MALLOY NOT HAPPY WITH MCDONALD REJECTION
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says he’s “deeply disappointed and gravely concerned” by the mostly partisan vote against his nominee for chief justice of the State Supreme Court. The Democrat said the “tortured explanations” for why all 18 Republicans voted in opposition to elevating Associate Justice Andrew McDonald to the court’s top job “do not stand up to basic standards of logic.” One Democrat voted with the GOP on Tuesday. Malloy repeated his contention that McDonald’s sexual orientation likely played a role in his opposition—an accusation Republicans strongly denied. McDonald is openly gay. The governor gave reporters a list showing that some of the senators who opposed McDonald have opposed gay rights bills. Malloy says he’ll decide in the coming days who he might nominate as a replacement candidate for McDonald.
NPU LOOKING TO RAISE RATES
If you receive water, gas, electric, and sewer service from Norwich Public Utilities, your monthly bill will go up by some 24 dollars, effective this July, if the proposed budget unveiled tonight goes into effect. The 95-point-9 million dollar package for the new fiscal year raises rates in all four divisions, after rates generally remained flat last year. NPU General Manager John Bilda says more than 17-million dollars has been set aside for water infrastructure improvements in the new budget, but that’s not causing the rate hikes. Bilda says increases in fixed costs, plus inflation, account for the higher rates. Customers who only receive electricity from NPU will see bills go up by one dollar a month, compared to three years ago. The city’s board of public utilities commissioners will hold a public hearing on the budget plan next month, with an expected vote in May.
SHELTER IN PLACE
Police in Waterford are investigating why a single round of ammunition was left at the Clark Lane Middle School. School officials say the ammo was found around 10 Tuesday morning, prompting a shelter in place order for awhile, meaning no one could enter or leave the building. No injuries reported. An increased police presence will be at the middle and high schools Wednesday. Parents are being urged to monitor their children’s social media pages for any information, and report any suspicious activity.
WHY NOT CHOOSE LOVE?
In the past year and a half, elementary schools across Connecticut have been implementing a new social and emotional learning program called Choose Love. It was created by Scarlett Lewis, whose son Jesse was killed in the Newtown school shooting. The program teaches children important life skills, such as how to have healthy relationships, how to express their emotions, and how to be resilient in the face of adversity. Lewis says the idea is to prevent school violence. Lewis paid a visit to Uncas Elementary School in Norwich on Tuesday to see the program in action. She was joined by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. Lewis says research shows that children who learn social and emotional skills at a young age are less prone to violence, mental illness, and substance abuse. She says the Choose Love program is active in all 50 states and over 55 countries.
EX-SALEM ATTORNEY PLEADS
A former Salem estate lawyer and probate judge pleads not guilty Tuesday to two charges of first-degree larceny. 65-year old John Butts is accused of stealing more than 400-thousand dollars from two clients. Butts is out on a 275-thousand dollar bond, and is due back in court May 23rd.
NORWICH MAN SENTENCED
A Norwich man will serve six and a half years in prison after robbing an Occum business, and forcing police to shoot at him as he fled. 30-year old Michael Baker held up Harry’s Market on Bridge Street in January, 2017, taking more than 3-thousand dollars. Norwich police followed him into Versailles, where on Main Street, Baker pointed his gun at them. Police fired at him, but he fled. Baker later turned himself in. He has a lengthy criminal record as well as several disciplinary violations in prison.
MOHEGAN SUN EXEC TO BE WITNESS AT COSBY TRIAL
One of the witnesses to be called by the legal team defending comedian Bill Cosby in his upcoming rape trial is a Mohegan Sun executive. Senior vice-president of sports and entertainment Tom Cantone is scheduled to appear on the witness stand April 23rd to talk about a dinner he had with Cosby and the alleged victim in the case in November 2003 in a Foxwoods Casino hotel room. The woman, Andrea Constand, claims she was raped by Cosby two months later. Cantone was an entertainment executive at Foxwoods at the time.
