Guns belonging to Waterford cop indicated in New Haven shootings
Waterbury Police Department Sergeant Harold David Setzer, a 17-year WPD veteran, was arrested by New Haven Police Department officers Wednesday afternoon after an investigation revealed that several of his guns had been found in the hands of felons. One of the guns was used in five shootings in New Haven in the past year, NHPD spokesman Joe Avery said in a press release. Setzer never reported his guns missing and could not explain how the felons got possession of his guns, Avery said. Setzer was charged with seven counts of illegally transferring or selling firearms, manufacturing bombs, risk of injury to a minor, illegal possession of an assault rifle, illegal possession of explosives and illegal possession of fireworks. —Harrison Korn
City launches Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Mayor John DeStefano Jr. led a conference in City Hall yesterday to launch Domestic Violence Awareness Month. With about 40 people in attendance, DeStefano, representatives of the Greater New Haven Domestic Violence Task Force and survivors of domestic violence discussed the prevalence of domestic abuse in New Haven, especially among teens and senior citizens. The New Haven Police Department receives over 4,000 calls regarding domestic violence annually, leading to 2,598 arrests in 2007, according to statistics presented at the conference.
—Jennifer Nadelmann
Board of Education brings in Torre as new president
The New Haven Board of Education elected Dr. Carlos Antonio Torre as its new board president Thursday. Torre, who replaced interim president Richard Abbatiello, whose term has ended, is a professor of education at Southern Connecticut State University. Taking the helm of school reform, Torre said he aims to help narrow the achievement gap, slash the dropout rate and increase college matriculation among New Haven youth, according to a statement. Torre has served for 12 years on the Board of Education, and he is also a Yale fellow, former college assistant dean and a member of the psychology faculty. —Egidio DiBenedetto
State’s shipments of H1N1 vaccine to be available next week
Connecticut’s initial shipment of 20,000 H1N1 vaccine doses will arrive in the state next week, Gov. M. Jodi Rell announced in a press release Thursday. A new public hot line for flu-related concerns will also be launched Monday, to be open weekdays. The vaccines, Rell said in the release, will be made primarily available to healthy children 2 to 4 years old, who may be at higher risk for complications due to the virus. The state is expected to receive at least 500,000 doses of the vaccine over the course of the month, to be distributed by doctors and nurses who signed up with the Department of Public Health.
—Yale Daily News
Yale for Dodd holds kickoff meeting to campaign for incumbent senator
Connecticut Students for Dodd held a meeting last night at Blue State Coffee to recruit potential volunteers for Sen. Chris Dodd’s re-election campaign. The organization Connecticut Democratic Party and Organizing for America State Director Jennifer Just met to discuss and generate ideas to support Dodd’s campaign. “We want people to know that this is the No. 1 race in the country,” Stango said.
—Andrew Henderson