🌱 Smithtown Daily: Help Northport Victims + Mac N' Cheese Crawl

Happy new year, Smithtown! Diane Witek here providing you with what you need to know to get your day started off right!

First, today's weather:

Rain, mild; fog in the a.m. High: 54, low: 50.

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Here are the top stories today in Smithtown:

1. There are service changes on the the Long Island Rail Road for New Year's Day in anticipation of lower ridership due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's how it shakes out for LIRR riders. (Patch)
2. As of 2 p.m. Thursday, $17,665 had been raised for three Northport residents who lost their home in a fire. No one was reported injured, but unfortunately, the residents lost everything; they were left with no clothes, shoes or other living essentials, just days before Christmas. In response, a Northport Village resident launched a GoFundMe campaign to support the victims. You can click here to help the families affected by the fire. (Greater Long Island)
3. Meet Joshua Block, a recent Patchogue-Medford graduate who attracts millions on Tik Tok. When Block first joined Tik Tok in 2019, it took time to find his own voice; two years later, he has over 2 million fans. Block is a part-time entrepreneur thanks to the travel vlog craze among young adults using social media. He said Tik Tok pays him about four cents for every 1,000 times his videos are viewed, which comes to around $700 every month and that is without endorsements! (Greater Long Island)
4. Do you love Mac N' Cheese? Then join the Port Jefferson's Mac N' Cheese Crawl this month; 14 restaurants are taking part in this two-day event: Jan. 29-30 — from 1-4 p.m. on both days. For $25, participants can purchase tickets for one or both days of the tasting event, one-of-a-kind mac n’ cheese creations. (Greater Long Island)

From my notebook:

• Sweetbriar Nature Center: "What does the fox say? Well, this young teenage fox says, 'I don’t feel very well.' He was found curled up on the front porch of a suburban home." (Facebook) (Website)
• Smithtown Library Kids: "Join Miss Samira to listen to some snowmen stories and create a cool snowman craft. Craft kits will be available for pick up at the Commack Building beginning Dec. 27. No registration required. Supplies are available on a first come, first serve." (Facebook) (Website)

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you soon.

— Diane Witek

About me: Impassioned Writer, Website Designer, Social Media Marketer and newly proclaimed Baker. Lover of nature and animals of all kinds.