TOLL STUDY FUNDING MOVES AHEAD
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – The State Bond Commission has given the go-ahead to a controversial study of tolls on Connecticut highways. Wednesday’s approval followed a lengthy discussion over whether Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy should have issued an executive order calling for the $10 million study. Malloy is not seeking re-election and critics, including Republican candidates for governor, say such a study should be left up to the next governor and General Assembly. Malloy says it will take about nine months to find a vendor to conduct the study, likely giving the next administration time to scrap the study. Malloy argues it makes sense to study electronic tolls and how much money they could generate, considering the state’s main transportation account will be unable to pay for many infrastructure expenses in five years.
MONTVILLE SCHOOL FIGHTING CASE PUSHED TO NEXT MONTH
The case against a former Montville High School substitute teacher accused of running a so-called fight club there will be back in court August 22nd. That’s the same day that three school administrators who are on paid leave are also due back. 23-year old Ryan Fish of Bozrah has pleaded not guilty to charges of supervising classroom fights last September and October. Fish and his attorney was granted a continuance in the case today. Meanwhile, Superintendent Brian Levesque, high school principal Jeffrey Theoduss, and Assistant Principal Tatitiana Patten are accused of failing to report the fighting incidents to the state. They’re seeking dismissal of the charges.
WAUREGAN ASSAULT
A Wauregan man is facing assault charges. Plainfield police say 45-year old Michael Mattingly attacked a 29-year old female friend of his on South Chestnut Street around 1 this morning. Police say Mattingly threatened her with a knife, and restrained her from leaving the property, which she eventually did. Mattingly then chased her, until she found shelter at a nearby residence. Mattingly was later arrested at his house, and is being held on 5-thousand dollars bond pending court arraignment.
DMV WORKER ADMITS STEALING FROM THE TILL
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) – A Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicle worker is pleading guilty to stealing $80,000 from the agency. Kimberly Brown pleaded guilty to first-degree larceny and forgery Wednesday before a Superior Court judge. Brown, an agency employee of over a decade, says she stole $80,000 because she was stressed out at work. The judge told 49-year-old Brown he would impose a maximum sentence of two and a half years in prison in September, but her lawyer would have the right to argue a lesser term. Brown and her attorney did not have comment as they left the courthouse. DMV officials did not immediately return calls for comment.
SANDY HOOK PARENTS WANT FACEBOOK TO STOP
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – The parents of one of the 20 children killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut are asking Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to remove hateful and harassing comments posted by conspiracy theorists who say the shooting never happened. Leonard Pozner and Veronique De La Rosa wrote Zuckerberg a letter published Wednesday in The Guardian. Their 6-year-old son, Noah, died in the December 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, which also claimed six educators’ lives. Pozner and De La Rosa say Facebook should prohibit posts by conspiracy theorists who have been harassing and threatening them and relatives of other mass shooting victims. A Facebook spokeswoman said Wednesday that the company acknowledges victims are vulnerable to offensive comments, but it doesn’t allow users to mock, harass or bully tragedy victims.
Q-POLL ON TRUMP
Mostly negative views of President Donald Trump’s job performance from the latest Quinnipiac University poll. Assistant poll Director Peter Brown says Trump’s overall negative rating has increased from 9 percentage points in a June survey to 20 points now: 58-percent give him a thumbs-down, 38-percent a thumbs-up. Brown says there are concerns Russia may have compromising information over the U-S Commander-in-Chief. Brown notes, though, most of those answering the survey don’t think Trump colluded with the Russian government, but they’re nearly split as to whether his campaign people colluded. The Hamden-based poll was taken July 18th through the 23rd, with more than 11-hundred voters responding nationwide. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3-and-a-half percentage points.
NL TEACHER OF THE YEAR NAMED
New London is honoring its 2019 Teacher of the Year. Arlene Morrison is an art instructor at the Jennings Magnet School. She has taught visual art in the Kindergarten through fifth grades in the city’s schools for 23 years. School officials are crediting her with a passion for igniting creativity in the city’s students, while also building essential character skills. She partnered with world-renowned mural artist James Wyland, and students at the Edgerton School in 1998 to paint a hallway-length ocean mural in the school.
