MOHEGAN SUN UNVEILS NEW CONVENTION CENTER
4 months after breaking ground on the project, Mohegan Sun holds a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its brand new Earth Expo and Convention Center. Tribal chairman Kevin Brown says the 80-million dollar facility allows Mohegan Sun to host more trade shows and special events. Brown says one unique aspect of the Convention Center is its 137-thousand square feet of column-free expo space. The facility also includes 15 meeting rooms, a 20-thousand square foot ballroom, and 35-hundred square feet of outdoor space. The first event in the new Convention Center will be the Barrett Jackson car auction in late June.
NATIVE SON AWARD PRESENTED
Norwich honors its 51st recipient of the annual Native Son award. About 100 people turn out at the local Holiday Inn today to applaud retired Coast Guard captain Edward Cubanski. His 28-year tenure in the service included more than 3-thousand flight hours, and numerous awards and medals. Cubanski says the great education he received in the city’s public schools and at Norwich Tech prepared him well for his successful career. Cubanski retired from the Coast Guard in 2016. He currently serves as the Regional Chief Operating Officer of the Eastern New York Region of the Red Cross, and as President of the New London Maritime Society. The Norwich Native Son/Daughter award is presented each year by the city’s Rotary and Women’s Clubs to someone who grew up in the city and achieved recognition outside the local area.
BODY FOUND IN GROTON
Groton Town police say a body found near Spicer’s Marina today doesn’t appear to be a suspicious death. The body was found just before noontime. Police say it doesn’t appear to be either the kayaker who was reported missing in the waters off Old Saybrook Monday or one of the two boaters who launched Sunday from UConn-Avery Point. Their empty boat was found Monday near Orient Point, Long Island. Groton police are investigating the discovery of the body. A gender or age of the body hasn’t been determined yet.
REWARD FOR INFO. ON INJURED FOX
GUILFORD, Conn. (AP) – A Connecticut wildlife rescue organization is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of person responsible for the death of a mother fox which was missing a foot. The Connecticut Wildlife Rehabilitators Association says the fox was found dead in Guilford yard, its paw missing most likely due to being caught in a leg hold trap. The fox’s five kits have been seen playing in the area under the care of their father. Organization President Laura Simon tells The New Haven Register that recent scientific research suggests that foxes, which primarily hunt small rodents, help reduce Lyme disease risk by keeping the rodent population down. She says the incident also underscores how vital it is for Connecticut to ban the use of the leg hold traps.
BEAR ON CAMPUS
HAMDEN, Conn. (AP) – A black bear has been spotted at a Connecticut college. Hamden police say a bear was seen Tuesday morning near one of the gates at Quinnipiac University’s main campus. The bear waddled back to Sleeping Giant State Park. The State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection reports 14 bears were spotted in Hamden during the past year. Black bears are becoming increasingly common in Connecticut as the population grows. Police say the recent storms have heavily damaged the bears’ natural habitat, making sightings more likely. State officials say you should never try to feed a bear intentionally, and should remain vigilant of food sources, like unsecured trash bins.
