Grind

Betty White, one of America's most beloved actors, would have turned 100 years old today. Also a lover of animals, Ms. White died on Dec. 31, and in her honor, a social media campaign called the #BettyWhiteChallenge is encouraging donations to animal shelters and rescue organizations.

On Monday, Calvary Baptist Church in East Hampton aired a recording of its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day ceremony on YouTube to honor the late minister and civil rights activist. 

If moving more is your new year's resolution, these upcoming treks might do the trick.

The Amagansett Village Improvement Society is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, starting with a "love letters to Amagansett" essay-writing contest for Valentine's Day. All have been invited to participate.

The deadline for applications to the HamptonsFilm's annual Screenwriters Lab has been extended to Friday, Jan. 14.

Bicycle enthusiasts here may appreciate an upcoming eight-day, 400-mile challenge that combines trail cycling with New York State history. The Cycle the Erie Canal tour takes place from July 10 to 17, and registration is currently open.

With the first half of property taxes due Monday, East Hampton Town issued a reminder this week that there are several payment options available.

It's seal-watching season in Montauk.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has announced the start of the Col. William F. Fox Memorial Saratoga Tree Nursery annual spring seedling sale, which is open to the public and runs until May 13. Each year, the nursery offers low-cost, New York-grown tree and shrub species for sale to encourage conservation plantings and foster the next generation of forests.

As winter settles in on the South Fork, kids and adults can stay busy with nature-oriented activities.

With local positivity rates of the Omicron Covid-19 variant reaching close to 25 percent, East Hampton Town has announced five additional vaccination clinic dates in February. Those previously offered in January have been booked up.

Starting in January, the Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons will become a vaccination site operated in partnership with Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. It replaces the Parrish Hall vaccination site near the hospital and will allow for three times as many appointments each day.