Good morning. Two Fairfield County cities are among the top 15 most diverse in the country. According to the personal finance company WalletHub, Danbury was ranked 10th most diverse, and Bridgeport was ranked 12th.
In comparison, New Haven was listed as the 107th most diverse city in the country. Cities were ranked by their household, religious, socioeconomic, cultural and economic diversity. Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves cited the city’s welcoming community for its demographic growth.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
Long Island home prices have jumped over the last year. Real estate agency One Key MLS said the average Nassau County home costs $730,000, a 9% increase since 2023. The average cost of a Suffolk County home increased by 14% to $615,000. The agency said many Long Islanders won’t sell their properties out of fear they can’t afford to purchase another home.
A gathering of 2,000 Connecticut teens ends in gunfire. The teenagers gathered at West Haven Beach before moving to a nearby gas station. There, a passerby was shot and suffered minor injuries. Two West Haven police officers were also injured while controlling the crowd at the beach. Multiple suspects were arrested, and authorities are investigating.
West Islip teen arrested for weapon possession. The 17-year-old West Islip High School student brought a revolver and bullets to the school on Monday. Suffolk County police arrested and charged the minor with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. On Tuesday, he was arraigned in youth court at the First District Court in Central Islip. No students or staff were harmed.
Hampton Bays Fire Station could be the site of a hazardous waste cleanup. New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation identified the site as containing dangerous forever chemicals that threaten public health and the environment. The chemicals originate from firefighting foams. The proposed cleanup first needs approval from the state Department of Health.
New York appoints new thruway executive director. The state Senate appointed Frank Hoare as state Thruway Authority executive director on Monday. Governor Kathy Hochul recommended Hoare after he served as interim executive director. The thruway is a nearly 570-mile-long toll road that stretches from the Bronx to Lake Erie.
Animal abuse cases are on the rise in Connecticut. According to the animal law advocate group Desmond’s Army, there have been 33 cases of animal abuse and neglect in the state so far this year. They say several dogs have had to be euthanized due to the severity of their injuries. The state Office of Legislative Research reported that from 2011 to 2021, four out of every five animal cruelty cases have either been dismissed or not prosecuted.
Hundreds of potatoes fried on the Long Island Expressway. A refrigerated tractor-trailer carrying the potatoes caught fire and spilled Tuesday morning. The fire temporarily closed three eastbound lanes near Hauppauge. Suffolk County police are investigating the incident.
Two UConn women's basketball seniors to play in the WNBA. Aaliyah Edwards and Nika Mühl were selected in the first two rounds of the 2024 WNBA Draft on Monday. Edwards will play for the Washington Mystics. Mühl will play for the Seattle Storm. This is the 16th time multiple Huskies have been picked in the same draft. The season will begin on May 14.
