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Euthanasia Of 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation Euthanasia Of 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation
Euthanasia Of 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation Outrage is swirling after New York wildlife officials seized and later euthanized beloved social media sensation “Peanut” the squirrel. Chemung County resident Mark Longo, of Elmira, took to Instagram Wednesday, Oct 30, telling his 581,000 followers that Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officers had seized the animal, which he rescued in 2017 after its mother was struck by a car. “Well internet, you WON. You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness,” he wrote. “To the people who called (DEC), there’s a special place in hell for you.” In a…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Suspect In 9-Year-Old's Kidnapping From NY Campground Pleads Not Guilty, Report Says Suspect In 9-Year-Old's Kidnapping From NY Campground Pleads Not Guilty, Report Says
Suspect In 9-Year-Old's Kidnapping From NY Campground Pleads Not Guilty, Report Says The man accused of kidnapping a 9-year-old girl from a New York campground has formally denied any wrongdoing, Albany station WTEN reports.  Saratoga County resident Craig Nelson Ross Jr., age 46, of Milton, pleaded not guilty to nine criminal charges in Saratoga County Court on Friday, Nov. 17, the outlet said. Ross is charged with the following: First-degree kidnapping Four counts of sexual assault Two counts of sexual abuse Endangering the welfare of a child Assault Ross was arrested Monday, Oct. 2, 48 hours after allegedly kidnapping the girl from a campground at Moreau Lake Stat…

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by Michael Mashburn
Sports
Yankees, Other Pro Sports Teams Urge Fans To Take Action On Gun Law Reform After Mass Shootings Yankees, Other Pro Sports Teams Urge Fans To Take Action On Gun Law Reform After Mass Shootings
Yankees, Other Pro Sports Teams Urge Fans To Take Action On Gun Law Reform After Mass Shootings The game of baseball took a backseat for a pair of rival teams who took the opportunity to encourage gun control and legislative action after the recent mass shootings in Buffalo, Texas, and elsewhere in the US. Social media departments from the New York Yankees and AL East rival Tampa Bay Rays teamed up during their matchup on Thursday, May 26 to forego tweeting and messaging about their game, and instead used it to promote gun law reform. “In lieu of game coverage and in collaboration with the Tampa Bay Rays, we will be using our channels to offer facts about the impacts of gun violence,…

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by Zak Failla
News
Connecticut's Minimum Wage To Take Effect In Days Connecticut's Minimum Wage To Take Effect In Days
Connecticut's Minimum Wage To Take Effect In Days Connecticut's minimum wage is set to increase to $13 soon, as the state progresses toward a $15 minimum wage.  Beginning Sunday, Aug. 1, the minimum wage will increase from $12 per hour to $13 per hour.  The legislation was signed into law by Gov. Ned Lamont in 2019, requiring scheduled increases over a five-year period until the minimum wage will ultimately increase to $15 on June 1 of 2023. “Nobody working a full-time job should live in poverty,” Lamont said. “For too long, while the nation’s economy grew, the income of the lowest-earning workers has stayed flat, making already…

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by Nicole Valinote
Sports
Lamont Signs Legislation Allowing Student-Athletes In CT To Benefit From Their Names, Likeness Lamont Signs Legislation Allowing Student-Athletes In CT To Benefit From Their Names, Likeness
Lamont Signs Legislation Allowing Student-Athletes In CT To Benefit From Their Names, Likeness Student-athletes in Connecticut have become the latest to be permitted to profit from their names and likeness, bucking a longstanding and much-maligned NCAA bylaw. On Wednesday, June 30, Gov. Ned Lamont announced that he has signed a bill into law that will allow student-athletes to be compensated for their names and likeness. 
“For decades, student-athletes have been unfairly prevented from benefitting from their own image,” Lamont said. “I'm glad to have signed this into law, adding Connecticut to a growing list of states.” Under the new law, college athletes will be able to engage in…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
NY Lawmakers Fall Short For Now In Effort To Rename Donald J. Trump State Park NY Lawmakers Fall Short For Now In Effort To Rename Donald J. Trump State Park
NY Lawmakers Fall Short For Now In Effort To Rename Donald J. Trump State Park Lawmakers in New York will have to wait, as their efforts to remove the Trump name from a Hudson Valley state park stalled in the Assembly. The state Senate approved a bill this week that could have led to New York stripping the Trump title from the rarely frequented Donald J. Trump State Park on the Westchester-Putnam border. Earlier story - NY May Rename Trump State Park The Senate approved a new, scaled-down version of the legislation with the hope of getting it passed before the Legislature wrapped its annual session at the state Capitol this week. However, the Assembly didn’t take up…

