With the enthusiasm everyone I meet brings, it’s really a “Luv Fest.”

“Michael is my son. We provide opportunities for autistic adults living mostly on the East End,” Liberatore says. They have three living facilities in Southampton. “To give a sense of community and belonging, and to concentrate on workforce development.”

Alison Myers from Brooklyn’s Invictus Bakery dropped by to speak on her company’s initiatives for working adults on the spectrum. “We showcase what people are really capable of. They’re getting out there and saying ‘this is possible’ and the rest of the world starts to think differently,” she says, adding “About 50% of our payroll are neurodivergent.”

That’s just a fancy term for brains that work differently. She smiles and gives me a hug. There’s a lot of that going around at this conference — and a literal “day at the beach” for families.

Luv Michael Executive Director Mark Biondi said whether surf’s up or not, they headed to Ponquogue Beach with some special friends and great weather on Tuesday. “Surfers Healing is a non-profit out of Southern California,” he explains. “Surfers from all around the world come together for one perfect day. It’s our fifth year of doing it. Participants surf in tandem and it’s magical. There’s so much healing in the water. So much power in the ocean.” And the most rewarding part? “I’ve seen kids go out reluctant and come back with a smile.”

On Monday night, more than 100 attendees got a surfing preview at a special Southampton Playhouse screening of Tucker Wooding’s doc Unmakeable. Playhouse Executive Director Maria Ruiz Botsacos explained, “Supporting local organizations such as Luv Michael is deeply important to us and central to the Playhouse’s mission. We are also very pleased to employ Jenna Carballo as an usher at the Playhouse. Her presence on our team is another meaningful reflection of this important relationship.”

That’s right. A Luv Michael participant works at the Playhouse. Carballo says it’s just one of her jobs. She also makes special “friendship bracelets” that raise funds for the cause. “I’ve made amazing friends. And doing things I never thought I’d be able to do.”

When I ask if she made the one I’m wearing, she smiles. “I don’t want to take all the credit, me and my friends make them.”

And then she sums up the entire Luv Michael mission in one simple statement: “This is how you become an adult.”

All of this found a home at the Southampton Dormition of the Virgin Mary Cathedral because they just wanted to help. And had room. “You build a church for Sunday, but Monday through Saturday you have empty classrooms,” Father Constantine Lazarakis says. He notes that he and Father Alex Karloutsos “Love having Luv Michael here because they’re not a tenant, they’re family.”

Private Chef Jack Formica works with some high profile clients. He came to the cause, arguably through an act of God. “I live right down the street from here, and in February I got snowed in. So the universe aligned,” he says while serving an amazing ginger soup he made with the students. “I am all in. Once a week we partnered with a Golden Acres Farm on the North Fork. We picked 10 to 12 ingredients and cooked,” he added. Then he shared something he’s learned from them. “If you want to talk about a Little Utopia, they have challenges, but this is a place of peace and joy. These are hypersensitive humans and I think that’s their superpower.”

Bill McCuddy doesn’t choke up easily as our contributing cynic, but it happened a few times this week while visiting Luv Michael. He proudly wears his Friendship Bracelet and says “You should too. Find them at luvmichael.com. For $35, you put one on and instantly feel better.”

A Conversation with Amy Florence

Tell me about this painting and what inspired you to paint Main Street like this?

I was staying just off of Main Street and painting local scenes for the Grenning Gallery. I especially liked the mornings when the air was fresh and people were starting their day. The coffee shop was full of people coming and going, and I liked the framing of the hardware store in the foreground, and the American flag catching the sunlight. I grew up in London and to me, Sag Harbor has a small town feel that is charming and wholesome. The shop fronts on Main Street have a lot of character. It feels like a place that has evolved over time, still holding parts of its past in the architecture.

You are based in Italy. What is your connection to Sag Harbor?

I show at the Grenning Gallery on Main Street. I met the owner, Laura Grenning, when she visited my studio in Florence in 2018 and agreed to represent me. Since then I’ve been to Sag Harbor a number of times for show openings and painting trips.

Can you share some differences you’ve noticed about painting on the East Coast of the United States vs. Italy?

People are very friendly on the East Coast. They are excited to see a painter and are always very complimentary. The Italians can be more opinionated, they like to give you a critique when you’re painting.

You have a wonderful range with your work — some of it is quite loose and expressive, while other pieces feel a bit tighter and more representational. Can you talk about that?

