fishing and walking along the beach are top activities at East Islip Marina THE SCOOP Community pride is a hallmark of East Islip "It seems that an inordinately high amount of people that grew up in East Islip they come back to East Islip," said Town of Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter The hamlet is known for multiple popular sites The 1,600-acre Heckscher State Park has numerous trails access to the Great South Bay and now offers glamping South Shore Nature Center Preserve offers educational programs and walking trails and Brookwood Hall Park hosts concerts and outdoor movie nights Deer also find peace along the water at East Islip Marina Park "East Islip is very close to Fire Island It's conveniently located to everything," said Darren Sebor of Howard Hanna Coach Realtors "Definitely the waterfront community is a big draw." Several new developments for seniors in East Islip include the recently town-approved 106-unit Benchmark Senior Living assisted living community slated for the site of the former East Islip Lanes bowling alley the hamlet was known as "east of Islip," and was part of the original 51,000-acre parcel Islip founder William Nicoll purchased from the Secatogue tribe the area was sparsely settled with farmers fishermen and people working in boat building lumbering and shipping industries and town meetings were held at The Pavillion Formerly the Great South Bay estate of George C Heckscher State Park was named for philanthropist August Heckscher who donated $262,000 toward the 1908 purchase of the property president of the newly established Long Island State Park Commission but the park was eventually approved by Gov Homebuyers today will find a mix of mostly Colonials with prices ranging from $605,000 and going up to nearly $3 million Homes along Jefferson Street in East Islip there were 91 home sales with a median sale price of $647,500 there were 104 home sales with a median sale price of $630,000 Sources: 2023 American Community Survey; OneKey MLS via InfoSparks by ShowingTime; LIRR This $2.7 million East Islip home is 5,063 square feet Credit: Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty this 5,063-square-foot Colonial features five bedrooms and 4½ baths a large gourmet kitchen with walk-in pantry and a family room with a floor-to-ceiling fireplace The 1.1-acre property includes an outdoor kitchen Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty This $1.9 million East Islip home is on a canal that leads to the Great South Bay Credit: Zillow Media Experts/Brianna Malgioglio This 5,000-square-foot contemporary home has five bedrooms Located in the gated community The Moorings on a canal leading to the Great South Bay the 0.93-acre property includes 200 feet of bulkhead with a boat lift This $799,000 East Islip home has four bedrooms Credit: Prime Real Estate/Matthew Wasserman two-bath Colonial is 1,800 square feet and sits on a 0.25-acre property stainless steel appliances and built in bar and solar panels The fenced-in property features a heated saltwater pool with a waterfall covered patio and a detached one-car garage The Newsday app makes it easier to access content without having to log in Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months Executive Circle Awards JetBlue cancels Boston-Islip route before launch Sign up for your daily digest of Long Island Business News Listen to this article Long Island Business News has announced that it has chosen this year’s winn[...] The financial landscape of Long Island continues to evolve through the leadership of the remarkable [...] Long Island’s business landscape contains a remarkable tapestry of organizations that have stood t[...] Celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month by showcasing the extraordinary wo[...] Listen to this article Lorraine Gregory Communications will be holding a blood drive at its Edgewood[...] Rite Aid did not pay its April rents for several Long Island [...] Long Island lost 3,100 construction jobs year-over-year in March ending a 12-month streak of gains,[...] Kids Empire and My Gym are opening at Mayfair Shopping Center in Commack Chick-fil-A opens its 12th Long Island location in East Meadow creating 80 jobs and supporting loca[...] Realty Three plans $120M South Village at Station Crossings with 273 rentals Our mission at Long Island Business News is to be the vital business news and advertising source to Long Island’s most influential readers Get our free LIBN e-alerts & breaking news notifications Subscribe for access to the latest digital and special editions A pair of undefeated New York teams and a strong-starting New Jersey team entered the latest USA Lacrosse Public High School Boys' National Top 25 West Islip (N.Y.) improved to 8-0 to debut at No 18 The Lions have more than doubled opponents this year jumping out to a 121-56 advantage for the season Also unbeaten through the early going is Canandaigua (N.Y.) after a 13-12 win over Spencerport on Tuesday moved them to 7-0 The Gray Wolves also had a high-scoring 18-15 win over Jamesville-DeWitt (N.Y.) and debut at No 21 Ridgewood (N.J.) after almost coming back with nine second-half goals One-goal wins over Glen Ridge (N.J.) and Bergen Catholic (N.J.) have helped them match their longest win streak of the season at four 1 spot despite two losses – they came at the hands of private powers Delbarton (N.J.) and Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) 11 Moorestown on Saturday in a showdown with Jersey Its lone loss is by a goal to private school Pingry (N.J.) and their recent wins have been impressive enough to spring them forward nine spots Ridgewood was on the receiving end of another tough loss this week Just like last year’s North Jersey Group 4 final Koby Waldman scored a hat trick and had two assists and Westfield rallied from a 5-1 deficit for a 9-8 overtime win It was Ridgewood’s fifth one-goal game of the season Their outstanding schedule and competitiveness against it has kept them in the rankings Horace Greeley (N.Y.) slides up three spots into the Top 10 after keeping its season-opening win streak going The Quakers face a Rye (N.Y.) team on the rise Rye has won three straight after a loss to Garden City (N.Y.) to move up to No East Islip (N.Y.) also jumped a few spots to No 13 after its 7-1 start 14 Lake Mary (Fla.) tries to extend its unbeaten season to 17 games in the state playoffs Lucy Beckham (S.C.) is new to the South Region rankings Apex (N.C.) lost a game to open the door for Lucy Beckham which has been strong all season and won 12 of their last 13 games including avenging an early-season loss to Wando (S.C.) Scroll below for this week's USA Lacrosse Public High School Boys' National Top 25 and Regional Top 10 lists with each team's previous ranking denoted in parenthesis Compiled by USA Lacrosse writers with input from coaches around the country, these rankings (also found here in our hub) will be updated weekly on Thursdays Also considered (alphabetical order): Arapahoe (Colo.) USA Lacrosse is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt charitable organization (EIN 52-1765246) Editor’s note: This story was updated with comments from the Town of Islip the operators of Long Island MacArthur Airport JetBlue has canceled its planned new route from Long Island to Boston — just two days before the inaugural flight According to Newsday, the airline pulled the plug on the service on Monday from Long Island MacArthur Airport to Boston Logan International Airport. Greater Long Island confirmed the cancellation with an ISP spokesperson No official reason has been publicly given for why the route was dropped before takeoff pointed to broader economic challenges that are currently impacting the aviation industry “The Islip team has been watching economic indicators that historically affect the aviation industry,” the town said in a statement discretionary credit card spending is declining MacArthur Airport has shown strong performance overall Long Island MacArthur Airport has been a regional leader in performance and profitability for our air carrier partners,” said Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter Carpenter noted that ISP saw a 13% increase in seat growth and a 20% increase in capacity with the launch of JetBlue’s service The airline has already increased the frequency of two of its three inaugural destinations since debuting at MacArthur in October 2024 The airport also recently welcomed Avelo Airlines which added service to three new destinations Originally announced in January the Long Island-to-Boston route was expected to offer daily seasonal service through September with a flight time of approximately 48 minutes JetBlue began operations at MacArthur Airport this fall The airline currently offers daily service to Orlando (MCO) and four weekly flights to both Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Palm Beach (PBI) while Fort Lauderdale flights operate on Mondays It promotes itself as “New York’s Hometown Airline.” Today JetBlue is the sixth-largest airline in the U.S and the only major passenger airline based in New York JetBlue’s arrival at MacArthur Airport marked a milestone as the carrier continues to expand across the region MacArthur Airport itself has seen significant upgrades since 2016 with more than $100 million invested in planning and capital improvements Recent projects include rehabilitated taxiways and runways Kathy Hochul pledged $150 million in state money for infrastructure that would physically connect the Long Island Rail Road’s Ronkonkoma station to a proposed north terminal at the airport The money would help pay for a pedestrian walkway between the train station and the airport Top: JetBlue is set to expand its service between Long Island MacArthur Airport and Fort Lauderdale Tap here to see what’s happening A $13.7 million sewer expansion for downtown Central Islip has been completed and local officials announced.  