Top Stories of the Year

There were no slow news days in Smithtown, St. James, Nesconset and Head of the Harbor for 2010, but some stories hit harder within the community than others. Here are the top five stories of the year.

The Tragic Death of Courtney Sipes – Although 11 year old Courtney Sipes tragically lost her live on Main Street in Smithtown on Nov. 24, 2009, the story continued throughout 2010.  about how she intends to keep her daughters namesake and legacy alive, a  on the one year anniversary of her death, and on Wednesday, Dec. 8 Maureen Lambert, the woman behind the wheel of the 2002 Chevy Avalanche that hit Courtney, .

The Passing of Pat Harmon – Pat Harmon, a permanent substitute teacher for East and West high schools as well as a West track and football coach, . Harmon's dedication to the schools, the students and the community did not go unnoticed as 672 runners participated in the , organized by 17 year old West student-athlete Mark Valentino. In November, Valentino was  by the Smithtown Central School District Board of Education and the American Cancer Society for his efforts.

The Midterm Election Season – Smithtown was the home to the Altschuler Campaign headquarters on Election Day which also housed, as well as . This election season marked the first use of  as well as an .

MTA Fare Hikes, Concerns and More – The MTA faced community opposition in 2010 by the . In September, the opposition continued at an .

Drugs in Smithtown – Smithtown's drug epidemic was at the forefront of residents concerns in 2010 – from the driver responsible for the death of 11 year old Courtney Sipes being on heroin at the time of the accident to numerous drug related arrests by the Suffolk County Police Department Fourth Precinct within the community. Much of the problem is within , as said by  and .