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

The news that an adult male deliberately jumped to his death from the Fire Island Lighthouse tower at 1:45 p.m. on August 29, the Friday before Labor Day Weekend, shocked the Great South Bay community and the greater Long Island area. He chose the tallest lighthouse on Long Island for this act of suicide. He bought his ticket before jumping off the observation platform. Suffolk County Marine Bureau officers and the West Islip Fire Department responded to the incident. To this day, his name has not been publicly disclosed by authorities. However, about a month after the incident, the publication learned that he was a cousin of one of the contributors to our sister newspaper, the Fire Island News, making him part of our extended family. The man was 59 years old and had spent his life in public service with Suffolk County. We withhold his identity out of respect for his grieving loved ones. If you or someone you know is struggling, remember that resources are available to help. Call or text the Suicide & Crisis Hotline at 988 before making such a desperate decision.

Great South Bay & Fire Island Departures of Note: 2025

Posted on December 31, 2025

Will New York Governor Kathy Hochul sign or again veto a bill to protect horseshoe crabs that, by large majorities, passed again in the State Legislature earlier this year? Hochul vetoed the same bill last year.

Long Islanders Call on Gov. Hochul to Sign the Horseshoe Crab Protection Bill into Law

Posted on November 21, 2025

“It is like surfing on dirt,” explained Michael Vitti, president of Concerned Long Island Mountain Bicyclists (CLIMB). The multiple-trail systems, flowing like waves of the ocean, are built and maintained by CLIMB. They stretch from the South Shore, east to Montauk, the furthest point of the North Shore, and then west to Hollis Hills, Queens.

The 15th Annual Long Island CLIMB Mountain Bike Festival

Posted on November 18, 2025

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

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