Good morning. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong is suing United Illuminating for failing to remediate contamination at the New Haven English Station power plant. The coal and oil-fired power plant was shut down in 1992 but left the area polluted with carcinogens, heavy metals and other contaminants.
Tong is seeking to have a permanent injunction issued against the energy company, requiring it to take any action necessary to clean up the site. New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker has said the site poses a health risk for residents and wants to see it cleaned up soon so that the city can repurpose the property to become a positive asset for the community.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
A Nassau County man is suing the village of Hempstead and its police department for using unreasonable force against him last spring. Police responded to a 911 call at an apartment complex where they found Patrick Alexis threatening officers with a gun and a knife. Officers used a taser on him, which they found to be ineffective. Then, they fired a service weapon, shooting Alexis in the torso. He is seeking $4 million in actual and punitive damages and $1 million for attorney fees.
Connecticut’s Office of the Secretary of the State failed to properly keep track of property and sales of publications during former Secretary Denise Merrill’s administration. According to a recent state audit, the office failed to properly record almost $25,000 worth of sales due to a lack of invoices and misplaced items worth $50,000. Current Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas’ office acknowledged the missteps and intends to resolve these issues.
Vince McMahon resigned from the TKO media conglomerate amid a sexual assault lawsuit. Janel Grant, a former talent department employee at World Wrestling Entertainment, sued McMahon on Thursday accusing him of coercing her into a sexual relationship or face termination. McMahon, former CEO of the Stamford-based WWE, denied the allegations. Grant is seeking unspecified financial damages.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority reached a tentative deal to purchase a 40-acre abandoned aviation site in Port Jefferson Station for $10. Officials intend to use the site as a Long Island Rail Road rail yard. This will be part of a larger redevelopment project to establish a 36-acre solar farm and to acquire 44 acres of open space for the Town of Brookhaven.
Families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims will determine how Alex Jones will pay back damages by Feb. 12. The families won a $1.5 billion defamation lawsuitagainst Jones last summer after he repeatedly called the shooting a “hoax” and subsequently declared bankruptcy. The families will choose between either accepting Jones’ dealof paying them $55 million over 10 years, or force him to liquidate his estate entirely.
Fire Island will finally receive federal aid to help recover from severe rainstorm damage in January and December. New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Friday that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin evaluating this area for necessary repairs and funding costs. The island plays a pivotal barrier role in the protection of the mainland. If left in disrepair, local communities and those on the south shore of Long Island may face further flooding and damage.
Connecticut is home to some of the most segregated areas nationwide. According to a report conducted by the economic consultancy firm Urbanomics, cities such as Bridgeport and Hartford are among the most racially and economically segregated areas in the country due to banking and real estate bias and exclusionary zoning practices. The report, which was requested by the state Office of Policy and Management, recommends the state modify legislation to promote housing developments and desegregation.
Activists are calling for Connecticut to outlaw female genital mutilation or cutting. While the practice is unusual in the state, Connecticut is one of nine states to have no laws to criminally penalize practitioners and parents who consent to the procedure, known as FGM/C. A coalition plans to urge lawmakers tointroduce legislation next month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over half a million girls and women have experienced FGM/C or are at risk of experiencing FGM/C nationwide.
Connecticut State Capitol work crews completed installing new skylights and restoring glass laylights across the roof just in time for the state’s next legislative session. The skylights severely deteriorated over the years causing maintenance staff to place trash cans throughout the building to catch leaking rainwater. The renovations are part of a $54 million multi-year project to restore the Capitol’s exterior for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026.
A UConn study found that repealing laws that prevent alcohol retail sales on Sundays would not cause significant problems for liquor stores. The study found that replacing the so-called blue laws caused a brief increase in sales for both grocery and liquor stores but quickly leveled out in a few weeks. No long or short-term negative impact on the beer sales of liquor stores was found.
