Good News: Two Saved in Dramatic Rescue From Empty Island

As a local news organization, Patch covers stories of all kinds, from heartbreaking tragedies to nitty-gritty breakdowns of government and school district issues. But some stories are simply inspiring, often showing that at the heart of our communities is a desire to do good. Here are some of the touching headlines from the past seven days.

Two Saved After Boat Sinks

Suffolk County Police said two men, Paul Salentino, 36, of Holbrook, and John Rose, 51, of Ronkonkoma, left from the East Islip Marina around 1:30 p.m. Sunday to go clamming aboard a 14-foot motorized boat.

When the pair did not return from their trip, Salentino's mother traveled to the marina and found her sons unoccupied vehicle at about 3 a.m.

Officers from the Marine Bureau as well as the U.S. Coast Guard were called to go on the search for the missing men, using the boats Marine X-Ray and Marine 1, on the Great South Bay. Police said the search was rough due to foggy conditions and near zero visibility at the beginning.

Just after sunrise though, Marine Bureau officers located the missing men on a small, remote island near Babylon Village at 7:30 a.m.

96 Students Named AP Scholars

St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School has announced that, for the 2012-2013 school year, 96 students have been recognized by the College Board as AP Scholars.

Of those who earned this distinction, 46 were recognized as AP Scholars, 26 as AP Scholars with Honor and 24 as AP Scholars with Distinction.  In addition to these impressive awards, two students received the highest possible AP designation; namely, National AP Scholar.

Charity Donates $1K to Ronald McDonald House

Home Runs for Charity, a Sayville not- for- profit organization that supports local charitable organizations that was started by Sayville Middle School seventh  grader Noah Horak, officially gave back on Monday, September 30 during the annual Little League Banquet by presenting a check in the amount of $1,000 to Long Island’s own Ronald McDonald house.

Sophomore Kicks Up Top Grades, Heads Soccer Team

Honor student Dan Meneses keeps tops grades while kicking up some major turf on the soccer pitch.

Newly into his sophomore year at Miller Place High School, Meneses has brought his academic, athletic and musical talents with him.  He is enrolled in Honors and Advanced Placement classes and has been on the honor roll each quarter.  He continues to play the cello in the Orchestra and is a member of the Future Business Leaders of America.

Marching Band Wins Huntington Contest

The Sachem Marching Band is standing atop first place in its Large School 3 category after it scored 77.95 points on Oct. 6 at a band competition in Huntington.

The marching band grabbed first place for the second time in a row by beating out Walt Whitman High School by more than 4 judging points. On Sept. 29 in Malverne, the Sachem band took first place honors over Huntington and Walt Whitman.