Latest news with #Perillo
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate votes to advance summer camp regulations bill
CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — After an animated debate on the floor of the State Senate, legislators advanced a measure that would impose new regulations on summer day camps operated by municipalities all across Connecticut. The Democrats who back the legislation say it will subject municipal summer camps to the same set of rules that other childcare operations must follow. Those regulations include mandatory background checks for personnel and minimum requirements for facilities, including set ratios on the number of bathrooms per child. Lawmakers play kickball to benefit CT Foodshare The potential costs of those new requirements have alarmed local parks and recreation officials around the state who say that they may be forced to raise prices or close camps altogether. 'These requirements do not make it possible to operate our camps and will simply force us to consolidate or close,' Mark Simmons, the parks and recreation director for the town of Preston, said at a press conference with Republican state senators on Tuesday afternoon. Legislators were motivated to act in part by the case of a town employee and camp counselor who was accused of child sexual assault. Democratic State Sen. Ceci Maher, who co-chairs the legislative committee with responsibility for child welfare issues, characterized the relative lack of state regulations over town-run summer camps as a 'loophole.' 'Why are they not being licensed?' Maher rhetorically asked in an interview with News 8 during Tuesday's debate. Maher was on the receiving end of a barrage of criticism from Republican state senators who argued that the proposed regulations would not have prevented the alleged abuse in Bethany and that the imposition of new rules would cripple one of the few affordable childcare options available to families when school is out. 'In many communities, not just the lowest cost, but the only affordable option for summer care is the town's local day camp,' State Sen. Jason Perillo, the ranking Republican senator on the Children's Committee, said. 'Confirms our worst fears,' 'Nothing too outlandish:' Connecticut lawmakers on federal Medicaid reductions Perillo engaged Maher and her fellow Democrats in an unusually heated debate, characterizing them as arrogant in the face of towns decrying the bill. The Republicans proposed a string of amendments that Perillo said were intended to 'pump the breaks on that arrogance.' One amendment would have outright eliminated the proposed new regulations. Another would have kept the background check requirement while eliminating the facilities rules. Those amendments were shot down by Democrats, who hold a two-to-one majority in the state senate. State Sen. Bob Duff, the Democratic majority leader of the state senate, took the floor to say that Perillo's comments 'crossed the line.' 'I think we're better than that,' Duff said. The bill passed on party lines, except for Democratic State Sen. Cathy Osten, who joined Republicans in opposition. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
04-04-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Law & Order column: Former Lake County prosecutor honored
Grayslake attorney Michael Perillo was recently named the 2025 recipient of the Robert H. Jackson Award by the Lake County Bar Association. Perillo, 70, who recently retired after 42 years in the practice of law, was given the award during a March 18 ceremony. Lake County judges Michael Nerheim and Patricia Fix nominated him. The award goes to a former prosecutor, 'who has distinguished himself in public service and whose commitment to justice and serving the communities where he lives is particularly praiseworthy.' Perillo's law career began as an active-duty judge advocate general attorney in the 1980s while serving in the U.S. Navy. He later served as a special public defender and special assistant state's attorney in Lake County before entering private practice in 1992. 'I am exceptionally honored to have received this award from the Lake County Bar Association and cannot thank Judge Nerheim and Judge Fix enough for putting me up for this award,' Perillo said. 'Without question, Robert H. Jackson is an inspiration to those of us who practiced as prosecuting attorneys. This award will always be very special to me, and the fact that the award is named in honor of Justice Jackson makes it all the more special.' Jackson was a former associate justice of the Supreme Court who served as the chief prosecutor of Nazi war crimes at the Nuremberg trials following World War II. Subdued with Taser A Mundelein man is facing drug and weapons charges after Lake County sheriff's deputies said they found a stolen firearm in his possession during a traffic stop. The sheriff's office Special Investigations Group said it stopped Benjamin Rodriguez, 29, of the 900 block of Stratford Lane, on March 27 on Illinois Route 83 in Mundelein. Police said they saw controlled substances in plain sight on Rodríguez's face and on the driver's seat. After exiting his vehicle, he became combative and attempted to re-enter his car, police said Officers used a Taser to subdue Rodriguez, and found a loaded handgun in the front waistband of his pants. They also found several packets of suspected fentanyl in his pockets, police said. Two officers were exposed to an airborne powder during the incident and were treated at a hospital for possible fentanyl exposure. Zion first responders recognized Zion recognized firefighters and police officers recently for their brave and meritorious actions in two different instances. Officers Conor Lima and Dante Burchfield were cited for aiding a woman during a house fire in October. Lima located a woman in a nearby residence who was suffering from smoke inhalation and was able to help her out of her house. The woman collapsed and Burchfield stepped in to help her and Lima, who was also suffering from smoke inhalation. Officers Haley Pacholsky and Tai Coggins and Fire Lt. Nicholas Urbanik were recognized for their efforts to help an elderly man during a January call. The man was destitute and living in poor conditions, including a non-working furnace. The officers bought the man a meal and convinced him to seek medical help. While firefighters were assessing the man's condition, Urbanik repaired the man's furnace. Dangerous game Antioch police are warning that a game called 'Senior Assassin' could have some potentially dangerous outcomes. In the game, students target fellow students for 'assassination' by stalking them and shooting them with water guns. Police said that residents may mistake students for actual armed subjects, leading to unwarranted calls to police. The situation could become dangerous should police or armed citizens think that the students are armed with actual firearms. There are also potential legal issues; participants could face charges for things like disorderly conduct or even aggravated assault in certain situations.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Two regions vote to fill Connecticut General Assembly vacancies
