PAWCATUCK MIDDLE TO CLOSE
The bell is tolling for Pawcatuck Middle School. The Stonington Board of Education voted last night to close the school as part of a consolidation plan. Starting in the fall of 2019, all the town’s middle school students will attend Mystic Middle School.Pawcatuck parent Ashley Gillece says she feels like the school board is turning its back on her neighbors. Stonington superintendent Van Riley says consolidation will save the town about 800-thousand dollars a year. He says the school district will also be able to expand its educational programs.
MOLESTATION CASE SETTLE FOR NEARLY A MILLION DOLLARS
An alter boy molestation case has been settled out of court. A New London man settled a lawsuit against church officials for $900,000 . The now 50-year-old man said he was sexually assaulted in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s by a priest at the Sacred Heart church in Groton. The case was scheduled for jury selection in Superior Court on Jan. 3rd, but was settled during mediation.
VOTES SET ON TROOPER ADDITION
The Preston Board of Selectmen agreed Thursday night to schedule a town meeting for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25th for residents to vote on whether to hire a second resident state trooper for the remainder of the current fiscal year. A referendum was also scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 6th. The specific language for the questions will be set next week. Officials say a referendum would bring a bigger voter turnout and would give selectmen a better idea of whether they should place the second trooper in the proposed 2018-19 town budget.
NL HOLDING TRASH FORUM
The City of New London is holding a public information forum next week to explain how a “pay-as-you-throw” trash system works, how it could reduce trash collection and disposal costs for the city. The city was awarded two grants totaling $54,000 from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to pay for a study of the system and potential implementation in the city. The city council has not yet taken up the use of the funds. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Jan. 17 at the Science and Technology Magnet High School.
EB JOB FAIR SUCCESSFUL
Almost 400 people attended a job fair that Electric Boat held at the Westerly Education Center Thursday afternoon. It was the second job fair the center has held for EB, after a November event drew 400 hopefuls. The company is looking to hire 14,000 people in Connecticut and Rhode Island over the next 10 years. Most of that will be to replace employees who are retiring or otherwise departing. EB is looking to hire 200 people to work in the trades in Groton by the end of 2018, and 500 mostly in the trades to work in Quonset by the end of March.
WATER PROBLEMS CONTINUE IN OL
The water connection to the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle school was restored around 2:20 Thursday afternoon. But Center School, the Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau, Town Hall, the firehouse and the Old Lyme Historical Society still are without water, since the exact location of the broken pipe has not been determined. The district said all schools will have a regular school day today, except pre-kindergarten classes and LEARN will not be in session. Town Hall will be closed today but hopes are that everything will be back to normal by Tuesday. Monday is the Martin Luther King Jr holiday.
AARP UPSET OVER PROPOSED EVERSOURCE HIKES
Eversource Energy is seeking approval to implement a significant rate increase that will raise the cost of energy for Connecticut ratepayers by nearly a billion dollars over three years. The American Association of Retired Persons says these increases would significantly add to the electricity bill of Connecticut consumers, who already pay one of the highest rates in the continental United States. AARP Connecticut is urging residents to use their power and take action by attending an upcoming public hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 6th at 6:00 p.m. at New London City Hall.
