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...

Customers are returning to the Long Island Rail Road, with ridership up 17% in the first half of 2024 compared with the same period last year and expected to climb even higher now that the summer season is concluding, the LIRR’s president said.

Though still below pre-pandemic levels, MTA officials and experts attributed the railroad’s recovery to the increased capacity and service that came with the completion of two major capacity-expansion projects, the Third Track in Nassau County, and the LIRR’s new Manhattan terminal, Grand Central Madison. Alfonso A. Castillo reports in NEWSDAY that the 35.8 million passengers transported by the LIRR in the first half of 2024 was well ahead of its forecasts and about 80% of the total for the first half of 2019 — a year in which the railroad went on to set a modern annual ridership record.

The recovery of the LIRR, whose ridership plummeted to just 3% of 2019 levels at the height of the pandemic, is outpacing all Metropolitan Transportation Authority agencies, including New York City subways, which are around 70% of pre-COVID levels. Metro-North has recovered about 76% of its riders, according to MTA statistics.

LIRR President Robert Free said the railroad’s numbers remained strong even through the summer months, when ridership tends to dip. The 271,784 customers carried by the LIRR on June 25 was the most for any day since the start of the pandemic in 2020. For the month of June, LIRR ridership reached 83% of pre-COVID levels.

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This past weekend, Southampton Village officials sought to set the record straight about the decision to open drainage pipes from Lake Agawam and Old Town Pond that lead into the ocean after record-breaking rainfall and flash flooding that occurred August 18 and 19.

Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that the Village of Southampton defended its decision to drain the overflowing water from the lake and pond into the ocean, acknowledging that while it is not ideal to drain that water — which has been polluted by harmful algae blooms — into the ocean, it is the only option for preventing flooding, and has also been standard practice for years after large rain events that produce the type of flooding seen last month. “While this is not the best solution, it has been done for decades to prevent flooding of these bodies of water into parking lots and roads,” a press release sent out by village officials on Saturday stated. “In the aftermath of the record rainfall, the Lake Agawam parking lot and several roads were flooded, creating stagnant pools of water where people walk, bike and walk their pets. Because of this public safety issue, there was no alternative than to drain the lake and pond through a pipe into the ocean and temporarily close the beaches.” Before taking that step, the village notified the Southampton Town Trustees and the Lake Agawam Conservancy, a nonprofit that raises money and puts together initiatives to help clean up the lake, and posted it on the village website and social media channels, while also putting up signs near the beaches to alert beachgoers that they should not swim in the ocean while the draining was occurring.

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The East Hampton Trails Preservation Society has organized “A Springs Celebration: Pollock-Krasner, Springs Historical Society and Curator’s Tour of Arts and Archives 2024,” a 1.5-mile walk, to take place this coming Saturday, September 7, at 9:30 a.m. Starting at the Pollock-Krasner House, where Director Matt Ward will discuss its mission, the walk will continue to the Springs Library for a talk about the building’s history and to view a “Small Works” show curated by John Haubrich. The walk will conclude at Ashawagh Hall, with a tour of Springs Arts and Archives 2024 with curator Teri Kennedy. Meet walk leader Irwin Levy at Talmage Farm Lane, just off Springs Fireplace Road.

For more information, call Irwin...

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Suffolk officials are projecting a roughly $40 million deficit in sales tax revenue by the end of the year, according to a budget review given to lawmakers yesterday. Tiffany Cusaac-Smith reports in NEWSDAY that the sales tax deficit is a nearly $2 million increase from the $38 million deficit originally projected, said Budget Review Office assistant director Benny Pernice. The sales tax collections, which help fund the county's operating and capital budgets, are expected to be approximately $2 billion.

“With the latest information, we’re increasing that projection to a deficit of a little bit over $40 million,” Pernice said, adding they need to recoup more money in the next two quarters to stay on budget.

Yesterday’s gathering comes ahead of the annual operating budget review process. The Suffolk County Legislature needs to pass the budget by November, which then takes effect in January. In July, Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine approved a 2025-27 capital budget plan that included sewer system upgrades and the improvement of highways.

As for the county sales tax revenue, Suffolk officials note it can fluctuate due to multiple local factors. Between January and July, sales tax revenue in Suffolk was around $1.1 billion, a 0.9% decrease from the same time period in 2023, according to data from State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.

The Suffolk County projected deficit is likely to be offset through funding that includes a contingency account, less workforce hiring and higher-paid workers being replaced by newer ones, officials said.

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Affordable housing took a step forward on both the North and South Fork yesterday. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that the Southold Town Board unanimously approved the transfer of seven sanitary flow credits for 12 affordable housing units in a mixed use building that used to house the Capital One Bank branch on Love Lane in Mattituck. A proposal before the Southampton Town Board to purchase two properties in Tuckahoe using Community Housing Fund money passed unanimously, while another resolution to purchase a deed covenant to keep six apartments in Sag Harbor affordable in perpetuity was tabled to the Southampton Town Board’s next meeting Sept. 10.

In Riverhead, a Comprehensive Plan Update is slated for approval next Wednesday Sept. 4, including recommendations for how to deal with sprawling warehouses and downtown development. The plan’s recommendation that the Town of Riverhead consider creating a zoning district to allow for “agritourism resorts” will be discussed at a public forum 2 weeks later Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. in Riverhead Town Hall, where residents are invited to come discuss the legislation with town officials.

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The 78th annual Shinnecock Powwow begins this coming Friday at the Shinnecock Nation powwow grounds.

Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that the four-day event is a showcase of Shinnecock culture, heritage and tradition, and is one of the most well-attended powwows in the country, drawing spectators and tribal members from across the Americas, including Canada and Mexico.

Because it is a competitive powwow, representatives from tribes around the region and the country travel to eastern Long Island, making for a rich blend of Indigenous cultural experiences. The four days will be packed with dance competitions for tribal members of all ages, and will showcase singing and drumming groups and other musical performances, as well as displays of indigenous art.

The Shinnecock Powwow has the distinction of being rated as a top-five event by powwows.com.

Shinnecock tribal member and Pow Wow organizer Josephine Smith...