Take a look back at East Hampton's top stories for the past week, or catch the news you missed:

Police/Fire

MONTAUK MAN REACHES PLEA DEAL ON DOG ABUSE CHARGE: Daniel L. Vargas, who was arrested after police said he dropkicked and beat his boxer puppy in June, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor animal cruelty on Thursday.

EAST HAMPTON FIRE DEPARTMENT FEATURED ON FOOD NETWORK: Ina Garten often brings members of the East Hampton community, where she films her Food Network TV show, into her kitchen and to her dining room table, but on Saturday's episode she paid a visit to a local firehouse. The Barefoot Contessa showcased the East Hampton Fire Department's drill in October, and, of course, the volunteer firefighters need to eat afterward.

Government

THIELE MAY REPRESENT SOUTHOLD, SHELTER ISLAND UNDER NEW DISTRICTS:  The South Fork will share its state assemblyman with Southold and Shelter Island towns starting in 2012 if a redistricting plan unveiled Thursday based on the 2010 Census is adopted.

IN RECESSION, ARTISTS FIND NEW WAYS TO GET BY: In the lean months between the holidays and summer, East End painters, sculptors and photographers are often forced to sell work for less money than they could draw during the peak season or to find other sources of income. The Great Recession hasn’t been easy for many artists in the Hamptons, especially the emerging and mid-level set, but some say the struggle is nothing new.

Sag Harbor

SAG HARBOR SCHOOL BOARD HEARS DRUG DOG PITCH: Sag Harbor School District Superintendent John Gratto's proposal to start using Suffolk County Police Department K-9 Unit dogs to sniff out drugs at Pierson High School — and deter students from bringing illegal substances into school in the first place — was officially discussed at a Sag Harbor School Board meeting Monday and board members appear to favor the idea, The Southampton Press reports.

Obituaries

JIM MOELLER DIES: James Myron Moeller, a former Miller Place school teacher and an active East Hampton resident, died at Southampton Hospital on Jan. 22. He was 73.