Washington — Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman is the latest target of a terror campaign that involves packages filled with a powdery substance that initial testing have shown to be harmless. The senator’s Hartford office received a suspicious package Thursday, and staffers quickly quarantined it and called local and Capitol Hill authorities, said Lieberman spokeswoman Whitney […]
Lieberman latest target in terror-by-mail campaign
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Senate Democratic candidates play nice at first debate
Mansfield — As the three Democratic candidates vying to be Connecticut’s next U.S. senator took the stage for their first debate, the directions were simple: keep it positive and don’t attack your Democratic competitors. “Refrain from negative comments,” said Ronald Schurin, a UConn professor who was moderator. “It will not be like the Republican [presidential] […]
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House passes emergency FOI fix
The House of Representatives adopted an emergency fix Thursday to the state’s right-to-know law that could break a legal logjam blocking the release of voter lists and other omnibus public registries. The bill, which passed 120-11 and now heads to the Senate, would allow public agencies to release major voter and property databases without the […]
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DOL retirements jeopardize unemployment checks?
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 […]
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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 […]