Daily News Brief: Wednesday, Oct. 7

Southington has been awarded $3.03 million in federal money to hire 12 more firefighters, tonight brings a ghost walk in Guilford and a free outdoor movie in New Haven, and the Apple Harvest Festival returns for its final weekend. Yesterday the Post covered Bridgeport's school-aid gap, New Haven's purchasing rules and the state's new limits on immigration arrests.

Good news

• Southington Awarded $3.03 Million Fire Grant for 12 Hires. The federal SAFER grant would help the fire department add 12 firefighters, and fire officials say it is the largest such award in New England so far. The Town Council still has to accept it.

Yesterday on the Post

• Bridgeport School Board Vice Chair Sees $17M Gap in State Aid Scenarios. Joseph Sokolovic wrote in The Connecticut Mirror that the state's sample school-aid reforms would leave the district nearly $17 million short in 2027-28.
• New Haven Alders to Hear Purchasing Code Changes Thursday. The Finance Committee takes testimony at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, on rules that would tie the city's sealed-bid limit to state law.
• Connecticut's ICE Limits Take Effect as More Than 100 Rally in Meriden. A state law now requires a judge's warrant for civil immigration arrests at schools, hospitals and houses of worship.

Today in the towns

• Guilford: The Historic Guilford Ghost Walk leaves from Town Hall, 31 Park St., at 6 p.m. for two hours through downtown. It costs $25, paid in cash, and reservations are taken online. Our October guide has the rest of the month's ghost walks and haunted trails.
• New Haven: "The Others" plays free at 8 p.m. in Pitkin Plaza, 145 Orange St., with free popcorn; the organizers post any weather update on their site that afternoon. Earlier, the Board of Alders' Youth Committee meets at 6 p.m. in the Board of Alders Chamber at City Hall, streamed on the board's YouTube channel.
• Hamden: The Veterans Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. at the Government Center, and the Arts Commission meets there at 7 p.m. The Inland Wetlands Commission also meets at 7 p.m., at 2372 Whitney Ave.
• Cheshire: The Parks and Recreation Commission meets at 7 p.m. at the Harmon Leonard Jr. Youth Center.

This weekend

• Southington: The 57th Apple Harvest Festival wraps up its second weekend on the Town Green: Friday, 5 to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. The Post's weekend guide, with Guilford's Oktoberfest and New Haven's Fiesta Latina, comes out Thursday.

Dates to know

• Tuesday, Oct. 13: Woodbridge votes on the $118.5 million Beecher Road School plan.
• Thursday, Oct. 15: Medicare open enrollment begins and runs through Dec. 7.
• Friday, Oct. 16: The regular deadline to register for the Nov. 3 election. After it, people can still register and vote the same day, in person, during early voting or on Election Day.
• Monday, Oct. 19: Early voting opens in all 19 towns and runs every day through Sunday, Nov. 1.

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