Year in Review: The 12 Most-Read Stories on Three Village Patch in 2012

From compelling issues and photographs to heartbreaking tragedies, Three Village saw its share of big news in 2012. In no particular order, here are the 12 most widely-read stories on Three Village Patch from this past year:

Undercover Massage Parlor Investigation Yields More Than 20 Arrests – Feb. 24, 2012. Suffolk County police have arrested more than 20 people in an undercover investigation called "Operation Massage Parlor" conducted at a number of businesses in the Sixth Precinct. Police seized massage tables, assorted body oils, lotions, towels, bedding, and cash, and said many of the businesses closed following the arrests.

Three Village Rejects $178.6M Cap-Busting Budget – May 15, 2012. The decision to pierce New York's tax cap blew up in officials' faces Tuesday as Three Village voters rejected the proposed $178.6 million budget. Just 56.74 percent of voters approved the budget, which would have raised the tax levy by 4.48 percent. Since the budget exceeded the 2 percent cap, it needed a supermajority of 60 percent voter approval to pass.

Meet the Owner: Setauket Resident's Answer to Online Deal Websites – Oct. 24, 2012. Move over, Groupon and LivingSocial. There's a new deal in town. Setauket resident Rafael Vasquez has launched a new business, AllDealsLocal, which he describes as a hyperlocal take on websites such as Groupon and LivingSocial.

YOUR PHOTOS: Hurricane Sandy Hits Three Village – Oct. 29, 2012. Several locals ventured outdoors and sent us these photos to share with the Patch community. If you took photos of the hurricane's effects, it's not too late to share them. Log in, click this link and hit "upload" to get started.

Candles Light the Way Home for Fallen Teen – April 14, 2012. Andrew Murphy and his family called the S Section home, and with that home came membership in the community of neighbors known as the Circle of Friends. In April, the Murphy family found out just how big that circle really is, after hundreds of kids, teens, parents and even teachers flocked to Sycamore Circle Park for a candlelight walk in his memory.

Three Puppies Nicknamed 'Jonas Brothers' Are Available for Adoption – July 27, 2012. From time to time Save-a-Pet Animal Rescue & Adoption Center sends us information on pets available for adoption. Readers couldn't resist the adorable faces of "Nick," "Joe," and "Kevin."

East Moriches Man Arrested in Stony Brook Rape – Dec. 1, 2012. An East Moriches man was arrested Saturday and charged with committing a sexual assault in Stony Brook on Nov. 20. Patrick O'Sullivan, 20, was arrested on multiple charges including first-degree rape, first-degree burglary, first-degree criminal sexual act, second-degree kidnapping and first-degree criminal use of a firearm.

Locals Fear Panhandlers May Be Scammers – Aug. 30, 2012. At first, recent sightings of supposedly needy families holding signs asking for money at stores along Veterans Highway and Nesconset Highway prompted Long Islanders to graciously open their wallets to help. However, some now fear the panhandlers may be scamming people and exploiting children after the adults holding the signs were allegedly spotted with different children in their company.

Odd-Even Gas Rationing Begins – Nov. 8, 2012. Ten days after Hurricane Sandy slammed Long Island, a gas rationing system went into effect. The temporary policy requires gas stations in both counties to sell fuel only to drivers with vehicles bearing license plate numbers that correlate in odd/even terms with the day of the month.

E. Setauket Woman Injured in DWI Crash – May 23, 2012. An East Setauket woman suffered serious injuries and was taken to the hospital after police say a drunk driver slammed into her car. The accident occurred at the intersection of Holbrook Road and the North Service Road of the Long Island Expressway. Police say James O'Donnell, 47, was headed northbound on Holbrook Road in a 1995 Mercury Marquis when he struck a 2005 Lincoln, traveling westbound on the service road, driven by 26-year-old Kristen Iacono. She later died from her injuries.

Stony Brook Man Charged With Arson Following Sycamore Circle Incident – Dec. 9, 2012. Suffolk County police arrested a 34-year-old Stony Brook man in connection with the fire at a Sycamore Circle home on Thursday. Thomas Steinmetz was arrested at 11 a.m. on Friday at a home on Davis Lane in Stony Brook, charged with fourth-degree arson, a felony; criminal possession of precursors of methamphetamine, a felony; and first-degree reckless endangerment, a felony.

VOTE: Three Village's Greatest Person of the Year – Dec. 17, 2012. For two weeks we gave you, the community, a chance to nominate that perfect community leader as Three Village's Greatest Person of 2012. Now, with the nominees set, readers had the chance to vote on who will be named the "Greatest Person" of the year. More than 500 people voted and more than 200 of those chose Erik Dimech as Three Village's greatest person of 2012.