TRUMP TARIFFS HURTING
Garbo Lobster President Dave Garbo says “the tariff is putting us out of business.” Garbo said the day after China’s retaliatory tariffs went into effect in early July, Chinese distributors canceled every lobster order. Up to 150,000 pounds of lobster per week was being shipped to China from the Groton business. But, Chinese buyers don’t want to pay, at least, an extra two bucks generated by the tariffs. While Garbo Lobster still ships to Vietnam, Korea and Europe, Garbo said his business can’t survive if the market in China is choked off completely.
POOR SCORE FOR L&M
When it comes down to a Medicare scorecard for timely treatment of sepsis, a serious complication that can be fatal, Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London scored lower than all other Connecticut hospitals, and well below the state average. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reported that L&M staff followed sepsis care protocol only 13 percent of the time in a sample of 215 patients. That’s 30 percentage points below the average score for Connecticut hospitals and 71 percentage points below Day Kimball in Putnam, the hospital with the highest score. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 1.5 million people get sepsis in the United States each year, and more than 250,000 die from it. Sepsis accounts for about a third of deaths in hospitals.
MORE JOBS AT FRONTIER
Frontier Communications in New London is looking to increase its current 50 employees to about 75 in the short-term and to 100 or higher in the long-term. Communication Workers of America Local 1298 are asking for the city’s help. Mayor Michael Passero met with union officials to discuss those goals. Passero said that an employment opportunity like this right in the heart of downtown is exactly what’s needed. He said the city could help by possibly hosting an open house at City Hall on a Saturday.
STONINGTON CONSIDERS MILL TAKEOVER
The Town of Stonington is looking into taking control and cleaning up the contamination of the abandoned Connecticut Casting Mill in Pawcatuck. A community forum has been scheduled for Sept. 5th at the Pawcatuck firehouse to give residents a chance to comment on the Stillman Avenue property and about what would have to be done to make it less of a hazard to the community and more attractive for reuse. A study done 11 years ago found that it would cost $1 million to clean up the contamination, in addition to the cost of demolition and redevelopment.
FISHING FREE TOMORROW
State officials are waiving fees for a one-day fishing license this Saturday. People will be able to get a free one-day fishing license for both freshwater and saltwater fishing through the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s online system or at any venue that sells fishing licenses. You’re required to have a fishing license if you’re over 16 yrs old. In celebration of Saltwater Fishing Day, DEEP also will host educational activities for visitors to Fort Trumbull State Park in New London from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, including fishing and crabbing, a saltwater fish exhibit and a touch tank with live marine animals.
