The CT Mirror (https://ctmirror.org/author/jkara/)
Commutes are getting longer and more Connecticut drivers are spending at least an hour to get to work — particularly in Fairfield County — new data from the U.S. Census Bureau show. Continue Reading →
A measure to tighten Connecticut’s firearm storage law is expected to be on a shortlist of gun reform bills tackled in the upcoming legislative session. The proposal will likely come amid advocates’ attempts to shepherd other legislation banning untraceable ghost guns and 3D-printed plastic guns through the legislative process. Continue Reading →
While a majority of people sleeping in Connecticut homeless shelters are from the state’s struggling cities, people from the wealthiest towns tend to spend more time in shelters when they do end up there. This is just one of the conclusions that can be drawn from an examination of data compiled by the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness. The state has made progress reducing the homeless population in recent years. The state saw one of the largest 11-year decreases in unsheltered homeless counts, 38 percent from 2007 to 2017, according to an October report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Connecticut has also eliminated very specific types of homelessness, such as chronic veteran homelessness, while hotlines for people who call 2-1-1 for immediate access to shelters are now operating 24-7 for most of Connecticut. Continue Reading →
A blue wave swept across Connecticut to give Democrats solid majorities in the General Assembly, but the race for governor offered little sign of a political realignment: If anything, the reds got redder and the blues got bluer on the state’s electoral map.
Almost 100 towns voted more strongly in favor of the party they had chosen in 2014. Continue Reading →
Democrats made their first state legislative gains in 10 years Tuesday night, breaking an 18-18 tie in the Senate by picking up three Republican seats and defending vulnerable Democratic lawmakers who were targeted by the GOP. Continue Reading →
Which party will control the state legislature? Who will be our next governor? We’ll be updating this page with statewide results, as well as results from your town. These results are based on unofficial vote totals from Tuesday’s general election. We’re continuously monitoring and updating counts as they are posted on the secretary of the state’s election night reporting system. Continue Reading →
It’s not too late to vote today, even if you’re not registered or moved and forgot to register at your new address. But you might have to show up earlier than registered voters to actually cast a ballot. Continue Reading →
Campaign promises are piling up like orange and yellow leaves this election cycle. We built this tool to keep track of how the three leading candidates for governor say they would steer Connecticut forward if elected. We’ll be adding some more promises and positions to this tracker — we pinky-swear — so check back here between now and Tuesday. You can jump to a topic by choosing on one of these:
It’s a common refrain during election time: If the state cuts education aid, local school districts will be forced to lay off teachers and other educators. But is that always true? What impact would more cuts in municipal aid have on schools? The answer is complicated. Continue Reading →
Child care inspection reports in Connecticut are public documents, but there’s no useful way to search for them online. So we built one. Although the state does license programs to ensure the facilities and homes are safe for children and staff are equipped to handle emergencies, the state’s online database only provides the date that an inspection took place, not any violations found or abuse allegations substantiated. It also does not say which facilities have received NAEYC accreditation. In an effort to give parents a window into the safety and quality of their day care, the CT Mirror compiled a database of safety violations and resolutions, and inspection history. Continue Reading →
Minority drivers were pulled over for equipment violations, like burned-out tail lights, at higher rates than white drivers in most of the eight towns examined in the state’s latest report on racial disparities in police traffic stop patterns. Continue Reading →
By the end of August, candidates for state offices ranging from state representative to governor reported raising more than $40 million and spending around $30 million in the 2018 election cycle. Today, CT Mirror is launching CT Campaign Cash, a database tool to ease inspection of those receipts and expenditures. Continue Reading →
A tough-on-crime state senator up for re-election in November on Tuesday issued one of his hallmark rebukes of a key part of the outgoing governor’s criminal justice reform legacy, the fate of which will be determined by the next legislature and administration. Continue Reading →
The FBI on Monday released 2017 crime data that includes municipal-level counts. We’ve combined those figures with data going back to 1985 to illustrate long-term crime trends by municipality. Continue Reading →
Connecticut’s violent crime rate remained nearly flat from 2016 to 2017, while its murder rate jumped significantly after hitting a decade’s low last year. Continue Reading →