The big news around town this week was voter approval of the Smithtown School District’s transportation referendum. Voters in the district showed strong support for returning transportation to the almost 1,500 students who were cut when residents approved new guidelines in May.
Residents approved the newest proposal on Monday, September 19, 2011, by almost 3,515 votes. Smithtown School District released vote tallies showing 4,629 residents in favor of returning to transportation guidelines in place during the 2010-2011 school year, and 1,114 opposed to returning to the previous guidelines.
The District expects to return transportation to students by October 11th.
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Another big event in the news this week was Kings Park In The Know’s, (a coalition to stop and prevent substance abuse), attempt to break a world record for yo - yoing. The event, “Kings Park in the Yo”, was held on the Kings Park School District’s Football Field. While they may not have broken the world record, they were successful in getting almost 1,000 people to show up. The community sent a clear message of support for programs that work to prevent children from getting involved in drugs.
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Other news - The Smithtown Town Board will participate in a county program offering incentives to business to help stop the “blight and flight” that the town is experiencing in its business district. The Kings Park Civic Association has been extrememly active in pursuing landlords and business owners in Kings Park that the association has identified as being detrimental to the safety and well being of the community. More on this next week.