WASHINGTON — A rare compromise between the White House and House Republicans on how to help Puerto Rico has received cautious acceptance from Connecticut lawmakers and advocates who had rejected previous congressional efforts to help an island mired in a severe financial crisis.
CT lawmakers, advocates open to new Puerto Rico bill
Posted inEducation
Hartford school chief says budget woes will impact desegregation efforts
WASHINGTON —Hartford School Superintendent Beth Schiavino-Narvaez told a national forum here Friday that city and state budget crises are affecting Hartford’s public schools at a critical juncture in their fight against economic and racial segregation.
Posted inJustice, Money
Number of youths jailed before trial to drop drastically
The number of juveniles incarcerated while they await trial is expected to be cut in half starting Jan. 1, when legislation the governor is expected to sign will significantly limit the reasons a child can be locked up.
Posted inMoney
More than 900 state jobs eliminated since layoffs began
More than 900 state full-time employees have been laid off since the Executive and Judicial branches began downsizing earlier this spring, according to reports issued late this week. In addition, 61 temporary workers have lost their jobs.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Entrepreneurship is alive, well and expanding among Connecticut’s youth
Yesterday, 55 kids from grades 4-12 – winners of the Connecticut Invention Convention (CIC) here in Connecticut — were sent off by Gov. Dannel Malloy, well-wishing parents and others to the inaugural K-12 National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo in Washington, D.C. All sporting their orange CIC competitor T-shirts from the recent finals event at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, and carrying inventions ranging from a next-generation CPAP mask for hospitals to a new piezoelectric shoe insert to stimulate foot nerves for diabetics, these kids represent the best of the future workforce of Connecticut. In D.C., they will be part of a group of more than 260 young inventor and entrepreneur finalists from 15 states, gathered for the first time to celebrate the best of American ingenuity and creativity through invention and entrepreneurship.
Posted inHealth
Five health issues presidential candidates aren’t talking about
In the next few years the nation faces many important decisions about health care — most of which have little to do with the controversial federal health law. Here are five issues candidates should be discussing, but largely are not.
Posted inTransportation
Senate would allow Amtrak to keep profits in Northeast Corridor
WASHINGTON — Congress will fall short of approving the $1.9 billion President Obama sought to subsidize Amtrak’s nationwide operations, but it is, for the first time, moving to rope off money for the Northeast corridor, the only profitable routes for the passenger rail line.
Posted inNews
Some juvenile jail staff forced to work 18-hour shifts after layoffs
Some state employees at the state-run jails for juvenile offenders are being forced at times to work 18 consecutive hours in the wake of 106 layoffs, state officials told the state panel that oversees juvenile justice Thursday.
Posted inMoney, Politics
New CT budget contributes to credit downgrades from Wall Street
The new state budget’s ability to mitigate longstanding fiscal problems got poor marks Thursday on Wall Street as two of the four major rating agencies downgraded Connecticut’s credit ranking — probably boosting borrowing costs in the future.
Posted inMoney
Connecticut jobless rate remained at 5.7 percent in April
Connecticut added 3,500 jobs last month, but the unemployment rate remained at 5.7 percent, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday.
Posted inPolitics
Ann Brookes will not wage GOP primary in 2nd Congressional
Ann Brookes, who narrowly lost the Republican endorsement for the 2nd Congressional District nomination, said Thursday she will not wage a primary against Daria Novak. The GOP, which last won a Connecticut congressional race in 2006, now looks to be primary-free in all five House districts.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
‘Starvation mode’ for Connecticut, our nation’s richest state?
“CT legislature undermining the future of its higher education system” by CCSU Professor John O’Connor makes a lot of sense. However, I object to the title because it may be wrong to indict our representatives. Certainly recent budget issues are focusing our media, but I think it’s not just legislators or leaders who are failing […]
Posted inPolitics
Aresimowicz’ challenging path as House leader and union man
Sal Luciano of AFSCME Council 4 does not hide his displeasure with House Majority Leader Joe Aresimowicz over his role in passing a budget that cuts services and eliminates state jobs rather than following labor’s prescription of raising taxes on the rich. And Luciano is more than just another union bigwig. He is Aresimowicz’s boss.
Posted inHealth
Uninsured rates dropping in Connecticut and across the country
Nine out of 10 working-age adults in the United States were covered by health insurance last year, and the number of uninsured continues to decline, according to new figures released by the federal government.
Posted inEducation, Politics
Teachers object to Obama administration plan for poor schools
WASHINGTON — As the Obama administration rolls out rules on how to implement the nation’s new federal education law, one proposal could shake up how money is spent on schools in the state’s poor neighborhoods.