Community Corner

News Nearby: National Grid Workers Camp Out at State Park

Catch up on the latest news from Nov. 11 - Nov. 17 in those towns neighboring Commack.


Wall Catches Fire in Hidden Ponds Home
Firefighters from the Smithtown, Hauppauge and Nesconset fire departments rushed to extinguish a house fire in the Hidden Ponds gated community Wednesday morning.

Eateries Suffer Irreparable Losses from Power Outages
Businesses are back to operating regularly now that power has been restored in Smithtown after Hurricane Sandy, but the two weeks without it caused irreparable damage to some, specifically in the food industry. 

"We emptied out our whole store, there was nothing left," said Frank Mannino, owner of Mannino’s on Main Street. 

Not all was negative with the monetary and product losses many these businesses suffered as the business owners said being able to serve customers strengthened many bonds with the locals not able to make warm meals or enjoy dessert at home. 

“It was like a big party and everyone was happy to eating something that made them feel good,” said Ellen Bedziner, owner of Yogurtini. “It got people's minds off of what was going on around them.”

National Grid Workers Set Up Camp at State Park
A mini-city of tents, showers, bathroom and dining facilities has been erected for work weary out-of-state crews at Sunken Meadow State Park.

Find out what's happening in Commackwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The camp is one of nine around Long Island set up to feed and house restoration workers. According to Wendy Ladd, spokeswoman for National Grid, there are 350 restoration workers housed at the camp, which is run by National Grid.

Christiane Amanpour Helps Stony Brook Students Achieve Fundraising Goal
Veteran foreign correspondent Christiane Amanpour has been a supporter of Stony Brook's Marie Colvin Center for International Journalism since its inception, according to professor Ilana Ozernoy.

Find out what's happening in Commackwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"She lent her name to a couple of things that we did," Ozernoy said. "She’s been pretty much involved from the beginning."

Now, Amanpour has donated more than $9,500 to help students in the center's Journalism Without Walls program travel to Kenya in January. The program aims to give students hands-on experience as foreign correspondents as well as make them more well-rounded as domestic journalists. Patch first reported on the students' Kickstarter campaign in October, when just over $2,000 had been raised towards the goal of $16,800. Now, the students have surpassed their goal, which will allow more students to travel for the program.


Federal agency denies village's complaint against National Grid over business practices that keep energy prices on Long Island artificially high.


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