Good Morning. Connecticut has seen a significant increase in the number of abortions following the U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down Roe v. Wade last year.
According to a study from the Guttmacher Institute, abortions have increased 27% since January in Connecticut compared to the same period last year. The state adopted new laws to expand and protect access to the procedure, including shielding medical providers licensed from legal action in states where abortions are illegal.
The study shows nearly every state where abortion remains legal saw an increase, with the sharpest increases being in states that border those states that ban abortion, such as Colorado, New Mexico and Illinois.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
Pratt & Whitney is investigating potential defects in their PW1100 GTF engines. The East Hartford, Connecticut-based aerospace company discovered a rare powder metal defect in July that may result in some engine components cracking. The investigation will recall over 600 engines with inspections expected to be completed by 2026. On average, 350 airliners will be grounded annually and will cost parent company RTX over $3 billion.
World Wrestling Entertainment officially merged with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. WWE executive chairman Vince McMahon, who announced the merger in April, will oversee the new premier sports and entertainment company called TKO Group Holdings. TKO will continue to produce traditional WWE and UFC content for over one billion fans across 180 countries with over 350 annual live events.
Governor Ned Lamont will establish a new “kids cabinet.” The council will advise him on policy and work to coordinate efforts across state agencies and the private sector to improve outcomes for Connecticut children. The goal is to make Connecticut more appealing for families with children. The idea for the cabinet had grown from the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has contributed to a mental health crisis among children in Connecticut.
New York’s chief cannabis official stepped down amid legal challenges. Axel Bernabe, chief of staff and policy director for the Office of Cannabis Management, helped create the Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary license program designed to distribute retail dispensary licenses to state businesses. Participants are facing potential financial ruin after a state Supreme Court judge issued injunctions, blocking the issuance of new licenses and halting the legal cannabis industry.
Eight more mosquitoes and a crow were found carrying the West Nile virus, Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott announced on Tuesday. In total, 77 mosquitoes have tested positive so far this year. Two people have contracted the virus after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Residents are recommended to use insect repellent, and stay indoors after dusk to prevent mosquito bites.
The U.S. Coast Guard Academy will collaborate with UConn’s Avery Point campus in Groton to create a new STEM pilot program. The program will be designed to recruit, accept and retain more women and underrepresented minorities from the academy’s applicant pool. Officials at the New London-based academy hope more recruits will join the engineering, science and cyber workforce.
A child died after being rescued from the Connecticut River in Cromwell. On Monday, the child was involved in a car crash along Route 9. State Police said the child and a woman wandered down to an embankment. Police found the woman two hours after arriving at the scene where she was brought to a local hospital for evaluation. The child was pulled from the river and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
UConn women’s basketball alumni Breanna Stewart became the first WNBA player to be named The Associated Press Player of the Year — twice. Stewart previously won the award in 2018. She finished second in the league in scoring this season playing for the New York Liberty, averaging a career-best 23 points a game. Stewart previously played for the UConn Huskies before graduating in 2016. The league MVP will be announced on Sept. 26.