The project installed approximately 4,500 feet of new sewer line which will serve the Central Islip business district with an average flow of 277,000 gallons per day.  This increased capacity is critical for Central Islip’s ongoing redevelopment and revitalization efforts along Carleton Avenue mixed-use development near the Long Island Rail Road station Funding for the project flowed from multiple levels of government "Suffolk County’s economic potential is tied to the capacity of its wastewater infrastructure,” said Sen Martinez.  “Investing in water treatment capacity is one of the most important ways municipalities support a community’s growth and completing the Central Islip Sewer Project will sustain and enhance the vitality of this downtown corridor.  Today is a recognition of that investment and of the collaboration between New York State and its federal county and town partners to make it happen.” New York State's contribution toward the expansion came through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative which was launched in 2016 to accelerate and bolster the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods in all 10 regions of the state.  It aims to create vibrant centers of activity that serve as catalysts for increased local investments.  This funding highlights the critical role state-level support plays in driving infrastructure improvements and fostering community revitalization With work on the Carleton Avenue wastewater project now complete, residents and businesses in the expanded sewer area are encouraged to visit the Town of Islip’s informational page for details on the service and how to connect JetBlue canceled the route because too few passengers had booked the flights according to the airline spokesperson's email to Newsday a JetBlue plane departs from Fort Lauderdale in January 2024 JetBlue canceled its route from Long Island MacArthur Airport to Boston on Tuesday just two days before the inaugural flight was scheduled because too few passengers had booked the flights according to Islip Town and airline officials A JetBlue spokesperson said in an email to Newsday that bookings did not meet expectations The now-canceled direct flights between Islip and Boston were first announced in January, Newsday reported JetBlue planned to offer daily nonstop service between the two locations from this spring until Oct Islip Town spokesperson Caroline Smith said in an email that “the first flight out of ISP to Boston on JetBlue” was scheduled for Thursday at 6 a.m Islip Town had planned a small inaugural celebration before that initial flight But “the Boston route has been pulled,” Smith confirmed via email Tuesday Affected customers will have the option of a refund or will be booked on a flight between Boston and Kennedy Airport the JetBlue spokesperson said in their email The Associated Press reported that JetBlue has been considering service cuts ahead of the expected financial impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs AP also reported that JetBlue was seeing a downturn in flight bookings which are among the first expenses consumers cut back on during times of financial uncertainty “In the first quarter we saw booking strength from January deteriorate into February and worsen into March,” said Marty St Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter said the town can only do so much to ensure private airline routes remain viable "We work very hard to promote air carrier services and products through our marketing efforts We immediately began promoting [the Islip-Boston] service to raise awareness among Long Island travelers," Carpenter said in a statement "Our efforts are only a part of a new destination’s success We need to put people in seats to keep and retain routes." The route was set to be JetBlue’s first expansion at MacArthur Airport since the airline began flying between Islip and Florida last October Newsday has reported that nearly 1.4 million passengers traveled through MacArthur Airport last year That represents an increase from around 1.2 million in 2023 Newsday reported last month that Avelo Airlines will add new flights from Islip to both North Carolina and Florida in late May and June "The airport’s niche brand for convenience continues to drive customers," Carpenter said Sam Kmack covers the Town of Islip for Newsday He is a graduate of the University of Southern California and previously worked as a city watchdog reporter in the Phoenix metro area as well as an investigative journalist at the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting Get more on these and other NewsdayTV stories In a world where algorithmic matchmaking and digital romance often dominate the search for love Greg Chillak’s story defies the conventional playbook Far from swiping through endless profiles or meticulously crafting online personas on dating sites this Long Island native discovered his soulmate through a serendipitous encounter and a trip to Uganda of Islip Terrace and his fiancé Joan Kruchov are among a handful of couples starring this spring on the 11th season of TLC’s 11 hit reality show “90 Day Fiance,” which airs Sundays at 8 p.m The program centers on Americans’ use of the K-1 “Fiancé” visa to help bring their international love interests Stateside for marriage the couples then have 90 days to decide to whether to marry or send their partner packing An East Islip High School alumnus who has held several jobs including baker and currently freelance plumber a director of the non-governmental organization Nakajo Hope for Girls Foundation was purely a function of not one but two chance encounters.  The first chance meeting happened on an airline flight to Arizona in 2018 when Chillak met Amos Wakesa which led to Chillak visiting Wakesa in Uganda in 2019 “I met her in a guesthouse in Uganda that my friend Amos was staying at,” Chillak told Greater Long Island “I saw her and just I instantly fell in love But Chillak, an easy-going, down-to-earth Long Islander, said it’s just a matter of cultural differences. “It’s more common for people in Uganda to take frequent showers than we do since they walk much more and it’s much hotter there,” he explained. “Also, water costs are less there than on Long Island.” The couple have discussed moving out of his mom’s home and getting their own, but that’s still a bit down the road. View this post on Instagram A post shared by USLive.com (@uslivecom) Chillak said that for the time being it’s all about following his mom’s wishes.  “My mom is set in her ways and I respect that,” he said “She wants things done a certain way … Joan is from a different culture The problem is that in an Italian household  “My mom is very old-school Italian there are always cookies and pastries in the house and Joan doesn’t eat that stuff,” he said adding that declining food in someone’s house can be taken as an insult.  He also noted that Kruchov loves his ability to cook “I consider myself an amateur chef,” he said “I’ve showed her how to make lasagna Chillak said pizza is very popular in Uganda so much so that he’s considered opening a New York style pizza shop there at some point  “The pizza (in Uganda) — it’s good but not the best,” he said noting that there are no slice shops in Uganda Chillak said he still has to control himself around food especially since embarking on his weight loss journey where he has lost considerable weight after peaking at 470 pounds “I couldn’t even tie my own shoe at one point — it was crazy.”  