FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF IN CT
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy has ordered flags lowered to half-staff until Friday to honor the victims of the shooting in Las Vegas. The Democratic governor calls it a senseless tragedy. He says Connecticut stands with everyone affected by the shooting. Democratic Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal on Monday both criticized their colleagues in Congress for failing to act to prevent gun violence, while also expressing their sorrow. Murphy blasted what he called hollow thoughts and prayers of politicians and “continued legislative indifference.” Democratic Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro called on Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan to allow Congress to take up what she called “commonsense reforms” such as banning assault weapons and supporting federal research into the causes of gun violence.
NEWTOWN FAMILIES REACT TO LAS VEGAS SHOOTINGS
NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) – Several families who lost loved ones in the 2012 mass shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut have taken to social media to express everything from empathy to anger following the shooting in Las Vegas. Donna Soto, whose daughter Vicki, a first-grade teacher, was among 26 people killed the school in Newtown, tweeted: “When will it end.” Nelba Marquez-Greene, whose 6-year-old daughter Ana Grace was among the Newtown victims, sent several angry tweets. In one, she says she is “stunned by the level of trauma (direct or vicarious) congress is willing to make us suffer through.” Cristina Hassinger, whose mother was Sandy Hook principal Dawn Hochsprung, disputed President Donald Trump’s statement that no one could fathom the victims’ pain, saying she and “far too many Americans” understand it.
HAITIAN CITIZEN IN NORWICH SENTENCED FOR INSURANCE FRAUD
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) – A Haitian man who federal prosecutors say was the ringleader of an auto insurance scam involving as many as 50 staged car crashes in southeastern Connecticut has been sentenced to four years in prison. Mackenzy Noze was sentenced Monday in federal court in New Haven. A jury convicted him of nine fraud charges in June. Officials say Noze is a lawful permanent U.S. resident who had been living in Norwich and will face immigration proceedings after serving his prison time. Authorities say the 33-year-old Noze and several other people staged the crashes in several towns between 2011 and 2014. After each accident, they fraudulently collected $6,500 to $30,000 in insurance payouts. Noze also was ordered to pay $207,000 in restitution. Six other people involved in the scam were convicted.
COMPTROLLER: WORK OUT A DEAL!!
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Connecticut Comptroller Kevin Lembo is urging Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Hartford HealthCare to reach a deal to keep thousands of residents from paying much higher costs for health care. Anthem and Hartford HealthCare both failed to reach an agreement Saturday on a new three-year contract. Due to the missed deadline, state patients insured through Anthem are considered out-of-network as of Sunday and now face higher out-of-pocket costs at hospitals in the system, which include Backus Hospital in Norwich and Windham Hospital. Lembo said in letters to both companies last week that if they failed to reach an agreement by this past Sunday, he’d be “forced” to direct more than 50,000 people covered by the state who use Hartford HealthCare to seek alternative providers. The Democratic comptroller says he remains in direct communication with Anthem and HHC.
LOOKING FOR SUSPECTS
East Lyme police are seeking the public’s help in identifying three suspects in an August assault. They’ve released pictures from surveillance video taken at the Henny Penny convenience store on West Main Street on August 20th, the same night that the three are accused of attacking two people at the end of Brainard Road at around 8 PM. The victims suffered non-life threatening injuries. The pictures can be seen on the police department’s Facebook page. The pictures also show a white car that the suspects are believed to have used. Contact officer Jared Priest at 860-739-5900 with any information.
