitted by Planning Board); to allow the Planning Board to grant a limited number of special use permits for a residential apartment building under narrow circumstances to properties in a narrow geographic area, outside of but within 1,500 feet of the outer boundary of the five hamlet centers, subject to restrictions. Prior to the meeting, Councilman Mark Cuthbertson announced that he would ask that the resolution he sponsored be removed from the agenda. “I want to thank each resident that reached out to me with their concerns about this hearing,” Councilman Cuthbertson said. Extensive feedback has suggested that Town residents are generally against the proposed change. Council members Eugene Cook and Joan Cergol both said they would support withdrawing it. Subsequently, Town Councilman Ed Smyth issued a press release encouraging residents to come out to the Town Board meeting and express their opinions about the proposal. The outcome: In front of a packed house during the first post COVID in-person session of the Town Board, Councilman Cuthbertson moved to rescind the resolution that called for the public hearing on the zone change. The motion passed and the resolution calling for the public hearing was withdrawn. Councilman Cuthbertson stated, “I have received email and other feedback and as a result have decided not only would I not support this resolution after a public hearing, I know longer support there being a public hearing on this issue. If we move forward with a public hearing, there could be the impression that this legislation could get enacted. I don’t think that’s a productive use of anyone’s time.” The vote on the motion to rescind: The public hearing was canceled. You can read more at Huntington Now and view video of the Town Board Meeting here. |
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Minimum Wage Workers Can’t Afford Rent in US According to Study
Full-time minimum wage workers can’t afford rent anywhere in the US, according to a new report A recent National Low Income Housing Coalition’s (NLIHC), titled ‘Out of Reach’, has found that a full time minimum wage salary is insufficient for working families to afford appropriate housing. This includes both single and two bedroom units across all of the US. Established in 1974 by Cushing N. Dolbeare, the National Low Income Housing Coalition is dedicated to achieving socially just public policy that ensures people with the lowest incomes in the United States have affordable and decent homes. The definition of affordability in this report is consistent with the federal standard that no more than 30% of a household’s gross income should be spent on rent and utilities. Households paying over 30% of their income are considered cost-burdened. Households paying over 50% of their income are considered severely cost-burdened. This year, workers would need to earn $24.90 per hour for a two-bedroom home and $20.40 per hour for a one-bedroom rental. That’s an increase from $23.96 and $19.56, respectively, from last year. The average hourly worker currently earns $18.78 per hour, the report finds, more than $6 short of the wage needed to afford a two-bedroom rental. The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour falls well short of both the two-bedroom and one-bedroom National Housing Wages. Because the federal minimum wage does not rise automatically with inflation, it is worth considerably less today than it was worth in recent decades. If the minimum wage had increased at the rate of productivity growth, it would be over $21 per hour in 2021. People who work 97 hours per week and need 8 hours per day of sleep have around 2 hours per day left over for everything else - commuting, cooking, cleaning, self-care, caring for children and family, and serving their community. The report points out, the COVID crisis has had a profound short-term impact on the U.S. labor market, with many low-wage workers furloughed or laid off, as higher-wage workers telecommute. Over the course of the last several decades, low-wage workers have struggled to afford their homes in both good and bad economic times, and COVID-inspired changes have made an already dire situation worse for many low-income workers. According to the report, Black and Latino workers are more likely than white workers to be employed in sectors with lower median wages. Households headed by people of color are more likely than white households to be renters, with extremely low incomes. Additionally, over 40% of Black and Latino households spend more than 30% of their income on rent, compared to 25% of white households. Therefore, renters of color are at greater risk of eviction. You can read the full CNBC article here. The Out of Reach 2021 report is available here. |
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Welcome Back to Farmingdale Village
Upcoming Summer Events: Farmers Market by Schneider's Farm Farmingdale Village Pops Movies On the Village Green Downtown along Main Street Live Summer Concerts Coming to Freeport’s Nautical Mile
The Long Island Arts Council at Freeport will be hosting live, free summer concerts at the Esplanade on the Nautical Mile. The concerts are held Thursday nights from 7 PM to 8:30 PM. Attendees need to bring their own chairs. Concerts are rain or shine, and location is determined at 6 PM the night of the concert. You can find updates, possible changes, and rain date location (the tented outdoor area across the street from BrewSA) here. Summer Concert Line-Up • July 22 - Janice Buckner Kings Park Monday on Main Rescheduled for July 26th
