Nation IN BRIEF : NEW YORK : Park Beach Littered With Medical Waste

Hundreds of dirty hypodermic needles and empty medicine vials and other medical waste washed ashore in New York City, closing a beach to swimmers, a National Park Service spokesman said. The waste, discovered by a park visitor, was spread along the mile-long beach at Jacob Riis Park in the Gateway National Recreation Area in Queens. Those responsible for the waste could face charges of illegal dumping and defacing federal property, among other charges. Identifying marks found on some of the waste provided investigators with early leads.