Queer Nation To Fly Boycott Banner Over Fire Island Pines Businesses

Via press release from Queer Nation:

A plane trailing a banner reading “Boycott Hi/Lo Tea! Fight For Full LGBT Rights!” will fly above the beach at Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines on Sunday, June 7, between 2 pm and 3 pm. The action will underscore the LGBT community’s outrage over the April 20 meeting between Republican presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and gay businessmen Ian Reisner and Mati Weiderpass, who subsequently donated money to the Cruz campaign. The two gay men also held an April 14 fundraiser at their Manhattan penthouse for Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), another anti-LGBT politician.

Reisner and Weiderpass own most of the businesses in the Pines—including the Blue Whale, Sip-N-Twirl, and the Pavilion, where the “High Tea” and “Low Tea” cocktail hours are held—as well as the gay-oriented Out Hotel in Midtown Manhattan.“Two gay business owners are making money off of the LGBT community at a world-famous gay vacation spot and then giving that money to outspoken anti-LGBT politicians,” said Ken Kidd, a member of Queer Nation, the gay rights group that orchestrated the flyover. “Our community is out to win comprehensive federal legislation that will make LGBT Americans fully equal under the law. We will not be taken backward by funding anti-LGBT politicians.”

Has attendance at these Fire Island businesses been affected so far? Readers?

Mary Lee Shark Visits The Big Apple

Mary Lee is a tagged Great White shark currently prowling the surf just off Jones Beach. Gothamist calls her a "16-foot-long, 3,500 pound murder machine, with 300 teeth and a lust for the blood of your children." You can join Mary Lee's 37K followers on Twitter or track her exact location at OSEARCH. Candygram!

CHERRY GROVE: Fire Destroys Two Hotels, Gay Nightclub, And Several Residences

A massive fire swept through Cherry Grove's commercial district on Fire Island last night, destroying several private homes, the Holly House Hotel, and the Grove Hotel, the last of which was home to the famed Ice Palace nightclub. For decades the Ice Palace hosted the Miss Fire Island pageant and served as the kickoff location for the annual Fire Island Pines Drag Invasion. Local authorities say that the source of the blaze, which reportedly broke out on the nearby boardwalk, is unknown. About 80 firefighters were on the scene and two suffered injuries, but no residents were hurt, possibly because most of Fire Island is unoccupied at this time of year. Last night's fire was yet another in a recent string of disasters to strike Fire Island's two predominantly gay towns. The commercial district of neighboring Fire Island Pines was destroyed in a 2011 fire and both towns were flooded during 2012's Hurricane Sandy.

(Via Towleroad)

UPDATE: Contrary to the above-linked Newsday report that the Grove Hotel is a "complete loss," this news item says the Ice Palace nightclub portion of the complex suffered only minor damage.

Fire Island Business District Auctions To Manhattan Hotelier Ian Reisner For $10M

Via the New York Times:

A strip of commercial real estate along the harbor in Fire Island Pines sold for $10.1 million at auction on Thursday to developers with plans to continue the revival of a former mecca for closeted gay men. The sale price was well below the $25 million the previous owners sought when they placed it on the market last fall, and below the $17 million they paid for it in 2010. In a deal hammered out over more than six hours, the property was bought by Ian Reisner, who also owns the Out NYC, a hotel on West 42nd Street in Manhattan that focuses on a gay clientele. The deal is expected to close in February.

In a telephone interview, Mr. Reisner said he, his business partner and a small team of investors planned to spend $4 million over the next 18 months to “renovate and rejuvenate” the property, which includes a hotel, a nightclub, a restaurant, a bar and retail space. The Pavilion nightclub in Fire Island Pines was rebuilt after a 2011 fire and reopened, but in the interim the crowd moved on. “My idea for the Out was to have a place for L.G.B.T., because we didn’t have that at the time,” said Mr. Reisner, who said he has been visiting Fire Island Pines since he came out as gay in 1989. “The Pines is the Out.”

Reisner was last in the news back in October when a 25 year-old Hell's Kitchen club manager died of an apparent drug overdose in his $25M Central Park South penthouse.

