Nearby: Sea Turtle Rescued

Sea Turtle Rescued

A cold-stunned sea turtle was rescued off Louse Point Beach in Springs this week. The Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation is treating the Atlantic green sea turtle, the second one the rescue foundation has taken in this season. The foundation’s medical staff responded and found that his/her initial body temperature was 11 degrees Celsius or about 52 degrees Fahrenheit. A sea turtle’s normal body temperature should be about 23 degrees Celsius or about 73 degrees Fahrenheit. Although the turtle has been introduced to a larger tank and is adjusting well to its tank mate, its condition is considered guarded.

Deer Park Schools Cut Field Trips

The Deer Park School District is cutting out all non-essential field-trips for the remainder of the school year, in order to make up for missed class time due to Hurricane Sandy, Superintendent Eva Demyen announced on the district's website. New York State mandates that public schools must be in session for 180 days. The Deer Park School District has 184 school days, but lost seven due to the storm.

Pit Bulls Threaten Man, Dog

A man and his dog were approached and threatened by two unattended pit bulls in Merrick Thursday evening, according to eyewitness reports. Megan Koutsis, a registered nurse from North Merrick, told Patch that she spotted the two dogs running across Meadowbrook Road while she was driving home from work around 7:30 p.m. When she turned onto Henry Street, she spotted the animals near a man and his small dog. Koutsis said she immediately called the police. She then flashed her lights and beeped her horn to try to scare the pit bulls away from the man and his dog. She let the man and his animal into her vehicle. Police arrived about 10 minutes after her call, Kousis said, but the dogs had fled.

Smithtown Dips Into Reserves for Budget

The Smithtown Town Board approved a $103 million budget for 2013, taking $7.3 million of rainy day funds to minimize the impact on homeowners' taxes at Tuesday's town board meeting. The Town of Smithtown's $103 million budget represents a 2.4 percent yearly spending increase. It will raise property taxes by $46.83 for the average homeowners whose property is assessed at $5,500.