NEW HAVEN–On a sunny Saturday morning, dozens of black and Latino teenage boys, dressed sharply in business suits, crowd into a college classroom, confident they are on a path to success that eludes many of their high school classmates. For nearly five hours, they undergo drills on test-taking skills, public speaking, critical thinking – and even […]
Mentoring program challenges black, Latino high school youths
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Bob Conrad, political reporter and columnist, dies at 91
Bob Conrad, a star political writer for the Hartford Times in the days when The Times and The Courant competed for scoops, died Monday in his hometown of Bristol. He was 91. Jon Lender has a nice obit, including the bit of advice that Bob shared with many of us over the years: “Don’t ever […]
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A guide to the debt crisis
As the federal debt ceiling debate approaches the Aug. 2 deadline–or not, for default crisis doubters–ProPublica has put together a list of stories, charts and blogs to help you understand how we got her and where we’re going. Among the references is a link to Slate’s chart of how much cash is left in the […]
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Hartford Hospital getting new CEO
Hartford Hospital will get a new CEO next week, while its current chief executive will continue to lead the hospital’s parent company. Jeffrey A. Flaks, Hartford Hospital’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, will become CEO Monday. President and CEO Elliot Joseph will remain president and CEO of Hartford HealthCare, the parent company. “Hartford […]
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Blumenthal, Lieberman back Reid plan, minus any enthusiasm
Washington’s debt-ceiling drama seems to produce a new proposed plan every day. But for what it’s worth, both of Connecticut’s U.S. senators are on board with the latest solution, put forward by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Reid’s plan would raise the debt ceiling by $2.7 trillion and cut federal deficits by the same amount–$2.7 […]
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Larson, Courtney on frontlines in dealing with allegations against Oregon Dem
House Democrats are confronting another possible sex scandal within their ranks, and two Connecticut lawmakers will be on the frontlines of handling the fallout. The Portland Oregonian reported on Friday that a young woman called the office of Rep. David Wu, D-Ore., this spring and accused him of an “unwanted sexual encounter.” House Minority Leader […]
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Liberal Democrats, Tea Party Republicans skeptical of debt plan
WASHINGTON–What does Rep. John Larson, a Connecticut liberal and congressional veteran, have in common with Rep. Blake Farenthold, a Tea Party freshman from Texas? Both are deeply skeptical about the latest proposal being floated in Washington to raise the nation’s debt ceiling and cut federal spending. Their shared outlook on the current debt-ceiling standoff ends […]
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Program bringing clean energy solutions to Connecticut farms
WILLIMANTIC–Richard Berger and Nancy Roman were on a reconnaissance mission last week for White Flower Farm, the nationally known nursery in Litchfield where they work. “We’re here because of the rising energy costs,” said Berger, White Flower’s facilities engineer. “And the rising costs to heat our greenhouses”–26 of them, about two acres worth. Berger’s tried […]
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Esty, Roberti hold fundraising leads in 5th District
The latest federal campaign finance filings for the eight candidates vying for the 5th District show Democrat Dan Roberti as the fundraising frontrunner, but he loses that distinction to rival Elizabeth Esty when it comes to how much money is immediately available. Roberti raised the largest total amount, almost $557,000, over the first and second […]
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Melding technology and health reform for ‘patient empowerment’
WASHINGTON–Lygeia Ricciardi sits at the intersection of federal health care reform and the digital revolution. Her job, in a nutshell, is to transform lofty and complex public health goals into easy-to-use, Internet-ready “patient empowerment” tools. Ricciardi’s universe is a place where an elderly woman can use a wireless scale to weigh herself each day, with […]
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Obama gets mediocre marks on energy and the environment
More than 2 1/2 years into his presidency, Barack Obama gets a lukewarm assessment from a group of environmentalists and energy experts, Yale Environment 360 reports. Most of the respondents to Environment 360’s inquiry faulted the president for failing to push climate legislation through Congress and for not taking a stronger stand against global warming. […]
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No surprise: No veto overrides attempted
The House and Senate held perfunctory trailer sessions today in case there was an attempt to override any vetoes of the state’s first-year governor, Dannel P. Malloy. As expected, the Democratic legislature made no attempt to overturn any veto by the Democratic governor. In fact, the leadership gaveled open the sessions and then closed them […]
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No word yet on ratification timeline
The State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition issued a brief update today saying they do not have an answer on the biggest question arising from the new tentative concession agreement: How will it be ratified? “As with the ratification process on the previous agreement, individual unions and bargaining units will be determining their own ratification or […]
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Concession talks end with new tentative deal
The administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced a new tentative concession agreement at 10:04 p.m. Friday, setting the stage for another attempt by a coalition of state employee unions to ratify a deal that could stave off mass layoffs and deep budget cuts. “I am pleased that an agreement has been reached,” Malloy said […]
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On debt crisis, it’s Himes vs. Bachmann
WASHINGTON — Last week, a small band of House Republicans, including presidential contender and Tea Party favorite Michele Bachmann, introduced legislation to prioritize federal payments in case Congress does not raise the debt ceiling before the looming Aug. 2 deadline. It’s a contingency plan if the U.S. defaults on its financial obligations, which Bachmann says […]