In Community News

Southold Chicken Farm Controversy

February 1, 2026 In Community News 6 Mins Read

Why the Southold Chicken Farm Controversy Has Residents Speaking Out

Real Talk. Real People. Southold knows farming. But the growing Southold chicken farm controversy has forced residents to confront where farming belongs in a changing community. Agriculture is woven into this town’s history, economy, and identity. What Southold is not used to is waking up to find that a 6,000 chicken commercial egg operation is being proposed in the middle of a historic, residential neighborhood that includes affordable housing built by the community itself.

That is exactly what is unfolding on Ackerly Pond Lane, at the center of the Southold chicken farm controversy, where a quiet 15.9-acre property has suddenly become ground zero for a debate that goes far beyond chickens, eggs, or farming in general.

The proposal at the heart of the Southold chicken farm controversy comes from Grant Callahan, an NYU real estate student graduating this spring, who has applied to the Southold Town Planning Board to open Rejuvenate Farms, a pasture-raised egg operation housing up to 6,000 hens.

On paper, the pitch is sustainable agriculture. On the ground, neighbors are asking whether this proposal fits the place it is being asked to occupy.

The Pushback Was Immediate

When the Planning Board opened the public hearing on the Southold chicken farm controversy, the room filled quickly, not with people opposed to farming, but with residents raising serious questions about location, scale, and long-term impact.

Concerns raised by the community included:

Odors from manure generated by thousands of birds
Increased flies, rodents, and other pests
Risks to groundwater and air quality
Noise and daily operational disruptions
Impacts on quality of life and property values

These concerns are not abstract. Six thousand chickens produce a significant amount of waste. Even well-managed operations create impacts, and those impacts intensify when placed close to homes.

This Is Not Just Any Neighborhood

Ackerly Pond Lane is not isolated farmland far from residential life. It is surrounded by homes, families, historic affordable housing community, Colonial Village, that exists because Southold made a deliberate choice to keep working people here.

This land reflects years of community planning, not accidental development. It represents decisions about housing, density, and livability that residents fought to preserve. That context matters. So when a commercial-scale poultry operation is proposed here, residents are asking a fair and necessary question. Why this location?

Water Changes Everything in the Southold Chicken Farm Controversy

Clean water is already one of the most fragile resources on the North Fork. Many residents rely on private wells and shallow aquifers. Once groundwater is contaminated, there is no quick or easy fix. Large poultry operations are known to carry risks related to nitrate pollution, bacteria, and runoff from manure, especially during heavy rain events. Even with best practices, failures and oversights happen.

Residents are asking questions that demand clear answers:

How will groundwater be protected over time?
How often will nearby wells be tested, and by whom?
Who is financially responsible if contamination occurs?
Will this operation be permitted to access the public water system?

Good intentions do not protect aquifers. Enforceable safeguards do.

Where Suffolk County Water Comes In During the Southold Chicken Farm Controversy

This debate does not exist in a vacuum. Suffolk County has been grappling with water quality and supply issues for years, particularly on the East End.

The Suffolk County Water Authority has pursued plans to expand public water infrastructure on the North Fork, including proposed pipeline extensions into areas that have long relied on private wells. These efforts have sparked debate among residents and local officials over system capacity, growth pressure, and long-term environmental impact. That makes one question especially important.

If a large commercial poultry operation is approved in a residential area, will it be allowed to draw from a public water system that is already under strain? Residents are not only concerned about today. They are concerned about precedent.

What Local Politicians Have Said, and Not Said, About the Southold Chicken Farm Controversy

So far, no elected official has issued a formal public endorsement or rejection of the proposed chicken farm. That silence, however, does not mean water concerns are new or insignificant.

County and town officials have spent years acknowledging the vulnerability of Long Island’s aquifer system. They have debated nitrogen pollution, septic system failures, and the long-term sustainability of drinking water across Suffolk County. Those same unresolved concerns are now at the center of this proposal.

Residents are watching closely to see whether local and county leaders will apply the same caution they have voiced in broader water debates to a specific project that could affect a residential neighborhood and surrounding farmland.

Even the Vineyards Are Pushing Back

This is not only a residential concern. Local vineyards have also raised objections, including Sparkling Pointe Vineyards and Winery.

In a letter submitted to the Planning Board, Sparkling Pointe cited concerns about odor impacts from a large poultry operation and how those impacts could affect visitors, outdoor experiences, nearby schools, and surrounding businesses.

