TikTok Investigated + Fire Official Mourned: CT News Digest

Good Thursday morning Connecticut,

We’re looking at a brisk sunny day with temperatures hovering around 40 degrees across the state. Cooler temperatures move in tonight, with highs in the mid-to-low 30s on Friday, but it will be sunny.

Here are some of the top stories trending across Connecticut on Thursday morning:

Connecticut joins investigation into TikTok

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a nationwide multistate investigation into TikTok for “providing and promoting its social media platform to children and young adults while use is associated with physical and mental health harms,” according to a news release.

Attorneys general nationwide are examining whether the company violated state consumer protection laws that put the public at risk.

Tong has long expressed concern about the negative impacts of social media platforms on Connecticut’s youngest residents. Tong first wrote to TikTok leaders last October demanding a meeting in Connecticut to give educators and parents the opportunity to discuss the “harmful impact the viral app has had on the mental and physical safety of young people and educators,” according to the release.

Plans for that meeting are ongoing, with the expectation that it will take place later this spring, according to Tong.

“I have had multiple conversations with TikTok leaders where I have made it clear that the reckless viral challenges that proliferate on their platform are dangerous and need to stop,” Tong said. “I appreciate that they have made efforts to remove some of the harmful content from their site, but whatever they have been doing just is not enough to protect our kids. Our investigation will look at what TikTok knew about the risks to our children, and precisely what they have been doing to keep our kids online. In coordination with attorneys general across the country, we are prepared to use the full weight of our consumer protection authority to hold TikTok and other social media giants accountable.”

The investigation will look into the “harms such usage causes to young users and what TikTok knew about those harms,” the release states. “The investigation focuses, among other things, on the techniques utilized by TikTok to boost young user engagement, including increasing the duration of time spent on the platform and frequency of engagement with the platform.”

See also:

Emergency Plane Landing At A Local Park: Police

The incident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.>>>Read More.

Reward Offered In Robbery Of Letter Carrier: Report

The U.S. Postal Service is offering a reward for information leading to an arrest in connection with the robbery of a letter carrier.>>>Read More.

CT Community Rallies In Support Of Ukraine

The community rallied in front of the government center on Tuesday night to stand in solidarity with Ukraine.>>>Read More.

Firefighters Rescue Dog Fallen Through Ice At Private Pond

Fire officials credited a recent drill reviewing their ice rescue equipment for helping the dog rescue go smoothly.>>>Read More.

MLB Star Visits Iconic Pizzeria In CT

The CT native stopped by the iconic pizzeria for a slice.>>>Read More.

Community mourns popular fire police lieutenant

Vernon first responders Wednesday were mourning the loss of one of their own.

"It is with profound sadness and regret that the Town of Vernon Fire Department announces the sudden passing of active Fire Police Lieutenant Peter Blume," the Vernon Volunteer Fire Department announced on social media.

Blume was described in the post as "a beam of light within the Fire Police company, and the TVFD in general, due to his outgoing personality and caring, friendly, demeanor."

"He will be sorely missed and remembered fondly," the post said.

Funeral service information will be announced when it becomes available, fire officials said.

— Written by Chris Dehnel

Father of four needs new liver

A Portland father of four is racing against time in hopes of finding a new liver, according to FOX 61.

FOX 61 reports Ryan Donohue has been battling Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, a disease of the bile ducts that can eventually lead to liver failure, for about 15 years.

Donohue said his condition is incurable, and the search is on for a living liver donor before it’s too late.

His wife Stefanie told FOX 61 that it’s important that Ryan finds a living donor as soon as possible because he only has a small window of time before he will be too sick for a living donor.

Read more at FOX 61 here.

Here are the conditions on CTs major roadways:

E. HARTFORD - Road Work on I-84 Eastbound between Exits 58 and 59 (1.8 miles) in effect today until 3:06 pm. The 2 center lanes are closed. Reported Thursday, March 3 at 9:08 am.

PLAINVILLE - Road Work on I-84 Westbound between Exits 33 and 26 (11.2 miles) in effect today until 3:27 pm. The right lane is closed. Reported Thursday, March 3 at 9:27 am.

WATERBURY - Road Work on I-84 Westbound between Exits 23 and 21 (1.4 miles) in effect today until 4:23 pm. The left lane is closed. Reported Thursday, March 3 at 10:23 am.

NEWTOWN - Road Work on I-84 Eastbound between Exits 9 and 17 (18.5 miles) in effect today until 3:27 pm. The right lane is closed. Reported Thursday, March 3 at 10:27 am.

MERIDEN - Road Work on I-91 Northbound between Exits 17 and 20 (4.1 miles) in effect today until 3:10 pm. The right lane is closed. Reported Thursday, March 3 at 9:11 am.

HARTFORD - Road Work on I-91 Northbound between Exits 27 and 42 (13.4 miles) in effect today until 3:30 pm. The left lane is closed. Reported Thursday, March 3 at 9:45 am.

MERIDEN - Road Work on I-91 Southbound between Exits 17 and 15 (3.6 miles) in effect today until 4:07 pm. The left lane is closed. Reported Thursday, March 3 at 10:07 am.

NEW LONDON - Road Work on I-95 Northbound between Exits 83 and 85 (1.5 miles) in effect today until 4:00 pm. The 3 left lanes are closed. Reported Thursday, March 3 at 9:21 am.

GREENWICH - Road Work on I-95 Northbound between Exits 2 and 6 (5.8 miles) in effect today until 3:00 pm. The left and center lanes are closed. Reported Thursday, March 3 at 9:45 am.

BRANFORD - Road Work on I-95 Northbound between Exits 56 and 62 (10.2 miles) in effect today until 4:00 pm. The right lane is closed. Reported Thursday, March 3 at 10:02 am.

MANCHESTER - RT 83 CLOSED BETWEEN RACHEL RD AND TUTOR LN DUE TO DOWN WIRES AND POLE. Reported Thursday, March 3 at 5:06 am.

NEW HAVEN - Road Work on RT15 Southbound between Exits 59 and 57 (3.9 miles) in effect today until 4:00 pm. The right lane is closed. Reported Thursday, March 3 at 9:15 am.

STRATFORD - Road Work on RT15 Southbound between Exits 53 and 52 in effect today until 4:00 pm. The right lane is closed. Reported Thursday, March 3 at 9:18 am.

BERLIN - Road Work on RT9 Southbound between Exits 23 and 11 (12.0 miles) in effect today until 3:30 pm. The right lane is closed. Reported Thursday, March 3 at 9:48 am.