a retired New York City corrections officer and Long Island bus driver one that was all-natural and he ended up losing about 150 pounds over 63 days “It was difficult trying to maintain the diet while being at home in an Italian household where food is a central part of life,” he said “It was hard trying to break out of that pattern of eating.” said he and his fiancé have been noticed a couple of times around town “I personally don’t feel like a celebrity … but millions of people watch the show so it’s very interesting,” he said Being recognized “is not something I’m used to.” he would love to remain in the United States with Kruchov and perhaps establish a dual citizenship with Uganda “We’d love to go back to Uganda pointing out that the cost of living there is much less than on Long Island Chillak said Kruchov remains involved with Nakajo Hope for Girls which helps create opportunities for women and girls in Uganda we make it to marriage,” Chillak continued revealing that he also has thought of possibly moving to Uganda and “just be with Joan there.” Top photo: Joan Kruchov and Greg Chillak (TLC) Long Island MacArthur Airport (Photo by Judy Walker) Hochul announces $150M to connect LIRR with Islip airport State police troopers respond to a motorcycle crash on the Southern State Parkway in Islip on Wednesday afternoon A motorcyclist crashed and died Wednesday afternoon on the Southern State Parkway in Islip while apparently trying to exit the roadway state police spokeswoman Brittany Burton said Thursday Wednesday on the eastbound parkway at Exit 43N when the motorcyclist apparently failed to negotiate a turn No other details were provided about the circumstances of the crash Sayville and East Islip faced off in a Suffolk flag football matchup on Wednesday Sayville's Trinity Ricevuto (15) scores a touchdown in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Alex Yacono (21) runs the ball in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) runs between Sayville's Camryn Quinlan (11) and Kiera Lombardo (2) in the first quarter during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Olivia Moynihan (5) gets by East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) and scores a touchdown in the second quarter during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Olivia Moynihan (5) runs in a touchdown in the second half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Elena Haakonson (6) runs the ball in the second half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Bianca Maitre (16) pulls in a pass for a touchdown in the second half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) throws a touchdown pass in the second quarter during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Danika Tidridge (1) runs the ball I thinke second half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Ashley Alexander (10) prepares to snap the ball in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Danika Tidridge (1) goes between Sayville's Kyla Kastner (17) and Camryn Quinlan (11) in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Ella Trama (16) runs the ball in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Olivia Moynihan (5) runs the ball and gets stopped by East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) in the first quarter during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Trinity Ricevuto (15) makes a catch and gets stopped by East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Olivia Moynihan (5) looks to pass in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Danika Tidridge (1) tries to get through Sayville's Kiera Lombardo (2) and Camryn Quinlan (11) in the first quarter during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Trinity Ricevuto (15) stops East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Catholic bishops walk in solidarity with migrants in March in El Paso The clergy group is ending its resettlement work with refugees The writers of “LI is battleground for cannabis policy” Opinion characterize legitimate community concerns as “misconceptions” while providing little substantive evidence beyond promised tax revenue and declining property values are not misconceptions — they are facts that communities across the country have experienced following cannabis legalization The claim that Nassau County residents are “forced to rely on the illicit market” is disingenuous Cannabis delivery services advertise on television bringing products directly to consumers’ doors While proponents tout tax revenue for infrastructure and education they conveniently omit that significant portions are increasingly directed toward substance abuse treatment programs to address growing needs stemming from expanded cannabis access I applaud Nassau County officials for their decision to resist cannabis expansion into their communities Their leadership demonstrates that local governance remains the cornerstone of Long Island’s identity and success A roundup of highlights from Newsday's Opinion Department By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy The writers suggest it’s “time for Long Island to come together” and embrace cannabis retail for job creation these positions are not the intellectually stimulating high-paying jobs our communities need — they are jobs designed to help “make people high.” We should instead focus on attracting industries that strengthen our economic foundation through meaningful careers The Town of Islip is not interested in becoming a “pillar of economic growth” on the backs of our children and their future health care and more enhance rather than compromise our communities’ character President Donald Trump is boosting the Massapequa school district’s mascot logo fight [“Trump again backs Massapequa in mascot fight,” News Amityville High School already had to drop its picture of a chief and its longtime Warriors logo and have it renamed Hawks East Islip High’s Redmen mascot was visually changed I’m worried that the mascot name changes are going to make my already high school taxes go up even higher How much will it cost schools to change all the sports equipment signs and other items to comply with the name changes I haven’t had a child in school in over 20 years Why should I now have to pay more when so many other important issues are going on that would improve our way of life on Long Island Donald Trump and others miss the point about the controversy surrounding the Massapequa school district logo It doesn’t matter if the athletic teams portray a Native American as the noblest warrior of all As long as the word “mascot” is attached to the logo I read with sadness the essay “Catholic bishops end refugee government work” by the Most Rev It recounts the long-standing tradition of Catholic support for people fleeing violence and oppression due to the Department of Government Efficiency cuts What Broglio failed to acknowledge is the bishops’ indirect responsibility for this outcome By endorsing President Donald Trump and urging Catholics to follow suit they helped pave the way for policies marked by cruelty and a disregard for human dignity many clergy ignore other right-to-life issues such as immigration Joseph of Brentwood peacefully protested these harmful cuts in early April like many Republican politicians and white-shoe law firms remains silent in the face of injustice — seemingly unwilling to challenge Trump’s agenda The golden rule of the Trump administration seems to be: “Do unto others a hundredfold worse than what was done to you.” Perhaps the bishops should have been more mindful before casting their votes — and urging others to do the same A reader compared Harvard University to Christian colleges “Don’t put Harvard in a different class,” Letters receives no money from any government agency and therefore is free to pursue its own policies on how it conducts itself I am confident that it welcomes all students regardless of race or religion Did anyone see any protests coming from its campus during the past few years WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN OUR DAILY CONVERSATION. Just go to newsday.com/submitaletter and follow the prompts. Or email your opinion to letters@newsday.com Submissions should be no more than 200 words phone number and any relevant expertise or affiliation Include the headline and date of the article you are responding to Letters become the property of Newsday and are edited for all media readers are limited to one letter in print every 45 days Published letters reflect the ratio received on each topic Supporters and opponents of a propoal to allow marijuana dispenseries in Islip occupied nearly every seat at Tuesday evening's Town Board meeting Supporters and opponents of legal marijuana dispensaries lined up to speak and filled the seats late Tuesday at an Islip Town Board meeting where members weighed whether to allow lawful weed sales before holding off on a final decision Four board members voted in favor of tabling the measure and a fifth abstained after members of the public lined up to speak about it until just after 8 p.m. nearly three hours after the meeting had been scheduled to begin "There are some council members who are considering opting in because of the tax dollars  "Brains are not fully developed until the age of 25," Cavanagh told the board "Tax dollars are not worth the lives of our children.” The board said they were tabling the measure until July to allow residents more time to give input and review the policy proposal a registered Conservative who’s spearheading the dispensary push He has cited the amount of revenue other nearby towns are raking in from the industry Newsday has reported that Babylon generated about $2.6 million from the industry in 2024 alone according to data from the Suffolk County Comptroller's Office Islip’s town board originally voted against dispensaries when New York State legalized recreational cannabis in 2021 four of the board’s five members voted to revisit that decision and a majority of those officials have since signaled their support for legal marijuana sales The Bay Shore Chamber of Commerce’s leadership unanimously voted to oppose the cannabis policy change saying "financial gain should not come at the cost of public health the only staunch cannabis opponent on the board shared a similar sentiment after voting against revisiting the policy last month She argued that it would “jeopardize the health and welfare of our youth.” But supporters of retail cannabis on Tuesday countered by arguing legalization