Good morning. Gov. Ned Lamont invited Texas mother Kate Cox to have an abortion in Connecticut after a Texas court blocked her from having the procedure.
Cox, who is currently pregnant, recently found out that her 20-week-old fetus has trisomy 18, a potentially fatal genetic disease that could result in a stillbirth. The fetus’ condition could also harm Cox or prevent her from becoming pregnant in the future.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul weighed-in on the case on Wednesday, calling it “reprehensible” that Texas would seek to fine or imprison Cox for having the procedure. Both Connecticut and New York have laws that seek to protect out-of-state people from having abortions.
Cox is said to already be on her way to an undisclosed state to have the abortion.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
Suffolk County has paid the sale-leaseback of the H. Lee Dennison Building — a decade ahead of schedule. In 2012, the county established the sales leaseback of the building to help resolve an accumulated deficit of $500 million. The Suffolk Judicial Facilities Agency purchased the building for $70 million in 2013. The county then made rental payments to repay the bonds. Officials were able to reacquire the building before the agency dissolves later this month.
The City of Bridgeport is using a video Q&A platform to connect officials with residents better. Called “Rep’d,” residents can submit questions to officials and receive short, personalized video answers. The platform will also help inform people and businesses about city developments and emergencies. Mayor Joe Ganim hopes Rep’d will help resolve communication barriers between residents and city officials.
A 189-unit housing and retail complex will be developed in downtown Hicksville for nearly $112 million. Construction of the complex broke ground on Tuesday. The complex is a part of the state Downtown Revitalization Initiative funding program designed to boost local economies and housing shortages.
Hundreds of commercial building cleaners rallied in Stamford for a new union contract. Organized by the cleaners’ union 32BJ SEIU, employees hope to have a new contract established before the current one expires on New Year’s Eve. If negotiations fail to provide employees with higher wages, union members may vote to go on strike, which will affect every city in Fairfield County, as well as offices in Westchester, Long Island and New York City.
The Long Island Rail Road failed to have manufacturers repair new defective train cars, according to an audit from New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. Hundreds of M9 cars have faulty wiring, unsecure vestibule flooring and issues with bathroom doors. DiNapoli said the LIRR and the Metropolitan Transport Authority have refused his office’s 2022 recommendations to have Kawasaki Rail Car Inc. fix car defects at their Colorado-based plant.
A third beluga whale has died at Mystic Aquarium. Called Kharabali, the whale was among five sent from the Canadian Marineland aquarium to Connecticut. The exact cause of the whale’s death is unknown — though each of the three whales was believed to have preexisting conditions. Wildlife groups argued the whales were not well enough to travel. Aquarium staff will conduct a necropsy to determine her cause of death.
Two Nassau County detectives must pay over $250,000 to a man they illegally evicted. Michael Smith sued property manager Anna Gaetano after she repeatedly harassed him and used her friendship with the detectives to evict him and his family from his Roosevelt home in 2009. In late November, A federal jury ordered detectives Timothy Slevin and Martin Helmke to pay Smith $151,000 in compensatory damages and a combined $100,000 in punitive damages.
A New London resident, who was shot by three police officers in late November, was charged with attempted assault on a police officer for a different case on Tuesday. Over a week before the shooting, Christopher Nolan attempted to avoid police when they approached him in his car. Nolan sped away, nearly colliding with another car and nearly hitting Sgt. Lucas DelGrosso. He is expected to return to court on Thursday, Jan. 11. Nolan is held on a combined bond total of $200,000.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed Angelica’s Law, 16 years after it was initially proposed. The law is designed to make roads safer by lowering the number of prior license suspensions someone needs before they are charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. It’s named after Angelica Nappi, a Long Island native, who was struck and killed by a driver in 2008 who had over five previous driver’s license suspensions.
Connecticut residents may be able to view a winter cosmic event this week. The Geminids meteor shower will reach its peak viewing ability on Thursday. Up to 120 meteors can be seen per hour under perfect conditions. Thursday is expected to have clear skies. If residents miss the meteor peak, the Geminids meteor shower will remain active until Christmas Eve.