Radio Station Suspends Hoax Deejays

The two Long Island radio hosts who pulled that anti-gay party invite hoax have been suspended. From the station's Facebook page:

Wednesday, February 12, 2014, the K-98.3 (WKJY) Morning Show with Steve and Leeana aired a story about a girl’s birthday party and one parent’s objection to the same-sex situation of that girl’s parents. After this aired, it was brought to K-98.3 management’s attention that all the details of the story were completely fabricated independently by Steve and Leeana. This was done without the knowledge of K-98.3 management or ownership. The story, presented as a real event, was, in fact, fictitious. An internal investigation was quickly launched which has resulted in the immediate suspension of Steve Harper and Leeana Karlson from the K-98.3 Morning Show. In an effort to move forward, K-98.3 has been speaking with local community organizations, such as the Long Island GLBT Services Network, to ensure the fabricated story does not result in further damages with respect to the GLBT community.

The head of the Long Island GLBT Services Network has praised to the station's response. The station's parent company has also issued an apology. Commenters at the Facebook link are arguing over whether the pair should be fired.

Party Invite Story Was A Hoax

Josh Barro called it - that party invite story that made headlines a few days ago was a hoax pulled by two radio hosts at the Long Island station that first publicized it.

The alleged homophobic note sent by a mother in response to a birthday invite from two gay dads was apparently all just a hoax concocted by a local New York radio station. The note was posted to the station's Facebook page Wednesday. Readers expressed their disgust and offered support to the same-sex parents. It was shared across the Internet and covered by the media. Now, the entire incident has been revealed as a hoax drummed up by K-98.3's Steve Harper and his "Morning Show" co-host, Leeana. The two posted an apology note on the station's website Friday.

Here's the apology.

Dear K-98.3 Listeners, On Wednesday, we told you the story of Sophia's birthday party, and one parent's objection to the same-sex household of Sophia's parents. We also posted the invitation on our Facebook page, and invited comments from our followers. This story was, in fact, totally fictitious, and created by the two of us. This was done without the knowledge of K-98.3 management or ownership. We were attempting to spur a healthy discourse on a highly passionate topic, but we made a mistake by misleading our listeners into thinking that this specific situation actually existed. We are very sorry that we perpetuated this falsehood, even after it was clear that it had taken on a 'life of its own.' We deeply apologize for violating your trust, and we will work hard to regain that trust. Sincerely, Steve & Leeana.

Some are calling for the hosts to be fired.

Long Island Mom Nastily Rejects Party Invite From Child With Two Dads UPDATE: Josh Barro Calls Shenanigans

Long Island radio station K98 has posted the above to their Facebook page with this message:

Steve & Leeana [radio hosts] got this from a set of dads in Baldwin who were really upset over how one mom, Beth, chose to respond to their daughter's birthday party invite. Do you think she was right to write this? Would a simple phone call RSVP'ing "no" been better? BTW: Beth gave us permission to post her phone number and said anyone who has a problem with what she wrote can call her, too!

Commenters at the above link are divided over whether the station should have blurred out the bigot's phone number even though she apparently welcomes complaining calls.

UPDATE: MSNBC commentator Josh Barro believes that the station is pulling a hoax.

Lots of people sharing this around like it's confirmed. Have we not learned the Dayna Morales lesson? These notes are hoaxes. In this case, the radio station that ran the note said the nastygram author followed up with them, saying to go ahead and share her number with the public, so they could call if they had a problem with her. The phone number is 516.362.1357. It's a VoIP line with a voicemail box that sounds like an old-school answering machine. The voicemail box is not full. Also: The party hosts withheld their own names and yet are somehow willing to have their daughter Sophia's name splashed all over the internet. And their handwriting looks like my mom's. Have you ever met a gay man with handwriting like that? Fake. Fake. Fake.

Normally I don't report on these things and I ignored the lesbian waitress hoax that Barro mentions. What do you think? Barro makes some good points. (Except that I do know gay men with handwriting like that.)

Sean Hannity To Sell Long Island Home

Just days after he declared that he was leaving New York because Gov. Cuomo doesn't like "extreme conservatives," Sean Hannity has put one of his Long Island mansions on the market for $3.6M.

The gated 2.05-acre home comes with a pool, observation deck and stairs to the beach, says D'Agostino, who is co-listing the property with Joyce Mennella. "You can have houses on the water but are up high on a bluff and don't have access to the beach," she says. The 4,824-square-foot brick Colonial, built in 2001, has six fireplaces. One is in the study in the master suite, which opens to a terrace. Annual property taxes are $56,989, according to the real estate listing.

