Shuttle buses linking to Queens subway stops will run out of just three Long Island Rail Road stations if railroad workers go on strike next Thursday morning, and only during rush hours, MTA officials said yesterday. Alfonso A. Castillo reports in NEWSDAY that a week removed from a potential shutdown of the nation’s largest commuter rail system, Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials offered new details of their plan for dealing with nearly 300,000 displaced riders — the majority of whom, they hope, can work from home. "We couldn’t possibly replace the full service that the LIRR runs everyday," Shanifah Rieara, chief customer officer for the MTA said at a Penn Station news conference Thursday afternoon. "But we are trying our best to accommodate those essential workers in an effort not to leave anyone stranded."

In the event of a strike, which could commence by 12:01 a.m. Thursday, the LIRR would operate buses every 10 minutes during the weekday rush hours between three railroad stations — Bellmore to Howard Beach, JFK Airport A train station, and Hicksville and Ronkonkoma stations to the 7 train station at Mets-Willets Point. MTA officials also encouraged commuters to consider Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE) Bus routes linking to Flushing and Jamaica, where they can connect to subway lines.

The threat of the first LIRR work stoppage since 1994 follows an impasse in contract negotiations between the MTA and five labor organizations representing just under half all LIRR union workers. The MTA wants the unions to accept the same three-year deal with 9.5% in raises already accepted by most LIRR workers. The unions say those raises don't keep up with inflation or with what other railroads throughout the United States are paying their workers.

In a statement yesterday, Kevin Sexton, vice president for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said the unions’ demands are "exceedingly reasonable, essentially the status quo when it comes to the cost of living."

Federal mediators last month declared that a voluntary settlement was out of reach, opening the door for a legal strike next week unless the White House intervenes by forcing both sides back into mediation. So far, neither the unions, the MTA nor New York Gov. Kathy Hochul have requested such intervention from the Trump administration.

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Riverhead Town officials called for the return of national unity during a prayer service commemorating the 24th anniversary of the al-Qaeda Islamic terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and the Americans who bravely responded. Alek Lewis reports on Riverheadlocal.com that Riverhead Town Clerk Jim Wooten led yesterday’s morning service with roughly 40 people gathered at World Trade Center Memorial Park in Calverton. Wooten reflected on how the attacks united the nation in grief. Nearly 3,000 people were killed…497 from Long Island…and more than 6,000 others were injured in the 9/11 attacks. “In the days that followed was shock, anger, disbelief, hysteria and the solidarity of the American people rarely seen in a lifetime,” Wooten said. “There was a common pride in mobilization of support groups and charity fundraising to do what we could to relieve the pain and the loss of our fellow Americans.” Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard echoed Wooten’s theme of unity. “In the days following 9/11, our great country came...

Bells will toll in memoriam. Crowds will gather at ceremonies. Names of the dead will be recited one by one.

Nearly a quarter century after almost 3,000 people died when al-Qaeda, an Islamist extremist group hijacked jetliners that crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania…a region, a nation and the world will mark another anniversary of what happened 24 years ago today…on Sept. 11, 2001.

Matthew Chayes reports in NEWSDAY that even as memories fade and the date itself recedes into the past, more and more first responders and others who lived, worked or studied near the rubble in the months after are getting sick and dying from the airborne toxins unleashed by the explosions.

Approximately 497 Long Islanders have died as a result of the 9/11 attacks.

Nearly three dozen ceremonies have been scheduled for today through Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Here's a list of some commemorations across the east end:

• The Town of Riverhead will host a prayer ceremony to honor the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks at 10 a.m. at the Riverhead World Trade Center Memorial Park at the corner of Riley and Edwards Avenues in Calverton.
• This evening, the Sound Park Heights Civic Association will host its annual Candlelight Walk and Remembrance. A procession will begin at 6:00 p.m. from Marine Street in Reeves Park and proceed to the 9/11 Memorial Park on Sound Avenue.
• The Flanders Fire Department also holds an annual memorial service at the Flanders Memorial Park on Flanders Road and Fanning Road at 6:30 p.m.
• The Southold Town Fire Chiefs’ Council’s Southold Town Firefighters’ Memorial and Remembrance Ceremony will be held today at Jean Cochran Park on Peconic Lane in Peconic. Attendees will gather beginning at 5 p.m., with the official ceremonies starting at 6 p.m.
• The Southold 9/11 Memorial Committee and members of the community place 2,977 American flags throughout the park prior to the ceremony in honor of the people who were killed in the terrorist attacks.

During the ceremony, members of the Mattituck, Cutchogue, Southold, Greenport, East Marion, Orient, Plum Island, Fishers Island, and Shelter Island Fire Departments will pay their respects and lay wreaths honoring the fallen.

