Vision Long Island Announces 2009 Smart Growth Summit

Friday, November 20th
Melville Marriott
8am-4pm

Vision Long Island is pleased to announce the 2009 Smart Growth Summit, to be held on Friday, November 20th from 8:00-3:00 at the Melville Marriott.

Each year, the Summit brings together a broad range of action-oriented decision-making Long Island leaders from community, civic, and governmental sectors. The Summit includes a morning plenary session, a luncheon, and over a dozen workshops throughout the day. We invite you to participate in the Summit by attending, sponsoring, and submitting your early ideas on themes
as we plan the workshop sessions.

If you are interested in participating at any level or if you have any questions, feel free to contact our office at any time at 631-261-0242 or by visiting our website at visionlongisland.org.

A registration form and flyer are available online here.

We look forward to seeing you on November 20th!

Register Today!

[ ] Visionary - $15,000 [ ] Leader - $10,000 [ ] Gold Sponsor - $5,000

[ ] Sponsor - $2,000 [ ] Seat(s) at $125 each

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Dennis Organization

The Dennis Organization, Inc. is an award winning developer of residential and commercial properties in the New York Metropolitan region. They have been in business for over 20 years and take great pride in their reputation for the design and quality of their buildings. They are currently completing work on Hawthorne Court in Valley Stream, an apartment building that won a 2009 Smart Growth Award for compact building design.

Become a Supporter of Smart Growth

Vision Long Island prides itself on having a broad range of supporters.  Become one today. A donation as small as $50 buys outreach materials to help a community build support for their vision. $500 sponsors an entire newsletter.  $5,000 makes you a lead sponsor of our Smart Growth Summit, buying 10 tickets and a key branding opportunity for your organization.
 
Your tax-deductible donation goes directly to Vision and lets you help strengthen efforts to put Smart Growth principles into action.

Canon Relocates to Melville, Creating 800 New Jobs

Governor David Paterson visited the Canon headquarters in Lake Success on Tuesday to formally announce what he, Empire State Development Corp. (ESDC), and the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) have been working on tirelessly for some time: Canon USA will build its new headquarters in Melville, keeping one of the biggest electronics and imaging manufacturers in the world on Long Island. Canon USA currently employs approximately 1,200 people in its Lake Success facility and expects to employ approximately 2,000 within 10 years at its new headquarters in Melville. The $636 million headquarters facility will be built to Silver LEED green building standards at a minimum. 

Governor Paterson said, "I am pleased to announce that Canon USA is staying in New York... The work undertaken in the company’s new state-of-the-art facility will not only provide long-term economic security for thousands of New Yorkers, it will also create jobs for many still struggling to climb out from under the current economic crisis. These will be New Economy jobs, focused on cutting edge products and 21st century technology.”

Last month, NYSDOT and the ESDC struck the deal with Canon that cemented the move. NYSDOT will add one lane each to the service roads between exits 48 and 49 off the Long Island Expressway in order to mitigate traffic concerns. NYSDOT has allocated $8 million for the road construction, which will help put people to work right away.

Many elected officials spoke in favor of this move. Senator Charles Schumer noted, "At a time when Long Island is fighting to attract the jobs of the future, this announcement is proof-positive that this is a place where companies big and small can grow. We worked hard to keep the focus on the urgency of this project and Governor Paterson deserves kudos for listening, rolling up his sleeves and getting the job done for Long Island.”

Vision Long Island was at the press conference and is excited to see over 1,400 jobs saved in a difficult economy. Partners we stood with included Governor Paterson, Town of Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone, former Deputy Suffolk County Executive Jim Morgo, and Ed Ambrosino from Ruskin Moscou.

Read the Governor's press release here.

Green Jobs/Green NY Act of 2009 Passes State Senate

On Thursday night, the Green Jobs/Green NY Act of 2009 passed the New York State Senate 52-8, having passed through the Assembly unanimously over the summer. The program will retrofit one million homes and small businesses across the State over the next five years, beginning in 2010. It will create about 14,250 permanent, living wage jobs and will save moderate income households up to 40% on their energy bills.

The act will be the largest residential energy efficiency program in the country and serves as a model for the nation. It will leverage private investment plus Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative funds to pay for the upgrades. Senator Darrel J. Aubertine, the Bill's sponsor, said, "By passing the Green Jobs/Green New York Act today with bipartisan support we have taken an important step toward improving our economy and helping our environment."

The Governor is expected to sign the bill into law soon. Stay tuned as discussions begin on how to implement the bill.

Planetizen Highlights Top 100 Urban Thinkers

Planetizen, a public-interest information exchange for the urban planning, design, and development community, has put together a list of the top 100 urban thinkers. The list came from a month-long poll of readers and while the list is not scientific, it is a fair representation of what readers think. Planetizen writes, "The thinkers that are here are a fascinating bunch, ranging from planners of the past...to active thinkers of today."

The number one slot, by a long shot, went to Jane Jacobs, who fought tirelessly for grassroots community activism and denser development.

Second place went to New Urbanist figurehead, instigator of the modern-day charrette, and Congress for the New Urbanism founder Andres Duany. Other notable names on the list include creator of "A Pattern Language" Christopher Alexander, Central Park landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, public space advocate William Whyte, prominent suburban development critic James Howard Kunstler, NYC DOT secretary Janette Sadik-Khan, walkability expert Dan Burden, and CNU President John Norquist. Some other familiar listings include Lewis Mumford, Ebenezer Howard, Peter Calthorpe, Robert Moses, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Le Corbusier, William Levitt, and Walt Disney (thanks to his vision of Main Street USA).

Many of these listings are friends of Vision Long Island, so it was a delight to see them highlighted by Planetizen! See the full list here.

Op-Ed- Why Young People are Leaving Long Island: McNally Explains It All

This summer, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi hosted a "youth summit" to help shape his New Suburbia master plan. The event was attended by nearly 200 people (about half of whom could be classified as "young"). Though some creative solutions were proposed to keep 18-35 year olds from leaving Long Island, Rauch Foundation's John McNally felt that something was missing. He wrote this piece in Nancy Rauch Douzinas' column for the Plainview-Old Bethpage Herald on September 4th:

Bricks and Mortar Won’t Stop the Brain Drain

I just got back from vacationing in the Pacific Northwest with some old Long Island friends who had relocated there. The very folks that the summit was concerned about. As I read the recommendations- affordable housing and downtown redevelopment- something bothered me. I agree with them, wholeheartedly, yet I couldn’t help feeling that something was being overlooked.

The problem is not just about buildings. It’s also about culture.

Simply put, my friends find Long Island unstimulating. One Portland friend said she wanted “to be someplace interesting, exciting, and full of culture...to meet and live amongst many new people and different types of people.”

Young people are looking for vitality, diversity, a thriving arts and music scene. Instead on Long Island they see monotonous, segregated neighborhoods, long drives to get anywhere, and few places worth getting to, only malls, strip malls, and eroded downtowns.