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by Zak Failla
News
Lamont Signs Bill Establishing Sports, Online Gambling In CT Lamont Signs Bill Establishing Sports, Online Gambling In CT
Lamont Signs Bill Establishing Sports, Online Gambling In CT Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has signed legislation that will legalize online gaming and sports wagering. On Friday, May 27, Lamont made it official a day after the state Senate passed a bill to make gambling legal in Connecticut, signing the bill into law at the State Capitol. The CT Lottery can also have in-person sports betting at up to 15 licensed facilities including one in Hartford and one in Bridgeport. The move to legalize gambling comes less than three months after Lamont announced an agreement with the Mohegan Tribe and Mashantucket Pequot Tribe allows both tribes and the Connect…

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by Zak Failla
News
More 'F's Than 'A's - Connecticut Politicians Graded On Educational Support More 'F's Than 'A's - Connecticut Politicians Graded On Educational Support
More 'F's Than 'A's - Connecticut Politicians Graded On Educational Support The Connecticut Educational Association has issued its annual report card on members of the state House and Senate - and the grades seem to have fallen along party lines. The CEA, which lobbies for educational funding and reform, gave Democrats high marks for their work on education issues and reserved the bottom end of the spectrum for Republicans. In all, out of Connecticut's 187 state politicians, 37 earned 'A's and 51 received 'F's. The annual report card considers whether legislators were supportive of education funding, unions, professional development, standards, and school safety. …

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by Kristin Palpini
News
NY Law Raising Legal Age To Purchase Tobacco Products Takes Effect NY Law Raising Legal Age To Purchase Tobacco Products Takes Effect
NY Law Raising Legal Age To Purchase Tobacco Products Takes Effect Older teenagers in New York will officially no longer be able to purchase tobacco or e-cigarette products. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the legislation into law on Tuesday, July 16 that raises the minimum sales age for tobacco and e-cigarette products from 18 to 21. The law took effect after 120 days, on Wednesday, Nov. 13. "New York is taking aggressive action to stamp out smoking among teens and children, but tobacco and e-cigarette use still persists thanks to irresponsible corporate marketing campaigns targeting young people," Cuomo said. "By raising the smoking age from 18 to 21…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Wife Of Norwalk Cop Who Fought For Bill Giving Injured Officers Full Pensions Applauds New Law Wife Of Norwalk Cop Who Fought For Bill Giving Injured Officers Full Pensions Applauds New Law
Wife Of Norwalk Cop Who Fought For Bill Giving Injured Officers Full Pensions Applauds New Law The wife of an injured Norwalk cop who fought hard for a bill that gives full pensions to officers injured on the job witnessed Gov. Ned Lamont sign it into law. Debbie Roselle and her husband Phil Roselle, along with their two sons, were in Hartford at the Capitol Monday, July 8 when Lamont signed the bill. Phi Roselle was forced to retire because of his severe injuries after being shot while at work during a training accident. Roselle had been a police officer for 30 years at the time of the accident. He is diabetic and needs a kidney transplant. Throughout his recovery and complica…

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by Donna Christopher
Politics
New NY Law Allows US Congress To Access Trump's Tax Returns New NY Law Allows US Congress To Access Trump's Tax Returns
New NY Law Allows US Congress To Access Trump's Tax Returns Legislation that would give the United States Congress access to President Donald Trump's New York state tax returns was signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday, July 8. "This bill gives Congress the ability to fulfill its Constitutional responsibilities, strengthen our democratic system and ensure that no one is above the law," Cuomo said. "Tax secrecy is paramount — the exception being for bona fide investigative and law enforcement purposes." The bill requires New York officials to release tax returns of public officials that have been requested by congressional tax-related commit…

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by Jon Craig
Lifestyle
Norwalk Cop's Wife Who Helped Get Big Win For Wounded Cops Appears On 'Fox & Friends' Norwalk Cop's Wife Who Helped Get Big Win For Wounded Cops Appears On 'Fox & Friends'
Norwalk Cop's Wife Who Helped Get Big Win For Wounded Cops Appears On 'Fox & Friends' The wife of a Norwalk police officer who helped get wounded cops a big win appeared with her family on "Fox & Friends" this week. Debbie Roselle pushed for Connecticut lawmakers to introduce and ultimately pass Phil's Bill No. 556 so public safety officers can receive their full pension if permanently injured in the line of duty. Appearing on the Fox News morning show with her husband Phil Roselle and sons, Ryan and Michael,  Wednesday, June 26, Debbie told how Phil, a 30-year officer with the Norwalk Police Department was shot at a precinct shooting range in 2017.  …

