Good morning. New York marijuana dealers are calling for legislation that would allow them to sue and shut down other illegal pot shops. The New York Cannabis Retail Association confronted legislators after becoming frustrated with the state’s poor response to the thousands of unlicensed competitors.
Association members say this would also help prevent the sale of unsafe products. A bill is expected to be proposed in Albany soon. The state Tax Department has levied over $25 million in fines against illegal smoke shops.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
Connecticut students want a new state insect. They’re calling for legislators to dethrone the European Praying Mantis. Students from the Watkinson School suggested replacing it with the Spring Azure Butterfly. Others from the Center Road School suggested the Autumn Meadowhawk Dragonfly. The students want to replace the non-native mantis with more beneficial bugs to the state’s environment. The mantis became the state’s insect in 1977.
Suffolk County dismisses school bus camera tickets. Three Appellate Court judges found the footage lacked sufficient evidence that the drivers sped past buses whilst picking up or dropping off students. In response, BusPatrol, the program that provides cameras to buses, offered districts enhanced evidence packages. Registered owners of vehicles speeding past stopped buses face $250 fines.
Connecticut teens may have expanded job opportunities soon. State legislators are reviewing a bill that would conduct a study to determine which jobs could be operated by minors. Some business officials claim this expansion could help tackle labor shortages and provide early experience for teenagers. Meanwhile, others fear this study could lead to looser youth labor regulations. The Commerce Committee has until March 26 to vote on the bill.
Southold supervisor’s son voted solid waste coordinator. Nicholas Krupski was elected 4-1 in February and will also continue service as a town trustee. Councilwoman Jill Doherty was concerned with this dual role. She called for the town to change its code of ethics to prevent officials from holding multiple paid titles. Krupski will receive a combined annual pay of over $150,000 from being both a trustee and a coordinator.
Riverhead approves resolution with suspended town official. Building and Planning Administrator Jefferson Murphree was suspended in March 2023. He later sued the town for documents from his disciplinary hearings and claimed his suspension was politically motivated. As a part of the resolution, Murphree’s charges were withdrawn, and he agreed to retire within one year.
New York settles with pet shop Shake A Paw. Close to 200 Long Islanders will receive restitution after purchasing terminally ill puppies from two stores. With locations in Hicksville and Lynbrook, Shake A Paw will pay $300,000 to customers. In 2021, State Attorney General Letitia James found that the store lied about the dogs' health, and refused to reimburse customers for vet bills. Shake A Paw will no longer sell dogs starting in December.
Burlington, Connecticut woman pleads guilty to killing her husband. Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi, 76, killed her husband in 2017, hid his body in their home, and stole his paychecks. Her husband was a professor at UConn. Local police discovered the body in 2018 while conducting a welfare check requested by the university after several months. Her sentencing is scheduled for June 28 in Hartford Superior Court.
Sunrise Wind slated for development in New London. Last month, New York awarded the contract for the offshore wind project to developers Orsted and Eversource. The 924-megawatt wind farm is expected to power almost 600,000 homes. Eighty-five turbines will be constructed at State Pier New London, on top of the 65 made for the Revolution Wind. Connecticut Port Authority executive director Ulysses Hammond expects Sunrise to generate several family-sustaining jobs.
New York colleges face several challenges in the years ahead. According to state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, campus closures are already occurring. Nearly 900,000 students were enrolled in higher education around the state in the fall of 2022 — the lowest in 15 years. DiNapoli said that trend is driven by a 14% drop in enrollment at public institutions, especially community colleges.
Suffolk police identify victim in Long Island body parts case. Remains belonging to 59-year-old Donna Conneely and another unidentified male victim were discovered in multiple parks across the Town of Babylon. The victims are believed to have at one time shared a home in Westchester County. Conneely’s identity was shared just hours after two defendants appeared in Suffolk district court on Monday.
SUNY to phase out single-use plastics. State University of New York Chancellor John King announced this development last week. He said it will make campus life and operations more sustainable. SUNY will work with the public service platform SustainChain to transition campuses from plastic bags, bottles, utensils and reusable products.
