Morning. Suicide is the 17th leading cause of death for Connecticut seniors and the 11th for all state residents. That is according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Connecticut chapter. Eighteen men over 60 years old have died by suicide using a firearm so far this year.
Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz attributed the statistics to loneliness, health problems and the loss of a spouse. Seniors are three to 14 times more likely to commit suicide with a firearm than other age groups. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, men over age 75 have the highest rate of suicide nationwide. The State Suicide Prevention Plan recommends more outreach to seniors and better screening for depression.
Here’s a bite-sized look at what else we are hearing:
The Town of Hempstead made millions from bus camera tickets. More than 140,000 tickets were issued to drivers who illegally passed school buses, totaling $13 million in revenue for the town. The cameras record drivers who pass buses while their stop signs are out and lights are flashing. The bus camera program was the only one in Nassau County to operate for a full year. Suffolk County towns generated over $21 million from bus camera systems in 2023.
Connecticut senior care organizations are merging. Masonicare Corp. and United Methodist Homes will combine operations in 2025. The merger first needs state approval before anything is finalized. Officials from the centers say they expect a jump in the number of senior residents who need care over the next decade. Both organizations employ 2,100 workers and care for 6,500 seniors.
Suffolk County’s former top cop now leads security firm. Former county police commissioner Rodney Harrison is now chief strategy officer for Uniondale-based Petrone Risk. Harrison was appointed as the county’s first Black police commissioner in 2021. Last year, Harrison set up the task force that led to the indictment of suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann. Harrison will use his new role to improve security for New York City events.
The Hartford-based Pratt & Whitney is being sued. Universal Turbine Parts say the aerospace company is in violation of U.S. competition law. They are suing for $150 million. Universal said P&W blocked rival companies from purchasing used engines to sell to aircraft operators. They are also accusing the company of purchasing used parts at “non-economic prices” to prevent others from acquiring them.
Ocean Management settles in child-poisoning lawsuit. Owner Shmuel Aizenberg was sued in 2019 after a boy suffered from lead poisoning at the Edgewood Avenue property in New Haven. The victim reportedly has irreversible brain damage. Ocean Management has reached an undisclosed settlement with the boy’s mother. The company has sold 37 properties in the past two months, worth nearly $13 million.
More than 5,000 Connecticut residents will receive part of a victim relief fund. This comes after the online loan platform Think Finance filed for bankruptcy. In 2017, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sued the company after it got customers to repay loans they did not owe. More than $384 million will be distributed to 191,000 customers impacted by Think Finance nationwide.
