Good morning Riverhead! Your connection to what's happening around town is here. Take a sip of coffee and read on. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Surf Movie Night 2026 and 11 more events.
Today's riddle: What day of the year is trucker's day? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. New York moves to end Regents exams as graduation gatekeeper beginning in 2028 (riverheadlocal.com) — Riverhead families should prepare for big changes as New York plans to drop Regents exams as a graduation requirement starting with the class of 2028, shifting more responsibility to local districts. Riverhead's school board, which already reduced Regents weight in course grades, will now need to decide how students will prove readiness for a diploma while tackling graduation rates, absenteeism and lagging math performance.
2. Riverhead-Potunk Lodge Fires Up Annual Fundraiser (southshorepress.com) — Riverhead and Potunk Masonic lodges are teaming up for an Oct. 3 pig roast and chicken barbecue from 2 to 6 p.m., with proceeds supporting Riverhead-based Maureen's Haven Homeless Outreach. Locals can enjoy a family-friendly meal, raffles, and community fellowship while helping fund hot dinners and services for neighbors experiencing homelessness across the region.
3. Wading River Duck Ponds restoration moves into engineering phase (riverheadlocal.com) — Riverhead residents will see long-awaited progress at the Wading River Duck Ponds after the Town Board approved $40,000 toward an engineering assessment shared with Brookhaven. The study will map drainage fixes, dredging, bulkhead work and beautification, while officials pursue county and federal grants that could transform this historic downtown park and improve water quality along North Country Road within Riverhead's jurisdiction.
4. The Explosive Sound of The Smithereens Hits The Suffolk in Riverhead (danspapers.com) — A beloved rock band, The Smithereens, is headed back to The Suffolk Theater in Riverhead on September 25, with Marshall Crenshaw joining on lead vocals. Guitarist Jim Babjak shares why the group loves playing Riverhead, what fans can expect from the show, and how he's balancing touring, new music, and life after personal loss.
5. 20 Signs You're From Long Island (society19.com) — Long Island pride gets a playful spotlight in this list of 20 signs you're truly from the Island, from pronouncing tricky town names to insisting on local pizza and bagels. Riverhead readers will especially recognize the shout-out to the Tanger outlets as the go-to spot for back-to-school shopping and weekend trips out east.
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Ok Riverhead! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: 10-4, good buddy! (Thank you Jean H. for sending it in!)
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