I trained in Florence at a classical atelier that specializes in portrait painting from life. It was a very rigorous training, focusing on training the eye to see, and the hand to follow the eye. I left there 15 years ago, and my work has become increasingly impressionist. With time comes confidence, and the freedom to paint with a more individual handwriting.

When I started my training, I was more focused on accuracy and drawing, whereas now I am more interested in the application of the paint and the mark making. The drawing is still there, it’s the foundation, but it becomes more automatic, leaving room for expression and interpretation. I am influenced by the paintings I like to look at — Russian impressionist painting, French impressionism, and American painters, such as Frank Duveneck and George Bellows, and of course the Italian influence.

My studio in Florence is the former studio of an Italian impressionist painter — known as one of the “Macchiaioli,” the “mark makers.” Titian has always been a favorite of mine, too.

Can you expand further on how you developed your technique?

I think that the goal after a very academic training, is to remove the restraints from that training. There are many rules and particular ways to do things which I think are necessary to train the eye, but it can ultimately prohibit the artistic intent. I try to be more instinctive now, and to paint with more feeling. To allow a looseness in the brushstrokes, and for the excitement I feel from my subject to come into those marks. Much of my work focuses on large floral still life painting, something I started during the pandemic, which was spent in the Tuscan countryside.

Flowers are a fleeting subject and require a different approach when painted from life. The looser technique developed through my attempt to capture a moving subject. Painting from life is unique in that it becomes a culmination of time — days spent in front of a large canvas watching as flowers open and then wilt, choosing the opportune moment to paint them, or a few hours on Main Street one morning in September, watching as the light changes, people pass by and shadows move. There’s always a dialogue with the subject, you’ve got to engage with it.

Where can people find your work online and in person?

You can find my work at The Grenning Gallery in Sag Harbor (26 Main Street). Visit my Instagram, @amyflorenceart, for a good place to see what I’m working on currently, and to see more of my process.

Originally a single-screen movie palace that opened its doors in 1932, the theater has operated for nearly a century, bringing all kinds of films to generations of moviegoers in the process. After several decades as a UA Regal theater, the cinema closed during the pandemic in 2020, and was reborn as the Southampton Playhouse, a non-profit, in 2025. With the only IMAX in the Hamptons, world-class repertory programming, and live performances, the Playhouse continues its relationship with the community, now casting a much wider cultural net and truly taking advantage of the wealth of creative people in the film business who visit or call the Hamptons home.

As the plaque says: “The Southampton Playhouse has served the Village of Southampton since 1932. From the early days of talking pictures to its rebirth in 2025, the Playhouse has embodied the resilience of cultural exhibition. Through preservation as a nonprofit, the Playhouse continues its historic mission of bringing East End audiences together to experience cinema, culture and conversation.”

Following the short celebration, the Playhouse invited the community to see The Odyssey in IMAX at a special price along with free popcorn.

At Edgeworth, the developer’s new ultra-luxury condominium on South Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach, residents will have access to a private racquet club offering tennis, padel and pickleball. The concept is part of what Related Ross describes as a “vertical country club” — a residential experience designed to bring the amenities and social connections traditionally associated with a private club directly into the home.

The residents-only Racquet Club is being developed in partnership with Set Point Tennis, the East Hampton-based racquet sports lifestyle brand. The club is expected to open with Edgeworth in 2029.

“Bringing our lifestyle brand and racquet expertise to Edgeworth is all about providing a full-service, expert tennis partner on-site for residents,” says Ricardo Winter, co-founder of Set Point Tennis. “We look forward to bringing high-quality coaching, clinics, and a premier, curated shopping experience to the building’s community.”

The offering comes as racquet sports continue to expand across the country. Tennis participation reached a record 27.3 million players in the U.S. in 2025, while pickleball participation climbed to 24.3 million and more than 1.1 million Americans played padel, according to the United States Tennis Association. In West Palm Beach, demand for racquet sports has been particularly strong, adding to the appeal of putting courts and programming directly into a luxury residential development.

“West Palm Beach is attracting a generation of residents who are prioritizing longevity and lifestyle as key factors driving their decision on where they want to live,” said Bryan Cho, executive vice president and head of residential development at Related Ross, the Stephen Ross-led firm advancing more than $10 billion in investments across the Palm Beaches. “Our partnership with Set Point Tennis delivers a best-in-class racquet club experience with elite coaching, thoughtful programming and community-building that reflect the evolution of living and what today’s buyers expect from a home.”

At Edgeworth, the idea extends beyond simply having courts as an amenity. Set Point Tennis will oversee a programming mix that is expected to include private instruction, clinics, social play, competitive formats, junior development and performance training.

