Good morning. An inmate at Garner Correctional Institution was found dead in a prison cell on Monday.
Eric Meagan, 34, of New Milford, was convicted of murder for drowning his mother. He told investigators that he sacrificed his mother Victoria Palmer, 56, at Harrybrooke Park on June 5 to “keep the demons away.” Sentencing was scheduled for Tuesday, July 11 at Torrington Superior Court.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the death a suicide, but state police and the Department of Correction are still investigating.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
A mosquito in West Babylon has tested positive for the West Nile virus. The Suffolk County Department of Health Services recommends residents minimize outdoor activities, use repellant and clean outdoor water containers to prevent transmission. Mosquito bites containing the virus may cause flu-like symptoms and other health issues. Since 2000, nine Suffolk residents have died from the virus.
Madison Square Garden’s 10-year permit to operate in New York City is expiring this year. MSG requested a new special permit from the Department of City Planning, which was being reviewed on Monday. Officials said MSG would have to work with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on its $7 billion project to upgrade Penn Station. These upgrades include building new entrances, a train hall, and renovating nearby streets and public spaces.
Legislation might stop Nassau and Suffolk counties from foreclosing properties if homeowners fail to pay taxes. The bill approved by lawmakers during the recent session was made to address uncertainty as the result of a state Supreme Court case. A judge ruled that local governments could seize property for unpaid taxes, if the property value is worth more than the tax debt. Some regions of the state are incompatible with this ruling. Officials will devise a new foreclosure process to protect property owners rights. The bill awaits signage from Gov. Kathy Hochul.
The MTA unveiled a service alerts system this week to provide riders with timely and personalized updates on transportation services. Through MTA Service Alerts, riders could create an account and select which days of the week they’d like to receive alerts by text message or email. This will help commuters get information on transit delays in real-time. Customers can also sign up by texting ALERT to 511682.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is calling for a federal investigation into Prime energy drink. Schumer (D-NY) said the popular drink amongst kids and teenagers contains double the amount of caffeine found in Red Bull drinks. He wants the Food and Drug Administration to investigate how the energy drink is marketed toward and impacts minors. Prime was created by YouTube celebrities Logan Paul and KSI in 2022.
Six hundred train inspectors from Connecticut and New York plan to strike this fall. The Transportation Workers Union authorized the strike in response to the MTA spreading wage increases across a 50-month contract, instead of the agreed upon 48-month contract. The union said the MTA can afford the $300 per inspector difference. This strike could shut down Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road operations and leave thousands of riders without commute options.
This week’s stormwater flooding is going to become more frequent. The New York nonprofit climate change research organization, First Foundation, released a nationwide precipitation model indicating that many 1-in-100 year floods will appear more likely every 25 years. Parts of Connecticut, including Bridgeport, New Haven, and Stanford, should expect severe flooding every 20 years at most.
A Long Island Rail Road conductor is suing the MTA for the sexual assault by a male passenger in 2022. The then-pregnant conductor was groped by an intoxicated passenger on a Ronkonkoma line train last August. The passenger was charged with third-degree sexual abuse and was banned from riding the LIRR for two years. The conductor’s lawyer cited the MTA as negligent for failing to post a police officer on every LIRR train.
The Mashantucket Pequot Museum has a series of educational programs in honor of Neepun, the Pequot word for summer. Each week through August, the museum will invite special guests on Wednesdays for hands-on activities, from practicing rope skills to programming robots. Cultural workshops on Thursdays include pinch pottery, basket making and native games. Film Fridays and Seasonal Saturdays feature cultural movies and exploring the Pequot trails to learn about Pequot and Eastern Woodland traditions.
