#Milford On October 28, 2022, at approximately 2:30 AM Milford Police Officers initiated a motor vehicle stop for motor vehicle violations. It was determined that the suspect vehicle was used in 2 armed carjackings in the surrounding area. The vehicle fled onto I-95 southbound, exited the highway at Exit 35, and immediately entered I-95 northbound. The suspect vehicle exited I-95 and went eastbound on Boston Post Rd until it became disabled utilizing tire deflation devices near Peck Ln. Two of the suspects, later identified as Levante Player, 20, of 285 Quinnipiac Ave in New Haven and Tyshawn Stanley, 21, of 121 Dewitt St in New Haven, attempted to flee the vehicle on foot but were apprehended. Stanley was apprehended by the police K9. A handgun was seized from the scene and was found to have one round in the chamber. Officers checked the area for any additional suspects. A Connecticut State Police Trooper located the third suspect, later identified as Kevin Wilfong-Dixon, 21, of 51 Salem St in New Haven, hiding near a dumpster near Pilgrim Furniture Store,
1755 Boston Post Rd. It was determined that Wilfong-Dixon was a parole absconder.
All parties were arrested and will appear in Milford Court on October 28, 2022.
Player and Stanley were held on a $75,000 bond and charged with:
Larceny 2nd Degree
Conspiracy to Commit Larceny 2nd Degree
Interfering with a Police Officer
Weapons in Vehicle
Conspiracy to Commit Weapons in a Motor Vehicle
Carrying Pistol Without a Permit
Conspiracy to Commit Carrying a Pistol Without a Permit
Wilfong-Dixon was held on a $100,000 bond and charged with:
Larceny 2nd Degree
Conspiracy to Commit Larceny 2nd Degree
Interfering with a Police Officer
Weapons in Vehicle
Conspiracy to Commit Weapons in a Motor Vehicle
Carrying Pistol Without a Permit
Conspiracy to Commit Carrying a Pistol Without a Permit
#Milford CT–On October 24, 2022, officers were dispatched to Dick’s Sporting Goods for a report of a shoplifting. The female suspect had a child with her and fled the scene in a vehicle. The vehicle was located with 4 flat tires on Research Drive. The female driver, later identified as Ashley Swiatowiec, 31 of West Haven was detained and a child was located in the vehicle in a car seat.
The Loss Prevention Officer at Dick’s Sporting Goods said that Swiatowiec entered the store with a young boy in the cart. She began putting items in the cart and exited the store without paying for the merchandise. When mall security went outside to try to stop her, she left the merchandise in the cart, took the child out, got into her car and drove away. The total value of the stolen merchandise was $3,099.30.
She was charged accordingly and released on a promise to appear in court.
#Milford CT–On October 14, 2022, officers were dispatched to the Sunoco Gas Station for a report of a male who just threatened the cashier with a firearm. A witness said that a male caused a disturbance inside the store and threatened the clerk. The victim stated that Raymond Genet, 52 who is homeless entered the store, and asked for milk without offering payment.
The victim told Genet that he had to pay for the milk. Genet left and came back in angry. He knocked over the plastic guard on the counter and knocked several items off the counter. As he was walking out of the store, he pointed a finger at the victim, gesturing it as a gun, and said he would be back to shoot them. Genet was located short distance away. He was taken into custody and charged accordingly.
2022-10-21@9:00pm–#Milford CT– Police were called to Walmart at 1365 Post Road when 30-45 teens started “making a mess and fighting” according to our viewer. Police detained the teens and then released them to their parents.
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont announced that the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has launched a new website for the state agency (ct.gov/dmv) that streamlines all of the online services it offers in an effort to make completing transactions for customers easier, faster, and more convenient. The newly revamped website also contains several expanded language options, including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
Additionally, the governor announced that in the coming weeks the DMV will be adding the ability for customers to conduct two more transactions online, including requesting refunds when canceling vehicle or vessel registrations, and replacing lost titles. Until now, those transactions could only be completed using paper forms. These new offerings will add to the DMV’s list of more than two dozen online services that have been added over the last several years, which include driver’s license renewals, vehicle and vessel registration renewals, updating addresses, and requesting driving records.
Governor Lamont said that it has been a priority of his administration to move more state government services online – including those from the DMV – so that Connecticut residents can skip in-person visits to state offices, as well as the need to submit paper forms through the U.S. Mail.
Average customer wait times at DMV offices have significantly decreased over the last several years following the implementation of several new policies and procedures. In 2018, the average wait time at these offices was more than an hour. Today it is less than 15 minutes.
