MAULING TRIAL CONTINUES
The trial continued yesterday in Danielson Superior Court for the woman charged with reckless endangerment after her dogs mauled a home health aide in 2014. A neighbor of Jenna Allen testified that several of her Rottweilers attacked him and his dog a couple of years before the incident that left Lynne Denning with life threatening injuries. Assistant State’s Attorney Bonnie Bentley is arguing that Allen was aware of her dogs’ propensity for violence and did nothing to curb it.
NOT GUILTY
A Norwich man,who police say forced his way into a former girlfriend’s home, trashed the apartment and tried to stab her new boyfriend, was in New London Superior Court yesterday. Larry Fletcher pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including home invasion and attempt to commit first degree assault. He is scheduled to return to court on July 5th.
NEW BAND SHELL OPENING
A ribbon cutting ceremony will be followed by a concert as a new band shell is scheduled to open tomorrow at 6 p.m. at McCook Point Park in Niantic. Three local organizations, along with the Town of East Lyme, collaborated on the project. The Parks and Recreation Department has scheduled Friday night concerts at the new venue beginning in July.
NEW HOPE
A new three-story, two-family HOPE house has replaced a former tenement that was a blight on its New London neighborhood. Mayor Michael Passero will be at the dedication tomorrow at noon. The home has been on the market for about two weeks. A buyer must heed deed restrictions based on income and other factors. The Belden Drive property was the 18th house that HOPE has completed in the neighborhood.
BRIDGE FUNCTIONING AGAIN
EAST LYME, Conn. (AP) – State officials say a local drawbridge that has been inoperable due to electrical issues is back up and running. The Connecticut Department of Transportation announced the Niantic River Bridge in East Lyme is running normally after an outside electrical surge destroyed the bridge’s control system a few weeks ago. The bridge has about a 30-foot clearance, depending on the tide, and the sailboats need the bridge to open to pass through. The DOT says they found an old circuit board in a warehouse that could be used as a fix instead of surfing for vintage parts which was fortunate as the system runs on 25-year-old machinery.
