Connecticut
CT to get federal money to buy 50 electric school buses
Connecticut will receive federal funding to purchase 50 electric school buses for two school districts as the Biden administration continues rolling out its infrastructure plans.
A Connecticut-based bus company is one of 67 recipients to receive an award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its Clean School Bus Program Grants Competition, which aims to improve air quality for students and boost manufacturing. The program’s funding was included in the bipartisan infrastructure law signed in 2021.
The EPA plans to dole out nearly $1 billion to go toward more than 2,700 electric and low-emission school buses in 280 school districts across the country. EPA Administrator Michael Regan said it is the second round of funding for a five-year, $5 billion program.
The exact funding for Connecticut has not been finalized since it is part of a multi-state award through the New England Electric Bus Initiative. The tentative recipient is DATTCO, Inc., the New Britain-based company that provides bus transportation for some school districts in Connecticut and other states in the region.
The proposed budget would provide a total of about $33 million to DATTCO for 85 electric buses across five school districts in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
For Connecticut, it will get a portion of that grant to purchase 25 buses for Hartford Public Schools and another 25 for Connecticut’s technical schools.
Hartford was among the prioritized school districts that are either in high-need, rural or tribal communities. The vast majority of the grants – 86% – went to prioritized districts.
“Traditional yellow school buses that so many of us remember rely on internal combustion engines that emit toxic pollution into the air,” Regan told reporters on Monday. “Not only are these pollutants harmful to the environment, but they can also be harmful to the health and well-being of every student, every bus driver and every resident in surrounding communities.”
Federal lawmakers from Connecticut have been involved in a years-long effort to provide more funding for a transition from diesel-powered to electric school buses.
Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-5th District, first introduced the Clean School Bus Act in 2019 along with Rep. John Larson, D-1st District, and Rep. Jim Himes, D-4th District, to set up a similar grant program.
Hayes also pushed for funding in 2021 to replace diesel buses with electric ones, as well as for the inclusion of these efforts in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that passed Congress that year.
“Since I came to Congress in 2019, I have advocated for clean school bus funding and tirelessly fought for inclusion in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” Hayes said in a statement. “The nearly $1 billion investment, announced by the Biden-Harris Administration today, will save Connecticut school districts money, create good-paying clean energy jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protecting people and the planet.”
Connecticut has previously received some funding through the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebate program. Cornwall, Sharon and Regional District No. 1 in far northwestern Connecticut each received a rebate for one electric bus. School districts can apply for the 2023 rebate program by Jan. 31 with selection planned for April.
But making the transition to electric and low-emissions buses for schools is expected to face some hurdles with the need to significantly scale up the infrastructure to help them operate.
A recent audit from the EPA’s Office of the Inspector General found that the goals of the program could be undermined because of demands on utility companies related to power supply and charging stations.
“While early coordination with utilities is not a requirement, it could prevent the Agency from achieving its objective to remove older diesel buses and replace them with clean buses. The increased demand on utility companies may impact the timeliness of replacing diesel buses,” the audit reads.
“While utility infrastructure is not funded through the program, we found that there could be delays in utilities constructing the needed charging stations to make the buses fully operational in a timely manner,” it continues.
When asked about the audit’s findings, Regan told reporters that he is in contact with the inspector general’s office as well as CEOs at electric utility companies, whom he claimed are “excited” about electric vehicles for all different uses.
“I have no doubt that our electricity system can handle this transition that, by the way, the market is demanding. We’re excited about this transition,” said Regan, adding that the White House is “thinking about it through the lens of economic development, job growth … good paying union jobs and the environmental health and climate benefits.”
The Connecticut Mirror/Connecticut Public Radio federal policy reporter position is made possible, in part, by funding from the Robert and Margaret Patricelli Family Foundation and Engage CT.
The story was originally published by the Connecticut Mirror.
Connecticut
Florida High School State Bronze Medalist Dajah German Verbals To Connecticut For Fall 2027
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Florida high school state bronze medalist Dajah German has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Connecticut beginning in the fall of 2027. She publicized the news on SwimCloud, writing:
I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Connecticut! I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me throughout this journey, my family, coaches, teammates, and friends who have pushed me to be my best throughout the years. And a very special thank you to Coach Chris and Coach Nicole for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I’m so excited for what’s ahead. GO HUSKIES!
