Kmart closing Bridgehampton location in October - last location in US

Long Island Morning Edition

Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine has proposed a $4 billion county budget for the upcoming year that will raise property taxes while maintaining services, boosting information technology spending and adding a net 95 police officers. Vera Chinese reports in NEWSDAY that total spending under the plan, Romaine’s first since taking office in January and the first time in five years the county executive has submitted a budget on time, would rise about 3.7% from the current $3.9 billion. The additional spending is largely driven by a combined $128 million increase in employee health care and pension costs.

Romaine noted the budget stays within the state cap on property tax increases and keeps the county’s robust reserves intact, which Romaine said will help Suffolk improve its credit rating and lower interest rates on future borrowing. Those who live in the five western towns and pay into the county police fund would see an increase of about $49 per year. Those who live in the East End towns would see an average annual increase of about $4.60.

Sales tax collections account for about $2 billion, or about half, of all county revenue and the county is facing a $50 million projected shortfall in 2024 sales tax revenue.

Other challenges include the loss of about $8 million in red light camera program revenue after the program expires in December and $13 million in uncollected school bus camera program revenue.

Legislative Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst) said the spending plan appeared strong, but is awaiting a comprehensive report from the legislature’s Budget Review Office.

The Suffolk County Legislature must hold two public hearings and adopt the budget by Nov. 6.

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Right on cue — and a couple of months early — the Christmas decorations are on prominent display at the Bridgehampton Commons Kmart. Unlike other years, though, the merchandise carries steep discounts of 75 percent and signs warning that “All sales are final.” That’s because the nearly 90,000-square-foot store, the last standing large Kmart in the United States, is slated to close on October 20.

Stephen J. Kotz reports on 27east.com that Kmart, once a retail giant, has been closing stores for nearly two decades after merging with Sears in 2005 and being taken over by a hedge fund controlled by Eddie Lampert. Sears filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018, and Kmart continued to occupy an ever-shrinking footprint in malls across the United States. The Bridgehampton store is the last full-sized Kmart remaining in the United States. A smaller store continues to operate in Miami, and a handful of stores remain in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. The Bridgehampton store’s closing was announced this weekend when large yellow signs with red lettering, announcing “Store Closing Sale!”, “Nothing Held Back!” and “Everything Must Go!” were hung from the ceiling along the aisles, where coffeemakers, bath towels, clothing and other merchandise remain on display. Things were quiet at the store yesterday, where a worker, waiting for the doors to open at 9 a.m., confided that the store’s last day would be October 20. There was not a single bargain seeker to be found, and a sole clerk waited at the register for the first sale of the day.

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The League of Women Voters of the Hamptons, Shelter Island and the North Fork will hold a public information meeting on “How to Confront Misinformation and Build Trust in the 2024 Election” this evening at 7 p.m. in the LTV Studios, 75 Industrial Road in Wainscott. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that tonight’s program will explore the role of a trustworthy news media in a democracy, and how to identify and combat mis- and dis-information on the internet, digital platforms, and via AI. New, original research survey findings will also be presented showing how much “trust in elections” U.S. citizens have in 2024, and what might be done to build civic connections and legitimacy in this environment. League of Women Voters volunteers will be at this evening’s meeting to register voters and provide information and answer questions about this year’s election. The event will be live at the LTV Studio and available later on their YouTube channel; register to attend at www.ltveh.org.

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With the prospect of stronger winds, more frequent floods and higher temperatures expected for the region by 2050, PSEG Long Island this week will present a plan to fortify the LIPA grid to help reduce outages and damage.

Paying for the plan will come from a combination of federal grants, some already committed to the utility, and from future rates, though costs for specific projects in the plan were not disclosed. They will be part of the annual budget process at LIPA, which owns the grid and commissioned the study. Mark Harrington reports in NEWSDAY that the plan, which follows a study in the spring that examined the depth of Long Island's grid exposures, comes even as grid-owner LIPA is eyeing a possible replacement of PSEG as grid operator through a request for proposal process that will conclude in coming weeks and months.

PSEG’s plan examines real-world changes and projections for the region in outlining 30 different programs to help fortify the grid. Several of the projects, some already underway, make use of money already committed to LIPA by the federal government, either as part of storm hardening grants or mitigation from prior storms.

