Happy Saturday! Fairfield schools may soon have AI surveillance cameras. The police department wants to add 18 cameras equipped with artificial intelligence to respond to security threats in the district. The cameras can identify vehicles and some physical characteristics of suspects and immediately alert officers of their whereabouts on their phones.
Bridgeport, Westport, Norwalk and Stamford already use AI cameras in their schools, and Fairfield has a few around town. The department is requesting over $100,000 from the town’s COVID-19 relief funds for the installation.
Here's a bite-sized look at what else we're hearing:
The New York State Assembly has approved an offshore wind development bill. The approval means plans will advance for a transmission cable to run from a turbine off the shore of Long Beach to a transfer station in Island Park. The Planned Offshore Wind Transmission Act passed 85 to 50, for the most part across party lines. Local GOP rejected the bill.
More than half of New Yorkers were overweight or obese in 2021, according to a survey released by the state Department of Health this week. The survey indicated that Black and Hispanic adults were more likely to be overweight due to systemic issues.
New Haven has seen fewer shootings but more fatalities in 2023. According to Mayor Justin Elicker, 12 people have been fatally shot this year, compared to five people at this time last year. The city has seen 45 shootings in 2023, compared to 54 at this time last year.
The Town of Oyster Bay’s inspector general has resigned. Brian Noone has been under investigation since March, when it was revealed he recommended the town approve a $2 million contract with a company tied to his private business. The Nassau County District Attorney’s Office is handling the investigation.
A Long Island Rail Road union wants its employees to be able to use recreational marijuana. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers has filed a $6 million lawsuit alleging that the policy violates a state law allowing recreational marijuana use. Two electricians lost their jobs due to the LIRR’s zero-tolerance policy, which is in place for safety reasons.
A Connecticut corrections employee has been charged with impersonating a police officer. David Wright, 58, of Ashford threatened to tase and shoot two people during a traffic incident. He told the couple that he was a police officer, but he is actually a correctional officer. Wright has been charged with impersonating a police officer, threatening and breach of peace.
A Connecticut ambulance union is threatening to strike. Hunter’s Ambulance Union, which is based in Meriden, is currently in contract negotiations with Hartford Healthcare. Their members have been working without a contract since 2021. The International Association of EMTs and Paramedics last month backed a no-confidence vote in the Hartford Healthcare system’s management.
Twenty-four roadway projects will slow traffic in Connecticut this summer. Projects include resurfacing the Merritt Parkway between Norwalk and New Canaan, I-95 interchange improvements in East Lyme and Route 82 swing bridge rehabilitation in East Haddam. See all of the projects here.
A Lindenhurst man has been arrested in connection with the January 6 insurrection. Matthew Schmitz, 33, has been charged with entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanor charges. He was released on a $50,000 bond and will face charges in Washington, D.C.