On Monday, July 26th, the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce is hosting Summer Nights in The Park – Monday on Main. The event will be held on Main Street in Kings Park from 6 PM to 9 PM. Events include: • Live bands all evening Fun for the entire family. Live Music Returns to the Glen Cove Village Square
The Glen Cove Downtown Sounds committee has announced its annual concert series will take place live this summer with a diverse array of artists scheduled to perform on nine Friday evenings in July and August. Beginning July 2nd, bands will be performing in person on the Village Square stage. Produced by the Glen Cove Business Improvement District (BID), Downtown Sounds began in 1997 with local jazz musicians playing at the intersection of Glen and School Streets. “After two years, the Glen Cove BID and the Downtown Sounds Concert Committee are thrilled to be able to present live music for the enjoyment of our community and benefit of our businesses,” said Patricia Holman, Executive Director of the BID. “This year more than ever, we have a diverse lineup that will appeal to a wide range of musical tastes.” This year’s artists will be performing on the Downtown Sounds stage, as opposed to the show mobile that has been used in recent years. In addition to better sound quality, restoration of the stage presentation increases the space available for dancing. The program includes: Downtown Sounds 2021 will be live in-person concerts, but will still be live-streamed through Facebook Live, and broadcast on large screen TVs throughout downtown. Concerts start at 7 PM. You can find more information here. Free Outdoor Concert Series in Westbury
Thursday Nights in the Piazza! Westbury Arts is launching its free outdoor summer concert series, with live, in-person concerts held in the village’s central plaza: The Piazza Ernesto Strada located at 200 Post Avenue in Westbury. All the concerts are held on Thursdays from 7 to 9 pm. Here is the line-up: July 22 - Film Noir Ensemble (jazz) In case of rain, concerts will be held at the Westbury Community/Senior Center at 360 Post Avenue in Westbury. For more information, contact info@westburyarts.org or 516-400-ARTS (2787) Fair Media Council Hosts Primary Sources Speaker Series
Fair Media Council is sponsoring a virtual event series titled Primary Sources Speaker Series. The event was created to address one issue: What every organization needs to know to build back better as we all recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendees can expect to learn from leaders and influencers how to tackle the most important issues facing businesses today. Running from July through September, each session is scheduled to last no more than one hour. Session 1, Trust & Leadership, will be held on July 21st, at 10 A.M. The speaker for session 1, Steve Rubel, is a blogger, writer, and executive vice president in charge of global strategy and insights of Edelman, a global communications firm. He works across the firm’s practices and geographies to help clients unify their communications strategies across traditional, emerging, owned, and social channels. Mr. Rubel is one of Edelman’s most visible industry thought leaders. He has been named one of the top 50 social media influencers on Twitter. In particular, the speaker will drill down on what the crisis of misinformation and its connection to the pandemic mean for communicators and journalists. The live session will include questions and answers You can learn more about this event or register here. Upcoming Workshops
The SBA will be offering several Workshops in the upcoming weeks Lead by SBA’s Economic Development Specialist Elaine Powell-Belnavis, these workshops will cover the following: • Latest updates of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and PPP Forgiveness. You can register for each of the workshops at the below links: Tue. July 20, 2021 at 7:00pm (SBA and Finkelstein Memorial Library) East End Arts to Hold Annual Street Painting Festival September 5th
East End Arts’ 25th Annual Community Mosaic Street Painting Festival will be held Sunday, September 5th, from 12 PM to 5 PM throughout downtown Riverhead and on the green at East End Arts at 133 E. Main Street, Riverhead. Since 1972, East End Arts has been enriching communities through the arts by way of creating a vibrant arts community on the East End which enhances individual and professional artistic development, stimulates community enrichment, economic development, and cultural tourism while encouraging a wide range of artistic expression through education, exhibition and performance, and collaboration across the community. Artists, musicians, and lovers of the arts, young and old, will gather 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. Happenings include: • Street Painting For more information, contact Monique Parsons at mparsons@eastendarts.org or 631-727-0900 x303. You can find more information East End Arts here. Registration is now open for vendors, sponsors, & artist squares. Rain date is Monday, September 6th, from 2 PM to 5 PM. |
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EmPower Solar Seeks Solar Installers
EmPower Solar seeks top quality construction professionals to become Solar Installation tradesmen. EmPower Solar view’s solar construction as a unique emerging trade which incorporates both electrical and carpentry trades. Installers participate in both “on the job” and formal training programs. EmPower Solar departs significantly from its competition through focus on workplace satisfaction, customer service, top quality installation, focus on safety, multiple training programs, benefits, and much more. KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIESThe following responsibilities are to be performed with guidance and training from Site Manager and additional EmPower representatives.
