Thursday, March 13, 2025 ~ Volume 70 ~ Issue Number 21 ~ $1.00
Contained: Fire Crews Halt Eastern Brush Fires
By Matt Meduri
Smoke seen in Manorville on Saturday (Credit - Office of Suffolk County Executive Romaine)
Suffolk County received a rare, yet potentially disastrous, development over the weekend: brush fires in southern Brookhaven and Southampton towns that sent smoke high enough in the air to be seen from across the Long Island Sound. The fires scorched hundreds of acres in the Pine Barrens, shut down service on Sunrise Highway east of the Moriches, and became especially serious on Saturday night when the flames jumped Old Riverhead Road (County Route 31) near Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton. By Sunday afternoon, the fires had been mostly contained while fire and rescue monitored active hot spots that were somewhat contained mostly due to vegetation-scarce barriers formed by roadways. Continued on page 4
Avelo Announced as MacArthur Airport’s Newest Carrier
Islip officials with Head of Avelo Marketing Jim Olson (Credit - Matt Meduri)
Story on page 8
FULL FULLSTORIES STORIESON: ON:
Bergin’s Brief: February 2025 Page 3
Town Extends Battery Storage Moratorium Page 10
Town Clerk Processes Passports Page 15