A rising senior at Fort Lauderdale High School in Florida, German trains year-round with Swim Fort Lauderdale and primarily specializes in the sprint and middle-distance freestyle events.
German has improved each year of her high school career, most recently dropping from 23.78, 51.39, and 1:50.56 in the 50/100/200 free to 23.54, 51.35, and 1:49.69 during the 2025-26 short course season.
German’s top meet of the season was the Florida Senior Championships in March, where she recorded her current PBs in both the 50 and 200 free. She finished second in the 500 free (4:55.94) and 1650 free (17:02.78), third in both the 50 free and 200 free, and fifth in the 100 free (51.43). She set her current 100 free PB at a smaller holiday meet in December. In the 500 free, she clocked a season-best 4:55.21 at the Speedo Cup in January, with her lifetime best of 4:53.19 coming at the 2025 Florida Senior Championships.
German has qualified for the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Championships for the past three years, with her top performance coming at the 2025 iteration in November. She placed third in the 50 free (23.96), fifth in the 500 free (5:01.12), and helped Fort Lauderdale to fourth place in both the 200 free relay (24.64 leadoff) and 400 free relay (53.08 anchor).
Top SCY Times:
- 50 Freestyle: 23.54
- 100 Freestyle: 51.35
- 200 Freestyle: 1:49.69
- 500 Freestyle: 4:53.19
A Division I Mid-Major program, Connecticut competes in the Big East, with the women’s team placing second out of seven teams at this past season’s conference championships. German’s current lifetime bests would have placed third in the 200 free, fourth in the 500 free, eighth in the 50 free, and ninth in the 100 free, setting her up as an immediate contributor with two full seasons of training still ahead before her first conference meet.
German joins Anna Mumford, Lyla Devlin, Lena Brown, and Louisa Holda in committing to the Huskies’ class of 2031 so far.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
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Here are the forecast details for northern Connecticut via the National Weather Service:
Today: Sunny, with a high near 80. Light west wind increasing to 6 to 11 mph in the morning.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. Northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: A chance of showers before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2pm and 4pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 4pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 76. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Monday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 59. Southeast wind around 8 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
WASHINGTON (7News) — A Park Police chase ends with a moped rider getting hit and killed on the Taft Bridge in Northwest D.C.
7News’ Washington, D.C. reporter, Phylicia Ashley, went to the scene moments after it happened Saturday evening and spoke to multiple witnesses.
Ximen DeFillippes was riding her bike near Woodley Road when she saw the chase.
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“The Park Police passed me. We were on Woodley Road. And then I saw the car they were pursuing,” said DeFillippes. “It was going very fast on the sidewalk. It drove up on the sidewalk up Woodley Road.”
DeFilippes was on one side of the Taft Bridge.
“I’d never seen anything that crazy,” said DeFillippes. “It was, it was like really like homicidal. It was just insane. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
7News also saw the aftermath of the chase and found Lamont Penry on the other side of the bridge. He also saw the chase. It ended on the steps of the Chinese Embassy staff housing.
“The car crashed into the diplomatic car,” Penry said. “A young man jumps out, takes off running down the street. The other three guys came out kind of dizzy. They apprehended one who was on the bench. One was at the rear. Tire of the vehicle, looked to be a Camry, and the other was on the other side of the diplomatic car.”
In the middle of the bridge, 7News saw the victim’s body covered by a white sheet. Witnesses said that when the chase reached the Taft Bridge, one of the vehicles involved struck someone riding a scooter.
“Once the gentleman on the bridge was hit. We realized that no one stopped,” said Penry. “Police continued the pursuit until here, and then they turned around.”
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Penry said all the alleged suspects involved looked young. While on scene, 7News saw one person get arrested and placed in an ambulance.
DeFilippes was riding her bike when she said two cars blocked her from getting caught in the midst of the chase.
“I’m feeling lucky that for those few seconds of my path being kind of blocked,” said DeFillippes. “I’m just so glad that happened. Or else I would have been right there. I’m not at all surprised that someone was hurt. Just. Just from the way everything was unfolding, I could just tell it was going to be bad.
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