About a third of the proposed projects are entirely new initiatives, said Joanna Weissman, manager of climate change and resilience for PSEG Long Island.

The plan doesn't include potential impacts to power plants and other power sources for Long Island. Weissman noted that power generation wasn't included in the scope of the project. Costs for ratepayer-funded improvements in the plan will be funded through LIPA's annual budgeting process, she said.

Strategies to mitigate the impact of climate change on the grid include basic fixes such as replacing older and damaged poles with newer ones capable of withstanding stronger winds; to replacing and potentially moving essential equipment to higher ground.

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Attention Kmart shoppers: It's the end of an era. Kmart, a longtime retail chain known for its "blue light specials" and carrying everything under the sun at a discount, is set to close its last full-sized location in the United States next month. Lisa Finn reports on Patch.com that the Kmart, at 2044 Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton Commons, will shut its doors in four weeks…by October 20th and deep store-closing discounts of 40 to 75 percent off are currently available.

The retail space, owned by Kimco Realty Corp., will definitely close in October, Jennifer Maisch, vice president of marketing and corporate communications for the firm confirmed with Patch.

For years, folks on the south fork have headed to Kmart for the everyday basics at an affordable price — electronics, toys, clothing, bedding, furniture and home decor — that couldn't be found anywhere else without an hour-plus hike to Riverhead or up island.

Kmart is still a presence in the U.S. Virgin Island, with three stores, and in Australia, New Zealand and other locations overseas.

But the Bridgehampton K-Mart has been a dead store walking for several years now with numerous empty shelves and a scarcity of customers. K-Mart took over the Bridgehampton Commons site of the former Caldor in 1999. Some locals will recall before that the storefront was a Woolco.

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Stony Brook University and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy continued to rank highly in the revamped 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best College rankings released today, while Farmingdale State College jumped into the Top 10 list of regional schools.

Stony Brook University tied its ranking in the list of national schools from last year at 58 — the highest rank the university had ever achieved. It's also the highest national rank for any State University of New York public institution this year. For the third year in a row, it is ranked as the No. 1 public university in New York, officials there noted.

Joie Tyrrell reports on Newsday.com that U.S. News & World Report's rankings, while remaining highly influential, have drawn sharp criticism in recent years over the criteria and data used in evaluations. While some prestigious professional schools such as Yale Law have stopped providing data, most undergraduate institutions continue to participate.

In this year's rankings, Princeton University claimed the top spot among national schools, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will spend $3 million to improve navigation in Mattituck Inlet.

Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski said dredging in the 2-mile channel is a crucial maintenance project needed to remove sand and sediment buildup in the area and keep the channel navigable for boaters. The project will ensure the waterway is at least 7 feet deep at low tide, officials said.

Tara Smith reports in NEWSDAY that Mattituck Inlet is the only harbor on the North Shore between Port Jefferson and Greenport and is a harbor of refuge during storms. There is a federal anchorage and several marinas in the harbor.

“It’s very shallow. If you had a larger boat that needed to seek safety, it could have a problem getting in,” Krupski said recently. Dredging will start Oct. 1 and is expected to finish in November. Seacoast Construction, a West Sayville marine contracting company, will complete the work.

Jeff Strong, who owns two marinas in the inlet, said dredging is beneficial for recreational boaters and commercial fishermen who rely on the channel for their livelihoods.

“If they can’t [get in and out,] it can become an economic loss,” Strong said, adding the inlet attracts boaters from across the tristate area and boosts tourism by visiting area shops, restaurants and wineries.

Crews will remove 9,985 cubic yards of sediment from the harbor, officials said. The dredge spoils will be taken by barge to the Beneficial Dredge Facility in Staten Island for processing and then used for landfill cover material in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, according to Army Corps spokesman James D’Ambrosio.

Others said that while dredging is overdue, the current project does not address sand buildup at the mouth of the inlet from Long Island Sound.

Kevin Byrne, the commissioner of the Mattituck Park District, said sand has built up along the edge of a jetty at Breakwater Beach.

The park district owns two soundfront beaches on either side of the inlet.

Byrne, 75, said the buildup of sand has accelerated erosion at the eastern Bailie Beach and is easily mistaken by beachgoers as a swimming area.

Park district officials also worry the area could be breached during a storm.

The mouth of the channel was last dredged in 2014, according to Army Corps documents.