YALE STUDENTS PROTEST KAVANAUGH NOMINATION
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) – Yale Law School students are protesting the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court and demanding an investigation of sexual misconduct allegations against him. Dozens of students wearing black staged a sit-in at the law school Monday. Some faculty members cancelled classes to accommodate the demonstration. Other Yale students traveled to Washington to protest the nomination. The protest came the morning after The New Yorker published the account of a woman who says Kavanaugh exposed himself to her when they were students at Yale in the 1983-84 academic year. Another woman has accused Kavanaugh of assaulting her in high school. Kavanaugh denies the allegations. Fifty Yale faculty members have signed a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee urging the Senate to conduct “a fair and deliberate confirmation process.”
GETTING READY FOR RE-TRIAL
Jury selection will begin December 3rd in a re-trial of a Norwich murder case. 55-year old Chihan Eric Chyung’s 2014 murder conviction in the shooting death of his wife was overturned by the state supreme court last year, saying the two guilty verdicts for both murder and manslaughter were legally inconsistent, and a new trial was called-for. Chyung is now being represented by well-known Hartford defense attorney Hubert Santos, after several previous attorneys withdrew from the case. Chyung claims the gun he had in his hands accidentally went off in June, 2009, killing his wife. He remains in prison, awaiting his second trial.
STATE SENATE DEBATES SCHEDULED
Four debates are scheduled next month featuring state senate candidates. October 11th at the Kelly Magnet Middle School in Norwich will have the two 19th district candidates speak—incumbent Democrat Cathy Osten and Republican challenger Mark Lounsbury. The two 20th state senate district candidates square off October 15th at the Charter Oak Federal Credit Union headquarters on Route 85 in Waterford. Two-term incumbent Republican Paul Formica faces Democratic challenger Martha Marx. The 18th state senate district debate on the 17th at Fitch Senior High School in Groton features Republican incumbent Heather Somers and Democrat Robert Stachen. Finally, the two candidates vying for state senator Art Linares seat debate October 25th at Old Saybrook High School: Republican state representative Melissa Ziobron, and Democratic Essex first selectman Ned Needleman. Linares is not seeking re-election. All hour-long debates begin at 7 PM, and are co sponsored by the Day and the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut.
CONTRACTOR ACCUSED OF RIPPING-OFF UNCASVILLE RESIDENT
A Wallingford contractor is being charged with stealing more than 122-thousand dollars from an Uncasville resident. Police say 53-year old Neil Ranciato, hardly did any work on the fire-damaged property, yet collected more than 122-thousand dollars in insurance money. Police say the owner of “USA Water and Fire” hired several sub-contractors, but never paid them. Police say Ranciato has been targeted by several similar complaints across the state. He’s been charged with first-degree larceny in the Uncasville case, and is out on 2-thousand dollars bond, He’s due in court October 4th.
PHARMACY CLOSING
One of the few remaining locally-owned and operated pharmacies in the area is closing for good Wednesday. Fort Hill Pharmacy on Route 1 in Groton opened in 1960. Manager Phani Daggubati says lower insurance re-imbursement rates is prompting the closure. Customers, though, won’t have to go far to get their medicines. CVS Pharmacy, located across the street from Fort Hill, will provide home delivery and blister-pack service that had been offered by the locally-owned business.
MORE ELECTION SECURITY
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – State officials have unveiled a plan to strengthen Connecticut’s election cybersecurity infrastructure. Democratic Secretary of the State Denise Merrill on Monday said the new blueprint focuses on procuring additional voter equipment and upgrading local hardware security. It also calls for assessing and addressing potential cyber vulnerabilities, enhancing post-election audits, improving voter registration systems and increasing and enhancing training of local election officials. Additionally, there are plans to hire a full-time election cybersecurity consultant, fund regional election monitors and support the University of Connecticut Center for Voting Technology Research. The cost of the stepped-up efforts will be covered by a $5.1 million federal grant Connecticut received earlier this year. Merrill worked with a wide-ranging task force, which included U.S. Department of Homeland Security representatives, to decide how to spend the money.
