Long Island Briefs

GLEN COVE

State chips in for waste-site face-lift

Glen Cove is getting up to $600,000 in state funding to start transforming a shuttered incinerator and composting facility into a park.

"We have a blighted, underutilized area," said Myralee Machol, director of the city's Community Development Agency.

The incinerator has been closed since 1998 and the yard-waste composting facility was shut down in 2013, she said.

The 8.8-acre site south of Glen Cove Creek is next to the 19-acre John Maccarone Memorial Stadium, which includes eight sports fields, along with batting cages and a basketball court.

The money will pay for the planning and design of the park, and for putting the project out to bid.

One idea is to build another outdoor multiuse sports field and an indoor training facility, along with a playground and walking or bike path, said Darcy Belyea, director of Glen Cove's parks and recreation department. The new park could allow the city to host more regional tournaments, she said.

The planning process will look at these and other proposals and determine how much they cost, Belyea said.

SOUTHAMPTON

Safety workshop for religious leaders

Suffolk County officials and law enforcement have scheduled another security training workshop for local religious leaders, from 7 to 8 Wednesday night at the Southampton Campus of Stony Brook University.

County Executive Steve Bellone, Suffolk Police Commissioner Edward Webber and other members of the county police and Southampton Town police will host the workshop -- in the Duke Lecture Hall, Building 5 at 239 Montauk Hwy. -- for local clergy to learn how to protect their congregants and provide a safe environment for worship.

The first workshop was held in Brentwood after the fatal shooting of nine congregants at a church in Charleston, South Carolina, in June.

Officials will speak about crime-prevention measures and specific security strategies for churches and houses of worship.

WESTBURY

2 generators bought as storm precaution

The village has purchased two powerful standby generators to be funded with $40,000 from Nassau County.

Money from the Community Revitalization Project funded a generator for the village hall at Lincoln Place and another for the public works yard on Dover Street. Officials say the generators are needed to ensure the village is not without power during storms.

The generators were installed in July, officials said, and are covered by the funding secured by Nassau Legis. Laura Schaefer (R-Westbury).

Mayor Peter Cavallaro in a news release said "it is critical that the Village Hall and DPW buildings remain open to the public during power outages and larger emergency events, and that the phone system and computer network remain functional to insure continued operations within the Village."

Nassau Legis. Laura Schaefer (R-Westbury) said in the news release that the funding is key "in light of the ever-changing weather patterns here on Long Island."

BABYLON

Housing voucher applications available

The Town of Babylon plans to accept applications for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program starting Friday.

The town's Housing Assistance Agency will accept applications for the program through Sept. 4. The federal program helps those with low incomes, the elderly and the disabled obtain housing, ranging from apartments to single-family homes.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development distributes the funding to local housing agencies. A housing subsidy is then paid to the landlord on behalf of a program participant. The participant pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the subsidy.

Applicants can seek subsidies for their existing rental units or for a new location. Applications are available at the town's Housing Assistance Agency in the town hall annex, 281 Phelps Lane in North Babylon. For other locations where applications are available, call 631-893-1040.

LONG BEACH

Anonymous gun buyback Saturday

Long Beach officials plan to hold a gun buyback Saturday to exchange guns for cash.

Long Beach police, Nassau County officials and representatives from the district attorney's office will host the exchange from 9 a.m. to noon at Christian Light Baptist Church, 620 Park Place.

Officials are offering $100 for rifles, $200 for handguns and $400 for assault rifles turned into authorities. The buyback does not include licensed guns, BB guns, air guns or replicas. All guns must be operable.

Any guns transported must be in the trunk of a car, unloaded and placed in a plastic or paper bag or shoe box. All gun returns will be anonymous.

"The City Council would like to thank Acting District Attorney [Madeline] Singas for her assistance in funding this program to help further reduce gun violence by taking unwanted firearms off the streets," City Council president Len Torres said. "Under Commissioner [Michael] Tangney's leadership, the Long Beach Police Department has done a remarkable job keeping our community safe, and coordinated efforts like these with Nassau County provide additional protection for everyone in our city."

HUNTINGTON

Shelter to hold fundraising event

The Huntington-based Little Shelter Animal Rescue & Adoption Center is holding its 18th annual Pet-A-Palooza this weekend.

The event is a fundraiser and an adopt-a-thon for dogs and cats. It runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 33 Warner Rd.

The no-kill animal shelter is inviting the public to come and participate -- even if they don't adopt one of the hundreds of available shelter animals.

The event features a combination raffle and auction, games for kids, a barbecue and live entertainment, including a dog swimsuit contest and a canine search and rescue demonstration.

Last year, the event drew more than 300 people, and about 50 dogs and 30 cats were adopted, a shelter official said.

To learn more, visit littleshelter.com.