WPKN 89.5FM – Local News for Connecticut and Long Island – Friday, 6/20/14

Friday, June 20, 2014

WPKN 89.5FM News Team

 

This is —— —– with the WPKN local news for Connecticut and Long Island.

 

In the news tonight: Former Connecticut Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz announces she will not pursue the Democratic nomination for state Senate, and Governor Andrew Cuomo announces New York state will loosen winery and craft brewery restrictions.

58 Words

——

 

168 Words | Source: http://blog.ctnews.com/traffic/2014/06/19/i-95-lane-shift-in-new-haven-on-friday/

 

——
Article 2 | CT News – Democratic State Senate Nomination – Susan Bysiewicz

Contributor: Paul

 

On Thursday, former Connecticut Secretary of the State Susan [BICE-uh-witz] Bysiewicz, announced she will not pursue the Democratic nomination for state Senate in a district where she does not live.

 

She announced she would be pulling out of the race for a seat in the 31st State Senate district after facing a nomination fight with a former aide to Senator Chris Murphy, Rob Michalik. Bysiewicz was making calls to measure support for a run that would have required her to quickly move into the district when the prospect of a nomination fight appeared. She was approached by Bristol Democrats, who were aware that she and her husband had looked at houses in Bristol.

 

Bysiewicz said she remains interested in public service, but that her return to the political stage will not come this year. Democratic town chairman of Bristol said that Bysiewicz told him she was discouraged by suggestions that her candidacy was opposed by Gov. Malloy and she faced competition from a former aide to U.S. Senator Chris Murphy.

 

Bysiewicz is a former five-term member of the House and three-term secretary of the state whose political career slid off the rails in 2010 when she explored a run for governor, only to settle on a campaign for attorney general.

 

210 Words | Source: http://ctmirror.org/bysiewicz-opts-out-of-state-senate-race/

 

——

Article 3 | NY News – Governor Cuomo – Craft Breweries – Regulations & Restrictions

Contributor: Francesca

Shortly after announcing that New York State was loosening some of its restrictions on wineries, Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state will do the same for craft brewers.

 

The bill eliminates an additional permit required for breweries that want to offer pint tastings or sell growlers on site. In addition, the bill — which is expected to be approved by the end of the week — increases the production cap for small producers.

 

The announcement was the governor’s most recent in a string of legislative measures hoping to boost the burgeoning craft beer industry. And local brewers are toasting to that. Greg Martin, co-owner of Riverhead’s Long Ireland Beer Company, said, QUOTE

“Ideally, these end up creating less paperwork and lowering licensing fees. It’s definitely helping.”

 

The governor’s office expects the bill to give New York manufacturers greater opportunities to produce and market their products at lower fees.

 

146 Words | Source: http://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2014/06/49331/cuomo-announces-new-regs-to-help-boost-craft-beer-industry/

 

—

Article 4 | NY News – Environment – D.E.C. – Cutchogue Creek

Contributor: David

It has now been 10 years since the Cutchogue creek complex was closed to shell fishing, by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, due to water quality concerns.

The long closure has become a source of frustration for Southold Town’s shellfish advisory committee, which recently conducted a series of water quality tests to track the source of contaminants entering the creek system.

The study, which did not meet required minimum standards, analyzed coliform enumeration and used DNA testing to track the source of the bacteria aimed at helping the town better understand the types of contaminants entering the waterways and what can be done to mitigate them.

But the study has also largely reaffirmed committee members’ belief that the creeks should possibly be reopened, though the sample size is too small to ensure that.

Human fecal coliform bacteria were detected at Mud Creek, West Creek and New Suffolk, which could be the result of failed septic systems but might also be caused by disposable diapers that make their way into the water, and other sources, said Cornell storm water specialist Scott Wagemann. Human sources were the only type of bacteria detected.

Other sources of bacteria found in the samples were birds, wildlife and domestic animals.

 

205 Words | Source: http://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2014/06/49370/hoping-to-open-the-cutchogue-creek-complex-after-a-decade/

 

——

The WPKN LOCAL NEWS is prepared from various sources, including: The Connecticut Post, CT Mirror, and the Suffolk Times. A special thanks to news contributors: David, Francesca, Paul, Wilfredo, and the rest of the WPKN News Team.

 

The WPKN Local News is archived at MyNews895.wordpress.com.

 

National and international news from “Feature Story News” follows on listener powered WPKN 89.5 FM Radio in Bridgeport, Connecticut. This is —— ——.

 

69 Words | 969 Words Total

WPKN Board of Directors

Greetings, 

I’m glad to let you know that I’ve been appointed as News Director at WPKN 89.5FM and now have a position on the board of directors here at the station. I’m having a lot of fun hunting for quality local news to bring to Connecticut-er’s and New York-er’s. The last few weeks have really been amazing and transformational. I really look forward towards working with the amazing WPKN News contributors. Stay tuned for more updates and make sure to check out MyNews895.Wordpress.Com daily for more on “Connecticut and Long Island local news that matters.”

