Long Island briefs

BABYLON TOWN

$12.9M in bonds for repairs, renovations

The Babylon Town Board has approved $12.9 million in bonds for roads, parks and building renovations and other projects in the next year.

Board members on Tuesday voted 5-0 to approve 18 separate bond issues covering both one-time and rolling projects. The largest was $6 million for the town's regular road maintenance program, designed to head off the need for more expensive road repairs.

Renovation of the aging Town Hall Annex, used for civic group meetings and indoor sports and also as a public warming center during cold snaps, will continue with $1 million bonded for roof repairs. The town will bond $938,000 for parks. Supervisor Rich Schaffer said much of that money will go toward fencing and surfacing of baseball fields and renovation of the Deer Park roller hockey rink, which receives heavy use but has not been resurfaced since its construction in 1994.

While the actual amount bonded for these projects could change based on town needs or cost estimates, Schaffer said, the total amount was calibrated to stay under the roughly $14 million of debt the town plans to retire this year in order to control debt servicing costs.

"If you control the debt, you can live within the budget," Schaffer said.

SHELTER ISLAND

Nesting bald eagles spotted in preserve

Researchers with the Nature Conservancy have found a nesting bald eagle pair on Shelter Island -- what they said was the third such nest known to be on Long Island.

The eagle nest was found Tuesday high in an oak tree within the conservancy's Mashomack Preserve, which covers a third of Shelter Island.

"Bald eagles have recently become a regular sight on Shelter Island," Mike Scheibel, preserve manager at the Nature Conservancy, said in a statement. "We are extremely pleased to find them on the Mashomack Preserve."

The preserve had originally been set aside as a nesting area for ospreys, once listed as an endangered species but since downgraded to being one of special concern.

ROCKVILLE CENTREPooch marches in

St. Pat's Day Parade

Patty McGrew stood at attention Saturday morning, waiting for the start of the Rockville Centre St. Patrick's Day Parade. The golden retriever service dog wore a colorful sash and sat obediently next to his owner, Jeanie Waters.

"I think the pipes are bothering him today," Waters said. "They usually don't though."

Two years ago McGrew, as Waters calls him for short, was sponsored by the parade, along with the Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities organization.

"Rockville Centre is a small community, where everybody helps each other," Waters said.

This year's sponsored charities included the Angelman Syndrome Foundation. Sebastian Sugden, 9, was among more than 40 people who marched to raise awareness for the rare disorder, which is marked by severe developmental delay, speech difficulties and seizures.

"Money donated from the parade will be used to fund and research services for families," said John Sugden, Sebastian's father.

The Rockville Centre parade also supported New Ground, a nonprofit that assists homeless families and veterans, and Nassau County AOH Feis and Irish Festival, which is held each year to celebrate Irish culture and history.