Perhaps worst, they see Long Island as unwilling to offer anything else. As one friend put it, Long Island “sometimes feels trapped by its own stereotypes and clichés—an island isolated with a bit of that small town narrow-mindedness.”

Harsh judgments? Maybe. But widespread... among people we need if our economy is once again to prosper.

I can hear some people’s response: “We don’t want Long Island to be a city.” Honestly, I don’t think that’s an imminent danger. The danger lies in trying to stay frozen in time.

We should think through the notion of keeping Long Island just as it is. What Long Island was—a place where returning GIs could buy inexpensive houses and go to work in the aerospace or some other manufacturing industry—that’s gone.

What Long Island is, is a place that is losing its young people, its most dynamic businesses, its high-paying jobs. Who wants to keep that?

We need to change, and that will require more than real estate development. You can build it, and they still won’t come, if we don’t build a vibrant culture to go with it.

That means pushing back at the naysayers who have dominated the public discourse for decades and offering a new, positive dialogue.

With that in mind, I’ve started a Facebook page for the Foundation, where I hope to keep this conversation going. I’ll keep you posted on what’s going on around the Island and how you can weigh in on important issues.

Facebook is a place to “connect and share”—Long Island could use that. If you’re of the camp that wants something different for the Island, come visit our page. (Search “Rauch Foundation.”) I hope to see you there.

New Report: Smart Growth for Coastal and Waterfront Communities

On Wednesday, September 9, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the International City/County Management Association, and Rhode Island Sea Grant, released "Smart Growth for Coastal and Waterfront Communities." Developed in conjunction with the national Smart Growth Network, the interagency guide builds on the network's ten Smart Growth principles to create coastal and waterfront-specific strategies for development. The guide includes an overview of the unique development challenges and opportunities along the water and provides specific approaches to development that include a description of the issues, tools and techniques, and case studies. "Smart Growth for Coastal and Waterfront Communities" is intended for planners, local government officials, developers, residents, and other stakeholders.

The network's ten Smart Growth principles include: mix land uses, take advantage of compact design, provide a range of housing choices, create walkable communities, foster distinctive and attractive communities, preserve open space and critical environmental areas, direct development toward existing communities, provide a variety of transportation options, make development decisions predictable and fair, and encourage community and stakeholder participation. The report delves into each of these issues. 

Download the report here.

Cardinale: Downtown Riverhead is on its way

Riverhead Town Supervisor Phil Cardinale is a downtown hero. Last week, he wrote an op-ed piece in the Riverhead News-Review titled, "The Long View on Downtown." He wrote, "My administration has taken a new approach to downtown redevelopment, an approach that focuses upon the root cause of [downtown Riverhead's] decline by working hard to replace a long prevalent investor mentality (holding for rental return) with a developer mentality (adding value through creative re-use). I am convinced this approach is the right one." 

For the past 30 years, downtown Riverhead has been faced with soaring vacancy rates and competition from the new "downtown" created along Route 58. The Town's public policy has been consistent since then, striving for the "creation of a downtown environment where downtown rebirth is possible."

Cardinale hails these and other milestones in Riverhead's recent history, but is waiting for what he calls the "tipping point." His article continues, "The long sought downtown tipping point continues to be elusive. Perhaps we will reach it upon completion of one of the projects mentioned above. Perhaps we will reach it upon completion of the Main Street South-Side Redevelopment Project or the Vintage Railroad Avenue Redevelopment Project or The Suffolk Theatre Redevelopment Project. No one can know for certain. What is certain is our sustained and shared commitment to continue our effort to reach that downtown tipping point. Together we will reach it. Bad economic times make our shared goal more difficult to achieve, but where there is a will, we will find a way to seize opportunity from the midst of difficulty and spark the downtown rebirth all of us have sought for three decades."

Vision Long Island recognized the Town with a Smart Growth Award for its Smart Growth zoning ordinance, and many recent developments have been promising, such as the Summerwind mixed-use building.

Jamesport Business Gets a Makeover

At the corner of Main Road and Manor Lane in Jamesport lies the Van Kemenade Paint store. Last week, the dilapidated building was demolished in order to rebuild a two-story brick structure that will include a second store and a 600 square foot upstairs apartment. The new building will be a "historically appropriate building that will house the same business, while also sprucing up the picturesque hamlet," according to the Riverhead News Review.

Aside from the new mixed-use development, parking will be located in the rear, which is in line with Smart Growth design principles that promote walkability. This will be the first new building since Jamesport was declared a historic district. Nearby property owner and Jamesport resident Richard Wines said that the building "did have an interesting history, but aesthetically there was nothing on the outside that was worth saving." Everyone seems on board for the redevelopment, including Riverhead Town Supervisor Phil Cardinale. The paint store was temporarily relocated to Aquebogue. Construction should be completed in about a year. 

Read the full story at the Riverhead News-Review.

Smithtown Central School District teams up with LIPA to bring Clean Energy to Long Island Schools

In a press release from September 10th, LIPA and the Smithtown School District announced a joint project to install solar power cells at four campuses throughout the district with a fifth being considered by the school board.  All of this will be done as part of LIPA’s Solar Entrepreneur Program and Efficiency Long Island/Commercial Construction Program.

The four solar electric generating photovoltaic (PV) systems currently approved will save the school district and its taxpayers an estimated $27,682 in electricity costs per year.  This total is the equivalent of permanently removing 276 cars from the road, which the school district is hoping to use as an example of environmental responsibility to students as well as other districts and businesses on Long Island.

“This is part of the Smithtown School District’s ongoing efforts to conserve energy, bring about “green” schools, reduce operational expenditures, and educate our students about the importance of protecting the environment. We are proud to be in the forefront of this important endeavor among Long Island school systems,” said Smithtown School District Superintendent Ed Ehmann.

By participating in the program, the school district has also received a rebate of $356,937.50, which will help to offset the capital costs of installing the new systems.  The rebate program is being offered to any commercial or residential customer at a rate of $3.50 per watt, with up to 10 kilowatts for residential or 100 kilowatts for commercial, which has diminishing returns past the first 10 kilowatts.  School districts, 501(c)3 not-for-profit organizations, and government entities within LIPA’s service area are eligible for an extra dollar rebate per watt.

In addition to installing the PV systems, Smithtown Central School District has also participated in LIPA’s Efficiency Long Island/Commercial Construction Program by upgrading their school lighting systems to high-efficiency fixtures.  In total, the work has qualified the district for over $111,786 in rebates from the Authority.  In addition to the rebates, it is estimated that the district is saving approximately $95,000 annually due to these efficiency measures.

Through September 1st, 2009, LIPA has rebated over $48 million for the installation of approximately 11 megawatts in almost 2,000 solar residential and commercial power systems under its Solar Pioneer and Entrepreneur Programs.  This is also the first year of the Efficiency Long Island program, which is a 10-year, $924 million energy efficiency program which offers a wide array of incentives, rebates and initiatives to LIPA’s residential and commercial customers to assist them in reducing their energy usage.

