#Bridgeport CT–On October 30, 2022, at approximately 5:30 pm Bridgeport Police Officers, on scene at Bridgeport Hospital, reported a male victim walked into the emergency room with several stab wounds. The victim, identified as a 23-year-old Bridgeport man, was transported to the hospital via private vehicle. Upon his arrival, the victim was observed to be suffering from several puncture wounds to his torso and at least one puncture to the back of his head. The victim is listed in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Bridgeport Police Detective Bureau has responded and taken charge of the investigation. This appears to be an isolated incident where the victim knew his attacker. A crime scene area was located on Orchard Street just south of its intersection with Boston Avenue and processed. The area is now clear of police activity.
Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to contact the case officer, Detective Jose Bahr, at 203-581-5219 or utilize the Bridgeport Police tips line at 203 576-TIPS.
2022-10-31@8:30pm–#Fairfield CT– Report of a pedestrian being struck in the 200 block of Wakeman Road. The person is alert and conscious according to radio reports.
#Bridgeport CT– Fourteen years ago, candidate for congress Jim Himes held a press conference at the site of the former Congress Street Bridge promising to replace it. His opponent, then-Congressman Chris Says crashed that press conference. Today, Congressman Himes held a press conference that was crashed by his opponent Jayme Stevenson. Stevenson said her opponent has had fourteen years in Congress to fix this bridge. Congressman Himes opposed that once again his press conference was used for political gain. He said the construction should begin in June of 2023.
On October 30, 2022, at approximately 6:40 pm the Bridgeport Emergency Operation Center received the report of a party shot in the 400 block of Olive Street.
Responding officers located a victim on Pequonnock Street near its intersection with Olive Street, lying down on the sidewalk. The victim, a 51-year-old Bridgeport man, was suffering from what appeared to be a single gunshot wound to the leg. Medics arrived and transported the victim to St. Vincent’s Hospital where he is listed in stable condition/non-life-threatening injury.
The Bridgeport Police Detective Bureau has responded and taken charge of the investigation. The victim states he was socializing this evening in the Olive Street neighborhood. As he walked along the sidewalk, the victim describes hearing a “pop” type sound. The victim said he initially didn’t realize he was shot until he felt discomfort in his leg.
This is an open and active investigation. Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to contact the case officer, Detective John Knapp, at 203-581-5219 or utilize the Bridgeport Police tips line at 203 576-TIPS.
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today announced Bridgeport-based Nunes Auto Repair has paid $7,000 for failure to lower its prices by 25 cents per gallon on April 1 as required by the gas tax holiday suspension. An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General found that Nunes Auto did not lower its price on regular grade gas until April 4 and the gas retailer consistently failed to fully lower prices on its mid- and premium-grade gas.
“The gas tax holiday was enacted—and extended—to give families a break. Nunes Auto knew the rules, and kept charging consumers for a tax the station wasn’t paying, even after they knew they were under investigation. Not all price increases constitute price gouging or violate the law, but when businesses do take advantage of consumers my office will enforce the law,” said Attorney General Tong.
The gas tax holiday began on April 1 and has been extended through to November 30. During this time, the 25-cent state tax on gasoline is suspended. The law required that retailers reduce their price per gallon by the amount of the excise tax, 25 cents, on April 1. Any gas station suspected of charging that tax, or a portion of that tax, during this gas tax holiday will be subject to investigation by the Office of the Attorney General pursuant to the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act. Acting in coordination with the Department of Consumer Protection, the Office of the Attorney General may file suit against retailers found to be in violation of this law and seek appropriate relief, including injunctive terms, restitution, and civil financial penalties designed to deter future unscrupulous sellers.
The Office of the Attorney General has received 306 complaints regarding gas prices since March, both regarding the gas tax holiday and general gas price gouging complaints. All complaints were reviewed. Of those, the office initiated 12 gas tax-related investigations and 93 price-gouging investigations. There have been two enforcement actions to date, including Nunes Auto, regarding gas tax violations. Other investigations remain open and ongoing.
Not every increase, or decrease, in gasoline prices is related to the $.25 tax or constitutes price gouging. Every complaint will be investigated and all facts will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. You can help our investigations by sharing as much detail as possible in your complaints, including receipts if possible. Please include in your complaints the address of the gas station, the date and time of your purchase, and the exact price you paid.
Abnormal Market Disruption
An “Abnormal Market Disruption” in gas prices has triggered additional consumer protections through to November 27. An earlier declaration expired and was once again triggered on October 26.
