🌱 Westhampton-Hampton Bays Daily: Shinnecock Nation Casino Hopes

Rise and shine, Westhampton-Hampton Bays! Diane Witek here with everything you need to know to get this Saturday started off right.

First, today's weather:

Plenty of sunshine. High: 31, low: 19.

Here are the top stories today in Westhampton-Hampton Bays:

1. New York State expects to award three downstate licenses for Las Vegas-style casinos with high-stakes gambling. Earlier this month the Shinnecock Nation began a process with the state in hopes to land the tribe a seat at the negotiating table for one of the three licenses. In the meantime, the tribe is moving forward with its plan to construct, on its territory, near Southampton Village, what is called a Class II casino. (27east)
2. Residents in Easthampton can rest easily now that the Hampshire County TRIAD program has installed more than 900 Safe Entry lockboxes for residents in nine communities in the county. "The lockboxes hold house keys that can help first responders address emergencies when a condominium occupant is incapacitated," said Dave Fenton, TRIAD director and deputy sheriff for the Hampshire County Sheriff’s office. The lockboxes can be opened with a code known only to public safety personnel, allowing first responders to enter a condo faster in the event of an emergency. (NewsKudo.com)
3. On Friday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said she is "cautiously optimistic" that hospitalizations are beginning to plateau after the holiday COVID-19 surge. However, she announced that she is seeking to require all hospital health care workers to receive a booster shot. New York was the first state to mandate vaccinations for health care workers, and now, Hochul said that effort will continue with her efforts to require that health care workers be boosted within two weeks of eligibility, with no test-out option and only medical exemptions. (East Hampton Patch)

Today in Westhampton-Hampton Bays:

• Dune Road/Rogers Beach Cleanup. (Noon)

From my notebook:

• Nextdoor Neighbor, Lynn Ave, HB: "Snow plowing 24/7 — Please call, text or e-mail for snow plowing from Hampton Bays to Riverhead. Jim: 631-834-2525 or jim@longislandpaddling.com. I have over 40 years of experience plowing snow." (Nextdoor)
• bob, Neighbor: "Have a new mattress that just came out of the carton king sized puffy and cannot use it, anyone in need of one? Make an offer and pick it up. It is priced at $1,250." (Patch)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Club Z! In-Home Tutoring Services. (Visit website)
• D&J Concepts. (Visit Website)
• Add your business here.

Events:

• Sannino Vineyard Wine & Doughnut Pairing. Located at Sannino Vineyard, 15975 County Road 48, Cutchogue. (Jan. 9)
• FREE WEBINAR | “Michelangelo and the Terrible Pope” Presented by Dr. Rocky Ruggiero (Jan. 11)
• Add your event.

Announcements:

• Whitmore's End-Year Media Blitz Features LI's Hospitality Clients. (Details)
• Stressed out caring for a loved one with memory issues? (Details)
• Add your announcement.

Loving the Westhampton-Hampton Bays Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe.
• Get your local business listed in front of readers.
• Send me a news tip or suggestion at diane.witek@patch.com.

That's it for today. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— Diane Witek

About me: Impassioned Writer, Website Designer, Social Media Marketer and newly proclaimed Baker. Lover of nature and animals of all kinds.