By Paddy McCarthy
I am beginning my Out&About with some good news about what is happening in Long Island. The reason I am doing that is that I got a lot of mail to tell me I don’t do enough for Long Island, so here we go with this great announcement that New York State announced more than $4 million in support of Long Island’s aquaculture industry. The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball joined the Farm and Food Growth Fund, aquaculture and seafood industry representatives, and other partners to announce $4.2 million in support of Long Island’s aquaculture industry. This includes the award of $1.2 million through the Long Island Aquaculture Infrastructure Grant program for the purchase of equipment for 17 small businesses. The Commissioner also highlighted the upcoming Round 2 of the program, which will make $3 million available for infrastructure upgrades, including construction, renovation, and installed fixtures. Funding for this program comes as part of the State’s Blue Food Transformation initiative, first announced in Governor Hochul’s 2024 State of the State proposal, which was created to reinvigorate New York’s aquaculture and wild-caught seafood industries and strengthen local food systems.
The Long Island Aquaculture Infrastructure Grant Program will fund up to $4.2 million through two grant opportunities – Equipment-Only Grants and Infrastructure Grants – to bolster marine agriculture, promote a healthy natural environment, and provide New Yorkers with a nutritious source of locally grown seafood industry. The North Shore Trail, which will run from Oyster Bay to Greenport, is under development and slated to launch in the coming months. The Seafood Processing Feasibility Study and a New York State Seafood Interagency Workgroup are also a part of the Blue Food Transformation initiative. My job is done now for Long Island, as also that is where I live. I wonder will I get an award for this, just kidding as it’s all part of being Out&About with a bit of gossip as well for you.
Just to tell you that there are a lot of farms and wineries out in Long Island as they have the best of everything that you might eat and drink.
I was in Manhattan on Wednesday and Thursday and I called into McCarthy’s Pub just off Times Square on West 46th Street, to say hello to Amanda Moran, the bartender at McCarthy’s who is very friendly and great at her job. Maybe pop in, have a pint and very good food plus a bit of gossip. Highly recommended!
The Francis Beirne Division 9 AOH, NY County had a cocktail reception last Thursday evening at The Playwright Restaurant (202 West 49th Street, between 7th Avenue and Broadway) and yes, I was there also, ahh I love it when I’m Out&About as I get to meet a lot of people that I don’t get a chance to meet very often. What a great turn out there was for the 2025 honorees with John Samuelsen – International President Transport Workers Union, Past President of Local 100 TWU, Aide to GM 2025 NYC Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, GM of 2022 Queens County Saint Patrick’s Day Parade; Elizabeth Stack, PhD – Education Director at Celtic Junction, Previous Executive Director of American Irish Historical Society, & Irish American Heritage Museum, Albany; and Members of The Fort Worth Five (Matthias ‘Matt’ Reilly, Paschal Morahan, Ken Tierney (RIP), Thomas Laffey (RIP) and Daniel Crawford (RIP)). I would like to thank Thomas Beirne and Brian Stack for the invite.
Hope to see you again next week when I am Out&About about again.