GROTON, Conn. (WTNH) — Two regions will head to the polls to fill two vacancies in the Connecticut General Assembly. The positions are up for grabs in the State Senate District 21, which includes portions of Monroe, Seymour, Stratford and Shelton. As well as District 40, which covers communities like Groton and New London. Candidates for State Senate special election highlight their campaign Groton City Councilman Dan Gaiewsk, a Democrat, will face off against Groton Economic Development Commission Chairman Robert Boris, a Republican, in the 40th House District. They would replace representative Christine Conley, who resigned so she could be appointed to the worker's compensation commission. Meanwhile, Republican Jason Perillo and Democrat Tony Afriyie are vying to replace Republican State Senator Kevin Kelly who was nominated by Gov. Ned Lamont to become a judge. Perillo is an 18-year veteran of the State House of Representatives. He said he wants a promotion to the state senate to build on his record of bringing back state funds for projects in his hometown of Shelton. On the other side, 27-year-old Afriyie, who currently works as an aid to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, said he sees himself as part of a new generation of leaders. He's also focused on economic opportunity in the community he spent most of his youth in. We asked the candidates, what's the first policy they'd advocate for if elected. 'Passing a state child tax credit. I think that the child tax credit is economic development,' Afriyie said. 'One is to eliminate the public benefits charge that's on everyone's bill. It can be serious money and most folks don't get any benefit from it at all,' Perillo said referring to electricity bills. The Groton Community Center polls for this special election open at 6 a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Jersey mayor Vito Perillo — the oldest in the U.S — dies at 100
Vito Perillo, the mayor of Tinton Falls, N.J., and known in life as the nation's oldest mayor, has died. He was 100. Perillo died Saturday night, the Asbury Park Press reported. He made national headlines in 2017, when he first ran for mayor at age 93, and again in 2021 when he was reelected. 'As a World War II veteran and mayor of Tinton Falls, Vito leaves behind an incredible legacy of service,' Gov. Phil Murphy wrote on social media. 'Our hearts go out to his loved ones and the entire Tinton Falls community.' Perillo was in the last year of his four-year term, and he previously stated he had no plans to seek reelection. After all, he turned 100 in September. 'I'm happy to be here, but I just want to be remembered for doing a good job,' Perillo told the Press last year. 'That's most important.' Born Sept. 22, 2024, Perillo served in the U.S. Navy in World War II, sailing on a troop ship in the South Pacific. Afterward, he took a civilian job at Fort Monmouth and worked for decades as a civil engineer. But in 2017, he decided to run for mayor of Tinton Falls, a 19,000-person borough about 35 miles south of Central Park. He said he was motivated to run after a pair of lawsuits against the local police department cost the town $1.1 million. He defeated the former police chief, Gerald Turning, in the 2017 election. 'I read his resume and his flyer about what he wanted to do. I said to [my wife] Pam, 'I really like this guy. He may only get two votes, but it'll be you and me.' And lo and behold, he wins,' borough council member Lawrence Dobrin told the Press. Perillo won the first election by about 300 votes and won reelection by around 750 votes. He was believed to be the nation's oldest mayor beginning in 2019, when then-Booneville, Ky., Mayor Charles Long died at age 99.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Oldest mayor in the United States dies at 100 while serving second term in New Jersey
The oldest mayor in the United States died on Saturday night at the age of 100 while serving his second term in New Jersey. Tinton Falls Mayor Vito Perillo, born in 1924, served in the US Navy alongside his brother during World War II and worked as a civil engineer through his retirement. Still, he didn't let age deter him from trying new things — including running for mayor. In 2017, he was elected mayor of Tinton Falls in Monmouth County, NJ at the age of 93. His campaign was fueled by a vigor that made it almost impossible to believe the candidate was nearly a centenarian. He went door-to-door handing out thousands of flyers and walked so much during his time that he apparently wore through two pairs of shoes, according to a Tinton Falls spotlight on the late mayor. He beat out the incumbent mayor Gerald Turning by just over 300 votes. He was re-elected for a second term in 2021 at age 97, but quickly squashed rumors about a three-peat as he turned 100 in September — when he announced he would not be running again. 'They tell me I'm the oldest mayor in the country,' Perillo told after he was re-elected. 'I'm feeling pretty good, and I think everybody in the borough feels good, too. They were all happy for me this morning.' 'For the past eight years, he served assiduously, always striving for the people he represented,' Tinton Falls Borough Administrator Charles Terefenko wrote in a statement. 'To those who knew him personally, he was more than just a leader, he was a friend, a mentor, and an inspiration. His warmth, and love for the Borough, will never be forgotten.' New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also celebrated Perillo's dedication to his country and beloved community. 'Deeply saddened by the passing of our nation's oldest mayor, Vito Perillo, at the age of 100. As a World War II veteran and mayor of Tinton Falls, Vito leaves behind an incredible legacy of service. Our hearts go out to his loved ones and the entire Tinton Falls community,' Gov. Phil Murphy wrote in a social media post.
