A driver crashed through a wooden barricade at Montauk Green early yesterday, damaging tents and artwork set up there for the annual Montauk Art Show, police and organizers said. Tracy Tullis reports in NEWSDAY that the driver, Nicoly Ribeiro De Souza, 23, of Farmingville, was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries. Ms. De Souza was charged with driving while intoxicated and six counts of reckless criminal mischief, according to the East Hampton Town Police Department.

No other injuries were reported.

At about 3 a.m. Sunday, the Nissan Rogue crashed through six tents, causing extensive damage, said John Papaleo, a member of the executive board of the Montauk Artists Association, which sponsors the art show.

"There’s well over $100,000 worth of damage" to the artwork and the tents, Papaleo said.

"These people that come to these shows, this is how they make their living," he said. "This is their livelihood."

The Montauk Art Show, which opened on Friday, features the work of local and touring artists. About 50 people worked to clean up the damaged tents and other debris, Papaleo said, so the show could open on schedule at 10 a.m. Sunday.

The association’s member tent was also wrecked, according to Evan Reinheimer, a photographer who was exhibiting and is on the show’s organizing committee. About 30 artists’ work was displayed in that tent, most of it damaged or destroyed, he said.

The loss of artwork is devastating for these artists, Reinheimer said. Some of them "may have had their whole inventory in their booth," he said.

***

A reality television star and Long Island restaurateur has sued the Village of Greenport and its mayor in federal court, alleging the municipality “targeted” his Mediterranean restaurant in an effort to shut it down.

Joseph Ostapiuk reports in NEWSDAY that Zeynel — or Zach — Erdem sued Greenport Village and Mayor Kevin Stuessi in federal court on June 23. Erdem is a star of HBO Max's “Serving the Hamptons,” which follows him and the staff of his Southampton restaurant, 75 Main. Zerdem also operates the Blu Mar Hamptons restaurant in Southampton.

The suit alleged that Greenport had issued “bogus tickets” and shut down ZErdem, his restaurant, during one of its first opening weekends in June 2023, according to the 18-page complaint filed in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York.

Erdem alleged the Village of Greenport violated state and federal due process laws, and that his restaurant was treated differently than other nearby ones. Zerdem is seeking damages “in excess of $5 million,” according to the complaint.

In 2023, the village sued Erdem in Suffolk Supreme Court over alleged code violations, online court records show.

Timothy Hill, Erdem's attorney, told NEWSDAY that the village's actions were "an example of shocking disregard of the proper and constitutional procedures that need to be followed."

Hill said authorities "stormed" into ZErdem without a warrant in June 2023 and that the Village of Greenport “timed its unlawful raid and closure so as to disable the restaurant on one of its first opening weekends.”

Hill claims nearby restaurants weren’t issued violations despite having similar conditions on their properties, according to the filing against the Village of Greenport and its mayor.

ZErdem has been open for the past two summers.

Suffolk County lawmakers, in a bipartisan initiative to boost ranks of volunteer fire and EMS departments, approved legislation this week that adds a new housing incentive.

The Suffolk County Legislature adopted a bill at its general meeting that requires any new affordable developments that receive county workforce housing money to set aside at least five units or 10% of the property's total number of apartments, whichever is less, for volunteer firefighters and EMS workers. Joe Werkmeister reports in NEWSDAY that the legislation sponsored by Legis. Dominic Thorne (R-Patchogue) grew out of a bill first proposed last November by Legis. Rebecca Sanin (D-Huntington Station).

Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine said he supports the bill.

The bill requires a volunteer firefighter or EMS personnel to be in “good standing” for three years. They must also already be a member of the fire or ambulance district where the housing project is located.

Once living in a unit, the housing recipients must submit annual testimony to confirm their "good standing" in the department.

Gerard Turza Jr., chairman of the Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services Commission, said he hopes the legislation can be a “springboard” for towns within Suffolk to pass similar measures aimed at prioritizing affordable housing for first responders.

More than 11,000 volunteer firefighter and EMS personnel are currently serving across Suffolk County’s 109 fire departments and 27 ambulance corps, Turza previously said.

