HAMDEN- It is official, the state of Connecticut has raised the hourly minimum wage from $10.10 an hour to $11 an hour.
Quinnipiac student workers were pleased about the news; they feel as if it was finally time. The increase is not supposed to stop there as it is said that every year, the minimum hourly wage will be raised by a dollar until 2023.
Quinnipiac students have said that it has a lot of potentials, especially for the people who have to live off of that money
The increase comes after governor Ned Lamont signed the registration last week.
Sadly, with triumph comes hardship, with the rise in the minimum wage, federal work-study employee’s hours are limited and cut down.
HAMDEN- Smart but not safe, Yale University was founded as the least safe college in Connecticut. They might be the brightest but for the students and faculty’s sake they are not safest.
The study was done by safehomes.org, the study has shown that Yale has the eleventh highest crime in the country.
Yale officials were not too pleased with the study as they have insisted that the school is not dangerous and has a very low crime rate.
The safest college was found to be Southern Connecticut State University.
HAMDEN- The state of Connecticut is in panic as the virus known as EEE which is short for Eastern Equine Encephalitis has swept through. The disease has already claimed the lives of three Connecticut residents.
The disease is said to have spread to more than 21 towns in Connecticut
Quinnipiac University health services have taken action, advising students to use special wipes and to stay indoors during the night. The virus has students and residents frightened as a beloved Connecticut state called Sleeping Giant is right next by.
State officials have advised residents to stay indoors from dusk till dawn.
Three people have died in eastern Connecticut after contracting Eastern Equine Encephalitis from mosquitoes carrying the EEE virus, and a fourth person remains hospitalized with EEE, according to a Connecticut Department of Public Health press release from Oct. 1.
Scientists are testing mosquitoes across the state for the EEE virus and as of Oct. 5 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station reported that 19 towns have found EEE-positive mosquitoes. While no mosquitoes carrying the virus have been detected in Hamden, North Haven or New Haven, local officials, including those at Quinnipiac, are urging residents to avoid the outdoors between dusk and dawn when the mosquitoes are most active.
According to CAES, these are the locations that have tested positive for mosquito pools in Connecticut.
Starting on Oct. 1, Mayor Curt Balzano Leng suspended town and school activities from dusk until dawn at the recommendation of the regional public health organization, the Quinnipiack Valley Health District. Officials are taking extra precautions to limit resident exposure to mosquitoes after scientists found insects carrying the virus in Bethany. Public health officials note that the species of mosquito found in Bethany does not typically bite humans, but commonly feeds on birds.
Health District Recommends Suspending Outdoor Activities from Dusk to Dawn Due to Mosquito EEE Virus Precaution
QVHD has recommended the suspension of school and town sponsored activities at dawn or dusk, when mosquitos are most active…. https://t.co/b5drvnEA5r
Quinnipiac officials are also taking caution, restricting outdoor activities and events that occur just after the sun sets and rises.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont issued a press release on Sept. 24 warning residents to be careful, but not panic, after the first person died from EEE this year. Officials have also put up warning signs on highways all over the state to spread the message and encourage people to “avoid outdoors [at] dusk and dawn” even in towns where EEE infected mosquitoes have not been found. (Click on the image below to see the full message of the sign near the I-95 on-ramp in Milford).
Connecticut isn’t alone, as local news outlets report Rhode Island has experienced three human cases and one death from EEE. Massachusetts has experienced 11 human cases and four deaths.
Steve Mansfield, the health director of the Ledge Light District, which includes much of eastern Connecticut, was one of the first health officials to deal with re-emergence of EEE in the state.
“We were contacted by the state department of epidemiology a few weeks ago to notify us about the first positive mosquito pools in Connecticut,” Mansfield said. “The most important thing now is we’re waiting for a hard frost because that’s how the mosquitos will die.”
Mansfield explained that the EEE virus is relatively uncommon. Prior to this year, Connecticut had not seen any cases of EEE since 2013.
“Although the disease is very severe, it’s between 30 to 50 percent fatality rate and it’s extremely rare,” Mansfield said.
Mansfield further explained that people who survive EEE typically suffer from cognitive impairment, such as impaired memory or dementia. Some symptoms of EEE include chills, fever, malaise (discomfort), arthralgia (joint pain), and myalgia (muscle pain). Symptoms don’t typically show up until three to ten days after a bite.
Towns across the state are taking different measures to protect residents.
Concerns about the virus have spread to high school athletics, which have postponed or moved up events, according to Twitter accounts from Xavier High School, Stonington High School, Ledyard High School and Windsor public schools.
