An outdoor sculpture tour at the Parrish Art Museum, the holiday invitational at Romany Kramoris, and new shows and a new New York City space for Harper's

The Parrish Art Museum blazed a trail this year in education, with courses for teachers that will boost the teaching of art across the board. For its efforts, the Water Mill museum has been recognized by the New York State Art Teachers Association.

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced last week that the state's $226 billion Common Retirement Fund will transition its portfolio to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. A review of investments in energy sector companies is to be completed within four years, using minimum standards to assess transition readiness and climate-related investment risk.

Significant changes are in store in Wainscott, the "gateway" to the Town of East Hampton. One already visible manifestation of change is the Wainscott Green, the 1.1-acre park that was dedicated in a Dec. 6 ceremony to the late Rick Del Mastro, a former chairman of the hamlet's citizens advisory committee who died in April.

Representative Lee Zeldin, who as a member of Congress swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and 125 of his Republican colleagues in the House of Representatives filed an amicus brief last week supporting a lawsuit that asked the Supreme Court to disenfranchise some 20 million voters in four states.

Suffolk County will use $1.6 million in federal funds to provide grants for East End small businesses and renters economically impacted by the pandemic, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced on Friday.

Manuel Tenen-guanga of Southampton, 30, was arrested twice last Thursday.

"Lewd acts" were reported taking place in the back of a dark sedan behind the Division Street hardware store on the evening of Dec. 9, but the car was gone when an officer arrived to investigate.

"It's kind of hard to believe we are at the end of the year," said an understated Harvey Bennett at the Tackle Shop in Amagansett. "Like many others, I'm tired. I hope next year brings better hope and promise. We all deserve it. Let's close the book on 2020."

The Star has received word of the unexpected death of Karie Renee Gardiner, formerly of East Hampton Village, who was found at home in Fullerton, Calif., on Dec. 3. Ms. Gardiner, who had been in declining health, was 62.

Charles Mac Meyer of Hampton Bays, a Suffolk County senior public health sanitarian for 35 years, died on Sunday in St. Louis. The former East Hampton resident was 77 and had been ill for seven months.

Anton Hallinger of Montauk and Glendale, Queens, died last Thursday at home in Glendale. He had just turned 95 in October and had been in hospice care for only a day, after returning from Long Island Jewish Hospital in Forest Hills to be at home with family members around him.

“What will happen in four weeks?" Governor Cuomo asked, as vaccines were rolled out across the state and the number of new Covid-19 cases continued to climb precipitously. "You tell me what you're going to do over the next three weeks or four weeks and I'll tell you what's going to happen. . . ."

When it comes to holiday food gifts, everyone does the same thing. With a little extra money and time, why not make slightly more extravagant and more original food gifts this season?

Compared to most people, Jake Lorefice was one New York University music technology master's degree more prepared to roll with the pandemic's punches and modify the Montauk School's music program, setting his sixth graders up for podcasting success. 

During the first surge of cases in New York in the spring, so many of us in the health care field fought tooth and nail to uphold our sacred oath to heal and keep death at bay. Many of those under our care died, and with each one of those who passed away under our watch, a piece of our hearts died as well. We thought it would be worth the heartache because the rest of the country would learn from our experiences and be better prepared. But here we are again.

An agreement that would see the Town of East Hampton reap an almost $29 million payment from the developers of the South Fork Wind farm in exchange for allowing a 138-kilovolt cable to be buried under town highway rights of way, from Beach Lane in Wainscott to the Long Island Power Authority substation in East Hampton, was unveiled this week. 

After 31 years with the East Hampton Town Police Department, 26 of them leading the DARE program in schools, Officer Kim Notel's retirement on Tuesday was the start of a new era, not just for her but for everyone who knew "Officer Kim" in the classrooms and on the roads.

A mix of the holiday spirit and a desire to pierce the pandemic gloom with strings of twinkling lights has led to a record-breaking boom in Christmas tree sales, according to several South Fork vendors, and left those who waited too long scrambling to find a tree.

South Fork restaurants continue to serve up intriguing options for Christmas and Christmas Eve. It is best to pay close attention to ordering deadlines and make reservations early.