Good morning. Four Connecticut residents have tested positive for Powassan virus, which can be transmitted by a tick bite. According to the state Department of Public Health, these are the first cases of the year in Connecticut, which reported its first West Nile virus case of the season on Friday.
Keep reading for a bite-sized look at what we’re hearing.
Fare hikes went into effect Sunday for Metro-North, Long Island Rail Road and New York City subways and buses. Peak tickets on the commuter railroads increased by 4.5%, while the subway fare rose from $1.75 to $1.90. Tolls at the MTA Bridges and Tunnels increased earlier this month.
The New York inspector general has seen a surge in complaints filed against the state’s gaming commission. The rise in complaints aligns with the new independence of the sector’s watchdog. Previously, the gaming commission handled complaints internally. But since moving to the Office of the State Inspector General, more complaints have been filed against the gaming commission than almost any other sector of the state government.
Nurses at Saint Catherine of Siena Hospital have reached a tentative contract with the Smithtown-based hospital, which avoids a strike, according to the New York State Nurses Association. Nurses will vote on the proposed deal Tuesday.
New artificial intelligence robots are reducing senior isolation in New York. In a partnership with Intuition Robotics, the state Office for the Aging has begun rolling out “ElliQ,” which serves as part-roommate and part-digital assistant. The robot is designed to perform well-being check-ins and stress-reducing exercises. It also plays games, teaches crafts and holds occasional conversation. According to data from the office, 95% of older adults who have and use the device say it's reduced their loneliness. And it’s free — the state will spend a combined $1.4 million through the next fiscal year on the pilot program.
CVS Health will lay off 520 people around its Hartford offices as part of a downsizing of over 5,000 workers nationwide. The layoffs would also include Aetna employees in corporate roles.
Records show Connecticut youth summer camps rarely receive oversight, and can be repeat offenders. Almost two years ago, CT Insider reported that the state disciplined camps only four times in five years, which prompted a push for better oversight. But officials say that the system remains largely unchanged today, with only six investigators at the Office of Early Childhood to monitor complaints across hundreds of camps in the state.
A proposed New York bill would allow judges with pistol permits to carry their guns into court. Republican lawmakers backed the bill in response to courtrooms being labeled a “sensitive location” that bans firearms from the premises, under a recent law. The lawmakers argue that judges in rural areas of the state have the right to defend themselves and others.
An East Hampton sand mine has filed a lawsuit against the town to change a ruling by the Zoning Board of Appeals. The owner claimed that both the board and the former town building inspector did not have the authority to reject the company’s request to expand the depth of the mine, which happened in the spring. Their rationale against the request was that the extended dig would create a man-made lake, an endeavor that requires additional permit usage.
Communities across New England spent the weekend cleaning up after a spate of tornadoes swept through the region. Four tornadoes were confirmed Friday in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and the National Weather Service was investigating a possible fifth in eastern Connecticut.