Stonington 40, Montville 34 – Final suspended after 3 quarters EEE restrictions until Saturday, 10 a.m. #cthsfb
Health officials say that limiting exposure to mosquitoes is a quick way to act upon the virus.
“I think it’s preventive, very cautious and assuring that people who do not want to take action against mosquito bites are not caught off guard,” said Balch of QVHD. “I don’t think it’s necessary in every town of the state to try to prevent mosquito bites.”
Mansfield added that Connecticut residents can take further steps to protect themselves.
“People can minimize outdoor activity around dusk and dawn, wear long sleeves or protective clothing that can cover as much skin as possible,” Mansfield said. “That’s the most effective way to prevent the disease.”
But getting the correct information out to the public is also key.
“We field a lot of phone calls from people who are very concerned and haven’t done their research,” said Mansfield. “They start asking questions, so the most important thing is spreading that message.”
Balch of the Quinnipiack Valley Health District wants residents to feel comfortable contacting her office for more information and guidance.
“I do feel for anyone who is confused by the multiple messages or the level of messaging that’s going out from different areas of the state,” Balch said.
“Whether it’d be the media, department of transportation, from one town to the next town they must find it very confusing. I want them feeling comfortable calling the health department.”
To reach a public health official at QVHD, residents can call 203-248-4528.
The data in the report covers all three Quinnipiac campuses
Hate crimes and drug arrests on campus have increased in the past year, but the number of liquor referrals have gone down.
The noteworthy differences from 2017 to 2018 include a rise in hate crimes and drug arrests, and a decline in liquor referrals.
In 2018, the number of hate crimes on campus increased to five. Three of the five hate crimes were acts of vandalism based on sexual orientation. The other two were instances of intimidation based on race. There was one hate crime on campus in 2017, a simple assault based on religion.
There were 17 drug arrests on campus in 2018. This number was significantly higher than 2017, when there were seven drug arrests on campus.
In 2018, there were 327 liquor referrals on campus, a dramatic decrease from the 436 liquor referrals in 2017.
The reason there are so many referrals and no arrests for liquor offenses is because the Connecticut does not require the university to report these offenses to law enforcement, according to Karoline Keith, Quinnipiac’s Clery compliance officer.
“[Quinnipiac] has the discretion to determine how they want to handle these incidents,” Keith said. “These incidents are handled by the Dean of Students in collaboration with campus partners such as public safety and the state’s attorney office.”
Rape, aggravated assault, burglary and drug referrals are four crimes that have maintained a steady rate since 2014.
Crimes that remained close to previous totals include rape, aggravated assault, burglary and drug referrals.
In 2018, there were three reported rapes on campus. There were no reported rapes on campus in 2017, two in 2016, four in 2015 and five in 2014. Most of these crimes occurred on Mt. Carmel campus.
Aggravated assault is defined as “an unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury,” according to the Clery report.
There were three aggravated assaults on campus in 2018. In 2017, there were five aggravated assaults on campus. In 2016 there was one aggravated assault, in 2015 there were four and in 2014 there were five.
In 2018, there were 13 burglaries on campus. This was a slight increase from the nine burglaries in 2017. There were 10 in 2016, 19 in 2015 and 17 in 2014.
There were 170 drug referrals on campus in 2018. In 2017 there were 172. This was a big increase from 2016, when there were 127 drug referrals on campus. In 2015 there were 128. In 2014, there were 160 drug referrals on campus.
Officer Keith speculated that this increase is due in part to the popularity of marijuana.
“I suspect some of the increase is due to social acceptance of marijuana use in the United States,” she said.
Quinnipiac has a zero tolerance policy for drugs on campus, which is spelled out in the student code of conduct. Due to federal funding, the university must abide by federal laws, which does not permit recreational marijuana.
“Even if Connecticut legalizes recreational use of marijuana, it would still not be permitted at QU,” Keith said. “
To report an emergency on campus, students can one of the “Code Blue” boxes, which are located throughout campus. The boxes are noticeable by their blue lights and only require users to push a button to notify authorities.
Another option for reporting emergencies on campus is the Rave Guardian app. Students can notify public safety from their smartphone, and an officer will respond to the student’s location. The third way to report an emergency is to simply call 911.
To report a non-emergency, students should call public safety at (860) 582-6200 or Hamden Police at (203) 230-4000.
The state of Connecticut has increased the legal age to purchase tobacco products, following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announcement of new mysterious lung illnesses due to vaping. Starting Oct. 1, businesses can no longer sell cigarettes, cigars, tobacco paraphernalia and vaping products to customers under the age of 21.
Gov. Ned Lamont of Connecticut and Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York worked together on a regional partnership to put policies in place on e-cigarettes and other vaping products.
