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Hey Smithtown, hope your week’s off to a good start!

In today’s edition: New voting machine demos, St. Patrick’s Day parade routes, and Jagged Little Pill on stage + fun things to do for free & local fundraisers worth checking out this week.

Today’s sponsor, American Hartford Gold, is helping folks around Smithtown protect their savings as gold and silver continue to gain momentum. Their free guide explains what’s driving the surge… and what to know before adding precious metals to your portfolio. Grab your free copy here.

📰 In the news

Community preview of election tech: Suffolk County election officials will offer more demonstrations of new voting machines at public libraries, giving Smithtown voters a chance to see them before the June primaries — get all the details.

Where the marchers go: St. Patrick’s Day parades will bring Irish pride across Long Island this month, with routes in Mineola, East Islip, and Amagansett, including Court House Drive, Main Street, and Irish Lane — see the parade routes.

Regional innovation gains momentum: Broadridge will invest $78 million to modernize Long Island operations, keeping 2,200 jobs. The deal includes up to $40 million in state incentives and a partnership with Stony Brook University — read the full story.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.

Highlights this week:

• Decode Revolutionary War flag signals
• See Jagged Little Pill at Smithtown Center
• Enjoy Wonderous Stories duo at Garden Grill

🫶 We got your back

Sandwich run, sorted: When midday hunger hits, Simply Devine Caterer makes it easy with a deli lineup you can order online and grab fast. Local, no-fuss, the neighborhood spot you reach when emails won’t quit and the group chat begs for something good.

Quiet trails, big exhale: When your mind needs a reset, Caleb Smith State Park Preserve offers shady footpaths, a small nature museum, and the hush only deep woods hold. Slip in for a midweek loop, breathe deeper, and call it self-care you’ll actually keep.

Toy hunt, solved: Whether you’re hunting a birthday score or nostalgic shelf candy, LI Toy & Game blends new releases, board games, model kits, and true vintage. It’s the neighborhood spot you enter for “five minutes,” then wander out beaming, pockets lighter, arms fuller.

Why your last diet didn’t work: Sustained weight loss is nearly impossible with diet alone. Your body literally fights back by making you hungrier the moment you start restricting calories. That’s why more doctors are recommending GLP-1s. The best part? Getting them has never been easier. We compared three programs to help you find the right fit. See which ones stood out →

Your data is for sale right now: There are over 400 websites selling your info to marketers, political campaigns, and scammers. They’ve got your phone number, home address, relatives’ names… you name it. That’s how robocallers seem to know everything about you before you pick up. You can remove your info one site at a time, or pay a service to do it for you. Here’s what we recommend →

📆 Free events worth checking out

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🐣 Easter Egg Hunt @ Sawmill Intermediate School (Commack) | Saturday (3/28) at 12:00 PM – Head to Sawmill for Commack’s free egg hunt, stuffed with 5,000 eggs, golden prizes, games, and a complimentary Bunny photo. Bring the kids, your coffee, and your realistic expectations, because this is not the three-egg scramble we grew up with.

🎳 Lucky Launch Party @ Lucky Strike Commack | Sunday (4/19) at 12:00 PM – Take a break from the Costco run and pop into Lucky Strike’s launch party, with free bowling, arcade play, and bites. Bring your friends, your questionable spin, and your appetite. Nostalgia meets adulting with decent cocktails, blacklights, and working scoring screens.

✨ Upcoming local fundraisers

🏃 Go for the Green 5K Run/Walk @ Smithtown Elementary School | Saturday (3/14) at 9:00 AM – Nothing beats a trot through Smithtown, rain or shine. Go for the Green 5K lets you jog, walk, or wrangle the kids on the 1-mile family fun run, then help the Rotary put over $40K back into the community. Bagel justification secured.

🍸 The Park Lounge @ The Park Lounge (Kings Park) | Sunday (3/15) at 12:00 PM – The Park Lounge is hosting St. Baldrick’s again, turning Sunday into a head-shaving circus, because hair grows back. Build a team, brave the buzzers, and help fund pediatric cancer research, then celebrate with a pint and that well-earned glow of doing good.

🔮 Psychic & Medium Fair @ The Learning Experience – Kings Park | Sunday (3/22) at 11:00 AM – Swing by TLE Kings Park for a Psychic & Medium Fair that helps on this side of the veil. Fifteen-minute readings are $50, longer if you’re feeling chatty, and half the proceeds go to Make-A-Wish. Space is tight, reserve before your future says try again.

🏃 Run for the Rescue 5K @ Blydenburgh Park ( Hauppauge ) | Saturday (4/11) at 9:00 AM – Whether you run like the wind or power-walk with coffee, this 5K trail run or walk at Blydenburgh backs Last Chance Animal Rescue, and leashed pups are invited. It’s rain or shine, it’s local, and there’s a virtual option if your couch has seniority.

🔮 Dancing, Comedy, and Clairvoyance @ Patrizia Marquee (Commack) | Sunday (4/19) at 1:00 PM – Hit Patrizia’s in Commack for a feel-good luncheon where comics deliver, DJ nudges you onto the floor, and the cannoli vanishes fast. It kicks off Hair We Share’s fundraiser, turning laughs and two-steps into free human-hair wigs for Long Islanders, with sponsorships for extra impact.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Smithtown report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 66°F – Low: 40°F – Precip: 0%

Patchy fog before 8am. Mostly sunny. High near 66, with temperatures falling to around 62 in the afternoon. South wind 2 to 6 mph. Later: Patchy fog after 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. South wind around 5 mph.

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Tomorrow – High: 60°F – Low: 48°F – Precip: 21%

Patchy fog before 8am, then a slight chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy. High near 60, with temperatures falling to around 56 in the afternoon. South wind 2 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Later: A chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy. Low around 48, with temperatures rising to around 50 overnight. South wind around 9 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Are you quietly overpaying for car insurance? 🚗

Premiums have been climbing across New York but most folks won’t notice until they’re hit with a higher bill when it’s time to renew.

That’s exactly what happened to me. I had the same policy for half a decade. Autopay was on, it was out of sight and out of mind. Turns out I was blindly paying way more than everyone else I knew.

If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too – here’s the comparison tool I used.

This house is wild

Custom expanded ranch in Smithtown Pines, this brick beauty in the Hauppauge School District is a 4-bed, 3.5-bath standout. An open kitchen with stainless appliances, granite, and custom cabinetry flows to a living room with vaulted ceilings. A brick fireplace den, finished basement with outside entrance, two-car garage, circular driveway, deck, firepit, and built-in grill complete the scene.

Take a peek inside →