Cheers,

DJ Renaissance

—

Wilfredo Soto | DJ Renaissance

Producer | Host | WPKN News Director

Dance Mix Radio – Tuesdays 2-6AM

WPKN 89.5 FM – Bridgeport, CT

DJRenRadio@gmail.com

www.DJRenRadio.com

WPKN 89.5FM – Local News for Connecticut and Long Island – Tuesday, 6/17/14

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

WPKN 89.5FM News Team

 

This is —— —– with the WPKN local news for Connecticut and Long Island.

 

In the news tonight: Toxic red algae blooms off the Long Island Coast, West Hartford student receives Presidential Scholar Medallion in Washington, D.C., Riverhead’s “Classic Car Cruise Night,” and baseball’s all-time hits leader Pete Rose holds a press-conference at a Bridgeport Bluefish game at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard.

63 Words

 

——
Article 1 | NY News – Downtown Riverhead – Classic Car Cruise Night

Contributor: Kristiana

Riverhead’s growing parking problem is threatening the Downtown Riverhead’s classic car cruise nights, according to Riverhead Business Improvement District Executive Director Raymond Pickersgill.

 

Pickersgill spearheaded the popular Thursday evening event at the Peconic riverfront in 2010. He says there’s no longer enough room for the car show. The Suffolk Theater is drawing more people this year. And their patrons park in the lot the classic car group typically uses.

 

Dark Horse restaurant owner Dee Muma had said last May that the growing number of riverfront events — including the weekly car shows — have become too much for businesses in the downtown-parking district to bear.

 

Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter disagrees and wants the Riverhead Business Improvement District Management Associationto hire a few college students to control traffic. He said the expanding parking problem is one reason the town should hold the idea of building a synthetic ice rink on the riverfront. Walter said he has convinced Pickersgill that the Business Improvement District should keep the car show going.

 

Walter said, “These guys that come to cruise night are a big part of Riverhead revitalization.” Pickersgill said he would discuss it with the Business Improvement District board.

 

195 Words | Source: http://riverheadlocal.com/local-news/downtown-parking-problems-may-scuttle-weekly-classic-car-event

 

——

Article 2 | CT News – Bridgeport Bluefish – Sports – Pete Rose

Contributor: Paul

Over 4,500 fans came out to see baseball’s all-time hits leader Pete Rose at the Bridgeport Bluefish baseball game Monday night at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard.

Rose, who was banned by Major League Baseball for betting on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds in 1989, said he made the appearance because he loves baseball, which is obviously true. It’s also undeniable that Rose is hoping for reinstatement, probably because he’s desperate for Hall of Fame inclusion.

 

The event helps the Bridgeport Bluefish who are trying hard to draw fans.  The team has ranked last in the Atlantic League in attendance for three straight seasons. It hasn’t averaged more than 3,000 fans per game since 2005, which is why it made perfect sense for the team to hire Rose – who has over 4,000 career hits – to fill more than 4,500 seats on one night.

Rose held a news conference and a meet and greet with fans that paid $250 to meet Rose. Regular season tickets are only $14.

Afterwards, Rose then went behind first base in a white Bluefish shirt he received from the team and black dress pants.

General Manager, Ken Shepard said, “For promotion, you want to sell as many tickets as you can in the ballpark. It’s a home run promotion for us.”

 

216 Words | Source: http://www.ctpost.com/sports/article/Kevin-Duffy-A-bizarre-cool-night-with-Pete-Rose-5557194.php

 

——

Article 3 | NY News – Long Island Coast – Environmental – Toxic Red Algae Blooms

Contributor: Kristiana

This spring’s cool weather has helped keep toxic red tides from closing Long Island shellfish beds, but several areas have still seen red tide blooms, according to the Long Island Coastal Conservation Research Alliance (LICCRA), the newly named program working with Stony Brook Southampton’s algae bloom experts.

 

According to the alliance, four bodies of water have reported red tide blooms.

 

The toxic compound found in red tide, [sak-sĭ-tok-sin] saxitoxin, accumulates in filter-feeding shellfish during the bloom season from April to June. Blooms have historically been linked to both warm temperatures and high nitrogen levels in the bays.

 

The area experienced its warmest spring in 2012, leading to the closure of more than 13,000 acres of shellfish beds because of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP).

 

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation monitors shellfish for toxins across Long Island, and only recorded small regions where the toxic algae densities exceeded their threshold of 1,000 cells per liter.

 

The LICCRA reported Monday that the red tide season has mostly passed, though the water temperature in Mattituck Creek is still ideal for red tide growth.

 

182 Words | Source: http://www.eastendbeacon.com/2014/06/17/a-quiet-spring-for-red-tide-on-long-island/

 

—

Article 4 | CT News – West Hartford Public Schools – Washington DC – Presidential Scholar

Contributor: Paul

Two Hartford High School seniors won’t be joining the rest of their class at today’s graduation ceremony at Hall High School. Thomas [Dole-grr] Doelger and Marisa Mitrano are in Washington DC this week. Doelger will be performing at the honor awards at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and Mitrano will receive a Presidential Scholar medallion.