Bob Bontempi and Tom Kehoe, Huntington's Buy Local Campaign

Earlier this month, Vision sat down in our downtown Northport office with the creators of Huntington’s Buy Local campaign, Bob Bontempi and Tom Kehoe. Mr. Bontempi is Chairman of the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce, as well as Co-chair of Huntington Township Business Council. Mr. Kehoe is a Northport Village Trustee, Co-chair of Huntington Township Business Council, and Village Commissioner of Commerce. Vision’s Eric Alexander joined the discussion. The full video will be available on YouTube shortly, so stay tuned!

VLI: What is the basic ideology of the Buy Local Campaign: why buy local?

Bob: The genesis was the state of the economy. Something had to be done to try and change people’s behaviors to redirect spending back into the local communities. Storefronts are vacant here in Northport Village, in Huntington Village. People have been almost habituated into going online, which is a great option also, but really, to stimulate the local economy, spending needs to start here first. So we figured why not create a campaign? We needed something we could get our hands on that would change behaviors immediately, and that was the Buy Local campaign.

Tom: When the economy was robust over the past 10 years, a lot of people never gave a lot of thought to the local professional person—the doctor, lawyer, dentist, or merchant. There was a proliferation of malls and large box stores, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing either, but, people now realize that there is a real interrelationship, a symbiosis, between strong and robust property values and robust downtown villages, shopping centers, and hamlets. If all these places went out of business, there would be a real decline in property values. Now all of a sudden people are waking up to the fact that we can’t afford to have Mr. Smith, who owns a little shoe store, close too. So what could we do, and do it quickly, without spending a lot of money, to redirect spending?

Bob: Awareness campaigns like this are not new, but we did it a little differently. We didn’t just put this beautiful poster together. We identified stakeholders in the community that had the same vision to redirect spending local. I’m talking about chambers of commerce, Kiwanis, rotaries, school districts—everyone has that same stake in the community to make this successful.

Eric: I’ve seen the posters all over.

Tom: There are 7 or 800 of them in the Town now.

Bob: And they’re in every corner of the Town, and that’s why we had all those stakeholders buy into this vision. So again, awareness and advertising campaigns work with that stakeholder piece, with those groups actively involved. That made the difference. It’s difficult to gauge success across the whole retail channel, but anecdotally, we have tremendous stories about people. County Legislator Cooper just mirrored our Buy Local brand and put together a Buy Suffolk campaign to try and redirect spending at the county level, to get people to spend within Suffolk County.

Eric: Since you’ve done this, other communities have jumped on the bandwagon to buy local, like in Sayville and some communities in Nassau County as well.

Tom: We also found out that in a robust economy, everyone had blinders on, even the chambers.
The Huntington Chamber didn’t really network with the Northport one—they didn’t need to. But the downturn in the economy is affecting every sector of the economy, everybody’s feeling it. We were able to bring the leaders and key business groups together on a regular basis, not only to talk and develop this, but there are networking events now, there are other things going on between the different business groups now that no one cared about before, and people are realizing that it’s important to share resources now and help one another. It’s great.

VLI: Tell me a little bit about how the campaign started. What did you have to go through to get this going and funded?

Tom: The two of us started it over dinner and a couple of drinks one night. The economy had just started to go into a downturn. We started talking. We’d both been in business for many years, so we said what are we going to do? Just go out of business? And not take care of our families and responsibilities? As we started talking to other business leaders, everyone was starting to develop the same mindset. Business people constantly reinvent themselves: they must change their packaging, price, and product to not go out of business and be more effective. That message was easy to direct to other business people.

Bob: Peter Sloggatt of The Long Islander was also instrumental in developing the core brand and advertising.

Tom: It was a win-win for them, because they provided this for pennies, literally, we didn’t have the money. They were very gracious.

**Break for some local Maroni’s cuisine**

VLI: What’s the ideal that you want to see come out of this campaign? What would the ideal ‘buy local community’ look like in the future? How will you measure the success?

Bob: I think it’s difficult to measure the success because you’re transcending so many different businesses. To preface, I think our biggest challenge with this economic depression has been the Internet. There’s no sales tax, it’s very easy: things you buy are delivered to your doorstep.  It’s about changing behavior. In a perfect world, when people wanted to buy something, they thought first about going to their local shop and supporting their neighbor’s business.

Tom: I think the other part is that in an ideal, we’d love to see all of the shopping centers in hamlets full: no vacant stores, robust, people really trying to give merchants the first whirl on spending money. It’s just getting people to realize that every dollar we spend is vital to someone’s livelihood. We can’t be cavalier and casual about it anymore.

Eric: It’s a multiplier effect. You’re probably giving back those dollars through charitable donations. Certainly, studies show, the local businesses give much more than the big box stores and chains.

Tom: We give to pretty much every local group that comes in to see us.

Bob: It’s important to reiterate that this brought the entire community together. All these stakeholders that weren’t talking before are coming together now. It has a much better effect on changing or moving that type of behavior.

Tom: It works politically too. Now all these business groups are coming together, so now we can talk to the local and town and county leaders and say that we do represent a good percentage of the business population in Huntington, and we want you to listen to what we have to say. There’s strength in numbers. This piece is evolving.

VLI: What are some of the challenges you see in changing these behaviors? Specifically what would you say about the big box stores, or the Starbucks on Main Street?

Tom: Well some local man or woman owns that Starbucks franchise. It’s still their money. They’ve got their life savings invested in these places. There’s no back door on a lot of this. Our support is critical to them staying in business.

Bob: Probably the biggest challenge is the reach and frequency of the messaging. I see this poster brand every day. You have to see it maybe 10 or 15 times before people think “oh yeah, maybe I should spend locally first.” It takes time. You’ve got to get that messaging out.

Eric: We had to trade dynamics for a while, supporting the Huntington Chamber while pushing people out of the box stores and into downtowns. Sometimes you don’t know that local stores have comparable prices and products to say, a Walmart.

Bob: Hopefully it’s a catalyst for dialogue too.

Tom: No one’s really advocated for local merchants on a continuous basis before. They now know that they can call me and I’ll try to resolve a problem with the Village Board. The local merchants are up to their eyeballs in just staying alive, in keeping the lights and air conditioning running. So it’s incumbent upon us to say that this is beginning to work. In Northport, we changed the dynamic by having outdoor dining, an event on Tuesday nights, the farmer’s market. Collectively, a lot of little things have helped change the village. These small merchants need to see that they aren’t swimming without a life preserver alone. It can get pretty overwhelming. So we’re creating a positive dynamic where they can jump in with us and work on getting positive results. So much of what we do as adults is method. If we can change the way we think, we can change a nation’s thinking.

