NPU HELPING IN MASS.
Thirteen Norwich Public Utilities workers are heading to Massachusetts to help deal with a rash of natural gas explosions Thursday in three towns. One person was killed and at least 25 injured after explosions rocked 40 homes in Andover, North Andover, and Lawrence that are serviced by Columbia Gas. The N-P-U employees will help other utlility workers in going door-to-door to ensure gas meters are turned off and lines are inspected for leaks. NPU is a member of the Northeast Gas Association, which is organizing the mutual aid response to the explosions, the cause of which remains under investigation.
TOWN CHAIRMAN CRASHES VEHICLE
State police are investigating a one-car crash involving Montville Town Council chairman Tom McNally. Authorities say McNally spun and slammed his truck into a tree on Moxley Road around 10 PM last night. He was not injured. State police are investigating because the accident involved a high ranking town official. McNally says he swerved to avoid hitting a deer. No field sobriety test was given, because McNally says alcohol was not a factor. He was returning from a Comedy Night Republican Town Committee fund-raiser, where he says he had one drink. There was no else in the truck at the time of the accident.
REVERSAL IN NL
New London’s planning commission has reversed a previous decision, and will not be approving proposed opioid addiction counseling offices on Montauk Avenue. Commission members say the plan by Madison-based Center for Compassionate Recovery to open a facility at 419 Montauk violates the city’s zoning rules that prohibit substance abuse rehabilitation centers in residential areas. The group had secured a zoning permit on August 31st, but New London Zoning Official Michelle Scovish says the organization failed to fully disclose its intent for the site. Officials with the center met with New London planning officials Friday to try to find a new location.
MORE HOMELESS VOUCHERS
Connecticut is getting more federal help for homeless veterans. Senator Chris Murphy says the state will be receiving 50 more vouchers which will be used to pay for rents for veterans who have no permanent place to live. Murphy says the state, for two years now, has found housing for all its homeless vets. Murphy says the vouchers will be divided up between the state housing department, and the cities of Hartford, West Haven, and Norwalk. He says Connecticut started with just 30 vouchers for its homeless vets 10 years ago, and now is using more than 900.
UCONN BUS POPULAR
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – More than 115,000 passengers have used the state’s now year-old bus service connecting UConn’s main campus to its new downtown Hartford campus and the UConn Health center in Farmington. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says the numbers are gratifying and have allowed students greater access to Bradley International Airport and other destinations by also linking the campus to the new Hartford Line commuter rail system and CTfastrak buses. More than half the passengers on the route used the state’s new U-Pass CT program. That allows students from UConn and the state university system to ride state buses and trains for free by showing a special pass, which is paid for through a $20 per semester student fee. UConn President Susan Herbst says the ridership numbers far exceeded expectations.
TRINITY GETS MONEY
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Trinity College says it has received a $12.3 million bequest from the trust of an alumnus who died in 1950. Charles Guildford Woodward graduated from Trinity in 1898 and worked in the Hartford insurance industry after graduation. The Hartford Courant reports the gift comes in addition to Woodward’s charitable trust he established to provide annual scholarships. Trinity says the multimillion dollar endowment is unrestricted, meaning Woodward predetermined that use of the funds is at the discretion of the institution. The donation is the latest from multiple alumni who have left the college similar bequests.