 

Mitrano and Doelger, both 18, are two of the 141 students selected as the country’s most distinguished high school seniors. Doelger, who will be attending Emerson College in Boston and hopes to perform on Broadway, left for Washington, D.C., Sunday. He will spend the week crafting a show with famed choreographer Bill T. Jones and 19 other performing arts students from across the country.

 

Doelger said he’s been playing piano since age 4, and has been acting in community and school theatrical productions for years.

 

Mitrano will attend the University of Notre Dame where she plans to major in aeronautical and mechanical engineering. She is captain of the softball team and plays lead trombone in the concert jazz band. Mitrano said, “It’s pretty incredible actually, to be chosen,” Sunday’s Kennedy Center performance will be streamed live on the website http://www.YoungArts.org.
197 Words | Source: http://www.courant.com/community/west-hartford/hc-west-hartford-presidential-scholars-0617-20140616,0,6337852.story

 

——

The WPKN LOCAL NEWS is prepared from various sources, including: The Connecticut Post, the East End Beacon, the Hartford Courant, and the Riverhead Local. Thanks to news contributors Kristiana and Paul, as well as the rest of the WPKN News Team.

The WPKN Local News is archived at MyNews895.wordpress.com.

National and international news from “Feature Story News” follows on listener powered WPKN 89.5 FM Radio in Bridgeport, Connecticut. This is —— ——.

 

73 Words

WPKN 89.5FM – Local News for Connecticut and Long Island – Monday, 6/16/14

Monday, June 16, 2014

WPKN 89.5 FM News Team

 

This is —— —– with the WPKN local news for Connecticut and Long Island.

 

In the news tonight: a new interactive tax map in Southhold, housing development in Southampton, the Connecticut chapter of the American Federation of Teachers endorses the re-election of Governor Dannel Malloy, and Connecticut’s congressional delegation asks retailers to ask their customers to leave their guns outside.

63 Words

 

Article1 | CT News – Gun Policies

Contributor: Melinda

Citing shootings at stores and restaurants, members of Connecticut’s congressional delegation on Friday called upon retailers Friday to ask their customers to leave their guns outside.

 

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, and U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty wrote Friday to the president of the National Retail Federation, asking the trade group to adopt “common sense” gun policies for customers and to use its political influence to support strengthening federal gun control policies.

 

Blumenthal pointed out that since the December 2012 massacre of first graders in Newtown, 79 shootings have occurred in Walmart stores alone, including 19 fatalities.

 

The congressional delegation is asking the federation to adopt policies similar to steps taken recently by chains like Starbucks and Chipotle. Those companies asked customers not to bring firearms into their establishments after “open carry” advocates demonstrated at some of their locations by carrying weapons into the stores.

 

Esty said retailers should be willing to enact the policies without a change in the law “to ensure that when you go in to buy a toy or pick up a cup of coffee you don’t have to worry that a loved one or a child is going to get shot.”

 

In a written response Friday, National Retail Federation Senior Vice President of Government Relations David French did not directly address the request made by the Connecticut lawmakers, but said the retail industry takes customer safety seriously.

 

These lawmakers also want big retail companies to support legislation expanding the background checks required for purchasing a firearm, which failed in 2013.

257 Words | Source: http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/connecticut_lawmakers_ask_retailers_to_ban_guns_in_stores/

 

Article 2 | CT News – Governor Nominations

Contributor: Melinda

The Connecticut chapter of the American Federation of Teachers has formally endorsed the re-election of Governor Dannel Malloy, a first-term Democrat whose relationship with teachers has been rocky. His call for education reform early in his first term outraged teachers, especially his insistence that tenure is won by merely showing up.

 

He eventually compromised on the reform bill, but the line has haunted him. It also has contributed to a third-party run for governor by Jonathan Pelto, a former Democratic legislator.

 

Leaders of AFT-Connecticut and other public-employee unions have said that Malloy deserved labor’s support for respecting collective bargaining rights for public employees at a time when they are under attack in other states.

 

John McKinney, one of three candidates seeking the Republican nomination for governor, said he was “stunned” that AFT would endorse Malloy in light of his comments on teacher tenure.

The AFT represents mostly teachers in urban districts.

151 Words | Source: http://ctmirror.org/aft-looks-past-tenure-flap-endorses-malloy/

 

Article 3 | Long Island – News – Southhold – Interactive Tax Map

Contributor: Wilfredo

The Southold Town planning department released its interactive tax map today. The map enables users to click on any parcel in town for information such as acreage, use, class, zoning, protected status, agricultural info and wetlands details.

Southold Town Planning Director, Heather Lanza, said, “We’ll be adding more data and layers to this map in the coming months.”

John Sepenoski of the town’s Information Systems department told the Town Board earlier this month that the plan is to design a more comprehensive, interactive zoning map. The design would not require a tax map number for search and would outline different types of zoning in each area in more detail. 

 

Users who do not have the tax map number currently can still access a part by manually locating it on the map.

Mr. Seponoski said that the interactive map is one of three the town has been working on and a second map will show public trails in Southold Town — providing addresses of the preserves, information on parking and ability to map out the trails.  The third map is designed to clarify what roads are private or maintained by the town, county or state.

