GOLD STAR DOWN TO 3 LANES
The Dept. of Transportation says another southbound lane of the mile-long Gold Star Bridge will be closed tonight, till around Thanksgiving, for additional repairs to the bridge deck, leaving three of the normally five lanes open to traffic. The southbound span was built in 1973. The $30 million rehabilitation project scheduled to be completed in November 2018, is intended to preserve the bridge for 25 years.
NORWICH COUNCIL MEETS TONIGHT
The Norwich City Council will be taking up resolutions to fund construction of new sidewalks and to create a poet laureate for the city at tonight’s regular meeting. The city would agree with four property owners to share in the cost of building concrete sidewalks with granite curbing in front of each property. The council will also take up a resolution introduced by Mayor Deb Hinchey that would establish an honorary “Poet Laureate of the City of Norwich” position. The poet laureate is a recommendation of the Norwich Creates Collaborative.
BUDGET PETITION DECISION EXPECTED TONIGHT
Facing state and local deadlines for action, the New London City Council will take up a more than two-month-old petition calling for reduction in the city’s budget or a referendum vote on the spending plan. The petition was a response to passage of a combined $90.05 million budget for fiscal year 2018 that led to a more than 9 percent tax hike. City officials have blamed the increase mostly on a drop in state revenues and an uncertainty because of the lack of a state budget. The council has two options on the agenda – repeal the $48.3 million general government and $41.7 million education budget or approve language for a referendum in November.
WOMAN ATTACKED BY DOG
A 21-year-old Plainfield woman is recovering from a Saturday afternoon dog attack that left her with facial injuries that required about 45 stitches. The woman was out for a walk on South Walnut Street at around 4:45 p.m. when a pit bull-type dog ambushed her and bit her, almost taking off her chin. The woman’s boyfriend rushed her to the Backus Emergency Care Center. The dog was described as a gray pit bull-type dog with a possible white spot of fur on its front paw. Police said they are still looking for the dog. Anyone with information about the attack is asked to contact the Plainfield Police Dept. at (860) 564-0804.
JUST IN CASE
Hurricane Irma has people in Connecticut already thinking. Old Lyme and North Stonington officials issued “get prepared just in case” memos to their residents on Monday. Old Lyme First Selectman Bonnie Reemsnyder urged residents to sign up for the town’s Old Lyme Alerts so it can text or call people to inform them of emergencies. In North Stonington, the volunteer fire company told folks not to procrastinate, that now is the time to prepare. Gov. Malloy will hold a press conference this afternoon to discuss storm preparedness as we move closer to the height of hurricane season.
GALES FERRY MAN SUCCUMBS TO INJURIES
A Gales Ferry man who was aboard a boom lift that tipped over and landed on an Avery Hill Road house in January has died. Wayne Dillashaw, the owner of Gales Ferry-based Precision Landscaping for more than 25 years never regained consciousness after the accident. He was 55 years old.
HEARING ON NL SUPER SEARCH THURSDAY
A public hearing of the New London Superintendent Search Committee is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday in the lecture hall of the Science and Technology Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut.
The public is invited to offer input, regarding what qualities and experience the next superintendent should have. The information provided will be used to help guide the committee in the selection.
Each community member will receive three minutes to comment. If you are unable to attend, feedback will be accepted via email to francolinok@newlondon.org <mailto:francolinok@newlondon.org>, or by regular mail, c/o Kristea Francolino, 134 Williams St., New London, CT 06320.
EAST LYME SCHOOLS HIRE SECURITY OFFICERS
The East Lyme school district has hired campus safety and security staff at the towns schools this year. Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Newton said the new hires are intended to bring an increased awareness of safety and traffic flow coming into and out of the school buildings. The district previously employed greeters at the schools, but included an extra $9,000 in the budget to hire the campus safety and security staff instead.
