WAITING ON THE JUDGE
Both sides in the manslaughter case of Dante Hughes are now waiting to see if New London Superior Court judge Barbara Jongbloed will decide if the convicted killer will get a new trial. Hughes is scheduled to be sentenced to as much as 50 years in prison on October 17th in the shooting death of Joey Gingerella in the parking lot of a Groton pub. Hughes’ attorney is seeking a new trial after it was determined a juror improperly used a dictionary during deliberations to look up the meaning of the word “manslaughter” Judge Jongbloed heard arguments in the case today. She’ll issue a decision before the 17th.
NO MORE BIKE NIGHTS?
Griswold held its third annual Bike Night Friday, and there may not be a fourth. Town officials say some rowdy behavior during the event on Main Street in Jewett City is questioning whether the gathering will take place next year. Bike Night invited motorcyclists to come to the borough for a concert, with all proceeds benefitting the town’s Youth Center and the Natchaug River Young Marines. Borough leaders say the concert went off okay, but afterward participants began bringing alcoholic beverages bought inside bars outside, leaving lots of empty cups in the streets. Bikers also did burnouts on Main Street, with one biker reportedly doing a burnout inside one of the bars. Borough leaders have called for no more Bike Nights.
DOG AND FAMILY BACK TOGETHER
NORWICH, Conn. (AP) – A Brooklyn family has been reunited with their dog five years after the beloved pet went missing. Norwich Assistant Animal Control Officer Donna Gremminger spotted the 17-year-old female dachshund last Thursday in a parking lot at Mohegan Park. She had lost most of her sight and hearing. Through a microchip, they identified the dog’s owners as Rick and Michelle Riendeau and reunited them Monday. An emotional Rick Riendeau said he contacted animal control when the dog, named Lady, first went missing. He said because they live near a wooded area, they feared she may have been killed by a predator, or had wandered off. He called Lady “the greatest dog we’ve ever had.”
HELP FOR RELOCATED PUERTO RICANS IN CT
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Connecticut is receiving a $750,000 federal grant to provide mental health support to families and especially children who were evacuated from their homes in Puerto Rico and have been living in Connecticut as a result of Hurricane Maria last September. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says the Department of Health and Human Services grant will be used at child guidance clinics in Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Waterbury, and New Britain for services such as outpatient counseling, medication management, and school outreach. The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College estimates that 135,000 people evacuated Puerto Rico to the mainland United States in the first six months after the hurricane and approximately 10 percent of them relocated to Connecticut. The state has been providing housing, education and other assistance to those families.
TIGERS ANNOUNCE 2019 SCHEDULE
It’s not too early to think about baseball for next season. The Connecticut Tigers have announced their 2019 schedule, their 10th year at Norwich’s Dodd Stadium. The season opener is Friday, June 14th at Lowell, Massachusetts against the Red Sox Single-A team. The Tigers home opener is two days later against Vermont, which will be followed by a fireworks show. In all, there will be eight games that will be followed by fireworks displays, including the Fourth of July. The annual 11 AM Camp day game is Wednesday, July 24th. 2019 marks the final season under the current contract for the Tigers in Norwich. Negotiations to extend the deal are on-going.
