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Death of Connecticut man found in river may be related to flooding that killed 2 others, police say

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Death of Connecticut man found in river may be related to flooding that killed 2 others, police say


WESTPORT, Conn. — The death of a Connecticut man whose body was found in a river downstream from his submerged pickup truck may be related to the destructive flooding that killed two other people in the state, police said Friday.

The body of Robert Macisaac, 59, was found in the Aspetuck River in Westport on Thursday afternoon, Fairfield police said. His truck was found about a mile (1.6 kilometers) upstream in the river in Fairfield.

“A preliminary investigation suggests that the incident could be related to the severe weather conditions that occurred in the area this past Sunday, although the exact cause of the vehicle leaving the roadway remains under investigation,” police said in a statement. “The official cause of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.”

Sunday’s storm dumped more than a foot (30 centimeters) of rain in southwestern Connecticut, the National Weather Service said. Small creeks and streams became raging torrents, roads and bridges were washed out and homes and businesses flooded. Two women in Oxford died after being swept away in floodwaters in separate incidents, and dozens of others were rescued.

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According to public records, Macisaac lived along the Aspetuck River in Weston, less than a half-mile from where his truck was found submerged and unoccupied by a police diver at Aspetuck Falls on Thursday. Police said it appeared the truck had been in the river for several days. His body was discovered about five hours later.

Macisaac was last seen at about 5 p.m. Sunday, and his truck was last seen in Wilton around 10 p.m. the same day, police said.



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Connecticut Regulates AI in Employment Decision Making » CBIA

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Connecticut Regulates AI in Employment Decision Making » CBIA


The following article was submitted by Brody and Associates, LLCIt is posted here with permission. 


The Connecticut legislature passed broad artificial intelligence legislation May 11, 2026 that includes a new framework governing the use of AI in employment-related decisions.

The bill, known as SB 5, is awaiting Gov. Ned Lamont’s signature, which is expected shortly.

Once enacted, Connecticut will join a growing list of jurisdictions that are imposing transparency and accountability requirements on employers that use AI tools in recruiting, hiring, promotion, discipline, scheduling, and termination decisions.

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The statute regulates what it calls automated employment-related decision technology.

In general, AEDT refers to technology that processes personal data and generates an output that is a substantial factor in an employment decision.

The definition is broad enough to potentially cover resume-screening software, applicant ranking systems, video-interview analytics, skills assessments, productivity tools, and certain workforce management platforms when those tools materially influence personnel decisions.

What Does the Law Require?

The purpose of the law is to reduce the risk that algorithmic systems will continue or worsen historic discrimination while also giving applicants and employees more visibility into how these systems are used.

One of the most important features of the new law is its notice requirement.

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Beginning Oct. 1, 2027, employers that deploy AEDT intended to interact with applicants or employees must disclose, in plain language, that the individual is interacting with such technology unless it would be obvious to a reasonable person.

When the tool’s output will be used as a substantial factor in making an employment-related decision, the employer must also provide a written notice before the decision is made.

The law does include protection for proprietary or trade secret information.

Notice must identify the purpose of the tool, the categories and sources of personal data being analyzed, how data will be assessed, and contact information for the employer.

If such employment-related decision is “adverse,” employers must provide a high-level statement disclosing the principal reasons for the decision, including “the degree to which, and manner in which” an AEDP output contributed to the decision, the type of data used, and the right to examine or correct such data.

The law does include protection for proprietary or trade secret information, but employers should not assume that vendor confidentiality excuses them from compliance.

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If an employer withholds certain information regarding the AEDP based on a third party’s confidentiality claim, the employer must nevertheless disclose that the information is being withheld and identify the legal basis for the withholding.

As a practical matter, this means employers that rely on outside vendors for screening, testing, or candidate evaluation should begin reviewing vendor contracts now to ensure they can obtain the information needed to satisfy Connecticut’s notice obligations.

Anti-Discrimination and Related Obligations

The law also makes clear employers cannot avoid liability by blaming an algorithm.

Connecticut’s anti-discrimination framework will expressly provide the use of AI or automated systems is not a defense to a discrimination claim.

The employer may still be responsible even if the challenged output came from a third-party platform.

In other words, if an AEDT disproportionately screens out candidates or influences decisions in a way that has an unlawful discriminatory effect, the employer may still be responsible even if the challenged output came from a third-party platform.

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This provision reinforces a principle regulators have increasingly emphasized nationwide: employers remain accountable for employment decisions, whether those decisions are made by people, software, or a combination of both.

What Employers Should Do Now

For employers, the immediate takeaway is AI governance can no longer be treated as an IT issue.

Human resources, legal, compliance, and procurement teams should collaborate to identify all tools used in recruiting or personnel management, assess whether those tools materially affect employment decisions, and determine what disclosures this new law may require.

Even companies that already use AI responsibly may need to formalize review procedures.

Employers should also assess whether internal policies, vendor agreements, and recordkeeping practices are sufficient to support compliance.

Even companies that already use AI responsibly may need to formalize review procedures, conduct bias testing, and create documentation explaining how automated outputs are considered by human decision-makers.

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Connecticut’s new law reflects a broader regulatory trend: employers may continue using AI, but they must do so transparently, carefully, and with meaningful human accountability.


About the authors: Robert Brody is managing partner at Brody and Associates, LLC, which he founded in 1997. Matthew Chiota is a law clerk at Brody and Associates, awaiting admission to the Connecticut and New York Bar associations. Contact them at [email protected] or 203.454.0560.



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Rat snake, grey treefrogs spotted in Connecticut

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Rat snake, grey treefrogs spotted in Connecticut


MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) — A couple of Connecticut wildlife stories that may give you nightmares. 

A snake was on a roof in Meriden on Wednesday. D&D Wildlife Control ran into the snake, which is a rat snake, that was looking for a crevice or hole to get into the attic. 

Trapper Don Dandelski told News 8 it is quite common for snakes to slither up the side of your house and get inside, but they are harmless.

A snake was on a roof in Meriden on Wednesday. D&D Wildlife Control ran into the snake, which is a rat snake, that was looking for a crevice or hole to get into the attic. (PHOTO: Donald Dandelski)

It is also gray treefrog mating season in Connecticut. 

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News 8’s Dennis House and Ann Nyberg each had encounters with the frogs. Ann shot the video of loud mating calls of these frogs, and a few days later a frog showed up on Dennis’ door and patio and waved and said hi. 

News 8’s Dennis House and Ann Nyberg each had encounters with grey treefrogs.
News 8’s Dennis House and Ann Nyberg each had encounters with grey treefrogs.

According to the Beardsley Zoo, frogs lay up to 2,000 eggs, laid singly or in small groups, and hatch within five days.



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See Where Milford Ranks On Connecticut Home Value Map

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See Where Milford Ranks On Connecticut Home Value Map


MILFORD, CT — The average home value in Milford is $501,368, according to new Zillow data comparing communities across Connecticut.

See how Milford compares to other communities across the state:

The average value of homes near Milford include:

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  • Stratford: $462,162
  • West Haven: $361,523
  • Orange: $628,308

The data comes as Connecticut continues to face rising home prices and limited inventory.

According to Redfin, 8,307 homes were listed for sale statewide in March, down 10.2 percent year over year.

Zillow estimates the average Connecticut home value is now about $441,466, a 4.8 percent increase over the past year.

— Hayleigh Evans, Patch Staff, contributed to this report.





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