News Nearby: Another Commack Student Approached by Stranger

Miller Place-Rocky Point:

Zero Cuts in Miller Place Superintendent's Proposed Budget

After a handful of tumultuous budget seasons that included teacher and staff layoffs and cuts to curriculum, sports and activities, Miller Place Superintendent Marianne Higuera's proposed 2013-'14 budget includes no cuts.

The budget, which Higuera presented to the Board of Education and those in attendance at Miller Place High School Wednesday night, would not exceed the expected tax levy cap of 4.31 percent. The proposed budget of $67,757,777 not only had zero cuts, but also included multiple instructional program and co-curricular initiatives along with another major proposal of full-day kindergarten.

Smithtown

St. James Parents Ask District for the Right to Choose Middle School

Parents from southeast St. James spoke Tuesday during the Board of Education meeting urging the Smithtown Central School District to allow their kids to follow a transition pattern that would let them attend Nesaquake Middle School.

With the closing of Nesconset Elementary prior to the 2012-13 school year, the transition pattern to the middle schools changed, and now some students that graduate from Mills Pond Elementary will be sent to Great Hollow Middle School in Nesconset, not Nesaquake Middle School.

Some St. James parents feel this is unfair and want their kids to attend Nesaquake, a school within their own community.

Kings Park

Town Takes First Steps in Shutting Down Kings Park Concrete Biz

Smithtown officials will take legal action to close down a Kings Park pre-cast concrete business on Friday, while residents begged town board members to go after other illegal businesses breaking town code.

Smithtown Town Board voted to seek an injunction against KPE II in New York State Supreme Court to restrain them from carrying out illegal industrial activities at 110 Old Northport Road. Town attorney John Zollo will file action in court on Friday.

Three Village

Gyrodyne to Match Marine Conservation Repair Fund Donations

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization announced Wednesday that Gyrodyne Co. of America will match donations made to help it repair the damages caused by Hurricane Sandy at the Ernst Marine Conservation Center. Gyrodyne COO Peter Pitsiokos is a former student of Dr. Erwin J. Ernst, for whom the WMHO's waterside classroom is named. On Wednesday, he said the company will match donations up to $5,000 made through the WMHO's campaign on Indiegogo. The deadline is March 31.

Commack

Another Commack Student Approached by Stranger

A second Commack Middle School student was recently approached by an unknown man while on her way to school last week, district officials announced.