Candidates should be hard-working, passionate, dependable, creative, organized, planning-oriented, problem solvers, and detail-oriented. The ideal candidate has excellent attention to detail and a strong work ethic.
For more information on the position and how to apply, please visit this website. |
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New York State Consolidated Funding Application Due July 30th
Is your community looking for grants to help them plan a water quality project? Or maybe your community needs funds to actually build or install a project that has been discussed for years. From now until the end of July, New York State’s largest funding opportunity, the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA), is open for business. Round 11 of the New York State Consolidated Funding Application is now open for projects seeking support from up to $750 million of available funding via dozens of State agency programs. This year, there are over 30 programs available through 9 state agencies, including Empire State Development; NYS Canal Corporation; NYS Energy Research and Development Authority; Environmental Facilities Corporation; Homes and Community Renewal; New York Power Authority; Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; Department of State; and Department of Environmental Conservation. In an effort to provide the most appropriate state resources through this process, participating agencies will be able to review and potentially provide funding to a project that did not specifically apply to that program, if the materials submitted at time of application satisfy the requirements for that program and allow for fair review under the circumstances. In addition, all programs contained in this document will use regional distribution standards to ensure projects are funded throughout the state. Applications will be accepted until July 30th at 4:00 PM. You can find more information here. The NYS Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) Open
The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) provides economic relief to help low and moderate-income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance and utility arrears assistance. Seven communities that received funding for emergency rental assistance directly from the federal government opted to administer their own programs. Residents of the Towns of Hempstead, Islip and Oyster Bay must apply with their local programs for emergency rental assistance and are ineligible for assistance from the state-administered Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Town of Hempstead: https://www.lihp.org/herapintake.html Eligibility: New York residents are eligible for ERAP if they meet all of the following criteria: • Household gross income is at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). These income limits differ by county and household size. A household may qualify based on current income or calendar year 2020 income that is at or below 80 percent AMI. There are no immigration status requirements to qualify for the program. Households eligible for rental arrears may also be eligible for help paying utility arrears at the same rental unit. Priority Applications: For the first 30 days of the program, priority will be given to households in the following order: 1.Households with income at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) that also include a household member who: • Is currently unemployed for at least 90 days; or 2. Households with income at or below 50 percent AMI 3. Households with income at or below 80 percent AMI that also include a household member who: • Is currently unemployed for at least 90 days; or 4. Households with income at or below 80 percent AMI After the first 30 days, applications for all eligible households will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, as long as funds remain available. Benefits: Households approved for ERAP may receive: • Up to 12 months of rental arrears payments for rents accrued on or after March 13, 2020. Payments will be made directly to the landlord/property owner and utility company on behalf of the tenant. Tenant applicants will be notified of the amounts paid on their behalf. If a landlord is difficult to locate or does not otherwise provide information needed to complete the application, funds will be held for up to 180 days to allow sufficient time to locate the landlord and collect required information as well as to provide tenant protections and maximize landlord participation. Please note: Once the application is started, all questions must be answered and the application signed and saved to submit the application. There currently is no way to save a partially completed application. Applicants are encouraged to gather all the information needed before starting an application including income of household members and rental amounts. NYS Coronavirus Relief Grant Program for Small Businesses
The NYS Legislature has approved $800 million in grants for small businesses across New York. Applications are now open for anyone who is eligible to apply. The following is from New York State’s website: The New York State COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program was created to provide flexible grant assistance to currently viable small businesses, micro-businesses and for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations in the State of New York who have experienced economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Grant awards will be calculated based on a business’s annual gross receipts for 2019 (see below for more information). Grant amounts and calculations are subject to change by Empire State Development. Annual gross receipts: $25,000 – $49,999.99: Award is $5,000 / business Eligible Businesses Include: Small businesses, Micro-businesses, and For-profit independent arts and cultural organizations (collectively, “Eligible Applicants”) must be currently viable and have begun operation on or before March 1, 2019, and continue to be in operation as of the date of application (maybe shuttered due to COVID restrictions). See the FAQ section below for definitions of business categories above. Eligible Applicants will be required to show loss of gross receipts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or compliance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols which resulted in business modifications, interruptions, or closures. Small businesses and Micro-businesses must: 1. Have 2019 or 2020 Gross Receipts of between $25,000 and $500,000 per annum More information on the grants as well as a guide on how to apply is available here. Funding for Pedestrian Safety and Transportation Systems
