UTILITIES BOARD TO REVIEW BY-LAWS COVERING EMPLOYEE COMPLAINTS
Norwich’s Board of Public Utilities Commissioners will be reviewing the by-laws surrounding the panel’s role in future NPU employee complaints that involve financial settlements. The decision comes after the disclosure last week that an NPU employee was paid 35-thousand dollars in May 2016 to settle a harassment complaint filed against then-Commission chairman Jim Sullivan. The board wasn’t asked to approve the payment. The current by-laws doesn’t cover such situations. Requests by the commission tonight to discuss the settlement in executive session were rejected by NPU General Manager John Bilda, due to a confidentiality agreement. The settlement was made public after The Day requested it though the state Freedom of Information Commission.
SCHOOL REALIGNMENT: GET RID OF IT!!
It appears a proposed re-alignment of six Norwich elementary schools is just about dead. Members of the School Board’s budget expenditure committee, which consists of most of the Board of Ed, said tonight the re-organization plan is more trouble than it’s worth. The proposal would’ve had three schools with only kindergarten through second grade, and the other three schools, grades three through five. Committee members note, though, the plan would only reduce a requested hike in school spending for next year from 9 to 8 percent, with other costs, such as moving, and bus transportation, possibly eating into any savings. The budget committee meets again next Tuesday, with the school board’s attorney to discuss possible legal ramifications should next year’s school budget not be fully funded by the city.
GUN RANGE HEARING
Griswold officials are encouraging residents who oppose the construction of a state police shooting range in town to make their voices heard in Hartford. The legislature’s public safety committee is holding a hearing next week to hear testimony on the proposal. First Selectman Todd Babbitt says he’s hoping for a big turnout. The public hearing is being held on Tuesday, March 6th from 11am to 5pm at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. Several Griswold residents are trying to organize a bus ride to the capitol for people who need transportation.
NL SCHOOL FORUM
About 40 residents were in attendance at a public forum at the Science and Technology Magnet High School in New London tonight. John Burnette of Ledyard is a student there. He explains there is a bit of segregation between New London High School and Science and Tech, not in the racial sense but in the way of intellectual capability. He feels the gains he and others have achieved socially and intellectually from the “mixing” in the “Humanities Class” at New London High would not have happened. His concern is losing the resources through the budget process to maintain, in his opinion, this very important class. Burnette says he feels the high school, the students and the community as a whole would be able to prosper more effectively. He said these kinds of classes help students better understand each other.
WOMAN STOPPED FROM JUMPING OFF NL BUILDING
Rescue crews prevented a woman from jumping from the top of the 11-story Mohican Building Apartments in New London early this morning. Firefighters say they got a call around 1:30 AM of a suicidal woman around 50 years old. Emergency responders were able to save her after she climbed a retainer-like wall above the roof. Battalion chief Tom Curcio says it’s not the first time they’ve had to respond to the apartment complex for incidents involving the woman. He says hopefully she’ll now get some needed help.
NO JAIL TIME FOR EX-CHURCH TREASURER
A former treasurer of the Grace Episcopal Church in Yantic will be serving no prison time. 64-year old Andrew Rushford pleaded guilty last week to one count of second-degree larceny under a plea deal. He will be given a fully-suspended five year prison term and five years probation when he’s sentenced May 3rd. He’ll also be ordered to pay some amount of restitution. Rushford admitted in June 2016 that he embezzled roughly 25-thousand dollars from the church treasury for food, alcohol, and golf outings. City police estimate he stole more than 43-thousand dollars since 2013. Assistant state’s Attorney Lawrence Tytla says the plea deal was worked out at the request of several church members.
CT HIGH SCHOOLER ARRESTED FOR THREATENING TO SHOOT TEACHER
WESTPORT, Conn. (AP) – Police say a Westport high school student has been placed him into custody after threatening to shoot a teacher. Westport police say they were called to Staples High School at around 9 a.m. Tuesday. School officials told the officers a student was overheard making threats. Police interviewing the student confirmed he “did have thoughts to execute a mass shooting.” Police didn’t identify the student, who they say is being evaluated a medical facility. Authorities say no weapons were found on the student but firearms owned by his father were found in a safe at the family’s home. Police say they’re working to confirm that all the weapons are accounted for. They say the family is cooperating with the investigation. Staples High School was dismissed early Tuesday afternoon.
DEMS CLAIM SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION BY GOP IN JUDGE REJECTION
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Democratic legislative leaders say they believe the sexual orientation of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s choice for Connecticut’s next chief justice may have cost him support among some Judiciary Committee members during a 13-hour confirmation hearing. Justice Andrew McDonald is gay and could become the first gay chief justice of a state Supreme Court. Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff said Tuesday Republican committee members “should be ashamed of themselves” for how they acted during Monday’s hearing that ended with a tie vote, putting the nomination in jeopardy. He says many questions asked of McDonald were insensitive and inflammatory. Duff says he hopes Republicans will vote on a candidate’s “qualifications and not their lifestyle” in upcoming votes. House Republican Leader Themis Klarides says Republicans don’t care about McDonald’s sexual orientation.
UCONN SENDS POSTHUMOUS ADMISSION LETTER
STORRS, Conn. (AP) – The University of Connecticut has sent a posthumous letter of admission to the family of a student killed in the mass shooting at a Florida high school. UConn officials say they learned through news reports that 14-year-old Alex Schachter had dreamed of going to the university and often would wear a sweatshirt with the school’s logo. He was one of 17 people killed Feb. 14 in a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. UConn says it admitted the young trombone player as a music major. Spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz says the university hopes the gesture provides a small measure of comfort to Alex’s family and friends. The U.S. Military Academy posthumously admitted 15-year-old victim Peter Wang, who was a member of the Junior ROTC at Douglas High.
