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🐝 Valentine’s Day Game Plan

🐝 Valentine’s Day Game Plan

Athletic Upgrades, OLA Proposal, East End Food Hub

Thomas Loncar
February 10, 2026

Together With

Good Morning, North Fork! Dear Winter, you’ve had a great run. Let’s wrap it up.

In today’s North Fork Buzz:

Athletic Upgrades
OLA Proposal
East End Food Hub

Ready, Set, Go!

The Lowdown

Athletic Upgrades 🚧

The Greenport Union Free School District is asking residents to approve a $1.97 million capital project designed to modernize athletic facilities that officials say have simply aged out. The best part for taxpayers: the work would be funded entirely through the district’s capital reserve, meaning no new taxes and no hit to the upcoming school budget.

If approved, the wish list is a big one. Plans call for swapping the old cinder track for a synthetic walking track, installing permanent grandstand bleachers and a press box, refreshing the gym’s interior seating, and resodding the multipurpose field. There’s also behind the scenes work in the mix, including locker room ceiling replacements, a new restroom building, a new metal storage structure, and replacing an underground fuel tank.

School leaders say the goal is simple: safer, more functional spaces for students and a better experience for everyone who shows up to cheer them on.

The vote is set for Tuesday, March 10, with polls open in the school gym from 2-8 PM. ($)

Get the full story 👉 Suffolk Times

OLA Proposal 📄

OLA of Eastern Long Island is asking East End towns and villages to adopt a resolution designed to give local police clearer authority to respond when federal immigration enforcement activity creates situations residents describe as chaotic or dangerous.

Executive director Minerva Perez has started bringing the proposal to local governments across the region. The measure, drafted by former Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., is headed for discussion at work sessions this week in Southold and on Shelter Island.

The push comes after recent enforcement actions on the North Fork, including a February raid in Greenport that residents say sent cars racing down icy streets while kids were heading to school.

Rumors flew that agents were at the school. District officials later said they did not enter the grounds. Still, many families kept students home.

Get the full story 👉 East End Beacon

Firefighters Partner With CAST 🚒

For the first time, the Greenport Fire Department is partnering with CAST to bring food assistance directly to village residents with a giveaway event set for Feb. 21 at the Third Street firehouse.

Leading up to the event, a food drive will run through Feb. 20, with donations accepted at the firehouse, Floyd Memorial Library, and First and South. Most needed items include canned and dry goods, baby wipes, dish soap, and snacks. The department will also purchase fresh produce so visitors can bring home healthy options.

CAST leaders say the timing is especially meaningful. With colder weather and more families seeking help, the added collection and local pickup point will make a real difference. ($)

Get the full story 👉 Suffolk Times

East End Food Hub 🥗

After years of planning, construction, fundraising, and more than a few “when is this thing opening?” conversations, East End Food has officially received a temporary certificate of occupancy.

Interim executive director Kayla Barthelme says pop-up programming is set to begin in March, bringing markets, tastings, and food-focused events back to the gateway property. The commercial kitchen equipment will roll in this summer, with final touches like landscaping helping the nonprofit secure its permanent CO soon after.

If you’re new to the story, East End Food’s mission is big but simple: keep food grown here working here. The group connects local farms with schools, restaurants, and shoppers, helping turn fresh produce into usable, accessible products instead of letting it go to waste.

One of the programs people are most excited to see return is farm to school. Once the kitchen is operational, East End Food will again process ingredients from dozens of local farms and distribute them to districts across Long Island, chopped, prepped, preserved, and ready for cafeterias.

Barthelme is planning pop-up markets, cooking demonstrations, and educational events designed to reintroduce the community to the space. She’s also eyeing summer night markets with music and tastings, the kind of evenings that turn a food facility into a gathering place.

Get the full story 👉 East End Beacon

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Happenings: Upcoming Events

🍽️ Supper Series 9 Two nights, one very good excuse to make dinner plans. On February 20th & 21st, Supper Series 9 comes to Grace & Grit, where Chef Adam will once again turn the restaurant into a special dine-in experience featuring his signature international spin alongside beautifully crafted regional fare. More Info

🥾 Park Hike Get outside for a midweek reset on Tuesday, February 24, with a guided Southaven County Park hike hosted by the Cutchogue New Suffolk Library. More Info

🩸 Blood Drive A simple way to do a whole lot of good, a Blood Drive is happening at the Greenport American Legion on Thursday, February 26. Swing by, roll up your sleeve, and help support patients who need it most. More Info

📺 Frasier Trivia Night Calling all Crane connoisseurs, Frasier Trivia Night is coming to Clovis Point Vineyard on Friday, February 27. Brainy questions, big laughs, and debates that might require a brief trip to Café Nervosa. More Info

🕺 Dance Party Clear your Saturday night and bring your best dance moves, DJ Phil is taking over the Southold American Legion on Saturday, February 28. It’s a feel good fundraiser hosted by the Southold American Legion Auxiliary, with proceeds supporting programs for local veterans. More Info

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

Valentine’s Day Game Plan

Love is in the air, and so is the pressure to make a plan.

Candlelit dinners, Galentine’s nights, or just popping out for a great glass of wine and an even better dessert, the North Fork has you covered. We’ve rounded up the spots serving romance, fun, and all the right vibes this Valentine’s Day.

Live Music + Fun Breakdown

Tuesday

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

Wednesday

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Tom Loncar- Publisher
Nicole Loncar- Editor + Partnerships