HUNTINGTON, NY – June 12, 2026
Early voting begins this week for the June 23 primary election, and Huntington Matters candidate interviews are helping residents get to know the people asking for their vote. A Knicks watch party at Heckscher Park brought more than 1,000 neighbors together for a milestone community celebration. Huntington Matters also took viewers inside the Suffolk County Police Department Civilian Police Academy, a free program that gives residents a firsthand look at how policing works in Suffolk County.
Huntington Matters continues its weekly YouTube Live podcast series to keep residents informed about what’s happening across the Town of Huntington from public safety updates to real conversations happening between neighbors.
Hosted by June Margolin, Dana Richter, and Diane Schaber, the Weekly Update connects residents from Cold Spring Harbor to Commack, Asharoken to Melville, and everywhere in between.
This week’s episode also featured upcoming Pride and Juneteenth celebrations, the Northport Blessing of the Fleet, community fundraisers, unique tours, parking concerns surrounding the increasingly popular Huntington Flea, heat safety reminders during this week’s extreme temperatures, and opportunities for residents to engage with local government and law enforcement.
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What’s Happening Around Huntington
Early voting for the June 23 primary election is underway, and Huntington Matters continues its series of candidate interviews to help residents get to know the people asking for their vote. Recent interviews have featured Mike LiPetri, Republican candidate for New York’s 3rd Congressional District, and Lukas Ventouras, Democratic candidate for New York’s 1st Congressional District. Democratic congressional candidate Chris Gallant, who is also running in the 1st Congressional District primary, is scheduled to join Huntington Matters live on Facebook and YouTube on Monday, June 15 at 11:00 AM.
Also highlighted this week were the Northport Blessing of the Fleet, the Long Island Pride Parade and Festival in Huntington Village, the Police Surgeons Benevolent Association and Centurion Cruisers Car Show at St. Anthony’s High School, Lefferts Tide Mill tours, Yappy Hour at Six Harbors Brewing Company, the Town of Huntington Love My Pet photo contest, and upcoming Juneteenth celebrations happening throughout Huntington.
Residents can find details for these events and many more on the Huntington Matters Community Calendar at HuntingtonMatters.com.
Hot Topics from Huntington Matters Community Forum
One of the biggest community conversations this week centered on the Knicks watch party held at the Rainbow Stage at Heckscher Park.
The event was organized by Town of Huntington Human Services Director Kevin Thorbourne and Deputy Superintendent of Highways Walter Edwards and drew more than 1,000 people to the park. The idea came together quickly, but the event itself required significant coordination behind the scenes involving town staff, Suffolk County Police Department personnel, community partners and event organizers.
The hosts shared comments from town officials praising the work that went into making the event happen. Walter Edwards described the gathering as a moment where, in Huntington, race, age and gender did not matter because Knicks Nation came together as one family. The team noted that many residents immediately started asking whether another watch party might happen if the Knicks continued, but also reminded viewers that events of that size require planning, staffing, safety coordination and availability at the park.
Another major conversation involved the Huntington Flea at 1057 New York Avenue near the Huntington train station. The flea market has quickly become a major success, drawing large crowds and giving residents another popular local destination to visit on Sundays. With that success, however, has come growing concern from nearby neighbors about parking, pedestrian safety, blocked driveways and visitors walking across private property.
The hosts emphasized that the Huntington Flea is a private event, not a Town-run event, and encouraged visitors to be respectful of the surrounding neighborhood. That means parking legally, not blocking driveways, crossing at crosswalks, watching for pedestrians and remembering that people live on the nearby residential streets. The market itself has become a popular addition to Huntington, but the team noted that successful public destinations still need neighbors and visitors to be considerate.
The team also shared this week’s “What Do You Think?” discussion question: What’s your favorite view in Huntington and where do you have to stand to see it?
The conversation quickly turned into a nostalgic and lively exchange about some of Huntington’s hidden gems and favorite local spots. Answers ranged from the old fire escape at the IMAC Theater, now The Paramount, to the kayak racks at Centerport Beach, RoZewood Farm in Cold Spring Harbor, the cliffs near James Street in Northport, West Neck Beach, and countless waterfront and wooded locations across town. It was one of those conversations that reminded everyone how many special places are tucked away throughout Huntington, often hiding in plain sight. What’s yours? Let us know in the comments.
