Without two key information technology workers who retired last fall, the state Department of Labor might not be able to adapt its computer system to new unemployment benefit extension requirements in time to get checks out to state residents, an agency official said Thursday. The department wants to hire back the two retirees, but can’t […]
DOL retirements jeopardize unemployment checks?
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House confirms nomination of lawyer in gay marriage case
The House of Representatives voted 129 to 10 on Thursday to confirm the nomination of Maureen M. Murphy, a lawyer who played a pivotal role in the legalization of same-sex marriage in Connecticut, to the Superior Court. Murphy’s nomination overcame opposition at her confirmation hearing Wednesday about her role as a court-appointed guardian for an […]
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Mohegans, Pequots and goals for Internet gaming
Washington — When it comes to Internet gambling, the owners of Connecticut’s two tribal casinos agree on some things and disagree on others, differences that will come into sharper focus if Congress takes steps to regulate online betting. Both the Mohegans and the Mashantucket Pequots expect Internet gaming to bring new revenues to their tribe. […]
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When it comes to the Post Office, Southern Connecticut’s loss is Hartford’s gain
To save money and in preparation for a change in the delivery of first class mail, the U.S. Postal Service announced Thursday that it plans to shut down all mail processing centers in southern Connecticut, transferring the work to facilities in Hartford and Springfield, Mass. That did not sit well with Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a […]
Posted inEducation, Health, Money
Jackson Lab hires first scientist for Connecticut institute
An American geneticist who works in Singapore and developed techniques for sequencing and mapping DNA is the first scientist to be hired for The Jackson Laboratory’s planned Connecticut institute. Yijun Ruan is currently associate director and senior group leader at the Genome Institute of Singapore and serves as a professor of biochemistry at the National […]
Posted inEducation
‘Retroactively Validating’ the state’s takeover of Bridgeport school board
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is asking lawmakers now to validate the state’s takeover eight months ago of the Bridgeport Board of Education. “This legislation would eliminate any lingering questions and validate that action,” said Andrew McDonald, the administration’s lead counsel. The state Supreme Court heard arguments in October on whether the State Board of Education […]
Posted inEducation, Health, Money
Groups want 20 minutes of physical activity in elementary schools, other steps against obesity
A coalition of health advocacy groups devoted to fighting childhood obesity wants lawmakers to call for 20 consecutive minutes of physical activity a day for elementary school students, expand the availability of school athletic facilities to community members, and create a state council on childhood and adult obesity. The recently formed Connecticut Coalition Against Childhood […]
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A judicial confirmation hearing goes off script
The Malloy administration prepped Maureen M. Murphy for her judicial confirmation hearing Wednesday with questions about her sexual orientation and the pivotal role she played in the legalization of gay marriage in Connecticut. But the legislature’s Judiciary Committee endorsed her nomination to the Superior Court on a 31-9 vote without a single comment or question […]
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Towns hear two different tales on state’s finances, economy
Cromwell — Leaders of Connecticut’s small towns were left to read the fiscal tea leaves Wednesday as state leaders offered two starkly contrasting views of Connecticut’s finances. While Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and his fellow Democrats leading the House and Senate declared fiscal stability and pledged to continue trying to bolster municipal budgets, GOP legislative leaders […]
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Regionalizing schools: a carrot or a stick?
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has grown impatient waiting for small school districts to team up with nearby districts to shave costs. He wants the state to significantly scale back the amount it sends towns such as Canaan, which spends $22,450 for each of the 139 students it educates each year, the most expensive per-student spending […]
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Two different takes on state’s finances, economy
Cromwell — Leaders of Connecticut’s small towns were left to read the fiscal tea leaves Wednesday as state leaders offered two starkly contrasting views of Connecticut’s finances. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and his fellow Democrats leading the House and Senate declared fiscal stability and pledged to continue trying to bolster municipal budgets, but GOP legislative […]
Posted inEducation
Teacher union leader: Malloy’s plans for low-achieving schools returns state to the ‘dark ages of labor history’
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s plans to intervene in the state’s lowest-performing schools rely heavily on getting the support from teachers unions. On Wednesday they rejected his proposal, with the leader of the state’s largest teachers union telling the Education Committee it would return them “to the dark ages of labor history.” “Contracts that have been negotiated and […]
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Poor private colleges?
If Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has his way, five private colleges with rich endowments would be kicked out of the running to receive money from the state. The move would cut the $4.8 million the state is currently sending to Trinity College and to Fairfield, Quinnipiac and Wesleyan universities for scholarships for 3,320 students. Yale, […]
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Protesting immigrant crackdown program, activists take over Capitol lobby
More than 100 immigrant advocates crowded the Hall of Flags in the Capitol building Wednesday. They were armed with a letter for Gov. Dannel Malloy protesting Secure Communities, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) program meant to target and deport illegal immigrants with the help of local law enforcement. Secure Communities goes live in […]
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A slightly chastened Esty glides through confirmation
A lightning rod for controversy last year as he oversaw the birth of a new Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Daniel C. Esty glided through a lengthy and ultimately uneventful confirmation hearing Tuesday, even if he dodged questions about new seawalls after Tropical Storm Irene. Esty, the high-profile Yale professor who was a star […]