This week in Huntington newsletter: $12 million will fortify a lifeline to Eatons Neck

Our neighbors out on Eatons Neck and the far end of Asharoken got some good news last week when Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office announced $28.5 million in funding to help rebuild roads, dams and seawalls across the state.

Asharoken Village got the biggest chunk of money, with $12 million marked to fix a deteriorating seawall that has held back Long Island Sound and been the topic of concern for years.

The seawall protects a two-lane stretch of thoroughfare that connects Eatons Neck and parts of Asharoken to the mainland. The road has been compromised for years, with each major storm contributing more damage and threatening to cut off the Neck from the rest of Long Island.

John Ballow, who represents five homeowners associations and the Eatons Neck Fire Department, and who has lived in the hamlet since 1985, told my colleague Amit Ben-Bassat that getting the money is a relief because “what we now have is essentially a cardboard Amazon box being held up by rocks,” as he described the road's condition.

Village Mayor Greg Letica told me that getting the money is the first step in a process that includes financial guidance from the state, discussing logistics, and bidding the project out. He said the last estimate for construction cost for the seawall, last fall, was about $10.3 million.

We'll see how soon work begins out there, and how long it will take.

Has weather ever left you stranded on remote parts of Long Island? Let me know at deborah.morris@newsday.com.

Elsewhere in town

• Huntington High School girls lacrosse team went all the way to the top,  winning the state class A championship for the first time. They were even honored with a parade. Congratulations, team!
• My colleagues Mark Harrington, Bart Jones, James T. Madore, Victor Ocasio, Nicholas Spangler and Anastasia Valeeva did a deep dive into how President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown is reshaping Long Island's families, schools and economy. It includes ICE arrest data across Long Island, including in Huntington hamlets. Read about it here.
• Summer and lobster rolls go hand and hand, but you no longer have to head to the East End to get a tasty one. Check out where my FeedMe colleagues recommend you grab one, including restaurants in Huntington and Northport.

Readers Speak Out 

Last week, I wrote about Northport Village Mayor Donna Koch removing pride flags flying in Northport Village Park; they had been on lampposts above banners featuring military veterans. Koch acted after a complaint from the Northport American Legion commander. She also took down some of the veterans banners in what she saw as a compromise. The decision about the pride flags upset the LGBTQ+ community. It also inspired some of you to share your opinions with me.

Lisa Leonardi said she thought it was a mistake to take down the flags.

"I think Donna Koch should simply have said that they were only staying up until the end of the day on June 30th. In other words, they were put up there for Pride Month and would be taken down on the last day of the month. It's that simple," she wrote.

Nancy Bazzicalupo had a different take. 

"Taking down half of the veterans flags (if they are the ones with individual veterans photos) makes no sense at all. Better choice would be to put up pride flags separately," she wrote. 

I welcome your feedback on what's happening in Huntington. Drop me a line at deborah.morris@newsday.com.

Things to do

Check out these fun and interesting things to do around town in the coming week.

Jam band playing The Grateful Dead, Phish, Talking Heads and more 

When: Sunday, June 28, 2-5 p.m.
What: Stop in for some food, pie or wine in a family-friendly atmosphere and stay for a free performance by GhostPepper.  

Where: Mighty Fine, 43 Green St., Huntington

Information: To find out more, go here.

Town of Huntington Summer Arts Festival

When: Starting July 2 through September

What: Free outdoor concerts and movies at a festival that's family-friendly and open to the public. The fest is produced by the Town of Huntington and presented by the Huntington Arts Council. 

Where: Heckscher Park, Prime Avenue, Huntington

Information: For a schedule of events, go here. 

Animal Fundraiser 

When: Drawing is July 11.  

What: Raffle with the top prize of $25,000 to benefit Little Shelter Animal and Adoption Center. Only 700 tickets will be sold.   

Where: Tickets can be purchased at the shelter, at 33 Warner Rd., Huntington, or over the phone with a credit card.  

Information: Go to Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center or call 631-368-8770, Ext. 21.

Find more things to do at newsday.com/lifestyle.