The CT Mirror | To inform and engage one Connecticut

The CT Mirror (https://ctmirror.org/)

Trump’s move to end heating aid also would trim food stamps for many

By: Ana Radelat | March 17, 2017

WASHINGTON — The Trump budget blueprint was silent on the government’s largest social welfare programs, but elimination of federal help to pay heating bills also would cut back on food stamps for about 71,000 people in Connecticut.

Briefs

Budget/Economy

Legislative panel backs tolls, but bill faces uncertain future

By: Keith M. Phaneuf | March 17, 2017

The legislature’s Transportation Committee approved a bill Friday that would return tolls to Connecticut highways after more than three decades, but it faces a steep uphill climb if it ever is to become law.

Budget/Economy

Trump would slash CT environment funds; hit to Sound feared

By: Jan Ellen Spiegel | March 17, 2017

The Trump administration called massive cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency an attempt to ease the burden of unnecessary federal regulations. Connecticut’s environmental commissioner called it an assault on public health and the environment.

Defense

Trump’s double down on defense would buy more Black Hawks, F-35s

By: Ana Radelat | March 16, 2017

WASHINGTON — On the same day President Trump rolled out his fiscal 2018 budget, which boosted defense spending, he also asked Congress for $30 billion in extra funding for the Pentagon, in part so it could immediately buy more F-35s and Sikorsky Black Hawks.

Politics

With Trump as inspiration, anti-bigotry bills are partisan

By: Mark Pazniokas | March 16, 2017

Farhan Memon, state chairman of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, stood with U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal to denounce President Trump’s travel ban Thursday as evidence of anti-Muslim bigotry. Then he hurried across the Legislative Office Building atrium to join state legislators in their call for an expanded hate crime law in Connecticut.

Data

Bill would write state’s open-data practices into law

By: Jake Kara | March 17, 2017

A bill now in its early stages would put Connecticut’s open data practices — established in an executive order — on the law books for good. Continue Reading →

Civil and criminal justice

Blumenthal wants Gorsuch emails to private address used by former WH official

By: Ana Radelat | March 16, 2017

WASHINGTON — Foreshadowing the partisan fight that will break out during Judge Neil Gorsuch’s impending Supreme Court confirmation hearing, Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Thursday asked the George W. Bush presidential library for any emails between the nominee and private email addresses of White House officials. Continue Reading →

K-12

Trump’s education budget: 4 things to know for CT schools

By: Jacqueline Rabe Thomas | March 16, 2017

President Donald Trump unveiled a budget outline Thursday that slashes federal funding for education by 14 percent – cuts that would cripple programs that thousands of Connecticut children participate in each year. Here is what you should know about what was and wasn’t cut. Continue Reading →

Budget/Economy

Trump budget would end CT heating aid, housing, after-school programs

By: Ana Radelat | March 16, 2017

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s first budget proposal would strip Connecticut of tens of millions of dollars in federal grants, eliminating programs that subsidize heating bills for nearly 110,000 Connecticut households and provide housing for the homeless and after-school care. But the budget would boosting the state’s defense industry and fund a border wall. Continue Reading →

Politics

Syrian refugee talks about the impact of Trump travel ban

By: Ana Radelat | March 16, 2017

WASHINGTON – Fadi Kassar of Milford, 40, traveled a long, hard road through several countries before arriving in Connecticut and being granted asylum in 2015. He spoke to the Mirror about the human cost of the Donald Trump’s travel ban – and how it is changing the perception of the United States in the Muslim world. Continue Reading →

Politics

Murphy: Campaign donations proof of ‘fledgling progressive resistance movement’

By: Ana Radelat | March 15, 2017

WASHINTON – Sen. Chris Murphy said in a fundraising appeal Wednesday that said he has had a “staggering number of individual contributions” since the beginning of the year. He called it evidence a “fledgling progressive resistance movement” against the Trump administration and the GOP-led Congress “is only getting larger.” Continue Reading →

Politics

Committee approves, yet doesn’t endorse, casino expansion bills

By: Mark Pazniokas | March 15, 2017

Proposals to expand casino gambling in Connecticut cleared the Public Safety and Security Committee on Wednesday in votes signifying a consensus that the bills were too big to die in committee, not a measure of the support for opening the state to commercial casinos off tribal tribal lands. Continue Reading →

Health Care

In appeal, feds argue merger with Anthem would hurt Cigna’s ‘value-based’ care

By: Ana Radelat | March 15, 2017

WASHINGTON – In its showdown next week with Anthem over a planned merger with Cigna, the Justice Department will make the Bloomfield-based insurer’s unique business model a key part of its argument aimed at swaying an appellate court to reject the $54 billion deal. Continue Reading →

Civil and criminal justice

Young inmates tell Malloy about a new way in an old prison

By: Mark Pazniokas | March 14, 2017

CHESHIRE — Isschar Howard was 20 the night he shot and killed two young men who challenged his right to sell drugs on a corner in New Haven. He’s a 37-year-old lifer now, recently trained as a mentor to young inmates. The governor of Connecticut dropped by his cell Monday, shook his hand and thanked him for his work. Continue Reading →

Health Care

CT Dems say CBO report shows GOP health plan should be scrapped

By: Ana Radelat | March 13, 2017

WASHINGTON — As soon as the Congressional Budget Office released its long-awaited report Monday afternoon on the impact of the GOP’s American Health Care Act, Connecticut Democrats joined party colleagues in saying the analysis proved the health plan should be scrapped. The CBO estimated the American Health Care Act would result in 24 million Americans losing their health insurance. Continue Reading →

By: Ana Radelat | March 17, 2017

RELATED: Trump would slash CT environment funds; hit to Sound feared

RELATED: Bill would write state’s open-data practices into law

Briefs

By: Keith M. Phaneuf | March 17, 2017

By: Jan Ellen Spiegel | March 17, 2017

By: Ana Radelat | March 16, 2017

By: Mark Pazniokas | March 16, 2017