would boost consumer and community safety through regulation "I want to make sure that our children don’t have access to cannabis products I want to make sure illicit shops are shut down in our town,” said Gahrey Ovalle the president of the Long Island Cannabis Coalition "Legal cannabis retail addresses many of those issues Cannabis retail shops are mandated by the state to prevent access to children." and Democrat Jorge Guadrón have also backed the legalization effort Both have made similar arguments to Ovalle’s citing the product regulation at legal dispensaries that does not exist in illegal shops who remained undecided on the dispensary question Tuesday evening told Newsday last month that public health arguments may hold less water now than they did in 2021 because of the proliferation of retail cannabis throughout Long Island echoed that point when appealing to the board to allow retail cannabis "Islip is flanked by two municipalities that allow legal cannabis sales that are currently delivering into Islip the town is losing hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxable revenue for not having a legal option,” Herbst said "Not allowing a legal dispensary in Islip has no effect on resident consumption — only the revenue that Islip receives.” CORRECTION: John Lorenzo is registered with the Conservative Party An earlier version of this story misstated his political party affiliation Caitlin Ropiak of East Islip winds up her pitch during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday Freshman pitcher Caitlin Ropiak is exactly what East Islip softball needs her to be: Focused on the task at hand On Wednesday evening, Ropiak and her crew took a ride over to West Islip High School for a Suffolk League IV showdown with their crosstown rivals. Ropiak pitched a one-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts and also smacked a two-run home run to carry East Islip to a crucial 5-0 road win giving the team sole possession of second place in the league as it took her just 105 pitches (66 strikes) to complete the game She struck out each of her first six batters and retired each of the first 14 she struck out the side in order three times throughout the game Her only baserunner came with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning when West Islip sophomore first baseman Penelope Knoop lined a soft single into shallow right-center on the ninth pitch of the at-bat Ropiak was hardly disappointed after losing the potential perfect game as she did not even realize she was flirting with one to begin with “I don’t really think when I’m pitching,” Ropiak said and I know I have my teammates who are there to make all the plays so I could just pitch and try to strike the next batter out.” Though her pitching performance was almost spotless it was her bat that changed the entire complexity of the game after an RBI single by junior catcher Reagan O’Hara plated the game’s first run Ropiak stepped in and squared up the first pitch she saw roping a line drive through the wind and over the left-centerfield fence for a two-run shot to make it 3-0 After striking out in the first inning with the bases loaded I was a couple of seconds late,” Ropiak said I just stayed back and took advantage of the first strike I saw.” Sophomore second baseman Marisa Renganeschi was effective in setting the table for East Islip (5-1) The leadoff hitter finished 1-for-3 with a double She was one of three starters in East Islip’s lineup that did not even need to make a play in the field due to Ropiak’s gem “It’s a breeze playing behind her,” Renganeschi said junior pitcher Emily Bouros went the distance allowing just three earned runs on six hits while striking out 12 Mike Cascione of Smithtown West gets a base hit against West Islip on Monday Smithtown West had a palpable sense of urgency in Monday’s first game of a crucial three-game baseball series against West Islip on Monday The Bulls entered the week tied with East Islip atop the Suffolk League IV standings and West Islip was one game behind both squads So when Smithtown West coach Al Nucci inserted junior righthander Kyle Flood — slated to start later in the series — in the middle of an at-bat to protect a two-run lead with a runner on second and two outs in the top of the fifth inning it was clear the Bulls had all hands on deck He allowed only a single over the next two innings to secure a 5-3 home win “Huge character and guts on Kyle's part coming in there,” Nucci said and I didn't really want to use him … But Game 1 of the series is huge “Kyle did a great job coming in and closing the door 9-1) is one league win away from a playoff berth Flood will start against the Lions on Thursday “It’s just mainly my defense behind me,” Flood said “I can always count on those guys to make plays And really [catcher] Zack [Aronson] just telling me where to put the ball and exactly what to throw.” Said Smithtown West lefty starter Brady Austin: “He gutted out a big seven-out save That was definitely big for us in Game 1.” Austin lasted 4 2/3 innings for his fourth win walking five and allowing three hits and two earned runs who allowed zero earned runs in 24 previous innings 7-3) and should be available later in the series Bulls junior shortstop Michael Cascione went 2-for-4 with two doubles Cascione seemingly hit a leadoff homer that cleared the leftfield wall but the umpires ruled it a ground-rule double He ultimately scored following a throwing error to make it 1-0 after one inning Cascione had a two-run double and scored on a double steal and Nick Friscia had an RBI groundout to make it 5-0 Ben Delanoy had a fourth-inning RBI double Conor Kenefick had a fifth-inning RBI single and Will Delanoy scored on a fifth-inning double steal “We're just so fun to be around,” Cascione said One councilman said dispensaries in Islip would be located only in "industrial areas." Above product on display at a dispensary in Farmingdale Islip is two weeks away from deciding whether to allow retail cannabis shops and most town board members have signaled support for the idea — but what would a dispensary-friendly Islip look like The town opted against cannabis dispensaries when New York State legalized the drug in 2021 the town board voted 4-1 to reconsider that decision on April 8 Supervisor Angie Carpenter cast the only vote against reviewing the policy She said the decision to allow dispensaries in Islip would be “irrevocable” and believes it would “jeopardize the .. Other town board members cited reasons ranging from millions of dollars in potential revenue to increasing consumer safety as their rationale for wanting to revisit the cannabis question But uncertainty remains about how much cash Islip stands to gain and what exactly its final cannabis policy might entail “This is a work in progress,” said Councilman John Lorenzo who’s spearheading the push to allow cannabis dispensaries in Islip “We’re going to start small and work our way through.” Newsday spoke with town board members about what residents can expect for the future of retail cannabis in Islip A majority of Islip's five-person town board has to vote for dispensaries to change Islip's policy Lorenzo and Councilman Jorge Guadrón said they are both sold on dispensary legalization while Councilman Michael McElwee called himself a "likely yes." Councilman James O'Connor hasn't said how he's leaning but told Newsday most of the "moral and public health" arguments against dispensaries have weakened since nearby towns started legalizing the industry Carpenter is the only firm "no." Despite being Islip's top official she doesn't have veto power and her vote doesn't carry extra weight on the dais Islip officials agree there’s money to be made by opting into the cannabis industry — state law allows towns to keep 3% of the tax revenue generated by dispensaries within their borders But exactly how much tax money Islip can expect remains to be seen who said there aren’t any Islip-specific revenue projections explaining that he's using Babylon’s revenue to gauge Islip's expectations Newsday has reported Babylon's dispensary revenue generated about $2.6 million for the town in 2024 alone Former Greater Bay Shore Chamber of Commerce President Donna Perricone said the money isn't worth it She perceives dispensary legalization as a public health risk for young people “[Supporters argue] you can’t turn away millions of dollars but … not every revenue is good for the residents of Islip,” she said Growth in Long Island’s cannabis market adds to that revenue uncertainty Riverhead and Southampton have all legalized dispensaries and more cannabis shops are expected to open in those areas over the next few years each municipality is expected to get a smaller piece of the tax revenue pie according to Babylon Supervisor Rich Schaffer “We were the only game in town … that’s why we’re benefiting [so much financially] from it,” Schaffer told Newsday “I think that will stabilize at some point once other towns start opening." McElwee said there would still be “significant revenue” for the town but agreed "the revenue will get diluted as more communities [allow dispensaries]." Guadrón said the opportunity to have cannabis products regulated is “the foremost of the reasons why we should opt in.” “When consumers purchase something from an illegal