🌱 Patch AM: 15-Year-Old Saint James Teen Reported Missing: Police

Hey hey Smithtown! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• Police seek help finding missing 15-year-old from Saint James
• How one Smithtown teacher turned student leadership into real community impact
• Smithtown investigators probing cause of Kings Park house fire

Today's riddle: My dog used to chase people on a bike a lot. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Tuesday: Breezy in the afternoon, with a high of 45 and low of 39 degrees.
• Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, temps: high: 49, low: 34.
• Thursday: A bit of snow and rain, with a high of 39 and low of 18 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!

📰 News we're reading

• 15-Year-Old Saint James Teen Reported Missing: Police (patch.com) — Smithtown-area residents are being urged to help locate 15-year-old Thomas Medlin of Saint James, who left the Stony Brook School on Friday and was last seen that evening at Grand Central Terminal. Police released his description and are asking anyone with information to contact Fourth Squad detectives, 911, or Suffolk County Crime Stoppers, with tips remaining confidential.
   

• Smithtown High School East Teacher Making Positive Change (longislandmediagroup.com) — Smithtown High School East social studies teacher Joseph Toth has been named one of just 15 educators nationwide to receive the 2026 Lead4Change Fellowship, recognizing his work with East’s leadership students. Under his guidance, students expanded their service projects, including hydroponic gardens that supply fresh produce to the Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry, and he’ll now receive a grant to further enhance his classroom.
   

• House Fire In Kings Park Under Investigation: Chief (patch.com) — A house fire on Broadview Avenue in Kings Park Sunday evening drew help from Smithtown firefighters and is now under investigation by the Town of Smithtown Fire Marshal and Suffolk police arson squad. Crews from multiple nearby departments quickly brought the blaze under control, and no injuries were reported as all units cleared the scene by 7 p.m.
   

📸 Around Smithtown

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Smithtown

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

Saturday January 17

• Beginner Watercolor Painting
  Northport-East Northport Public Library , 151 Laurel Avenue , Northport
  10:00 am

Monday January 19

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Holiday)
  Smithtown, NY Calendar Smithtown, NY 11787

📣 Smithtown Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Tuesday January 13

• Toddlers Explore
  Hauppauge Public Library , 1373 Veterans Memorial Hwy Ste. 1 , Hauppauge
  10:00 am
• Gather and Grow
  Hauppauge Public Library , 1373 Veterans Memorial Hwy Ste. 1 , Hauppauge
  10:30 am
• Snowman (2-5 years old)
  Elwood Public Library District , 1929 Jericho Turnpike , Elwood
  11:00 am
• Babies Boogie: 3 Months - 23 Months (Commack Public Library)
  Commack Public Library , 18 Hauppauge Road , Commack
  5:15 pm
• Board of Zoning Appeals Meeting
  Smithtown, NY Calendar , 420 Middle Country Road , Smithtown
  6:00 pm
• Toddlers Tango: 2 Years - 5 Years [Not in Kindergarten] (Commack Public Library)
  Commack Public Library , 18 Hauppauge Road , Commack
  6:15 pm
• Teen Donut Snowman Sticks: Grades 6 - 12 (Commack Public Library)
  Commack Public Library , 18 Hauppauge Road , Commack
  6:30 pm

Wednesday January 14

• Long Island Agricultural Forum 2026
  Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County , 423 N Griffing Ave # 100 , Riverhead
  2:30 am
• Dance Cardio Sculpt (In person) (Commack Public Library)
  Commack Public Library , 18 Hauppauge Road , Commack
  9:00 am

Thursday January 15

• Winter Seed Sowing
  Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County , 423 N Griffing Ave # 100 , Riverhead
  12:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Smithtown PatchAM possible:

• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• I met an angel today.
  I misplaced my debit card and searched high and low, all to no avail. I traced my steps from the morning stopping in at a deli in Kings Park and… (Nextdoor Parnell)
• Please share & repost to help reunite this lost cat!
  Maggie was LOST on December 26, 2025 in Brentwood, NY 11717 near Lincoln/Perry Sharing for a neighbor. For the latest information or to contact the… (Nextdoor Smithtown Pines)

• Cold Stone Creamery posted a job opening for Crew Member in Smithtown. Apply here.
• Lessing's posted a job opening for Banquet Server in Smithtown. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Smithtown here.

🗞 Nearby News

Kings Park

• House Fire In Kings Park Under Investigation: Chief (patch.com)

Hauppauge

• LI apparel maker expands with Hauppauge acquisition (libn.com)
• New York battery storage plans face challenges in 2026 (newsday.com)

Ok Smithtown! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I took its bike away.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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