“Sitting around at a DMV office waiting to conduct a transaction is frustrating, and I’ve been determined to implement policies that make interacting with this agency more convenient and less time consuming,” Governor Lamont said. “Each time we’ve launched a new online feature, we’ve seen a corresponding decline in the number of in-person visits people are making to DMV offices, which also results in wait times being shortened for those who actually do need to conduct transactions in person. Connecticut residents deserve a state government that is dedicated to changing with new technology and making transactions as easy as possible.”
The DMV worked closely with the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services to implement the website upgrades.
“The DMV’s modernization efforts strive to create a digital experience for Connecticut residents, rooted in what customers value,” DMV Commissioner Sibongile Magubane said. “We refreshed our entire website, making it easier for customers to locate the information they need within just a few clicks.”
“Our team has been laser focused on moving services online to best align with Governor Lamont’s vision for a digital government,” DMV Deputy Commissioner Tony Guerrera said. “DMV will continue to identify opportunities for improvement that make it easier for residents to access our services.”
Over the last several years, the Lamont administration has implemented several new policies to streamline services at the DMV and reduce wait times at its offices. Some of these include:
In June 2019, Governor Lamont signed into law legislation he proposed that reduces the frequency residents are required to visit the DMV by requiring driver’s licenses to be renewed every eight years rather than every six years as the law previously required.
In June 2020, the DMV moved to an appointment-only system that requires customers who plan on visiting an office in-person to schedule a specific time and location to complete their transaction – a move that has significantly helped decrease wait times.
In February 2021, the DMV added the ability to renew driver’s licenses and non-driver ID cards online.
In March 2021, the DMV added the ability to request duplicate driver’s licenses, request duplicate non-driver IDs, and request driving history online.
In June 2021, Governor Lamont announced that the number of customers choosing to renew their licenses over the internet began outpacing the number of renewals being completed in-person at DMV offices, demonstrating that the choice to renew licenses online has become the preferred method for Connecticut residents.
STREAMLINED DMV WEBSITE AND ADDITION OF MORE ONLINE SERVICE OPTIONS
Initiative Part of Lamont Administration’s Efforts to Reduce In-Person Visits and Wait Times at DMV Offices
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has launched a new website for the state agency (ct.gov/dmv) that streamlines all of the online services it offers in an effort to make completing transactions for customers easier, faster, and more convenient. The newly revamped website also contains several expanded language options, including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
Additionally, the governor announced that in the coming weeks the DMV will be adding the ability for customers to conduct two more transactions online, including requesting refunds when canceling vehicle or vessel registrations, and replacing lost titles. Until now, those transactions could only be completed using paper forms. These new offerings will add to the DMV’s list of more than two dozen online services that have been added over the last several years, which include driver’s license renewals, vehicle and vessel registration renewals, updating addresses, and requesting driving records.
Governor Lamont said that it has been a priority of his administration to move more state government services online – including those from the DMV – so that Connecticut residents can skip in-person visits to state offices, as well as the need to submit paper forms through the U.S. Mail.
Average customer wait times at DMV offices have significantly decreased over the last several years following the implementation of several new policies and procedures. In 2018, the average wait time at these offices was more than an hour. Today it is less than 15 minutes.
“Sitting around at a DMV office waiting to conduct a transaction is frustrating, and I’ve been determined to implement policies that make interacting with this agency more convenient and less time consuming,” Governor Lamont said. “Each time we’ve launched a new online feature, we’ve seen a corresponding decline in the number of in-person visits people are making to DMV offices, which also results in wait times being shortened for those who actually do need to conduct transactions in person. Connecticut residents deserve a state government that is dedicated to changing with new technology and making transactions as easy as possible.”
The DMV worked closely with the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services to implement the website upgrades.
“The DMV’s modernization efforts strive to create a digital experience for Connecticut residents, rooted in what customers value,” DMV Commissioner Sibongile Magubane said. “We refreshed our entire website, making it easier for customers to locate the information they need within just a few clicks.”
“Our team has been laser focused on moving services online to best align with Governor Lamont’s vision for a digital government,” DMV Deputy Commissioner Tony Guerrera said. “DMV will continue to identify opportunities for improvement that make it easier for residents to access our services.”
Over the last several years, the Lamont administration has implemented several new policies to streamline services at the DMV and reduce wait times at its offices. Some of these include:
In June 2019, Governor Lamont signed into law legislation he proposed that reduces the frequency residents are required to visit the DMV by requiring driver’s licenses to be renewed every eight years rather than every six years as the law previously required.
In June 2020, the DMV moved to an appointment-only system that requires customers who plan on visiting an office in-person to schedule a specific time and location to complete their transaction – a move that has significantly helped decrease wait times.