Bob: Chambers partnering with business leaders, having a dialogue, it seems so simple to us because we do it every day, but a lot of times people work in silos.

VLI: Any milestones in the campaign that you want to mention?

Bob: The process continues to evolve. We’re trying to target bus shelters. We’ve taken the Buy Local brand and tailored it locally, and it’ll go on 24-30 hard bus shelters. Andrew Raia put the brand in his mailers—80,000 households got that brand. Frank Petrone got it to 200,000 households, Huntington Arts Council is using it, the John Engeman Theater puts it in all their programs. We continue to get more reach.

VLI: What do you want to say to the Vision Long Island newsletter readers?

Bob: Again, this campaign is not unique to the Town of Huntington. We would suggest that all communities take a look at some of their behaviors and spending habits, and all things being as equal as they can, maybe give first crack of that pair of shoes, that book, that office furniture, to your local vendor, who in any case is probably your neighbor. Just be conscious if you can.

Tom: I can’t say it any better than that!

Eric: Every community on Long Island needs leaders like these on the local level to take on these issues.

Bob: It’s people with a common mindset working for the community.

Tom: And it’s been fun too!

City Guides Offer 5 Tips for Shopping Local

If you read Smart Talk, you know the important benefits of shopping locally. You'll return money to your local economy, promote your neighbor's business, make your downtown more vibrant, and get unique items that cannot be found in your run-of-the-mill Wal-Mart. A recent story in MSN's City guides offers 5 simple tips to change your behaviors and get you shopping locally! 

First, visit an independent before heading for a big box. Start with thinking of one item you could buy in a local downtown shop. Next, patronize local merchants who add value. Local merchants are generally more specialized in what they sell and can therefore offer special technical/product assistance or deals for what you buy. Third, hold the plastic and pay cash. Businesses have to pay fees when you pay with a credit card, so bring a check or cash with you. The fourth tip, 'if your city has a local currency, use it,' is only applicable in areas where there is a local self-sustaining currency. This is a great gimmick to encourage spending locally, though, and it serves a good educational purpose. Finally, beware "local-washing." Many large retail chains are picking up on the public enthusiasm for buying local, and are opening stores in downtowns. Though this is a tricky tip, since local business owners make a living off these small stores, the products sold are not generally produced locally and profits are not directly returned into the community.

Lighthouse Zoning Hearing on September 22nd

The Hempstead Town Board voted this week to officially schedule a zoning hearing for the Lighthouse project. The hearing will be on Tuesday, September, 22nd at the John Cranford Adams Playhouse at Hofstra University. The meeting will be broken down into three sessions: 9:30am-1:30pm, 2-5pm, and 6-9pm and will focus on the project's zoning. The zoning chapter of the DGEIS is available on the Lighthouse website in section 3.5. Supporters should show up to emphasize the importance of this project of regional significance!

Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray said, “This hearing will afford civic leaders, business people, local residents, government officials, labor representatives, regulatory agencies and all interested parties an opportunity to weigh in on the Lighthouse Project. The views, opinions and input of the public is invaluable as the town board collects evidence and considers this redevelopment plan.”

The Town of Hempstead has also once again set up an email and mailing address for people to utilize to submit comments related to zoning. Email LighthouseComment@tohmail.org or send letters to Town of Hempstead, Lighthouse Project Public Comment, One Washington Street, Hempstead, NY 11550.

Nassau County Proposes 25% Cut to Long Island Bus

Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi is trying to balance Nassau County’s budget on the backs of Long Island Bus riders. His proposed 2010 budget, released this week, reduces the County’s contribution to Long Island Bus by a quarter, from $10.5 million to $7.7 million. Given that Suozzi’s vision for a New Suburbia depends on a robust transit network, Vision is surprised by this action. 

With budgets tightening, decreasing the County’s contribution to Long Island Bus is simply not the smartest place to make cuts. For an agency that is already struggling financially, this action could result in drastic service cuts for Long Island bus riders—a group that has repeatedly been singled out by decision makers for drastic fare hikes and service cuts even in the best of economic times. For these Long Islanders, a cut in bus service means they cannot get to work. Owning a car is a luxury that all Long Islanders do not share. Notably, Long Island Bus ridership reached an all time high of 33.1 million in 2008. 

It is worth noting that while the County is cutting its contribution to Long Island Bus, it is also initiating a study for a new transit service to the Nassau Hub area. That study is worthwhile, but pursuing it while slashing funding for the County’s existing transit system is counterintuitive. If the County cannot support the transit system it has and cannot reach an agreement with the MTA that puts Long Island Bus on stable financial footing, it should not be pursuing new transit projects. 

Not only will this initiative potentially endanger many Long Island residents and their sole means of getting to work, it also hinders the future development of Long Island. A national transit coalition report, “Dollars & Sense: The Economic Case for Public Transportation in America,” found that every dollar taxpayers invest in public transportation generates $6 or more in economic returns.

Please take action on this proposed budget. Call your Nassau County Legislator today and tell them not to support this budget proposal!

Defend Dark Skies in Southampton on September 22nd!

Residential and commercial sources of light pollution--defined as glare, light trespass, and light which is reflected into the night sky through the use of unshielded, misplaced, excessive, or unnecessary outdoor night lighting--negatively impact wildlife, safety, quality of life, and the Town of Southampton's dark skies heritage. By eliminating light pollution, we can conserve energy, reduce glare and light trespass while maintaining a desirable community character, safeguarding our wildlife in their natural environment, and restoring our view of the starry night sky. That's why Group for the East End and community members have supported Southampton Town in its efforts to develop and adopt dark skies legislation. 

However, after months of hard work and public support that resulted in a laudable piece of draft legislation that proposed fair and proactive residential and commercial provisions, the Town Board is considering amending the legislation to exclude provisions that address existing sources of light pollution. Given the amount of development in the Town, the proposed exclusion will significantly jeopardize the intent and ability of dark skies legislation to protect and enhance the Town's character, environment, safety and heritage of dark skies. 

Southampton Town is a community where residents and commercial interests alike play a role in creating the Town's character. Comprehensive legislation that includes both residential and commercial provisions must be adopted in order for dark skies legislation to fully realize its potential to positively impact the community.

There are three ways to help out: 

1. Sign the online petition here. 
2. Write to Southampton Town Supervisor Linda Kabot and the Southampton Town Board as soon as possible to express your support for comprehensive dark skies legislation. Recommend that any new draft needs to address pre-existing nonconforming residential and commercial outdoor lighting to mitigate potential harmful impacts to our environment, safety and quality of life.