source … That poses a risk that may threaten their lives,” he said McElwee said he would like to see an expansion of Islip’s code enforcement efforts targeting smoke shops that could be selling cannabis illegally He envisions that enforcement coinciding with legalization but he doesn't yet have a solid plan for how that would work He mentioned two ideas: The first would create regular town inspections specific to smoke shops The second would be a less formal uptick in scrutiny of smoke shop compliance to help ensure bad actors are "enforced out of business." Councilman John Lorenzo is leading the push to allow cannabis dispensaries in Islip Islip’s retail cannabis policy will have “very restrictive” guidelines if approved Lorenzo said on-site cannabis consumption is a nonstarter "These stores are not going to be allowed to have a lounge in them Guadrón floated the idea of limiting the number of dispensaries to five He doesn't believe any more "would be healthy," but wants to form a town "cannabis retail industry advisory board” to help guide those policy details And Lorenzo said dispensaries would be located only in "industrial areas," like along Veterans Memorial Highway similar to how Babylon handled its dispensary zoning That still isn't enough to convince opponents like Perricone whether it’s in the industrial area or not — it’s wrong." O'Connor is sympathetic to that argument but said Islip's decision about retail cannabis may do little to impact the level of availability Perricone mentioned given how dispensaries have proliferated around Islip since 2021 "There are people there who will advocate that this is a bad idea for moral and public health reasons I know that’s going to be part of the discussion but to a certain extent that horse is already out of the barn,” O'Connor said New York’s legal marijuana industry is growing like a weed The Islip Town Board voted 4-0-1 in 2021 to opt out of allowing cannabis retail shops and on-site consumption the town cited a number of logistical reasons for the decision including the lack of a functioning state Cannabis Control Board the town board stated the town could "reconsider opting back in" once oversight improved at the state level Islip set a public hearing for April 8 to consider repealing its opt-out decision The vote on whether to set the hearing was 4-1 with Supervisor Angie Carpenter dissenting "A decision to opt in would be irrevocable and would bind future town boards you can never opt out," Carpenter told The Point "Even though the thought of the additional revenue is tempting I personally don’t feel we should jeopardize the health and welfare of our residents." If the repeal is eventually approved by the town board Islip would become the fifth township on the Island to give weed the green light The amount of money being made by municipalities that do permit legal retail marijuana shops and on-site consumption is enticing New York announced last year the state’s cannabis industry reached more than $1 billion in retail sales the state amassed $757.8 million in adult-use retail sales as of Nov Babylon Town received $2.6 million from legal cannabis sales last year There are no restrictions on how municipalities can spend the money an attractive sweetener for politicians facing budget crunches Opponents huff and puff about what they see as chronic problems like the lack of buffer zones between municipalities that opted in and those that opted out and the continued proliferation of illegal pot shops and with municipalities constrained by the state’s 2% tax cap the state says New York’s legal cannabis market is "built on principles of justice and access to ensure broad economic and social prosperity across the state." there’s a pot o’ gold waiting for municipalities that allow legal marijuana sales For more cartoons, visit www.newsday.com/250301nationalcartoons Early voting has been underway for a special election for the Southampton Town Council seat vacated by Tommy John Schiavoni who was elected last year to the state Assembly to replace longtime incumbent Fred Thiele The ad-hoc contest between Democrat John J is unique — not necessarily for the candidates or the issues but for how the votes are cast Town residents for the first time will try out touch-screen machines the purchase of which has been a source of debate in Suffolk County and across the state The county board of elections has mailed instructions to registered voters that urge "Be prepared and know what to expect before heading to the polls." the ballot you receive goes into the machine with an angled corner on the top right; you make selections on the touch screen You review your selections and can change them before submitting Then you touch "print" to compare the printed ballot in a window on the right against selections on the screen Touch "cast" and the ballot is tabulated and put in a secure container this will be a maiden voyage of sorts for the new machines Critics say the purchase of these Express Vote XL machines is too expensive and depends on the vendor using bar codes for tabulation and that there was no compelling reason to replace the technology of recent years by which hand-marked ballots are placed in tabulators for counting the Suffolk County Legislature allocated nearly $35 million to the election board to purchase new devices to use across the county The manufacturer in this case is Election Systems and Software Officials have said a voting machine from Dominion Voting Systems is also under consideration (Dominion was the company falsely maligned without evidence by the Trump campaign and by GOP-tied media as fixing results in the 2020 election.) executive director of the Common Cause New York good-government group "We have not had an honest discussion of what we’re getting into" with a transition that "could have been done more economically and safely." A lawsuit by Common Cause and others was dismissed in court last spring The official date of the Southampton Town election is Tuesday the machines are expected to be used in November Subscribe to The Point here and browse past editions of The Point here Sean Hannigan of East Islip makes his way to the net during a boys lacrosse game against Massapequa on Thursday Junior long-stick midfielder Grant Weiss stood in the middle of a pack of swarming bodies Suddenly he burst forward and intercepted a pass taking it downfield before dishing it to senior Ryan Parker who then flipped the ball back to senior Jack Kalinowski for the score A simple miscue gets turned into a play that gets spectators on their feet and there were plenty of examples in East Islip’s 13-6 home win on Sal Ciampi Field over Massapequa Thursday at Boomer Esiason Stadium The non-league game between the Nassau and Suffolk powerhouse programs marked the first time Massapequa (6-2) had allowed more than nine goals in a game all season despite the talents of star senior Michael Jannotte (15 saves) in the cage Midfielders Parker and Kalinowski were terrific on both sides of the field providing physical defense and while consistently contorting themselves to fire the perfect shot as each scored three goals Senior midfielder Brayden Black added four points while dictating the pace of the offense “Ryan is the engine that runs this entire school district,” coach Thomas Zummo said Jack is the happy guy and Brayden balances them out in between.” scoring six unanswered goals after Massapequa’s Matthew Pettis opened the scoring less than three minutes into the game responded with five unanswered goals and held at least a two-score lead for the rest of the afternoon Weiss added a goal of his own as a long pole scooping in a terrific feed from sophomore Sean Hannigan “It’s the best feeling in the world,” Weiss said Kalinowski and senior Vincent Fantauzzi all had two caused turnovers while senior defender Brendan McCaffrey and Brandon Rizzuto provided smothering defense all afternoon Senior Drew Walendowski made 13 saves in goal Hannigan led a first-line offense alongside two freshmen as senior captain Ethan Benardos sat due to injury three assists) supplied a wonderful goal through contact with 9:32 remaining in the game falling to the turf as spectators rose to applaud got by my guy and rolled inside,” Hannigan said It’s that toughness that makes East Islip such a tough opponent and it’s the trait that will matter the most come May and June for the reigning Suffolk Class B champions who look to earn a trip upstate “I think there’s not a team on Long Island that’s going to work harder than us put more time in the film room or put more time on the field,” Weiss said Michael Sicoli covers high school sports for Newsday He graduated from Quinnipiac in 2022 and left with a master’s degree in sports journalism in 2023 East Islip WR Danika Tidridge takes the ball downfield against Kings Park in a Suffolk League II flag football game on Monday at Kings Park Pressure doesn't faze East Islip junior running back Danika Tidridge Tidridge had the game-deciding touchdown in a 7-6 victory against Kings Park Monday night in a Suffolk II flag football matchup She finished the game with 163 yards rushing and a touchdown on 15 carries She added 67 punt return yards in the victory but they're blocking on the outside,' but I saw a corner made a cut and got into the end zone," Tidridge said "It always