House Democrats are calling on Long Island Republican Rep. Andrew Garbarino to force Trump administration border czar Tom Homan to testify about allegations he took a bribe from undercover FBI agents last year as part of an anti-corruption investigation.

"No one is above the law," the Democrats wrote yesterday to Congressman Garbarino (R-Bayport), who in July became the new chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security.

"We call on you to require Trump administration ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan to appear before the committee to answer allegations that he accepted cash bribes in exchange for promises to deliver government contracts," states the letter signed by the panel’s ranking member, Rep. Bennie Thompson, (D-Miss.) and other committee Democrats.

The demand leaves Garbarino — who holds congressional subpoena power — in a bit of a political pinch.

Billy House reports in NEWSDAY that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Homan "did absolutely nothing wrong," and President Donald Trump stands by him 100%. She said Homan "is a brave public servant who has done a phenomenal job in helping the president shut down the border."

In addition, Trump appointees at the Justice Department already have shut down an investigation by that agency into the matter earlier this year, according to multiple news accounts.

Garbarino represents New York's 2nd congressional district which is along the South Shore of Long Island. It includes southwestern Suffolk County and a small portion of southeastern Nassau County.

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The East Hampton Library’s Long Island Collection has unveiled a new exhibit, “Taking Care of Business,” now on display in the library’s front lobby cases.

Originally presented as a limited pop-up in July, the exhibit drew strong interest from the community. “The exhibit was so popular over the summer, and we received many requests to see it again, so we’ve moved it to a space where the public can continue to enjoy it,” Andrea Meyer, head of the Long Island Collection, said in a news release.

The exhibit highlights the history of East Hampton’s business district, focusing on Main Street, Newtown Lane and the shops that once lined them. It features historic images, maps and documents, along with a “then and now” list, property ownership maps, photographs and vintage postcards.

“Taking Care of Business” is available for viewing during regular East Hampton Library hours and will remain on display through the end of the year.

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When flashing highway department signs recently began advertising “Roundabout Begins 9/22/25” at the intersection of County Road 48 and Route 25 in Greenport, they weren’t kidding. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that after a lengthy hiatus, the New York State Department of Transportation resumed work yesterday on the new roundabout at the intersection that had long been controlled by a blinking light at the north end of Greenport’s Main Street. By late Monday afternoon, the longstanding traffic pattern there had been upended by a series of traffic cones and signs directing drivers to follow the outline of the future three-way traffic circle at the intersection, which had been shaped like the letter T.

The project, funded by the 2021 federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, has been in the works since April of 2024, and was initially slated to be completed in the fall of 2024.

In earlier phases, trees were cleared, utility poles were moved and drainage was installed in anticipation of the roundabout work, which the state had planned to do in the spring and fall months to lessen the effect on traffic.

The state said at the time the project was approved that it was designed to “help traffic continuously move in a smooth pattern and reduce congestion to and from the historic Village of Greenport and the Cross Sound Ferry nearby at Orient Point. Roundabouts have been proven to lessen the instances of serious crashes while maximizing capacity.”

The restart of the work in Greenport coincides with National Roundabouts Week, which the NYS DOT has been touting on its social media accounts.

When finished, the Greenport roundabout is slated to include center medians designed to slow the flow of traffic at each of the approaches to the three-way intersection, as well as on Sound Road, just to the north and east of the intersection. It also is slated to include sidewalks, curb cuts and pedestrian crosswalks at each entrance to the intersection.

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The Riverhead Town Planning Board gave preliminary approval last Thursday to an expansion of BJ’s Wholesale Club, and the addition of a 16-vehicle gas station there. Alek Lewis reports on Riverheadlocal.com that BJ’s, located in East End Commons on Route 58 in Riverhead, intends to expand its existing 191,348-square-foot store by 10,530 square feet and build the new gas station, along with other site improvements. The expansion would be built on the north side of the building, in an area currently used for parking. The board’s resolution also determined that the project will not result in any significant adverse environmental impacts. According to the project’s application, construction of the new B.J.’s gas station is expected to be completed by early 2026. BJ’s currently operates an eight-pump gas station a half-mile west of the store, at the southeast corner of the Route 58 and Ostrander Avenue intersection in Riverhead. The station is available only to the wholesale club’s members and often offers lower prices than other stations in the area, making it a popular spot to fuel up — and the source of traffic back-ups on Ostrander Avenue. An attorney for the project previously told the Planning Board that the new gas station will reduce traffic at the existing one.

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The Cutchogue Civic Association will hold a presentation on “Climate Change, Up Close and Personal: Local Stories” at the Peconic Community School, 27685 Main Road, Cutchogue this coming Thursday, Sept. 25 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Speakers include Tom Wickham, 11th generation Cutchogue fruit farmer and owner of Wickham’s Fruit Farm; Ron Goerler of Jamesport Vineyards & EAerly Rising Farm and Dennis Schrader of Landcraft Garden.

Panelists will share their stories of how climate change is impacting them, and how they are responding.

All are welcome.

This Thursday’s event is free at Peconic Community School, 27685 Main Road, Cutchogue starting at 6 p.m.

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Contractors have begun clearing compost piles from a Calverton tree farm as part of an agreement in which the property's owner consented to removing the material, according to Riverhead Town officials.

The 45-acre farm on Youngs Avenue had drawn the ire of neighbors because of foul odors, as well as the presence of pests and increased trucking. The former tree nursery is owned by Joseph DeFigueroa, who also owns the Oceanside-based Patriot Recycling. The removal began yesterday, Riverhead Town Attorney Erik Howard confirmed to NEWSDAY.

Howard said town code required the piles' removal.

Joshua Needelman reports in NEWSDAY that Town officials had given the property nearly a dozen violations after the complaints were lodged. Recently, Riverhead ordered DeFigueroa to remove the piles by Sept. 29. Under town code, farms can import up to 3,000 cubic yards of organic material per year. But town officials said the property was not actively operating as a tree farm, a requirement for hauling in the organic material.

"The property is located in our Agricultural Protection Zoning Use District and the purchase of development rights strictly limits use of the property to agricultural activities and uses," Howard said.

The material on DeFigueroa's property needed "additional processing" before it could be used for agricultural purposes, Howard told Newsday. The town code does not allow for composted materials to be processed if it's "not immediately useable," Howard has said previously.

DeFigueroa must remove the piles within 14 days, according to the agreement struck between DeFigueroa and the Town of Riverhead.

After the soil is removed, the property owner must within two business days certify that "no unfinished or partially finished material remains" on the property, according to the agreement.

Jeffrey Seeman, Riverhead's environmental engineer consultant "will monitor the removal of the material and will be in contact with the on-site manager during the removal process," according to the release. DeFigueroa must pay the town $1,650 for Seeman's services, according to the agreement.

Steven Losquadro, DeFigueroa's attorney, said in a statement "all material brought to the farm was certified organic by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation."

DeFigueroa "now knows that Town organic material standards are stricter, and is pleased to comply with them," Losquadro said.