The club’s pro shop will offer equipment demonstrations, racquet rentals, stringing and grip customization, as well as a curated selection of racquets, apparel, accessories and other equipment.

“Racquet sports have become one of the defining lifestyle movements in residential communities, but what we’re creating at Edgeworth goes beyond traditional amenity programming,” said Lisa Herbert Winter, co-founder and CEO of Set Point Tennis. “This will be a first-of-its-kind residential environment centered on sport and connection, with exceptional facilities, expert instruction and personalized racquet concierge services.”

The partnership also reflects the increasingly blurred line between residential development and private-club living, particularly in South Florida, where luxury condominiums are competing to offer increasingly extensive wellness, hospitality and social amenities.

Edgeworth will be composed of two 28-story sculptural towers designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, with interiors by MAWD | March and White Design. The 184 residences will overlook the Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic Ocean, with prices ranging from $5.5 million to $35.5 million.

The racquet club is part of a broader wellness and lifestyle program planned for the development, positioning Edgeworth as more than a collection of residences with shared amenities. Instead, the concept is built around creating an environment where residents can exercise, socialize, receive instruction and participate in organized activities without leaving the property.

For Related Ross and Set Point Tennis, that vision will get an early introduction in the Hamptons. The companies are planning a private preview tied to the Johnny Mac Tennis Project Pro Am, bringing the Edgeworth concept to a market where racquet sports and club culture are already deeply embedded in the luxury lifestyle.

Additional details about Edgeworth’s racquet programming and amenities are expected to be announced in the coming months.

The robust schedule of events kicks off with a cocktail party on Friday night, as tradition dictates, at the legendary Hannibal French House, to benefit the Sag Harbor Historical Museum. Tickets are available at sagharborhistoricalmuseum.org. After that, the weekend begins in earnest on Saturday when the village opens up with events and activities around every corner.

Starting Saturday, Kidd Squid Brewing Co. and Sen restaurant will run the HarborFest Lounge in Steinbeck Park from noon to 8 p.m. with food and beverages, including local draught beer, wine, sake and bites. At the same time, Marine Park hosts an Arts & Crafts Fair full of fine art paintings, handmade pottery, photography, artisan jewelry and more from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Long Wharf and Windmill Beach will be home to an array of fun things to do, including children’s games, contests and amusements, a classic boat display, food trucks and live music, as well as tables representing various not-for-profit community organizations sharing their missions and messages, and accepting donations from those ready to give.

“It’s going to be HarborFest as always. We try to keep all of the old traditions,” Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce board member and former president Ellen Dioguardi said, explaining that everything people love about the weekend is back, but there are also some new experiences.

For one, some of the live music this year will be in the Steinbeck Park amphitheater down by the water for the first time. Gene Casey and The Lone Sharks are playing their annual show in the new location at 4 p.m. Saturday, followed by the HooDoo Loungers at 5:30 p.m. Other bands will still play in the tent at Steinbeck Park, including Bonac Strings at 1 p.m. and M Takes the Mic at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, and Mighty Ramon & The Phantoms of Soul at 3 p.m. Sunday, followed by ECC & The Constituency at 5 p.m. and The Scofflaws after that at 6:30 p.m. Additionally, the Sag Harbor Community Band is playing Long Wharf at 11 a.m. Saturday.

On the other end of town, Kidd Squid is offering live music at their 11 Spring Street brewery throughout the weekend, such as Anthony Comis at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, followed by Winston Irie and The Security Band at 7 p.m. On Sunday, Hopefully Forgiven is playing at Kidd Squid from 2–5 p.m.

Dioguardi commended Kidd Squid for getting so involved this year, and noted that having music at their location would help move people to both ends of Main Street, allowing more local businesses to benefit from the increased foot traffic beyond Windmill Beach and Long Wharf.

Bay Street Theater is also presenting live music with Julia King in the courtyard at noon Saturday, followed by Bryan Gallo at 1:30 p.m. On Sunday, Brad Penuel will play the Bay Street courtyard at 11 a.m., followed by Alfredo Merat at 1:30 p.m. But the biggest announcement this year is the addition of The Howl at Bay Street Theater — a one-night live music celebration at 8 p.m. Saturday featuring Nancy Atlas, her band, and special guests for $65, with all proceeds funding music programs at Pierson Middle-High School through her Atlas for the Arts nonprofit. Tickets are available at baystreet.org.

