Fire Island

The Town of Brookhaven wants to make Ho-Hum Beach more accessible to all of its residents. The public beach, part of the Fire Island National Seashore, can only be reached by a ferry operated by the Village of Bellport.

WSHU’s Sabrina Garone spoke with Damian Panitz, who is one of Long Island's most active users on an app called MyCoast, documenting changes in the coastline at Watch Hill on Fire Island.

New York state will step up funding for beach replenishment and repairs after recent storms caused severe erosion on Long Island’s south shore. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $5 million to fund projects in Suffolk County.

The Fire Island to Montauk Point project, known as FIMP, has been six decades in the making. It is meant to be a long-term solution to beach erosion, and better protect vulnerable downtown areas from flooding.

Fire Island beaches could see more traffic during the off-season. The National Park Service will consider changes to driving regulations that have been in place for almost four decades.

First responders on Fire Island say beach erosion is making their job more difficult, and are calling on lawmakers to make immediate repairs. They are asking for the Army Corps to speed up dune bolstering efforts before the winter months.

After almost three decades, the dismembered remains of “Fire Island Jane Doe'' have been identified but law enforcement have yet to connect her to the suspect in the Gilgo Beach serial killer investigation.

The Fire Island inlet, created by Superstorm Sandy a decade ago, has closed, stopping the flow of water between the Atlantic Ocean and Bellport Bay. Brookhaven will now need to study its impacts and delay its expansion of shellfish restoration.

Ten years ago this Saturday, Fire Island was evacuated because of the destruction brought by Superstorm Sandy. WSHU's Higher Ground host J.D. Allen took a tour of the reconstruction still underway a decade later.

On Friday, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announces the next round of over 1,700 doses of the monkeypox vaccine. Vaccines are by appointment only.