Trump administration changes could lead to thousands of Long Islanders without food; LIRR strike proves successful; and more East End news

While falling short of the resounding victory some LIRR employees hoped for, the five railroad unions that went on strike two weeks ago surpassed many observers’ expectations — by securing raises higher than transit workers have seen in years, while giving up relatively little and cementing themselves as major players in New York’s labor relations landscape, union leaders, MTA officials and sources with knowledge of the negotiations said.It was on May 28, 2025, that Long Island Rail Road locomotive engineers’ head Kevin Sexton, speaking at a meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board, first warned of the potential for the first LIRR union strike in more than three decades. MTA managers would have to come to the table with an offer that "reflects the value, skill and sacrifice of the workers who keep the railroad running every day."At the time, MTA chairman Janno Lieber largely dismissed the threat, saying, ‘We don’t see that happening in the near-term." He suggested the five unions, representing about half the LIRR’s 7,000-member organized workforce, would ultimately fall in line and take the same deal ratified by "other, larger Long Island Rail Road unions."Alfonso A. Castillo reports in NEWSDAY that last month, less than a year later, on the third day of a work stoppage that sent tens of thousands of Long Islanders scrambling to get to work and back home with the nation’s largest commuter railroad shut down, Lieber stood beside Gov. Kathy Hochul as she announced a deal once widely considered unfathomable: Giving workers raises of 4.5% in a fourth contract year, with only modest concessions.John Samuelsen, international president of the Transport Workers Union — the MTA’s largest labor organization, representing more than 40,000 city bus and subway workers — called it "a big win" for the LIRR labor leaders, and for transit unions throughout the state who hope the new contract means bigger raises for them.Some labor sources disputed the significance of the unions' achievement, noting some givebacks — including extending the term of the contract — dilute the value of the 4.5% raise in the last year of the four-year deal.MTA officials have said they got a win in shining a light on the federally regulated LIRR collective bargaining process and that the agreed upon deal is affordable for Long Islanders.***Thousands of Long Islanders could start losing food assistance as soon as today because of the Trump administration’s changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.Roughly 21,439 Suffolk County residents considered by the Trump administration to be "able-bodied" could lose access to the federal program, also known as SNAP, as a result of new work requirements to receive benefits.Tiffany Cusaac-Smith reports in NEWSDAY that these people could be cut off from the program formerly known as food stamps, according to the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance's December tally.Last year, President Donald Trump signed a sprawling budget bill passed by Congress that made several changes to the SNAP program.Among the key changes in the law were provisions regarding those considered "Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents," officials said. Those in that category are restricted to three months of SNAP benefits across three years if they don’t meet work or volunteer requirements, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.New York State previously held federal waivers so that people in that category could continue receiving benefits outside that time period, but most of those waivers have lapsed, officials said. The extensions ended March 1, starting the clock on the three-month timeline ending June 1st…today. The law also makes it harder for states to obtain the federal waiver, requiring an unemployment rate of above 10%. In April, New York had an unemployment rate of 4.6%, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.The law also includes increasing the age limit of those who would have to follow the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents timeline. Previously, it was limited to those aged 18 to 54. Now, the law has raised the higher age limit to 64, the USDA said.Who can be exempt, and what are the new work-requirement rules?People considered to be Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents should meet several requirements, including working or volunteering, the state said.The work rules also can be met by gaining a job skill, though it must be approved by the local department of social services and be for 80 hours a month, according to the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.The OTDA said there are several exceptions to the rules, including being pregnant or of Native American descent. Other exemptions may include not being able to work because of a physical or mental health disability, officials said.The state also recommends reaching out to the Department of Social Services for Nassau or Suffolk for additional assistance for Long Island residents.***Those hoping to learn more about career opportunities within East Hampton town will soon have the chance.Lisa Finn reports on Patch.com that the Town of East Hampton will host a job fair this coming Saturday, June 6, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon in the main meeting room at Town Hall, located at 159 Pantigo Road in East Hampton.The job fair will give residents and prospective applicants an opportunity to learn more about employment opportunities with East Hampton Town, the civil service process, and the many ways local government serves the community, officials said.Representatives from the Suffolk County Department of Civil Service will be on site, along with the town’s human resources department and representatives from the East Hampton town police, recreation, code and animal control, highway and sanitation departments.No registration is required. Interested applicants are encouraged to stop by, meet department representatives, ask questions, and learn more about current and future employment opportunities with the Town of East Hampton.***This past Thursday, Riverhead Town Board members questioned the financial details and process behind Supervisor Jerry Halpin’s proposed early retirement incentive, after Halpin brought the proposal to a public work session for the first time following two prior executive session discussions and an earlier social media announcement and press release. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the proposal, still in conceptual form, would offer early retirement incentives to eligible CSEA, PBA and SOA employees. Riverhead Town Financial Administrator Jeannette DiPaola said the idea was explored after the town completed its 2025 annual financial report and found the general fund had a $5 million surplus due largely to higher-than-projected interest earnings on investments.“I have to admit, at first I was skeptical, because I’m very conservative and don’t really want to let go of any money,” DiPaola said. “But I was asked to put the numbers together on paper, and when we did,” she said, the potential savings became clearer.Council Member Ken Rothwell questioned why the interest earnings weren’t used to reduce the 2026 budget and tax levy.“Because we never know. Interest can change tomorrow,” DiPaola said. “When I look back at how we budgeted for interest, we’ve always budgeted conservatively, because the market can tank,” she said.DiPaola presented examples showing potential savings from replacing higher-paid employees with lower-paid new hires and moving employees from higher-cost retirement tiers to lower-cost tiers.If every eligible PBA and SOA employee accepted an incentive, DiPaola estimated total savings at about $1.3 million to $1.4 million in the first year. She said the town currently has about $33.4 million in fund balance.Riverhead Town Council Member Denise Merrifield said the public needs to understand that the proposal would require an incentive payment beyond the severance and benefits employees are already owed.“Someone’s not walking out the door in early retirement without some incentive, and that incentive is money,” Merrifield said. “I need the public to understand what that is.”***Long Island allergy sufferers: the spring was as bad as you thought it was. Now get ready for summer.This week, both tree and grass pollen are high as the seasons start to transition with longer, warmer days.Lisa L. Colangelo reports in NEWSDAY that the spring was particularly difficult because it did not ramp up gradually, said Erin McGintee, an allergist and immunologist at ENT and Allergy Associates in Southampton. The cold winter slowed down the early blooming trees while the late blooming trees started earlier as soon as the weather warmed up."With particularly cold winters and an early spring, everything sort of pops at once, so to speak," she said. "When everything's out all at once, for the people who suffer from tree pollen allergy, it can be really rough. And then, on top of that, grass starts in May. So you’re getting a double whammy."That means more people struggling with runny noses, red, watery eyes and sneezing.Tree season, which can start in February, usually runs through April and into May. Grass pollen kicks up in May and goes through June followed by the first weed pollen days in August.In March, Newsday spoke with Long Island allergy experts who predicted an "intense tree pollen season" based on the amount of snow and rain over the winter.In general, grass pollen season is lasting longer and is more intense, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America....