Conservation advocates hope to clear a crucial hurdle this spring toward establishing tougher standards for the sale or transfer of state property.
Advocates push to ban under-the-radar sales of state property
Posted inJustice
Malloy tries again to expand reach of juvenile courts
In a Boys & Girls Club not far from the State Capitol, the administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy renewed its push Wednesday to expand the reach of the juvenile court system, a reform endorsed by a leading criminal justice expert at Harvard and imitated by the states of Illinois, Massachusetts and Vermont.
Posted inPolitics
Unofficial results by town in the special elections
Hungry for numbers in the three special elections Tuesday? The secretary of the state’s office just released unofficial results showing Douglas McCrory won the 2nd Senate with 72 percent, Eric Berthel won the 32nd Senate with 54 percent and Dorinda Borer won the 115th House with 61 percent.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Lembo says CT finances remain slightly in the black
Despite nonpartisan analysts’ recent warning that eroding state income tax receipts were pushing Connecticut’s finances into the red, Comptroller Kevin P. Lembo countered Wednesday that the budget remains marginally in the black.
Posted inHealth, Politics
AMA ‘alarmed’ political influence could sway DOJ on Anthem-Cigna merger
Updated at 6:25 p.m.
WASHINGTON — The American Medical Association, says it is “alarmed” Anthem may be taking advantage of changes in leadership in the Justice Department that would “bend antitrust laws” and result in a settlement of the federal case that has blocked its merger with Cigna.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
The sanctuary cities debate is about to get crazier
When I saw the news, the first thing that came to mind was: Oh, great. Here come the raging maniacs who know nothing about sanctuary cities but nonetheless demand that President Trump do something about them.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Join the movement: One person, one vote
Reform the Electoral College so the electoral vote reflects the nationwide popular vote for President. Many believe we are a democratic country, maybe even the top democracy in the world, but the United States was founded as a Constitutional Republic. And as of last month, The Democracy Index Report (issued annually by The Economist, Intelligence Unit) has demoted the U.S. to a “flawed democracy.” It’s time to reform the election system for president so that our votes here in Connecticut matter.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Millstone is looking for deeper pockets, not bigger markets
Connecticut is at a crossroads. Now more than ever, we face a time when economic uncertainty abounds, energy costs are high, and public dollars for our seniors, schools, and underserved are scarce. But Dominion Resources, Inc., the Virginia-based Fortune 500 company that owns the Millstone nuclear plant in Waterford, wants a payout – courtesy of Connecticut consumers. Giving Millstone a payout would be wrong for several reasons.
Posted inPolitics
Gentler Trump fails to win over CT Dems
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump sought to shift his tone during his first address to Congress, striving for unity and renewal – but did not succeed in bridging a partisan divide. For Connecticut’s Democrats, there was little to like.
Posted inPolitics
Democrats win 2 of 3, keep control of General Assembly
In three special elections Tuesday night, Connecticut voters did nothing to shift the balance of power in the evenly split Senate or closely divided House, despite furious efforts to make one race a referendum on President Trump and another on Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.
Posted inEducation
Federal monitor: DCF can’t meet requirements under ‘current conditions’
After moving closer to compliance with its court supervision exit plan in the first quarter of 2016, the state Department of Children and Families was unable to make additional progress in the second and third quarters of 2016, a federal court monitor reported Tuesday. The court monitor put much of the blame for DCF’s continued failure to meet certain compliance standards on the state government.
Posted inHealth
2018 exchange plans could cover fewer hospitals, doctors, drugs
Insurance companies that sell coverage through the state’s health insurance exchange next year will be allowed to cover fewer hospitals, doctors and prescription drugs under changes the exchange’s board approved Tuesday. Officials hope those changes could help offset rate increases caused by the increased price and use of medical care and prescription drugs.
Posted inNews
Crackdown means deportation for New Haven immigrant
Wilmer Galo-Andino, a 46-year-old supermarket worker who has lived in New Haven for 12 years, is the first publicly known, local undocumented immigrant affected by a policy change ordered by President Donald Trump.
Posted inPolitics
Before and after Trump speech, Democrats pitching for cash
An email solicitation from Connecticut Democrats anticipated bad news Tuesday night in President Trump’s congressional address: “You can expect the GOP Congress to stay on their fee clapping as he talks about defunding Planned Parenthood, stripping away gun reforms, and repealing Obamacare.” But what’s been bad for the Democratic agenda has been decent for its fundraising.
Posted inEducation
State releases revamped grades for every school – and most drop
The zero-to-100 grade the state gives every public school and district each year declined for the vast majority of public schools and districts. But the state’s education commissioner said the widespread declines should be seen as part of a recalibration of the grading system. Most students scored better on standardized tests.