When one agricultural operation raises concerns about another, the issue shifts from emotion to compatibility, environmental balance, and economic impact.

Right to Farm Does Not Mean Right to Ignore Context

Southold’s Right to Farm law exists to protect agriculture from unreasonable interference. It was never intended to override thoughtful land use planning or dismiss legitimate community impact.

The law allows farming. It does not require the town to treat every location as appropriate for every scale of operation.

Protecting agriculture and protecting neighborhoods should work together.

What the Community Is Really Saying

Strip away assumptions and labels, and the message from residents is consistent:

We support farming.
We support sustainability.
We support local food.
We do not support placing a large commercial poultry operation in the middle of a residential, historic, affordable housing community.

That is not anti-farm. That is pro-community.

The Decision Ahead

The Planning Board’s decision will shape more than a single application. It will signal whether Southold prioritizes clean water, environmental protection, and community trust, or whether technical compliance alone is enough. Once a precedent is set, it is difficult to reverse. This debate is not just about chickens. It is about land use, water, and the future of the community.

Real Talk. Real People.

In Local Government & Planning

The Southampton $25 Million Parking Lot

February 1, 2026 In Local Government & Planning 5 Mins Read

A $25 Million Parking Lot?

Real Talk, Real People. Let’s talk about the $25 million parking lot. Yes. Parking lot. Southampton Town just voted unanimously to spend $25.8 million to buy a single estate at 1950 Meadow Lane, bulldoze an 8,000-square-foot mansion, remove the pool, and turn one of the most expensive pieces of land in the country into Southampton public beach access and parking.

Cover Image: Photo courtesey Tim Davis, The Corcoran Group, https://timdavishamptons.com/

If your first reaction was disbelief, you are not alone, because teachers are commuting an hour or more each way, and nurses are living with roommates well into adulthood. Young families are leaving the East End altogether, and organizations like the Town of Southampton Housing Authority (TSHA) are working overtime to stretch limited housing resources to meet very real needs. So the question everyone is asking makes sense: How does Southampton public beach access help the people who actually live here actually live here?

The Biggest Misunderstanding

The most common reaction sounds like this. Why don’t they use that $25 million to build housing? Here is the frustrating truth. They legally cannot. The Meadow Lane purchase is being funded by the Community Preservation Fund (CPF). This fund is paid for by a 2 percent real estate transfer tax and was created by New York State law for one specific purpose. Preservation.

CPF money is designed to stop development, not create it. It protects drinking water, open space, wetlands, farmland, and shoreline access. It cannot be used to build apartments, condos, or affordable housing. So when Southampton buys this Meadow Lane property, it is not choosing a parking lot instead of housing. It is using CPF exactly as the law requires, to secure land and protect Southampton public beach access for future generations

Why This Property Was Chosen

This was not a random piece of land. Meadow Lane, often called Billionaire’s Row, is one of the most exclusive stretches of oceanfront property in the country. For decades, it has effectively been off-limits to the general public, lined with private estates, security gates, and manicured hedges separating residents from the Atlantic Ocean.

The Town has made it clear that this purchase was about more than land. It was about access. This acquisition creates the only Town-managed Southampton public ocean access point within Southampton Village. That matters. Not symbolically, but practically.

Ocean access on the East End is limited, increasingly privatized, and under constant pressure. When access disappears, it rarely comes back. The Town viewed this as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure permanent Southampton public beach access on a shoreline that has steadily slipped behind gates and driveways. The parking lot is not the goal: Access is.

The Town’s position is simple. The ocean should not belong only to those who can afford a mansion on Meadow Lane. Southampton public beach access should belong to everyone who lives here, works here, and pays taxes here.

Preservation Does Not House People

Here is where the conversation shifts. Preservation does not put a roof over anyone’s head. While CPF keeps land undeveloped, the housing crisis continues to squeeze the people who make the Hamptons function year-round. This is where the Community Housing Fund (CHF) comes in.

Approved by voters in 2022, CHF is funded by a separate 0.5 percent transfer tax and is dedicated exclusively to housing. Affordable housing. Workforce housing. Senior housing.

It does not have CPF-level money yet. But it is finally moving from policy to action.

What Is Actually Happening With Housing

In late 2025, Southampton passed new Housing Overlay District laws that allow qualifying affordable housing projects to bypass years of zoning delays.