On July 1st, New York State announced the availability of $110 million in new funding to support community-based investments designed to strengthen the cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of local and regional transportation systems, while promoting safety and mobility. This initiative funds projects that create new and enhance existing bicycle and pedestrian facilities, improve access to public transportation, create safe routes to schools, convert abandoned railway corridors to pedestrian trails and help reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. In addition, these funds may be used by municipalities to support activities that meet requirements of the Clean Air Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Projects will be selected through a competitive solicitation process and rated based on established criteria that include public benefit, air quality improvement, and finance and/or delivery innovation. Projects must be related to the surface transportation system and provide full access to the public. Applications for funding may be developed by any municipality or non-profit incorporated group, but projects must be sponsored either by a municipality, a state agency or public authority eligible to administer federal transportation funds. Eligible project activities include: • Constructing new/enhancing existing pedestrian and bicycle facilities. The funds, made available to the State through the Federal Highway Administration and administered by the New York State Department of Transportation, are provided through the Transportation Alternatives Program and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program. These programs will provide up to 80 percent of project-related cost, with the remaining 20 percent provided by project Sponsors. The New York State Department of Transportation will be accepting applications for this funding opportunity through September 29, 2021. You can find theapplication, program guidance, and workshop schedules here. The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Offering Four Rounds of Grants
Created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1960 and continued and expanded to the present day, NYSCA will make available $105 million in critical arts and cultural funding. The grants will aid in the arts sector's multi-year recovery from COVID-19 and spur the revitalization of New York's creative economy, which fosters $123 billion annually in economic activity and supports more than 500,000 jobs statewide. There will be four rounds of funding, with $20 million already committed to multi-year awards in the first round. Each round is designed to address the most urgent needs of organizations and artists within New York's nonprofit creative sector. Restart NY: Rapid Live Performance Grants ($10 million): Support will directly address the area of the arts sector hardest hit by COVID-19, and reinvigorate near term, in-person performance opportunities. This funding will prioritize the recovery of New York's unparalleled performance organizations, venues, artists, and groups. This $10 million opportunity offers both direct support from NYSCA and regrant support through NYSCA's Partnerships and Statewide Community Regrants program. Grants of $5,000 and $10,000 will be available for eligible performing arts organizations for planned performance programming in 2021. Support provided through the Community Regrants Program, which will focus on reviving performance on a very local level, will be administered by NYSCA partners statewide. The goal of this regrant support is to reach small, local organizations that do not receive direct grants from NYSCA. Round 1 guidelines and portal for direct NYSCA Rapid Live Performance Grants will open on June 16. Application portal will close July 1. Expanded Access to Funding ($15 million): Support will expand NYSCA's current network of valued regrant partners to reach New York's vast and diverse community of artists and organizations. Funding will be distributed through NYSCA Partnerships and Statewide Community Regrants. Increased support at the local level will ensure more communities, organizations, and individuals will have access to NYSCA funding. Round 2 guidelines will be posted June 16, 2021. Application portal will open on July 19 and close August 2. Organizational and Individual Artist Recovery ($40 million): Support will broaden individual artist assistance and deliver extremely flexible funding for organizations through a streamlined application experience. Grants offered in this round will greatly expand eligibility and encourage new applicants across a wide spectrum of artistic and cultural practices. Priority will be given to applicants that serve historically underrepresented communities. Round 3 guidelines will be posted on June 16. Application portal will open July 19 and close September. Capital Funding for the Arts ($20 million): Support will assist organizations in making improvements to address health and safety issues in their spaces and venues among other needs. Any New York State nonprofit arts and culture organization is encouraged to apply. Round 4 guidelines and application portal will open in September. You can find more information here. PSEG LI Loacal Community and Small Business Grants Available