Despite all the media hoopla about the sale, Hannity doesn't even live in that house. In 2008 he bought another, much bigger mansion for $8.5M.  Damn this Obama economy. (Tipped by JMG reader Ray)

NY Official Sworn In By iPad

When it came time for Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano to be sworn in for his second term yesterday, nobody could find a bible. Therefore Mangano took his oath on an iPad with a bible app on the screen. Sample comments from Teabagistan: "New York is so far left they have probably banned or burned all the Bibles." "These people don't want or need Bibles. They are lost souls and keep voting in losers and radicals." "Can't use a real bible. It burns their hands." "Obama's trying to get it changed to have them swear on a copy of The Communist Manifesto."  Mangano is a Republican.

NEW YORK: Police Seek Suspect In Murder Of Long Island Gay Man

Police are seeking a suspect in the murder of noted equestrian Ross Reisner (above right), who was shot through the window of his Long Island home on Tuesday as he chatted with his partner of 24 years (above left).

Ross Reisner, 50, and Kevin Murray were sitting on a leather couch in the living room at their house in Setauket, L.I., at about 8:45 p.m. Tuesday when the shots were fired. Detectives were seeking to question a longtime friend about the slaying, Reisner’s grieving family told the Daily News. “He was an old friend and now this craziness,” Ian Reisner, the slain man's brother, said as he sat shiva at his mother’s midtown Manhattan apartment. “There was something weird going on, some bad blood.” The friend had known Reisner for over 20 years and had a beef with him, Reisner’s brother said. “This was not Dad’s pistol under the pillow,” he said of the murder weapon. “This was a high-caliber weapon.” A police source confirmed detectives are seeking to talk to a disgruntled friend. Murray, 50, was grazed in the hail of bullets.

Reisner was a trainer of competitive equestrians and his riders will compete in the national finals next month.

LONG ISLAND: Four Males Charged In Hate Crime Bashing Of Gay Couple

Suffolk County police have charged four males in the hate crime assault of two gay men in Babylon, Long Island.

The four suspects were walking down Deer Park Avenue in Babylon around 3:30 a.m. Sunday, when they asked two men for directions to the train station, according to Suffolk County police. They went on to punch, kick and shove the two men while using anti-gay slurs, police said. A witness saw the attack and called 911. Police later arrested Gregory Gilbert, 20; Shane Buckley, 18; Nicholas Battaglia, 18; and Justin Buckley, 17, all of Oceanside. All the suspects were charged with two counts of third-degree assault as a hate crime, while Gilbert, Battaglia and Shane Buckley were also charged with second-degree gang assault.

One of the victims was treated and released, the other remains hospitalized with unspecified serious injuries. Their names and ages have not yet been disclosed.

The Long Island GLBT Network has issued a press release:

“The alleged anti-gay hate crime in Babylon is disturbing and frightening. Many people think that just because we are winning the right to marry in many states, that the world has changed and everything is now okay for gay people. This incident reminds us that we need to be vigilant in combatting hate and homophobia and that there still is a tremendous amount of work to do to make our Long Island a safe and welcoming community for all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and families. It is our hope that the Suffolk County District Attorney will continue to prosecute this as the hate crime that it is, and show no mercy to the attackers – they need to be sent away to prison, and by doing so, this will send a message all across Long Island that hate and violence will not be tolerated against any group.”

At The 2013 Drag Invasion Of The Pines

Yesterday my pal Jerry accompanied me to the Invasion Of The Pines, the 37th annual marking of the day in 1976 when a drag queen was denied service at a restaurant in Fire Island Pines. Every Fourth of July since then, hundreds of drag queens board a chartered ferry in Cherry Grove and "invade" the Pines for a day exploding with glitter, feathers, and lots and lots of drinking.  I've posted about 150 photos from our day in chronological order of the madness. Lots of handsome men and hilarious drag at the link. You'll probably want to check out Paula Deen's full outfit....

FIRE ISLAND: Cherry Grove Community House Makes National Historic Registry

Fire Island's Cherry Grove Community House will be placed on the New York and national registries of historic places in recognition of its role in creating "America's first gay and lesbian town." Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand applauds via press release:

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) announced today that the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service placed Cherry Grove Community House and Theater on the National Register of Historic Places. Last month, Senator Gillibrand urged the Chief of the National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program to designate the Fire Island site on the official list of the country’s historic places worthy of preservation. Located on Fire Island, this historic site provided one of the first settings for collective gay identity to openly appear in our nation’s history. “This is great news. The Cherry Grove Community House and Theater represents the first civic entity to integrate gay and lesbian interests into governance and social life,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am thrilled that this historic site, the first civil rights organization for the LGBT community, is finally acknowledged for their contributions.”

