MITCHELL BANNED
A member of the New London Housing Authority Board of Commissioners is being barred from authority property and tenants. The authority claims mayoral appointee Kathleen Mitchell is interfering in the daily operations of the authority. Mitchell has been given a warning letter that says she could be removed as a commissioner. Less than a year ago, the authority board tried to get rid of Mitchell but Mayor Michael Passero didn’t act. Mitchell says she is infuriated by the letter.
CLEAN ENERGY AUCTION UNDERWAY
The state’s zero carbon energy auction is underway with over 100 companies pitching proposals, including Millstone Power Station owner Dominion Energy. The company had fought to be included. Wind energy companies Deepwater, Bay State and Vineyard are also in the mix to provide power to Connecticut. New England’s other nuclear power plant, Seabrook Station in New Hampshire also applied. Winning proposals are likely to be selected by the end of the year.
NFA TRUSTEES MEET ABOUT SEX ASSAULTS
The Norwich Free Academy Board of Trustees met for an hour and a half last night to discuss the recent arrest of a former coach on sexual assault charges. Anthony Facchini was arrested last week after an investigation found that he’d had sexual relations with two NFA students while he was a multi-sport coach. He’d been fired in July. The meeting last night was behind closed doors and no comment on specifics was made afterwards.
GUILTY PLEA COMES IN DUI DEATH
A Colchester woman has pleaded guilty in a deadly drunk driving case. Twenty-eight-year-old Brianne Colonna slammed head on into 24-year-old Stephanie Turowski of Waterford in December 2016. As part of a plea deal, Colonna will be sentenced to 7.5 years behind bars. She was drunk, speeding and talking on her cell phone when she hit Turowski on Boston Post Road.
DREDGING TO GET STATE FUNDING
A measure that would provide a $5 million grant-in-aid to the city of New London for dredging at State Pier is expected to be voted on Thursday by the State Bond Commission. If awarded, it will be used to finance maintenance of dredging along selected areas at the pier. State Reps. Chris Soto, Christine Conley and Joe de la Cruz issued a joint statement urging the commission to approve the grant award and highlighting benefits of dredging.
CRASH INVESTIGATION CONCLUDES
State police now say a one-car crash that occurred around 10 p.m. Thursday involving the chairman of the Montville Town Council is no longer under investigation. According to a state police report, Thomas McNally ran off of Moxley road in his pick up truck to avoid a deer and struck a stone wall, then a street sign before it struck a tree. McNally did not sustain any injuries.
DEFENSE TRADE SUMMIT HELD
The USA-Australia 100 years of Mateship Defense Trade Summit was held in Mystic yesterday and brought together representatives from major U.S. and Australian companies including in the aerospace, cybersecurity, defense sectors and supply chains. Kasey Plante is the National Sales Director for Alpha Q, Inc., a jet engine parts manufacturer in Colchester. She says the meeting is a great way to find out what other companies are doing and how her company fits in. The companies attending hope to further trade and business partnerships between the two countries.