Affordable condos at The Enclave in Westhampton are now accepting applications. Households earning under roughly $174,000 for one to two people may qualify to buy.

The Town is also offering Plus One grants of up to $125,000 to homeowners who build accessory apartments and rent them at fair prices to local workers. This is not a cure-all. But it is a movement.

Why This Matters to TSHA

This is where policy becomes personal. TSHA serves seniors on fixed incomes, working families, people with disabilities, and residents who have lived here their entire lives. When housing options disappear, TSHA feels it immediately. Waitlists grow. Transitions stall. Families remain stuck because there is nowhere affordable to move next. CHF matters to TSHA because every new affordable unit, every ADU, and every housing option outside the authority helps relieve pressure inside it. CPF does not solve housing. But CHF strengthens the ecosystem TSHA relies on to serve the community.

This Is Not Parking Versus People

This is not about a parking lot versus housing. It is about whether Southampton can preserve land, preserve Southampton public beach access, and preserve community at the same time. Sometimes the messaging fails. Sometimes the timing feels off. But disengagement is the real risk.

Your Town. Your Voice.

The most important meeting this month is Tuesday, February 24 at 6:00 PM, the Southampton Town Board evening session.

This is when working residents are meant to be heard. You can attend in person, participate virtually, or submit written comments for the official record. You do not need to be a policy expert. You just need to be honest. This is your town. These are your funds. These are your neighbors. Real talk. Real people.

In Mental Wellness

Real Talk: Loving What You See in the Mirror

January 13, 2026 In Mental Wellness 5 Mins Read

The Moment My Self-Love Journey Began

Back in 2012, my friend Tara posted a status on Facebook called “Favorite things about me.” It was funny, bold, honest, and so unapologetically her that I could not stop smiling. It made me think about how rarely we pause to acknowledge the parts of ourselves we actually love. That moment was one of the first times I started paying attention to my own self-love journey. At that time, the world felt very focused on perfection. Filters and editing were becoming normalized, magazines were already retouching everything, and beauty standards were operating at full speed. It was exhausting.

Tara passed away during COVID in 2021, and I miss her every single day. Her voice, her humor, her energy, and the way she always spoke her truth. I am grateful I had her in my life, and I still feel her influence in the way I approach honesty and vulnerability.

Over the years, I have written about various aspects of my own self-love journey, including how I learned to prioritize myself. You can read more about that here: Putting Me First, How my wellness journey began and where it’s headed.

If you can look in the mirror and like what you see, truly like it, that is a blessing. And you should never let anyone convince you otherwise.

My Real Talk Backstory

For years, I struggled to like what I saw in the mirror. When I was younger, I was in an accident, and both of my feet suffered third-degree burns. For my entire childhood and early adulthood, I lived terrified that someone would notice. Men talk about women’s feet the way people talk about wine. Detailed, judgmental, and full of rules. It got in my head. I convinced myself I could never be seen as beautiful. I dated to fill an emptiness I did not know how to sit with. My self-esteem lived in the basement, and my self-love journey had not even begun.

Then one day, working at Mrs. Fields Cookies in Bloomingdale’s, a co-worker said to me, “You are so pretty. No one is looking at your feet.” It sounds simple, but that sentence cracked something open. The hardest thing I have ever done in my life was not motherhood, moving, career changes, or taking risks. It was the first day I wore shoes without stockings. That was the day I walked into the world without trying to hide. No pointing, no whispering, no falling apart. Just me. I did not know it at the time, but that moment was the first real step in my self-love journey.

From that moment on, I stopped letting other people’s opinions direct my life. If someone talks about me now, that is their hobby. I like me, and that is enough. Learning to hold that truth was part of my self-love journey, too.

I believe God gives us all a plan. Mine was to learn empathy through imperfection. I do not judge people for what they look like or what they are missing. I want to know their gifts and their heart. I am not a saint. If you are wearing something ridiculous, I may judge that, but that can be fixed. My self-love journey taught me that what matters most lives far beyond appearances.

So Tara, here is my list. My favorite things about me:

• I love my body from my head to my toes
• I love my feet because they carried me through life when they easily could not have
• I love my smile, my voice, and my lips
• I embrace my voluptuous breasts (I might prefer one size down, so I did)
• I love my laugh
• I love my ability to love
• I love that I try to be a good friend
• I love my daughters and my husband
• I love my mind
• I love my sense of humor
• I love my ability to forgive
• I love that I am opinionated
• I love that I talk a lot
• I love wearing sexy dresses
• I love that I love without conditions
• I love helping people; it makes me happy
• I love that my family loves me unconditionally
• I love cooking for the people I care about

Are there areas I can improve? Of course. Staying in shape is about health now, not perfection. But my life is full of blessings. I wake up every day grateful. I thank God for my daughters and my husband, who is my rock and my number one fan.

