Heart of the East End

Executive Director of Longhouse Reserve talks about the many reasons to visit the bucolic site as the flowers bloom.

Three representatives from local fire departments come on-air ahead of the statewide RECRUIT NY to discuss the benefits of joining up as a volunteer firefighter, including a collectable pension, connection to a family and the ability to help one’s neighbors. We discuss the different types of firefighter, memories from decades of service and how some local youth are getting started before they’ve even graduated high school.

A teacher at the cross-aged local school talks about the unique approach to education found at Hayground School and taking the kids to clean local beaches on their first field trip since March 2020.

Artists from the Full Moon Collective discuss their upcoming exhibition on the North Fork.

Gianna welcomes local teacher Martin Faint to the show.

Local East End musician Gene Casey talks about his most recent release and more.

Local entrepreneur joins Gianna to discuss his CBD business and the Freedom Rally taking place in Sag Harbor.

General manager Diane Masciale joins Hamptons locals and frequent guests for a special announcement! 

Brian Polite of the Shinnecock Nation joins Gianna to discuss the tribe's recent efforts for economic equality through development.

CEO of Toorak Capital Partners what Toorak is doing to help finance apartment and home renovations aimed at providing more affordable housing for Long Island’s lower income population.

Local writer Kaitlin Oster joins Gianna.

Gianna digs into information about Covid-19 on the East End with Dr. Peter Michalos.

Gianna is joined by Marissa Bridge and Danny Lamport to discuss The Apology Line and more. 

Gianna spoke with Southampton police Chief Steven Skrynecki about his career and the discussions surrounding police reform as they relate to the East End.

Gianna spoke with Michael Affatato of The Village Cheese Shop. Listen to Heart of the East End every weekday morning from 9am to 11am on 88.3 WLIW-FM or wliw.org/radio. 

Civil rights activist Robert Zellner tells Gianna about growing up in Montgomery, Alabama during the Civil Rights movement shortly after the premiere of “Son of The South,” based on Zellner’s autobiography, “The Wrong Side of Murder Creek.” The grandson of a Klansmen, Zellner talks about how & why his father chose family disownment and left the Klu Klux Klan.

Helen Higginbotham of “When Black Women Gather” discusses diversity matters in 2021

The morning show on Long Island’s only local NPR radio station, 88.3  WLIW-FM, hosted by award-winning multi-platform journalist, Gianna Volpe, features music from all decades & genres, as well as folks  from all walks of life. The Heart airs LIVE 9-11 week day mornings with a  night-owl replay at midnight streaming at wliw.org/radio

Dr. Bettina Fries, Chief of Infectious Diseases at Stonybrook University Hospital.

A long, hard look at the immunization efforts slated for New York State ahead of what has been referred to as most the impressive scientific  undertaking in human history — development of multiple vaccines aimed at combating the novel Coronavirus — with one of those on the front lines here in Suffolk County. We look at four of the vaccines being considered for the public, explore the idea of herd immunity and efficacy, dive into the science and talk frankly about how US failure to contain COVID was a silver lining to researchers searching for cure.

The HOTvoices Roundtable brings together strangers of various backgrounds to foster organic unique conversation centered around the East End. Melissa Hammel has lived in Bridgehampton for the last 8 years after coming out from Manhattan with her family. Melissa Principi grew up in Amagansett and has lived on the North Fork for the last 15 years, working in the wine industry. 

"Long Island Migrant Labor Camps: Dust For Blood" is the true story about migrant labor camps in Suffolk County from their inception during World War 2 through their hey-day 1960 and their decline toward the end of the century. It chronicles the dark history of the suffering of the camps' inhabitants, the cause and effect of the camps, and the factors that lead to their decline. Author Mark Torres speaks about the book.

Director of Vision Long Island Eric Alexander speaks about the Smart Growth Communities 3-day summit held December 3rd through 5th and how they implemented a virtual version of the event to aid main streets across Long Island. Learn more about Vision Long Island: http://visionlongisland.org/

Cobi founded Chapter after seeing his grandfather and parents struggle with the complexities of navigating the process of enrolling in Medicare, and strives to make it easier for those less familiar with using computers to get the proper insurance coverage at the best price possible. Find out more: https://www.getchapter.com/ 

A perspective on the planned construction on the Mattituck Inlet.