www.northhavencitizen.com
Volume 16, Number 19
Contentious vaccine bill becomes law
A stroll through history
Connecticut will no longer allow a religious exemption from childhood immunization requirements for schools, colleges and day care facilities, becoming the sixth state to end that policy.
The last Saturday in April, participants gathered to walk the Quinnipiac Banton Trail to view acres of “Marsh Marigolds” (Lesser Celendine) along the Quinnipiac River in the Quinnipiac River State Park. Mary Mushinsky, of the Wallingford Quinnipiac Linear Trail group, acted as guide.
The legislation was signed into law Wednesday, April 28 by Gov. Ned Lamont, hours after the Democratic-controlled Senate passed the bill late Tuesday night. “Proud to sign this bill into law to protect as many of our school children as possible from infectious diseases as we can,” Lamont said in a tweet, announcing he had signed the contentious bill.
Banton Street was abandoned in the mid 70s when three dozen families had to be relocated due to rising river waters. The Quinnipiac River State Park was then created. As you walk along the trail, all that remains are remnants of foundations, fencing, driveways that go nowhere and shrubs and flowers that once enhanced the homes. The trail is accessible to persons of all abilities, and for bikes, strollers and wheelchairs. Grants have provided funds for three benches along the roadway.
Friday, May 7, 2021
North Haven’s representatives were split on the bill. Sen. Paul Cicarella and Rep. Dave Yaccarino, both Republicans, were against the legislation. Democratic senator Martin Looney was a yes vote. Proponents have argued that eliminating the exemption will help prevent potential outbreaks of illnesses like measles. But critics argue the bill is discriminatory, and unnecessary, given the state’s overall high vaccination rate. Mary Mushinsky, along with Christine and Valentina Ouijano, lead hikers along the Quinnipiac Banton Trail.
Lamont said he spent a lot of time researching the issue.
Photo by Fran Notaro, North Haven Trail Association
See Law, A2
State regulators mull utility fines over storm response By Dave Collins Associated Press
HARTFORD — Connecticut regulators last week criticized the state’s two largest electricity distributors and said they are considering fines over what they called the companies’ failures in their preparation and response last August to Tropical Storm Isaias, which left hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in the dark for days.
Isaias knocked down scores of trees and utility wires, causing more than 740,000 outages at its peak and a total of more than 1.3 million outages to Eversource and United Illuminating customers. Many customers and local officials expressed anger and frustration at the companies’ power restoration efforts, which took more than a week in some places. Eversource and United Illuminated have defended their responses to the storm.
The state Public Utilities Regulatory Authority on Wednesday, April 28 issued a unanimous ruling that orders the companies and their affiliates to improve how they respond to major storms. The orders include increasing the number of line workers and other responders who restore power and clear blocked roads, and improving communications with customers.
During a meeting via video conference, the agency also ordered management audits of the two companies by independent firms, and officials said they are now considering fining the companies. How much the fines would be is not yet clear. The ruling also reduced the companies’ profits. A dollar amount for the profit reductions has not been calculated. See Utilities, A2