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This coming Saturday, September 13, the Long Island Divers Association plans to dive down and explore the wreck of HMS Culloden, a British ship that ran aground near Montauk in 1781 while pursuing French blockade runners.

Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that all are welcome to attend Saturday’s event, but only certified divers — or those accompanied by a diving instructor — can take part in the dive. Divers will meet at 12:30 p.m. and enter the water during high tide at 2 p.m. this Saturday.

On January 23, 1781, HMS Culloden encountered severe weather conditions while trying to intercept the French ships, which were bound for Newport, Rhode Island. The ship ran aground at what is now known as Culloden Point. The crew made it off, but they were unable to save the ship.

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A Riverhead gun shop will be in violation of New York State law if it holds a rifle raffle next week to raise money for a high school volleyball team, a state Gaming Commission official said yesterday. Carl MacGowan reports in NEWSDAY that state law says only "religious, charitable and nonprofit organizations" are allowed to hold games and raffles to raise funds for charitable endeavors, according to gaming commission spokesman Brad Maione.

JJ Armory in Riverhead is raffling off a semiautomatic weapon to raise money for the Riverhead High School volleyball team. The drawing is to be held Sept. 20.

"This entity is not authorized," Maione said. "Any operation of a raffle [by an unauthorized company] is considered unlawful — even if well-intentioned."

The Riverhead...

The Target store taking over a Bridgehampton space Kmart vacated in October is set to open in 2026.

The Bridgehampton Kmart, which was the last full-size Kmart in the mainland United States, closed last year after 25 years in operation, ending an era for a once-dominant discount retailer.

Tory N. Parrish reports in NEWSDAY that the Bridgehampton Target, which will include a CVS drugstore and Starbucks, likely will open in fall 2026 in Bridgehampton, said attorney Brian W. Kennedy, a partner with law firm Forchelli Deegan Terrana LLP in Uniondale that is representing Target in the building-approval process with the Town of Southampton.

The timeline allows for an overhaul of the former Kmart space in the Bridgehampton Commons shopping center, he said.

“It’s a significant upgrade to the interior and exterior of the site,” said kennedy.

“We’re excited to bring an easy, affordable and convenient shopping experience to new guests in the Bridgehampton community with this new Target store," Target spokeswoman Loni Monroe told NEWSDAY.

Target will occupy a 91,035-square-foot space at 2044 Montauk Hwy. in Bridgehampton.

Interior work already has started, said Jennifer Maisch, a spokeswoman for Kimco Realty, the Jericho-based real estate investment trust that owns Bridgehampton Commons. Exterior work has not yet begun.

Target's planned upgrades at the Bridgehampton location include reconstructing the loading dock and modifying the front façade, according to plans submitted to the town. The retailer also received a variance from the zoning board of appeals in June to reduce the number of parking spaces in the shopping center to 1,247, from the required 1,253 parking spaces, in order to add more shopping cart corrals at the property.

Target has nearly 2,000 stores, including 20 on Long Island.

Last year, the retailer said it would open 300 stores over 10 years.

It’s unclear if that timeline is still intact, given the company’s financial challenges this year.

Target has had three consecutive quarters of declining sales.

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Stop & Shop will close its grocery delivery storeroom in Riverhead at the end of October but will continue making deliveries to the East End from other locations. After some union drivers were notified that the Riverhead “wareroom,” which is attached to the Stop & Shop store on Old Country Road in Riverhead would be closing at the end of October the company confirmed the closure but said it will not affect delivery services on the East End. “Stop & Shop has made the difficult decision to close the Riverhead wareroom this fall ... [but] will continue to offer online pickup and delivery to all local customers after the facility closes,” stated Stop & Shop spokesperson Daniel Wolk. MICHAEL WRIGHT reports on 27east.com that the company will close another wareroom in East Northport and announced last month that it is closing several other distribution centers around the Northeast. Deliveries of groceries on the East End will continue to be handled by the company’s current drivers and not through partner delivery services like Instacart – as has been reported will be the case in other regions. Delivery drivers at the closing warerooms will remain employed by the company, according to the union representing the drivers. “Deliveries across Long Island will continue to be fulfilled from our distribution centers in the area and will remain handled directly by Stop & Shop,” Wolk said. “We remain fully committed to providing home delivery across Long Island.”

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Greater Westhampton Suffolk Alliance of Pollinators (SAP) is offering a complimentary Pollinator Garden Tour (self-guided) in the Quogue/Westhampton Area this coming Saturday., September 13th from 9am to 12 noon. Visit local private gardens to see beautiful pollinator gardens. Check in is at the...