“It makes no sense to pass one set of rules in New York when they can just drive across the border to Connecticut and have a different set of rules and vice versa,” said Cuomo at a recent press conference.
Photo by: Leah Sutherland
Government officials passedTobacco 21 in Connecticut and New York in hopes that it will slow down the rising number of young adults vaping. The legislation went into effect days after a CDC stated that 805 people have suffered from lung injuries due to vaping in the United States.
Graphic by: Leah Sutherland
In Hamden, at least ten stores around Quinnipiac University sell vaping products. At Amity Wine and Spirits at 3300 Whitney Ave, staff have not noticed a change of behavior among customers. “We haven’t seen much of a decline in sales since the news came out about people getting sick from these things, but with the new Tobacco 21 law, I think there will definitely be a decrease in tobacco sales here at the store,” said employee Michael Goglia.
Quinnipiac student Anna Barton says the illnesses haven’t changed her mind about vaping, “I still use my juul. It seems like the people that are getting really sick is because they’re overusing them.”
After receiving data on 771 people with mysterious lung illnesses, the CDC reported that 16% of the cases are individuals under the age of 18. In Connecticut, the Department of Public Health released health reports involving those ill due to vaping related illnesses. Connecticut has had 18 cases of vaping related lung injuries with 9 in Fairfield County, five in New Haven, …. Most of these cases are among 18 to 34 year olds (11), with four cases among those under 18 and three among those 35 and older.
Source: CDC
Illnesses due to vaping include sudden unexplainable weight loss, shortness of breath and gastrointestinal problems. Healthcare professionals are dealing with otherwise healthy teenagers now needing a ventilator to breathe.
Twelve deaths have been confirmed in 10 states, according to the CDC.
In addition to the legal age change, an additional tax was added to sales of any tobacco products. The bill includes a 40 percent-per-milliliter tax on electronic cigarette liquid that is pre-filled and a 10 percent tax on the wholesale price of all other vaping products.
“People are noticing the extra tax,” Goglia said. “I had someone comment on the price increase this morning, so that is something that will definitely affect all the stores negatively.”
Although the CDC reports that no single product or substance has been linked to all cases, in a recent report, it confirmed about 77% of the ill reported using THC-containing products and 36% reported exclusive use of THC-containing products.
Graphic by: Leah Sutherland
The New York and Connecticut governors will meet again Oct. 17 to discuss the details of vaping and legalizing marijuana and how to do it most effectively.
This week on QNN, what Hamden is doing to protect people from a dangerous disease carried by mosquitoes. Plus, why Connecticut’s higher minimum wage may end up hurting student workers, and a look inside the Acropolis Diner. Those stories and more are in this week’s QNN newscast.
Marty, or as employees call him, Smarty, glides his way around the aisles searching for spills or falling hazards. When the robot detects a hazard, it will blink yellow and repeatedly announce “caution” in English and Spanish.
Not only does Marty alert the customers of hazardous spills, but he announces it to the employees over the intercom that a clean-up is needed.
Current Stop & Shop employees are still adjusting to their new and technical co-worker.
“I don’t like him,” Jesse Rodriguez, a Stop & Shop employee, said. “He’s weird and I feel like he’s always in the way or following me around.”
Marty weighs 140-pounds and stands at 5 feet, 3 inches tall. He costs $35,000, which may seem a bit pricey for a mobile robotic hazard sign.
But Marty offers more than meets the eye.
Marty, designed by Badger Technologies, can also process data through its camera sensors and will increase visibility for store owners of low stock and out-of-stock items. For example, if the Colgate toothpaste runs out on aisle one, Marty can scan past and be able to analyze the lack of inventory. He can then relay the data to store managers through internet connection.
Badger Technologies has also partnered with AT&T to provide the robots with a more private network connection than typical in-store Wi-Fi, according to Badger Technology’s website. The two companies will bring 5G-enabled robots to retail chains nationwide.
“Working with AT&T enables us to better support our retail customers by delivering information faster to increase store efficiencies, improve customer service and boost profits,” said Tim Rowland, CEO of Badger Technologies, in a joint press release with AT&T.
“This gives Badger Technologies more control over what data travels beyond the walls of the store and what data stays onsite, which effectively addresses mounting privacy and security concerns among retailers,” according to a statement on the AT&T website.
There were nearly 500 Marty robots deployed to Stop & Shop chains across the U.S. as of January 2019.
“Marty actually frees up time so that our associates can focus on better serving customers – as opposed to consistently scanning the store floor for potential hazards,” said Jennifer Brogan, Stop & Shop director of external communications, when asked if Marty was the corporation’s first step in automizing jobs.
