Tom Sherwood of Sherwood Farms at 355 Sport Hill Road in Easton shared this photo the National Guard parked across the street from his farm. Tom says the farm has power but no phone or cable so he is currently unable to take credit cards at this time.
2020-08-07@1:22pm–#Easton CT– Yesterday we shared a press release with you about the National Guard being deployed. I just heard that they are working in Easton clearing the roads.
Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong and Department of Revenue Services Acting Commissioner John Biello are warning Connecticut residents to be wary of mailings that claim to be warrants collecting unpaid tax debt.
The letters received by Connecticut businesses were not sent by or on behalf of the Department of Revenue Services, but by a private company selling tax settlement services. The letters claim to issue a warrant against the companies for failing to pay taxes and instruct the recipients to pay a certain amount in full or call a phone number to avoid action.
“These attempts to cheat Connecticut’s business owners out of their hard-earned money are nothing short of egregious,” said Attorney General Tong. “Our office will continue to fight these fraudulent mailings and protect Connecticut residents from these potentially devastating scams. Anyone who has any doubts about the legitimacy of a tax-related mailing they have reviewed should call the DRS to verify the document before sending money to a private company.”
“The Department of Revenue Services urges taxpayers to remain vigilant and alert to tax-related scams, especially in these challenging and uncertain times,” said Acting Commissioner Biello. “If you receive a communication about your state taxes that you question, do not hesitate to reach out to DRS — as a conscientious taxpayer did in this case. A DRS professional can help confirm if our agency has made an attempt to reach you. I thank Attorney General Tong for his continued partnership in these efforts on behalf of consumers.”
Government imposter scams can take many forms and can target individuals and businesses alike. In one of the more common schemes, scammers mail solicitations or send emails to businesses to “advise” them that they must purchase certain products or forms, or file particular reports in order to be in compliance with the law. The scammers then offer to assist businesses with satisfying these requirements in exchange for a fee.
For example, in this instance the sender of the letters wrote “this warrant has been issued against the above-named debtors because of a debt that hasn’t been paid in full. This isn’t an arrest warrant. This warrant serves the same function as a court judgment. The State of Connecticut uses the warrant in collection action.” The letter says businesses must pay their balance in full within 15 days of receiving the letter or they can call a 1-800 number to avoid penalty by purchasing their tax settlement services.
Business owners can protect themselves against falling victim to these scams by checking business.ct.gov, an online portal to serve as a primary point of contact between businesses and key state agencies, giving businesses greater confidence that they are communicating with legitimate, appropriate government personnel.
To report a scam or instance of fraud, contact the Office of the Attorney General at 860-808-5318 or file a complaint with the office at https://www.dir.ct.gov/ag/
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With so many people that are out of power, cable, and internet I hope the towns are planning on a baby boom in May and and an increase in school population in 2025!
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From city officials to citizens everyone is asking where are the utility trucks?
If you see UI truck in your area, posted it here and what street it was on. Give a little hope your neighbors in getting their power restored. Let’s just hope this isn’t as difficult as playing Where’s Waldo.
Has anyone seen an out-of-state utility truck helping out? Remember when all the other states would have hurricanes or ice storms and your power lines came down and then we sent our trucks out to help them out? Where are the out-of-state trucks when we need them?
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(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is requesting the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to conduct a thorough investigation of the state’s public utility companies, including Eversource and United Illuminating, amid widespread outages caused by Tropical Storm Isaias that have left hundreds of thousands of customers without power.
The governor said that the companies’ response to the storm has been wholly inadequate and does not meet the obligations for the critical resources they are responsible for providing on behalf of Connecticut residents. He wants to know what specific steps the companies took in the lead up to Tropical Storm Isaias, which had been forecast to impact Connecticut several days prior to making landfall and remained relatively on the track that meteorologists had predicted.
“Several years ago, Connecticut experienced largescale outages that took days to recover from, and we were told that the utilities were improving their resources so that they can be prepared for the next time Mother Nature inevitably hits again,” Governor Lamont said. “And now here we are, with a wholly inadequate response to another storm. I’m asking PURA to begin this investigation so that we can determine whether the companies are meeting their legal obligations and whether any penalties need to be applied. The people of Connecticut deserve better than the service they are receiving.”
