Good morning. For the first time, high school seniors will have over 40 private colleges and universities in New York waive fees for applications this month. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that college applications will be free from Oct. 16-29 at select private schools, as well as the SUNY and CUNY systems.
Hochul said the goal is to remove financial barriers that would have prevented students from furthering their education; she urges all seniors to take the initiative and apply to at least one school.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we’re hearing:
Connecticut Post Mall is set to transform into a mix of retail and housing. The Milford Planning and Zoning Board has cleared the way for the development of mixed retail and housing at the Connecticut Post Mall. Zoning codes will allow for 750 apartments and 75 affordable housing units. Its owner, Centennial Real Estate, hopes to proceed with the development in the spring if the building plan is approved this week.
U.S. Rep. George Santos’ former treasurer has pleaded guilty in federal court for falsifying campaign finance records. Nancy Marks has a history of working with Long Island Republican candidates and resigned in January from the Santos (R-NY) campaign. Santos is also under investigation for campaign finance fraud. Mark's plea deal could come with up to four years in prison. The next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 27.
Stricter laws on the open carry of firearms are now in effect in Connecticut. They’re part of a set of gun control measures signed into law this summer by Gov. Ned Lamont, which are the biggest new gun legislation in Connecticut since the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. It’s now illegal in the state to openly carry a gun. Connecticut joins New York, New Jersey, California, Illinois and Washington, D.C. in making open-carry illegal. People with a permit can still carry a concealed gun.
A former endocrinologist at Yale is being sued for allegedly inseminating his sperm into his patient in the 1980s. The woman’s daughter did a DNA test that revealed Dr. Burton Caldwell was her biological father. The mother and daughter are seeking monetary damages. The suit is filed in the state Supreme Court in New Haven.
A sand mine in Southampton continues to operate despite a court order to stop. Sand Land, owned by Wainscott Sand and Gravel, continues to work its 50-acre site despite an order by the state Supreme Court. Lawmakers want Gov. Kathy Hochul to shut down the mine, remove any equipment, and begin remediation. This week, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said they will do a rigorous inspection, issue fines for any reported activity and coordinate with the state attorney general's office to hold Sand Land responsible for violating permits.
On the second day of jury selection of Michelle Troconis’ trial, the judge excused the remaining pool of potential jurors when a prospective juror brought in a newspaper covering the Jennifer Dulos case. The person was also conversing with two other jurors about their knowledge of the case. A pool of 30 new potential jurors entered the courtroom, and 19 jurors were excused for trial conflicting with personal responsibilities.
Pot applications are open until Dec. 4 in New York. According to the Office of Cannabis Management, the state will accept applications for five recreational pot license types. The state will prioritize submissions by license type and divide each into a pool. The social and economic pool will determine whether the candidate qualifies for the designation in multiple categories. The state will review applicants in the order in which they have been presented until it reaches about 1,000 licenses.
