Not enough daylight. Not enough space. Not enough track capacity. Not enough entrances or exits. Alfonso A. Castillo reports in NEWSDAY that even after hundreds of millions of dollars on upgrades in recent years, Penn Station in Manhattan still has more than its share of shortcomings. And, there are several competing proposals to address them.

President Donald Trump’s administration in April took over the effort to transform the 115-year-old station "into a world-class facility while safeguarding taxpayer dollars," a spokesperson told Newsday in a statement. Hosting three railroads and six subway lines, Penn Station is the busiest rail facility in the United States. And the stakes are particularly high for the 140,000 Long Island Rail Road customers going into and out of the station each day, more than any other agency.

Former New York City Transit president Andy Byford, now a board member for Amtrak, which owns Penn Station, has been tapped by the U.S. Department of Transportation to lead the effort and evaluate several competing visions for Penn Station. Some proposals aim to create space by removing all or part of Madison Square Garden, which sits atop the station — and has an agreement with New York City to stay in place at least through 2028. Others focus on maximizing train capacity, either by adding new tracks, or by taking some away.

Two major questions — when work would begin on a new Penn Station and how it'd be paid for — remain unclear, and will largely depend on which proposal is chosen. Gov. Kathy Hochul previously estimated the cost of rebuilding Penn Station at $7 billion, but the Trump administration has said it wants to shrink the cost of the project, in part by leaning on "private sector expertise."

MTA Board member Sammy Chu, of Plainview, wants the MTA to stay involved in the plan to ensure its riders' needs are looked after. "Your goal as a commuter is to spend sub-five minutes at Penn Station. Your goal is to get in, pee, grab something to eat if you're hungry or grab a bottle of water, and get on your train as quick as possible."

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Prosecutors say a modest house on Brown Street in Riverside doubled as a round-the-clock open air drug market. Alek Lewis reports on Riverheadlocal.com that Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney yesterday announced the indictment of several Riverhead-area residents for their alleged roles in an extensive cocaine trafficking network run out of the Brown Street home. Law enforcement launched an investigation into 36 year old Timothy McKay Sr. and his home at 20 Brown Street in Riverside in July 2024; McKay allegedly operated a drug market at the residence 24/7, according to the Suffolk D.A..

Members of law enforcement surveilled the home and observed individuals walking up the driveway and into the yard of the residence, where they allegedly purchased narcotics from several of the people indicted. An undercover detective with the district attorney’s Fentanyl Task Force purchased cocaine at the home on 26 different occasions from several members of the organization.

The alleged head of the operation was Robert E. “Boy” Love, 71, of Riverhead, according to the district attorney. Love’s home in Riverhead was searched by warrant in June; police recovered over 14 ounces of cocaine from the home and over $11,000 in cash. Love was previously arrested in 2012 after being accused by prosecutors of being the leader of a Bronx-to-Riverhead cocaine trafficking ring. He pleaded guilty to two felony charges in 2013.

In total, 18 search warrants were executed across Suffolk County, Nassau County, and Queens County as a part of the investigation; police recovered 14 ounces of cocaine, over 100 pounds of illegal cannabis, eight operable firearms, ammunition, over $170,000 in cash, and drug paraphernalia such as a kilo press, scales, dilutants used in the manufacturing of crack cocaine, and packaging consistent with that used for the distribution of narcotics, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.

The Riverhead Police Department was involved in the investigation, along with other law enforcement agencies like the Suffolk County Police Department, East End Drug Task Force, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

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Riverhead’s summer celebration, “Alive on 25,” returns this evening with live music, street entertainment, and community spirit beginning at 4 p.m. in downtown Riverhead. There will be fireworks over the river at 9 p.m. Riverhead’s Main Street closes to traffic today at 3:00 PM.

“Alive on 25 was always about celebrating Riverhead—but this year, we’ve taken it a step further,” said Diane Tucci, Event Producer and original team member. “We’ve reimagined the experience to highlight what’s best about our community: its talent, energy, and creative spirit. So it’s a little bit of what you would think to expect and a little bit new.”

Councilwoman Joann Waski added:

“We’re incredibly excited about what we’ve planned for 2025. It’s a fresh take on Alive on 25—more music, more local involvement, and something for everyone. Riverhead’s downtown is the place to be this summer.”

For maps, schedules, vendor lists, and Crawl updates regarding this evening’s “Alive on 25” in Riverhead visit: www.aliveon25.org.

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A longtime plan to build rental apartments and for-sale condos on land owned by the First Baptist Church of Riverhead could add affordable options on Long Island's pricey East End.

New York State recently awarded the project $1 million for infrastructure improvements, but the proposal needs a key zoning change that would allow the $52 million development to move forward.

Northville Commons, about 1 ½ miles north of Riverhead’s Main Street, would offer 80 affordable rental apartments and eight for-sale condos, according to the church and nonprofit developer Georgica Green Ventures.