During an abnormal market disruption, it is unlawful to charge an “unconscionably excessive price” for energy resources, including gasoline, electricity, and home heating oil. An “unconscionably excessive price” may occur when there is a gross disparity between the price during the market disruption and the price in the ordinary course of business immediately prior to the market disruption and the price is not attributable to additional costs. Unlike the retail price gouging statute, the abnormal market disruption declaration covers unconscionably excessive prices charged at the retail, distributor and wholesale levels.
State statute requires that the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection monitor the wholesale price of gasoline in the Hartford and New Haven areas. When the wholesale price of gasoline is over $3.00 per gallon and the daily price change is over 15 percent when compared to any of the last 90 days, DEEP is required to notify the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Consumer Protection of an “abnormal market disruption.” Increases in home heating oil prices do not trigger the abnormal market disruption statute.
“Both gas and home heating oil prices are a huge burden for families right now, here in Connecticut and globally. Price gouging during an abnormal market disruption is not just wrong, it’s illegal. There are many factors contributing to these volatile prices that are not necessarily due to any inappropriate profiteering. But if you see someone charging excessive prices and suspect wrongdoing, I want to know,” said Attorney General Tong.
Price Gouging Statutes
During declarations of emergency, price gouging is against Connecticut law. Acting in coordination with the Department of Consumer Protection, the Office of the Attorney General may file suit against price gougers and seek appropriate relief, including injunctive terms, restraining orders, restitution, and civil financial penalties designed to deter future unscrupulous sales.
Attorney General Tong has previously sought reforms to the state’s ability to combat price gouging during an emergency. “An Act Concerning the Authority of the Office of the Attorney General to Bring an Action Against a Seller Who Engages in Price Gouging During a Disaster or Emergency” was considered last legislative session, and would have extended the state’s ability to bring price gouging enforcement actions against bad actors and sellers higher up the supply chain.
Connecticut’s current retail price gouging statute only applies to retail sales, excluding wholesale and sales within the supply chain.
Assistant Attorneys General Joe Gasser and Kim McGee, Paralegal Specialist Casey Rybak, Investigator Caylee Ribeiro and Deputy Associate Attorney General Mike Wertheimer, head of the Consumer Protection Section, assisted the Attorney General in this matter.
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG ANNOUNCES ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST BRIDGEPORT GAS STATION OVER GAS TAX VIOLATION
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today announced Bridgeport-based Nunes Auto Repair has paid $7,000 for failure to lower its prices by 25 cents per gallon on April 1 as required by the gas tax holiday suspension. An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General found that Nunes Auto did not lower its price on regular grade gas until April 4 and the gas retailer consistently failed to fully lower prices on its mid- and premium-grade gas.
“The gas tax holiday was enacted—and extended—to give families a break. Nunes Auto knew the rules, and kept charging consumers for a tax the station wasn’t paying, even after they knew they were under investigation. Not all price increases constitute price gouging or violate the law, but when businesses do take advantage of consumers my office will enforce the law,” said Attorney General Tong.
The gas tax holiday began on April 1 and has been extended through to November 30. During this time, the 25-cent state tax on gasoline is suspended. The law required that retailers reduce their price per gallon by the amount of the excise tax, 25 cents, on April 1. Any gas station suspected of charging that tax, or a portion of that tax, during this gas tax holiday will be subject to investigation by the Office of the Attorney General pursuant to the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act. Acting in coordination with the Department of Consumer Protection, the Office of the Attorney General may file suit against retailers found to be in violation of this law and seek appropriate relief, including injunctive terms, restitution, and civil financial penalties designed to deter future unscrupulous sellers.
The Office of the Attorney General has received 306 complaints regarding gas prices since March, both regarding the gas tax holiday and general gas price gouging complaints. All complaints were reviewed. Of those, the office initiated 12 gas tax related investigations and 93 price gouging investigations. There have been two enforcement actions to date, including Nunes Auto, regarding gas tax violations. Other investigations remain open and ongoing.
Not every increase, or decrease, in gasoline prices is related to the $.25 tax or constitutes price gouging. Every complaint will be investigated and all facts will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. You can help our investigations by sharing as much detail as possible in your complaints, including receipts if possible. Please include in your complaints the address of the gas station, the date and time of your purchase, and the exact price you paid.
Abnormal Market Disruption
An “Abnormal Market Disruption” in gas prices has triggered additional consumer protections through to November 27. An earlier declaration expired and was once again triggered on October 26.
During an abnormal market disruption, it is unlawful to charge an “unconscionably excessive price” for energy resources, including gasoline, electricity, and home heating oil. An “unconscionably excessive price” may occur when there is a gross disparity between the price during the market disruption and the price in the ordinary course of business immediately prior to the market disruption and the price is not attributable to additional costs. Unlike the retail price gouging statute, the abnormal market disruption declaration covers unconscionably excessive prices charged at the retail, distributor and wholesale levels.
