Month: August 2021

(HARTFORD, CT)—Attorney General William Tong and the Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC) filed a petition with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) calling for an investigation into Eversource’s marketing tactics.

The petition, filed Wednesday evening, comes after media reports that Eversource was using high pressure and time sensitive tactics to entice customers in the South Windsor area to convert to natural gas. The allegations raise serious concerns and if true, could violate a number of Connecticut laws.

According to a column in the Hartford Courant, a customer in South Windsor was sent a mailing by Eversource that said the town “will permanently pave your road in September, so you must sign up for natural gas by August 7, 2021.” The mailer also stated that “once your road has been resurfaced, it will be several years before the pavement can be opened again due to the town’s paving moratorium.” Eversource has said the mailers were sent in error.

“These mailers and high-pressure marketing tactics are nothing short of alarming,” Attorney General Tong said. “Connecticut consumers should not be subjected to these deceptive and misleading marketing tactics for any product, much less a regulated utility service. Eversource already needs to regain Connecticut’s trust after their failure to respond adequately to Tropical Storm Isaias last year and these mailers do not inspire confidence. Connecticut and its ratepayers should be able to expect more from Eversource. I have requested an investigation at PURA, and I stand ready to take action to protect Connecticut consumers.”

“I am deeply disturbed and offended by the contents of Eversource’s natural gas expansion mailers,” said Acting Consumer Counsel Richard E. Sobolewski. “The people of Connecticut should not be subjected to deceptive, high-pressure marketing tactics that possibly violate the laws of the state. That Eversource would sink to such base tactics speaks volumes about their current desperation as a company. In the past year, Eversource has lost the trust of most Connecticut consumers–these actions do nothing to help regain that. I look forward to PURA’s investigation.” 

The petition asks PURA to immediately begin an investigation into Eversource. It reads “Connecticut consumers remain free to make home energy choices that make the most sense for their personal household situations and finances. No member of the Connecticut public should be subjected to aggressive, potentially illegal marketing tactics conducted by Eversource or any other natural gas company. Accordingly, OCC and OAG jointly request that the Authority immediately commence an investigation into this matter and assess all such penalties and relief as authorized by Connecticut law.”

This press release was made possible by:

2021-08-16@5:13pm–#Fairfield CT– A police are investigating an attempted home burglary on Philemon Street. The homeowner state that a van with two males pulled in to their driveway attempting to steal power tools. They fled when the homeowner came out.

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2021-08-18@4:37pm–#Bridgeport CT– First responders on the way to the 200 block of Knowlton Street for someone who had their foot smashed by a forklift at the metal recycling plant.

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2021-08-18@3:11pm–#Wilton CT–According to radio reports a tree fell on a Ridgefield Road man’s dog. The man went to fee the dog and the dog bit the man with heavy bleeding reported.

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2021-08-18@1130am–#Fairfield CT– Report of a crash at Brooklawn and Spooner Avenue with injuries.

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WASHINGTON– U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on  Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism, and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Monday joined U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and 42 of their Senate colleagues in urging the Biden administration to take swift, robust action to protect and support Afghan women leaders facing unparalleled danger following the Taliban’s violent sweep across Afghanistan and seizure of Kabul. In a bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, the senators called on the Administration to create a humanitarian parole category specifically for women leaders, activists, human rights defenders, parliamentarians, journalists, and members of the Female Tactical Platoon of the Afghan Special Security Forces, and to streamline the paperwork process to facilitate referrals to allow for fast, humane, and efficient relocation to the United States.

“We and our staff are receiving regular reports regarding the targeting, threatening, kidnapping, torturing, and assassinations of women for their work defending and promoting democracy, equality, higher education, and human rights. While we welcomed the expansion of the eligibility requirements for Special Immigrant Visas and the creation of the Priority 2 category in the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, we must also protect those women who might fall through the cracks of the U.S. Government’s response,” the senators wrote, raising concerns over reports of rampant war crimes – including public beatings and flogging of women, sexual violence, and forced marriage – in areas captured by the Taliban. “We greatly appreciate your efforts to help save the lives of Afghans who have advanced U.S. and Afghan joint interests over the last generation, standing for peace, democracy, and equality. We are all in agreement that we owe them our unqualified support.”

In addition to expressing their support for the Administration’s efforts to evacuate those who are applying for humanitarian parole and those applying for Priority 1 or 2 pathways, including by allocating seats for them on SIV evacuation flights, the senators urged the Administration to increase processing capacity within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and to immediately appoint an interagency refugee coordinator.

“Particularly for women who are currently targets—even hunted by Taliban fighters who are going house-to-house with their names—the path to protection and safety under the Priority 2 designation is not accessible,” the senators added. “While we understand there is little processing capacity at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, for these women to access a third country for processing is almost or completely impossible with all borders crossings now closed or controlled by the Taliban.” 

This press release was made possible by:

2021-08-17@11:24pm–#Bridgeport CT– #cttraffic– A rollover accident according to radio reports on I-95 southbound between exits 27 and 28. No word on any injuries.

2021-08-17@10:00pm–#Fairfield CT– #cttraffic– Today’s vehicle fire is on I-95 northbound near exit 23.

This news report is made possible by:

2021-08-17@5:42pm–#Bridgeport CT– A viewer sent in this photo of a crash a Iranistan and Benham Avenue. A number of witness told me the driver of the other vehicle attempted to flee the scene and was chased down and assaulted after he was caught around the block on Brothwell Street. 3 people were sent to the hospital.

2021-08-17@5:51pm–#Fairfield CT– Police were called to the Board of Education Meeting at 500 Kings Highway East over a disruption during a board of education meeting discussion on mask mandates. One parent who was leaving told me one of the board members allegedly got upset and the board members went to their secured, locked offices. I did check the meeting room where there was about 20 people sitting quietly in the meeting room.