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GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCES $400,000 IN STATE GRANTS TO SUPPORT FINANCIAL WELLNESS AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont, Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, and Banking Commissioner Jorge Perez today announced the release of three state grants totaling more than $400,000 that will be used to support programs focused on improving the financial wellness of Connecticut residents with a priority focus on women and girls. The grants are being awarded through a competitive RFP process issued by the Connecticut Department of Banking that solicited proposals centered on the grant’s objectives. “These grants will be used to support programs that empower people to improve their own financial stability through education and training, with a particular focus on our underserved populations, including women and girls,” Governor Lamont said. “I appreciate the partnership of the organizations that are…

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Bridgeport Police Make Breakthrough Arrest in Jewelry Store Robbery Case

On March 15, 2024, the Bridgeport Police initiated their first arrest in connection with the violent armed robbery that occurred at an East Side Jewelry store in June 2023. Adam Buster, 32, a Bridgeport resident, was apprehended by Bridgeport Regional Task Force Officers at his workplace in Shelton without any resistance. He faces charges including Robbery in the First Degree, Assault in the Second Degree, and Larceny in the First Degree for his involvement in the robbery at ABC Jewelry on June 10th, 2023, with his bond set at $750,000. During the June 10th incident, three masked suspects armed with guns stormed into ABC Jewelry, forcing employees into a back room where they were assaulted and robbed of personal belongings.…

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Mayor Ganim and the City of Bridgeport Announce the Return of Household Bulk Pickup

Bridgeport, CT – Today, Mayor Ganim and the City of Bridgeport announced the return of the Household Bulk Trash Pickup Program for 2024. This program gives residents the opportunity to discard large items, such as furniture and appliances, that may be difficult to transport to the Transfer Station and are not part of regular weekly trash collection. The program will have different guidelines for removal this year, where residents will be able to discard trash on scheduled date periods specified by the Department of Public Facilities, depending on the district. This will further give residents the flexibility to have their pickup completed at a time that is most convenient for them. Public Facilities has established a dedicated phone number for residents to…

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Household Hazardous Waste Day

Saturday, April 13, 2024 RAIN or SHINE 9am – 2pm Greens Farms Railroad Station, Parking Lot #1, New Creek Road, Westport CT (Located between I-95 and Metro-North Railroad tracks) Household Hazardous Waste Day is a NO CHARGE regional program for residents of Westport, Norwalk, New Canaan, Darien, Stamford, and Greenwich to safely dispose of their household hazardous wastes. Products such as cleaners, gasoline and pesticides can pollute the environment and jeopardize public health when they are disposed of improperly. Residents of participating towns may safely dispose of the following types of hazardous waste: gasoline, kerosene, spray paint, paint strippers, paint thinners, solvents, paints, stains, turpentine, varnishes, wood preservatives, degreasers, fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, bleach, charcoal lighter, cleaning chemicals, drain…

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Community Book Discussion a Zoom SeriesStratford Library, First Congregational Church & CARE Are Sponsors

A special Community Book Discussion of When We Walk By led by co-author Donald W.Burnes is currently underway in Stratford. The Zoom series, co-sponsored by the StratfordLibrary, the First Congregational Church of Stratford and CARE (Citizens Addressing Racial Equity),begins on Monday, March 18 and will continue on weekly Monday evenings through April 29.When We Walk By provides a deeply humanizing look that radically changes onesunderstanding of neighbors, poverty, and homelessness. Believing we can make inroads inresolving homelessness and poverty in our community, the multipart discussion series welcomesall to attend, even if they have not yet read the book. Free copies of When We Walk By arecurrently available at the Stratford Library while supplies last.After the March 18 talk, the next…

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Norwalk News: Norwalk Police Arrest Suspect in Shooting Case

On January 26, 2024, Norwalk Combined Dispatch received a report of shots fired, with one victim sustaining a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Responding officers and EMS arrived at the East Norwalk residence to find the victim conscious and alert. The victim was promptly transported to Norwalk Hospital for treatment. Subsequently, detectives identified Raymond Dewitt of New Haven, CT, as the suspect and obtained a search warrant for his home, securing crucial evidence. An arrest warrant for Dewitt was subsequently obtained through Stamford Superior Court. On March 14, 2024, members of the United States Marshals Service Violent Fugitive Task Force, in collaboration with Norwalk Police Detectives, apprehended Dewitt in New Haven, CT. Dewitt, aged 25, was charged with Assault 1st,…

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GOVERNOR LAMONT URGES LEGISLATURE TO PASS LAW PROHIBITING HIDDEN FEES ON EVENT TICKETS, LODGING, AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES

Governor’s Bill Approved by General Law Committee Last Week, Now Awaits Further Action by the Full Legislature (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont is urging the Connecticut General Assembly to approve legislation he proposed for consideration this session that will enact a new consumer rights law requiring upfront pricing on all event tickets, hotel and short-term rental accommodations, and food and beverage sale and delivery services, and accordingly prohibit the increasingly common practice of adding unexpected, mandatory hidden fees that are tacked on at the end of a consumer’s transaction. These hidden fees, frequently known as junk fees, are often vaguely labeled as a “service fee” or “convenience fee.” It is estimated that they cost Connecticut families thousands of dollars…

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Mayor Ganim Announces The Start of Reorganization, Makes Several Appointments to Key Positions

Bridgeport, CT – Today, Mayor Joe Ganim announced that he has started the process of reorganization of city government, starting with making several appointments to key positions. Among them are appointments in the Chief Administrative Office, which oversees all city departments and advises the Mayor with respect to the day-to-day operations of city government. Mayor Ganim also announced the appointment of a new Deputy Chief of Staff and Public Facilities Director, as well as appointed a permanent Director of the Office of Labor Relations. This is the first step in a greater effort to reorganize city government, fill vacant positions, and work with department heads to make city government more efficient and effective. Chief Administrative Officer – Thomas Gaudett Gaudett has served…

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CONNECTICUT DELEGATION URGES HHS SUPPORT FOR MEDICAL PROVIDERS IMPACTED BY CRIPPLING CYBERATTACK ON LARGEST U.S. HEALTH CARE PAYMENT SYSTEM

“We call on you to use all powers at your disposal to hold UHG responsible for this significant breach and guarantee the company offers accessible, robust financial assistance and frequent, transparent communication.” [WASHINGTON, DC] – Following a massive cyberattack on Change Healthcare, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT), and U.S. Representatives John Larson (D-CT), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Jim Himes (D-CT), and Jahana Hayes (D-CT) called on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support impacted care providers, and to hold the company accountable for the breach and ensure it provides necessary relief to those affected. In February, Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group (UHG) and the largest health care payment…

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Norwalk News: Search and Seizure Warrant and Arrest – Vape Shop

On Wednesday, March 13, 2024, the Norwalk Police Special Services Division, in collaboration with the State of Connecticut Consumer Protection Drug Control Division, executed a search and seizure warrant at the Smoke House 1 vape shop, situated at 108 Connecticut Avenue.  This action was part of an ongoing investigation into local shops suspected of selling marijuana and hallucinogens without proper licensing. During the operation, investigators confiscated various items from the shop, including over four pounds of marijuana, several hundred products containing THC levels exceeding the legal limit, and approximately $1500 in US currency.  Naud Brandon Rodriguez, aged 26 of Norwalk, was arrested.  Rodriguez faces charges of possession with intent to sell an amount greater than 1 kilogram of cannabis, possession…

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