193 Words | Source: http://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2014/06/49286/southold-town-unveils-interactive-tax-map/

  

Article 4 | Southampton – Sandy Hollow Cove – Housing Developments

Contributor: Scott

After months of debate, lengthy and contentious public hearings and numerous revisions, the Southampton Town Board unanimously approved a Planned Development District that, would allow the 28-unit Sandy Hollow Cove workforce housing project to be built in Tuckahoe.

Despite being unanimously approved, the board members faced more than an hour of mostly negative comments, primarily from neighbors of the site, who have gathered more than 800 signatures on petitions opposing the project.

Councilwoman Christine Scalera said, “These are tough decisions and they are not popular ones, I assure everyone I have listened to everyone.”

Councilman Brad Bender, who has often opposed scattered affordable rentals in Flanders, said his opposition to those types of projects does not make him an opponent of other methods of affordable housing. Bender said. “How much more are we going to ask of our young people who try to afford to live here?”

Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst praised her fellow town board members for making the decision “from their hearts.”

No one in the audience applauded the vote.

174 Words | Source: http://www.eastendbeacon.com/2014/06/12/southampton-unanimously-approves-sandy-hollow-workforce-housing/

 

The WPKN LOCAL NEWS is prepared from various sources, including: 27East News, CTNewsJunkie, the East Hampton Star, and the Suffolk Times.

 

A special thanks to tonight’s news contributors Melinda, Scott, Wilfredo, and the rest of the WPKN News team. This newscast can be found online at: https://mynews895.wordpress.com.

 

National and international news from “Feature Story News” follows on listener powered WPKN 89.5 FM Radio in Bridgeport, Connecticut. This is —— ——.

 

71 Words

 

WPKN 89.5FM – Local News for Connecticut and Long Island – Friday, 6/13/14

Friday, June 13, 2014

WPKN 89.5FM-Bridgeport

News Team

 

This is —— —– with the WPKN local news for Connecticut and Long Island.

 

In the news tonight: Connecticut State Police & Department of Transportation are cracking down on speeders traveling on I-95’s Moses Wheeler Bridge, tribal issues along waterfront in Hampton Bays, news on the East Hampton School Board budget victory, and the East End Arts puts together a “Thriller” JumpsArt program.

 

63 Words

 

[BREAK]

 

Article 1 | Connecticut – Department of Transportation – Safety

Contributor: Kristiana P.

 

State Police and Connecticut’s Department of Transportation have had it with drivers speeding over I-95’s Moses Wheeler Bridge between Milford and Stratford.

Of the roughly 135,000 drivers passing over the bridge, nearly all exceed the 45 mph speed limit, many going at least 60 mph.

 

State Police and DOT officials say that’s a dangerous problem because the bridge is under construction and the lane width is narrower. One driver has already been killed on the bridge when a vehicle struck him as he changed a tire.

 

Police are cracking down on these speeders, calling it “Operation Big Orange,” and fines are doubled in the construction zone.

 

The entire replacement of this bridge and associated improvements in this section of the I-95 corridor is expected to be complete by 2016, a year ahead of initial projections. Expected to cost about $300 million; that’s a lot of speeding tickets.

 

147 Words | Source: http://blog.ctnews.com/traffic/2014/06/12/speeders-beware-of-i-95-

bridge-in-stratfordmilford/

 

 

Article 2 | Long Island – East Hampton – Education

Contributor: Francesca R.

 

The June 3 East Hampton School Board meeting took on a celebratory note, with the district riding high on its recent budget vote victory. East Hampton was the only school district on Long Island to override the state-imposed tax cap after securing the support of 73 percent of its voters.

 

One item the money will be spent on is two classrooms for the district’s new career technology education program. Starting in September, East Hampton students can take courses in law enforcement and personal training. At present, such students take similar classes at the nearest Board of Cooperative Educational Services facility, in Riverhead.

 

102 Words | Source: http://easthamptonstar.com/News/2014609/School-Board-Hires-New-Counsel

 

 

Article 3 | Long Island – Southampton – Native American Tribal Issues

Contributor: Anonymous

 

The Southampton Press reports that members of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, halted bulldozers on Monday as they were crossing a stretch of beach overlooking Peconic Bay that the tribe says it owns.

 

Tribal Trustee Nicole Banks and tribe member Gordell Wright halted a tractor rumbling westward along the waterfront in Hampton Bays and toward a stretch of beachless land where a homeowner is rebuilding a large rock revetment which collapsed during Sandy. The Town issued permits for the work, but the Shinnecocks say the Town has no jurisdiction over the disputed beach. Tribal leaders said that the contractor had not sought tribal permission to traverse its beachfront.

 

Tractors and trucks carrying stone and sand to the waterfront had clearly been crossing the beach in the shadow of a 100-foot bluff for more than two weeks, Mr. Wright added, but had been noticed by tribe members only this week. The beach lies just to the north of Westwoods, the 79-acre property owned by the tribe that was the focus of a years-long lawsuit with Southampton Town over a tribe proposal to build a casino there.