A few hours before that, at 2 p.m. Saturday, fans of Atlas might find her defending her 2025 title at the annual clam shucking contest. “People can sign up for that last minute,” Dioguardi said, adding, “We need people for the clam shucking contest.”

A corn shucking contest for kids is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at the John Jermain Library booth on Long Wharf.

Speaking of clams and competition, the beloved HarborFest clam chowder contest begins at noon Sunday. A $25 tasting ticket includes a 2026 commemorative mug, and all proceeds benefit the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce and Sag Harbor Cinema. “The clam chowder contest usually has about anywhere from seven to 10 local restaurants competing. And last year it was a tie, so this year hopefully, just one restaurant will come out on top. That’s always makes it clear to everybody what the best clam chowder around is. But they’re all always delicious,” Dioguardi said.

And of course, the big event of the weekend, iconic to HarborFest, are the annual whaleboat races, beginning at noon Saturday off Windmill Beach and continuing with elimination rounds until the men’s and women’s championships start at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. “The whaleboat races are one of the prime reasons people come to HarborFest,” Dioguardi continued, noting that this year the races would start with a tribute to Ernie Schade, who died in March. A longtime fixture at HarborFest, Schade called the races and added commentary to the delight of spectators for many, many years. Now, Dioguardi will fill what she called his “very large shoes” as whaleboat commentator. She said there is still time to sign up if anyone wants to compete. Each team must have four or more participants, including at least two rowers, a navigator and a harpoon thrower.

Another big announcement this HarborFest is the return and revamp of last year’s village-wide “The Right Whale” treasure hunt. Conceived and painted by local artist Gina D’Orazio, the event features more than 200 small wooden whales with hand-painted pictures and phrases on them that will be hidden on buildings around town during the weekend festivities. Each whale is a lovely collectible work of art, but they also serve as raffle tickets for prize drawings. And if you find a gold whale facing right, it’s a guaranteed prize! All you have to do is bring the whale to the Sag Harbor Chamber tent on Long Wharf (right by the windmill), write your name and phone number on the back, and place it in a bowl for either children’s or adult prizes. Winners will be selected on Sunday before the final boat races, and prizes include gift certificates to local restaurants and stores. “They’re going to be hidden, these whales, all on buildings all over the business district, mostly Main Street and a little bit of side streets, because we didn’t want to stray too far and make people crazy,” Dioguardi said, noting that there will be 10 gold whales this year, and D’Orazio made them all fun and beautiful.

Visit sagharborchamber.com for a full schedule of HarborFest events and activities.

Police said the fire began around noon when a small piece of cardboard caught fire in a rear storage room and spread to a shelving unit containing boxes and plastic cups. The building’s sprinkler system extinguished the fire before it could spread further.

The Mattituck, Cutchogue and Jamesport fire departments responded to the scene, and the Mattituck Fire Department requested Suffolk County fire marshals to inspect the building.

The fire was determined to be accidental, police said.

Vintage Mattituck Wine & Liquor, located next door to Goldberg’s, was also forced to close after smoke and water from the incident entered the storefront.

There were no reports of injuries.

The Suffolk County Department of Health Services said a raccoon found outside a Northport residence on Sept. 2 and another found outside an Islip residence on Sept. 3 both tested positive for rabies. In each case, Suffolk County Police Department Emergency Service Section officers responded after the animals appeared to be ill and transported them for testing.

There were no reported human or pet exposures to either raccoon.

The two cases bring Suffolk County’s total to 42 confirmed terrestrial rabies cases since Feb. 7, 2025.

As part of its response, Suffolk County has begun distributing approximately 240,000 oral rabies vaccine baits throughout Huntington, Babylon, Smithtown and Islip. The effort is intended to vaccinate raccoons and establish a barrier to help prevent the virus from spreading farther east.

Rabies is a deadly viral disease that attacks the central nervous system and is most commonly found in wild animals, including raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes. Any mammal, however, can become infected.

Residents are urged not to touch or transport wild animals. Anyone who sees a raccoon or other wild animal behaving abnormally should contact the Suffolk County Police Department’s non-emergency number at 631-852-COPS or the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at 631-444-0250.

Pet owners are also reminded to keep dogs and cats current on their rabies vaccinations and to contact a veterinarian following a potential exposure to wildlife.

The fund collected more than $21.6 million through July 2026 alone, bringing total revenues since its 2023 launch to $100.74 million, according to figures released Monday by New York State Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni.

In 2021, then Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. and State Senator Anthony Palumbo led a coalition of more than 35 East End leaders and organizations that urged Governor Kathy Hochul to enact the Peconic Bay Region Community Housing Act, authorizing towns to hold mandatory referenda to create dedicated town housing funds.