In February 2021, the DMV added the ability to renew driver’s licenses and non-driver ID cards online.
In March 2021, the DMV added the ability to request duplicate driver’s licenses, request duplicate non-driver IDs, and request driving history online.
In June 2021, Governor Lamont announced that the number of customers choosing to renew their licenses over the internet began outpacing the number of renewals being completed in-person at DMV offices, demonstrating that the choice to renew licenses online has become the preferred method for Connecticut residents.
WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) sent a letter with a bipartisan coalition of 31 U.S. senators urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as swiftly and at the highest level as possible.
“Given the alarming increase in energy costs that is forecast for this winter, we worked to secure an additional $1 billion in emergency funding for LIHEAP in the recently enacted short-term CR. It is critical that this funding, as well as the significant base funding available under the CR, is distributed as quickly as possible so it reaches these households in time for the winter heating season,” said the lawmakers.
LIHEAP is administered by states and accessed through local Community Action Agencies. Eligibility for LIHEAP is based on income, family size, and the availability of resources. Senior citizens and those receiving Social Security Disability or SSI benefits are encouraged to apply as early as possible, but applications will be open to everyone through spring of 2023 — or until the funding is exhausted.
The senators wrote that the federal LIHEAP funding is a crucial lifeline that assists low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes in paying their energy bills and staying safe during the winter.
Earlier this month, Murphy and Blumenthal helped secure $1 billion in LIHEAP funding in the Continuing Resolution to fund the government. This will translate to an estimated $21 million for Connecticut’s LIHEAP program.
This press release was made possible by our sponsor who accepts heating assistance.
Attorney General William Tong and Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle Seagull are urging Connecticut charities and donors to be on alert for bad actors and scams during this year’s International Charity Fraud Awareness Week, a global campaign to prevent and fight fraud in the charity sector.
All charities, NGOs and not-for-profits are susceptible to fraud and can be easily targeted by bad actors looking to take advantage of them. Those providing services and supporting local communities may be especially vulnerable to fraudsters attempting to exploit recent crises such as the war in Ukraine and Hurricanes Fiona and Ian to carry out fraud and cybercrime. Donors looking to give charitably this season are also targets for bad actors who prey upon their generosity by creating fraudulent charities.
“As we approach the holiday season and the prime time for charitable giving, it’s important to be on alert for bad actors and scammers looking to not only swindle generous people out of their money, but also prevent people in need from getting the support they deserve,” Attorney General Tong said. “While there are many good-hearted people who want to help others in their time of need, there are also scammers lurking to take advantage of the situation. Be sure to do your homework and check whom you’re dealing with. Don’t give in to high pressure tactics. And remember: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
“As we enter the holiday season, when charitable giving is at its peak, we remind everyone to use caution and do their research as they consider where to direct their donations this year,” said DCP Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull. “We don’t want to discourage anyone from being generous. Our goal is to empower consumers and charitable organizations alike to make wise choices and avoid becoming the victim of a scam.”
Tips for Giving Safely This Year:
Here are some tips to protect yourself from fraud and ensure you are donating to legitimate charities and organizations:
• Charities soliciting in Connecticut must be registered with the Department of Consumer Protection. You can verify a registration by visiting elicense.ct.gov.
• Don’t be pressured. Do not donate if the solicitor uses high-pressure tactics, asks for payment in cash or insists on sending someone to pick up your donation
• Be careful when giving out your personal information or credentials. Sometimes donors are required to make an account with their personal information to give to a charity. Those accounts can be compromised, and your information can be stolen.
• Keep records of your donations. If you donate by credit card, check your statements closely to make sure you’re charged only for what you agreed to donate.
Protecting Your Charity:
If you run a charity or non-profit organization, it is important that you protect yourself from fraud. Now more than ever, charities need to be fraud aware and take steps to protect their assets, donations, and information from bad actors.
• Don’t click on links within unexpected or unsolicited emails and text messages.
• Always double check whom you’re working with. Criminals are experts at impersonating people and businesses.
• Thoroughly vet unsolicited offers of ‘free help’ or financial support where an advanced fee payment is required.
• Regularly check your charity’s bank statements to spot unusual or suspicious activity.
2022-10-17@11:32am–#Orange CT– #ctfire–In the rain there is a front lawn on fire in the 600 block of Grassy Hill Road. Downed power lines reportedly started the fire.
2022-10-14@5:00pm–#Milford CT– #cttraffic– Today’s vehicle fire is being hosted by Milford on I-95 northbound near exit 41 for your commuting pleasure.
