Good morning. The U.S. Department of Transportation has approved $3 million in emergency funding to offset costs for the Norwalk-Fairfield Bridge reconstruction over I-95. The total cost of replacing the bridge is an estimated $20 million.
The bridge was severely damaged on Thursday after two tractor-trailers and another vehicle collided, resulting in a fire that shut down the highway until Sunday. No one was harmed in the incident. According to Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, I-95 is one of the most heavily traveled roads in the nation and is critical for the state’s economy.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
Hofstra students hold pro-Palestinian protests on campus Monday. The protestors called for the university to disclose and divest its interests in Israel. More than 70 students had a permit to protest for one hour, before 12 faculty members later took over. Things remained peaceful and no arrests were made.
Two New London women, 10 juveniles arrested for assault of a 13-year-old. Students at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School shared a video of the incident from late April. It shows Keosha and Idinah Muriel pulling the victim out of a car before she was beaten and called racial slurs by the group of kids. Both women, who are relatives of the victim, were arrested and charged with cruelty to persons. The juveniles were charged with conspiracy to commit risk of injury to a minor.
New York state needs to fill thousands of vacant positions. The state government will waive service examination requirements as part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Placement program. It will be expanded statewide as thousands of state workers are expected to retire within the next five years. The program was tested in 2023 and helped recruit 9,000 new state employees.
American Cruise Lines ships to visit New London eight times this year. Each ship will carry approximately 95 passengers that can visit local attractions. The first cruise ship will dock in New London on Wednesday before departing on Friday.
East Northport middle schooler arrested for “mass harm” threat. Suffolk County Second Precinct Crime Section officers responded to the threats Monday and found no weapons at the school. No students or faculty were harmed. The 13-year-old girl was released to her parents, and will be arraigned in Suffolk County Family Court.
New ECSU president appointed. Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Chancellor Terrence Cheng will appoint Dr. Karim Ismaili as president of Eastern Connecticut State University in July. Ismaili currently serves as executive vice president at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts. Once appointed, Ismaili will also serve as a tenured professor. Eastern’s current president Dr. Elsa Núñez will retire at the end of this semester.
Bridgeport police launch interactive crime map. According to Chief Roderick Porter, the map allows residents to view ongoing crime statistics, including where crimes occur and what took place. Powered by the New York-based data analytics company LexisNexis, the map can be found on the police department’s website under “crime statistics.”
Friends Center for Children in New Haven will open a new Flint Street facility. The first phase of the facility’s construction will support 32 infants and 10 educators, and feature a community movie theater, centralized administrative offices, and a resource lending library. Once the facility is fully complete by 2027, the Friends will accommodate 80 preschool spots and 184 infant spots citywide. The groundbreaking for the facility will take place on Tuesday, May 14.
