Good morning. A federal appeals court has revived a years-old Title IX case against Connecticut’s policy allowing transgender athletes to play alongside other girls.
The case was brought in 2020 by four cisgender-female high school sprinters. They said they lost athletic opportunities because of two transgender girls who dominated many track meets. They want the race records altered to remove the two girls.
All the plaintiffs have now graduated, as have two transgender girls at the heart of the issue —which is why a Connecticut judge initially tossed the case, saying the issue was moot. The appeals court disagreed, saying the plaintiffs still have the standing to sue.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we’re hearing:
A student hacker is responsible for Torrington bomb scare. Torrington Middle School held class as scheduled on Thursday after a student hacked a peer's email and sent a bomb threat. The student was suspended from school and arrested. Investigators determined there was no actual threat, but the message had been sent to get another student in trouble.
When is new proof of immunization required in two Long Island schools? Miller Place and Rocky Point school districts are suspending mandates for children with false vaccine certificates. The children will be required to obtain new proof of immunization against diseases like measles, mumps and rubella after an Amityville pediatric practice defrauded their records. The Suffolk County Health Department recommends that schools require the new records be obtained before heading back to school. The two districts said they would suspend the requirements pending more information from the state.
Lease agreement was denied for Las Vegas Sands. A state appeals court has temporarily denied Nassau County's request to keep a lease agreement in place with Las Vegas Sands for a $4 billion casino on the Nassau Coliseum site. Hofstra University sued the county because officials approved the lease without state-mandated open meetings or environmental review. Sands and the county say the lease needs to be in place to have a fighting chance at winning one of New York’s downstate casino licenses.
Increasing access to baby formula during shortages. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has finalized the Access to Baby Formula Act of 2022, legislation led by Connecticut Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (D-CT). The bill amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to help address shortages due to contamination and supply chain disruptions to get more formula onto shelves faster. Abbott baby formula shortages faced federal investigations last year after bacterial infections were found among infants.
A New Haven police officer is justified in shooting. A state inspector general report found Officer Chad Curry to be justified in shooting at Jose Claudio, who opened fire on him and struck him twice in 2022. Curry witnessed a car crash and the driver, Claudio, tried to flee on foot. Claudio fired at Curry several times, and Curry returned gunfire until he had been hit. Curry was treated and released from the hospital. Claudio is believed to have fired 10 shots from a handgun.
Protest against proposed Gales Ferry quarry operation. Around 200 people protested at Ledyard Middle School against a proposed quarry operation at the former Dow Chemical property in Gales Ferry, Connecticut. Residents say the quarry would endanger their health and destroy Mount Decatur, a historic property dating back to the War of 1812. The quarry operator, Gales Ferry Intermodal, has pledged to limit truck trips to the site and address the concerns about the effects of excavating machines in the neighborhood.
