MAY 7 - 13, 2026
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Vol. 128 No. 19
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Page 10
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Honoring 10 years of Team EVA
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Celebrating oyster Bay Day
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Residents meet candidates for school board By WIll SHEElINE wsheeline@liherald.com
Residents heard from five candidates seeking three seats on the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District Board of Education at t h e d i s t r i c t ’s Meet the Candid at e s n i g h t l a s t week. The discuss i o n fo c u s e d o n school achieve ment, transparency, technology, budgeting and student services ahead of the May 19 election. Hosted in partnership with the League of Women Voters, the April 27 forum gave candidates the chance to discuss their qualifications and visions for the district. The contested seats include two full terms running through June 30, 2030, and one partial term expiring in June 2027. League representatives Barbara Epstein, Joan Galante and Harriet Steinberg moderated the event. The candidates included incumbents Nancy Castrogiovanni and MaryAnn Santos, the current board presi-
T
Herald file photo
in past years the fair has featured keynote speakers, such as author erik Larsen, above right, with Steve israel, in 2024, its inaugural year, but no keynote speaker is planned next weekend.
Gold Coast Book Fair is back for its third year in the hamlet By WIll SHEElINE wsheeline@liherald.com
The Gold Coast Book Fair will return to downtown Oyster Bay this month with a major expansion, bringing two full days of literary prog ramming, more than 150 authors and a broader slate of family activities to Long Island’s largest literary event. The festival, organized by the Gold Coast Forum in partnership with the Oyster Bay Main Street Association, is scheduled for May 16 and 17, and will feature author panels, book signings, a vendors market, children’s programming, food trucks and interactive exhibits spread across 11 venues throughout the hamlet. Former U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, owner of Theodore’s Books and founder of the fair, said this year marks the first time the entire
festival will be held in downtown Oyster Bay. In the past, programming has been divided between the downtown and the Long Island University Post campus in Brookville, but attendees have expressed a preference for the events in the hamlet, Israel said, where they have had access to its stores and restaurants in addition to festival offerings. “LIU has been extremely wonderful, a great partner,” Israel said. “But the feedback we got from festivalgoers is they enjoy the experience of being downtown and shopping local.” He added that the consolidated layout will make the experience easier for both attendees and organizers. “In the past, people would have to drive to LIU and then Oyster Bay,” Israel said. “Now it’s really one-stop shopping. Also, we don’t need to move books Continued on page 21
dent and vice president; former Trustees Todd Cronin and Anne Marie Longo; and newcomer Alina Vagliante. Throughout the evening, candidates repeatedly pointed to the district’s achievements in academics, athletics and facilities improvements while also debating concer ns over transparency, technology and educational priorities. Castrogiovanni highlighted what she described as significant pro gress in academic perfor mance and s ch o o l r a n k i n g s during her time on the board. “ O y s t e r B ay East Norwich is now ranked by Niche in the top 3 percent of schools in America,” she said, referring to the ranking and review website, “and placing number 41 in New York state.” She also pointed to increased passing rates on Advanced Placement exams, expanded facilities and new district programs. Santos emphasized the dis-
he five candidates discussed topics ranging from A.I. to finances, communication and transgender bathroom policy.
Continued on page 23