Good News: Electricity Returns to Tesla's Lab

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.

Volunteers Clean Up Tesla Site

Things are shaping up nicely at the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe as volunteers continue the clean up effort of the once abandoned property.

Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe, the nonprofit group that was the beneficiary of a $1.37 million fundraising campaign aiming to preserve Nikola Tesla's final laboratory in Shoreham as a museum, closed on the property in May, ensuring the process to preserve the property and create a museum in Tesla's honor. They've already started rehabbing the plot.

Students Selected for National Choir Ensemble

Hauppauge High School choir students Justin Albinder and Michael Lamendola will head to Nashville, Tenn., in October to perform under some of the nation's most prominent conductors as part of the National Association for Music Education All-National honors ensembles. The two students are among 350 school-age singers from around the country who will sing together after performing in competitions at the state level.

Scouts Doused for a Good Cause

Troop 184 in Sayville took sponges and rags in hand during a car wash held Sunday to support Scott Giammatteo's Eagle Scout project. He plans to build a brick path at the Long Island Maritime Museum in West Sayville.

Sayville Filmmaker Releases Documentary

The Shinnecock Indian Nation is being featured in a new documentary that will be shown for the first time on Monday in Patchogue.

The film, called “Shinnecock,” was filmed over a three year period and filmmaker Thom Hoffman, of Sayville, said it focuses not just on the Shinnecock Indian Nation, but the the history of Native Americans on Long Island.

New Thrift Store Partners with Big Brothers, Sisters

Savers thrift store, which will hold its grand opening for its Commack location next Thursday, is helping residents reach children in need through a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island.

When members of the Commack community donate, the goods not only get a second life, but are also turned into revenue for the organization that works to improve the quality of life for children facing adversity. Savers pays Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island for every item donated, even if the item doesn’t sell.

Family Preserves Local History

Members of the Failey family were honored during the Huntington Historical Society’s 23rd annual “Evening of Wine Under the Stars” gala for their dedication to the preservation of Northport’s history.

Maurine Failey still lives in the East Northport home her grandfather built in 1906.

School Gets New 9/11 Memorial

A new Sept. 11 memorial has been unveiled at a ceremony at Sachem High School East, 177 Granny Rd. in Farmingville, Sunday morning.

According to an announcement from the school district, the memorial’s design includes the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. The memorial sits directly in front of the school.

“The memorial was built to respect the memories of those lost,” Sachem East Principal Lou Antonetti said in the announcement.