comes down to the last minutes of the game and I just have to keep calm and make those big plays." "She's one of the best athletes I've ever seen; she's hard-working and tough," said East Islip coach Robert Sconone I just knew I had to get her the ball." Kings Park's Megan Kearney made an interception at the goal line looking to preserve a 6-0 lead and put East Islip's hopes away midway through the second half She found a gap in Kings Park's defense to make a 35-yard play and senior quarterback Lauren Glynn found Bianca Maitre for the extra point conversion to put East Islip (7-1) ahead "We were under pressure," Timbridge said "I got the ball and was looking to get into the end zone to get my team in the lead." I'm just looking to get in the end zone and I'm going to go get as far down the field as possible." Tidridge and Glynn led the team in flag pulls with nine Gianna Zawol found Kearney for a 20-yard touchdown at the two-minute mark of the first half to open up scoring for Kings Park (7-3) East Islip clinched a playoff berth in its first year of the program establishing itself as one of the better teams in the league "I couldn't be more proud of them and they learned all the formations and coverages," said Sconone It's their first one ever; I told them before the season they will have their picture on the wall because they are the first group." And a strong one at that marks the 60th anniversary of the famed Long Island parade the Grand Marshal for this year’s 2025 milestone anniversary parade is Great River resident John Davis John Davis retired in 2018 after 33 years with a large transportation company He comes from a family that was keen on celebrating its Irish heritage during his formative years up-to-date news and views from Irish America with one great-grandmother living in the large Irish community in Nova Scotia before finding her way to the Big Apple whose family roots are mostly in Clones in County Monaghan after 39 years as a Finance Executive with a globally prestigious beauty firm the proud grandparents look forward to taking on their new role as part-time caregivers John the Baptist High School in West Islip in 1981 and earned a B.A in Political Science in 1985 from Fordham University’s Rose Hill campus in The Bronx where he was an integral member of the lacrosse team and football teams he joined the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 7 – Our Lady of Knock making his major degree the following year For Division 7 John has run the Children’s Fund which holds an annual Christmas party for less fortunate children in the area He also has run the Children’s Fund golf outing for ten years For the last 16 years Davis has been an officer of the Ancient Order Land Corporation which runs the business side of Division 7 in the past he both ran and was the emcee of the Annual Grand Marshal’s Ball in addition to being a longtime member of the John P Because of his longstanding involvement in the Irish community it is small wonder that Davis has received past honors he was named the Hibernian of the Year by AOH Division 7 he was one of the individuals who received an Irish-American Award of Distinction for Suffolk County As for the honor of being named Grand Marshal for the 2025 parade The Long Island native views the longstanding success of the parade as a testament to the area’s vibrant Irish community He said: “I believe the parade has lasted so long because we enjoy celebrating our legacy together and there is a genuine spirit of community there are so many extended families of Irish descent We are there for each other and enjoy observing our heritage along with being proud Americans the parade signifies the unofficial start of spring season From his own family upbringing of keeping stories and recipes of Ireland passed on from the generations Patrick’s Day Parade as an important vehicle to keep younger generations connected to their heritage and to keep alive the memory of the Great Hunger this year’s parade is keeping the tradition of holding the parade on the first Sunday of March in honor of the parade’s founder and chairman who served as chairman of the event from its founding in 1966 until his passing in 2006 a distinguished teacher in the Brentwood School District for over 30 years was also the primary founding member of the AOH Division 7 The parade will begin at the East Islip Public Library and travel west along Main Street The 1.35 mile parade route will have various Irish pipe bands a practice which was first allowed in the 2023 parade Members of the AOH Division 7 are proud to be called “Our Lady of Knock” as this Marian shrine in County Mayo has become both a tourist attraction as well as a popular destination for Catholic pilgrims from all over the world The shrine’s website offers mass cards at very reasonable prices and for diverse intentions even a special mass card to wish a student well in their exams John Davis is greatly looking forward to his role as Grand Marshal in the 60th anniversary parade He says: “The Hibernian motto is ‘Friendship-Unity-Christian Charity.' The list of what we support and give back to the community is lengthy It is all about giving back to help others.” He emphasizes that Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations are fun events and he encourages people to come to East Islip to celebrate the fun occasion of the parade Pic of Day: 44 years after his hunger strike death a statue of Bobby Sands has been unveiled in Belfast See full report in this week's Echo Print/.. The international community must act to “avert further disaster” in Gaza a statue of Bobby Sands will be unveiled in the Republican Memorial Garden Developed and maintained by Soundlining The East Islip High School’s Mock Trial team is on fire after beating rival Northport High School to take the crown in Region VIII The statewide Mock Trial program and tournament is sponsored by the New York State Bar Association and funded in part by a grant from The New York Bar Foundation It brings thousands of high school students together each year to learn about the law practice public speaking and develop life skills The state tournament with eight regional teams takes place in Albany each May East Islip team members say besting their cross-county rival Northport High School was especially sweet after that team beat them in the  playoff round three years ago “We were all very motivated,” said co-captain Olivia Stepanenko.“When they announced our team as the winner Over the course of a long season of late nights and loads of coffee cake the team came up with the nickname of the “Eager Beavers.” Co-captain Delaney Demasi gives a lot of credit for the team’s success to the hard work of the newest team members kept memorizing things and being motivated to win,” she said “We deserve it because we’ve just worked so hard and put in so much effort And we’ve gotten so many new members that has made the season even better.” Club officer Michael Collina credits the team’s faculty adviser for creating a close-knit family atmosphere “This wouldn’t be a family if it wasn’t for Mrs who teaches social studies and debate at East Islip says her work with the Mock Trial program brings her such joy “This has been the most important part of my career teaching them that they can be more than they thought they could be,” she said “Learning these incredible skills and gaining self-confidence is what I love to see in the students © 2025 New York State Bar Association Remember that New Year’s resolution you just made Mister Softee is building a brick-and-mortar location in East Islip double-dipped swirls and milkshakes will be at your fingertips all-year long only to see the Mister Softee truck make a right The Mister Softee sign — marking a brick-and-mortar foray the company is embarking on across the Tri-State — just went up at the former Pam’s Ice Cream Shoppe at 195 Carleton Ave. The place is all painted and decked out in neon Check back with Greater Long Island after we get in touch with the local purveyor This is believed to be the first Long Island brick-and-mortar location Although the beloved Pam’s shop was sold last month Mister Softee’s arrival will guarantee ice cream will continue to be dished out from this nondescript location moving forward And the space is going back to a franchise as it was first a Carvel location that the Ernst family opened in the early 1970s before later pivoting to Pam’s Ice Cream Shoppe in 1985 That was when Pamala Ernst-Annunziato and her brother took over the family business and reopened it with my parents,” Ernst-Annunziato told us last month The two sold the business and retired to spend more time with family Top: The Mister Softee sign is up at 195 Carleton Ave Greater Babylon coverage is funded in part by The Argyle Theatre, where Broadway comes to Babylon. Click here for ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ tickets Savers is taking up shop in the former Wild by Nature store on Union Boulevard in West Islip The largest for-profit thrift operator in North America opens its newest Long Island location on Thursday a Savers representative told Greater Long Island this week “We’re thrilled to open our new Savers in the heart of West Islip and to be part of such a welcoming community,” said Frank Parrino, the new Savers store manager “Our