Joseph Ostapiuk

Reporter for @newsday covering Town of Oyster Bay and Glen Cove | #NYR fan | @siadvance alumni | Email me 📧 [email protected]

Articles

'History Comes Alive' celebrates Roosevelt with reenactments, interactive stories

6 days ago | newsday.com | Joseph Ostapiuk

The clip-clop of horse hooves, the bang of a cannon and the music melodies of the 1800s were heard at Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park Saturday for "History Comes Alive," a celebration of the 26th president and his impact. The event, featuring reenactors from the Civil War era through World War I, included interactive stations like 1860s-era medical tents, period-accurate weaponry and Theodore Roosevelt-themed memorabilia.
Judge's ruling advances Bethpage Park cleanup lawsuit

1 week ago | newsday.com | Joseph Ostapiuk

A federal court judge is allowing parts of Oyster Bay’s lawsuit against Northrop Grumman over the cleanup at Bethpage Community Park to move forward.
Judge grants Flower & Sons the right to survey in Oyster Bay

1 week ago | newsday.com | Joseph Ostapiuk

A state Supreme Court judge issued an order earlier this month granting the shellfishing company Frank M. Flower & Sons the right to survey the underwater lands it exclusively harvested for decades in Oyster Bay and Cold Spring harbors. The decision will allow Frank M. Flower & Sons the ability to independently study the inventory of clams and oysters remaining on the bay bottom.
New Gold Coast Library in Glen Head nears completion

1 week ago | newsday.com | Joseph Ostapiuk

Since the Gold Coast Library in Glen Head was first established in 2005, its staff and patrons have struggled with tight quarters and parking issues spurred by its close proximity to the Long Island Rail Road. This summer, the library is expected to turn the page on those problems. A $12 million project to create a new Gold Coast Library is on schedule to be completed in July, said Mike Morea, the library’s director.
Air Show performers roar into Jones Beach, paying tribute to those who made ultimate sacrifice

2 weeks ago | newsday.com | Joseph Ostapiuk |Tara Smith

Today, look to the sky. With the familiar roar of planes and fighter jets coming and going from Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma and Republic Airport in Farmingdale, more than a dozen superstars of the stratosphere will be en route to Jones Beach for the FourLeaf Credit Union Air Show Saturday and Sunday. Organizers boast that this year will have the most military performers in the show's 21-year history as it pays tribute to Memorial Day.
Massapequa Park celebrates its U.S. News & World distinction

2 weeks ago | newsday.com | Joseph Ostapiuk

Massapequa Park has a prime place in popular culture: Jerry Seinfeld grew up in the 2.2-square-mile-village; its school district was spotlighted recently when President Donald Trump said its "Chiefs" mascot and logo should stay; and the alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer lived in its boundaries. Now, it also has its place on the top of the list of places to live in New York, according to a recent report from U.S. News & World.
Cradle-Con 2025 unites fans of comics, video games, nostalgia

2 weeks ago | newsday.com | Joseph Ostapiuk

Comic books, Pokémon cards, Funko Pop figures and creative cosplays were front and center Saturday morning at Cradle-Con, an annual convention at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Uniondale. Seamus Keane, the museum's director of special events, said more than 2,000 people were expected to attend the convention Saturday — the first of a two-day event featuring dozens of vendors, artists, competitions and games.
Plan to transfer Stillwell Woods Park sparks concern about preserve's future

3 weeks ago | newsday.com | Joseph Ostapiuk

Michael Vitti recalls the fight nearly two decades ago when Nassau County sought to transfer the nearly 300-acre Stillwell Woods Preserve in Syosset to the Town of Oyster Bay. Vitti, who runs a local group that promotes safe mountain biking on Long Island, had led a letter-writing campaign urging officials to keep the preserve — its trailways popular with bikers and hikers — "forever wild." A transfer, he and opponents of the plan argued in 2008, could lead to the development of open space.
Glen Cove tightens noise restrictions on lawn equipment

3 weeks ago | newsday.com | Joseph Ostapiuk

The Glen Cove City Council has unanimously voted to tighten restrictions on "unreasonable noises."The changes to a local law restrict the weekend hours homeowners and landscapers can use lawn mowers, leaf blowers and other equipment, according to city documents, and adds wood chippers to the list of hardware affected by the code.
East Norwich Fire Department to spend $1.6M on new truck

3 weeks ago | newsday.com | Joseph Ostapiuk

The East Norwich Fire Department will spend $1.6 million to purchase a new fire truck that will arrive this summer, replacing one of its aging ladder apparatuses. The vehicle, a 2024 Ferrara rear-mount ladder truck, will have a separate compartment for extrication tools, capacity for a 500-gallon water tank and a pump capable of spraying 2,000 gallons of water per minute. It will serve as a dual-use apparatus for the department.