Don’t know what to do in the face of the scrutiny brought to bear by the #MeToo movement? Founder Tarana Burke offered a suggestion: Use some common sense.
#MeToo founder: Do better
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Okjakian shares his revised Students First consolidation plan
This week the Board of Regents will convene to discuss, among other things, our proposed revisions to the Students First consolidation plan. In keeping with the promise to keep you informed, I am sharing our recommendation to the Board in advance of the meeting. I encourage all of you to review the Staff Report that will be discussed in detail during the Board meeting on Thursday.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Can Connecticut’s economy be fixed ?
Connecticut’s economy has been stagnant now for two decades. Employment remains at 2000 levels and a major exodus of jobs, firms and residents is underway. How can this have occurred for the nation’s wealthiest state sandwiched between the two modern high-tech industrial powerhouses of Boston and New York City?
Posted inPolitics
Senate approves massive defense bill, but trims number of F-35s
WASHINGTON – The Senate late Monday approved a $716 billion defense authorization bill that trims the number of F-35’s the Pentagon can purchase this year, but allows for more spending on Electric Boat submarine programs and Sikorsky-made helicopters. “Five percent of our country’s defense spending is done in Connecticut,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal said.
Posted inHealth
Murphy blames higher health insurance costs on Trump
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said Monday that the continuing attacks on the Affordable Care Act by President Trump and congressional Republicans are leading to higher insurance rates and jeopardizing care of Americans with pre-existing medical conditions.
Posted inPolitics
Bob Stefanowski qualifies for GOP primary
Republican voters will have at least four candidates for governor in the Aug. 14 primary as the secretary of the state’s office confirmed Monday that Bob Stefanowski had collected sufficient signatures for a place on the ballot.
Posted inTransportation
Hartford line hoopla ends, and new commuting era begins
Bronx resident Thomas Rome would regularly crisscross between New York City and Hartford by car for nearly three hours to practice as a lawyer at his two offices. On Monday, Rome said his life completely changed when he joined other weekday commuters in riding CTRail’s newly launched Hartford Line.
Posted inPolitics
Poll: Strong opposition to Trump policy of separating immigrant children from parents
WASHINGTON – Americans voters oppose the Trump administration’s policy of separating immigrant children from their parents by a large margin — 66 to 27 percent — a new Quinnipiac University poll shows. The same poll, released Monday, indicated American voters also support, 79 – 15 percent, allowing immigrants who were brought to the United States as children, known as “dreamers,” to remain here and ultimately to apply for citizenship.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
A Connecticut psychiatrist reflects on suicide
I’m no stranger to suicide. There are days I ask a dozen or more people:
“Do you have thoughts of killing yourself?”
“Are these more than thoughts?”
“Do you have a plan?”
It’s a “suicide ladder,” a series of questions that lets someone discuss their thoughts, plans, and history of self-annihilation and how close they are to irrevocable action.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Free college that is actually FREE!
Many complain about the high cost of college. I often read about free college. Bernie Sanders comes to mind. I like some of the principles that Bernie advocates, but exactly how many trillions of dollars will Bernie’s free college actually cost? And who will pay?
PROPOSITION: Allow adjuncts at community colleges to teach as volunteers.
Posted inEconomic Development
A crash course on luring sports betting from the shadows
It was an eclectic audience at a seminar to learn about a business still illegal in Connecticut, if for the moment. There was an OTB guy from Suffolk, N.Y., a casino and horse-track general manager from Ruidoso Downs, N.M., the Harvard-educated consumer-protection commissioner of Connecticut, and three silent observers from the National Hockey League.
The agenda: How to make a buck by taking bets on sports.
Posted inPolitics
House set to vote on GOP immigration bills that CT Dems are likely to oppose
WASHINGTON– The U.S. House plans to vote on two immigration bills this week aimed at helping young immigrants known as “dreamers” and ending the practice of separating children at the border from their undocumented parents.. But there’s no guarantee either bill will pass, and neither is expected to win the support of Connecticut’s Democratic U.S. House members.
Posted inHealth
How America got hooked on a deadly drug
Purdue Pharma left almost nothing to chance in its whirlwind marketing of its new painkiller OxyContin. From 1996 to 2002, Purdue pursued nearly every avenue in the drug supply and prescription sales chain — a strategy now cast as reckless and illegal in more than 1,500 federal civil lawsuits from communities in Florida to Wisconsin […]
Posted inNews
The politics of money — and more emotional concerns
In politics and government, it often boils down to the money. But when it doesn’t, things can get emotional, as they did last week.
Posted inHousing
New partnership makes housing domestic violence victims easier
A new partnership between two state advocacy groups is enabling the state to provide more housing for the victims of domestic violence than either organization could alone, they and state officials say.