Good morning. Connecticut towns and cities could face more hurdles to get red light and speed cameras installed this year.
The state Department of Transportation published guidelines on Tuesday, requiring officials to vote on acquiring the devices and to submit locations where they plan to install the cameras. The devices must be placed in locations that will best improve traffic safely based on prior history of crashes and traffic stops.
Gov. Ned Lamont signed legislation last summer to allow municipalities to implement red light and speed cameras. The cameras record images of cars that drive 10 miles over the speed limit and fail to properly stop at traffic lights. They are commonly installed near busy intersections and schools.
A separate pilot program concluded at the end of the year for traffic cameras near work zones. “I think it should be continued,” Lamont said on Wednesday. “I want to talk to the legislature, but I think it's potentially saving lives. To see a lot of the erratic driving, the folks working in those construction job zones are at risk. Let's continue with it in 2024.”
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
Suffolk County lawmakers will prioritize expanding municipal sewer districts in 2024. The Republican-led Legislature failed to move forward on a proposal to improve water quality last year. To help achieve this goal, legislators plan to raise the county's sales tax by .125%. An estimated 370,000 businesses and homes rely on aging and outdated cesspools that fail to remove nitrogen from wastewater, causing local water sources to become contaminated. The bill must also be approved by voters, and coordinated with the state Legislature to attract additional funding and support.
Following a lawsuit with Connecticut, Vision Solar has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. State Attorney General William Tong sued the New Jersey-based solar energy company last year after he found that they pressured customers to get loans, failed to activate panels after installation and conducted work without necessary permits. Connecticut customers may submit proofs of claims in order to receive up to $25,000 in compensation once the liquidation proceedings are finalized.
Long Island's second recreational cannabis dispensary has opened in East Farmingdale. The Happy Days Dispensary was slated to open in December following an injunction that barred New York from finalizing certain cannabis licenses but was further delayed due to having their parking lot paved. Happy Days plans to donate a percentage of proceeds to local mental health treatment and at-risk youth programs.
Four children died in a fire that engulfed a Somers, Conn. home Tuesday night. First Selectman Tim Keeney said the children in the two-family home were between the ages of 5 and 12, and are believed to be from the same family. Connecticut State Police and fire marshals responded to the scene and will investigate the cause of the fire.
New Haven’s City Plan Commission denied a proposal to rezone Union Station. The proposal would have allowed apartments and parking lots to be developed next to an active railyard on Union Avenue. Commissioners believed the proposal didn’t make sense due to the disturbances the railyard may make to apartment residents. They urged city planners to engage with the local community to better determine the future of the Union Station site.
Sean Hannity will move from Long Island to Florida and will take his radio show with him. The Fox News commentator and Nassau County native announced his move during his iHeartRadio program on Tuesday. Hannity explained his reasons for moving were due to high taxes, regulation, crime and horrible school districts in “blue states.” Despite the move, Hannity will continue to host live audience shows from Fox News Channel headquarters in New York.
A former Derby alderman is expected to plead guilty for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol this week. Gino DiGiovanni Jr. plans to plead guilty to four misdemeanor charges in connection with the riot by supporters of Donald Trump after his electoral defeat. He admitted to entering the Capitol building for 25 minutes but said he didn’t intend to commit any violence or damage anything.
Connecticut’s inspector general will investigate a police-involved shooting in Killingly last Saturday. State Trooper Joseph Godbout pursued Ruben Muller, who was a suspect in a Rhode Island robbery. Muller was tased twice before pulling a revolver. Godbout then fired a single shot into Muller’s chest. He was taken to the UMass Memorial Medical Center for treatment.
New York's largest healthcare provider plans to reduce and treat medical waste. Northwell Health partnered with Envetec Sustainable Technologies Limited to construct and install systems that will treat 500,000 pounds of regulated medical waste annually, including plastics, glass and other general laboratory consumables. This is part of Northwell’s plan to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
