North Fork Buzz
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🐝 Bouquets of Winter

🐝 Bouquets of Winter

Ransomware Attack, Bulkhead Drama, School Garden

Thomas Loncar
November 25, 2025

Together With

Good Morning, North Fork! We’re officially 2 days from Thanksgiving, the calm before the carbs.

In today’s North Fork Buzz:

Ransomware Attack
Bulkhead Drama
School Garden

Ready, Set, Go!

The Lowdown

Ransomware Attack 🚨

Southold woke up to a cyber mess on Monday morning when the town discovered its email system had suddenly gone kaput, the first sign of a ransomware attack that forced officials to pull the plug (literally) on town servers.

Town Supervisor Al Krupski said staff moved fast, unplugging systems to stop the attack from spreading and calling in reinforcements from county law enforcement, the NYS Department of Homeland Security cyber team, and the county Office of Emergency Management. Everyone spent the day hunting down the source and sealing off the damage.

The good news: Southold has backups.
The bad news: They’re not touching anything until they’re 1,000% sure it’s safe.

Get the full story 👉 North Fork Sun

Bulkhead Drama 🌊

Greenport’s Mitchell Park bulkhead has been on the verge of doing a swan dive into the harbor for, years. And despite “emergency” resolutions, federal grant money, and about 47 promises that work is starting “next week,” exactly zero construction has happened.

The bulkhead behind the East End Seaport Museum is failing, badly. There’s even a damaged electric panel leaning toward the water. Trustees warned ages ago that if it falls in, it could electrify the harbor, knock out the ferry, and black out half the village. No big deal.

In September, the Village Board passed emergency resolutions to fast-track repairs. Mayor Stuessi has repeatedly said the work is “imminent,” “within a week,”ect…But still no work.

Get the full story 👉 North Fork Sun

Greenport’s School Garden 🌱

The beds may be bare and the frost has settled in, but Greenport Elementary’s garden is very much alive, thanks to the magic touch of art + STEAM teacher Shannon Silverman.

Three years ago, she inherited a tired, brown patch by the parking lot. Today? It’s a four-season oasis with new wood chips, picnic tables, evergreens, pollinator plants, and a whole border of perennials that make sure the garden looks good even when nothing’s blooming.

It’s a tiny outdoor universe where kids raise butterflies, release ladybugs, sort worms in the compost, learn the food web, harvest their own veggies, and, most importantly, eat what they grow. Thanks to grant funding, they’re whipping up garden snacks with crock pots, muffin makers, and baking tools. Parents swear their kids never liked vegetables… until they brought home bags of them from school. ($)

Get the full story 👉 Suffolk Times

Bouquets of Winter 💐

Who says flowers are just for summer? At North Fork Flower Farm, the blooms don’t quit they just transform. When the fresh bouquets fade, the team rolls right into “bouquets of winter,” turning summer’s petals into gorgeous dried wreaths, ornaments, bouquets, and table toppers that last for months.

How North Fork Flower Farm keeps the color poppin’ through the gray months:

They grow 300+ varieties across six acres
They air dry everything old school style: tied, hung upside down, and left in a dark, airy barn loft where the colors stay rich and mold stays far, far away.
Workshops: wreathmaking, dried-flower arranging, flower pressing… and soon, classes on floral scents, natural dyes, and something called “hammering,”

Get the full story 👉 Northforker

^{_{Stories with a ($) require a third party subscription}}

Animal of The Week

Meet Mittens 🐾

If you’re in the market for a feline who loves you more than you love your morning coffee, say hello to Mittens, a gorgeous grey-and-white sweetheart with a bob tail and a purr motor that does not quit.

Mittens is basically a professional snuggler. Lap time? Mandatory. Head scratches? Constant. Following you from room to room like your fluffy little shadow? Absolutely her brand.

Mittens wants to be your one and only. No other cats, no divided attention, just you, her, and a whole lot of love. She’s ready to be the queen of the household and the CEO of Cuddles, and honestly? She’s very qualified.

If you want a cat who greets you at the door, claims your lap like prime real estate, and is fully prepared to make you the center of her universe, Mittens is your girl.

Visit Mittens at the NFAWL Southold location. Questions? Call 631-765-1811 ext. 1

Trivia Time 🧠

Your brain deserves more than scrolling and skimming. Each week we’ll hit you with one question designed to make you pause, scratch your head, and maybe argue with whoever’s sitting next to you. Think of it as a quick mental pit stop: a chance to flex your random knowledge, test your memory, or finally use that obscure fact you learned in 7th grade.

Just click one of the multiple-choice answers to see if you got it right!

Find more info on the answer at the very end of the newsletter

Which balloon has appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade the most times?

Last Week’s Results

Last week we asked: In Planes, Trains, & Automobiles, what city are Neal and Del desperately trying to get to for Thanksgiving?

Answer: Chicago

72% of you got it right, the other 28% might want to rewatch the movie, or at least avoid booking your next trip through Wichita.

Local Spotlight

UpSculpt Takes Over 🎨

There’s a new pop-up inside the East End Seaport Museum, and it’s not just cool, it’s eco-cool. The creative crew at UpSculpt has taken over the museum’s auxiliary gallery and turned it into a hands on deep dive into the wild world of marine debris.

Here’s what you’ll find:

-A microscope station where you can get up close with ocean plastics.
-Marine debris art activities that prove even washed-up trash can spark serious creativity.
-Interactive displays that connect the dots between what’s on our beaches and what’s happening in our oceans.

It’s part science lab, part art studio, part “wait, that came out of the water?” and the perfect stop for curious kids, ocean lovers, and anyone who wants to know more about keeping our shores clean.

^{_{Nothing in this section is sponsored. They’re just fun things you need to know. I’ll always let you know when something is sponsored}}

Live Music + Fun Breakdown

Tuesday

First & South | Jeff LeBlanc | 5-8 PM
Front Street Station | Music Bingo | 7 PM

Wednesday

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THANKS!

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Tom Loncar- Publisher
Nicole Loncar- Editor + Partnerships

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade