Several major stories are drawing attention across New England and the Northeast, from a federal agreement involving gender-affirming care at a Connecticut children’s hospital to a local teenager preparing to compete for Team USA, new accountability measures for Boston school transportation, a major Hartford baseball promotion and another reported case of a rare tick-borne illness on Long Island.
Connecticut Children’s Reaches Agreement With Federal Government
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday that Connecticut Children’s Medical Center reached an agreement with the federal government to stop providing gender-affirming medical care to patients younger than 18.
According to the Justice Department, the agreement includes a commitment by Connecticut Children’s not to provide puberty blockers, hormone therapy or gender-affirming surgeries to minors.
The announcement places the Connecticut hospital at the center of the continuing national debate over medical treatment for transgender minors and the role of the federal government in regulating that care.
Plainfield Teen Preparing to Compete for Team USA
A Plainfield, Connecticut teenager is preparing to take her talents to the international stage after years of success in artistic roller skating.
Ally Schmidt, a junior at Plainfield High School, will represent Team USA at the World Skate World Figure Cup in Chicago next month.
The competition will give Schmidt an opportunity to compete against top athletes from around the world and potentially add a world championship to an already impressive list of accomplishments.
Warren G Coming to Dunkin’ Park
The Hartford Yard Goats are bringing a major name in hip-hop to Dunkin’ Park as part of their 10th-season celebration.
Rapper Warren G, best known for his multi-platinum hit “Regulate,” is scheduled to perform a post-game concert on Sept. 4.
The show will follow Hartford’s 7:10 p.m. game against the Reading Fightin Phils, the Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Yard Goats said the concert is being held as a thank you to fans and sponsors as the organization celebrates its 10th season at Dunkin’ Park.
Boston Public Schools Penalizes Bus Contractor
Boston Public Schools says it has begun imposing financial penalties on its transportation contractor following years of complaints from families about late and missing school buses.
The district confirmed that it assessed $400,500 in penalties against Transdev between March and June after identifying 1,263 routes that were improperly serviced.
Boston Public Schools said those incidents accounted for less than one-half of 1% of approximately 360,000 bus runs completed during that period.
Some parents, however, say the numbers do not fully reflect the transportation problems and daily disruptions families have experienced over the years.
Another Tularemia Case Reported on Long Island
Suffolk County officials have reported another case of tularemia on Long Island, just days after confirming three previous cases.
A woman in Riverhead is being treated for the illness, which is also commonly known as rabbit fever.
Tularemia can cause high fever and extreme fatigue, and medical professionals say symptoms can be more severe than those associated with more common tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease.
Suffolk County officials said the disease can spread when ticks bite infected animals, including rabbits or household pets, and later transmit the infection to people.