IT’S WARM!!!
BOSTON (AP) – Boston and Worcester have broken record high temperatures set in 1930. The National Weather Service says New England’s first and second largest cities exceeded their respective daily record temperatures for Feb. 20. Boston hit 70 degrees on Tuesday afternoon, besting the prior record of 68 degrees that was set on Feb. 20, 1930. Worcester reached 67 degrees on Tuesday, topping its previous record of 65 degrees. The weather service says record highs are expected throughout southern New England on Wednesday, when temperatures should be in the 70s. The weather service says temperatures in Hartford and Providence were in the low to mid 60s Tuesday and didn’t match their records of 69 degrees for Feb. 20.
DEAD BODIES IN ESSEX
ESSEX, Conn. (AP) – Connecticut State Police are investigating after two people were found dead in a residence in Essex. The agency said state troopers were asked Tuesday to conduct a well-being check at the home. When they entered the residence in the afternoon, they found the bodies. Police declined to provide any other details, other than to say they believe there is no threat to the public. They’re also not releasing the names of the victims until their next of kind are notified. The state medical examiner’s office is conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death, and state police detectives are investigating. Essex is a town located along the Connecticut River.
SEX HARASSMENT LAW CHANGES
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Requiring more employers to provide sexual harassment training and expanding the time period for when complaints can be filed are among the proposals Connecticut lawmakers are proposing to upgrade the state’s sexual harassment laws. Democratic senators unveiled a package of legislation on Tuesday, inspired by the spate of sexual misconduct allegations that have arisen nationally. The lawmakers want to require sexual harassment training at all employers with three more employees. It’s currently required for employers with 50 or more workers. They also want to give victims up to two years to file a complaint with the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities about alleged harassment, instead of within six months. The top Republican in the Senate called it “disappointing” the Democrats didn’t work with the GOP on the issue.
REMEMBERING NIGHTCLUB FIRE
WEST WARWICK, R.I. (AP) – Rhode Island is marking the 15th anniversary of a nightclub fire that killed 100 people and injured more than 200 others. The Feb. 20, 2003, fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick started when pyrotechnics for the rock band Great White set fire to flammable foam installed as soundproofing. The site of the fire is now a memorial park. On Tuesday, some survivors, victims’ relatives, fire officials and fire safety advocates gathered there to discuss a new federal tax incentive meant to make it easier for small businesses to install sprinklers. Gina Russo, a fire survivor, is president of the group that built the memorial park. She says that if there had been sprinklers in the club, “life would be completely different” for many of the people gathered there.