PSEG Long Island is proud to announce funding for the Outdoor Spaces program has been renewed for a limited time. More than $2 million in grants and discounts were provided last year to help more than 1,000 local businesses and organizations meet the ever-evolving challenges of COVID-19 and continue to thrive. “PSEG Long Island knows that small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our communities and our local economy,” said John Keating, manager of Economic and Community Development at PSEG Long Island. “Even before the pandemic transformed all of our lives, we were offering grants and discounts to encourage foot traffic in downtown commercial districts and bring businesses into empty storefronts. We evolved our programs to address the new realities our commercial customers are seeing, and the response has been enormous.” PSEG continues to offer Main Street Revitalization grants and Vacant Storefront discounts to businesses. In 2020, the company also began offering “Outdoor Spaces” grants to local chambers of commerce to help transform sidewalk areas and plazas with the seating, lighting and heating needed to keep customers dining and shopping locally. Limited funding for this grant program will be renewed for 2021 on a first come, first served basis. The program will offer funding of up to $5,000 to a Chamber of Commerce or Business Improvement District. Applications will be accepted until June 1, 2021. Here is a breakdown of PSEG Long Island’s 2020 support of local businesses: Small Business First • Supplemented PSEG Long Island’s already significant energy efficiency rebates with $1.8 million in PSEG Long Island Economic Development funding, allowing most projects to be done with no customer cost. Outdoor Spaces • PSEG Long Island approved 29 applications, representing a total of more than $125,000. Main Street Revitalization • More than $254,000 was provided to businesses and organizations through standard Main Street Revitalization grants in 2020, supporting upgrades and projects at restaurants, arts centers, breweries and more. To learn more about all the programs PSEG Long Island offers to support local businesses, please visit this site. SBA Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Applications
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has a splash page for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) application portal in anticipation of opening applications for the much-anticipated critical economic relief program on Thursday, April 8, 2021. “Help is here for venue operators hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The SBA has worked diligently to build the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program from the ground up to assist and address the diverse eligibility requirements of each type of applicant and we will open for applications on April 8th.” SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman said. “This vital economic aid will provide a much-needed lifeline for live venues, museums, movie theatres and many more.” The SVOG program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act, which appropriated $15 billion for it. The American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021, appropriated an additional $1.25 billion, bringing the program funding to a total of $16.25 billion, with more than $16 billion allocated for grants. To ensure eligible venues do not miss a window to receive assistance through the Paycheck Protection Program, the American Rescue Plan Act also amended the SVOG program so entities that apply for a PPP loan after Dec. 27, 2020, can also apply for an SVOG, with the eligible entity’s SVOG to be reduced by the PPP loan amount. The PPP loan applications have been updated to reflect this. For more information, click here for the dedicated SBA SVOG portal: https://www.svograntportal.sba.gov/s/ NY Forward Loan Fund
New York State has opened pre-applications for the New York Forward Loan Fund. Loans from this fund are available to small businesses, nonprofits, and small landlords in New York State. New York Forward loans must be fully repaid over a 5-year term with fixed annual interest rates of 3 percent for small businesses and landlords. Small businesses may apply for the lesser of $100,000 or up to 100% of the average monthly revenues in any 3-month period from 2019 or the first quarter of 2020. This loan can be paid back over five years with first year being interest only. However, if small businesses have received either a PPP loan or an EIDL loan from SBA, they would not be eligible to apply. NYS has set a goal of 18% of total funds under this Program for Long Island Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as industries and regions reopen however, priority for New York Forward Loans will be given to industries and regions that have been reopened. Resources are available to assist in preparing applications for small businesses, landlords and nonprofits in industries and regions that have not yet reopened. To view more details, including eligibility requirements and how to apply, click here: If you need technical assistance through this process, please contact an Entrepreneurial Assistance Center near you and inform the counselor that you need help for the NY Forward Loan application. You can find your closest contact center here. |
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Our SponsorSustainability Institute at Molloy College
The Sustainability Institute is a function of the Molloy College Office of Advancement. Its mission is to promote transformative education both on and off campus consistent with the values of advancing the common good, environmental protection, ethical business practices, and civic responsibility, especially in the areas of implementing clean energy, reducing environmental toxins that impact public health, sustainable land use planning that preserves open space, and sustainable use of resources. The Sustainability Institute provides a convening function at Molloy College that reaches out to Long Island's civic and environmental leaders, business executives, and government officials, bringing representatives of various interests together, in order to identify mutual interest in support of an agenda of a sustainable economy and society. Through classroom presentations and experiential learning, the Sustainability Institute helps students gain and understanding of how social change is accomplished, while developing their leadership skills to better serve both their future professions and the larger community. The Sustainability Institute acts as a clearing house to guide students who are interested in becoming involved in environmental issues towards student or off-campus organizations, faculty initiated programs and classes. |
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“Clean water is the backbone of Long Island’s sustainability, quality of life and a thriving economy. Great South Bay is suffering, and it will continue to degrade unless we upgrade septic systems and expand existing sewer systems. Harmful algae blooms and low oxygen conditions will not cure themselves. The good news is we have a plan to upgrade our waste water treatment systems, but federal funding is critically needed to help us achieve this goal.” - Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment.
