ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SECURES COURT ORDER PROTECTING SNAP BENEFITS

(Hartford, CT) — Attorney General William Tong today released the following statement after a federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to penalize states with millions of dollars in fines related to their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) operations:

“The Trump Administration couldn’t get their own story straight, but wanted to penalize states anyway for not following their unlawful guidance that they had already abandoned. We sued, and once again we have a court order blocking Trump from defunding SNAP and using hunger as a political weapon,” said Attorney General Tong.

On November 26, Attorney General Tong joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in suing the Trump administration after it attempted to cut off SNAP benefits for tens of thousands of lawful permanent residents. On December 10, the administration reversed itself and issued new guidance, confirming that lawful permanent residents – including former refugees and asylees – remain eligible for SNAP benefits. Despite that reversal, the administration continued to threaten states with millions of dollars in fines, claiming that states had missed a required “grace period” for implementing the new guidance, even though the final guidance was not issued until December 10.

Today, the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon issued an order temporarily blocking those penalties. The court’s decision prohibits the federal government’s efforts to impose severe financial penalties on states and protects the continued operation of SNAP programs while the case proceeds.

Two Men Critically Injured in Bridgeport Crash Involving Parked Tractor-Trailer

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On December 16, 2025, at approximately 3:39 p.m., Bridgeport Police officers responded to a serious motor vehicle collision at the intersection of North Washington Avenue and Housatonic Avenue.

Upon arrival, officers observed emergency medical personnel from American Medical Response transporting a male passenger to St. Vincent’s Medical Center and a male driver to Bridgeport Hospital.

The scene was secured, and the Bridgeport Police Reconstruction Team was requested and responded to the location. A preliminary investigation determined that a silver four-door sedan, operated by a 32-year-old Bridgeport resident and occupied by a 31-year-old Bridgeport resident passenger, was traveling westbound on North Washington Avenue when it collided with the rear of a tractor-trailer parked in the westbound lane.

The tractor-trailer was occupied by a 61-year-old male New York resident, who was not injured and remained on scene and cooperated with the investigation. The 32-year-old driver and 31-year-old passenger of the sedan were both listed in critical condition.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact Officer Rory Anderson at (203) 576-7640 or via email at rory.anderson@bridgeportct.gov.

Robbery Investigation Leads to Norwalk Man’s Arrest in Stamford

NORWALK, CT — A robbery investigation that began on Woodward Avenue last month has resulted in the arrest of a Norwalk man, according to police.

On November 17, 2025, at approximately 9:04 PM, Norwalk Combined Dispatch received a report of an armed subject in the area of 42 Woodward Avenue. The caller reported that a male was outside with a firearm threatening individuals, while a second suspect allegedly stole money from the complainant. Both suspects fled the area before officers arrived.

The Norwalk Police Department Detective Bureau assumed the investigation and, through surveillance video review and other investigative efforts, Detective Imparato identified one of the suspects as Jimmie Springer. An arrest warrant was subsequently obtained through Stamford Superior Court.

On December 18, 2025, members of the Norwalk Police Department’s Special Services Division, assisted by the Detective Bureau and the Stamford Police Department Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit, located Springer in Stamford and took him into custody without incident. Following his arrest, Springer was remanded into the custody of parole.

This investigation remains ongoing.

Arrested: Jimmie Springer, 33
Charges: Robbery in the First Degree, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery in the First Degree, Conspiracy to Commit Larceny in the Fourth Degree
Bond: Remanded by parole
Court Date: December 30, 2025

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Norwalk Police Tip Line at 203-854-3111. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the Norwalk Police website or by texting “NORWALKPD” to TIP411 (847411).

Exploding Massage Gun causes fire risk

Report of an on fire massage gun on Queens Grant Drive in Fairfield.

According to unconfirmed radio reports, one person in the house was operating a massage gun, which exploded and caught fire.

They also reported that that person was able to stamp out the fire, but firefighters are arriving on scene to verify. 2025-12-17@3:00PM

GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL 40,000 CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS TO HAVE MEDICAL DEBT ERASED

Letters Being Mailed This Week Under Third Round of the Lamont Administration’s Medical Debt Erasure Initiative

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that nearly 40,000 Connecticut residents will receive letters in the mail this week informing them that some or all of their medical debt has been erased under an initiative the Lamont administration launched last year in partnership with the national nonprofit organization Undue Medical Debt to give relief to those who are having difficulties paying medical bills.

This third round of the initiative is eliminating more than $63 million in medical debt. In total, nearly 160,000 Connecticut residents who’ve been struggling with bills have had $198 million in medical debt eliminated since the initiative began in December 2024.

“Medical debt can delay healing due to stress and anxiety about how to pay these bills,” Governor Lamont said. “With this latest round of letters being sent out to Connecticut residents, we will have eliminated $198 million in medical debt over the last year. This makes a real difference in the lives of our families, reducing fear and concerns. My administration continues to work with other medical providers to help additional families, and I urge all of them to step up and be part of the solution to address the cost of healthcare in Connecticut.”

Under the initiative, Undue Medical Debt leverages investments from the state to negotiate with hospitals and other providers on the elimination of large, bundled portfolios of qualifying medical debt owed by Connecticut patients. Those who qualify must have income at or below four times (400%) the federal poverty level or have medical debt that is 5% or more of their income. (The current federal poverty level is an annual income at or below $32,150 for a family of four.) Since these medical debts are acquired in bulk and belong to those least able to pay, they cost a fraction of their face value, often pennies on the dollar.