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by Donna Christopher
Lifestyle
Wife Of Norwalk Officer Injured At Shooting Range Gets Big Win For Wounded Cops Wife Of Norwalk Officer Injured At Shooting Range Gets Big Win For Wounded Cops
Wife Of Norwalk Officer Injured At Shooting Range Gets Big Win For Wounded Cops A bill will soon be law in Connecticut that ensures full pension benefits for public safety officers injured in the line of duty thanks to the hard work of the wife of a wounded Norwalk policeman. Debbie Roselle pushed lawmakers to introduce Phil's Bill No. 556 after Phil Roselle, a 30-year officer with the Norwalk Police Department was shot at a precinct shooting range in 2017. "He was very badly injured. The bullet is still inside him. His kidneys failed and he had to go on dialysis. He's been fighting for his life. He needs to get healthy so he can get on a kidney transplant list," Debbi…

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by Donna Christopher
Politics
NY Lawmakers Vote To Release Trump's State Tax Returns To Congress NY Lawmakers Vote To Release Trump's State Tax Returns To Congress
NY Lawmakers Vote To Release Trump's State Tax Returns To Congress New York State lawmakers are one step closer to gaining access to President Donald Trump’s state tax returns. The New York State Assembly passed legislation on Wednesday, May 22 which would amend the law to allow the state Department of Taxation and Finance to release the tax returns of elected officials. The bill is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo later this month if it also passes in the Senate. It was approved by an 85-49 vote in the Assembly. The legislation only applies to state returns, not federal returns, which have also been at the center of the battle between …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Mercury Vapor Leads To Closures Of Two More Long Island School Facilities Mercury Vapor Leads To Closures Of Two More Long Island School Facilities
Mercury Vapor Leads To Closures Of Two More Long Island School Facilities Two more Long Island school districts have been forced to close the doors of multiple buildings after potentially hazardous fumes were detected in their facilities. Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School in Amityville and the Norman J. Levy Lakeside School in Merrick have been the latest to test for hazardous fumes, joining Miller Place, which was forced to close its high school gym due to similar conditions last month. School officials said that there is no threat to the children and that the closures were out of precaution. While not toxic, the levels measured were about the U.S. Environm…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Retailers Can't Refuse To Accept Cash Under New CT Measure Retailers Can't Refuse To Accept Cash Under New CT Measure
Retailers Can't Refuse To Accept Cash Under New CT Measure Cash will remain king in Connecticut, as lawmakers opted to prohibit cashless retailers from setting up shop in the state. Committee members of the General Assembly approved legislation that will prohibit businesses such as Amazon Go from refusing cash for payment. The bill was passed, following in the footsteps of several other states nationwide who are encouraging consumers to use cash. The bill, which was introduced by Rep. Holly Cheeseman, overwhelmingly passed last month by a 15 to 1 vote. Fairfield County Rep. David Rutigliano was the lone dissenter, arguing that such measures should …

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Push To Repeal Estate Tax Gaining Ground In Connecticut Push To Repeal Estate Tax Gaining Ground In Connecticut
Push To Repeal Estate Tax Gaining Ground In Connecticut Pressure is reportedly mounting on Connecticut lawmakers to possibly repeal the controversial estate tax. Connecticut is one of 12 states, plus the District of Columbia, that impose an estate tax that applies to estates that are worth more than $2.6 million in 2018, which rose to $3.6 million this year. There is also a $15 million estate tax cap, no matter its value. The exemption grows to $5.1 next year, $7.1 in 20221 and $9.1 million in 2022. According to multiple reports, there may be bipartisan support for legislation that would potentially repeal or alter the estate tax. Both Democrat…

