The credit card surcharge has crept into daily life like rust on a tractor — appearing so slowly that customers hardly notice it until it is, seemingly, all over. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that the little signs on cash registers announcing, or acknowledging, that a surcharge of up to 4 percent will be added to the price of any transaction that is paid for with a credit card bother some consumers more than others, but everyone has noticed them.

The card surcharges have become most common at places like delis and small markets and modestly priced retail stores. They’re less common but not unheard of at some restaurants and pizza places. No large grocery or department store chains tack them on — yet — and few of the high-end shops on the main streets of South Fork’s hamlets bother with them.

It is “legal” for stores to charge credit card fees to customers — in case you were wondering, or thought otherwise — and has been for more than a decade.

But last winter, the New York State Legislature and Governor Kathy Hochul approved a new law requiring that merchants do so in a very different way than almost any stores do currently.

“There’s two things at the heart of the rule: merchants and vendors can’t charge more of a surcharge than they are being charged by the credit card companies themselves, and the other is this idea that the consumer has to be aware before they decide to purchase the item what the total price, including the surcharge, would be,” said NYS Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., who ultimately voted in favor of the bill.

“The debate over the law at the time was between the consumers’ right to know the full price of what they are paying for and not be surprised afterward, and the burden put on small businesses by this mandate.”

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The Springs Historical Society hosts its fourth annual benefit art show and celebration, “Arts & Archives 2024” this weekend beginning today through Sunday. The event features more than 50 contemporary artists from Springs, a curator’s forum, historic tour and opening reception.

The show, organized by the historical society’s Arts & Archives Committee, supports the Springs Community Library, Elizabeth Parker Anderson’s former home donated to the historical society for use as a library to serve the Springs community.

Curated by Teri Kennedy, this exhibition is the only major invitational exclusively for Springs artists. This year’s showcase is inspired by James Brooks’ 1973 Fisherman’s Fair poster from the Springs Historical Society’s archival collection. It features more than 50 contemporary artists from Springs, working in a variety of mediums, from paintings to ceramics, jewelry to glassworks, on display today through Sunday at Ashawagh Hall at 780 Springs-Fireplace Road.

The exhibition “explores the works borne from the unique environment Springs fosters and its creative partnerships that shape a home and artistic legacy,” according to the historical society.

The exhibition will be on view to the public today from 1 to 5 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A reception for Springs Historical Society members will be held today from 5 to 7 p.m. and a public reception will be held tomorrow from 5 to 7 p.m.

For more information about this weekend’s activities and how to support the Springs Historical Society and Community Library, visit springshistoricalsociety.org.

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Shelter Island Friends of Music welcomes back award-winning pianist Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner tomorrow at 6 pm in the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church. Sanchez-Werner previously played for Shelter Island Friends of Music to a standing-room only crowd at the Presbyterian Church in February 2023. The brilliant virtuoso will perform the music of Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven and Gershwin.

Admission is free; donations are...