Jonathan LaMantia and Tara Smith report in NEWSDAY that the developer plans to build the housing on a portion of the church’s more than 12 acres. The church, established in 1925 and in its current location since 1971, will continue operating on the land. Georgica Green Ventures will enter a 99-year land lease with the church for the housing portion of the site. The church’s plans call for the creation of a 10,000-square-foot community center, with programs including job training, children and youth services, senior programs and community education programs.

An earlier proposal that included 132 apartments was rejected by the Riverhead Town board in 2013.

The new rental apartments will be a mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom for tenants who meet certain income requirements. The units will be limited to tenants earning between $57,750 and $131,920, which is based on a range of 50% to 80% of the area median income, according to Georgica Green Ventures.

Rents are slated to range from $1,546 for a one-bedroom to $2,970 for a two bedroom. About half of the units are one-bedrooms that would cost $1,856 a month. Those income limits and rents are likely to change by the time the development opens, as the federal government revises housing affordability standards annually.

For the project to move forward, the Riverhead Town Board must approve a proposed zoning change that would set requirements for mixed-use developments located on 10 acres or more.

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For years, Bridgehampton’s Main Street, which also happens to be Route 27, has been a place to drive through on the way to other destinations.

Stephen J. Kotz reports on 27east.com that Stella Flame, the owner of the Stella Flame Gallery next to the Candy Kitchen restaurant, set out earlier this year to change that.

“Everyone comes to Bridgehampton, but often they just pass through,” she said. “Yet, there are so many new businesses and reinvigorated businesses. We want it to be a vibrant destination on everyone’s route.”

She believes in creating the hamlet’s first chamber of commerce.

The Bridgehampton Village Improvement Society “does a wonderful job between the geranium planters and Christmas trees,” she said, “and the Bridgehampton Civic Council focuses on other aspects of Bridgehampton’s character involving government, but neither is advocating for businesses.”

Besides a number of shops and boutiques, Bridgehampton has several excellent restaurants and “an embarrassment of riches in terms of gourmet shops.” A large lot behind the stores on the south side of Main Street provides plenty of parking spaces, she added.

Flame said the chamber would like “to bring back a lot of the things that gave Bridgehampton its feel,” from art shows to sidewalk sales and late-night store hours a few times each season.

The group has been working on slogans, including “It’s Better in Bridge” and “Come Back to Bridge,” and is considering printing a map of the central business district, she said.

“We’ve canvassed about 60 businesses, and the response has been very positive,” Flame said.

The organization is currently working with an accountant who will help it file its paperwork to attain nonprofit status, something she hopes will be completed within a month.

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Butterflies get lots of attention, but their nocturnal cousins, moths, are often overlooked despite being considerably more abundant and diverse. Biologist and nature photographer Jill Dodds explores a variety of moths in Magnificant Moths at the Long Pond Greenbelt Nature Center, 1061 Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Turnpike in Bridgehampton.

That’s this coming Sunday at 2pm.

“Magnificent Moths,” is this weekend’s Sundays at Two lecture at the Long Pond Greenbelt Nature Center.

In the northeastern United States, over 2,500 moth species offer an amazing array of shapes, colors, patterns and sizes to anyone who takes the time to give them a closer look.

So you’re invited to join Jill Dodds this Sunday at 2pm at the Long Pond Greenbelt Nature Center in Bridgehampton.

Sundays at Two events are free and open to the public.

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The seemingly ubiquitous spotted lanternfly is back on Long Island, taking over backyards and continuing its slow but steady march to the East End.

They're in the process of making the dramatic change from the more subtle, small black-spotted juveniles, or nymphs, to full-grown plant hoppers with a bright red body and 2-inch wingspan.

Lisa L. Colangelo reports in NEWSDAY that the invasive insect is a threat to dozens of plants — such as grapevines — using its sharp mouth parts to deplete them of nutrients. And if the lanternflies swarm a plant, they can destroy it.

"We've seen them getting closer to the wineries out east on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley," said Christopher Logue, director for plant industry at the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. More prevalent in Nassau County and western Suffolk, there have been sporadic sightings of the lanternfly on the East End but no infestations, officials said, sparing the wineries from damage.

Officials still recommend that people who come across the insects in areas where they are well established kill them immediately by stepping on them or crushing them. On Long Island, the exception is the North Fork. Anyone who sees one there is asked to take a photo, collect a sample and place it in a freezer or jar with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer and fill out the survey on the NYS Agriculture and Markets website. After that's done, the department advises the rest should be killed.

The insect, which is native to China, was found in Pennsylvania in 2014. Since then, it has cut a hungry swath through New Jersey, the five boroughs of New York City, upstate and on Long Island. There have been sightings as far west as Indiana and as far south as North Carolina.

Logue said the insect makes its way to new areas by hitching a ride on cars or along railroad lines.

Jared Dyer, entomology specialist at the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Suffolk County, said he expects to hear more reports from Long Islanders as more adult lanternflies emerge.

Since the lanternfly is already established in Nassau and western Suffolk counties, Dyer said people only need to report sightings to the state from the East End.

"We have been prepping our grape growers for awhile now," Dyer said. "They know what to look out for, how to manage it, how to deal with it."