A rally is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at Shiloh Baptist Church in Bridgeport to protest United Illuminating's proposed monopole project. The controversial plan calls for installation of 195-foot tall monopoles carrying power lines through Bridgeport and Fairfield, potentially taking one-third of the church's property. The grassroots group Empowering Fairfield is calling on UI to come to the table with solutions acceptable to affected communities and businesses. Source: patch.com
The Connecticut Siting Council's consideration of United Illuminating's monopole project has sparked over two years of bipartisan opposition from lawmakers and Fairfield County residents. After a Superior Court judge ruled in April that the council wrongly approved the project without community input, the council voted again in September via straw poll to support the same plan. Governor Ned Lamont intervened asking for a delay, stating he wouldn't "let UI rush into a bad decision." The 195-foot monopoles would require utility easements from homes, businesses, and historical sites including the Pequot Library and Shiloh Baptist Church. Source: wshu.org
Mayor Roberto Alves and city officials announce over $100 million in public and private investments reshaping downtown Danbury. Projects include the $24.5 million Ives Bank development bringing 100 professionals to Main Street, Catholic Charities' 20 workforce housing units at 68 Main Street, and 79 senior units on Boughton Street by Connecticut Institute for Communities. The city is also advancing a $9 million state-funded Streetscape Renaissance Project adding fiber optics, underground utilities, and pedestrian-friendly enhancements. New businesses including Blend and Brew coffee bar and Escapology escape rooms have opened downtown. Source: patch.com
New Haven won approval from the Community Investment Fund 2030 board for $6.75 million to help convert the vacant 155,000 square foot Goffe Street Armory into a new vocational-technical school. The State Bond Commission must still approve the funds before they become final. Mayor Justin Elicker says the grant, years in the making, will fund rehabilitation work including exterior brownstone stabilization, roof repair, asbestos removal, ADA compliance upgrades, and reactivation of the historic drill hall. The project also includes plans for new housing units and other community uses. Source: newhavenindependent.org
The Elicker administration plans to sell George Street parking lots to a public-private partnership between Glendower Group and NYC-based developer LMXD for construction of 171 new apartments in New Haven's Ninth Square. The seven-story, 156,000-square-foot building will include 51 affordable units with income limits ranging from 30 to 80 percent of area median income, ground-floor retail space, and rooftop solar panels powering amenities including a fitness center and co-working area. The developers aim to secure financing by Q2 2026 with full completion projected for 2029. Source: newhavenindependent.org
United Illuminating is preparing for six months of new remediation work addressing PCBs, petroleum hydrocarbons, and arsenic-contaminated soil at the old English Station site at 510 Grand Ave. Mayor Justin Elicker continues defending his controversial proposal to convert the contaminated 8.6-acre former coal and oil-fired power plant into a public park and outdoor pool. At Tuesday's mayoral debate, Elicker argued the capped site would be safe and provide swimming opportunities for young people, while Republican challenger Steve Orosco called for the site to become a "revenue-generating machine" with manufacturing jobs. Source: newhavenindependent.org
Energy Vault and Pacific Gas and Electric launched the world's first ultra-long duration hybrid microgrid combining battery storage and hydrogen fuel cell technology for extended backup power capability. The groundbreaking system represents a major advancement in energy storage, providing days or weeks of backup power rather than hours from conventional batteries. This innovative hybrid approach requires specialized electrical work for complex power management, hydrogen systems integration, and advanced control systems, creating new opportunities for electrical workers to develop expertise in cutting-edge energy storage technologies. Source: chemanalyst.com
IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper warns that recent legislation eliminating tax incentives for wind, solar, and hydrogen projects will cancel many clean energy initiatives putting IBEW members to work while also increasing electricity bills for American families. Cooper calls the "One Big Beautiful Bill" irresponsible for its impact on working families and union jobs. Source: ibew.org
International Secretary-Treasurer Paul A. Noble highlights how the IBEW/NECA Family Medical Care Plan addresses rising healthcare costs that now consume 18% of the U.S. economy. The plan, designed by IBEW members for IBEW members, operates without bloated overhead or millionaire CEOs, covering over 190 locals and 450 employers with premiums below industry average while adding or improving benefits 135 times since inception. Source: ibew.org
IBEW Local 11 celebrates a major victory as the LA Convention Center expansion project moves forward after years of effort. The project will create dozens of immediate job calls ramping up to several hundred positions over the coming months, with completion targeted for the 2028 Olympics. Business Manager Robert Corona credits the powerful labor and business coalition for getting this project across the finish line. Source: ibew11.org