HUNTINGTON, NY – August 22, 2026
A new high school ranking has some local educators and parents questioning what the numbers really mean, while Suffolk County Police Department is asking for help with several new investigations across the Town of Huntington. We also looked ahead to some unique local experiences and challenged our neighbors to try something new this week.
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 conversations taking place in Huntington Matters Community Forum.
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 the Summer Carnival recap, upcoming community events, volunteer opportunities, utility scam warnings, the next Suffolk County Police Department 2nd Precinct Community Meeting, and a “What Do You Think?” question that sparked an #HMchallenge.
👇 Watch the full episode below and please subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Community Partner Spotlight
A special thank you to Vincent Bianco Law for supporting this episode of the Huntington Matters Weekly Update. You Are Not OKAY If Your License Is Not OKAY. Did you take care of that ticket? Last week’s ticket can become today’s suspension. Call today. The Law Offices of Vincent Bianco will handle it. 516-900-7870 or VincentBiancoLaw.com.
What’s Happening Around Huntington
Saturday offers two very different ways to spend the day. The Whitman Village seniors are holding a fish fry at Huntington Assembly of God, while Draw Out! returns to The Heckscher Museum of Art with artists, drawing, watercolor painting, a live model and live music.
Another Huntington Lighthouse tour sets sail Sunday, with only two tour dates remaining afterward this season.
Camp Good Mourning! is looking for volunteers for its October bereavement camp for Long Island children who have lost a parent or sibling. Volunteer team members must participate in two mandatory training sessions before camp.
The Northport Historical Society celebrates its museum Grand Re-Opening Thursday following renovations designed to improve accessibility. A Suffolk County Police Department Child Car Seat Safety Check takes place the same afternoon at Walt Whitman Shops.
Friday brings the final Summer Community Dinner of the summer to The Heckscher Museum of Art.
Looking a little further ahead, registration is open for the Huntington 9/11 Heroes Run at Northport’s Crab Meadow Beach, and the Kiwanis Club’s annual Field of Honor will once again fill the lawn at Huntington Town Hall with American flags.
The LuminoCity Dino Safari returns to Walt Whitman Shops in September with enormous dinosaurs, illuminated attractions and special story nights in collaboration with Huntington Public Library.
Residents can find details for these events and many more on the Huntington Matters Community Calendar at HuntingtonMatters.com.
Hot Topics – What Happened to Our Local High School Rankings?
The latest U.S. News & World Report high school rankings produced some surprising numbers for Long Island schools, including those across the Town of Huntington. But this year’s rankings came with an important change in the data used to calculate them.
New York State did not provide Advanced Placement information used in previous rankings, citing privacy concerns involving the release of data to a third party. With AP programs playing a significant role in many Long Island high schools, the missing information changed the picture considerably.
Walt Whitman High School Principal Dr. John Murphy addressed the rankings in a message to families, and the issue quickly raised another question: Could those lower rankings affect local students when they apply to college?
Dana reached out to Laura Lerner of Axis College Prep for some perspective on what college admissions officers actually consider and how familiar they are with Long Island’s schools.
Her answer may put some worried parents at ease.
Watch the episode for our full conversation about what changed, what the rankings really mean and whether families should be concerned.
What Do You Think? – Try Something New
This week’s question was simple:
What’s something new you tried this week?
Our answers went in three completely different directions.
June discovered Fidgets Factory in Huntington Station while shopping for her nephew and came home with a fidget of her own. Diane tried Thai food for the first time at Raan Thai, and Dana’s granddaughter’s 16th birthday led her into a reptile store for the first time and eventually to a very large new home for Spike the bearded dragon.
Then we turned the question into a challenge.
If you haven’t tried anything new yet, we dare you to try one new thing before next week’s show. It can be a food, a place, an activity or something completely unexpected.
Take a photo or video, or tell us what you did, and tag it #HMChallenge so we can find it. We may feature some of our neighbors’ adventures in an upcoming post or episode.
Neighborhood Watch – Police Ask for the Public’s Help
Suffolk County Police Department released an unusually large number of cases this week in which investigators are asking the public to help identify people or provide information.
Police are seeking suspects in several theft investigations involving 2 stores in Huntington Station, Burlington and Hobby Lobby in Commack and Dick’s Sporting Goods in Melville. Detectives released an image of the man wanted in connection with a bank robbery at Chase Bank on Vanderbilt Parkway in Commack. We have separate articles on HuntingtonMatters.com with additional photographs from the investigations so neighbors can take a closer look.
We also shared the tragic news that we lost a neighbor following a motor vehicle crash on Dix Hills Road. Detectives are asking anyone with information to contact the Second Squad at 631-854-8252.
Another case involved 34-year-old Ishmael Owens of Freeport, who was convicted of selling cocaine to an undercover Suffolk County Police Department detective on three occasions in Commack and Melville. According to Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, Owens now faces up to 45 years in prison.
PSEG Long Island issued a warning about utility scams, including scammers threatening immediate shutoffs, demanding unusual forms of payment or even appearing at a customer’s door while impersonating utility workers. If something doesn’t seem right, don’t hand over money or personal information. Contact PSEG Long Island directly using the information on your own bill.
If you recognize anyone featured in the police investigations, contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS or submit an anonymous tip through P3Tips.com.
The next Suffolk County Police Department 2nd Precinct Community Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 8 at 10 a.m. at Harborfields Public Library. If you can’t attend but have a question or concern you’d like us to bring to the meeting, email info@huntingtonmatters.com.
Connect with and Support Huntington Matters
Since 2014, Huntington Matters has been connecting neighbors, supporting local businesses, sharing information, advocating for our community, and serving residents across the Town of Huntington.
What began as an “ambitious volunteer project” has grown into a full-time hyperlocal media platform that includes HuntingtonMatters.com, our Community Calendar, Business Directory, The Common Thread magazine, Huntington Matters Community Forum, Instagram, TikTok, and regular YouTube Live updates.
Support Huntington Matters by purchasing official “Best. Neighbors. Ever.” merchandise, making a donation, subscribing to our YouTube channel, sharing our content, or partnering with us to reach the Huntington community.
To advertise, submit a tip, or suggest a topic, email info@huntingtonmatters.com.
If you live, work, or grew up in the Town of Huntington, join more than 58,300 of your neighbors in Huntington Matters Community Forum.
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.
