Fire Island News » Fire Island News & Great South Bay News

During a routine inspection of the Smith Point Bridge on November 16, Michael Martino, spokesperson for Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, announced a three-ton vehicle limit for the drawbridge that connects Shirley to the eastern end of Fire Island, including Smith Point County Park, via the William Floyd Parkway, and has been in service for 66 years.

Weight Limits Imposed on Smith Point Bridge Prompted by ‘Structural Deterioration’

Posted on November 17, 2025

Preventative measures were taken when nor’easter storm predictions surfaced, with a Long Island trajectory becoming apparent late last week.

Day in the Life

Fire Island Braces for the Coming Storm

Posted on October 12, 2025

The October edition of Great South Bay News will be available on newsstands just before Columbus Day Weekend, and this month's content is timely and season-appropriate.

Between the Canals

October Edition of Great South Bay News Examines the Working Waterfronts Law, a Bay Shore Business Leader, and All Things Halloween

Posted on October 8, 2025

The wildlife rehabilitation organization based in Smithtown visited the Great South Bay on September 16 to assist a barn owl that had become trapped in the Fire Island Light Tower. The bird of prey sought refuge in one of the carved windows along the shaft of the lighthouse tower —possibly in search of a nesting site, according to Sweetbrier’s report on social media—when it became trapped behind wire fencing, which has surrounded the tower for more than a year as repairs to the lighthouse remain unfinished.

Fire Island National Seashore

Barn Owl Trapped in Fire Island Lighthouse Rescued by Sweetbrier Nature Center

Posted on September 29, 2025

The summer season is winding down, and construction season has begun. Blue Bay Contracting provides comprehensive construction services for island residents seeking to build, renovate, or enhance their homes. Now is the time to plan for next season. Blue Bay should be the company at the top of your mind to fulfill your dream build or renovation.

Blue Bay Contracting: From a Bike & Wagon to a Premier Fire Island Construction Company

Posted on September 23, 2025

Throughout Fire Island, on the morning of September 21, 1938, dozens of residents were enjoying the last days of the season and making preparations to winterize their homes. The Village of Saltaire had leveled the dunes months earlier to accommodate demand for a scenic ocean view for the summer guests. The dunes, which serve as barriers against storms, were overlooked due to the last significant hurricane season having occurred in 1893.

Saltaire

Using Tragedy to Push a Fire Island Agenda: The Hurricane of 1938

Posted on September 21, 2025

The Fire Island beaches look as beautiful as postcards with plentiful dunes and wide expanses, in part due to massive amounts of sand used to replenish them. And summer winds have been shifting sand back to the beach ever since Super Storm Sandy and other storms took big bites out of the shore.

New York State Authorizes $1.7 Billion to Fund Fire Island to Montauk Point Storm Resilience

Posted on September 14, 2025

Running from the western tip of Fire Island to the eastern tip and back again is 65 miles total. It's not for the casual jogger or the faint of heart. However, Adam Gibbs, Niki Gibbs, Dan Ziluca, and Tim O'Donoghue have been doing it for the past 10 summers.

Saltaire

Point-to-Point Run on Fire Island

Posted on September 6, 2025

Lifeguards are trained to save the lives of human swimmers. Still, one Dunewood lifeguard recently went above and beyond by helping to rescue two baby animals during a single August 5 shift.

Swan and Deer Saved by Dunewood Lifeguard

Posted on September 3, 2025

On Fire Island's sandy outer beach of Smith Point Beach in Shirley, 18-year-old Alexander Murphy, of Sayville, was arrested by Suffolk County Police after stabbing a 17-year-old minor with a knife, shortly after 6 p.m. on the evening of August 16.

Sayville

Sayville Teen Arrested for Smith Point Stabbing

Posted on August 17, 2025

Walk to End Alzheimer’s

Kismet

Alzheimer’s Association 3rd Annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Saltaire Kicks Off Sept. 7

Posted on August 14, 2025

Rose Levine

The Unsinkable Rose Levine Brings the House Down Again

Posted on August 9, 2025

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