Supervisor Linda Kabot & Members of the Town Board
Southampton Town
116 Hampton Road 
Southampton, NY 11968
LKabot@southamptontownny.gov

3. Attend the Public Hearing on September 22nd at 6pm (Southampton Town Hall, 116 Hampton Road, Southampton)

E-Waste Bill Promotes Recycling; Hurts Small Businesses

Citizens Campaign for the Environment calls you to action! The Electronic Waste Reuse and Recycling Act (Governor’s Program Bill #44, A. 9049/S. 6047) would ensure that all New Yorkers have access to e-waste recycling, rather than relying on date-specific take-back programs. It would ban the disposal of e-waste at landfills and other disposal facilities, going into effect for the commercial sector in 2010 and for individuals in 2015. E-waste (i.e. old computers, TVs, cellphones, etc.) is a problematic and costly waste stream, so this recycling law would promote environmental stewardship. If the bill passes, New York would join 18 other states with e-waste recycling programs.

Though this bill is a progressive step toward reducing waste, a chapter amendment to the bill requires some attention. Citizens Campaign for the Environment released an opposition statement on the amendment:

"Millions of pounds of electronic equipment are discarded every year due to obsolescence; while consumers continue to upgrade their equipment, there is no incentive for manufacturers to properly dispose of the waste they created. Unwanted electronic products contain heavy metals and toxins, as well as many useful materials, including metals, that can be recycled and/or reused. Many companies and states...have adopted ‘extended producer responsibility’ or EPR policies that require electronic manufactures or producers to incorporate costs of proper disposal into standard business practices. EPR protects public health, the environment, enhances business-consumer relations, reduces local government tax burden while providing an inherent incentive for producers to design and manufacture electronic goods that are less toxic and more readily recyclable. Maintaining manufacturer responsibility is an essential component of the proposed legislation in New York, as it keeps the financial burden of recycling and properly disposing of electronic waste out of the public tax burden and away from small businesses. CCE supports establishing a program for producer responsibility for the production, recycling, and reuse of electronic waste in the state as outlined in the Electronic Equipment Reuse and Recycling Act Program Bill 2009 #44R/ A. 9049 Sweeney/ S.6047/Thompson.

However, while the Senate introduced the E-Waste Recycling bill, they also introduced an amendment, S. 6089, that weakens manufacturer responsibility and requires "any entity," including small businesses, non-profits, and local governments with full-time employees, to pay a fee for recycling their electronic waste. The proposed chapter amendment guts the integrity of the electronic-waste recycling program by shifting responsibility to the state, non-profits, small businesses, and taxpayers - those who are not designing and manufacturing these products. Eighteen states have producer responsibility programs, and New York State cannot continue to absolve manufacturer responsibility for their products. The people and businesses of New York must not subsidize waste and irresponsibility. If manufacturers are going to sell or ship to the people and businesses of New York, they must take responsibility for the waste they generate.Stewardship of New York’s land, air, and waters should not be jeopardized for greedy and irresponsible multi-national corporations who have no vested interest in the environment, public health, and sustainability of New York."

Please contact your State Senators, along with Senators Brian Foley, Craig Johnson, and Carl Marcellino. Tell them you want a producer-funded statewide e-waste recycling program. Tell them that local businesses and local governments should NOT pay for multi-national corporate waste. New York needs extended producer responsibility, and we need NYS Senators to stand up and take action for New Yorkers. When you call your Senator, tell them your name and where you live, tell them you want the NYS Senate to pass S. 6047- The Electronic Equipment Reuse and Recycling Act, tell them you oppose the amendment, S. 6089, and tell them why recycling electronic waste is important to you, your family, and your community.

Please forward any response you receive to Citizens Campaign.

PARK(ing) Day 2009 is Coming September 18

PARK(ing) Day is turning into quite a popular tradition on city streets. Every year for one day, artists, activists, and citizens take over a metered parking space and turn it into a miniature public park. It provides a small touch of relief from auto-clogged city streets. More than anything, it makes a statement on the idea that we favor cars over public space. Anyone can participate, though it is "strictly a non-commercial project, intended to promote creativity, civic engagement, critical thinking, unscripted social interactions, generosity and play."

PARK(ing) Day originated in San Francisco in 2005, in response to a saddening statistic that up to 70% of the city's downtown outdoor space is dedicated to the vehicle, while only a fraction is allocated to the public realm. Since the first parking space was taken over, PARK(ing) Day has grown into a worldwide phenomenon.

This year's PARK(ing) Day is on Friday, September 18th, with locations in Manhattan. Be sure to stop by! There is still time to organize a space, so let's get some Long Island presence! If you are interested, visit the national website or the NYC website.

LIRR hosts Great Long Island Commuter Food Drive Wednesdays in September

The Long Island Rail Road has joined with LI Cares and Island Harvest to co-sponsor the "Great Long Island Commuter Food Drive." On five consecutive Wednesdays beginning September 2nd, representatives from Long Island Cares and from Island Harvest will be at 23 LIRR stations in Nassau and Suffolk to collect donations of food and other items from LIRR customers and employees for the disadvantaged of our region. Both organizations say that the nation’s economic woes have added significantly to the needs of many Long Islanders.

Volunteers from Long Island Cares and Island Harvest will be on hand to collect donations each Wednesday from 5:30 AM to 12:30 PM . Donations can be made on September 23rd and 30th at the following LIRR stations in Nassau County: Baldwin, Bellmore, Freeport, Hempstead, Hicksville, Long Beach, Lynbrook, Manhasset, Massapequa, Merrick, Mineola, Port Washington, Rockville Centre, Syosset, Valley Stream, Wantagh and Westbury. Commuters can also give donate at the following LIRR stations in Suffolk County: Amityville, Babylon, Huntington, Patchogue, Port Jefferson, and Ronkonkoma.

Make a donation when you commute this week! Read more here.

Group for the East End Events in September

The Group for the East End is always hosting exciting events related to the environmental well-being of eastern Long Island. Check out what's happening this month:

Beach Clean-Up in East Marion, Saturday, September 19th, 9:00-11:30am: Participate in International Coastal Clean-Up month by attending a local beach clean-up in East Marion, Southold. Come down, enjoy the Long Island Sound and take part in the important task of cleaning up the beach and collecting data that will help research organizations further their cause of protecting our waters. Please bring gloves, Group for the East End will supply the bags. Meet at the end of Rocky Point Road in East Marion and carpool if you can! Rain or shine! For more information, please contact Jenn Hartnagel at 631-765-6450 ext. 211 or jhartnagel@eastendenvironment.org.

Wildlife Migration along the Barrier Island in Hampton Bays, Sunday, September 27th, 8:30-11:00am. Join Group for the East End for a wildlife search along Dune Road west of the Shinnecock Inlet. The trip is timed to coincide with low tide, which should enhance your chances of seeing diverse shorebirds and wading birds. If winds are blowing from the northwest, migrating swallows, hawks, dragonflies, and butterflies will compete for your attention. Please bring binoculars. For reservations or more information, please contact Steve Biasetti at 631-765-6450 ext. 205 or sbiasetti@eastendenvironment.org.

