TexasTowelie
TexasTowelie's JournalConnecticut DOT Warns Reduction Of Budget Could Mean Deep Cuts In Services
If the next state budget reduces funding by 10 percent, there will be no choice but to cut transit and highway services, the state transportation department said.
Motorists, bus riders and railroad passengers would all share some of the loss, the agency said.
The Department of Transportation emphasized that it doesn't currently plan to make any of the cuts because the 2017-19 state budget is still many months from being set.
Connecticut is facing a projected deficit of more than $1.4 billion for 2017-18, and all state agencies are giving Gov. Dannel P. Malloy projections of what would happen if they face substantial cuts in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
Read more: http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-connecticut-transportation-cuts-1226-20161225-story.html
State Police Find 10,000 Oxycodone Pills During Traffic Stop
Troopers found 10,000 oxycodone pills after stopping a truck on I-95 southbound Thursday afternoon, state police.
A trooper patrolling through the service center on I-95 southbound in Milford about 3 p.m. spotted a man outside a Ford F150 talking on a phone, state police said. They noted that he appeared agitated.
The trooper also spotted numerous equipment violations on the truck, state police said.
Another man came to the truck and they both left, pulling onto I-95, state police said. The trooper stopped the vehicle on the Exit 40 ramp.
Read more: http://www.courant.com/breaking-news/hc-milford-oxycodone-bust-1229-20161228-story.html
Senate Announces Power Sharing Agreement
HARTFORD, CT — Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate announced Thursday that they have reached an agreement on how to operate an evenly divided chamber.
Senate President Martin Looney will keep his title of Senate President Pro Tempore and Sen. Len Fasano will have the title of Senate Republican President Pro Tempore. Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, will remain the Senate Majority Leader. Sen. Kevin Witkos, R-Canton, will serve as the Deputy Senate Republican President Pro Tempore.
But more important than titles, the power will be shared equally when it comes to which bills will be raised for a vote.
The agreement, which helps avoid a lawsuit, will give more power to Republicans than they’ve had in the past as the minority party. The recent election saw the Senate shift from a 21-15 majority held by Democrats to an even 18-18 split.
Read more: http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/senate_announces_power_sharing_agreement/
With A New Year Comes Some New Laws
As usual, a new year will bring new state laws to Connecticut, and several pieces of legislation — governing a wide range of topics — are slated to take effect on Jan. 1.
Beginning New Year’s Day, certain health insurance policies must cover tomosynthesis mammography, or three-dimensional mammograms. Under existing law, policies have to cover baseline mammograms for women ages 35 to 39, and annual mammograms for women 40 and older. Under the new law, 3-D mammograms can be provided at a woman’s request and insurance must cover it.
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One other health-related law taking effect pertains to the state’s medical marijuana program, which launched in 2012 and in October was expanded to include seriously ill children. Starting Jan. 1, advanced practice registered nurses can certify patients for medical marijuana use; currently only physicians can certify patients.
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Also starting Jan. 1, employers will no longer be allowed to ask about a prospective employee’s prior arrests, criminal charges or convictions on an initial employment application — unless required to by state or federal law, or if the employee is applying for a position for which the employer has to obtain a security or fidelity bond.
Read more: http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/with_a_new_year_comes_some_new_laws/
Northeast Railroad Expansion Proposal Still Subject To State, Federal Approval
The Federal Railroad Administration has proposed a major expansion of the Northeast rail corridor from Washington, D.C. through Providence and Boston. The plan would cost an estimated $120 billion, to build new tracks, new lines, and more trains.
The FRA says most of the railways on the line should be expanded from two to four tracks, and it calls for direct and frequent service to Hartford, Connecticut and Springfield, Massachusetts.
The plan would also increase the number of daily trains between New York City and Boston from 19 to nearly 100, and allow for trains that could reach speeds of up to 220 miles an hour. They says that could cut travel time between the two cities by up to an hour each way.
The FRA says the plan would create 47,000 jobs a year for the next 30 years. The plan still needs the support of the eight states involved, and president-elect Donald Trump, who has said he wants to spend up to a trillion dollars on infrastructure nationwide over the next ten years.
Read more: http://ripr.org/post/northeast-railroad-expansion-proposal-still-subject-state-federal-approval
Raimondo says legalized pot could add up to $15M to state coffers in first year
Rhode Island could see $10 million to $15 million in revenue in its first year if the state legalizes marijuana, Gov. Gina Raimondo said in an interview with The Providence Journal about the upcoming General Assembly session.
Her comments marked the first time the state has publicly talked about its own revenue estimates for a legalized marijuana market. But Raimondo cautioned those numbers do not reflect significant additional money the state would have to spend on regulators, additional public safety and prevention programs.