Newsday notes that the structure was built in 1945 across the bay in Sayville and floated on a barge to Fire Island. More from their story:

In the conservative climate of the mid-1940s, the community provided a rare sanctuary, where "the integration and self-affirming presentation of homosexual men and lesbians in Cherry Grove's social life" gave it "exceptional historic significance," according to the application. The community house was built in Sayville because construction resources were tough to come by on Fire Island after World War II, Yaeger said. The theater was added in 1948, and Yaeger believes it's one of the oldest "continuously used gay theaters in the United States, and probably in the world."

Long Island Cops Use Village Voice Site To Stage Massive Prostitution Sting

Using the Village Voice's Backpage.com site, cops in Nassau County lured in 104 men with prostitution offers from undercover male and female officers. The arrested men range in age from 17 to 79.

More than 100 johns — lawyers and doctors among them — were named and shamed in an aggressive Nassau County sting after soliciting sex from cops posing as prostitutes. The arrests were announced Monday after a month-long investigation dubbed “Operation Flush the Johns.” Not only did the 104 busts send shockwaves through marriages, law firms and medical offices, they also sent a strong message from law enforcement that people who pay for sex will be treated like common criminals in Nassau County. “This whole concept of looking at johns as victims — they’re not victims!” explained Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice. “They’re further exploiting and victimizing trafficked women and men.”

One of the ads for a male prostitute claimed that "Dylan" is a "down to earth guy who has a secret wild side."  A lawyer for one of the arrested men denounced the Nassau County prosecutor for creating the above poster with the faces and names of those charged: "To put out a poster to humiliate these men and their families is outrageous. It was nothing short of outrageous for the prosecutor to try to humiliate these men." 

And following that quote, the Daily News posted its own embedded scrollable list of the names, ages, and home towns of those arrested.  The majority of the commenters on the above-linked article are outraged.

RELATED: After losing major advertisers, last year Village Voice Media legally separated itself from Backpage.com, which has long been the target of state attorneys general and religious groups. According to Wikipedia, Backpage.com is now owned by two major Voice shareholders.

Fire Island Devastated By Sandy

Fire Island, which is arguably the most famous gay vacation destination in the world, was devastated by Hurricane Sandy. The damage is so severe that the spokesman for the National Seashore believes that at least one new permanent inlet between the bay and the ocean has been created, effectively dividing Fire Island into two separate islands. Steve Weinstein has the story at Edge:

The Pines may have experienced at least one extensive breach on its eastern end, with another even more severe breach just east of the Pines, according to Jay Pagano, who heads the local property owners assocation. In an email statement, Pagano said that pools and decks of houses fronting the ocean along a wide swath of the Pines were extensively damaged.  In a later email, he reported that flooding is "quite extensive," with "debris and trees down throughout the community." Many of the boardwalks that are Fire Island’s sidewalks are destroyed, as are all of the Pines’ stairs that lead from the boardwalks to the beach, Pagano reported.

Much more serious is the destruction of the dunes "along the length of the community." The dunes are the front line of protection. The Pines has been involved for several years in expensive dune restoration. [snip] In an telephone interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Karen Boss described the Pines Harbor as "completely submerged." Photos of the harbor show water going well onto land. In addition, there are reports that many of the bulkheads along the bay built have been destroyed. The bulkheads, built on community and privately owned property, serve to protect the island from erosion. But they couldn’t withstand the surging onslaught of water caused by Sandy’s high winds. This is the second year in a row that a mid-fall natural disaster devastated the Pines. Last year, a fire swept through the downtown harbor area. The destruction encompassed much of the commercial property, including the town’s main bar and nightclub.

Many photos of the destruction can be seen here and here.

NEW YORK: Pharmacist Busted In Massive $274M Medicaid Scam To Resell HIV Meds

The New York Attorney General's office has announced the arrest of a Long Island MOMS pharmacist and three others who have been accused reselling HIV medications which had been paid for by Medicaid. The drugs resold on the black market may have been expired or otherwise unusable, putting patients at grave risk for potentially fatal infections.

A pharmacist at the high-volume national HIV drug marketing business, which has sites in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and on Long Island, is charged along with three outside conspirators of running a $274 million black market venture. By relabeling prescription drugs of uncertain quality and origin, the defendants allegedly preyed on patients with HIV and cost the Medicaid program $155 million in New York. MOMS, whose parent is listed as Allion Healthcare, a Melville, L.I.-based company, billed New York State Medicaid for at least $155 million for these unusable drugs, according to New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. The AG's office says Allion cooperated in the investigation.