***

At least 5,700 households on Long Island could be on the brink of homelessness if the federal government moves forward with a plan to slash federal rental assistance by $26 billion, a Newsday analysis of government data and interviews with experts shows.

President Donald Trump’s proposal would curb housing vouchers for working-age, able-bodied adults to no more than two years on the assistance.

Joshua Solomon reports in NEWSDAY that the policy change would hit Long Island hard, according to the data analysis. Nearly all of the region’s federally subsidized housing is through vouchers, a higher share relative to the rest of the state and accounting for more than 33,000 people.

Federal policy across different political administrations has shifted from funding traditional public housing complexes toward voucher-based housing.

"It’s a shortsighted change that would have tremendous negative consequences on those who are utilizing the program," said Gwen O’Shea, president and CEO of Community Development Long Island. The nonprofit distributes vouchers in Nassau and Suffolk counties, giving more than 9,000 to help house 18,000 people in its last report year.

The federal program, O’Shea said, "is probably one of the most effective homeless prevention, housing stability initiatives that we’ve ever seen" and "critical for a region like Long Island that has a limited number of rental properties."

However, in an e-mail to his 1st Congressional district constituents this week Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) wrote, "When it comes to Medicaid and the One Big Beautiful Bill, Medicaid spending will increase by 25% by 2034

The only people removed from the rolls are illegal immigrants and able-bodied adults who refuse to work, seek work, or volunteer at least 80 hours a month. Cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse keeps Medicaid strong and...

Southampton Village residents who live on several streets south of Hill Street in the western portion of the village will soon get the relief they’ve been vocally and publicly seeking from cut-through commuter traffic that invades their neighborhoods during the late afternoon westbound trade parade. Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that this past Tuesday evening the Southampton Village Board unanimously approved a two-week pilot program that will run from June 30 to July 11 (excluding July 4), that will close off Ox Pasture Road east of Halsey Neck Lane, essentially creating a dead-end at Ox Pasture east of Halsey Neck, to make it less convenient for motorists to avoid Hill Street by using Ox Pasture Road. It would have the effect of alleviating congestion on the residential streets west of Halsey Neck Lane and south of 27A which are frequently used to avoid stretches of Hill Street during rush hour. The village will use a barricade system to close the road and will monitor the conditions there for the two-week period, and then, after that, decide whether to extend the program, end it or make it permanent. Closing off Ox Pasture Road east of Halsey Neck Lane was a recommendation made by the firm VHB, which has consulted with the Village of Southampton on traffic issues.

***

Zohran Mamdani's victory in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary has sparked controversy, with some officials labeling him as anti-American and antisemitic. Despite criticism, Mamdani's focus on affordability and progressive policies resonated with many NYC Democratic Party voters, though Hank Sheinkopf, a political consultant, said his socialist branding may alienate some suburban and conservative demographics. Sheinkopf added that the ripple effects of Mamdani – a democratic socialist - on Long Island may be to strengthen the Republican strongholds and drive moderate and conservative city residents to the suburbs if he becomes mayor. “People in Suffolk County hear the word socialist, they will lose their minds,” he said, adding that an “emerging population” of Central American voters on Long Island also shun socialist branding.

Shoshana Hershkowitz, founder of the activist group Suffolk Progressives, tells NEWSDAY that Mamdani's message of affordability and quality of life applies everywhere, whether urban, suburban or rural. She said she doesn't believe many of the Mamdani voters would consider themselves socialists, but rather "liked the platform." "I think that too often we get to this very like tribal red, blue, and it really is about what can government do for people to make their lives better," she said, adding that Mamdani's primary win gives her hope for Long Island.

Basil Smikle, a former executive director of the New York State Democratic Party and senior aide to then-Sen. Hillary Clinton tells THE NY POST, “It’s an important moment in political history. Mamdani’s victory provides a moment for progressives and younger voters to shape the future of the Democratic Party. There is no doubt,” Smikle said.

***

Two-thirds of the nation’s traffic fatalities and one-third of injuries, according to Arizona State University’s Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, are the result of aggressive driving.

Michael O'Keeffe reports in NEWSDAY that excessive speeding, frequent lane changes, tailgating, running red lights, passing on shoulders, distracted driving, driving while impaired — aggressive driving is a broad category and...