State statute requires that the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection monitor the wholesale price of gasoline in the Hartford and New Haven areas. When the wholesale price of gasoline is over $3.00 per gallon and the daily price change is over 15 percent when compared to any of the last 90 days, DEEP is required to notify the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Consumer Protection of an “abnormal market disruption.” Increases in home heating oil prices do not trigger the abnormal market disruption statute.
“Both gas and home heating oil prices are a huge burden for families right now, here in Connecticut and globally. Price gouging during an abnormal market disruption is not just wrong, it’s illegal. There are many factors contributing to these volatile prices that are not necessarily due to any inappropriate profiteering. But if you see someone charging excessive prices and suspect wrongdoing, I want to know,” said Attorney General Tong.
Price Gouging Statutes
During declarations of emergency, price gouging is against Connecticut law. Acting in coordination with the Department of Consumer Protection, the Office of the Attorney General may file suit against price gougers and seek appropriate relief, including injunctive terms, restraining orders, restitution, and civil financial penalties designed to deter future unscrupulous sales.
Attorney General Tong has previously sought reforms to the state’s ability to combat price gouging during an emergency. “An Act Concerning the Authority of the Office of the Attorney General to Bring an Action Against a Seller Who Engages in Price Gouging During a Disaster or Emergency” was considered last legislative session, and would have extended the state’s ability to bring price gouging enforcement actions against bad actors and sellers higher up the supply chain.
Connecticut’s current retail price gouging statute only applies to retail sales, excluding wholesale and sales within the supply chain.
Assistant Attorneys General Joe Gasser and Kim McGee, Paralegal Specialist Casey Rybak, Investigator Caylee Ribeiro and Deputy Associate Attorney General Mike Wertheimer, head of the Consumer Protection Section, assisted the Attorney General in this matter.
The Connecticut Insurance Department has consolidated all actuarial and data science functions to improve regulatory oversight and better protect consumers as the insurance industry’s usage of Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and Machine Learning expands.
“As the insurance industry increasingly relies on rapid technological innovation within a complex data-driven environment, the regulators at the Connecticut Insurance Department (CID) will meet these challenges by restructuring and integrating all actuarial and data science functions within a single unit to better protect consumers,” said Andrew N. Mais, Commissioner, Connecticut Insurance Department. “Wanchin Chou, Assistant Deputy Commissioner and Chief Actuary will lead this division and direct all actuarial functions in addition to the Department’s recent advent of data science work.”
“This Department is the regulator of the insurance capital of the world, and we will continue to adapt our operations and recruit regulators with advanced skills to address changes in industry practices. Under Wanchin Chou’s leadership, we will follow the very best actuarial practices and provide world class professional services in insurance regulation,” said Mais.
“I am truly excited about this new organization. Our experienced actuaries and data scientists will bring advanced analytics expertise in Economic Capital Modeling (ECM), Predictive Modeling in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Catastrophe Modeling to enhance the needed actuarial services in our current regulatory environment,” said Wanchin Chou, Chief Actuary. “We will continue to actively collaborate with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) on numerous committees and participate in professional organizations for actuaries, such as the Casualty Actuarial Society, the Society of Actuaries and the American Academy of Actuaries.”
The Data Scientists within the Actuarial Division will assist the CID divisions in the digital transformation to help modernize insurance regulation and will also collaborate with the NAIC and other state insurance departments to develop modeling capabilities and provide needed studies of AI and ML models.
The Insurance Actuaries of the Actuarial division provide financial and analytical services with a mandate of solvency regulation and market regulation in support of the Commissioner. In addition to actuarial analysis and financial exams, actuaries are responsible for reviewing rate and rule filings produced with the Property & Casualty and Life & Health divisions.
Chou has more than30 years of insurance experience in the U.S. and internationally. Prior to his current position, he was Vice President and Chief Analytics Officer at Liberty International where he achieved profitable business growth in 20 countries as well as developing modeling capabilities. Chou’s actuarial expertise includes insurance pricing and products, reserving and financial reporting, reinsurance, data analytics and risk management.
Chou received his B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from National Tsinghua University in Taiwan, and a master’s in actuarial science from Georgia State University. He is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS), a member of the American Academy of Actuaries (AAA) and is a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), a Certified Specialist in Predictive Analytics (CSPA), and a Certified Catastrophe Risk Management Professional (CCRMP).
2022-10-31@12:18am–#Milford CT– #Stratford CT— #cttraffic— Two unrelated crashes on I-95. One southbound in Stratford between exit 33 and 32 one car rolled over (in the photo). A second accident on the exit 34 exit ramp
