DICESARE CASE EXPENSIVE
The Town of StonÂingÂton and its inÂsurÂance comÂpany have now spent more than $341,000 in leÂgal fees in conÂnecÂtion with the 2015 firÂing of forÂmer highÂway suÂperÂviÂsor Louis DiCeÂsare II. The town reÂleased the bills on WedÂnesÂday afÂter “The Day” filed a FreeÂdom of InÂforÂmaÂtion Act reÂquest for them. The docÂuÂment also reÂveals that the ConÂnectiÂcut InÂterÂlocal Risk ManÂageÂment Agency exÂpects to spend anÂother $118,000 to cover losses and leÂgal fees conÂnected with the lawÂsuit. DiCeÂsare still has two union grievÂances pendÂing against the town that need to be ruled on by an arÂbiÂtraÂtor and a civil rights lawÂsuit pendÂing in U.S. District Court. SetÂtleÂment talks between the town and DiCesare have so far been unÂsucÂcessÂful, as the two sides reÂmain far apart on a setÂtleÂment amount.
CONN COLLEGE OFFERING EARLY RETIREMENT
Connecticut College has offered eligible employees an early retirement with extra benefits. The reason they gave is the trend of a dwindling number of high school graduates. The board of trustees approved the move in February, even after learning the small private school received a record breaking number of applications for the coming academic year. Across the country, other private colleges have also deliberately downsized in recent years.
MIDDLE SCHOOLERS INGEST LACED CHOCOLATE
Westerly Police are investigating a case of five school students ingesting chocolate laced with THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. The incident happened yesterday at Westerly Middle School when a 13-year-old girl was examined by a school nurse and was showing signs of marijuana ingestion. The girl admitted that she and four other girls had eaten the candy. A few pieces of the chocolate found on one of the students were seized as evidence.
WESTERLY FINED
The Rhode Island Department of Health has fined the Town of Westerly $7,500 for failing to tell Pawcatuck residents last month about excessively high pH levels in the water that Westerly provides to them. A violation letter was also issued stating that the Westerly Water Department was required to report the problem to the health department within 24 hours, and to notify the public as soon as possible after that. In his email report to the health department five days after it discovered the problem, Public Works Director Paul Corina said he “was not sure of the exact reporting requirements for that type of issue.”
TWO PEDESTRIANS RUN OVER
Two people suffered non-life-threatening injuries when they were struck by a car walking in a crosswalk on Steward Street around 7:30 Wednesday night in New London. Police said the male pedestrian suffered injuries to his leg. Both were conscious and alert when emergency responders took them to Lawrence & Memorial Hospital for treatment. Residents say the streets in that area often are dark, making it hard for drivers to see pedestrians. They said the female driver was visibly upset after the crash. Police are investigating.
BUDGET HEADS TO RTM
Following a weekÂ-long reÂview, the WaterÂford Board of FiÂnance WedÂnesÂday recÂomÂmendÂed a $93.1 milÂlion toÂtal municipal budÂget that would inÂcrease spendÂing by about $2.4 milÂlion. The proÂposed budÂget repÂreÂsents about a $1 milÂlion, or 3.5 perÂcent, bump over this year’s spendÂing, said to be driven by higher reÂtireÂment and inÂsurÂance costs. The 22-memÂber RepÂreÂsenÂtaÂtive Town MeetÂing will conÂduct a fiÂnal reÂview of the budÂget in May.
SCOTT QUALIFIES
John Scott, a RepubÂliÂcan canÂdiÂdate for the 40th District House seat, has announced that his camÂpaign has reached the necÂesÂsary fundraisÂing threshÂold with $5,700 to qualÂify for the state CiÂtiÂzens’ ElecÂtion ProÂgram. Scott said more than 160 peoÂple in GroÂton and LedÂyard have made donations. Scott held the seat from 2014 to 2016. It’s curÂrently occupied by Democratic Rep. ChrisÂtine ConÂley. To qualÂify for the proÂgram, a canÂdiÂdate must raise $5,100 from at least 150 resÂiÂdents livÂing in the disÂtrict.
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