Good morning! Seven states, including Connecticut and New York, jointly submitted proposals — for more than $3.6 billion from the U.S. Department of Energy — to create a Northeast Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub.
It would include more than a dozen projects that would advance clean electrolytic hydrogen production, consumption, and infrastructure in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to renewable energy sources in each state.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
School officials in Shelton, Connecticut, warned layoffs may be inevitable if $2.5 million from Mayor Mark Lauretti’s 2023-2024 budget proposal is not approved. According to the Shelton Herald, the town Board of Education said new teachers would be the most vulnerable to potential layoffs, while elementary school class enrollment is expected to continue to grow to as many as 26 students per class.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James are urging the state’s Independent Redistricting Commission to redraw congressional district lines. They said the district lines — redrawn after the 2020 census — are outdated and misrepresent residents’ political views. James claimed the new district lines will help provide residents with fair elections and ensure they are properly represented in Congress. The proposal was lambasted by the state GOP, saying it's a partisan, government overreach.
Access Health CT has extended its deadline to apply for the 2023 Broker Academy Program to April 30. In an announcement by the state health insurance marketplace, students from historically underserved communities can apply to the program for free training to become licensed brokers and cover costs of their licensing exam. This is part of a goal to increase the population of insured residents and reduce health disparities in the state.
New York will direct $13 million to expand access to home-based crisis intervention teams. These funds will create 13 more teams to provide critical mental health services in order to keep at-risk children and youth from being administered into psychiatric hospitals. This would bring the total number of state intervention teams to 39.
A cannabis dispensary company had five licensing approvals rescinded by Connecticut’s Social Equity Council. Last month the council stripped Fine Fettle, which operates in multiple states, due to the company owning more than one equity joint venture, in violation to the state's cannabis law. Fine Fettle currently operates four hybrid dispensaries in Manchester, Stamford, Newington, and Willimantic; all of which were not affected by the council’s decision.
A proposal in New York was introduced to strengthen parental rights in choosing educational curriculum. State Senator Dean Murray (R-Patchogue) said the Pupil Privacy Act would allow parents of students to review, consent to, or opt out of lessons that would ask students to express personal information or political views including health, gender identification, religious practices, and more. Murray said several parents during the pandemic reported the curriculums are too personal and political in nature.
Connecticut legislators advanced several bills that will protect residents’ reproductive rights and expand access to birth control. One bill allows emergency contraception to be sold in medical vending machines on higher education campuses. Another allows pharmacists to prescribe emergency and hormonal contraception to people aged 16 and older. A different bill would prevent employers from penalizing health care providers who perform abortions in other states where abortion is prohibited. A measure that would have required parents to be notified if their child was seeking an abortion was rejected.
Sales of electric cooling and heating units on Long Island have increased by 20% since 2021. According to PSEG Long Island, the increased interest in electric units may be due, in part, to the rising cost of oil, natural gas and other fossil fuel energy sources.
A Syosset-based real estate brokerage company was wrongfully identified in a lawsuit accusing them of engaging in fair housing discrimination, according to Newsday. Instead, it was discovered that a Homes by Mara real estate agent had the same name as a different agent who refused to rent to a person using a housing voucher.
The Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company will be getting a new ferry. Construction of the ferry began in January and it’s expected to be complete and ready to sail in 2024. A keel authentication ceremony was held by the Eastern Shipbuilding Group last week to celebrate. The ferry will operate from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Port Jefferson on Long Island.
The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center has a new lineup of events and activities for Kids Week! From April 12-14, children will be able to take part in fun and informative programs including a Wampum Bracelet Workshop, a Corn Husk Creation Workshop, a Wondr SmartLab – Learn to Code Workshop, and a Clay Pottery Class — and more!
