History, Happenings & Heart: What’s Going On

Good Morning,

Today, we’re looking at a serious e-bike crash, a lucky $33K lottery win, and a piece of postal history that changed daily life back in 1950. Plus, there’s no shortage of things to do—from arts and film to cleanups and parades.

-Brian Grant, managing editor, writer

Local Pulse

🚨 An e-bike rider was seriously hurt after crashing into a car on Circle Drive East in East Patchogue Wednesday evening, police said. The rider was hospitalized with serious injuries, while the driver of the car was not hurt. [News 12 Long Island]

🍀 A lucky lottery player won $33,000 from a Take 5 ticket sold at Country Liquors in Patchogue. The winning numbers were drawn during Wednesday night's evening draw. [Shore News Network]

Day In History

A Look Back: Patchogue’s Postal Service Cuts of 1950 Marked Shift in Daily Life

In a move emblematic of postwar government belt-tightening, Patchogue residents saw a significant change to their daily routines in the spring of 1950. As reported in The Patchogue Advance on May 11 of that year, Postmaster Joseph W. Harrison announced that, beginning June 3, mail carrier service throughout the Patchogue postal district would be reduced to just one delivery per day—including Saturdays.

The decision was made in response to a directive issued on April 18 by the Postmaster General, part of a broader national effort to cut postal costs. Before the change, many homes and businesses received mail multiple times a day, a rhythm that shaped communication, business, and even social life. The cutback marked the end of an era and prompted Harrison to encourage local businesses and industrial plants to rent post office boxes if they wanted to continue receiving mail as frequently as six times daily.

The post office adjusted its hours to accommodate the changes: lobby access would be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and from noon to 2 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. Window services, including money orders and postal savings, were also given more defined schedules.

This shift in 1950 reflected changing times—technological advances, budget constraints, and the evolution of how communities interacted with federal services. For many long-time residents, it was a moment that quietly marked the transition from the intimately local service of the early 20th century to a more streamlined, efficiency-focused era.

Community Highlights

Community Highlights

Local Sports

Here's your Patchogue Live Local sports recap from 5/7.

Baseball
Bayport-Blue Pt 14 Southampton 3
Bellport 4 Deer Park 3
Bellport 1 Deer Park 2
Patchogue-Medford 1 Longwood 6

Softball
Bayport-Blue Pt 19 Southampton 7
Patchogue-Medford 16 Brentwood 0
Bellport 1 East Islip 8

Girls Golf
Bayport-Blue Pt 2.5 Sayville 6.5
Bellport 4 Islip 5
Bellport 2 East Islip 7

Girls Flag Football
Patchogue 36 Ward Melville 13

Boys Badminton
Patchogue-Medford 2 Commack HS 7

Girls Badminton
Patchogue-Medford 1 Commack HS 8

Boys Track
Bellport 51 West Islip 90

Girls Track
Bellport 75 West Islip 46

That wraps up the scores for our Patchogue-Medford, Bellport, and Bayport-Blue Point teams. Stay tuned for more local updates.

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