Free Republic

A former Connecticut state representative pleaded guilty Tuesday in connection with the theft of more than $1.2 million in federal coronavirus relief funds from the city of West Haven, using some of the money for gambling at a casino, according to prosecutors. Michael DiMassa, a West Haven Democrat, appeared in federal court in Hartford and pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud conspiracy. DiMassa's wife and his former business partner also pleaded guilty earlier this year, while a fourth person charged in the scheme awaits trial. At the time of the theft, DiMassa was both a state representative and...

WEST HAVEN, CT (WFSB) - West Haven residents gathered outside of City Hall Monday night and called for the city’s mayor to resign. The protest came after an audit found that the city improperly spent federal COVID relief money. The City Council held a meeting on Monday night and many sought to speak out to ask Mayor Nancy Rossi to resign. At the last meeting two weeks ago, dozens of neighbors did just that. That public comment was followed by a unanimous City Council “no confidence” vote in the mayor. Rossi was not at the last meeting, but she was...

WEST HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut mayor has asked for a forensic investigation into the city’s spending of federal pandemic relief money after coming across issues she says make her suspect fraud. West Haven Mayor Nancy Rossi, who is also a certified public accountant, said in a video posted on the city’s YouTube page that she came across several large expenditures that might be fraudulent. Charles Grady, a spokesman for the FBI in New Haven, told Hearst Connecticut Media that agents visited City Hall on Friday, but would not confirm whether an investigation was underway. The federal pandemic relief...

After a crash that state police called chilling, the agency has issued a reminder about highway safety. Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, state police Troop G in Bridgeport and West Haven fire units and emergency medical services responded to a crash on Interstate 95 northbound near exit 43 in West Haven. The call reported a crash involving two tractor trailers. But when troopers arrived at the scene, they found a more serious crash and closed the highway. The crash involved four tractor trailers and a Toyota Corolla. “Troopers, firefighters and EMS immediately checked on the crash victims and, despite what...

A New Haven man is under arrest after police found pipe bombs and a weapon in his vehicle late Saturday,  Marlon Reddick, 44 was stopped by West Haven Police last night around 11:00 p.m. in the area of Elm Street and Kimberly Avenue for equipment violations. During the motor vehicle stop, officers observed a clear plastic bag containing pills in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. After Reddick claimed no knowledge of the pills, the officers asked him to exit the vehicle as they continued their investigation, according to a police report. As officers searched the vehicle, they discovered a duffle bag behind the front seat. ...

NEW HAVEN — SNIPPET: "Thompson was charged over the weekend with the June 6 carjacking at Church and Chapel streets and is under investigation for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail over the fence at the Yale power plant at 18 Tower Parkway June 7. He told Detective Wayne Bullock that Allah instructed him how to “melt down” the plant, according to documents filed in court Monday. It didn’t cause any damage." SNIPPET: "Police recovered the stolen Nissan Sentra. After Thompson’s confession, bomb technicians spent hours in a wooded grove near the Kimberly Avenue bridge after he claimed he had buried...

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- A federal jury has begun deliberations in a civil rights case involving a West Haven pastor arrested for loud preaching. The jury began deliberations Tuesday on whether a West Haven police officer violated the Rev. Richard Mooore's constitutional rights when he arrested him in front of his congregation. Moore and the Living Word Redemption Center, Inc. of West Haven filed the federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Detective Paul Raucci after the Aug. 16, 2000, incident.

(West Haven-AP Apr. 25, 2002 7:30 AM)_ Teachers at West Haven High School are questioning why a student who brought a gun to school was only suspended, not expelled. School officials confirm that a teacher found a gun earlier this year in a student's coat, which he left behind in a classroom. After the gun was found, administrators suspended the student for ten days and hired a tutor to teach him at home for 45 days. George Mack of the teachers' union says the teachers are concerned that any kid who was known to have a gun is coming back...