News From Around LI, March 24

Some of the news you may have missed from around Long Island this week.

Massapequa Eliminates 29 Teaching Positions

The Massapequa School District is eliminating 29 teaching positions as part of their proposed 2012-13 school budget.

District Superintendent Charles Sulc made the announcement at Thursday's Board of Education meeting, which covered the instructional side of the spending plan. The 29 positions represent 4 percent of the district's teachers and will represent a savings of almost $2.2 million, according to Sulc. 

Bamboo Ban Discussed in Huntington

A final decision on possible residential bamboo use restrictions could come soon by the Huntington Town Board.

Calling for mandatory installation of 10-foot buffers consisting of four-foot deep impenetrable barriers between homeowners who plant invasive bamboo and their neighbors, the proposed resolution was met with mostly favorable opinion at Town Hall March 13 from about a dozen residents who made public comments. 

Stranded Teens Rescued from Psychiatric Hospital

Three teens who entered an abandoned building at the former Kings Park Psychiatric Hospital had to be rescued by police and fire crews Monday afternoon. According to State Park Police, the teens, who are from Commack, Smithtown and Hauppauge, had climbed a tree and were able to enter the property's largest and most well known Building 93 through a broken window. “The teens got up to the eleventh floor, where they entered a room. The door closed behind them and they were unable to get back out,” said park police Sgt. Anthony Catalano.  They were rescued after one of the teens used a cellphone to call 911. All three were charged with trespassing and were released to their parents.

Red Tide Expected to Arrive, Exit Early

An unusually warm winter means Northport and Huntington waters may see an early arrival, and exit, of red tide this year, said Dr. Chris Gobler of Stony Brook University, an expert on toxic algal blooms.

Speaking at the Northport Harbor Water Quality Protection Committee meeting at on Thursday, Gobler explained that warmer waters increase the concentration of the toxic algae responsible for beach closures and shellfishing bans in the recent past.

Circus Train Arrives, Backs Up Traffic in Garden City

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus train rolled through Garden City Monday afternoon on its annual trek to the Nassau Coliseum.

More than 100 train cars slowly crossed Clinton Road and Commercial Avenue, backing up traffic for more than two hours as it passed the fire station along St. James Street on its way to the East Garden City yard.