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Connecticut State Senate

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Bear Charges Employee At Shop In Connecticut, Delaying Opening Bear Charges Employee At Shop In Connecticut, Delaying Opening
Bear Charges Employee At Shop In Connecticut, Delaying Opening A store in Connecticut had to delay its opening after a particularly hungry, furry, four-legged customer broke into its other location where many of its products are prepared and charged an employee.  Taste by Spellbound, a Hartford County dessert shop located in South Windsor at 544 Buckland Rd., was forced to delay its opening on Wednesday morning, May 24 after a black bear was able to find its way into the garage of the other location in Avon at 220 West Main St. (Route 202) and charged an employee, the owner said on social media. Although no one was hurt, some of the cupcakes…

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by Ben Crnic
Politics
Caroline Simmons Elected Stamford's First Female Mayor Caroline Simmons Elected Stamford's First Female Mayor
Caroline Simmons Elected Stamford's First Female Mayor Democratic nominee Caroline Simmons narrowly defeated Unaffiliated candidate Bobby Valentine to win the election for Stamford mayor in one of the most followed local races in Connecticut political history. The contest drew national attention due to Valentine's status as a former Major League Baseball player and manager and wound up being closer than some expected considering Stamford's heavily Democratic status. Late Tuesday night, Nov. 3, Valentine conceded to Simmons, who will become the first female mayor in Stamford history. “You chose to embark on a future for our great city that buil…

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by Joe Lombardi
Politics
Campaign Volunteer From Fairfield County Admits Role In Scheme To Obtain Election Funds Campaign Volunteer From Fairfield County Admits Role In Scheme To Obtain Election Funds
Campaign Volunteer From Fairfield County Admits Role In Scheme To Obtain Election Funds A former volunteer for the 2018 Connecticut State Senate campaign of Dennis Bradley has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud in a scheme to obtain public funds for the campaign.  Tina Manus, age 42, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to the scheme, according to an announcement from Leonard Boyle, acting United States attorney for the District of Connecticut, on Wednesday, Oct. 20. Between March and October of 2018, Manus conspired with Bradley, his former campaign treasurer Jessica Martinez, and others to defraud the …

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by Nicole Valinote
Politics
Republican Takes Fairfield County State Senate Seat In District Biden Won By 25 Points Republican Takes Fairfield County State Senate Seat In District Biden Won By 25 Points
Republican Takes Fairfield County State Senate Seat In District Biden Won By 25 Points A Republican candidate from Connecticut was elected to the State Senate to reclaim a seat for the GOP in a special election in a district that was overwhelmingly won by President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Ryan Fazio was elected to the seat in Fairfield County on Tuesday, Aug. 17 in the 36th District in a special election that was forced by the resignation of Democrat Alex Kasser, who cited a contentious divorce from a top Morgan Stanley executive last year as a reason to step down. According to the GOP, the 36th Senate District was overwhelmingly won by Biden in 2020 by…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
CT State Senate Votes To End Religious Exemptions For School Vaccines CT State Senate Votes To End Religious Exemptions For School Vaccines
CT State Senate Votes To End Religious Exemptions For School Vaccines The Connecticut State Senate has passed a bill that would remove the religious exemption for childhood vaccinations in schools. In a 22 to 14 vote, the Senate passed the controversial bill, which reportedly drew huge crowds of thousands to the State Capitol on Tuesday, April 27 of parents and concerned citizens who were against the legislation and opposed the removal of religious exemptions. Lawmakers have stated that a highly contagious disease could quickly spread throughout a school system without vaccinations, while arguing that some parents have abused the exemption by using it for non…

