Regional Briefs – July 16, 2017

Students Search Militant Abolitionist Brown’s Farm

NORTH ELBA, N.Y. – SUNY students are searching John Brown’s Adirondack farm for artifacts linked to the 19th-century abolitionist who led an attack on the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, The Associated Press reported. Brown was executed in 1859 and is buried there.

Carousel Damaged in Fire Is Closed for the Rest of the Year

RYE, N.Y. – The historic 102-year-old Playland carousel will be closed for the rest of the year following a fire last Sunday caused by an electrical spark, the Journal News reported. The flames didn’t touch the carved wooden horses but some were damaged by water.

Construction of Ferris Wheel on Staten Island Hits Snag

STATEN ISLAND – The giant Ferris wheel scheduled to rise along Staten Island’s waterfront next year may have to be pushed back, the Staten Island Advance reported. The project is now “indefinitely delayed” after its developer fired the design-build team working on the 60-story New York Wheel for failing to meet multiple deadlines.

New York’s Breeding Eagle Population Hits New High

ALBANY – N.Y.’s bald eagle population has hit a record of 323 pairs, The Associated Press reported. The nation’s symbol was nearly eliminated from the state by the late 1960s, mainly due to the effects of the pesticide DDT. In 1976, the state started importing eaglets from other states and hand-rearing them for release in N.Y.

Crash Kills 1, Injures 8 on Grand Central Parkway

QUEENS – A Sunday morning crash on Grand Central Parkway killed one and injured eight others, with four cars colliding and flipping over, the Daily News reported. Police are investigating.