MOMS Pharmacy, which also has an outlet in the Castro, says they too are a victim of the scam and will fully cooperate with federal Medicaid fraud investigators. The four men are charged with grand larceny, money laundering, commercial bribery, and other crimes.

UPDATE: A spokesman from MOM pharmacy writes us with this message.

Anthony D. Luna, President of MOMs Pharmacy, said, “As the alleged fraud was financial in nature, we have no evidence at this time indicating that the distribution of these products caused adverse health consequences to our patients. In fact, MOMS Pharmacy’s stellar track record in improving patients’ outcomes, clinical tests, and the lack of patient or physician complaints during the time period in question all suggest that the drugs we dispensed were effective.”

NEW YORK: Students Suspended Over "Tebowing" Prayer Demonstrations

Four Long Island high school students have been suspended for creating a "hallway hazard" when dozens of other students mimicked their pious public display and fell to one knee.

“It was basically just a tribute to Tim Tebow,” Carroll Connor, 17, who planned the prank with his brother and friends, told The Post. “It was more than a religious thing. There was some of that involved obviously, because he prays. I guess it was basically like a moment of silence. “I just don’t think it’s fair,” said Connor, a senior linebacker, of the school throwing the penalty flag. “We were never given any warning. They said they did, but that’s completely false.” The brothers have to serve their suspensions; the others were rescinded because the other participants had not been given warnings, officials said. About 40 students had been gathering in the hallway all week emulating Tebow.

The school's principal says the repeated demonstrations were slowing the class changes and constituted a fire hazard. Stand by for the screams of religious oppression.

LIRR Tests Quiet Cars

Long Island Railroad is testing a quiet car program similar to Amtrak's long-running policy. No loud talking and no audible electronic devices will be allowed in the designated cars.

Conductors will give “Shh” cards to passengers who do not comply with the rules but the program will be voluntary. Announcements will remind customers of the location of the quiet carriages, asking them to refrain from using cell phones and other electronic devices and to keep the sound from headphones to a minimum. Talking is allowed in the quiet cars, but conversations must be subdued. Officials will seek feedback to decide whether to make the pilot program a permanent feature.

I've taken Amtrak's so-called quiet car to DC a couple of times. The train was packed and people waddled right in dragging screaming babies.

Nightclubs Destroyed On Fire Island

Last night a fire roared through the commercial district of Fire Island Pines, the popular gay resort village on a barrier island one hour east of New York City. Among the destroyed businesses were two nightclubs, including the popular Pavilion, which was rebuilt at great expense just a couple of years ago. Michael Lavers reports at Fire Island News:

Initial reports indicate the blaze broke out around 9:15 p.m. It quickly engulfed the Pavilion, C.F. LaFountaine, Sip N' Twirl, the Pines Bistro and a bay front home. Walter Boss of the Fire Island Pines Fire Department confirmed to The News around 11:20 p.m. that the fire destroyed the Pavilion, La Fountaine, the Sip N' Twirl complex that includes the Bistro and a bay front home. Businesses north of the Pavilion along the harbor appear to have been unscathed. Dozens of firefighters from the Pines, Ocean Bay Park, Davis Park, Point O' Woods, Cherry Grove, Ocean Beach, Fair Harbor, Saltaire, Kismet, East Islip, West Islip, Hagerman, Sayville, Bellport, Great River and Bay Shore responded. There are no reported injuries.

Below is a pre-fire photo of the building that housed the Pavilion and several other businesses.

NEW YORK: Church Rakes In $150K From Federal Anti-Terrorism Fund

Claiming that they are at risk of a terrorist attack, a Long Island evangelical church that regularly broadcasts an anti-Muslim radio show was granted $150,000 from a Homeland Security fund. The money, they say, will be used to add video surveillance and other security features. Lots of groups are raking in the dough from the fund and even the wingnuts are pissed.

"It's ridiculous," James Carafano, a security expert with the conservative Heritage Foundation, said of some of the grants. "It makes no sense." Carafano says the entire grant program has little value and would be better spent on active counterterrorism efforts. Henry Willis at the Rand Corp. also takes issue with the spending. "We haven't done a good job of understanding how our investments in these programs come together to increase our capability," Willis said. Hundreds of New York nonprofits got $18.9 million of the $2 billion nationwide total because they were deemed to be at "high risk" of terrorist attack. The money, usually $75,000 a group, is supposed to pay for equipment such as security cameras and metal detectors.