NL Impacting Waterford; Standardized Test Scores

Well, I’ll admit I was sick this week, so maybe in some way that hampered the week of news. But I’m (mostly) all better now, and there was still quite a few interesting stories, including several involving the city Waterford surrounds.

The most read stories all involved that city, New London, which has no shortage of drama and intrigue. Problem is, that drama and intrigue is beginning to impact Waterford residents.

For example, New London is having an ongoing debate on if it should lay off 24 firefighters, roughly 40 percent of its force. First Selectman Dan Steward said , as Waterford does provide mutual aid to New London. If New London loses that many men, there is a chance they will need more mutual aid than Waterford can provide, he said.

“We can’t be in there every week on a volunteer basis,” Steward said. “That’s not something we can necessarily do. We don’t have the manpower to go in and give all that support.”

New London also announced it was dropping out of the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, which impacts all the other towns in that group, including Waterford. Steward is the chairman of SCCOG, to New London Mayor Daryl Finizio and the New London City Council to try to get the city to restore its funding to the group.

To top it off, While New London sewer rates are meaningless to Waterford residents, the water rates do matter as New London runs Waterford’s water service. That means increased water rates for Waterford residents as well.

On Tuesday, the Waterford Youth Services Bureau warning against the dangerous of prescription drugs. Youth Services Director Dani Gorman said prescription drug abuse is increasing across the country, and youths are more likely to use the pills recreationally. Gorman encouraged parents to lock up their prescription painkillers and throw them away at the Waterford Police Station once they are done with them.

In other news, Waterford schools’ , and they showed that the numbers improved drastically as students grow older. There was also some complaints , we too a look at and despite the horrific attacks in Colorado,