It is “likely, but not yet determined” that Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor will seek a waiver from federal No Child Left Behind requirements. That was the message Pryor relayed to State Board of Education members last week, despite the state having already informed the U.S. Department of Education they do intend to apply and Gov. […]
December 15, 2011
Posted inPolitics
EMILY’s List gives Esty two bites of the apple
In June, EMILY’s List announced that Elizabeth Esty, a Democratic congressional candidate in the 5th District, was “On the List.” That designation gave Esty access to the 900,000 names in the data base of the group, which raises money for pro-choice Democratic women running for office. Kinda sounds like an endorsement, no? Apparently not. EMILY’s […]
Posted inEnergy & Environment
More warnings on the Arctic and climate change
A University of Florida ecologist, Edward Schuur, writes, in an article in the journal Nature that the key to this new, troubling information is permafrost — or frozen soil — which covers nearly 12 million square miles of land in the great north. Schuur argues that previous climate change models have underestimated the effect of […]
Posted inNews
“Right-sizing” nursing homes
State officials are developing a plan to dramatically reshape the state’s long-term care system, just as demand for it is expected to skyrocket. The effort — referred to as “right-sizing” the system — is aimed at allowing more seniors and people with disabilities to live in community settings rather than institutions. If it goes as […]
Posted inNews
Malloy selects Wyman confidant Ojakian as new chief
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy today named Mark Ojakian, a confidant of his lieutenant governor and the point man in the protracted concessions negotiations with state employees that largely defined Malloy’s first year as governor, as his next chief of staff. “He has a tremendous breadth of knowledge, experience, dedication and character, and an extraordinary capacity […]
Posted inNews
Number of state employees suspected of Irene fraud reaches 34
Brushing off a lawyer’s complaints and media questions, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy pushed ahead Thursday with the pursuit of state employees suspected of fraudulently obtaining disaster aid, announcing that 10 more state workers have been referred for disciplinary hearings. The number of state employees now facing discipline that could include termination has risen to 34. […]
Posted inNews
Heat ‘Affordability Gap’ Leaves Thousands of Families in the Cold
While state officials struggle to fund winter heating assistance, the gap between what Connecticut’s poorest families need to heat their homes, and what they can actually afford, continues to grow, a new study reported Thursday. Operation Fuel, a private, nonprofit agency that expects to help more than 7,000 households keep warm this winter, reported that […]
Posted inNews
Third time is no charm in bid for Race to the Top money
Connecticut officials were informed Thursday that their third application for federal Race to the Top funds has been rejected. “We are bummed,” said Liz Donohue, the administration’s point person for the application. “We are not among the finalists.” The Malloy administration had hoped to land $50 million to implement a variety of initiatives to try […]