Community Corner
News Nearby: Chabad ‘Friendship Circle’ Seeks Teen Volunteers
Check out this past week's top headlines from nearby Patch towns.
Miller Place-Rocky Point
Rocky Point Supe's Budget Won't Pierce Cap; Teachers Union Speaks Out
After passing a budget last year that exceeded the tax levy cap and passed with over 60 percent of the vote needed, the 2013-14 Rocky Point School District budget proposed by Superintendent Michael Ring would not pierce the cap. At Monday's budget hearing at Rocky Point High School, Ring proposed a $74,261,582 budget, which would be an increase of 3.75 percent over last year's. It includes a projected levy increase of 3.56 percent, which is at the cap for the district.
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Port Jefferson
House Fire Under Investigation After Explosion Heard at Home
Several fire units responded and knocked down a house fire on Red Barn Lane that engulfed the home in smoke around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. Port Jefferson Fire First Assistant Chief Dave Williams noted that two people and a dog made it out safely. Williams also said that upon coming to the scene of the fire, firefighters heard an explosion at the site, believed to be oxygen tanks. According to Suffolk County Police, a call reporting a "house full of smoke" came in at 3:33 p.m. at 4 Red Barn Ln. A police spokesman said the house was evacuated safely, and Suffolk County Arson Squad was called to the scene.
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Hauppauge
Police: Hauppauge Woman Stole Puppy from Pet Store
A Hauppauge woman was arrested on a felony grand larceny charge over the weekend after police said she stole a puppy from a pet store.
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Kings Park
Hightower Homes Spared Wrecking Ball For 2 Weeks
Smithtown officials have temporarily spared Hightower Homes from a date with a wrecking ball, giving the new owner two weeks to make the property safe.
Smithtown Town Board voted unanimously to revoke their Feb. 28 resolution that allowed town workers to enter Hightower houses, at 77 and 81 Main Street in Kings Park, to clean up or demolish the vacant buildings, deemed unsafe by building inspectors.
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Three Village
Chabad ‘Friendship Circle’ Seeks Teen Volunteers
In a Detroit suburb a decade ago, a teacher wanted to encourage a teenager to get involved in the community. The Friendship Circle – an organization which pairs teen volunteers and youth with special needs to facilitate fun and friendship – was born. Since then, the Friendship Circle has inspired 100 other branches of the program around the country, including a program at Chabad at Stony Brook established seven years ago. "This is about friendship, social life," said Rabbi Shalom Ber Cohen of Chabad at Stony Brook, who runs The Friendship Circle with his wife, Chanie. "The program thrives because the teenagers feel very good about themselves and the parents are happy and the kids are happy. It feeds its own success. It really is brilliant." But Chabad SB's Friendship Circle is in need of volunteers to continue "curing loneliness with love." According to Rabbi Cohen, for every two volunteers the organization gets, 10 families with special needs children want to participate.
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Commack
Police: Commack Student Arrested After Air Gun Find
A 17-year-old Commack High School student was arrested Monday after he brought an airsoft pellet gun to school, police said.