Join the LI Somos Conference: The Fierce Urgency of Now on September 18th and 19th

Assemblyman Phil Ramos, the LI Latino Elected Officials Association, and the LI Hispanic Coalition present the 2009 Somos Conference: The Fierce Urgency of Now, to take place at the Islandia Marriott on Friday, September 18 and Saturday the 19. Through a series of workshops, the conference will focus on protecting civic rights.

The Long Island Somos el Futero Conference is an annual legislative gathering focused on addressing the needs and challenges of the growing Hispanic community on Long Island. A principal goal of this conference is to increase the participation of Hispanics in the public policy making process and develop local and state legislative initiatives that address issues of concern for Hispanic Long Islanders. The 2009 Conference will convene some of the most distinguished civic, community, business, and labor leaders from across New York State to discuss issues pertinent to Hispanic social, economic, and political empowerment. NY State Governor David Paterson is the featured keynote speaker.

The conference will showcase legislative sessions focused on health care reform, Census 2010, Latino academic achievement, the development of a black and brown coalition, global warming, and community responses to hate crimes and other civil rights infractions. In addition to the workshops, the conference will feature a senior’s luncheon, welcome reception, a morning and afternoon plenary, dinner gala and Latino expo. Many of New York’s top political leaders are expected to be in attendance. Vision's Eric Alexander is set to speak on a panel about global warming.

To register or for more information, call (866) HF-AYUDA (432-9832).

Nassau County Presents the 90/10 Coalition - Meeting on Sept. 23

Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi is putting together his master plan, “New Suburbia,” for Nassau County, and it is ready to be unveiled to the public next week. While Vision is not sure of the content of the plan, we are looking forward to hearing Suozzi's vision.

We encourage everyone to attend the next meeting, as the relevant documents should be available there. It is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, September 23rd at 11:00am on the lower level of the Nassau Coliseum. 

An essential part of a master plan is to determine what County actions will be taken to implement the goals. Relevant departments such as Economic Development, Parks, Department of Public Works, Office of Housing, Department of Health, and others should all have plans and investments towards achieving that vision. We look forward to hearing about the County's involvement. 

Seating is limited so please RSVP to masterplan@nassaucountyny.gov or call (516) 578-5447. This meeting will be a good chance to get involved in shaping the future of Nassau County.

Next Gordon Heights Visioning Meeting Set for September 26

The next meeting for the Gordon Heights Visioning will take place on Saturday, September 26th from 11am-3pm at Community Baptist Church on Granny Road. Community members and local elected officials are encouraged to come out and help shape the future of this close-knit Suffolk County community. 

The Gordon Heights Visioning began in March 2006, when over 250 community members came together to begin shaping the future of Gordon Heights. The community gathered with an expert study team responsible for organizing and carrying out the Visioning, including ADL III Architecture, Cameron Engineering, Economics Research Associates, and Vision Long Island. Primary goals included planning for safer streets, better transportation, access to commercial development, and a community center. Residents wanted to positively infuse existing development with a clear sense of place, rather than break apart the close-knit community in the name of economic development. 

Since that first meeting, the Visioning has grown and many of the goals are already being implemented. The Harrison Hale Community Educational and Resource Center recently opened its doors as a state-of-the-art community center. Sidewalks are planned for Granny Road, Wilson Avenue, and Rt. 25, which will bring huge safety improvements. Children’s Park was recently refurbished with new fencing, a new field, and a bathhouse. Granny Road Park received new basketball courts and has a new bathhouse planned. 

For more information on the Visioning meeting, please contact Vision Long Island's Director of Special Projects Tawaun Weber at tw@visionlongisland.org.

Long Island Progressive Coalition Presents Leadership Conference 2009 - September 26th

In order to build a progressive movement on Long Island, we need strong, trained leaders with community organizing skills. Long Island Progressive Coalition's annual Leadership Conference aims to help interested parties gain the skills and personal connections that will promote social, economic and racial justice. The event will take place on Saturday, September 26th from 9:30am-5:00pm at Molloy College's Suffolk Center, 7180 Republic Airport in East Farmingdale.

LIPC is bringing Long Islanders together to work for collective change, building community bridges across racial lines and generations, and providing hands-on training in practical, winning organizing skills. Workshops will include: media strategy, the strategy chart, grassroots lobbying, meeting facilitation, recruiting and retaining volunteers, and more. 

Register for free by calling (516) 541-1006 ext. 14, or email debbieann@lipc.org.

14th Annual Pine Barrens Research Forum Announced for October 1st & 2nd

The Fourteenth Annual Pine Barrens Research Forum: Laying a Foundation for Policy through Research, will be held on Thursday, October 1st and Friday, October 2nd at Brookhaven National Laboratory's Berkner Hall in Upton, NY. The conference is sponsored by BNL, the Central Pine Barrens Commission, the LI Groundwater Research Institute at Stony Brook, and the Foundation for Ecological Research in the Northeast.

The program features a balance of speakers from the New York metropolitan area and around the nation, covering research, technical, and applied science topics, including ecosystem-based management, the impact of climate change and sea level change on the Pine Barrens, forest health and wildlife populations, effects of elevated ozone levels on LI, and even the population of flying squirrels at the lab. Friday will include a field trip/hike to the Coastal Plain Ponds of the Peconic River Headwaters.

A full schedule and a registration form are available on their website.

RELI Presents Third Annual Solar Tour and Green Buildings Open House on Oct. 3

On Saturday October 3rd from 10am-4pm, attend Long Island's part of the National Solar Tour and Green Buildings Open House, coordinated locally by Renewable Energy Long Island (RELI) and the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). The National Solar Tour is considered to be the largest public renewable energy education event in the world. It is a self-guided tour of homes, businesses and other buildings with solar features including passive solar design, solar hot water and solar-electric generating systems. The Solar Tour is an excellent way to experience first-hand that solar energy really works on Long Island. You can learn about the benefits of solar and other forms of renewable energy, watch electric meters run backwards, see the actual savings on utility bills, and talk to the people who own these systems. 

Homes on this tour are owned and lived in by ordinary people who believe their homes have something extraordinary to share. That is why they have opened their doors voluntarily on this day. Please respect the privacy of these generous homeowners do not contact them other than to get more detailed directions on the day of the tour, if you are lost.

For your free visitors pass and detailed tour information, including home locations, visit their website.

350 Years of People and Nature on the Hempstead Plains on October 9th

Friends of Hempstead Plains, along with Frianklin Square Historical Society and The Wheatley School Regional Studies Program, are sponsoring a Symposium on the History and Ecology of the Hempstead Plains on Friday, October 9 from 8:30am-2:00pm at Nassau Community College, Bldg CCB, Room 252-253.

