Five Things We Learned on Patch this Week

: Daniel Dolcater, who caused the accident that took the lives of two people in St. Pete Beach, was sentenced to 21 years in prison, according to an article on Tampabay.com. Dolcater, who turns 21 on Monday, was sentenced under two counts of DUI manslaughter and other charges.

: It was a windy night on the beach last night, but visitors to Pass-A-Grille didn't feel chilly. Pass-A-Grille Beach lit their annual bonfire on the beach last night, kicking off the holiday celebrations in the beach community.

: According to a Huffington Post story, the beleaguered U.S. Postal Service is discussing the need to pull back on services in the coming year. Specifically, the Postal Service is discussing the idea of delaying delivery of first-class mail. This means that beach residents could see a delay in arrival on everything from regular letters and mail-order prescriptions to Netflix DVDs and magazines.

: It’s hard to believe, but Patch has 19 Florida sites up and running since 2010 – from Bradenton to Clearwater, and Gulfport to New Port Richey. More are planned for 2012. As traditional media companies retreat and abandon their original missions for local coverage, online startups like Patch have stepped in to stake a claim in community journalism.  

: The holiday season is here! With the joy and cheer that the holidays bring, there are also certain tasks that we all do every year in preparation. We at Patch want to know what your holiday traditions are. Whether you take the time to make your house light up enough to double your electric bill for the month or you take pleasure in making your tree the most perfect shape, we want to hear the activities that you look forward to each year.