The Community Housing Fund (CHF) was established after voters in East Hampton, Shelter Island, Southampton and Southold approved a 0.5% real estate transfer tax in 2022 (Riverhead is not taking part). The levy is collected in addition to the existing 2% Community Preservation Fund (CPF) transfer tax.

“The fund is doing what it is supposed to do, and this strong revenue stream represents great opportunities for our region,” Schiavoni says. “CHF monies can be used to scale up funds when applying for state grant funding to enhance these local dollars. Local leaders have the ability to provide workforce housing development to our year-round East End community, and it is the responsibility of community leaders to come to a consensus on how to provide responsible avenues toward productive development.”

The participating towns can use the CHF to help ease real estate woes in several ways: to provide financial assistance to first-time home buyers as long as it does not exceed 50% of the purchase price; in the production of community housing for sale; the production of community housing for rent; the rehabilitation of existing buildings for community housing; housing counseling; and, lastly, with the acquisition of real property in existing housing units, to result in the production of community housing for sale or rent.

Given sale prices and volume, it is no surprise that Southampton Town and East Hampton Town lead the way in total CHF revenues. Southampton has taken in more than $57.9 million since the program launched through to the end of July, while East Hampton Town earned approximately $32.2 million. Southold Town follows with more than $8.5 million and Shelter Island has collected about $2.1 million.

So far, East Hampton has launched a first-time homebuyer program using CHF money. For 2026, it budgeted $600,000 for down-payment and closing-cost assistance, offering eligible buyers interest-free loans of up to $30,000.

Southampton launched two CHF-funded programs two years ago: first-time homebuyer down-payment assistance and loans for homeowners to create accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Its current materials say the town is using CHF resources for down-payment assistance of up to 3% and 0% loans for ADUs. The town is also actively working on creating at least 170 new affordable housing units.

“These monies are a critical lifeline for our region, and they ought to be utilized to the greatest extent to make life here more affordable, and to prevent further outmigration of our nurses, firefighters, teachers, and the next generations,” Schiavoni continues. “I commend the towns for their work so far in preserving open space and providing housing opportunities, and I encourage greater community collaboration to preserve the make-up of our region.”

Meanwhile, the Community Preservation Fund has taken in $89,393,614.78 across the five East End towns in 2026. First enacted in 1998, the CPF surpassed the $2 billion mark by 2023.

Email tvecsey@danspapers.com with comments, questions, or tips. Follow Behind The Hedges on Facebook, X and Instagram.

“When they told me she died, I — I was in shock. I was in disbelief,” Baldwin, 68, says in the trailer, referring to cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, whom Baldwin accidentally fatally shot with a prop gun while on set of the western movie Rust in New Mexico in 2021.

Directed by Rory Kennedy, the documentary offers a look at Baldwin’s life as he faced an involuntary manslaughter charge following Hutchins’ death. “If you said to me, ‘Hike up Mount Everest and she’ll come back,’ I’d be packed and ready to go,” Baldwin says in another scene.

Even Baldwin acknowledges that it will be an emotional watch. “People who watch this will see so much of me at my worst,” Baldwin says.

The film opens in theaters nationwide on Oct. 16. The 30 Rock alum’s involuntary manslaughter charge was permanently dismissed with prejudice in July 2024. The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

After noticing his balance was off and feeling a “rocky motion,” Joel initially brushed off a doctor’s recommendation for surgery. But after learning more about it, the musician ultimately went ahead with a procedure, which required surgeons to place a shunt in his brain.

“I had the surgery and they implanted a shunt in my brain. It actually improved things. My memory got better, my balance got a little better, my ability to function was better,” Joel revealed.

The hitmaker, who first made his diagnosis public in May 2025 and has canceled shows since, shared that doctors told him performing likely contributed to his symptoms.

“Because of my job, which is playing rock and roll music very loud, that it was giving me something like a concussion every time I did a show. It was causing damage to my brain nerves and I could be losing more brain cells the more I play, the more shows I did. And I realize, that means I shouldn’t be doing this right now,” Joel explained.

With a desire to “improve,” the native New Yorker said he’s keeping his stress down and doing physical therapy.

“I’m doing whatever it is they tell me to do because I don’t want to lose it,” Joel concluded, along with a message that reassured his fans not to worry.“I know people have heard, ‘He’s got a brain disorder,’ and I’m OK. I just want people to know, don’t worry about me. I’m not going anywhere. I’m still here.”