For over 350 years the region known as the Hempstead Plains has played a key role in the history of Long Island and the United States- The cradle of American aviation, the symbol of suburbanization for the postwar United States, the only true prairie east of the Allegheny Mountains- the Hempstead Plains is a unique ecological, historical and cultural treasure. The event will highlight and celebrate the importance of the Hempstead Plains in the life of Long Island and New York. Participants will include scientists, historians, scholars, public officials, teachers, students and the general public. Presenters include a panel of scientists and a panel of historians from Hofstra University, Nassau Community College, Franklin Square Historical Society, Cedar Swamp Historical Society, Cradle of Aviation Museum, Wheatley School Regional Studies Program, government agencies, and other organizations, making brief presentations on the natural history and heritage of the Plains. There will be time for questions and discussion.

Breakfast and lunch will be served. A tour of the Hempstead Plains at Nassau Community College concludes the day. More information about the The Hempstead Plains Heritage Symposium, including a registration form, can be found here. 

Peconic Baykeeper's 2009 Lobster Bash on October 17

The Peconic Baykeeper's 2009 Lobster Bash will take place on Saturday, October 17 from 6-10pm at The Lobster Inn, located at 162 Inlet Road in Southampton. The event will benefit Peconic Baykeeper's clean water programs. The group works to protect and sustain the South Shore and Peconic Bays of Long Island by improving water quality and productivity, emphasizing the intrinsic connection between our bays and our communities.

Tickets are $100 and include local beer and wine, plentiful hors d'oeuvres, the Lobster Inn's famous "SPLAT" dinner, and music by Dennis O'Conner. Please RSVP by October 9th.

For more information, visit their website, call (631) 653-4804, or email info@peconicbaykeeper.org.

Revitalizing NY Summit on October 7

Empire State Future, a group that works to realize the principles of Smart Growth throughout New York State, is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the Revitalizing NY Summit, taking place on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 from 9am-5pm in Schenectady, NY. This summit is sponsored jointly by Empire State Future and the New York State Department of State, and emphasizes building a new economy and revitalizing New York State through sustainable economic and community development. This Summit is designed for all participants to both learn about and contribute innovations and ideas for actualizing sustainable development in New York State, and to strengthen the connections among those working on this common quest. It is designed for government officials, practitioners of economic and community development, planners, and New Yorkers interested in building a stronger and more sustainable Empire State.

The event will take place at Proctors Theatre, 432 State Street--a very short walk from the Schenectady Amtrak station. Train discounts are available for those who take the Amtrak to Schenectady. Also, special group rates at particular hotels and early bird registration fees are available.

Register now for $40. After September 10th, the fee will go up to $60. Visit Empire State Future's website to view the summit description and registration form. If you have any questions, contact Katie@rpa.org or (917) 546-4312.

21st Annual Keys for the Homeless Conference On October 9th

On Friday, October 9, join the Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless for their 21st annual Keys for the Homeless Conference. This year's event, themed "The Community Response to Ending Homelessness," will take place at Touro Law School, 225 Eastview Drive in Central Islip, and runs from 8am to 4:15pm. The day will include informative and thought-provoking workshops, including: Focus on Veterans, McKinney-Vento Reauthorization, Neighborhood Stabilization Act/HPRP, Surviving Bed Bugs, Foreclosure Prevention, Community Volunteerism, and many more. Also come hear dynamic speakers and award presentations. Don't miss this excellent opportunity to meet and network with corporate and non-profit housing developers, funding sources, service providers, government officials and representatives from government agencies. 

The keynote speaker will be Diane Nilan, HEAR US Founder and President. Her 21 years' experience with homelessness includes running emergency shelters and successfully advocating for the passage of legislation guaranteeing homeless students' educational rights. In November 2005, Ms. Nilan sold her house, car and most of her possessions. She purchased an RV and set out on an extraordinary venture: to create a documentary featuring kids talking about their homelessness. Ms. Nilan created HEAR US, a non-profit organization, to give voice and visibility to homeless children, youth and families.

Registration for the Keys Conference is due by September 30. The registration fee is $65 in advance and $70 at the door. The student rate is $15 with a student ID. Visit the NSCH website to find a registration form.

Long Island Fund for Women and Girls Presents: Women Achievers Against The Odds on October 15th

On Thursday, October 15th, from 7:30-10:30am, the Long Island Fund for Women and Girls presents their 15th annual Women Achievers Against the Odds Awards Breakfast. At the breakfast, the Fund invites and honors special Long Island women who have achieved against the odds professionally and/or personally, as well as girls who have excelled in educational areas such as the Sciences, Sports, Performing Arts or Technology. In addition, they will highlight and present this year's grant program recipients. The program also introduces this year's Commemorative Tribute to Women Journal. This year's honorees include: Maria Grasso of Flushing Savings Bank, Dr. Gerry House of Institute for Student Achievement, Lorelei McGlynn of Henry Schein, Inc., Suzy Sonenberg of Long Island Community Foundation, and high school students Lisa Rifkind and Lucely Sanchez. 

The breakfast will take place at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury. Networking is from 7:30-8:30, and the program runs from 8:30-10:30. Tickets are $85 each, and after September 30 are $90. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information and to register, click here.

Celebration of Suburban Diversity: October 22

Save the date! On October 22nd, the Celebration of Suburban Diversity 2009 Committee and the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University present the Celebration of Suburban Diversity, an inspiring evening in conjunction with Hofstra's major international conference: The Diverse Suburb: History, Politics, and Prospect."

The event will take place from 6-10pm at the Sandra and David S. Mack Student Center, North Campus at Hofstra.

Fair Media Council Presents Connection Day on October 22

The Fair Media Council’s annual Connection Day on Thursday, October 22 from 8am to 4pm at the Long Island Hilton will draw together about 100 reporters, editors, social media experts, and communication professionals to present a variety of educational workshops to the public. The only major conference in the country that brings the public together with the media for a day of open dialogue, networking and professional development, FMC’s Connection Day draws about 600 participants from the metro area. This educational event features 22 workshops, an exhibition hall, networking breaks and a luncheon with a keynote speaker. “Adding to all the excitement this year will be news outlets blogging live from the scene and radio stations conducting interviews with area politicians,” said Fair Media Council Executive Director Jaci Clement.

Sponsorships, exhibit booths and individual tickets are on sale now. Tickets include three workshops, networking breaks, admission to all media exhibits, continental breakfast, luncheon with the keynote speaker, and a 2009-2010 Fair Media Council Media Guide. To make a reservation, become an event sponsor or an exhibitor, please call (516) 224-1860, Ext. 103 or email fran@fairmediacouncil.org. For details and to sign up online, go to their website.

The Fair Media Council is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that advocates for quality local news coverage and educates the public to become media savvy. About 200 New York businesses are members of the 30-year-old organization. To join the businesses and non-profit organizations that comprise the Fair Media Council and advocate for quality local news, log on to www.fairmediacouncil.org.