 

184 Words | Source: http://www.27east.com/news/article.cfm/Hampton-Bays/66055/Tribe-Protests-Beach-Work-In-Hampton-Bays

 

 

Article 4 | Long Island – Riverhead – Community Programs – Michael Jackson

Contributor: Paul A.

 

In August hundreds of people will dress like zombies and start dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” in downtown Riverhead. The Riverhead Free Library is calling the event “The Thrill of It All.” and they are working with East End Arts to put the dance together as part of its “JumpsArt” program.

 

Library director Joy Rankin, along with Pat Snyder, executive director of East End Arts, came up with the idea of having people get together to emulate the 1983 “Thriller” video, where ghosts and zombies famously danced with Michael Jackson. Ms. Snyder said, “Any time you can bring the community together through the arts, I’m totally for it.”

 

And Ms. Rankin who has a dance and choreography background, said everybody knows ‘Thriller’ whether it’s people who saw it when they were young or people today who are fans of zombie-type movies and television shows. Ms. Rankin added, “Somebody might say they can’t dance, but everybody can walk like a zombie,”

 

In addition to the library and East End Arts, three local dance schools — Redancers, Peconic Ballet Theatre and Studio East in Westhampton will assist with choreography and dance instruction.

 

Anyone who wants to get involved with “The Thrill of It All” should contact the Riverhead library.

 

206 Words | Source: http://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2014/06/49223/zombies-coming-downtown-for-rfls-thriller-group-dance/

 

[BREAK]

 

The WPKN LOCAL NEWS is prepared from various sources, including: 27East News, CTNewsJunkie, the East Hampton Star, and the Suffolk Times.

 

A special thanks to tonight’s news contributors Francesca, Kristiana, Paul, and the rest of the WPKN News team. This newscast can be found online at: https://mynews895.wordpress.com.

 

National and international news from “Feature Story News” follows on listener powered WPKN 89.5 FM Radio in Bridgeport, Connecticut. This is —— ——.

 

71 Words

 

WPKN 89.5FM Bridgeport, CT – Local Newscast (Connecticut, Long Island) – Tuesday, June 10, ’14

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Wilfredo L. Soto, Jr.

WPKN News Director | EIC

 

This is —— —– with the WPKN local news for Connecticut and Long Island.

 

In the news tonight: President Obama honor’s the University of Connecticut women’s and men’s national basketball champions at the White House, a survey geared especially toward cyclists and pedestrians is underway today in Connecticut, Greenport Village approves $139,000 in upgrades and, Connecticut Commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection speaks at the Green Fund in New Haven.

73 Words

——

Article 1 | CT Politics – Sports

 

On Monday, the nation’s Hoopster in Chief honored the Husky women’s and men’s teams at the White House for their amazing achievement of bringing both national championship trophies to Connecticut in April.

President Barack Obama said, “One of my goals has been to eliminate waste and cut out duplicative programs to make things more efficient, but this might be carrying things a little too far.” Obama laughingly paid homage to “the grizzled veteran” — women’s coach Geno Auriemma and men’s coach Kevin Ollie.

 

One by one, Obama ticked off the story lines that made the UConn basketball “double” so extraordinary: It’s only the second time any school has won both titles in the same year. The other? UConn, in 2004.

For the women’s team, it is the school’s ninth national championship, the most for any school, and it’s the second in a row and the fourth in the last six years for the Huskies.

The UConn men won their fourth title in the past 16 years, twice as many as any other team in the same span.

Near the ending of Obama’s remarks, when he said, “Coach Ollie is doing one other important thing: He’s making sure his team hits the books as hard as they hit the boards. And this season, both the men and the women ranked among the nation’s best academically.”

That is startling for the men’s team because it contrasts so greatly with the team’s dreadful academic showing a few years ago, which culminated in the team losing the right to participate in the NCAA tournament in the 2012-13 season.

264 Words | Source: http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Huskies-double-team-White-House-5539997.php

——

Article 2 | CT Politics – Energy – Environment

 

Connecticut’s new Commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Rob Klee, spoke at the annual meeting of the Green Fund in New Haven Monday night. While the department is making a huge investment in natural gas to replace oil for home heating and hot water, he said there’s also been a surge in residential rooftop solar power. He also addressed the issue of the state’s two electric utilities’ controversial plans to remove thousands of trees from under power lines in an effort to minimize future power outages.

 

Klee said his department is making recommendations to PURA — the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority — to minimize tree removal and is conducting a study with Urban Resources Initiative to determine where trees fell in previous storms that caused outages — whether they were under the power lines or farther away. Residents and community groups especially in New Haven and Hamden have strongly opposed the plans of United Illuminating and Connecticut Light & Power.

 

They were gratified that the General Assembly passed — and Governor Malloy on Monday signed — a bill to ostensibly provide more opportunities for homeowners to protect healthy trees from being removed, but they are concerned that the final draft decision from PURA seems to ignore parts of the new law.