mission is to champion reuse and inspire a future where secondhand is second nature We can’t wait for West Islip to experience the excitement of thrifting and making a positive impact together.” will be bringing a wide selection of secondhand goods into the area and on a daily basis at the adjoining Savers donations center Donations will be accepted on behalf of the store’s nonprofit partner, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island The company purchases secondhand items from nonprofit partners to sell in its retail stores Savers notes that these partners support at-risk youth Another Suffolk Savers opened Dec. 12 at the Centereach Square shopping plaza in Centereach West Islip will mark the sixth Savers store on Long Island Nassau’s lone Savers location operates at 188 Hempstead Turnpike in W Photo credit: Savers on Facebook is seen here during a news conference on Tuesday Lorenzo is spearheading the effort to repeal Islip's decision to opt out of cannabis sales The Islip Town Board will consider allowing cannabis retail sales at a public hearing next month nearly four years after the board voted to ban the sale of marijuana products within the town's borders Four Islip Town Board members — three Republicans and one Democrat — voted Tuesday to hold a public hearing to consider a repeal of its 2021 decision to opt out of pot sales with Republican Supervisor Angie Carpenter opposing When New York State legalized the sale of recreational cannabis in 2021 the law gave municipalities the ability to "opt into" cannabis sales Islip officials said at the time they were concerned that if they opted in there was no legal mechanism for turning back a Republican who first took office in 2023 is spearheading the effort to allow cannabis dispensaries in Islip He says the town is missing out on millions of dollars in cannabis tax revenue Brookhaven, Babylon, Riverhead and Southampton have all allowed dispensaries within their borders . State law allows local governments to keep 4% of the total tax revenue — 1% for the county and 3% for the municipality where the dispensary is sited. That split in Babylon's dispensary revenue generated about $2.6 million for the town and more than $871,000 for Suffolk County in 2024 alone "Any revenue is good for the Town of Islip Our job is to make sure that our people are safe and our taxes are low," Lorenzo said in an interview with Newsday "We’re pretty much getting surrounded by stores opening up outside the Town of Islip .. We’re losing out on revenue and we shouldn’t be." Carpenter said the decision to opt into pot sales is irreversible “A decision to opt in would be irrevocable and would bind future town boards you can never opt out,” Carpenter told Newsday in an emailed statement “Even though the thought of the additional revenue is tempting I personally don’t feel we should jeopardize the health and welfare of our youth." Lorenzo said the policy must have “guardrails," such as the restriction that pot shops are clustered in "industrial areas" rather than on "Main Street," meaning popular downtown corridors At least two other town board members said they are open to repealing the opt-out law it’s not going away,” Councilman Michael McElwee said in an interview We would rather have it done legally and have some say in it .. versus having these illegal stores popping up all over.” said he sees legalization and regulation as a necessary step “There are so many clandestine stores — nobody really knows what’s in those products,” Guadrón said in an interview to make sure cannabis products are "regulated under a set of protocols and policies that would protect the consumer’s health and safety.” also voted in favor of holding the public hearing He said he's undecided and willing to keep an “open mind” about the proposition O'Connor said the town must run a cost-benefit analysis "It is a heck of a lot of money,” O’Connor said in an interview “We’ll wait to see who shows up to speak about why we shouldn’t do this and we’ll balance that against the reasons we would do it — which is primarily revenue.” whose town was the first to allow recreational cannabis sales on Long Island said his community has had “zero problems” with the stores "There have been zero problems with any of the stores that have opened," Schaffer told Newsday in an interview allowing recreational cannabis sales could "benefit the town and its operations." West Islip's Derek Busking (27) moves the ball in the third quarter during a Suffolk boys lacrosse game on Tuesday West Islip senior Derek Busking burst from behind the cage with the ball in his stick cradling it as he cut to his left before ripping a one-armed shot for a score minutes into the fourth quarter against Islip Tuesday afternoon eyebrow-raising and a perfect example of physical dominance That also sums up the 6-0 West Islip boys lacrosse team West Islip scored nine first-half goals and defeated Islip Busking finished with a game-high six points the prior years we haven’t started this quick,” Busking said Junior attackman Chase Busking scored three of his four goals in the first half He created his own opportunity with his first goal forcing a turnover in the offensive zone before scooping the ground ball and finishing the chance just like his older brother Derek does all too often “It’s amazing [to play together],” Chase Busking said “We’ve been doing it since we were little.” Senior goalie Travis Vine played an outstanding game in the cage making 14 saves including five in the first quarter “My defense really helped me out today,” Vine said “Our offense put a lot of goals in the net today Islip sophomore Jack Halpin brought the score within one with 10:46 remaining in the second quarter before West Islip ripped off five unanswered goals Part of that can be attributed to a strong performance by freshman FOGO Lucas Dumond who won nine of his first 12 faceoffs to stifle any momentum Islip (3-4) built our FOGO did a good job today,” Chase Busking said West Islip senior Quinn Reilly created the highlight of the day with his first of his four goals somehow retaining control as three Islip defenders poked and prodded him before Reilly ripped a low shot to score with 53.5 seconds left in the first quarter Sophomore Will Schwarz added five points in the win But that’s the deal with West Islip; worry about the Busking brothers and either Reilly or Schwarz is there to punish that focus and you still must battle through a dominant duo of Mickey Faulkner and Kevin Cinotti on defense before even testing Vine in the cage It’s a death by a thousand cuts delivered by a roster of 38 with 17 seniors each one appearing more determined than the last to win “We have a lot of guys who have been in these situations before,” Derek Busking said “It’s just kind of a feel that this is it this year one last chance with your boys and you got to go all out.” 2025 at 7:57 am ETLong Island's first Mister Softee shop opened on Saturday )Owner Jimmy Ilya opened the brick-and-mortar store after driving Mr NY—Long Islanders no longer have to wait to hear Mister Softee's jingle to know ice cream is around the corner They can now visit the franchise's first brick-and-mortar shop in East Islip Owner Jimmy Ilya opened Long Island's first Mister Softee shop over the weekend after owning and operating the nationwide franchise trucks since 2007 The new shop is located at 195 Carleton Ave. which housed Pam's Ice Cream Shoppe for over 40 years until owner Pamela Earnst-Annunziato closed its door for good in January Customers can choose from over 40 flavors of ice cream The menu also offers newbies like ice cream burgers was one of the first to get in line for a cone "There was a line outside and the customers were very happy," he told Patch Mister Softee in Islip is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m it's the largest franchiser of soft ice cream trucks in the United States with more than 625 trucks and over 350 franchise dealers operating in 18 states Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. News 12 New YorkDownload the AppWhere to WatchTaxing Long IslandMister Softee to open store in East IslipThis will be the first Mister Softee store to open on Long Island.News 12 Staff East Islip defeated West Islip in a Suffolk softball game on Wednesday Caitlin Ropiak of East Islip reacts after closing out the top of the inning during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday Marisa Renganeschi of East Islip doubles at the top of the fourth during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday Emma Taliercio-McNamara of West Islip grabs the ground ball for the out at first but Marisa Renganeschi of East Islip is safe at third during a Suffolk softball game on Wednesday Marisa Renganeschi of East Islip heads home off of the single of Reagan O'Hara of East Islip during a Suffolk softball game on Wednesday Kate Vessalico of East Islip drives a single during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday Isabella Treanor of West Islip comes up to bat during a Suffolk softball game against East islip on Wednesday Alexa Ficalora of West Islip watches the pitch during a Suffolk softball game against East islip on Wednesday Alexandria Gangloff of West Islip dives for the catch and the out during a Suffolk softball game against East islip on Wednesday