This post is only about Sag Harbor and the Hamptons in the most tenuous of ways. It's certainly obvious that our region is under a lot of stress right now. Most folks I talk to either say we're rapidly approaching, or have just passed a tipping point, and that the very natures of our communities are, or will soon be, irreversibly changed...and not for the better. Community groups are working overtime, to try to stave off this undesirable future. Politicians, and would-be politicians are promising to change things if only we help them get elected. New committees are forming every day, and I applaud (and often join) them. Save Sag Harbor! Stop CVS! Stop LIPA! Stop the condos! Support affordable housing! Support open space! Fix the traffic, goddammit! Anyway, that's not what I'm writing about. I'm writing about me, and how all that has affected me.   more »

It's hard to believe, but I've been writing this blog for a year now. The first post was published on Saturday, May 20, 2006. Since then I've published 82 articles and received 101 reader comments. As near as I can tell, on average, about 15 people a day stop by. Some days, usually after an article has been republished in ...   more »

I haven't written anything in weeks. My apologies to my one or two regular readers (who clearly can no longer be called regular readers) and anyone else who stopped by looking for something that they obviously didn't find. My only excuse is that my daughter Corinne, her friend Andre and I have been working hard on a website for the Riverhead (NY) Free Library, and that this, along with my regular 9-5 job, and attendance at a business conference in Arlington, VA has left me with virtually no time to write. The website is pretty much done now, and will go live in a few days, (I'll add a link when it does) so I'll try to get back to blogging on a more regular basis. Please accept my apologies for my absence from these pages.

5/8/07 Update: Here's the link to the Riverhead Free Library's new website that Corinne, Andre and I created.

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Currently listening to: I Will Survive by the Puppini Sisters

3/5/07 Update: You can now see the winning film at http://www.freshfilms-portland.com.

Sag Hampton native, Alec Cohen (my son), and his friends and fellow students at the Art Institute of Portland, Uli Beutter and Kurt Nishimura, won the $10,000 first prize (and a year's supply of OJ) in the Tropicana Fresh Take Film Contest for their short film Splash. The results of the on-line voting (which counted for 40%) and the judges’ decision (60%) were announced today. To add to the excitement, Kurt also won the Re-Animate The Decemberists Contest sponsored by Capitol Records. His winning video, O, Valencia, will air on MTVu on Monday morning (3/5/07). In addition, all three filmmakers will graduate from AIP on March 23rd, and, happily, my wife Bobbie and I will be able to celebrate with them in Portland. Looking ahead to more projects, the trio has formed a production company: SandyMontana. You can view some of their work at the SandyMontana website.

A big thank you to all who saw my earlier post and took the time to vote for Splash.

For background on the Tropicana contest see my original post: Local Boy Makes Good (With Your Help) from February 16th.
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Currently listening to: Shine So Bright by Teddy Thompson

Usually when I ask my readers (all three of you) to do something, it's for the benefit of the Sag Hampton community in one way or another, whether it's a reminder to attend a meeting, or an entreaty to write to our public officials about the issue du jour. But this post...this is shamless family promotion. Don't let that stop you, though...please read on.

Sag Hampton native, Alec Cohen and two of his friends and fellow students at the Art Institute of Portland, Uli Beutter and Kurt Nishimura, created a short film to enter in the Tropicana "Fresh Take on Portland" short film competition. From among many entries, their film was selected as one of the three finalists in the competition. Now you can help determine the grand prize winner by viewing the three short films and voting for the one you think is best. (Hint: it's named Splash.)

Here's a link to the films and voting:  http://www.freshfilms-portland.com/voting

Each film is less than two minutes long, and is themed around the quintessential Portland (Oregon) morning.

Why should you vote? Well, for one thing you'll be helping three young and talented filmmakers get a little closer to their dream with the help of the contest's $10,000 first prize. If that's not enough, do it 'cause you like this blog. You do like the blog, don't you?

Voting starts today, Friday, February 16, 2007 and continues until midnight Thursday, February 22, 2007. You can vote once each day for each e-mail address you have. Now you know what to do. So, what are you still doing here?  Click on the link above and vote (for Splash)!

If you like Splash, and I'm sure you will, you can see more of Alec, Uli and Kurt's work at their website, Sandymontana.com
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Currently listening to: Twin Cinema by The New Pornographers

Are there things you love about Sag Hampton? Well, they're about to change. What are you going to do about it?

"Are you talking to me?" you're probably thinking in your best Robert De Niro Taxi Driver imitation.

Darn right, I'm talking to you.

Here's another question: did you know that there are heroes here in Sag Hampton? There are -- lots of them, but probably not enough.

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SagHampton is pleased to announce that it has entered into an informal relationship with the Sag Harbor Express. The relationship calls for the Express  to, at its editor's discretion, print or refer to posts and/or comments on this blog in the weekly paper. There will also be a link to SagHampton on SagHarborOnline.com, and a reciprocal link here.

The Express has no editorial control over what appears in this blog, other than the right to choose which posts appear in the newspaper. SagHampton, and its creator, Eric C. Cohen, have received no compensation from The Express, nor will we in the future. If that changes, I'll (happily) let you know.

If you discovered SagHampton in the pages of The Express, or on their website, and this is your first visit here, WELCOME!

I'm thinking about these things:

• Sag Harbor's new mayor
• Southampton's botched reassessment
• The condos are coming (and I'm scared)
• Affordable housing (Why not in the condos?)
  
• Church for sale
• The two-building plan for the John Jermain Library
• Getting control of the school budget
• The proposed renovations for the Pierson H.S. auditorium
• Historic preservation in Sag Harbor
• Sag Harbor's changing demographics...   more »