WATER MAIN BREAK
Fitchville Road, Bozrah
A significant water main break in the Norwich Public Utilities system is leaving more than 200 Bozrah customers without service, and prompting lower water pressure throughout NPU’s coverage area. General manager John Bilda says the break was discovered in a major distribution line on Fitchville Road in Bozrah around 6:45 this morning, with repair work expected to last well into the night. Most customers won’t see their service restored until early Saturday morning. Bilda says the water is safe to use, but NPU customers are being urged to take it easy on water consumption Friday. Bilda says run your cold water taps for about five minutes should you experience any discoloration. Free bottled water is available at the Bozrah public works garage for anyone in that town who has no service due to the main break.
DRUG ARREST THANKS TO TOW TRUCK DRIVER
A Norwich man has been charged with heroin and cocaine possession after a tow truck driver noticed the suspect was allegedly cooking heroin near his disabled car. Police say 30-year old Sean Halpin had car trouble Thursday on Route 12 near the former Gales Ferry Animal Hospital. When the tow driver showed up, police say he discovered Halpin with the drug. Police say Halpin then fled the scene with his girlfriend on foot. He was later caught by police. He’s out on a 25-hundred dollar bond, and is to appear November 16th in New London Superior Court.
PRESTON VOTERS WANT SECOND TROOPER
Bob Congdon
Preston voters have said yes to appropriating money to re-instate a second state police trooper in town. The decision, though, is far from final. First Selectman Bob Congdon says the issue will first go to the town’s Board of Selectmen, who will determine how much money is needed. It then goes to the Board of Finance who could issue a negative recommendation that would end the discussion. Congdon says if the board does recommend it, the measure would either go to a town meeting or referendum for final approval. Voters at a Thursday town meeting approved the second state trooper by a 30-16 vote. A petition prompted the meeting, after the Finance Board took out the funding during budget deliberations.
DRUG ARRESTS IN GROTON
Two local residents are charged in Groton with possessing illegal drugs, as part of a regional law enforcement crack-down on the heroin epidemic. Town police say 35-year old Jesse Brochu of Niantic has been charged with possessing heroin, cocaine, and marijuana with intent to sell. 38-year old Diego Blanco of Norwich has been charged with marijuana possession. The arrests came as police were observing suspicious activity in the parking lot of a Groton hotel. Both suspects are out on bond, however, Brochu was taken to the Corrigan Correctional facility in Montville, as he’s currently serving parole.
TRYING TO KEEP CT-N ON THE AIR
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – The office that oversees Connecticut’s State Capitol complex says it hopes to have the control room staffed for Connecticut’s cable TV and online public affairs network on Monday, despite a dispute with the independent vendor that’s been running the operation. Eric Connery, facilities engineer for the Office of Legislative Management, posted a letter Friday, urging the vendor’s employees to fill out an application form and possibly be part of a “short- and long-term solution.” The Connecticut Public Affairs Network on Thursday announced it was terminating its per diem agreement to continue temporarily operating the Connecticut Television Network as of 5 p.m. on Friday, citing devastating state budget cuts and “encroachments on our editorial independence.” Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has offered $400,000 in additional state funding to help save the network.