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by Zak Failla
News
Former State Senator Dies From Injuries Sustained In Fairfield County Crash Former State Senator Dies From Injuries Sustained In Fairfield County Crash
Former State Senator Dies From Injuries Sustained In Fairfield County Crash Eight days after he was critically injured in a Fairfield County vehicle crash, former State Senator Edwin Gomes has died from his injuries. Gomes, who was injured in the Dec. 13 crash, died on Tuesday, Dec. 22. The crash took place around 6:53 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 13, at the intersection of Boston Avenue and Noble Avenue in Bridgeport, said Bridgeport Police Captain Kevin Gilleran. Related Story: Former State Senator Critically Injured In Two-Vehicle Fairfield County Crash Gomes served as the former Deputy Majority Leader, Connecticut State Senate from 2005 to 2012, and Assistant Majo…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Former State Senator Critically Injured In Two-Vehicle Fairfield County Crash Former State Senator Critically Injured In Two-Vehicle Fairfield County Crash
Former State Senator Critically Injured In Two-Vehicle Fairfield County Crash This story has been updated. A two-vehicle crash left a former Connecticut State Senator in critical condition at a busy Fairfield County intersection. The crash took place around 6:53 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 13, at the intersection of Boston Avenue and Noble Avenue in Bridgeport, said Bridgeport Police Captain Kevin Gilleran. According to Gilleran, the crash took place when a red 2002 Acura RSX was traveling westbound on Boston Avenue approaching its intersection with Noble Avenue as a gray 2010 Ford Fusion was traveling eastbound on Boston Avenue.  Former State Senator Edwin Gomes,…

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by Kathy Reakes
Politics
State Senator From Fairfield County Takes Over As Republican Leader State Senator From Fairfield County Takes Over As Republican Leader
State Senator From Fairfield County Takes Over As Republican Leader Connecticut State Senator Kevin C. Kelly, who has represented District 21 since 2011, was elected as the body's minority leader by the Connecticut State Senate Republican Caucus.  The position entails speaking for the Republican caucus, detailing the party's reasoning for votes and negotiating with the Governor and majority leaders from the Connecticut House of Representatives on the caucus's behalf.  "I want to thank the people of the 21st district for entrusting me to continue serving Monroe, Seymour, Shelton and Stratford," wrote Kelly on Instagram. "It is truly an honor and pr…

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by Christina Coulter
News
CT Senate Approves Police Reform Bill CT Senate Approves Police Reform Bill
CT Senate Approves Police Reform Bill Much to the chagrin of some in law enforcement, the Connecticut State Senate voted to pass a police reform bill. After a contentious debate, lawmakers passed the controversial bill by a 21 to 15 vote that will increase transparency and accountability for police in Connecticut, including a new inspector general who will be tasked with investigating police-involved shootings. The bill also includes the requirement that officers wear body cameras and police cruisers are outfitted with dashboard cameras. Disciplinary records will also now be available for public review. With the bill passed in…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Proposed Bill To Consolidate Smaller School Districts Causes Concerns In Fairfield County Proposed Bill To Consolidate Smaller School Districts Causes Concerns In Fairfield County
Proposed Bill To Consolidate Smaller School Districts Causes Concerns In Fairfield County Connecticut lawmakers and parents have expressed mixed emotions as the state considers legislation to consolidate some of the area’s smallest school districts. Introduced by State Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, the bill would create a commission charged with developing a plan to consolidate districts in communities with less than 40,000 people. The bill reportedly is “to create a more efficient educational system.” If approved, the bill would become effective as of July 2021, though it hasn’t garnered wide-sweeping support from local residents or elected officials. It could pot…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Top Lawyer For CT Senate Republicans Fired Over Missing Money Top Lawyer For CT Senate Republicans Fired Over Missing Money
Top Lawyer For CT Senate Republicans Fired Over Missing Money The top lawyer for the state Senate Republicans was fired on Monday, Dec. 3 after campaign money was discovered missing from one of the GOP's political action committees. Senate Republican leader Len Fasano told Capitol reporters that he fired Chief Counsel Michael Cronin after the lawyer admitted misappropriating tens of thousands of dollars from a Senate GOP caucus PAC that Cronin oversaw as treasurer this year. Cronin reported the theft to Chief State’s Attorney Kevin Kane, whose office opened a criminal investigation. Cronin, a legislative lawyer for nearly two decades, also served as …

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by Jon Craig
Politics
How 22-Year-Old Staples HS Grad Will Help Shake Up State Senate How 22-Year-Old Staples HS Grad Will Help Shake Up State Senate
How 22-Year-Old Staples HS Grad Will Help Shake Up State Senate Will Haskell, who announced his State Senate candidacy during his senior year of college, ran on a platform of restoring tolls to highways, paid family leave and tougher gun control laws. On Tuesday, Nov. 6, the 22-year-old Haskell of Westport toppled Toni Boucher of Wilton, a Republican who has served in the state legislature since 1997 including the 26th Senate District — nearly as long as Haskell has been alive. Haskell is a graduate of Staples High School and Georgetown University. For more background about Haskell, read an earlier Daily Voice profile of him by clicking here.  …

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by Jon Craig