Good morning! Central Connecticut State University is hosting its inaugural Asian American and Pacific Islander festival later Monday from 12-4 p.m.
Central is the only state university to offer an AAPI Studies program. Aside from celebrating diversity, the festival will remember the victims of hate crimes — including recognizing two years since the Atlanta spa shootings.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
The New Haven Board of Alders is seeking more than $32 million to redesign the city’s Long Wharf. After Mayor Justin Elicker’s plan to build a new community marina and expand the wharf was approved, local legislators voted unanimously to authorize the city to apply for the grant money from the state’s $800 million Community Investment Fund.
A cannabis coalition is challenging New York’s rollout of licenses to sell cannabis. The coalition, formed by big cannabis companies and individual retailers alike, is suing the state for unconstitutional overreach. They’re looking to have the license application open to all, rather than restricting licenses to those who have been harmed by now-repealed drug laws.
The Town of Hempstead in Nassau County extended a moratorium to halt building of transit-oriented development. Officials are fighting Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposal to require towns and cities to build more housing near public transit to create less reliance on cars. Elected officials and community members are concerned whether the infrastructure in place could handle the demands of new residents.
A fired former New Haven police officer who was arrested for excessive use of force will have his charges dropped. Jason Santiago was granted accelerated rehabilitation, which offers first-time offenders probation in lieu of a criminal case. In 2019, Santiago was charged for kicking and punching a handcuffed man. He will have to comply with 6 months of probation.
A New York legislator is unhurt Friday after an emergency plane landing on a beach in Shoreham, Long Island. Assemblymember Clyde Vanel (D-Queens) was performing practice maneuvers in his private single-engine Beechcraft V35 when he experienced engine failure. Vanel and another man who was onboard declined medical treatment.
More Connecticut state employees earned a record amount of money in 2022. More than 18,000 state workers were paid more than $100,000. This is due to unions negotiating with Governor Ned Lamont for bonuses of $3,500 per employee. In 2022, state payroll was $5.3 billion, which is much higher than $4.5 billion in 2018.
The town of Hamden admits it violated state law when it shredded civilian complaints about police. The documents were part of a Freedom of Information request in asking Hamden to produce seven years’ worth of civilian complaints and use-of-force reports. In exchange for that admission, a member of the town police commission waived his right to question officers over the public records offense.
