#Norwalk CT–On Thursday May 27, 2021, at approximately 5:30 AM, Eugene McKnight, a convicted felon, was arrested in Norwalk without incident on an outstanding warrant.
The warrant for McKnight’s arrest stemmed from to a shooting that occurred in Bridgeport on March 20, 2021. McKnight has a pending 2017 case out of West Haven in which he was charged with Assault in the First Degree, Criminal Use of a Weapon and Home Invasion. McKnight is currently wearing an ankle bracelet and is on probation as a result of that previous arrest. Additionally, McKnight has a pending 2018 case out of Bridgeport involving the following charges: Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Weapons in a Motor Vehicle and Illegal Possession of a Large Capacity Magazine. (Please refer to the originating agencies for case information.)
The arrest was made by a cooperative effort of Bridgeport Police Department Detectives, U.S. Marshals Service and the Norwalk Police Special Services Division. McKnight was turned over to Bridgeport Police Detectives and transported to Bridgeport Police Department for processing. Arrested: Eugene, McKnight, 37, with a last known address of 419 Iranistan Avenue, Bridgeport Charges: Assault 1st Criminal Possession of a Pistol/Revolver Illegal Possession of a Weapon in a Motor Vehicle Bond: $500,000
Norwalk Police Tip Line: 203-854-3111
Anonymous Internet tips can be sent to Norwalk Police website at: www.norwalkpd.com
#Bridgeport CT–On Monday May 24th at Willow St & Clermont Ave MVA Entrapment Stolen Vehicle. A person stole a vehicle that had kids in it. The suspect fled the vehicle after it crashed. All kids got out of vehicle, vehicle crashed into fence, then a building. 300th block of Clermont Ave. There was no further information. No injuries reported.
2021-05-29@11:30am–#Fairfield CT– A shoplifter taking Red Bull from the Villa Avenue Stop and Shop was apprehended by police on the roof of a house near Kohls after an extensive manhunt.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and U.S. Representatives Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) and Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), on Friday reintroduced legislation that would allow caregivers to receive a Social Security credit. The Social Security Caregiver Credit Act would provide retirement compensation in the form of Social Security credits to individuals who left the workforce to care for their loved ones.
“Taking care of a loved one is work and should be treated that way. But right now, the system penalizes the tens of millions of Americans who leave the workforce or reduce their hours to care for a family member because working less means not paying into Social Security. I’ve heard firsthand from Connecticut families struggling with the financial impact of this, and we’ve got to do better for our caregivers. This legislation would make sure that the selfless decision to care for a loved one no longer comes with the costly consequences,” said Murphy.
“Especially during COVID-19, we’ve seen more and more workers have to make the impossible choice between receiving Social Security or caring for their loved ones,” said Schneider. “Americans who make the selfless decision to leave the workforce to care for their family or friends should not be financially penalized. This commonsense legislation will finally recognize caregiving as work and reduce financial hardship for American families.”
“Those who leave the workforce to care for their loved ones must not be penalized for doing so,” said Meng. “Most who do work extremely hard and very long hours, and are already struggling with the financial and emotional impact of being a family caregiver. We should do all we can to make things easier for them, and this legislation would do that by providing the relief they deserve. I’m proud to join Senator Murphy and Congressman Schneider in introducing the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act, and I call on all my colleagues in both chambers to support this critical bill.”
Joining Murphy, Schneider and Meng, the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in the Senate.
More than 1 in 5 Americans are currently involved in family caregiving to loved ones who are ill, disabled, or elderly, and tens of millions of Americans leave the workforce entirely or reduce their hours significantly to care for loved ones at some point in their career. Studies indicate that, on average, income losses due to caregiving total more than $300,000, threatening retirement security. Women, who make up two-thirds of unpaid caregivers, are disproportionately impacted. More than half of Connecticut residents age 40 and older say they have provided care on an unpaid basis for an adult loved one.
The Social Security Caregiver Credit Act will create a credit that would be added to an individual’s earnings to calculate their future Social Security benefits. In order to qualify, caregivers must provide care for a minimum of 80 hours per month to a parent, spouse, domestic partner, sibling, child, grandparent, grandchild, aunt, or uncle who cannot perform daily living activities without assistance. The credit, which individuals can claim for up to 60 month and for months prior to the bill’s enactment, is progressive and would vary on an income-based sliding scale. A caregiver’s Social Security credit will decrease in value as the caregiver earns closer to the average national wage. The credit will phase out when the caregiver earns more than the average national wage. Individuals who do not earn an income will receive a maximum credit equal to half of the average national wage.
This legislation has been endorsed by the following organizations: Alliance for Retired Americans, The Arc of the United States, The National Alliance for Caregiving, The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging: n4a, The National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs, The Sibling Leadership Network, Social Security Works, Women’s Institute for Secure Retirement (WISER).
2021-05-29@12:30am–#Fairfield CT– First responders dispatched to Fence Row Drive for a dog bite, with “severe” face lacerations according to radio reports.
The Trumbull Police Department, Trumbull Animal Control, and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) have been continually receiving complaints regarding several sightings of black bears in the North end of town. The animals have been causing alarm with residents, due to their close proximity to homes and curious behavior that is unusually close to neighbors, where they are likely searching for food.
The Trumbull Police would like to confirm that they are coordinating efforts, and working together with, the Trumbull Animal Control, CT DEEP Wildlife Division, and wildlife experts to document these matters and provide important safety information to residents on what to do, and how to limit the attraction of bears to their property.
