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Good Morning, North Fork! One minute here saves five minutes of “wait, what?” later.

In today’s North Fork Buzz:

• More Trains

• Lin Beach House Reimagined

• Record Donation

Ready, Set, Go!

Sponsored By Sophie’s Rest

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The Lowdown

More Trains 🚆

North Fork officials are once again making the case for better rail service.

In a joint letter led by Greg Doroski, local leaders are urging Carl Heastie to expand service on the Long Island Rail Road’s Greenport Branch. Right now, just three weekday trains run from Ronkonkoma to Greenport, a schedule many say simply doesn’t cut it.

Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski summed up the frustration with a line that’s already making the rounds: “Taxation without transportation is tyranny.” Businesses on the North Fork pay into the MTA Payroll Tax, which funds the rail system, but leaders argue the region gets little service in return.

Greenport Mayor Kevin Stuessi pointed to the state’s 2019 climate justice law, noting that Greenport qualifies as a disadvantaged community, meaning expanded rail could check multiple boxes: transportation equity, energy savings, and fewer cars on the road.

The push aligns with the MTA’s 2023 20-Year Needs Assessment, which recommends extending electrification east of Ronkonkoma and potentially adding a second track.

Get the full story 👉 East End Beacon

Lin Beach House Reimagined 🍽️

Since opening in 2018, Lin Beach House has worn a few hats, inn, cocktail salon, pop-up playground. Now, it’s tightening the focus. And it starts in the kitchen.

Chef Meg Huylo has stepped in as culinary director, bringing Mediterranean influenced, ingredient driven cooking to the six room Greenport property.

Owner and distiller Leslie Merinoff, founder of Matchbook Distilling Company, is shifting away from traditional inn stays. Going forward, the property will be available for full house buyouts only: immersive, food-forward weekends designed around sea to table lunches, oyster harvests, cooking classes, gin-making camps, farm visits and fireside dinners..

Chef Taylor Knapp’s PawPaw dinners will continue monthly, and public pop-ups remain on the calendar.

Get the full story 👉 Northforker

Record Donation 💰

The Eastern Long Island Hospital Auxiliary just had its biggest year yet.

In 2025, the volunteer group donated a record setting $643,020 to Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital, bringing its five year giving total to $2.876 million.

The auxiliary, nearly 100 members strong, has been fundraising the old-fashioned way: Dream Green Extravaganza, Ladies Day on the Links, Italian Night Dinner, plus steady sales from the hospital gift shop and the ELIH Auxiliary Opportunity Shop.

President Helene Fall said 2025 marked a milestone year, celebrating 120 years since the group’s founding in 1905.

Since its start, the auxiliary has contributed more than $21 million to support hospital equipment and operations, from ventilators and upgraded beds to refreshed furnishings and critical infrastructure. ($)

Get the full story 👉 Suffolk Times

Bigger Historic District 🏛️

Greenport just landed a $25,000 grant from New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, and it could reshape the village map.

The funding will help the village pursue an expansion of its historic district on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. If approved, the district would grow by roughly 225 buildings, adding to the current 290 already listed.

Meaning more properties could become eligible for historic rehabilitation tax credits, specialized grants, and official plaques.

The effort is a partnership between the Greenport Historic Preservation Commission, the Greenport BID, and the Village Board, building off a 2020 village wide survey conducted by Preservation Studios of Buffalo.

Based on that survey, five new areas have been identified as potentially eligible: Second Street, Front Street, Monsell Place, Stirling Avenue (in part) and Green Hill Cemetery.

Get the full story 👉 East End Beacon

Water Funding Breakthrough 💧

After more than a year of back and forth, Greenport may finally see Community Preservation Fund dollars flow toward village water projects.

At a Southold Town Board work session last week, town officials publicly outlined a process to direct Greenport’s required 10% share of CPF revenue toward eligible projects.

For months, village leaders have argued that if Greenport helps generate CPF revenue, it should also see tangible benefits, particularly around water quality.

The discussions have centered on three major categories: wastewater treatment, stormwater management and habitat restoration.

There’s homework to do first.

Town staff need detailed project data, sewer studies, infrastructure maps, cost breakdowns, before they can formally prioritize projects and fold them into an updated CPF plan. Without that, no funds can move.

Get the full story 👉 North Fork Sun

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Happenings: This Week

Monday

👗Formal Dress Drive If your closet is hiding a prom-era masterpiece (or two), here’s your cue to let it shine again. CAST kicks off its Formal Dress Drive, collecting gently loved gowns to help local students show up to prom feeling red carpet ready. More Info

🎤 Open Mic Night Before the summer crowds roll in, here’s your chance to grab the mic. The Halyard Piano Bar hosts a curated open mic led by singer songwriter Julia King. Bringing together poets, musicians, and writers it’s intimate, a little brave, and the kind of night where you might hear someone’s next big thing before anyone else does. More Info

✂️ Meeting & Ribbon Cutting Business meets brisket as the North Fork Chamber of Commerce heads to Tucker’s Taproom & Smokehouse for a Meeting and an official ribbon cutting celebrating the restaurant’s 2026 relaunch. The gathering marks Tucker’s welcome into both the Chamber, with smoky specialties and fresh pours setting the tone. More Info

Tuesday

🀄 Mahjong Has your group chat has been talking about learning Mahjong? Presented by NOFO Live, this laid back meetup at The Shoals serves up tiles, tea, coffee, and nibbles. Beginners can jump into open play with basic knowledge, or snag a seat at the Mahjong 101 table for a no stress intro and all the questions. More Info

Thursday

🍷 Borghese Wine Dinner Winter gets the white tablecloth treatment during this seasonal wine dinner at The Halyard, where the kitchen leans into cold weather comfort. Each course is thoughtfully paired with selections from Borghese Vineyard. More Info

🍽️ A Lure Reopening Signs of life after winter. Opening night at A Lure keeps the long running tradition intact with a $26 three course menu. More Info

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Local Spotlight

Old Mill Comeback Story 🎤

If you’re a sucker for a good comeback story, the latest episode of For the Love of Business should be in your ears.

This time, Anthony from The Old Mill Inn in Mattituck jumps on the mic to talk about what it really took to bring the historic property back from the brink. What looked at moments, like an impossible restoration, he chose to see as the kind of once in a lifetime shot you don’t pass up.

Inside the episode, he gets real about the bumps along the way, the pressure, the problem solving, and the mindset shift that kept things moving when quitting would’ve been the easier option. Sometimes the only way forward is straight through.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify

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Live Music + Fun Breakdown

Monday

The Watershed | TBA | 6-9 PM
Ram’s Head | Bingo | 6 PM

Tuesday

Front Street Station | Music Bingo | 7 PM

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Tom Loncar- Publisher
Nicole Loncar- Editor + Partnerships