 

214 Words | Source:

——

Article 3 | Governance – Health and Safety
A first of its kind survey geared especially to cyclists and pedestrians is underway today in Connecticut that could have big implications for health, air quality and even the local economy. Kelly Kennedy with BikeWalkConnecticut says, the survey is an effort to make roads that were originally designed for cars more user friendly for pedestrians and cyclists.

The survey asks what specific problems — like lack of sidewalks for pedestrians or lack of bike lanes — make it hard to get around by bike or on foot in towns around the state, and what it’s like walking or biking to important places like local schools, parks, senior centers or shopping areas.

Connecticut News Service reports that the group is also surveying planners to get a sense of what towns are doing proactively. You can take the survey today by going to the Bike Walk Connecticut website. (BikeWalkCT.org)

Kennedy says the money saved by more folks walking and biking can add up to big benefits for the local economy, for example by saving money on gas, commuters have more to spend on healthier items, like local food.

 

The survey is available at bikewalkct.org. It’s funded through a federal cooperative agreement administered by the Connecticut Department of Public Health. The results will be released early this summer.

 

215 Words | Source:
——

Article 4 | Greenport Village Local News – Governance

 

The Suffolk Times Reports, Mitchell Park Marina and the Greenport Village Skate Park are set to receive almost $140,000 worth of repairs this summer.

During a special meeting Monday, Village Board members appropriated $114,000 for Sea Coast Construction of West Sayville to replace and repair a portion of the village-owned Mitchell Park Marina pier.

Village officials said the dock repairs were needed before hurricane season got into full swing.

Also Monday, the board appropriated $25,000 in funding to repave and remove unused equipment at the Moore’s Lane skate park.

The spending plan comes two months prior to the first village0run Skate Park Festival.

103 Words | Source: http://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2014/06/49142/139k-approved-for-greenport-marina-skate-park-upgrades/

——

 

 

The WPKN LOCAL NEWS is prepared from various sources, including: The Connecticut News Service, The Connecticut Post, The Hartford Courant, and the Suffolk Times. Thanks to WPKN Contributing Editors Melinda Tuhus, Tony Ernst and News Director Wilfredo Soto.

 

National and international news from “Feature Story News” follows on listener powered WPKN 89.5 FM Radio in Bridgeport, Connecticut. This is —— ——.

 

62 Words

 

WPKN 89.5FM Bridgeport, CT – Local Newscast (Connecticut, Long Island) – Monday, June 16, ’14

Monday, June 9, 2014

Wilfredo L. Soto, Jr.

WPKN News Director | EIC

 

This is —— —– with the WPKN local news for Connecticut and Long Island.

 

In the news tonight: Governor Malloy will not be seeking concessions from state employees if re-elected, State Rep. Terry Backer applauds legislation creating the Point Stratford Infrastructure Improvement District in Stratford, Riverhead Town moves forward with the sale of the Second Street Firehouse, and news on the Republican Party’s primary election.

 

65 Words

——

Article 1 | CT Politics
Governor. Dannel Malloy said on Friday that he would not seek concessions from state employees next year if he were re-elected.
In 2011, state workers agreed to a two-year salary freeze and other concessions in exchange for four years of protection from layoffs.

 

Malloy said the deal, which was criticized for relying heavily upon difficult-to-quantify savings, has been undervalued. Malloy added, “I think what’s misunderstood — perhaps purposefully so by some folks — is how much total savings that has brought about and really is the biggest reason we can look at our benefit package as sustainable”.
Like Malloy, Republican gubernatorial candidates have all said they would not raise taxes, but at least one was unwilling to take state employee concessions off the table.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton was the only one to immediately respond to the question. Boughton said, “If we are going to solve our long-term financial challenges, everyone must be at the table. Connecticut taxpayers have already stepped up to the plate. It’s now time for a complete and honest reorganization of state government.”

175 Words | Source: http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/malloy_dismisses_deficit_projections_wont_ask_for_more_concessions/

——
Article 2 | CT Politics

State Representative Terry Backer applauded Governor Dannel Malloy’s recent signing of legislation creating the Point Stratford Infrastructure Improvement District in Stratford. The bill, passed unanimously in the legislature, establishes the District for the purpose of restoring the brownfield that is the former Army Engine Plant in the Lordship section of town. The bill, SA 14-12 goes into effect July 1, 2014.

Representative Backer said, “Stratford has waited 20 years to see this property return to productive use and this is another positive step in that direction.”
Point Stratford Renewal, LLC was selected by the U.S. Army to acquire the property for mixed-use redevelopment. Their plans include construction of 1,500 housing units, 500,000 square feet of retail outlets, office and hotel space, opening the waterfront to the public and creating job relief for residents.

The bill gives the District the power to lay and collect taxes to pay for costs of improvement whose rates will be established at public hearings held by the board. Elections will be held annually, whose date will be published in a generally circulated newspaper.

 

178 Words | Source: http://www.courant.com/news/breaking/hc-ct-dday-70th-0607-20140605,0,6168258.story

——

Article 3 | Riverhead Politics

 

Riverhead Town is moving forward with the sale of the Second Street Firehouse to builder Bob Castaldi. The town is looking to use the space as an agritourism center — a home for the indoor farmers market on the first floor and offices for the L.I. Farm Bureau, the L.I. Wine Council and Riverhead Chamber of Commerce on the second floor.