Below are a few links to learn about, and get a better understanding of, how to live and coexist with bears. There is one direct link to DEEP’s “Living with Black Bears” page and another link to “Bear Wise”, which are great resources regarding bears that were created by bear biologists.
On Wednesday morning, May 26, 2021, the Trumbull Police Department and Animal Control Office received reports of bear sightings on Deer Run Dr. and Putting Green Rd. where a bear was seen getting very close to a home, and another moving near a residential swimming pool. Recently, there have been several bear sightings in Trumbull to include the Indian Ledge Park and the Tashua areas of town.
On the morning of Friday, May 21, there were also reports from residents in the areas of Barnswallow Drive and Scenic Hill Road reporting a bear getting into garbage and bird feeders. One of these reports stated that a bear even went onto a deck while the resident was outside cooking on a grill.
There has been more than one bear observed in these areas, one of which was spotted with small cubs. Another had previously been tagged with #211, and was known to have been in the West Hartford, CT area. Nobody has been injured or made contact with the bear, but residents are strongly urged to be aware of these circumstances and to take precautions.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has been notified of these incidents, and has even assigned a bear biologist to work together on these matters.
The following information was obtained from the DEEP website: https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Wildlife/Fact-Sheets/Black-Bear
If You See a Bear Observe it from a distance. Advertise your presence by shouting and waving your arms or walk slowly away. Never attempt to feed or attract bears.
Report bear sightings to the Wildlife Division or call (860) 424-3011.
Bears Near your Home In wilderness settings, bears usually avoid people. However, food attractants near homes can cause them to grow habituated to humans and disturbances, such as dogs and other noises. Bears are attracted by bird feeders, garbage, outdoor pet food, compost piles, fruit trees, and berry-producing shrubs.
To avoid attracting bears Remove bird feeders from late March through November. If a bear visits a bird feeder in winter, remove the feeder. Wait until the morning of collection before bringing out trash. Add a few capfuls of ammonia to trash bags and garbage cans to mask food odors. Keep trash bags in a container with a tight lid and store in a garage or shed. Do not leave pet food outside overnight. Store food in airtight containers. Do not put meats or sweet-smelling fruit rinds in compost piles. Lime can be sprinkled on the compost pile to reduce the smell and discourage bears. Thoroughly clean grills after use or store in a garage or shed. Never intentionally feed bears. Bears that associate food with people may become aggressive and dangerous. This may lead to personal injury, property damage, and the need to destroy problem animals. Encourage your neighbors to take similar precautions.
Hartford, Connecticut (May 27, 2021) – Today, Connecticut’s premier elder attorneys group is praising state House members for voting unanimously in favor of senior fraud protection legislation (H.B. 6458).
Creating a task force to study ways for protecting seniors from fraud is the bill’s aim. The task force will review the planning services available to Medicaid applicants, according to the amended bill passed unanimously by the state House of Representatives.
“Thanks to members of the state’s House of Representatives for their overwhelming support of this measure, which plays a pivotal role in better protecting Connecticut seniors from fraud,” said Steven L. Rubin, the president of Connecticut’s chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (CT-NAELA). “Connecticut’s population isn’t getting any younger, yet new ways to defraud seniors are born every day. That’s why now more than ever, we must take action to beat back fraud, which includes tackling the unlicensed practice of law with the Medicaid application and planning process.”
Rubin noted that Medicaid is not only a lifeline for vulnerable folks, including the elderly, but it’s also big business. That translates, unfortunately, into the program being ripe for fraud. And one specific area that needs addressing: the unlicensed practice of law relating to the cumbersome Medicaid application process and planning.”
Connecticut’s senior population increasingly relies on Medicaid funds. Over 80 percent of the revenue Connecticut nursing homes generate is from patients covered by Medicaid (up from 70 percent pre-COVID). This translates into Medicaid not only serving as a lifeline for vulnerable folks, including the elderly, but it’s also big business (making the program, unfortunately, ripe for fraud), according to Rubin
Joan Wilson, CT-NAELA’s president-elect (i.e., president in waiting), noted that some companies will offer to prepare a Medicaid application for an individual, and advise against hiring a lawyer. However, Medicaid planning presents a legal juggernaut, and non-attorney application assistors far too often wrongly try to play lawyer, to the detriment of Connecticut’s seniors and their families.
“It can result in high costs to seniors — both emotionally and financially — such as increased penalty periods, lost assets, and denial of benefits,” said Wilson. “It’s fraud, plain and simple. This problem has led Florida, Ohio, New Jersey, and Tennessee to implement regulations to define Medicaid planning done by non-lawyers as the unauthorized practice of law.”
State Representative Quentin Phipps, who has championed the bill as co-chair of the state’s Aging Committee, noted in a recent Connecticut Mirror op-ed that Medicaid Planning is a policy area where strengthening measures should be, at least, studied.
Phipps, in the op-ed, also stated: “There are two important dynamics at play here: One, this is yet another policy area where we have an opportunity to be at the forefront of bettering our state for residents, and shouldn’t pass it up. Two, we have to make protecting seniors from financial loss and fraud a top priority.”
Rubin added: “Thanks to Representative Phipps for leading the charge to protect seniors from fraud. And, thanks to his fellow state House members for supporting this important legislation. I urge the state Senate to follow suit in passing the bill and Governor Lamont to sign it into law.”
