Grind

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is encouraging New Yorkers to ring in the new year outdoors with a walk or hike at one of many state parks, historic sites, wildlife areas, and public lands.

In the spirit of giving this holiday season, what better way to support your community than make a donation to an organization near and dear to your heart? Many nonprofits are reaching out for end-of-year appeals, to which links can be found here.

Amagansett Historical Association, Amagansett

Amagansett Library, Amagansett

A free Covid-19 testing center will operate in Springs on Monday for one day only from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments for the rapid tests can be scheduled by calling 631-899-3441.

Several churches are holding services for Christmas with online or in-person attendance.

The annual Santa Parade in East Hampton Village has been canceled because of the pandemic, but the village and the Chamber of Commerce are offering a safe, festive way for families to celebrate the holidays: drive-in movies at Lot 2 of the Main Beach parking lot.

In honor of the fourth anniversary of the Sag Harbor Cinema fire, today the theater is releasing a five-minute documentary that commemorates that event as recalled by the firefighters who battled the fateful blaze. 

Among an uptick in phone scams this holiday season is a PSEG utility spoof in which a person pretending to be with the electric company threatens to shut off power to your house unless a payment is made immediately via gift cards or prepaid debit cards.

Snow is expected to begin at about 4 p.m. today, changing to rain after midnight, then to a mix of snow, sleet, and rain during the early morning on Thursday.

The Northwell Health Care system announced on Monday the opening of its newest facility, the $6.2 million Northwell Health Cancer Institute in Riverhead.

The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society’s Westhampton Beach facility triaged 20 cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, “the smallest and most endangered species of sea turtles in the world,” in a single day, the organization announced last week.

Writers interested in publishing their own books, either as hard copies or e-books, have been invited to join a Zoom talk on Saturday at 3 p.m., hosted by the East Hampton Library. David Fiske, a retired librarian and writer, will talk about the process, offering tips and caveats.

A holiday decorating contest and a visit from Santa are coming up in Montauk.