Blumenthal leading Republicans in Senate race

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal LAW ’73 is far ahead of the strongest polling Republican in the race for U.S. Senate, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released March 17. Linda McMahon, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, leads the Republican field by 10 percentage points over her nearest opponent, former U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons. According to the poll, Blumenthal would still trump McMahon in a general election 61 to 28 percent.

—Esther Zuckerman

Lamont leads in Democratic gubernatorial primary

A March 18 poll found Ned Lamont SOM ’80 leading former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy by 10 percentage points in the Democratic primary race for governor, but 44 percent of respondents were undecided. Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz ’83 leads her closest opponent by 44 percentage points in the Democratic primary race for attorney general. In the Republican races, former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Tom Foley leads the Republican gubernatorial primary race by 26 percentage points, and state senator Andrew Roraback ’83 leads the attorney general primary race by 4 points.

—Esther Zuckerman

Survey seeks Shaw’s shoppers

With the Shaw’s supermarket on Whalley Avenue set to close at the end of the month, a survey is circulating to collect information about how New Haven residents used Shaw’s and what they want out of a replacement. The survey asks questions such as “How often did you shop at Shaw’s?” and “Where will you do the shopping that you had done at Shaw’s?” Linda Townsend-Maier, executive director of the Greater Dwight Development Corporation, said the results are wanted to show that “there is a market in New Haven to more than support a store.”

—Esther Zuckerman

Omni Hotel evacuated after bomb threat

A bomb threat led to the afternoon evacuation of the Omni Hotel and the closure of Temple Street on March 8. Bomb squad and emergency crews responded as hundreds of evacuated hotel guests and workers, as well as employees in nearby office buildings, flooded the street. That evening officers located a suspicious package but concluded that it was harmless. The building was ruled safe and the scene was cleared. The scare came a week after two cell-phone calls from an unidentified caller threatening to blow up two New Haven public schools forced them to close temporarily.

—Yale Daily News

DeStefano endorses Garcia for secretary of the state

Mayor John DeStefano Jr., who met Gerry Garcia ’94 SOM ’01 when Garcia was Ward 9 alderman, said that as alderman Garcia “stood up for things that were important in people’s lives, and he built partnerships to do that.” By securing the support of New Haven’s 81 delegates, the state’s largest delegation to the Democratic convention in May, the Garcia campaign moves a step closer to locking down the party’s nomination. If elected, Garcia, a financial adviser, would be the first Elm City resident to hold a state constitutional office since Clarine Riddle served as attorney general from 1989 to 1991.

—Alon Harish

Bar fined for serving minors

The Playwright on Temple Street was fined $750 and will have its liquor permit suspended for one day on March 29 for serving alcohol to underage patrons and for violating other drink restrictions, the New Haven Register reported. The bar also got a new owner on March 13, the New Haven Independent reported. The acquiring company is Stamford-based Post Road Entertainment, which also owns Black Bear Saloon on Temple Street and Hula Hanks on Crown Street.

—Esther Zuckerman