Tax Cuts Proposed + Grim New COVID-19 Milestone: CT News

Good Wednesday morning Connecticut,

Here are the trending and breaking news stories across CT:

Just In: At noon, Gov. Ned Lamont will hold a news briefing to announce his first legislative proposals of 2022, which involves a series of tax cuts for Connecticut residents, according to a news release from his office. No other details have yet been released, but Patch will provide live updates of Lamont's news conference. Any proposed tax cuts would need to be approved by the General Assembly.

Grim milestone: CT has now surpassed 10,000 COVID-19 related deaths since the pandemic began two years ago, according to media reports, including WFSB 3 TV. As of Monday, the current number of deaths is at 10,010.

A New Haven school staffer was arrested in connection with an incident that happened at King-Robinson School, Fox 61 reported. All officials are saying is that the incident in question “posed risk to a minor,” WTNH News 8 reported. School officials say they are working with the police department. The name of the school staffer has not yet been released.

The Old Mystic Fire Department posted on Facebook that units were operating at a first alarm structure fire at the Mystic YMCA as of 5 a.m.

Bad news: Chuckles XI, who is Connecticut's official groundhog, predicts we'll see six more weeks of winter after seeing its shadow Wednesday morning, according to WFSB 3 TV.

Both Conard and Hall high schools in West Hartford will have new team names after the Board of Education voted Tuesday night to drop the names “Chieftain” and “Warrior," as reported by WTNH News 8. The vote wasn't unanimous, but a majority of the board voted to approve name changes. A committee will be created to identify new team names. (Read more at WTNH News 8).

COVID-19 update: The infection rate rose by about 1 percent on Tuesday. The current infection rate is 8.68 percent. But the better news is that hospitalizations dropped below 1,000 on Tuesday, and that number is down by almost half in less than a month. (See town-by-town updates here).

University of Connecticut officials have paid Kevin Ollie the $11.1 million an arbiter said he is owed in an employment dispute.>>>Read More.

State chief operating officer and commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services, Josh Geballe, a former IBM executive, will be leaving Lamont's administration for a newly minted position at Yale. His last day with the state will be Feb. 14.>>>Read More.

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Here are the traffic conditions on CT's major roadways:

MONTVILLE - Road Work on I-395 Northbound between Exits 9 and 11 in effect today until 3:47 pm. The right lane is closed. Reported Wednesday, February 2 at 8:47 am.

PLAINVILLE - Road Work on I-84 Westbound between Exits 33 and 32 (3.3 miles) in effect today until 3:05 pm. The right and center lanes are closed. Reported Wednesday, February 2 at 9:06 am.

NORWALK - Delays. I-95 Southbound is congested between Exits 18 and 13 (6.2 miles). Reported Wednesday, February 2 at 6:50 am.

DARIEN - Delays. I-95 Southbound is congested between Exits 10 and 5 (5.6 miles). Reported Wednesday, February 2 at 7:03 am.

TRUMBULL - Road Work on RT15 Northbound between Exits 52 and 53 (2.8 miles) in effect today until 4:00 pm. The right lane is closed. Reported Wednesday, February 2 at 8:52 am.

NEW CANAAN - Delays. RT15 Southbound is congested between Exits 36 and 35 (2.5 miles). Reported Wednesday, February 2 at 6:29 am.

GREENWICH - Crash (2 Vehicle) on RT15 Southbound between Exits 28 and 27. 1 lane is open. Reported Wednesday, February 2 at 9:13 am.

NORWICH - Road Work on RT2 Westbound between Exits 29 and 28S (0.9 miles) in effect today until 3:47 pm. The right lane is closed. Reported Wednesday, February 2 at 8:47 am.