Nearby: Animal Shelter Criticized

Audit Criticizes Hempstead Animal Shelter

High operational costs, a mismanagement of overtime expenses and poor record-keeping were among the findings of a recent audit on the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in Wantagh, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced Friday. The audit into the shelter on 3320 Beltagh Ave. in Wantagh was undertaken by DiNapoli’s office after requests by town residents and Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice. A full report of the audit can be found by clicking here.

Hofstra Basketball Players Accused of Burglaries

Four Hofstra University basketball players were arrested Thursday and charged with committing multiple burglaries on campus, allegedly using their status as athletes to steal expensive electronics from other students' dorms. Two of the team's leading scorers, Shaquille Stokes, a sophomore who hails from Manhattan, and Jimmy Hall, a freshman from Brooklyn, were charged with the crimes along with two other freshmen players, Kentrell Washington, of Las Vegas, and Dallas Anglin, of Montclair, N.J.

Half of Great South Bay Reopened

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has reopened the Great South Bay and all tributaries to shellfishing after Hurricane Sandy caused the department  to temporarily close the area. The emergency shellfishing closures have been in effect since Oct. 29, the day Hurricane Sandy made its way across the area, knocking out power and bringing flood waters up to eight feet on shore. Shellfishing was closed to protect public health, according to the DEC.

19th Century Headstone Found

A unique find was recently brought to the attention of the Sound Beach Civic Association and Rocky Point Historical Society, as a man working on the bluff in Sound Beach stumbled accross a headstone which dates back to the late 1880's. Sound Beach Civic President Bea Ruberto and others are hoping community members can help in reading and identifying the names on the headstone. "The names are not very clear, but the consensus is that the first names are Johann and Friederich and the last name is Grune or Gruner," Ruberto said. "Several people are researching this but have not been able to find anything definitive." 

Huntington Upheld on Avalon Rezoning

A state Supreme Court ruling has upheld the town’s rezoning for the AvalonBay project in Huntington Station. In the ruling released Thursday, Justice Joseph C. Pastoressa rejected a number of objections to the controversial 379-unit multifamily development. Those objections included complaints that the town had created illegal spot zoning and failed to take into account the environmental impact of the project.