Jerry Halpin certified as winner of Riverhead Town Supervisor

Pope Leo XIV, the first ever U.S. Pope, addressed a group of 16,000 teens at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis this past Friday. Students from Our Lady of the Hamptons tuned in for the livestream. Pope Leo in Rome, using technology to address the students in Indiana, listed many good things technology does. For example, "it lets us stay connected with people who are far away," he said, and there are "amazing tools for prayer, for reading the Bible, for learning more about what we believe, and it allows us to share the Gospel with people we may never meet in person." "But even with all that, technology can never replace real, in-person relationships; simple things (like) a hug, a handshake, a smile -- all those things are essential to being human and to have those things in a real way, not through a screen," is important.

Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that OLH Seventh-grader Sofia Sisalima said that she found significance in the pope’s insistence that young people can and should play a big role in the Catholic Church’s present moment. Seeing the thousands of young people gathered in the arena to hear the pope speak was moving as well. “It’s amazing how a bunch of kids went to see the pope, and how their faith is very strong,” she said.

Our Lady of the Hamptons Principal Sister Kathryn Schlueter said that she thinks of Pope Leo as a priest, missionary and teacher. “This is a very important time in our church and our world,” she said. “Having an American pope for the first time is a special invitation to listen, to observe and to realize that the church is headquartered in Rome, but is truly a universal family. This generation of young Americans will be needed to step in and step up to make a difference in the world.”

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Unofficial but “certified results” in this year's Riverhead Town supervisor’s race now show Halpin the winner by 37 votes according to Riverhead Town Democratic Committee Chairperson Laura Jens-Smith. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that those numbers show Democratic challenger Jerry Halpin with 3,956 votes to incumbent Supervisor Tim Hubbard’s 3,919 votes, according to a summary provided by Jens-Smith.

Suffolk County Republican Party Chairman Jesse Garcia confirmed Friday that the numbers provided by Jens-Smith are accurate.

However, because the margin of victory is less than 0.5%, state law requires a manual recount. The Suffolk County Board of Elections posted a notice on its website stating that the mandatory manual recount will take place today at 10 a.m.

On election night, November 4, 2025, unofficial results showed Halpin ahead 3,891 to 3,870 (50.23% to 49.77%.) Those results did not count absentee ballots and military ballots that arrived after Election Day or any affidavit (provisional) ballots cast at the polls on Election Day. A total of 113 votes have been added to the Election Day tally, with 65 of them going to Halpin, expanding his lead from 21 to 37 votes.

“I am truly honored that the voters of Riverhead have entrusted me to serve our community. It is with deep humility and gratitude that I step into the role of Riverhead Town Supervisor-Elect,” Halpin said in a written statement.

Hubbard declined comment until today’s recount is completed.

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The annual “Light the Lighthouse” event is set for this coming Saturday, November 29, beginning at dusk, at Montauk Point State Lighthouse, with the switch flipped at dark by former New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. who will be honored for his many years of government service.

“The lighting became an instant tradition the first time we did it, 15 years ago,” said Joe Gaviola, president of the Montauk Historical Society and honorary lighthouse keeper. “Thousands of people join us for the event every year, and tens of thousands more drive out to the Point just to see the...