The "cup count," now a popular community attraction at the Monogram Shop in East Hampton, has accurately predicted four out of five winners of presidential races since its inception in 2004.

Elected officials and school district leaders are lobbying the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to carry out much-needed train track improvements on the East End. They want the M.T.A. to include money in the next five-year capital plan, on which the agency is scheduled to vote in October, for a specific set of upgrades and repairs that would enable an expansion of the train program known as the South Fork Commuter Connection.

Tensions ran high on Monday at East Hampton Town Hall, where the Springs Park Committee met to go over plans for the future of the park.

A proposal to increase density on senior-citizen-only affordable housing developments in East Hampton Town from the current eight units per acre to 12 was met warmly at a town board hearing last week.