What do you consider the most important news stories in southeastern Connecticut this past year?

In a couple of weeks, we’ll publish a list of The Day’s top stories of 2023 based on the “most read” stories on theday.com.

Meanwhile, here are my picks:

Whaling City becomes wind hub

With the transformation of State Pier into a staging site for offshore wind components complete, the towers, blades and nacelles (motors) arrived and changed the New London waterfront. The city watched with wonder – and some with skepticism – as massive barges sailed out of the Thames with their gigantic cargo. The first turbine at the South Fork Wind farm off Long Island began generating power for East Hampton, N.Y.

Growing pains in the Submarine Capital of the World

The region's submarine industry saw unprecedented growth as Electric Boat, flush with billions of dollars in contracts for new submarines, announced it intended to hire 5,750 new workers in 2023. The company ramped up its student-to-skilled shipbuilder programs at local schools. The influx of new workers put strain on the region's already insufficient housing and childcare supplies.

Rose City school turmoil

Superintendent Kristen Stringfellow and Assistant Superintendent Tamara Gloster were placed on administrative leave in September after months of complaints by staff and union leaders alleging the two leaders fostered a work climate of intimidation and retaliation. A newly elected school board will oversee the results of an investigation into the administrators' performance and a projected budget deficit.

Having a blast in East Lyme

Many of us signed up for text “blast alerts” of highway closures and had our speed monitored via highway cameras as the state Department of Transportation began a four-year, $148 million construction project near the Interstate 95-395 interchange. The DOT announced the opening of a new Exit 74 off-ramp this week and said blasting to eliminate ledge on the northbound side of the highway is almost complete.

Data center tied to Millstone’s future

Developer NE Edge proposes two, two-story data buildings and a switchyard at the Millstone Nuclear Power Station that would draw power directly from the plant and pay the town $231 million over the 30-year life of the agreement. The plant would consume around 15% of the plant’s output, which Dominion says would help it pay for ongoing operational costs at the plant.

Coast Guard Academy’s “Operation Fouled Anchor“

A Senate subcommittee opened an inquiry into the “culture of coverup” at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy after CNN reported on the Coast Guard’s decision to cover up the results of its “Operation Fouled Anchor” investigation into decades of rapes and sexual assaults at the academy in New London.

We could fill many columns with more of the important stories of 2023 covered by our news, features and sports departments. Let us know what stories you considered important, and we’ll do it all over again in 2024.

This is the opinion of Karen Florin, managing editor. Reach her at k.florin@theday.com or (860) 701-4217.