If there is one thing I learned from Tara, it is that life is too short not to love who you are. Too short to shrink. Too short to wait for permission. Too short not to tell the truth about what makes you special.

To anyone reading, I invite you to make a list of your favorite things about yourself. Start small if you need to. Loving yourself, or even just liking yourself, can change how you move through the world.

Real talk. You deserve that.

Special thanks to my friend Tara Sharp for the inspiration. I love you, and I miss you.

In Real Estate

When Luxury Consolidates, What Happens to the Rest of Us?

January 10, 2026 In Real Estate 5 Mins Read

Something big just happened in real estate and, no, it was not about wallpaper or marble countertops. Compass officially closed its $1.6 billion merger with Anywhere Real Estate, the parent company of Corcoran, Sotheby’s International Realty, Coldwell Banker, and Century 21. These are the glossy brands that define luxury markets from Manhattan to Miami to the Hamptons. The deal closed on January 9, 2026 after both companies’ stockholders overwhelmingly approved it, creating a real estate powerhouse overnight.

This is real talk, real people moment number one. The Hamptons is not just a place. It is a luxury ecosystem. Homes are not just shelter here. They are assets, investments, trophies, strategy, and sometimes divorce settlements with an ocean view. When luxury consolidates, it is not just industry gossip. It is a shift in power and influence.

Compass did not merge with Anywhere so they could sell three-bedroom colonials in the suburbs. They merged to dominate the markets where luxury real estate behaves more like fine art than property. Agents in these markets operate differently. If you think everyone finds their dream home on Zillow, bless your heart. The Hamptons luxury market moves through private networks, curated whispers, and agents who know who just exited a hedge fund, who wants to avoid paparazzi, and who needs a landing pad for the kids, the dogs, and the nanny.

When lawmakers started urging regulators to scrutinize the deal and raised antitrust concerns, the message was clear. People noticed the consolidation.

Analysts pointed out that the combined company could control more than 30 percent of market share in major cities. That is not a small number. That is market gravity.

And here comes the tea. With Corcoran and Sotheby’s now operating under the Compass umbrella, the luxury machinery just got smoother, faster, and bolder. Imagine one agent placing a family in Tribeca for the school year, Bridgehampton for summer, and Palm Beach for winter without a single public listing ever hitting the MLS. That is efficiency for the ultra-wealthy. It is also a reminder that luxury housing is not just local anymore. It is part of global wealth circulation.

Now pause for real talk, real people moment number two. While luxury brands are playing chess, everyone else is playing survival. The Hamptons has been in an affordable housing crisis for years, and this merger did not create it, but it highlights the imbalance. Teachers, nurses, EMTs, police officers, childcare workers, restaurant staff, and municipal employees are driving farther every year because they cannot afford to live where they work. The people who keep the community functioning are being priced out of the community they support.

A town cannot operate if its workforce is treated like a seasonal accessory. The Hamptons is special because of year-round residents, small shops, volunteers, local kids, and the barista who knows your latte order before you walk in. If those people disappear, the Hamptons stops being a community and starts being a luxury theme park where the guests leave on Sunday evening.

Zoom out to New York State and you see the same story playing out. New York is dealing with a statewide housing shortage that has pushed rents and home prices into uncomfortable territory. Governor Hochul tried to introduce an aggressive housing plan, but resistance came fast and loud, especially from suburban districts that love affordability until someone suggests building affordable units in their own zip code. Meanwhile, New York has lost population to states like Florida and the Carolinas because the cost of living continues to suffocate working families.

When luxury consolidates at the top and affordability crumbles at the bottom, state leadership feels the pressure. Employers cannot hire if workers cannot live near their jobs. Schools cannot maintain enrollment if families leave. Municipal services cannot function if first responders need a two-hour commute before they can put out a fire. This is not political. It is basic math.

