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🐝 You'll Want A Bigger Freezer

🐝 You'll Want A Bigger Freezer

Stock Up On Meat, Horses Are Back (Almost), New Dog Park

Thomas Loncar
May 21, 2025

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Good Morning, North Fork! Halfway through the week, but 90% done with everyone.

In today’s North Fork Buzz:

Stock Up On Meat
Horses Are Back (Almost)
New Dog Park

Ready, Set, Go!

The Lowdown

Beefing Up Your Freezer 🥩

If your idea of “buying in bulk” ends at Costco, Southold’s Wayside Market is about to expand your horizons and your freezer.

Isabella Rutigliano and her dad, P.T., are bringing back the OG meat game: whole, half, or quarter animals, straight from local farms. Yep, you can literally buy part of a cow. It's like a CSA, but beefier.

This isn’t just about bragging rights over your grill game, it’s also about sourcing meat sustainably. With more people wanting to know where their food comes from, and how it was raised Wayside Market is offering a tasty solution that’s both old-fashioned and future-forward. Just make sure you’ve got freezer space.

Carousel Comeback 🎠

Greenport’s most beloved spin cycle is making a grand return. That’s right, the Mitchell Park Carousel is back in action (soon)! After a dramatic pause in fall 2024 thanks to a mechanical horse gone rogue (don’t worry, no injuries, just one diva pony), the village shut it down for safety.

Fast forward to now: for the first time in 24 years, the whole thing’s been taken apart and given a serious glow-up. New parts? Check. Reinforced center structure? Double check.

Quick history lesson: this carousel is a 1920s carnival baby, scooped up by Northrop Grumman in the ’50s for employee fun. In 1995, the company handed it over to Greenport, beating out a New Jersey amusement park and Riverhead. Good call, Grumman. Greenport’s been spinning happy memories (and serious ticket sales) ever since, to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

Also worth noting: this isn’t its first health scare. In 2023, lead paint was found on one of the horses. Don’t panic, it got a fresh coat of non-toxic paint and is safe for even the tiniest of riders.

No word yet on the official reopening day, but you can bet it’ll be a big one.

New Dog Park 🐶

Laurel just became a top destination for tail wags and tennis balls. The Mattituck Park District officially unleashed a brand-new dog park at Aldrich Fields, and it’s a canine paradise.

Two fenced-in play zones? ✅
Agility ramps and jumps? ✅
Enough tennis balls to make Wimbledon jealous? Also ✅

But wait, there’s more: waste bag stations, and an elevated pet pantry stocked with treats and food, so you can give a little or grab what you need.

Whether your dog’s a social butterfly or an obstacle course champ, this park’s got space to run, jump, sniff, and strut. ($)

Budget Breakdown 💰

If your wallet’s been feeling a little light lately, the 2025–2026 New York State budget is here to toss it some love, especially if you’re raising kids, paying taxes, or buying groceries (so, basically… everyone). Here’s what’s coming:

👶 Kid Cash
Up to $1,000 per child under 4 and $500 for kids aged 4–16 is headed to about 215,000 Long Island families, thanks to an expanded child tax credit. The goal? Help 355,000 families and cut child poverty by nearly 8%.

🥪 Free School Meals for All
Goodbye lunch bills. Every student in New York, all 2.7 million of them, will now get free breakfast and lunch at school.

📉 Middle-Class Tax Cuts
More than 80% of Long Island taxpayers will see lower tax bills. Translation: $168 million in savings and the lowest middle-class rates New York’s seen in 70 years. (Yes, 7-0.)

💸 Inflation Refund Checks
Starting October, 1.3 million Long Islanders will get one-time inflation checks between $150 and $400. Think of it as the state’s way of saying, “Hey, groceries are expensive. Here’s something.”

Bottom line: Albany’s cutting checks and cutting breaks. ($)

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Dog of The Week

Meet Freya 🐾

This is Freya. She’s got one mission: Steal your heart! Think: wiggly tail, kiss machine, world’s best couch snuggler.

Freya is a pit bull terrier with a PhD in cuddling. Sit down and she’s instantly curled up next to you, gently offering her paw like, “Excuse me, can I interest you in some love?” She’s very into quality time, and by that we mean she will nap on you for hours. It's adorable. You're welcome.

But don’t be fooled by her soft side, this girl plays hard. She loves fetch, tug, zoomies, and anything that involves toys and high-speed tail wags. She’s got energy, and she knows how to use it.

She’s also wicked smart. Freya knows her basic commands and is eager to learn more. She just wants to make her people proud—and maybe earn a few treats in the process. (Okay, definitely earn a few treats)

Freya has been through a lot, but she’s come out the other side full of love, trust, and a whole lot of personality. All she needs now is a family that’ll keep the good vibes going.

So if you’re looking for a snuggle buddy with a side of goofy playtime and a whole lotta love come meet Freya at the Aquebogue location from 10-3 PM.

Local Business

Greenport Pilates Yoga Wellness Turns 1 🎉

Greenport Pilates Yoga Wellness is celebrating one year of movement, mindfulness, and community! From mat to reformer, vinyasa to breathwork, they've spent 365 days helping the North Fork feel stronger, calmer, and more connected. Stop by to celebrate, try a class, or just say hi to the team that's been bringing balance to Greenport since day one. Congrats Greenport PYW!

Luxe Artistry Grand Opening 💅

Luxe Artistry is making its glamorous debut on the North Fork. Join them this Saturday, May 24th, from 11–6 PM at 309 Front Street to celebrate the grand opening of Greenport’s newest beauty and wellness destination.

Expect mimosas, charcuterie from Mattituck Cheese Shop, mini consults with their expert team, luxe raffles, giveaways, and exclusive gift card specials. Get a first look at their signature services, from organic hair color and precision cuts to Gel-X extensions, custom facials, lashes, spray tans, and more.

^{_{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}}

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Tom Loncar- Publisher