RIVERA RETIRING
Surprise and disappointment in New London. Schools Superintendent Manuel Rivera tells the school board he’s going to retire perhaps as early as next month but no later than mid October. Rivera isn’t commenting on why, only to say it’s for personal reasons. Rivera has offered to stay on as a non-paid consultant in the transition to a new superintendent.
CHIEF APOLOGIZES
Poquonnock Bridge Fire Chief Joseph Winski has profusely apologized for making an “honest mistake”, crediting firefighters with rescuing two Groton residents from their burning home on Wednesday. It was actually town police officer Eric Korteweg who was first on the scene of the North Road fire and helped the elderly man and his daughter out of the house. While the chief is proud of everybody who was there, he wants credit to go where it’s due. He called the police yesterday to apologize and set the record straight.
STATION OK
Two days after the Cohanzie Fire Station sustained damage caused by a Waterford firefighter backing into it with a ladder truck, a town building official declared it structurally sound. A brick column will have to be replaced. The truck, which has damage to the bucket, a pipe and a nozzle attachment has been sent for repairs. The firefighter will have to take a defensive driving course.
BABY IN FILTH
A Putnam woman arrested for risk of injury to a child is scheduled to appear today in Danielson Superior Court. Kristen Corey was arrested after troopers entered her home and discovered a young child in a dirty diaper, covered with flies and bug bites. Drug paraphernalia was scattered throughout the residence. Corey was passed out in a nearby bedroom. DCF took custody of the child.
PROGRAM SAVED
Private donations have helped save a local summer youth program. The Summer Youth Employment Program is without $500,000 in state funding due to the lack of a state budget. Several organizations stepped up and contributed more than $375,000 to the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board, which sponsors the program. That has enabled about 200 kids to work this summer, approximately half the number that would have been employed. Among the contributors, the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, Mystic Aquarium, Liberty Bank, People’s United Bank, and New London schools.
GARDNER IS TRASH
Another summer, another trash problem at a local park. Piles of garbage are accumulating again at Gardner Lake State Park in Salem. Cigarette cartons, empty food containers and dirty diapers are littering the popular summer spot. The park has a carry-in, carry-out policy so no trash cans. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says adding receptacles would not help. Meanwhile, there’s been no swimming at Gardner for the past week due to high bacteria levels in the water. That could change today as test results are due.
