Good morning. Connecticut and Long Island residents were issued an air quality advisory after smoke blew in from Canadian wildfires.
Over 25,000 acres in Nova Scotia burned on Monday, causing roughly 16,000 residents to evacuate. Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island were susceptible to high levels of particle pollution from the smoke. The National Weather Service also issued a high rip-current risk, warning people to avoid the life-threatening surf zone.
The smoke caused hazy skies, reduced visibility and an odor of burning wood. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended people with pre-existing medical conditions remain indoors with windows closed while a fan or air conditioner keeps air circulating. Effects from the smoke are expected to dissipate Thursday night.
The EPA also warns that climate change will increase the likelihood of unseasonably warm weather. Poor air quality events such as this are predicted to increase in frequency.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont’s proposed budget would reduce service on the New Haven railroad line. While the New Haven Line has gained a lot of ridership compared to other Metro-North lines since the pandemic, serving almost 2 million passengers in April 2022, the line still hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic ridership levels. The New Haven Line could see dozens of fewer trains running between Connecticut and New York.
Social studies teachers are opposed to a plan in New York that would reduce the priority of history and civics courses. The a state Department of Education plans would drop exam scores covering U.S. history, government, global history and geography from academic ratings in high schools for two years. Teachers on Long Island are urging the department to reconsider the plan, warning that this pause could lead to the elimination of history-focused exams and ultimately lead to students failing to comprehend dire historical events and lessons.
Trumbull will give leniency to students celebrating non-school observed holidays. The Board of Education will allow them to not turn in homework the day after the holiday. However, parents will need to request a homework exemption from a teacher for holidays that fall on regular school sessions. The board approved these actions last Tuesday after local Muslim and Hindu families requested their holidays to be recognized as school holidays.
New Haven Sound School students are restoring oyster reefs in New Haven Harbor. The aquaculture students hope to restore declining oyster populations that will help the water quality of Long Island Sound. Oysters are filter feeders that can remove excess algae and nitrogen from over 50 gallons of water daily.
Almost 300 nurses from the St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson will vote on authorizing a strike on Thursday. The nurses, members of the New York State Nurses Association, are calling for the hospital to provide safer workplace conditions and salary increases, and balance patient-to-nurse ratios. Results of the vote will be announced on Friday.
Several Connecticut state senators were infected with COVID-19, causing a mandatory masking to ensue on the State Capitol’s third and fourth floors. Senate President Martin Looney announced the safety precaution this week after members reported positive COVID-19 tests. COVID tests will be performed daily on senators and staff; people who test negative will be allowed to take off masks on the Senate floor.
Connecticut’s teacher shortage is getting worse. Connecticut Education Association members, parents and several legislators took to the Capitol on Tuesday, calling for lawmakers to help end the crisis. Dozens of teachers have left the state for higher pensions and less stress, according to the union. Connecticut teacher salaries start at $48,000 compared to other states that offer starting salaries of $60,000. Educators also said there’s inadequate support offered for students' increasing needs.
Suffolk County Community College has opened a new two-story, state-of-the-art STEM building. The building houses a computer lab, a cybersecurity lab, biology and support lab, a multi-use lab for solar technology and other programs, two multi-use classrooms and a conference room. The building also houses a new National Grid Center for Workforce and Energy Education, and an open symposium center equipped with seating for 300 students.
FEMA awarded Connecticut over $1.3 million for costs used to open several temporary hospitals for COVID-19 patients. During the pandemic, four temporary hospitals were established at Stamford Hospital, the Connecticut Convention Center, Western Connecticut State University and Central Connecticut State University. FEMA has awarded Connecticut over $669 million in public assistance grants to reimburse the state for pandemic-related expenses.
A Lindenhurst man broke the world record for the longest stretch of time spent living underwater. Joseph Dituri, 55, professor at University of South Florida, spent over 73 days in a 100-square-foot, underwater bunker in a lagoon 30 feet below Key Largo, Florida. Dituri will spend another eight days underwater before resurfacing on June 9, hoping to reach 100 days underwater. This milestone is a part of a research project studying how the human body responds to living under extreme pressure.
