There probably won’t be any inflammatory footage of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy reacting to news that a vote by an AFSCME unit yesterday has left the SEBAC concession deal all but dead. He is in Washington D.C. for a meeting about a jobs program for returning veterans, ruling out any encounters with state Capitol reporters.
In D.C., Malloy has an enforced day of cooling off over AFSCME
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AFSCME unit rejects concessions, making ratification unlikely
Chances of state employees ratifying their tentative concession agreement all but disappeared Tuesday night as a major AFSCME bargaining unit rejected the deal, leaving the last, slim hope for passage in the hands of a constituency hostile to givebacks: correction officers. The last chance for ratification by AFSCME, whose rejection would doom the concessions, now […]
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States review options after high court ruling on global warming lawsuit
WASHINGTON–Connecticut and other states on the losing side of Monday’s Supreme Court ruling limiting their ability to force reductions in greenhouse gas emissions now face a strategic dilemma. Do they count on Washington regulators, working on a high-stakes environmental issue in a politically-charged climate, to push ahead with federal rules requiring power plants to cut […]
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For one physician, health reform means more time with patients
WASHINGTON–If federal Medicare officials need a star for their new public service ads touting preventive care benefits for seniors, Dr. Rebecca Andrews, a clinic director at the UConn Health Center, would be perfect for the role. Andrews, the Health Center’s associate medical director for general medicine, says her practice-among Medicare patients at least-has been transformed […]
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For some, going without health insurance is an act of faith
WINDSOR–Yvonne Mitto didn’t have health insurance when she had sinus surgery this winter, and she couldn’t be happier. She had her bills covered and, along with them, people across the country praying for her. “It was amazing,” she said. Mitto belongs to Medi-Share, a health care sharing ministry in which she and other members contribute […]
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Thirty years into HIV/AIDS epidemic, challenges and misperceptions remain
Americans are no more likely to get an HIV test now than they were 14 years ago, and they are less likely to say HIV/AIDS is an urgent health problem. At the same time, the percentage of Americans who say they are “very concerned” about becoming infected with the virus has inched up, and stigma […]
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Healy rules out sticking around as GOP chair
Waiting at Union Station in New Haven to pick up kin for his testimonial tonight, Chris Healy definitively ruled out staying on as GOP state chair while the party coalesces behind a successor. In fact, you could say he was Shermanesque. “Oh, definitely. Sherman on steroids,” Healy said. The contest for Republican state chairman seemed […]
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Bernier announces support of 60 Republican leaders
Republican candidate Justin Bernier announced the support of 60 Republican leaders for his campaign in the 5th Congressional District Tuesday afternoon, one year ahead of the 2012 Connecticut Republican Convention. Justin Bernier The list of supporters includes Republican activists, officeholders, and town committee members from 27 municipalities across western Connecticut. Thirty-eight of the 60 supporters […]
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Himes weighs in on Obama’s Afghanistan speech before the prez delivers it
Rep. Jim Himes isn’t waiting to hear what President Barack Obama has to say about U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan tomorrow night. He’s weighing in now, a full 24 hours before the president’s scheduled speech tomorrow night. In a pre-speech statement, the 4th District Democrat hinted that he might not be too happy with what […]
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Despite efforts, wrong-site surgeries hard to eliminate
Health care experts thought eliminating surgeries performed on the wrong patient or body part would be a simple job, but seven years after the launch of a major effort to eradicate the medical errors, experts say the problem is more complicated, Sandra G. Boodman writes for Kaiser Health News. In fact, some experts say the […]
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Bysiewicz finds a campaign manager in Florida
To oversee her U.S. Senate race, Susan Bysiewicz has found a campaign manager, Jonathan Ducote, willing to go the distance on past campaigns, including competing with a client in a triathlon as a fundraising gimmick. Ducote, 29, arrived in Connecticut last month, about a week after helping elect Alvin Brown as the first African-American mayor […]
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Austin, Liang to lead health center on interim basis
Former UConn President Philip E. Austin, who just finished serving as interim university president, will become the university’s interim vice president for health affairs until a permanent replacement is found for Dr. Cato Laurencin, the medical school dean and vice president for health affairs. Dr. Bruce Liang, director of the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology […]
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Poll finds shift toward more libertarian views
An ongoing CNN poll has produced signs that Americans are leaning toward more libertarian views than in past years, Nate Silver says at FiveThirtyEight, his New York Times blog, as more people express the belief that government is trying to do too much and should stay away from social issues.His analysis is based on two […]
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FDA unveils new, graphic cigarette warning labels
With the decline in smoking rates stalled, the Food and Drug Administration has unveiled new graphic warning labels for cigarette packs that will be required next year. The warning labels come in nine versions. One shows a man smoking through a hole in his throat with the words “Warning: Cigarettes Are Addictive.” Others show a […]
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Community college chancellor retired and rehired with no notice
In an unusual footnote to the controversial merger of three state higher education institutions, Community College Chancellor Marc Herzog apparently retired as of May 31, notified his Board of Trustees on June 3 and–it was disclosed Monday–was rehired on a temporary basis effective June 1 for $14,500 a month on top of his $14,000 monthly […]