Newtown — Six months ago today, the journalists at the Newtown Bee found themselves in unthinkable territory. Reporters at the community weekly newspaper rushed to the scene of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings that left 26 people dead in their town of just over 30,000. A presidential visit, a media firestorm and scores of […]
Neena Satija
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Bipartisan support to Whitehead, state polka, and a second state song
It’s been a contentious legislative session here in Connecticut. But legislators were able to agree on a few things. For instance: German immigrant Gustave Whitehead was the first to fly in Bridgeport in 1901 — two years before the celebrated Wright brothers made so-called history in Kitty Hawk, N.C. So now, in a holiday known […]
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The truth behind Connecticut’s gas prices
Ever wonder why Connecticut’s gasoline prices are so high? Today, about 47 cents of every gallon you buy goes straight to the state of Connecticut. On July 1, 2013, gas prices will jump nearly 4 cents overnight — a record amount — thanks to a state tax very few people know about — the wholesale […]
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Connecticut lags in use of Sandy relief
As Connecticut’s shoreline continues to struggle after Superstorm Sandy pummeled it seven months ago, tens of millions of dollars in federal assistance the state is eligible for has not reached those who need it. Some of the delay can be attributed to Congress, which took months to approve Sandy aid. Some is due to the […]
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Americans driving less, but state not getting the message, advocates say
Bad traffic on your way to work? Regardless, Abe Scarr of the Connecticut Public Interest Research Group (ConnPIRG) has some news for you: “The driving boom is over.” In other words, the decades-long increase in driving in the United States that began after World War I is finally starting to reverse. Americans today don’t drive […]
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Laptop? Starbucks? Excedrin? Train commuters: Get ready for Monday
Updated: Sunday, 10 p.m. Bridgeport — Commuters in southwestern Connecticut should brace for a headache of a commute Monday. And Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday ….. Metro-North will provide bus service to commuters who normally travel on the tracks between Bridgeport and South Norwalk starting Monday morning. But officials say there are not nearly enough buses to […]
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Rail chief says service to resume Wednesday
First the good news, and then the good news: Not only was the Monday commute in lower Fairfield County reasonable, but the president of Metro-North said full train service will return Wednesday morning. “We are confident that the reconstruction work, inspection and testing will be completed in time for a normal rush hour on Wednesday,” […]
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Waiting for the next storm, Part 3: A rail corridor exposed
This is the final installment of a three-part series examining areas on Connecticut’s coast that are vulnerable to flooding. The first two stories focused on residential areas. Now, we visit a beach that suffered severe damage – which has also exposed critical infrastructure right behind it. East Lyme — Beaches, marshes and wetlands on the […]
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Waiting for the next storm,Part 2: Elderly and disabled on the waterfront
This is the second in a three-part series focusing on areas of Connecticut’s coastline that are vulnerable to flooding. In the first installment, we visited Morris Cove, one of New Haven’s most desirable neighborhoods. For this story, we headed to a very different residential area on the shoreline: Czescik Homes, a public housing complex for the […]
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Waiting for the next storm, Part I: New Haven’s nicest neighborhood
Last November, Connecticut was lucky. Sandy pummeled New York and New Jersey, while largely sparing this state. We may not be so lucky next time. In the first of a three-part series examining vulnerable areas on Connecticut’s coast, we visit Morris Cove, one of New Haven’s most desirable neighborhoods. (Scroll to the bottom of the […]
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With reservations, Sandy relief plan OK’d
Connecticut legislators today approved a state plan to use $72 million in federal Storm Sandy relief money primarily to rehabilitate housing that was damaged during the storm last November. But many expressed reservations, referring to the plan’s lack of detail and the delay in getting funds to those who have been waiting for months. “How soon will […]
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Bike share programs are taking over the nation
By: Georgia Lobb If you don’t have a bike, get one now. The future of commuting seems to be standing on two wheels. According to Bikeshare.com, 2013 is the year of the bike. “In 2013, North America will likely see the addition of eighteen new bike share programs, growing approximately 50 percent from 2012. This […]
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Opposition grows to Bridgewater project; sweeteners added
Stamford — Gov. Dannel Malloy’s plan to pay Bridgewater Associates $115 million to move from Westport to his hometown’s waterfront has gotten a little sweeter for Stamford. The developer for the giant hedge fund’s new headquarters, Building and Land Technologies (BLT), recently agreed to pay for $5 million in improvements throughout the city. They include: Renovating a […]
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Laughing at public transit
By: Georgia Lobb Last summer, I took public transportation almost every day in Boston. Without fail, every time I rode, I’d see a total oddity. It seems like you can’t ride a subway or train these days without seeing something alarming. Whether it’s a woman eating mayonnaise out of a jar, an old man reading […]
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After Boston bombings, many transportation entities beefed up security
By: Georgia Lobb Photo courtesy of ConnDOT In light of the tragic marathon bombings in Boston, transportation authorities are taking extra precautions and urging travelers to help keep public transit safe. Last Monday’s act of violence prompted many transportation entities in New England to beef up security. After the attack, the Federal Aviation Administration mandated […]