Good morning. The life expectancy for Long Island and Connecticut residents is higher than the national average of 78 years. According to the 2024 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps report, Suffolk County residents live an average of 80 years, while Nassau County residents live 82 years. The average Fairfield County resident lives 81 years, and New Haven County residents live to 78.
Long Islanders smoke less than other parts of the country, with only 13% of residents smoking in Suffolk and 11% in Nassau. They are also less obese than the national average of 34%.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
Bridgeport city workers can’t officiate weddings while on the clock. The city’s chief administrative officer issued an order on Monday after receiving multiple complaints from residents and other workers. City employees who are justices of the peace or religious officials will now have to officiate weddings on their own time or during breaks.
Long Island social media influencer is arrested for role in Jan. 6 insurrection. Isabella DeLuca was charged with the theft of government property and disorderly conduct. Video footage shows DeLuca entering the Capitol through a broken window. She is also seen passing a table out the window that was later thrown at police. DeLuca called her arrest “unwarranted targeting and persecution.”
New Haven pet thefts increased by 40% since the pandemic. A study from the University of New Haven found only about 8% of stolen pets are recovered. Most are expensive purebreds sold for high profits or used for illegal breeding. Pet thieves can be fined up to $1,000 or face up to six months in prison. Two million pets are stolen annually nationwide.
Suffolk manufacturing company pleads guilty to wire fraud. Aventura Technologies Inc. resold Chinese-made security equipment as American-made to multiple government agencies since 2006. The company made over $112 million from this scheme. They were caught by Customs and Border Protection in 2019. As a part of the guilty plea, Aventura will dissolve itself and forfeit over $3 million in seized assets.
Connecticut dismisses bill to lower the number of school safety drills. The bill would have lowered the required number of fire drills from 10 to seven and lowered crisis response drills from three to two. It also would have allowed parents to let their kids opt out of drills. Proponents of the bill said drills could traumatize students. It’s expected to be reintroduced later this year.
Adventureland is expanding. The Long Island amusement park will open with two new rides on Saturday, March 23 Moon Chaser and the Jr. Pirate Ship. These rides are part of a $10 million, five-phase plan to redevelop aging areas of the park. Another ride called Wave Twister will open in 2025. Four other rides, part of the Legacy Corner, will be complete by 2028.
Winters could be tough on Connecticut's solar and wind infrastructure. The Independent System Operator-New England warns that Connecticut is unprepared to be fully electric by 2040, as batteries are difficult to recharge in the winter. This could strain energy grids and may cause supply shortfalls. Wind and solar energy sources typically generate less power in the winter than in spring or summer.
Greenwich and Darien are among the country’s wealthiest. The Connecticut towns are within the top five U.S. towns with the fastest-growing populations of millionaires. According to a report from Henley & Partners, the number of millionaires between the two towns combined has increased by 84% since 2013. Researchers pointed to their close proximity to New York City and well-reviewed private schools. New York City's millionaire population only grew by 48% within the last decade.