Here is the hopeful part. Housing authorities like TSHA and others across the state are getting creative with vouchers, workforce housing, partnerships, and development strategies. Communities are waking up to the fact that praying to the “invisible hand of the market” is not a housing strategy. Waiting for the market to fix affordability is like waiting for the Jitney to be on time on July Fourth weekend. It is not happening.

Luxury can thrive alongside real people, but only if we acknowledge that homes are not just investments. Homes are stability, dignity, and identity. Communities breathe because people live in them, not only because people vacation in them.

The Compass merger is not the villain of this story. It is the mirror. It shows us where we are and challenges us to decide what kind of future we want for the Hamptons and for New York. Real talk, real people moment number three: if we do not shape the future, someone else will, and they are not thinking about teachers, nurses, or that barista with the perfect oat milk technique.

And that is the tea.

In Flu Season

The Flu Season 2025-2026 Is Back and It Is Not Playing Nice

January 6, 2026 In Flu Season 4 Mins Read

The Flu Season Is Making a Loud Comeback

If you thought the flu season softened after COVID, you are not alone. Many of us hoped those brutal winters were behind us; unfortunately, the flu did not get the memo. The 2025-2026 flu season has arrived loud, fast, and unapologetic, and the data backs up what many families are already feeling. This is not about panic. It is about paying attention.

What Is Happening Across the Country

Across the United States, the flu season activity has been high for weeks. This is not anecdotal or social media chatter. It is straight from national surveillance data.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, millions of Americans have already been sick this season. Tens of thousands have been hospitalized, and thousands of the flu season related deaths have been reported nationwide. Pediatric flu deaths have also occurred, which is always devastating and a painful reminder that influenza does not discriminate by age.

You can track national the flu season activity and trends directly through the CDC’s FluView reports HERE.

Reuters recently reported on CDC data describing the 2025 flu season as moderately severe, with case counts climbing into the millions and hospital systems once again under strain. That coverage helps translate the numbers into real world impact and is available HERE.

If it feels like everyone you know has been sick, you are not imagining it.

Why This Flu Season Feels Different

There is a reason this season feels heavier.

The dominant strain circulating right now is Influenza A, including strains like H3N2. Historically, Influenza A seasons tend to be more severe, with higher rates of complications and hospitalizations. The CDC’s weekly surveillance reports show that Influenza A viruses are the most frequently detected across the country this season.

You can see the strain breakdown and weekly updates directly from the CDC here:
https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/index.html

Some years the flu vaccine is a closer match to circulating strains than others. That is an honest and important thing to acknowledge. But even in seasons where the match is not perfect, vaccination still plays a critical role in reducing severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Protection does not need to be perfect to be meaningful.

What We Are Seeing in New York

Here in New York, the flu has hit especially hard. The state has reported record breaking weekly flu case numbers and a sharp increase in flu related hospitalizations. Emergency rooms and urgent care centers have been busy, and healthcare workers are once again carrying a heavy winter load. If it feels like flu is everywhere, it kind of is.

Let’s Talk About the Flu Shot Honestly

Let’s clear something up, because this is where conversations often go sideways.

Yes, you can still get the flu even if you are vaccinated. The flu shot is not a magic shield. It never has been, but here is what matters most:

People who are vaccinated are far less likely to become severely ill. They are less likely to be hospitalized. They are less likely to end up in intensive care. They are far less likely to die from flu complications.

That is not marketing. That is public health reality.

Our Family’s Choice

My family gets our flu shot every single year. We do it consistently and without much debate at this point.

We understand that getting the flu shot is no guarantee that we will not get the flu. Like with COVID, we take comfort in knowing that if we do get sick, our chances of ending up on a ventilator or in an ICU bed are dramatically lower.

We are not chasing perfection.
We are choosing protection.
We are choosing fewer what if’s.

And honestly, after the last few years, peace of mind counts for a lot.

At this point, flu season feels like that uninvited guest who shows up in November, eats all your snacks, takes over the couch, and refuses to leave until spring. You can pretend it is not there, or you can prepare for it and give yourself the best chance of getting through winter intact.

The flu shot is not about fear. It is about preparation.

The Bottom Line

The flu is not just a bad cold.
This season has been serious.
Vaccination still works where it matters most.

If you have not gotten your flu shot yet and you are medically able to, it is still worth considering. Not because it guarantees you will not get sick, but because it helps protect you, your family, and the people around you from the worst outcomes.

Real talk.
Real people.
Real concerns.

And sometimes, real peace of mind is the best medicine we have.

Vanessa Leggard