Christine Lombardi of West Islip comes up to bat during a Suffolk softball game against East islip on Wednesday Christine Lombardi of West Islip makes the catch in the outfield during a Suffolk softball game against East islip on Wednesday Reagan O'Hara of East Islip fouls the ball during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday Alyssa Corso of East Islip drives a fly to the outfield during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday Emily Bouros of West Islip throws to the plate during a Suffolk softball game against East islip on Wednesday Emily Bouros of West Islip grabs the ball as Emma Taliercio-McNamara of West Islip comes in for the play as well during a Suffolk softball game on Wednesday Reagan O'Hara of East Islip reacts after a single during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday Alexa Ficalora of West Islip catches the pop up of Caitlin Ropiak of East Islip during a Suffolk softball game on Wednesday Juliet Aguanno of West Islip watches the high pitch during a Suffolk softball game against East islip on Wednesday Marisa Renganeschi of East Islip singles during a Suffolk softball game against West Islip on Wednesday Copyright ©2025 Newsday. All rights reserved. For the diehards, this is peak dedication — braving one of the coldest days in weeks for a swirl of soft serve. For the rest of us, we’ll be counting down the days until spring, when the thought of a double-dipped cone doesn’t come with a side of frostbite. Mister Softee officially opened a brick-and-mortar location in East Islip this weekend, bringing year-round access to sprinkle-packed cones, thick milkshakes and their classic chocolate-dipped swirls. “Oooooh I have to go!” exclaimed ice cream lover Emily Plassmann on Facebook, reacting to the news. The new shop is located at 195 Carleton Ave., inside the former home of Pam’s Ice Cream Shoppe, which closed in January. The Mister Softee’s sign went up last month, marking the company’s expansion into storefronts across the Tri-State area. Pamala Ernst-Annunziato, an East Islip native, ran Pam’s with her brother, John Ernst, since 1985, taking over what was originally their family’s Carvel franchise, opened in the early 1970s. After nearly four decades, the siblings decided to sell the business and retire. View this post on Instagram A post shared by GLI | Greater Long Island (@greaterlongisland) Brownstones Coffee just got an upgrade in West Islip The popular breakfast eatery recently relocated to a larger space just a stone’s throw from its previous spot the restaurant closed its doors at 306 Union Blvd. reopening the next day at 425A Union Blvd. A Brownstones spokesperson said the move was driven by growing customer demand At approximately 4,300 square feet with 140 seats the new space is significantly larger than the previous 2,400-square-foot location Brownstones Coffee first opened in West Islip about eight years ago as the company’s second location The original café in Amityville has been serving customers for over a decade the West Islip restaurant draws inspiration from 1920s Brooklyn This location also features an art deco design Run by father-and-son duo Emmanuel and Chris Kourounis Brownstones Coffee is known for its signature breakfast and brunch dishes with additional locations in East Northport Governor Kathy Hochul and the Department of State today announced the completion of a $13.7 million sewer infrastructure project along Carleton Avenue in downtown Central Islip as part of the community’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative mixed-use development in the downtown around the Long Island Rail Road station walkable streetscapes and public amenities Central Islip received $2 million for the project through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative “New York’s downtowns are the life blood of our state and the Downtown Revitalization Initiative helps our communities transform into even better places to live and work,” Governor Hochul said “This new sewer line will unlock a host of opportunities for Central Islip creating more housing for residents and driving economic revitalization for businesses and local communities.” “Sewer infrastructure might not sound exciting on the surface but it is the key to unlocking increased development and downtown vibrancy here in Central Islip and throughout Suffolk County,” said Secretary of State Walter T “This essential project brings the community one step closer to realizing the vision outlined in their Downtown Revitalization Initiative plan.” The Carleton Avenue sewer project included the installation of approximately 4,500 feet of new sewer line that will serve Central Islip with an average flow of 277,000 gallons per day This project is vital to the success of Central Islip’s entire downtown revitalization effort businesses and housing within the DRI along Carleton Avenue were served only by septic systems This prohibited the development of certain “wet use” establishments It also severely restricted mid- and high-density development over two stories that are necessary for downtown vibrancy and revitalization “I am proud to support the revitalization of downtown Central Islip through federal investments I secured for the new sewer line along Carleton Avenue including $7.2 million in EDA funding from the American Rescue Plan and a $3 million federal HUD grant with the help of these vital federal investments will bolster Islip’s local economy by updating its wastewater infrastructure “Wastewater infrastructure is the most pressing need we have to protect our environment and help grow the economy Hochul and our federal representatives for their support of this project.” Town of Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter said “The completion of the Carleton Avenue sewer extension represents what's possible when every level of government works together with the community This transformational project not only modernizes our infrastructure but unlocks Central Islip's potential for smart sustainable growth while protecting our environment We are proud to deliver this essential upgrade to the community.” "Suffolk County’s economic potential is tied to the capacity of its wastewater infrastructure.  Investing in water treatment capacity is one of the most important ways municipalities support a community’s growth and completing the Central Islip Sewer Project will sustain and enhance the vitality of this downtown corridor.  Today is a recognition of that investment and of the partnership between New York State and Suffolk County to make it happen.” "The completion of the sewer installation on Carleton Avenue marks a significant milestone for our community and will serve as the spark that revitalizes our downtown Securing the necessary funds years ago was a crucial achievement these improvements are paving the way for new businesses and ensuring that Central Islip remains a vibrant and diverse place to live I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Governor Hochul and Supervisor Carpenter for their partnership and dedication to building a stronger Central Islip’s DRI Strategic Investment Plan focuses on the Carleton Avenue corridor between Suffolk Avenue and South Street which constitutes the core of the community’s downtown the area was lacking in public realm and physical amenities and a desirable mix of land uses which prevented the community from functioning as a vibrant downtown district diverse and walkable downtown with a mix of higher density land uses cultural attractions and public gathering spaces that are accessible to the LIRR station.     Central Islip is the Long Island Region’s Round 3 winner of a $10 million DRI award in 2018 Other Long Island DRI winners include Westbury Huntington Station and Smithtown/Kings Park The Long Island Regional Economic Development Council is currently reviewing applications for DRI Round 8 awards Other projects supported through the DRI award include: DRI communities benefit from partnerships with and coordinated technical assistance provided by the Department of Housing and Community Renewal Empire State Development and the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority The DRI represents an unprecedented and innovative "plan-then-act" strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate implementation DRI has awarded a total of $800 million to 81 communities in its first seven rounds and invested in the creation of over 4,500 new housing units It is estimated that every dollar invested in the DRI generates $3 in additional investments as the revitalization accelerates and projects are completed This catalytic effect will continue well after DRI communities complete all their projects which is funded at $100 million in this year's Enacted State Budget supports a more equitable downtown recovery for New York's smaller and rural communities with a focus on hamlet and villages NY Forward is meant to serve smaller communities and support local economies that often have a feel and charm that is distinct from larger metropolitan urban centers funded through DRI NY Forward has awarded a total of $200 million to 43 communities over two rounds the DRI and NY Forward have invested in the revitalization of 124 communities throughout the State with a total statewide investment of $1.2 billion.