Community Corner

10 Most Read Stories of 2011

Here are the headlines that had you captivated.

From a boater who went missing and never returned, to a boy who received his wish of a playground for his backyard, here are the biggest stories from 2011.

: Possibly one of our most commented on stories as well. The case still remains open.

In August, a young woman was brutally raped in a wooded area by Marvin Drive. Police arrested 23 year-old Luis Sanchez of Kings Park and charged him with rape in the first degree. Sanchez has pleaded not guilty and a DNA test has been ordered. He is due to appear in court again on Feb. 2.

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

: On a hot summer day in August, father and New York City Police Officer, Patrick Luca went missing in the waters of Smithtown Bay. A series of stories were written on Luca and his young son who was found alone in a kayak,Readers were intrigued by the story from the first reports the and the and of Luca.

Brittany Williams, 24 of Kings Park was struck by a car while on St. Johnland Road. Williams, the mother of two children is still in Stony Brook University Medical Center. A fundraiser will be held this weekend to help the family.

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

Jonathan Tully, 16, of Kings Park was riding his bike on Meadow Road when he was struck by a 2008 Chevrolet pickup truck. Tully suffered a head injury and was transported by police helicopter to Stony Brook University Medical Center and was admitted in stable but guarded condition.

The issue of contracted busing in the district remains a The board of education will meet on Jan. 17 to further discuss the future of the school's transportation system.

The idea became a reality last spring as residents flocked to the new market. The market was so well received that organizers are trying to arrange an indoor market for winter.

The district, with support of the Kings Park Board of Education refused to reappoint Tom Nally as coach for the 2011-2012 season this past September. As a sign of protest, members of the boys soccer team attended and then walked out of that evening's board of education meeting.

46-year old Gary Curcie of Kings Park was killed while driving his motorcycle on Route 25 in Coram back in November, when he collided with a Saturn driven by a Centereach man.

10 year-old Ethan Chang suffers fro a degenerative brain disease called Megalencephalic Leukoencephalopathy with Subcortical Cysts, or MLC. The folks from Make-A-Wish were able to grant Ethan some fun in his backyard with a playground that suits his needs.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here