Neighborhood Watch and Charity Spotlight: Inside the SCPD Civilian Police Academy
This week’s Neighborhood Watch and Charity Spotlight segment focused on the Suffolk County Police Department Civilian Police Academy and the Civilian Police Academy Alumni Association.
Several members of the Huntington Matters team have completed the program, including June Margolin, Dana Richter, Diane Schaber and Matt Harris. The academy is free and offered by the Suffolk County Police Department. The Alumni Association is a nonprofit organization made up of academy graduates that supports the program, helps provide resources and equipment, and offers graduates ongoing opportunities for education, field trips, events and community engagement.
The Civilian Police Academy is a 16-week program offered in spring and fall classes. It meets one evening per week and is open to Suffolk County residents age 21 and older. Preference is often given to applicants who are active in the community, including volunteers, community leaders, business owners, educators and others who can bring what they learn back into their neighborhoods.
The program gives residents a mini version of the training and exposure police officers receive at the academy. Participants learn about the history of the Suffolk County Police Department, how policing has evolved, how the department is organized, and how specialized units operate. The academy includes classroom sessions, field trips and demonstrations covering topics such as K-9 operations, aviation, Emergency Services, the bomb squad, SWAT, mobile command, crime scene investigations, fingerprinting, evidence collection, homicide investigations, domestic violence, human trafficking, identity theft, gang investigations, bias crimes and emergency communications.
The team described some of the most memorable parts of the program with photos and video, including the 911 dispatch center, ride-alongs with local precinct officers, firearms simulation training, active scenario training, emergency vehicle operations and visits to police facilities. The firearms simulation exercises were described as eye-opening, exciting, challenging and sometimes surprisingly stressful, placing participants into realistic situations where they must make split-second decisions. Other portions of the academy were described as fascinating, fun and even hilarious at times, while still providing a serious look at the realities of modern policing.
Another major part of the academy is the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course in Westhampton, where participants ride with instructors during high-speed pursuit training and, in some cases, get to drive police vehicles through controlled training courses. The team also discussed the police range, K-9 demonstrations, helicopter operations and the intense background, psychological and training requirements involved in becoming a police officer.
For Huntington Matters, the program directly connects to Neighborhood Watch. The hosts explained that understanding how policing works helps them answer community questions more accurately, share better public safety information, and strengthen relationships between residents and law enforcement. They encouraged any community-minded Suffolk County resident interested in public safety to consider applying.
The next Suffolk County Police Department 2nd Precinct Community Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 7 at 10 a.m. at Harborfields Public Library. Residents who cannot attend but have questions or concerns can email info@huntingtonmatters.com and Huntington Matters will do its best to bring those questions to the meeting.
Emergency Preparedness
With temperatures climbing into the 90s, Diane Schaber focused this week’s preparedness segment on heat safety.
Residents were reminded that fans alone may not be enough during extreme heat and that air-conditioned spaces such as libraries, shopping centers, and cooling centers can provide relief when needed. The team also reviewed the warning signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke and encouraged neighbors to check on older adults, vulnerable residents, and anyone who may not have access to air conditioning during prolonged periods of high heat.
Connect with and Support Huntington Matters
For more than 11 years, Huntington Matters has grown from what the hosts jokingly described during the livestream as an “ambitious volunteer project” into a full-time community resource hub serving residents across the Town of Huntington.
What began as volunteer work for 8 years has grown into a full-time hyperlocal media platform serving Huntington through HuntingtonMatters.com‘s Community Calendar, Business Directory, The Common Thread magazine, Huntington Matters Community Forum, Instagram, TikTok, and regular YouTube Live updates. Despite that growth, the mission has remained the same for more than 11 years – connecting neighbors, supporting local businesses, sharing information, advocating for the community, and strengthening Huntington through engagement and communication.
If what Huntington Matters does resonates with you, please support Huntington Matters by purchasing official “Best. Neighbors. Ever.” merchandise, making a donation, subscribing to the YouTube channel, or sharing our content with friends and neighbors.
Local businesses looking to reach Huntington residents can partner with Huntington Matters through advertising opportunities designed to help businesses get noticed, stay visible, and build trust with neighbors across the Town of Huntington.
To advertise, submit a tip, or suggest a topic, email info@huntingtonmatters.com.
Please note: Events are removed from the Community Calendar approximately three months after the event date, so some older links may no longer be active.
