Good morning. Ridership on Connecticut rail lines increased this year.
On Amtrak’s New Haven–Springfield route, ridership increased by 36% over last year. On the Hartford New Haven–Springfield line, over 77,000 people rode the train in October, a 112% increase from pre-COVID-19 pandemic ridership in 2019.
Meanwhile, ridership has increased by 29% on all Northeast Regional trains this year.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
Guns will be allowed in some public spaces in New York. The state cannot enforce certain aspects of its Concealed Carry Improvement Act, according to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Gun owners will not be required to provide listings of their social media handles or withhold firearms in private places that are open to the public or places of worship. Several New Yorkers sued the state following the law’s passage in 2022, claiming it violated their Second Amendment rights.
Graduate students reached their first tentative contract with Yale University. UNITE HERE Local 33 said the contract would provide graduate student employees increased pay, dental care, spousal insurance and immigration leaves, among other benefits. The vote on the contract will take place this weekend.
Stony Brook University is involved in a $4.25 million state-funded study to determine how much trash is recycled on Long Island and the rest of New York. First launched in 2019, the study will be used to systematically and economically improve state recycling programs by recycling more materials that are commonly thrown out. Up to 30% of trash is recycled out of the 14.6 million tons of trash dumped annually statewide.
Mayor Justin Elicker allegedly misused campaign funds to advocate for voters to approve four-year terms for mayoral and the Board of Alders positions in November. This is according to a complaint filed by former New Haven youth services director Jason Bartlett. The State Elections Enforcement Commission launched an investigation into this complaint last Wednesday. Elicker claims this complaint is politically motivated and expects the SEEC to clear his campaign.
A former Fairfield Town official was sentenced to 17 months in prison for animal cruelty. Raymond Neuberger previously burned a cat with bleach and threatened the Fairfield Police Department earlier this year. He has been charged with animal cruelty three times in the past five years. As a part of his sentencing, Neuberger will be barred from owning pets or be left alone with them in the future.
More Rite Aid Pharmacy stores are expected to close in Connecticut after the company filed for bankruptcy in October. A Rite Aid at 66 Church St., New Haven and the Ansonia Shopping Center will close soon — increasing the total number of pharmacies closings to 22. New Haven and Ansonia customers will have their prescriptions transferred to a new pharmacy of their choice.
IBM will close their Southbury, Conn., location on Jan. 26. According to an IBM spokesperson, no employees will be fired and will be moved to locations in either Poughkeepsie or Armonk, New York. IBM has been debating moving out of Connecticut for years, claiming the state’s taxes severely impact the company.
A U.S. bankruptcy judge allowed Alex Jones to sell 49 firearms on his talk show Infowars last week. Jones declared bankruptcy after families of Sandy Hook Elementary School victims won a lawsuit against him for repeatedly calling their children's deaths a “hoax.” Jones will use funds from firearms, boats, SUVs and watches sold on the show to help pay bankruptcy fees. Jones’ firearms are worth $100,000 in total.
More dogs in Connecticut are becoming intoxicated from ingesting marijuana products. According to the American Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals, emergency calls for dog marijuana ingestion have increased by 300% in states with legalized marijuana since 2018. In 2022, cannabis products made the list of top toxins pets are exposed to for the first time. Dogs who eat cannabis could have their heart rate lowered, lose control in their leg muscles and even die.
