Thursday, March 14, 2013

On Wednesday Governor.Dannel Malloy and the state Bond Commission approved more than $290 million in borrowing for a number of projects and investments.  They include almost $10 million for an on-the-job training program and $10 million to dredge New Haven Harbor.The on-the-job training program, known as the Subsidized Employment Training Program, helps subsidize salaries of employees for the first six months they’re on the job. About half the money is allocated specifically for manufacturers. Overall, the money is expected to benefit about 1,300 individuals.

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Yesterday was a lobby day at the capitol in Hartford. Some supporters of tighter gun safety laws expressed frustration with the lack of any legislation three months after the Sandy Hook massacre.

Legislative leaders were expected to meet for a fifth round of negotiations Wednesday in hopes of reaching a bipartisan agreement on gun violence prevention legislation.in response to the Sandy Hook murders. But some asked why Democrats, who control both chambers of the legislature and the governor’s office, hadn’t simply passed their agenda over the opposition of the minority party.
Connecticut Against Gun Violence president Marty Isaac told supporters they had two things now that they lacked in previous years—numbers and money. In future elections, Isaac suggested the group may try to unseat lawmakers who don’t vote their way on gun control. He said in the past, policy makers have only had to deal with the outrage of gun advocates.
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Connecticut could lose more than $900 million in federal defense spending this year, according to the  legislature’s nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis
The state projected that most of the pain from the so-called sequestration cuts would fall on Connecticut’s defense industries. State and municipal governments and private entities in Connecticut also could lose a combined $53 million in non-defense programs, particularly in education, social services and housing.
Both the defense and non-defense cuts would be phased in over the remainder of the year, and many might not come to pass if Congress reaches a bipartisan compromise that cleared the Republican-controlled House of Representatives last week.
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A Southampton Town drug investigations officer became addicted to prescription painkillers himself, under the noses of his supervisors, according to internal police documents released to Patch and the former chief of the department.

William Wilson retired late last year after 18 months as chief of the department. He said last week he believes the department failed officer Eric Sickles, who was a member of the now-defunct Street Crime Unit, and no one was held accountable.

Sickles’ commanding officer, Lt. James Kiernan was suspended for six months — though Wilson thought he should be fired — and Sickles was suspended indefinitely.

Wilson said he also thought that then-Lt. Robert Pearce, who Kiernan looped in about the situation, also should have been disciplined, but the Southampton Town Board Instead, promoted Pearce to captain against Wilson’s wishes, and Pearce was named the new chief to replace Wilson in November 2012 by a unanimous Town Board vote.

Suffolk County internal affairs officers investigated the matter, and the Suffolk County district attorney’s office initiated a review of more than 100 cases conducted by the Street Crime Unit while Sickles was purportedly addicted.

This led to the sentences of two convicts being vacated and their release from prison – and to suits against the town, Wilson and others by the released prisoners.
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Maureen’s Haven, a program that provides shelter to the East End’s homeless population in the winter is holding a Polar Bear Plunge to raise funds on Friday, March 16.
The event will kick off at 11:00 a.m. at The Wharf House at Founders Landing, located on Terry Lane & Hobart Avenue, Southold.
Registration starts at 9 a.m.
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