Tri-State Transportation Campaign's 2009 Annual Benefit on October 29

Tickets are now on sale for the Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s 2009 Annual Benefit, "Changes Taking Root," which will take place on October 29, from 6pm to 8:30pm at The Gates on 290 Eighth Avenue in Manhattan. TSTC will be honoring Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey for his work in winning federal approval for the Access to the Region’s Core project and his leadership in connecting land use and transportation. Aaron Naparstek of Streetsblog and Clarence Eckerson of Streetfilms will be in attendance as TSTC honors their organizations for consistently being at the forefront of transit, pedestrian, bicycling, and livable community issues and filling a critical gap in a changing media landscape.

Over the last year, the Campaign has catalyzed major reform in Connecticut, helped preserve transit service for millions of New Yorkers, kept wasteful road widenings in check, and watchdogged the federal stimulus. Campaign reports have helped spark and inform debate on topics like cross-Hudson transit and expansion of the New Jersey Turnpike. Readership of their blog, Mobilizing the Region, has also grown by 50% over the last year.

You can learn more about the Annual Benefit and purchase tickets, sponsorship packages, and journal ads at the TSTC website.

Vision Long Island Seeking Fall Interns

Vision Long Island is seeking unpaid interns for Fall 2009. We had such success with our Summer interns that we've decided to continue our internship program into the school year. If you are interested in suburban/urban planning, community development, local government, or sustainability, consider working for us part time during your next semester.

Our staff likes to say we "wear many hats," and interns will have to do the same. Interns will assist with planning, design, outreach, event planning, writing, research, attending meetings, reporting, photography, and more. Bring your unique skill set to the table! We are looking for energetic and conscientious individuals with an interest in planning from a bottom-up perspective. This is a valuable opportunity to work with great people in a small office environment and learn about the issues impacting Long Island.

Note that hours, start date, and end date are all flexible. Although this is an unpaid position, we will gladly work with you to provide college credit. We will also work with you to make sure you have a great experience that is tailored to your specific interests and skill set.

Individuals and universities interested in learning more are encouraged to contact us at info@visionlongisland.org. You are welcome to include a resume and/or letter. Please put "Fall 2009 Internships" in the subject heading.

Lindenhurst German Festival

This weekend, check out the German Festival in Lindenhurst. Presented by Breslau Engine Company of the Lindenhurst Fire Department, come out and enjoy excellent German food, drink, and music from the Willi Vollerthun German Band.

Rain or shine, it's like a pre-Octoberfest! The event is on Sunday 9/20 from 1-7pm, at the Fireman's Pavilion on Heling Blvd. in Lindenhurst.

Admission is $2 for adults, $1 for seniors, and free for kids under 12. For more information, call (631) 957-7530.

Maritime Fall Festival in Greenport

This weekend, head out to the East End for Greenport's 20th annual Maritime Fall Festival, hosted by the East End Seaport Museum and Marine Foundation. The free event, which will take place Saturday and Sunday from 11am-5pm, celebrates Greenport's history as a 19th Century whaling port. The festival typically draws 20,000 people in a weekend! The festival area will be closed to vehicles and will include maritime-related exhibits, about 150 vendors, and an opportunity to sample local restaurants' New England and Manhattan clam chowder.

There's a parade at 11am on Saturday, a kayak derby, and whaleboat races. Classic ice boats and other small watercraft will be displayed in Mitchell Park. Fireworks will light up the sky over Greenport Harbor at 9pm on Saturday night. There are also opportunities for kids to watch the Kings of the Coast pirate show and compete in snapperfishing contests.

Learn more here.

This week's closing words come from highlights from Edge Economy's Umair Hague's Generation M Manifesto from Harvard Business Publishing:

You wanted big, fat, lazy "business." We want small, responsive, micro-scale commerce.

You turned politics into a dirty word. We want authentic, deep democracy — everywhere.

You wanted financial fundamentalism. We want an economics that makes sense for people — not just banks.

You wanted shareholder value — built by tough-guy CEOs. We want real value, built by people with character, dignity, and courage.

You wanted an invisible hand — it became a digital hand. Today's markets are those where the majority of trades are done literally robotically. We want a visible handshake: to trust and to be trusted.

You wanted growth — faster. We want to slow down — so we can become better.

You didn't care which communities were capsized, or which lives were sunk. We want a rising tide that lifts all boats.

You wanted to biggie size life: McMansions, Hummers, and McFood. We want to humanize life.

You wanted exurbs, sprawl, and gated anti-communities. We want a society built on authentic community.

You wanted more money, credit and leverage — to consume ravenously. We want to be great at doing stuff that matters.

You sacrificed the meaningful for the material: you sold out the very things that made us great for trivial gewgaws, trinkets, and gadgets. We're not for sale: we're learning to once again do what is meaningful.

There's a tectonic shift rocking the social, political, and economic landscape. The last two points above are what express it most concisely. I hate labels, but I'm going to employ a flawed, imperfect one: Generation "M."

What do the "M"s in Generation M stand for? The first is for a movement. It's a little bit about age — but mostly about a growing number of people who are acting very differently. They are doing meaningful stuff that matters the most. Those are the second, third, and fourth "M"s.

Gen M is about passion, responsibility, authenticity, and challenging yesterday's way of everything. Everywhere I look, I see an explosion of Gen M businesses, NGOs, open-source communities, local initiatives, government.

Gen M isn't just kind of awesome — it's vitally necessary. If you think the "M"s sound idealistic, think again.

It's the same old crisis — and it's growing.

You've failed to recognize it for what it really is. It is, as I've repeatedly pointed out, in our institutions: the rules by which our economy is organized.

Clearing the backlog of SUVs built on 30-year-old technology is going to pump up GDP? So what? There couldn't be a clearer example of why GDP is a totally flawed concept, an obsolete institution. We don't need more land yachts clogging our roads: we need a 21st Century auto industry.

I was (kind of) kidding about seceding before. Here's what it looks like to me: every generation has a challenge, and this, I think, is ours: to foot the bill for yesterday's profligacy — and to create, instead, an authentically, sustainably shared prosperity.

Anyone — young or old — can answer it. Generation M is more about what you do and who you are than when you were born. So the question is this: do you still belong to the 20th century - or the 21st?

SMART GROWTH NEWS

Newsletter Editor: Michelle Dutchen, Director of Communications
Contributors: Eric Alexander, Executive Director; Tara Klein, Planning Coordinator;
Tawaun Weber, Director of Special Projects; Elissa Ward, Director of Sustainability; Juliana Roberts Dubovsky, Planning Consultant

We strive to provide continued quality publications such as this each week. If you are interested in becoming a newsletter or news blast sponsor, please call the office at 631-261-0242 for rates and opportunities. If you have any news or events that you would like to add to our newsletter, submit them to info@visionlongisland.org for consideration.

For more information about Vision Long Island, visit http://www.visionlongisland.org or contact us at:
24 Woodbine Ave. Suite One Northport, NY 11768. Phone: (631) 261-0242. Fax: (631) 754-4452.
Email: info@visionlongisland.org