Other retail chains are implementing robotic technology as well including some Walmart chains, which have autonomous scrubbers cleaning the floors, according to Walmart’s official website. Other stores such as Lowes have robots assisting customers with questions, and keeping track of inventory, according to Lowe’s Innovation Lab’s website.
Last week Hamden held its 9th annual Restaurant Weekwhich was sponsored by Bankwell for the fifth year in a row.
“We felt Hamden has such an array of different types of restaurants that we wanted to be able to spotlight and have a week where we were celebrating all the diversity of our restaurants,” Chamber of Commerce President, Nancy Dudchik, said.
Restaurant week gives residents and business people from town and the surrounding towns the opportunity to support local restaurants. According to Dudchik, around 15 restaurants participate each year. She said it varies each year because new restaurants open and new businesses come to town, which gives the owners the chance to bring new customers into their restaurants.
Hamden has a diverse group of restaurants. There’s Indian, Mediterranean, Greek, Italian, American and many more.
“This diverse list of different restaurants showcase what our town is like,” Dubchik said. “The diversity of our town. This really is a reflection of who are as a business community and as a community.”
HQ Press is highlighting three restaurants. One of the restaurants is a new addition to Restaurant Week, Bomb Wings and Rice, and two of the restaurants have been a part of Restaurant Week since the very beginning.
Bomb Wings and Rice
This week atBomb Wings and Rice the Restaurant Week special included 12 piece wings, two sides and sweet potato cornbread.
“We knew that a lot people wanted to try different types of wings so our 12 piece combo comes with two flavors and then also comes with two sides and you get cornbread.” The manager of Bomb Wings, Shanikqa Waston said. “ A lot of people really enjoy our cornbread so that’s why we decided to put that in there as well.”
Bomb Wings and Rice has a very cozy and simple layout. This is not a regular seating restaurant. At Bomb Wings you take everything to-go. You order your food at the counter and wait for your food on the benches inside the restaurant or you call ahead and pick it up when it’s ready.
“We did a couple of events for the Chambers and we thought it would be the opportunity to join and also to bring new business to the restaurant, especially with us just opening up,” Waston said.
B&D Deli Works
This week atB&D Deli Works the Restaurant Week special included a lunch sandwich, a side, a drink and a homemade cookie.
Mark, the owner of B&D, said, “We’ve had a few people take advantage of the fixed price combo option you know it seems to generate a few new people through the door, that’s what it’s about. It’s about getting new faces in that we haven’t seen before and to some degree it has done that.”
The inside of B&D is small but classy. It is white and blue with a very clean atmosphere. The employees are very friendly and welcoming. You have the option of sitting down inside B&D or taking your food to-go. The counter has snacks and baked goods on top of them. Be wary of what time you go because the hours between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. are the busiest.
B&D Deli Works is known for its sandwiches, specifically its lunch sandwiches, which were a part of the Restaurant Week special.
Mark took over B&D Deli a year ago. The previous owner had always participated and now Mark is continuing the tradition.
“I simply wanted to feature a representative sample of the menu and items that we can quickly and easily prepare,” Mark said.
Ixtapa Grill
This week atIxtapa the Restaurant Week special included an appetizer, an entrée and a desert. Ixtapa is one of the restaurants this week that decided to make a Prix Fixe All-Day Menu for dine-in only. The inside of Ixtapa is very symmetrical. There are booths all along the sides of the restaurant with tables in the middle. The walls are a different color from the ceiling and floor. The booths and walls are contrasting colors making it appealing to the eye.
Ixtapa’s regular menu includes all of their well-known foods. Just because Restaurant Week is over, that does not mean you can’t try all of their dishes.
Restaurant week has a variety of deals that benefit the customers and allow businesses to reach new customers. Get ready for next year because it’s the 10th anniversary and the Chamber of Commerce is planning something big!
Pot holes and cracked streets are of frustration for Quinnipiac students and Hamden residents.
Mayor of Hamden, Curt Leng said in a statement, “my team has worked hard paving the streets and fixing our sidewalks. I am proud of the progress we’ve made over these few years, but there’s much more to do and we need to keep this important investment into our neighborhoods going.”
The Hamden Legislative Council authorized $250,000 in the Local Improvement Program (LoCIP). This money will be used towards fixing sidewalks and curbs across Hamden.
For some students, they won’t believe the repairs to Hamden roadways until they see the work being done.
“Yeah, they’re allocating the money, but they can allocate whatever they want,” senior, Sean Raggio said. “Until I see a paved road it’s just talk.”
Mount Carmel Avenue has recently been repaved. This was one of the many streets in Hamden that has caused frustration for residents and their cars.
Currently, there is not a date set for when construction will begin.