And if the governor had it her way, talking about marijuana legalization would not be on her to-do list.
"It hasn't been a priority of mine. But ... now that Massachusetts has gone first I think we do need to take some time early in the year to figure out what we should do," Raimondo said.
Read more: http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20161221/raimondo-says-legalized-pot-could-add-up-to-15m-to-state-coffers-in-first-year
New Census Projections Show RI To Lose U.S. House Seat
Rhode Island is likely to lose one of its two U.S. House seats after the 2020 U.S. Census, according to projections by reapportionment guru Kimball W. Brace, who has for many years helped Rhode Island lawmakers draw both state legislative and congressional districts.
This comes as scant surprise to Rhode Island political insiders and the local gang of 500 that follows such news. House seats are based on population, while each state gets two senators, regardless of how many people live in a state.
The new census data cited by Brace shows that Rhode Island will lose the seat because the state’s population is fairly stagnant while other states in the sunbelt and west gain population, which translates to more seats and clout in the House.
Both of the Ocean State seats are held by Democrats – David Cicilline in the 1st District and James Langevin in the 2nd. Langevin has more seniority than Cicilline and serves on a committee that is of more importance to the state’s economy – House Armed Services. But the politics of having just one House lawmaker have not boiled off yet and won’t for a few more years. Either Cicilline or Langevin could decide against running again. Or they could face off in a primary. And Republicans could decide that a credible GOP candidate would have better chance statewide than in the individual districts. The 1st Congressional seat held by Cicilline is particularly Democratic leaning, running from Woonsocket, down the Blackstone Valley, through very blue Providence neighborhoods, including the East Side and South Side, and down the east border of Narragansett Bay to Newport.
Read more: http://ripr.org/post/new-census-projections-show-ri-lose-us-house-seat
Baker Pushes Sale And Development Of Unused State Property
It won't fit under anyone's Christmas tree, but the state is trying to sell off or utilize a lot of its real estate property. Since taking office, Gov. Charlie Baker has led an effort to get the most out of state land.
Twenty-two state-owned sites have already been sold, leased or are under agreement for use, resulting in more than $400 million in revenue for the state, according to Baker's administration.
Baker said Thursday his initiative was a challenge to the state's various agencies and organizations to find ways to increase job creation, affordable housing, energy, open space—or just plain make money off of—property the state holds. The Commonwealth is, after all, the state's largest landowner.
"The state has a goal and an objective to do the best it can to get the biggest bang for the buck out of it's sites... if a site's going to sit fallow and do nothing for the next 20 years after it sat fallow for the last 20 years, that doesn't generate anything," Baker said.
Read more: http://news.wgbh.org/2016/12/22/politics-government/baker-pushes-sale-and-development-unused-state-property
The 'G' stands for guilty: Graffiti vandal gets 90 days in jail
PITTSFIELD — A man's "very stupid act" of spray-painting property with the letter "G" earlier this year landed him 90 days in jail.
George O'Neil, 39, of Pittsfield, pleaded guilty before Judge William Rota in Central Berkshire District Court on Wednesday to nine counts of vandalism in connection with the spree.
Assistant Berkshire District Attorney Kyle Christiansen said the discrepancy between the amount of damage and the number of charges was because there were only nine formal reports of damage made to authorities. About 100 instances of the letter "G" have been documented.
Christiansen recommended a split sentence of six months in jail, 60 days of which would be served directly with the balance suspended for one year, during which time O'Neil would be required to perform 100 hours of community service and pay approximately $1,500 in restitution to cover the costs of clean-up efforts.
Read more: http://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/the-g-stands-for-guilty-graffiti-vandal-gets-90-days-in-jail,493398
[font color=330099]The man is 39 years old and he still is spray-painting graffiti?[/font] 
Man sues Berkshire Bank after $1.4M was fraudulently wired from his account
PITTSFIELD — When Jim Jacobs returned home from a trip to Europe in late October, he learned his account with Berkshire Bank had been bilked for $1.4 million worth of fraudulent wire transfers to banks in Hong Kong and China.
Jacobs has now filed a federal lawsuit against the bank claiming it ignored security warnings from the FBI, failed to take additional steps before authorizing those transfers and has so far declined to compensate him for the lost money.
Reached by telephone Monday, Berkshire Bank First Vice President and Marketing Director Elizabeth Mach said she could not comment on pending litigation.
Jacobs' attorney Lucy Prashker said via email Monday that the FBI was aware of the thefts and declined to elaborate beyond the complaint spelled out in the suit.
Read more: http://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/man-sues-berkshire-bank-after-14m-was-fraudulently-wired-from-his-account,493240
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Gender: MaleHometown: South Texas. most of my life I lived in Austin and Dallas
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