Community Corner

Good News of the Week: Turtle Rescued, Post Office Saved, Local Music Preserved

Some stories put a smile on your face. Here's our wrap-up from around Northern Suffolk and the East End.

As a local news organization, Patch covers stories of all kinds, from heartbreaking tragedies to nitty-gritty breakdowns of government and school district issues. But some stories are simply inspiring, often showing that at the heart of our communities is a desire to do good. Here are some of the touching headlines from the past seven days.

Seamen from the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Montuak this week came to the rescue of a massive sea turtle that had become tangled in a fishing line. Had they not showed up, the 6 and a half foot turtle would likely have strangled. Those helping to free the sea turtle were Firemen Oscar Kramp, of Miami, Firemen Robert Brown, of East Islip, Petty Officer 3rd Class Katie Sand, of Vermont, Petty Officer 2nd Class Izzy Velasquez, of Los Angeles, and Crew Seamen William Hanna, of Setauket.

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

See our gallery for video of the rescue.

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

One of Long Island's most reputable food banks is doing its part to make sure kids don't go hungry this summer. Island Harvest has joined with the USDA's Summer Food Service Program to provide meals to children in the months when school lunches are absent. Local sites include the the , the David W. Crohan Community Center in Flanders, the Shinnecock Education Family Preservation Center in Southampton and the in Bridgehampton.

"Hunger has become a year-round issue on Long Island and even though food may be plentiful for most of us during the summer, for many Long Islanders, including children, finding enough nutritious food is a daily struggle," said Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO of Island Harvest. “Fortunately, through the Summer Food Service Program, children facing hunger can now have nutritious meals or snacks available at several locations in Nassau and Suffolk counties.”

For a complete list of Summer Food Service Program Sites on Long Island, go to islandharvest.org or call Bob King at Island Harvest 516-294-8528 ext. 126.

In a move that saves 3,700 post offices across the country, plans to shut down a historic post office in Setauket have been scrapped, according to the U.S. Postal Service. Locals had protested the plan when the USPS first announced the closures in December 2011, arguing that the 1940s-era building in Setauket was a local treasure.

The Long Island Music Hall of Fame is moving forward with plans to build a museum at its future Port Jefferson location, a place intended to honor the region's contributions to the world of music. Notable Long Island musicians include the ubiquitous Billy Joel, Twisted Sister leader Dee Snider and famed composer George Gershwin.


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