East Rock alderman expected to run for state rep
Within hours after a state representative for New Haven announced he would run for attorney general this year, the alderman for the East Rock neighborhood announced his bid to take the state official’s seat. Ward 9 Alderman Roland Lemar told the New Haven Independent on Wednesday that he expects to announce a bid for the Democratic nomination for the seat of current state Rep. Cameron Staples (D-New Haven), who has elected to leave his seat after 18 years. Lemar, 33, told the Independent that he will seek public financing while campaigning. —Yale Daily News
Democracy Fund discusses campaign filing system, mayor
The New Haven Democracy Fund met Thursday and discussed how to fix problems faced during the 2009 election cycle, including how to make sure participating candidates file their campaign finance reports electronically and on time, in addition to identifying contributions that exceed the limit allowed by the Democracy Fund in a prompt matter. The Democracy Fund also reported that they learned Mayor John DeStefano Jr.’s campaign gave $2,000 for rent and phone usage to the Elm & Oak PAC. The Democracy Fund has filed a complaint with the state and awaits a decision. —Esther Zuckerman
Jury selection underway for home invasion trial
Jury selection for the trial of Steven Hayes, who allegedly broke into a Cheshire home in 2007 and killed a mother and two children, has started this week. Because of the notoriety of the crime within the state, legal experts told various news organizations that many jury candidates may have biases against Hayes. Although the candidates interviewed on the first and the third days were dismissed, on the second day a retired editor from New Haven was selected as the first juror, the Waterbury Republican-American reported. —Yale Daily News
Police arrest man who shot at mother in Fair Haven
New Haven’s Grand Avenue saw its third shooting in four days Tuesday morning when a woman was shot at as she dropped her child off at the Strong School. An unknown man shot at her with a handgun, police said. Police later found the man after surrounding and emptying the Poplar Street building where he lives. The man was arrested without a fight. —Colin Ross
High school with 13 sets of senior twins hopes to set record
The seniors at a high school about 20 minutes away from campus are planning to set the Guinness World Record for the most number of twins in a single high school class. In the Class of 2010 at Pomperaug High School in Southbury, Conn., 13 sets of twins had their photographs taken this week to verify the record with Guinness officials in London. According to the Associated Press, the current record holder is Raymond J. Grey Jr. High School in Acton, Mass., which had 10 sets of twins in its class of 2007. —Yale Daily News
Bysiewicz ’83 says she is qualified to run for attorney general
Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz ’83 is challenging those who have said she is not qualified to run for attorney general by debating whether a 19th century law is constitutional, the New Haven Register reported. The law says that an attorney general must have practiced law actively for 10 years. Bysiewicz has worked at a private practice for only six years, but she argues that serving as secretary of the state for 11 years should qualify as practicing the law, according to the New Haven Register. —Esther Zuckerman