Governor Lamont is asking PURA to:
Consider whether the utilities were adequately prepared and have the resources they need to respond to significant weather events;
Evaluate their response and whether it met regulatory and statutory requirements;
Determine whether resources that were invested into their outage response system was prudent in light of the recent system failures; and
Determine whether civil penalties should be applied.
PURA is an independent state office responsible for regulating the rates and services of Connecticut’s investor-owned electricity, natural gas, water and telecommunication companies and is the franchising authority for the state’s cable television companies. In the industries that are still wholly regulated, PURA balances the public’s right to safe, adequate and reliable utility service at reasonable rates with the provider’s right to a reasonable return on its investment. PURA also keeps watch over competitive utility services to promote equity among the competitors while customers reap the price and quality benefits of competition and are protected from unfair business practices
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2020-08-05 #Weston CT– #ctfire– Weston fire is requesting mutual aid from surrounding towns for a fire in one of their buildings at 56 Norfield Road, which comes back to the fire marshal’s office on Google maps. However they are directing the firefighting equipment closer to the town hall area. I have a couple people on the way to file a report for us.
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I amham a LOT of calls across the area for high carbon monoxide due to poor or no ventilation. Do NOT leave the generator in a garage or any enclosed area. Make sure the generator is far enough from your home for proper ventilation!!
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Westport, CT – First Selectman Jim Marpe and the Emergency Management Team released the following message in preparation for the arrival of Tropical Storm Isaias.
Tropical Storm Isaias will enter Westport this afternoon, bringing very gusty winds and heavy rain. Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Robert Yost urges, “Residents are advised to stay indoors and avoid travel until the storm passes. Plan to be home by NOON today as the storm is speeding up. Review your Pre-Storm Checklist and prepare your home. We are expecting damaging winds and flooding.”
Tornado Watch:
There is a high risk for at least a few weak tornadoes according to the Storm Prediction Center. A tornado watch has been issued for our area. Seek shelter and avoid traveling once rain and winds start.
Heavy Rain:
The storm will be accompanied by heavy rain of 1” – 3” and flooding is possible. Minor coastal flooding is expected, which may inundate a few low lying coastal roads with wave splash over. Do not walk or drive through floodwaters. Never attempt to drive on or through a flooded road. If your building floods, move to a higher floor but do not enter a closed attic.
Widespread Power and Tree Issues with gusts to 70 MPH:
Downed power lines can be deadly. Always assume that they are live and avoid going near them or anything in contact with them.
Closures:
Storm Preparation:
During the Storm:
After the Storm:
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The Connecticut Green Bank is offering flexible repayment options to new borrowers who use its Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing to make energy-saving improvements. C-PACE is an innovative program that helps commercial, industrial, and non-profit property owners access affordable, long-term financing for qualifying energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades. The projects are repaid through a voluntary assessment on the building owner’s property tax bill.
The Green Bank has designed these new repayment options in order to provide relief to property owners impacted by COVID-19. The repayment options will provide borrowers with immediately increased cashflow by significantly reducing operating expenses in the near term and deferring all or a portion of payments until later. Building owners will also enjoy the long-term benefits of energy efficiency or renewable energy projects (like HVAC improvements or solar PV). The Green Bank also hopes that these options will support its contractor community, which has been significantly impacted by COVID-19, in generating more leads and completing more projects.
New borrowers will have the option of:
· Deferring their first two payments on a new C-PACE assessment.
· Making interest-only payments for up to three years on a new C-PACE assessment.
With businesses facing unprecedented challenges and tighter margins, this increased cash flow could provide significant relief for businesses, who will also enjoy the long-term benefits of C-PACE (including a more modern, efficient, and cost-effective building) once their position has improved.
The Green Bank’s programs support job growth and economic development in Connecticut while also benefiting individuals, businesses, and the State as a whole. The Green Bank believes that by investing in the green economy, we can not only get Connecticut “back to normal,” but we can build cleaner, greener and more resilient communities where businesses and people flourish. Together, we can create a better more prosperous future for Connecticut. For more information, please visit: www.cpace.com/offer
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2020-08-03@1:46pm–#Darien CT– #cttraffic– Today’s vehicle fire is being hosted by Darien on I-95 northbound at exit 12.