 

The board held an impromptu special meeting during the work session to approve a resolution formally offering Castaldi the firehouse site for $500,000.

The town issued a request for proposals last year for renovation and reuse of the structure. Supervisor Sean Walter advocated accepting a proposal submitted at that time by Castaldi, who last year finished renovating the historic Suffolk Theater on Main Street. Castaldi had a Japanese live-action dinosaur attraction lined up as a tenant. The board eventually rejected his proposal, with council members James Wooten, George Gabrielsen and Jodi Giglio deciding against it — after initially giving the idea at least tacit approval at a work session, prompting Castaldi to hire an engineer to do an assessment of the structure.

 

Councilwoman Jodi Giglio cast the lone dissenting vote, arguing that the town should get a new appraisal before making a deal with any purchaser. She said the last appraisal of the site, which included land that would not be sold to Castaldi, was for $1.8 million in 2009. The town should not sell the building without an updated appraisal, the councilwoman said.

 

Giglio told the board, “This is a very haphazard way to sell a town asset.”

 

258 Words | Source: http://riverheadlocal.com/town-hall-notebook/town-makes-500-000-counter-offer-to-builder-interested-in-second-st-firehouse

——

Article 4 | Elections – Politics

 

The Republican Party’s primary election to determine the candidate who will face the incumbent, Representative Tim Bishop, will take place on June 24. The primary pits Lee Zeldin, a two-term state senator from Shirley, against George Demos, an attorney formerly with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission who lives in Stony Brook.

 

Mr. Bishop, who is seeking a seventh term in what is expected to be a closely contested election, does not face a primary challenger.

 

Mr. Zeldin is a graduate of the State University at Albany and earned a law degree from Albany Law School. He spent four years on active duty with the Army and served in Iraq. He presently serves as a major in the Army Reserves. He is backed by the Republican and Conservative Parties.

 

Mr. Demos, the grandson of Greek immigrants, served on the team that prosecuted Bernard Madoff, the investment adviser convicted in what is considered to be the largest financial fraud in U.S. history. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Gov. George Pataki have endorsed him.

 

Both candidates point to the economy as the top issue facing the district.

Mr. Demos said, voters “want someone who’s going to stand up and defend conservative principals regardless of what the establishment says. The problem in Washington is we have too many go-along-to-get-along politicians who take their marching orders from the Republican bosses.”

 

231 Words | Source: http://easthamptonstar.com/News/2014609/Republican-Voters-Choose-Bishop-Challenger

——

 

The WPKN LOCAL NEWS is prepared from various sources, including: CT News Junkie, The Hartford Courant, the East Hampton Star, and the Riverhead Local, and CT Mirror. Thanks to WPKN Contributing Editor Scott Schere and News Director Wilfredo Soto.

 

The WPKN Local News is archived at wpkn-local-news.blogspot.com. National and international news from “Feature Story News” follows on listener powered WPKN 89.5 FM Radio in Bridgeport, Connecticut. This is —— ——.

 

71 Words

WPKN 89.5FM – Local News for Connecticut and Long Island – Thursday, 6/12, ’14

Thursday, June 12, 2014

WPKN 89.5FM News Director

 

This is [Your News Team] with the WPKN local news for Connecticut and Long Island.

 

In the news tonight: “Humanity is the New Black,” a campaign lead by a Riverhead advocacy, an update on the Alexander Bradley verdict, news on the beating of a man in Beardsley Park and Riverhead Town Planning Board approves the installation of 13,000 solar modules in Calverton.

 

61 Words

[BREAK]

Article 1 | Riverhead News – Energy – Environmental

Contributing Editor: Nadine D.

 

While Riverhead Town has recently sought proposals to locate solar energy panels on town-owned land — and Suffolk County has already built solar arrays on a number of county-owned parking lots — three privately owned parcels are currently in the works for solar power in Calverton, Jamesport, and Riverhead.

 

On June 5, the Riverhead Town Planning Board approved a preliminary site plan for the installation of over 13,000 solar modules on 14 acres of an undeveloped 32-acre property in Calverton. The solar farm is designed to produce about 4 megawatts of energy – enough to power nearly 400 homes. The power generated will go back into the PSEG power grid.

 

The town has also received applications for solar projects on less than an acre of a Jamesport farm and a Riverhead Target store. The Calverton and Jamesport proposals plan to use ground-mounted arrays. The Target store in Riverhead has filed an application for roof-mounted solar panels.

 

Town planning and building administrator Jeff Murphree [MER-free] cites dangers involved with roof-based solar arrays because of difficulty in venting the roof by firefighters if there’s a fire, as well as solar panels remaining electrified even when power is cut.

 

Applications for the Jamesport farm and the Riverhead Target store have yet to receive approval.

 

207 Words | Source: http://riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com/2014/06/55126/solar-arrays-planned-for-private-lands-in-riverhead-town/

 

Article 2| Bridgeport Crime – Police Brutality

Contributing Editor: Paul A.

