Good morning. The mayor of East Haven walked out of a meeting Thursday as a regional council voted in favor of expanding Tweed-New Haven Airport. Mayor Joe Carfora hoped to leave things up in the air during the Greater New Haven Regional Council of Governments meeting after his motion to table the resolution failed.
Carfora called the council’s support of the project and a draft environmental assessment “a joke.” Residents want an independent analysis of the proposed terminal expansion and runway extension, saying that it would impact air quality in their neighborhood.
Following approval of the environmental assessment, the Council passed an amendment to support a full environmental impact study, if the Federal Aviation Administration supports it, too.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
New York’s voter preregistration program has a 16.5% turnout after 3 years. The program started in 2020 to help 16 and 17-year-olds automatically be added to voting rolls when they become 18. New York City has the lowest amount of registration, with only a 5.2% average reception among eligible teens. Suffolk County is about average at 20%.
New Haven University settled a class action lawsuit over tuition costs during the pandemic. The payout will come from the $2.29 million settlement. Each student will receive a check for their share of $1 million.
West Haven’s corporate council was suspended after steering a large contract. Lee Tiernan has assisted the town on legal matters in the past, but some city representatives have accused him of a conflict of interest for deferring legal cases to his wife at their law firm, which bypasses public review rules for legal fees.
Sikorsky Memorial Airport’s manager is leaving in the midst of a $10 million deal. The Connecticut Airport Authority is buying the facility, and will have to find a replacement in Michelle Muoio’s absence.
Appointments to the Smithtown’s anti-bias task force have been postponed. The town is looking to adopt a Unity Council, focused on reducing discrimination by fostering community instead of investigations. Some task force members were removed due to inactivity, and other new appointments were protested due to their support for Long Island Loud Majority, which is labeled an anti-government group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Long Island’s first turkey hunting season starts on Monday, May 1. Hunters must have licenses and abide by state regulations. They are allowed to hunt from one half-hour before sunrise to noon.
Real estate activity in the Hamptons has reached its lowest levels in 14 years. Experts point to a shortage of listings and the changes in the economy over the past few years, which led to many buyers waiting to see post-COVID prices.
A former Southold town employee and Boy Scout leader faces prison time for child porn. Damis Rallis could receive up to 20 years in prison for possession and distribution of child pornography. Rallis was found out after unknowingly exchanging the material with an undercover FBI agent in 2020, and was arrested in a raid on his home in early 2021.
A whistleblower alleges SeaQuest in Trumbull is inhumane to rescued animals. PETA has filed a complaint to the U.S. Department of Agriculture against SeaQuest for withholding veterinary care, starving animals,= and poor hygiene. It accuses the aquarium of negligence and inhumane practices.
