Good morning. Nurses at Long Island Jewish Valley Stream Hospital reached a contract agreement with Northwell Health avoiding a potential strike — especially after the nurses union accused the hospital system of discrimination during negotiations.
The nurses are expected to vote on the proposed new agreement for improved staff ratios and wages today.
The nurses union had claimed they are underpaid and understaffed due to their diverse workforce and patients, compared to other hospitals in the health system. Northwell denied the allegations.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
United Illuminating requests a 12% rate increase. This $174.4 million rate adjustment is intended to recover costs imposed by multiple state policies. The utility company serves customers in 17 Connecticut municipalities ranging from Fairfield to North Branford. If approved, the rate increase is expected to cost customers an additional $26 a month, on average, starting in May.
New legislation would monitor tick-borne illnesses associated with Alpha Gal Syndrome. Long Island Congressman Andrew Garbarino called Suffolk County an epicenter for the disease, with about 4% of U.S. cases. AGS is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction to alpha gal, a sugar found in the tissue of red meat. It can be triggered by tick-borne illnesses. The Recognize AGS Act would allow for greater reporting of cases by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
FEMA updates flood risk information for Fairfield County. New Flood Insurance Rate Maps are now available for review. Before they are finalized, county business owners and residents are encouraged to review the maps, and make an appeal if any data looks incorrect. The maps will be finalized with local flood risks and future flood insurance requirements after 90 days.
Yale University apologizes for its historical involvement with slavery. The formal apology from the university president was in response to the book “Yale and Slavery: A History,” written by Yale Professor David Blight. The book, along with the Yale and Slavery Research Project, found that over 200 Black and Indigenous people were enslaved by many university founders and early leaders.
First lady Jill Biden to visit Connecticut today. The trip to New Haven and Guilford is part of a fundraiser for the Biden Victory Fund. Biden will fly to Massachusetts on Wednesday to speak at Cambridge University about the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research. The goal is to spur innovation in the public and private sectors to improve women’s health.
New York’s South Fork Wind to receive its final components. Three blades, tower sections and a container were shipped from State Pier in New London, Connecticut. They will be part of construction 35 miles east of Montauk Point to complete the 12-turbine offshore wind farm. The 132-megawatt project will provide enough renewable energy to power 70,000 homes.
Nassau County’s UBS Arena to host the 2026 NHL All-Star Weekend. Home to the New York Islanders, the arena first opened in Elmont for the 2021-22 season. This will be the second time the Islanders hosted the NHL All-Star weekend, with the first being held at the Nassau Coliseum in 1983.
