Rex A. Heuermann returns to Riverhead courtroom

Long Island Morning Edition

Holiday retail sales this year are projected to have the slowest growth since 2018 as consumers spend cautiously amid elevated interest rates and concerns about inflation, according to a national retail forecast. Tory N. Parrish reports in NEWSDAY that the healthy jobs market and wage growth are generally outpacing slowing inflation and support consumers’ capacity to spend during the holidays, but consumers will be cautious, particularly when buying non-necessities, National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay said during a holiday sales forecast call with media yesterday.

“We’ve all seen that consumers have become a bit more moderated in their spending patterns, a bit more cautious. Lingering inflation, particularly on the services side, continues to cause consumers and households to make thoughtful decisions about their spending priorities,” he said.

Retail spending in November and December is expected to grow between 2.5% and 3.5% to between $979.5 billion and $989 billion compared to the to $955.6 billion spent during the two-month period last year, according to a forecast the National Retail Federation released Tuesday. Last year, holiday sales increased 3.9% from the 2022 season.

In 2018, holiday sales grew 1.8%, but this year's National Retail Federation forecast is in line with the pre-pandemic average annual holiday increase of 3.6% from 2010 to 2019, according to the Washington, D.C.-based trade group, which does not adjust its numbers for inflation.

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Engineers from the Suffolk County Department of Public Works will hold an informational meeting for residents of Southampton and points east this evening to discuss their ongoing study of the County Road 39 corridor.

Tonight’s meeting is scheduled for 7pm in the Southampton High School Auditorium, 141 Narrow Lane in Southampton.

Engineers will discuss the background of the CR39 corridor and the goals of the study, which is to “develop, evaluate, and identify long-term roadway and transportation system improvements to reduce traffic congestion, minimize local detours, and improve safety along County Road 39 and its surrounding corridors.”

This evening’s meeting will explore the tasks that the county must undertake as part of the study, the schedule of the work they will be doing, and they will take questions from the public.

County Road 39…once known as the Southampton Bypass…is the 27 eastbound and westbound north highway between Hampton Bays and Water Mill.

For more information, contact the Suffolk County Department of Public Works – Traffic Section, at 631-852-4081 or [e-mail] or visit suffolkcountyny.gov.

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Cutchogue Civic Association will discuss “Land Preservation: Are We Winning the Race?” with Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski, Lilly McCullough of the town land preservation office and Tim Caufield, a retired vice president at the Peconic Land Trust tomorrow at 6 p.m. in the Cutchogue-New Suffolk Library.

During Thursday evening’s presentation…which is free…attendees will learn how often-intricate land preservation projects come about and the role of public/private partnerships and Community Preservation Funds.

The Cutchogue Civic Association is a not-for-profit, community-based organization whose mission is to inform and educate residents about issues of community interest or concern. The association provides a neutral forum that promotes discussion, collaboration and the expression of diverse ideas.

For more info, visit cutchoguecivicassociation.org.

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More than 60% of New York State veterans who recently left the military suffered a physical or mental disability while serving, and 1 in 4 were experiencing depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, a statewide survey found.

The report also found rates of suicidal thoughts were twice as high among those veterans surveyed as the general population.

Robert Brodsky reports in NEWSDAY that among the 1,122 veterans discharged or separated from the military between January 2018 and January 2023, polled in the statewide report, 25% also said they dealt with food insecurity in the past year — approximately twice the national average — despite their high levels of employment and education.

The report was commissioned by the nonprofit New York Health Foundation and conducted by RAND, a nonpartisan research institution. Among those polled, 62% were under age 45; about 15% were women, and nearly 40% were nonwhite. David Sandman, chief executive and president of the New York Health Foundation, said that while the mental health trends among veterans are troubling, there is a silver lining.

"There's a much greater awareness than there used to be of these conditions," Sandman said. "And there's ... been a decrease in the stigma associated with receiving mental health services, which remains a barrier, especially in the military community. There's more of a willingness to seek help."

Long Island is home to the largest proportion of veterans in the state, with about 64,000 current or former active military in Suffolk and roughly 45,000 in Nassau, according to a 2021 report from the New York Health Foundation.

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Alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex A. Heuermann is back in a Riverhead courtroom this morning, marking his second appearance since his arraignment on a superseding indictment charging him in six killings dating back to 1993.

Grant Parpan reports in NEWSDAY that Heuermann, 61, of Massapequa Park, was expected to make a brief appearance during a conference on the case, which has not yet been certified ready for trial. The conference was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. today before State Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei, court officials said.

Following Heuermann’s most recent appearance in July, defense attorney Michael J. Brown, of Central Islip, said the defense intends to file in the coming months a motion to separate the first four killings for which Heuermann was charged from the two most recent charges.

Other defense motions, including a change of venue, might also be filed before a trial, Brown said. No new motions have been filed in the case since that time.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney has said Heuermann remains a suspect in other killings and could face additional charges at a later date.

Heuermann, a New York City architect, has been charged in the killings of six women. He has pleaded not guilty to multiple first-degree and second-degree murder charges in connection with their deaths.

The investigations span 30 years, from 1993 to Heuermann’s arrest in July 2023.

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Southampton Village is set to host a "Clean Water Project" community forum to discuss efforts to create a sewer district downtown in the village business district.

Lisa Finn reports on Patch.com that the event takes place this coming Saturday, October 19 from 10 a.m. until 12 noon in the Southampton Village Hall board room; Village Hall is at 23 Main Street in Southampton.

Members of the Southampton Village board, the Clean Water Project Committee, and Dr. Christopher Gobler are slated to attend the presentation and discussion.

Along with a presentation, the discussion will touch on topics including why a sewer district is needed; what the sewage treatment plant would look like; how it would work; and more, with an aim of dispelling "any myths or misconceptions," officials said.

Community members are encouraged to attend, ask questions and engage in the session.

The goal is "to engage residents on the project, provide transparency, and solicit feedback," officials said. "A sewer district is desperately needed to address the persistent pollution of Lake Agawam and other Southampton Village water bodies. A sewer system would strengthen the business district and allow for more restaurants and additional affordable housing options."

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Daniel McKeever of Water Mill, who stepped down after 31 years as president of the Choral Society of the Hamptons last month, said he was looking forward to the group’s December 15 holiday concert, when he can focus solely on singing his parts and leave leading the organization’s board of directors to Sara Davison, who was elected to replace him. Stephen J. Kotz reports on 27east.com that McKeever, a retired property manager, led the choral society for much of its recent history. During that time, the group performed three concerts a year, singing mainstays of the choral repertoire and less well-known works; commissioned new works for chorus; went on a European tour and collaborated with the Greenwich Village Chamber Singers, among others. In addition to performing at local churches and theaters, the choral society has performed at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. McKeever joined the choral society in 1979. Over the years, McKeever said the chorus has continued to improve, auditioning new members and requiring that they can read music. The Choral Society of the Hamptons holiday concert, which includes an audience singalong, will take place on December 15 at the Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church under the direction of Walter Klaus. For more information, visit choralsocietyofthehamptons.org.

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Long Island Morning Edition is part of Your Election 2024, a special collection of programs, series, and resources from The WNET Group to illuminate election issues on-air, online, and on YouTube leading into the November 5th elections. Find more at wliw.org/yourelection2024.