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by Zak Failla
News
Smoke Sale Age Raised To 21 In Bridgeport Smoke Sale Age Raised To 21 In Bridgeport
Smoke Sale Age Raised To 21 In Bridgeport Bridgeport has become the second city in Connecticut to pass legislation making it more difficult for children and teenagers to purchase tobacco products. The Bridgeport City Council passed a policy on Tuesday that raised the age of sale of tobacco products only to customers over the age of 21. The new ordinance comes on the heels of Hartford passing similar legislation late last year. Other communities in Connecticut are reportedly considering similar policies. The ban extends to the use of e-cigarettes and similar products. The vote passed 16-1. According to the organization “Tobacco Fre…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
This Fairfield County Locale Just Ranked Safest In State This Fairfield County Locale Just Ranked Safest In State
This Fairfield County Locale Just Ranked Safest In State This Fairfield County community was ranked first as the "Safest City in Connecticut," according to a recent analysis of FBI crime statistics by safewise.com Darien was the top-ranked Connecticut community and was rated 54th safest nationwide.  Ridgefield ranked second safest city in Connecticut and 61st nationwide.   Newtown was ranked third in the state and was the 67th safest city natiowide, according to Safewise. With a violent crime rate 42 percent lower than the national average, Connecticut is lauded as one of the safest states in America, but its leaders aren’t sitting id…

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by Jon Craig
Politics
State House Overwhelmingly Passes Bump Stock Ban Proposed By Malloy State House Overwhelmingly Passes Bump Stock Ban Proposed By Malloy
State House Overwhelmingly Passes Bump Stock Ban Proposed By Malloy The Connecticut House overwhelmingly passed a ban that helps disarm automatic weapons.By a vote of 114 to 55, the state's House late on Tuesday, May 1 passed the so-called bump stock ban, according to multiple news reports. Bump stocks are rapid-fire devices that enable guns to fire like automatic weapons. The measure must be approved by the state Senate to become law in Connecticut. Bump stocks were used in the October 2017 shooting at a Las Vegas concert that left 58 people dead and more than 800 others injured. Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy proposed the ban earlier this year. Proponen…

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by Jon Craig
Politics
CT House Postpones Vote On Electronic Tolls CT House Postpones Vote On Electronic Tolls
CT House Postpones Vote On Electronic Tolls Just as House Democrats were pushing for a vote to approve tolls on Connecticut highways, House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz announced on Wednesday, May 2 that the vote was postponed. According to multiple news reports, Aresimowicz said he could not guarantee any debate on the proposal to restore tolls anytime soon, and perhaps not even this year. Aresimowicz had repeatedly promised a vote -- win, lose or draw -- but the chances are not looking good under a barrage of Republican criticism with the 2018 elections fast approaching, the Hartford Courant reported here.  Earlier cover…

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by Jon Craig
Politics
House OK's Bill For Alcohol Vending Machines At CT Restaurants, Bars House OK's Bill For Alcohol Vending Machines At CT Restaurants, Bars
House OK's Bill For Alcohol Vending Machines At CT Restaurants, Bars Legislation that would permit alcohol vending machines at Connecticut bars and restaurants passed the House on Tuesday, April 10. Sponsored by David Arconti, D-Danbury, the bill would allow people 21 and older to buy beer, wine and cider at self-dispensing machines with a card obtained from the bartender. Consumers would be limited to 10-ounces of wine or 32-ounces of beer from the machine. A total of 110 state representatives voted in favor of the bill. Six did not vote, while 34 were opposed. Several legislators voting no said they fear the machines would allow drunk people to buy more bo…

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by Jon Craig
Lifestyle
After-Hours Work Email Ban May Become Law In NYC After-Hours Work Email Ban May Become Law In NYC
After-Hours Work Email Ban May Become Law In NYC For those sick of having to check work-related emails after hours, help might be on the way. Proposed legislation in New York City would make it illegal for employees to check their work emails after regular work hours, according to Fox Business. City Councilmember Rafael Espinal, who represents the 37th District, plans to introduce just such a bill. Kyle Reyes, The Silent Partner Marketing CEO, said during an interview on Fox Business, that the bill is serious, but he couldn't imagine it would pass. “To pass legislation saying, ‘You can’t force your employees to check emails after hours,…

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by Kathy Reakes
Politics
Malloy Calls For Ban On Bump Stocks In Connecticut Malloy Calls For Ban On Bump Stocks In Connecticut
Malloy Calls For Ban On Bump Stocks In Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy's first proposal for the 2018 legislative session would ban the purchase and sale of bump stocks, binary triggers systems, and trigger cranks in Connecticut. “Bump stocks are cheap, they are deadly, and they have no place in our society,” Malloy said. The device, known as a "rate of fire enhancement," was used by the gunman in the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed over 500 people.  “In Connecticut, we refuse to allow federal inaction to endanger the lives of our residents, despite the best efforts of powerful lobbyists from the NRA," Malloy said…

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by Daily Voice