In case you missed them, here is a rundown of the week's biggest headlines on Three Village Patch:
Alleged Holiday Tip Thieves Arrested in Three Village
Suffolk police have arrested two people whom they say stole tips left by Three Village residents intended for their sanitation workers on Thursday.
Six people, including a Town of Brookhaven employee and two Three Village residents, were busted Thursday for their participation in an alleged cocaine and Oxycodone ring and face serious penalties, including life in prison.
School District Projecting More Than $8 Million Budget Gap
School officials in Three Village are concerned that the upcoming budget process could be even more difficult than last year's, which saw the first shot at a school budget fail before the community approved an at-the-cap budget of $176.7 million. According to a preliminary budget presentation delivered at a Dec. 11 school board meeting, this year Three Village is facing a gap of around $8.75 million between a "rollover" budget, which would preserve all current programs and staffing levels, and a "tax cap" budget, which would require steep cuts.
Brookhaven, Suffolk County Won't Hold Joint Special Elections
While both Brookhaven town and Suffolk County will both hold special elections in 2013 to choose a new town highway superintendent and a new county legislator, respectively, the two entities will be holding those elections separately. Brookhaven has not yet set a date for its special election, but the county legislature voted 13-4 to hold its special election on Jan. 15 – fewer than 40 business days after the seat was vacated by Ed Romaine, who was sworn in as Brookhaven's new supervisor on Nov. 26.
Vague Threats Yield Increased Police Presence at Suffolk County Schools
While Suffolk County police have said rumors are circulating that schools may experience "disruptive incidents" Thursday and Friday, school officials in Three Village said they have not received any threats.
PHOTOS: Student Athletes Deliver Holiday Cheer at Cancer Center
Members of the University's men's and women's soccer teams, women's lacrosse, and men's and women's swimming and diving teams were joined by athletic director Jim Fiore and of course Wolfie to deliver dozens of toys. The Cancer Center is often a very serious place, where both children and adults receive a variety of therapies. "Because of the therapies they receive, they're often in and out of the hospitals and require frequent monitoring by their doctors," said Lauren Sharaby, a certified child life specialist at the Cancer Center. "So this type of event brings joy and cheer to our clinic ... It brightens up a day filled with medicine, procedures, and doctor visits."
SBU's Brenton Putting Seawolves on the Right Track
It's Tommy Brenton's turn to lead. The 6-foot-5 forward and team captain is stepping up this season as the Seawolves' leader, focusing everyone's efforts on getting back to the America East championship game – and winning a trip to the NCAA tournament that has eluded the team in the past couple of seasons. "I think he gets a lot of respect from our players. He leads by example in practice," head coach Steve Pikiell said. "He's one of the smartest players at all times on the floor. I think he gets respect from not just our players on our team but also our opponents."
