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Vol. 128 No. 25
JUNE 19 - 25, 2026
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Locust Valley passes budget with revote just wanted to say a quick thank-you to everybody who put so much time into this Voters in the Locust Valley revote,” Fox said. “It was a lot C e n t r a l S c h o o l D i s t r i c t of time, and I’m very grateful approved the district’s pro- for everything you guys did to posed 2026-27 budget in a revote help us get to this place.” “I’d like to echo that, too,” on Tuesday, reversing last board President month’s rejection G e o r g e Va s i l i o u and avoiding nearly s a i d , “ a n d s ay $1.9 million in thank you to everypotential cuts under a contingenone in the commucy spending plan. nity who got out to D i s t r i c t C l e rk vote this evening, Allison Dunn and to show their announced the commitment to our results at a Board schools and to our of Education meetchildren, and show ing Tuesday night a commitment to at Anne MacArthur o u r f a c u l t y, o u r Primary School. administration, T h e s p e n d i n g lINdSay Fox that our district plan, totaling just Trustee, supports these under $100 million Locust Valley Central buildings, and the — a reduction of wo rk t h at we ’ re School District just over $250,000 doing in these f ro m t h e i n i t i a l buildings every sinbudget — passed by a count of gle day.” 1,407 to 874. It includes a tax In Bayville, the spending levy increase of nearly 1.8 per- plan received 744 yes votes and cent, down from roughly 2.1 553 no votes. In Locust Valley, percent in the initial proposal. voters approved it, 603 to 273, Both levy increases were under while Brookville voters supthe maximum allowed by New ported it as well, by a margin of York state. 60 to 48. After the vote, board Trustee The vote came one month Lindsay Fox expressed her after residents rejected the disappreciation to district staff. “I Continued on page 8
By WIll SHEElINE
wsheeline@liherald.com
I
Courtesy Laura Escobar
the “Sad tree,” which overlooked the beach at theodore Roosevelt Memorial park, fell after the storm that hit Long island on June 7. the tree had previously weathered Hurricane Sandy.
The sad fall of the ‘Sad Tree’ Local landmark collapses following early-June storm By WIll SHEElINE wsheeline@liherald.com
The fall of a weathered tree in Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park has left many Oyster Bay residents mourning the loss of a local landmark that inspired artists, photographers and beachgoers for years. Known affectionately as the “Sad Tree,” the lone tree near the entrance to the waterfront was knocked down during a severe storm on June 6. Within hours, photos of it spread across social media. The tree’s distinctive appearance dated back to Hurricane Sandy in 2012, when part of it was damaged, leaving it with a permanent leaning to one side. Over time, its
unusual silhouette, overlooking Oyster Bay Harbor, became a familiar sight and earned it its nickname. Laura Escobar, owner of Hive Market and Gallery in Oyster Bay, said the tree had become much more than part of the landscape. “Sad tree was not just a tree, but a sentinel,” Escobar summarized in a followup statement. “A symbol of hope, strength, beauty, nature, and home.” The tree, Escobar said, drew visitors from Oyster Bay and beyond, with former residents often seeking it out during return visits to town. For the past five years, Hive Market has sold artwork featuring the tree, including Continued on page 7
just wanted to say a quick thank-you to everybody who put so much time into this revote.