The Connecticut Post reports that two veteran Bridgeport police officers pled guilty Tuesday to charges in the beating of a man in Beardsley Park more than three years ago. Someone passing by captured the beating on video.

The misdemeanor charge of depriving a person of their civil rights carries up to a year in jail and a $100,000 fine.

A video of the beating that appeared on YouTube in January 2013 triggered protests and launched an FBI investigation into the officers’ conduct.

On the video, a suspect is seen running, then you hear the electric sound of a stun gun. The suspect falls face down in the grass and then the officers, all 10-year veterans, begin kicking and stomping on him. The cops have previously been accused in lawsuits and complaints of beating people in custody, but have no record of being disciplined by the Police Department.

The suspect is now serving a five-year prison term, but Bridgeport officials said they agreed to settle his civil rights lawsuit against the Police Department, paying him $198,000. The settlement does not affect the status of the officers who were placed on paid administrative duty after city officials saw the video. Law enforcement sources say the officers are also the subject of an ongoing federal grand jury investigation.

215 Words | Source: http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-cops-to-plead-guilty-in-beating-5541511.php

 

 

Article 3 | Hartford Crime – Sports – New England Patriots

Contributing Editor: Paul A.

The Hartford Courant reports that a 30-year-old Hartford man pleaded guilty Monday to shooting Alexander Bradley an associate of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez. Leslie Randolph pleaded guilty Monday to first-degree assault with a firearm and possession of a pistol without a permit. He faces 10 years in prison, and five years of probation when he is sentenced Aug. 5. The shooting occurred Feb. 2 in Hartford.

Randolph and a friend were involved in an argument over money with another man and the dispute escalated and Randolph is seen on surveillance video shooting Bradley with a handgun, according to the warrant for Randolph’s arrest.

Last June, a week before Hernandez was arrested and charged in the slaying of Odin Lloyd, Bradley filed a civil suit claiming Hernandez, a Bristol native, shot him in the eye in February 2013 after an argument at a Florida strip club. Bradley also was with Hernandez the night of a 2012 double homicide in Boston in which the former Patriot has been charged.

Bradley has been subpoenaed to appear before two Massachusetts grand juries investigating Hernandez for the Lloyd homicide and the double homicide in Boston.

193 Words | Source: http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-hernandez-associate-shot-0610-20140609,0,7232953.story

 

 

Article 4 | Suffolk County – Civil Rights

Contributing Editor: Wilfredo Jr

 

According to the New York Civil Liberties Union, which filed a lawsuit against Suffolk County two years ago, the Riverhead jail is in disarray.

The group’s lawsuit was filed in federal court in April 2012. It claims that conditions at the Riverhead and Yaphank jails violated their constitutional rights by forcing “cruel and unusual punishment” upon them.

The advocacy group has launched a publicity campaign called “Humanity is the New Black” to coincide with the Riverhead jail’s appearance in an episode of the popular drama, “Orange is the New Black,” on Netflix.

The Director of the Suffolk County Chapter of NYCLU, Amol Sinha, said, “Suffolk County should take the energy it put into wooing Hollywood into cleaning up the shocking conditions in its jails. Raw sewage bubbles from the floor, toilets explode, rodents and roaches infest the kitchens, black mold covers the walls, and drinking and bathing water runs brown and smells of sewage.”

Suffolk County Sheriff’s Chief Michael Sharkey said he couldn’t comment on specific allegations included in the suit.

Chief Sharkey said, “The Suffolk County Correctional Facilities, as well as every correctional facility in New York State, are overseen by the New York State Commission of Corrections and they have set standards that correctional facilities have to meet to house prisoners.”

214 Words | Source: http://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2014/06/49175/humanity-is-the-new-black-campaign-targets-riverhead-jail/

[BREAK]

The WPKN LOCAL NEWS is prepared from various sources, including: The Connecticut News Service, the Connecticut Post, the Hartford Courant, and the Suffolk Times.

 

Thanks to WPKN Contributing Editors Nadine Dumser, Paul Atkin, and News Director Wilfredo Soto. This newscast can be found online at: https://mynews895.wordpress.com.

 

National and international news from “Feature Story News” follows on listener powered WPKN 89.5 FM Radio in Bridgeport, Connecticut. This is [Your News Team].

 

70 Words

 

Welcome to My News 89.5 | Relax and Read Something Interesting

Welcome,

Thank you for taking the time to visit My News 895 and for your ongoing support of WPKN in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Come back daily to read breaking local-news stories from across Connecticut and Long Island. And, please tune into the local newscast that airs from 6:55-7:00PM daily at 89.5FM on the radio, streaming live digitally, or via WPKN’s free iPhone app.

If you’ve enjoyed our newscast, please make sure to follow our WordPress Blog, download the iPhone app, and share some local-news with your friends and families.

Best regards,

WPKN 89.5FM and the WPKN News Crew

Link to iPhone app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wpkn-live/id704986292?mt=8

Link to WPKN live streaming: http://webstream.adsciconsolidated.com/wpkn.html