Connecticut residents who have been identified for debt relief will receive an Undue Medical Debt branded envelope containing a letter from Undue Medical Debt in the mail over the next several days. (To view a sample of what this letter looks like: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/office-of-the-governor/news/2025/20251211-undue-medical-debt-sample-letter.pdf.)

Because this debt erasure occurs through the purchase of large, qualifying bundled portfolios of debt from participating partners like hospitals and collection agencies, there is no application process for this relief and it cannot be requested.

“I’m grateful to Governor Lamont and Connecticut for their continued leadership in providing medical debt relief to residents across the state,” Allison Sesso, CEO and president of Undue Medical Debt, said. “This third round builds on tremendous progress — nearly 160,000 people helped and $198 million in debts of necessity erased. Medical debt creates both financial strain and emotional burdens that prevent families from seeking the care they need. We’re proud to partner with Connecticut’s community-minded providers who recognize that removing these unpayable debts helps their patients and communities thrive, and we look forward to bringing relief to even more families in the future.”

The first round of the initiative in December 2024 erased approximately $30 million in medical debt for approximately 23,000 people; and the second round in May 2025 erased more than $100 million in medical debt for 100,000 people.

Governor Lamont intends to continue partnering with Undue Medical Debt to enact further rounds of medical debt cancellation. The governor and the Connecticut General Assembly enacted legislation that makes $6.5 million in ARPA funding available for this initiative.

ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SUES UBER OVER UNFAIR AND DECEPTIVE PRACTICES

Lawsuit Alleges that Uber Used Deceptive Enrollment, Billing and Cancellation Practices in Offering Its Subscription Service, Uber One

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong announced today that Connecticut and 21 other state and county law enforcement agencies have joined a lawsuit previously filed by the Federal Trade Commission against Uber Technologies, LLC and Uber USA, LLC, the operators of the popular rideshare and delivery company. The lawsuit is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and trial is currently scheduled for February 2027.

The lawsuit alleges that Uber used a variety of deceptive and unfair practices in offering and selling Uber One subscription services, which Uber promotes as saving money on rides and deliveries. Among other things, the lawsuit alleges that Uber improperly used negative option marketing tactics when it offered free trial subscriptions – a practice that automatically charges consumers if they do not cancel a free trial. The lawsuit alleges Uber misled consumers about the amounts they could save when subscribing to Uber One and that the companies made it extraordinarily difficult to cancel Uber One once enrolled. The complaint also alleges that Uber charged consumers before their billing date, including users whose free trial has not yet ended.

“Uber roped consumers into its subscription service under the guise of a ‘free’ trial, jumped the gun on charges, and then made it next to impossible to cancel when promised savings never materialized. Connecticut is joining the Federal Trade Commission and states and counties across the country in court to ensure consumers are made whole and Uber is held accountable,” said Attorney General Tong.

The Attorney General’s lawsuit seeks restitution, as well as penalties, costs, and an injunction against Uber for alleged violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act and the U.S. Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act.

The state coalition, led by Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown, includes the attorneys general of Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, as well as the District Attorney for Alameda County.

A copy of the complaint can be found here.

Assistant Attorney General Brendan Flynn and Deputy Associate Attorney General Michael Wertheimer, Chief of the Consumer Protection Section, are assisting the Attorney General in this matter.

Crash With Extrication

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Firefighters had to remove the roof from a car that flipped on Brooklawn Avenue near Lawrence Street. First responders from Fairfield and Bridgeport aided in the rescue. The man was transported to the hospital with unknown injuries.

2025-12-16@5:09pm– #Bridgeport CT #Fairfield CT

GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCES PLANS TO USE EMERGENCY STATE RESPONSE RESERVE FOR HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that in the coming days he will submit a plan to the bipartisan leadership of the Connecticut General Assembly to use funding from the recently created Emergency State Response Reserve to support homelessness prevention and response services throughout Connecticut.

The funds, which are being calculated and are anticipated to amount to at least $5.2 million, will be used by providers in the state that receive funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care program. That program is the federal government’s primary homelessness prevention and support services grant program, and it has been put on pause indefinitely nationwide.

“So many families, veterans, older adults, and people with disabilities depend on the federal government’s Continuum of Care program to stay in their homes, and it is essential that these grants continue so that people do not fall into homelessness and create a potentially crisis situation,” Governor Lamont said. “It is a shame that these funds are being withheld by the federal government and I urge HUD to continue this program immediately. In the meantime, Connecticut will do everything we can to stand with our providers and ensure that these essential programs are able to continue.”

Created in November through Special Act 25-1, the Emergency State Response Reserve was established to facilitate Connecticut’s response to millions of dollars in federal cuts toward essential health and human services programs that are being made by President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans. The Connecticut General Assembly and Governor Lamont set aside $500 million in surplus funding for this purpose, and the enabling statute authorizes the governor to quickly act to offset some of these federal cuts as he determines is necessary while also providing for legislative oversight.

The plan that Governor Lamont will soon submit to legislative leaders for the use of this reserve will also include an allocation to partly offset the loss of enhanced federal tax credits that support the costs of health insurance for tens of thousands of Connecticut residents who receive coverage through Access Health CT.

As required under Special Act 25-1, legislative leaders will have 24 hours upon receipt of the plan to review and – if they choose – disapprove of the expenditures before the funds can be legally transferred.

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