MALLOY NOT HAPPY ABOUT LACK OF BUDGET VOTE
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – An angry Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says he’s “dumbfounded” that lawmakers will not be voting on a temporary budget to avoid needless pain for some of Connecticut’s most vulnerable citizens, whose services will now be slashed. The Democrat said the House of Representatives “failed” on Thursday by not passing the stop-gap plan. Instead, House Democrats, who hold a narrow seven-vote majority, released an eleventh-hour, $40 billion two-year budget they say will be ready for a vote on July 18. Malloy is unimpressed by the proposal, which increases the 6.35 percent sales tax to 6.99 percent to help maintain municipal funding, saying “it’s not a budget.” Democratic and Republican Senate leaders say they’re also dismayed the House is not voting on a mini budget before the fiscal year ends Friday.
NO SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM
Norwich school officials have been forced to cancel a planned summer school program due to the lack of a new state budget. The grant-funded program, the Summer Learning Academy, would have benefitted young students needing an academic boost. About 120 children, kindergarten through second grade, would have been part of the three week session starting July 17th. Other summer school programs, including fee-based camps, will still be held.
SENTENCING IN NL HOMICIDE
A New London man was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court for his participation in the 2012 homicide of Javier Reyes in the city. Andrew “Papo” Aviles received 237 months in prison, followed by five years supervised release. According to court documents, Reyes was targeted, hit with a bat and stabbed, after a murder-for-hire plot against the head of a drug operation was foiled by police. He was said to be the brother-in-law of a man involved with that plot. Aviles had pleaded guilty in 2015 to a federal assault offense for stabbing the victim multiple times.
KEEP YOUR CARS LOCKED!!
Groton Town Police are reminding residents to lock their motor vehicles at all times, and not leave valuables in them. This after police say eleven motor vehicles were burglarized in the Allyn and High Street areas of Mystic between 2 and 3 AM Wednesday. Police say cash, electronics, and other items were stolen from the cars.
FIREWORKS ARE BACK!!
After a year’s absence, the Norwich Harbor will be alive with the sights and sounds of Independence Day fireworks. The 9 PM display takes place tonight. A lack of funding last year cancelled the event, but the newly-named Norwich Events Organization took over the job of getting donations for the display. Chairman Jake Mann-key says donations from area businesses, combined with a successful golf tournament earlier this month are making the 20-minute fireworks show a reality. It’s being put-on by New Hampshire-based Atlas Pyrotechnics. Mann-key says one of the best places to view the fireworks is Brown Park, where they’ll be food trucks and novelty vendors, starting at 3 PM.
