While Connecticut lawmakers attended a birthday party with cake and testimonials, Congressional Republicans used Wednesday’s one-year anniversary of the health care reform law to tout their continued attacks on the measure–from full repeal to targeted defunding efforts. “In the coming weeks, you’ll see more votes and more hearings in the House to take this law […]

One year after students and faculty lined up to tell the University of Connecticut’s Board of Trustees that a 5.4 percent hike in tuition and fees was too much, just two students turned out for Wednesday’s board meeting–both worried that 2.5 percent is not enough. “It is not going to sustain us like we need,” […]

The University of Connecticut announced it plans to review the salary levels of all non-faculty administrators, following a barrage of criticism over the salaries of the university’s two top police officers–$246,961 and $193,616. “We hear your criticism, but I want to assure the public that we are responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars,” said Larry McHugh, […]

FARMINGTON–For the state’s first stem cell symposium, held in 2007 and called StemCONN, the organizers relied on imported talent. Experts came from universities in other states to discuss the emerging field, which had a relatively modest footprint in Connecticut. Four years and close to $30 million in state research grants later, StemCONN 2011 showcased what […]

WASHINGTON–In 2009, Bolton and Vernon were moving full speed ahead on a vital $25 million sewer project to replace inadequate septic systems serving the area’s residents. But as construction was about to start, local officials got bad news from Washington: $2 million in federal aid was suddenly being yanked. It wasn’t because federal officials questioned […]

Politically speaking, the world seemed to be divided into two warring camps on Wednesday, which marked the one-year anniversary of the health reform law’s passage. On one side, Democrats devoted the day to tout the sweeping overhaul, and on the other, Republicans spent the day blasting it. Connecticut’s independent Sen. Joseph Lieberman chose none of […]

Even as President Barack Obama opened up a new military campaign in Libya this week, Rep. Chris Murphy and other House Democrats are calling on him to stick to his pledge to end the war in Afghanistan-and soon. Obama has long vowed to begin drawing down U.S. troops from Afghanistan this summer. But just in […]

Another example of how words can affect survey results: A new Quinnipiac University poll finds that people are  more likely to support the ability of public employee unions to negotiate wages and benefits when it’s referred to as “collective bargaining rights” rather than just “collective bargaining.” In a telephone survey of 1,384 voters in Ohio, […]

Treasurer Denise Nappier today named Jonathan Harris, a former Democratic state senator from West Hartford, as deputy treasurer. Harris unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for secretary of the state in 2010, ending his legislative career. After failing to win the endorsement of the convention, Harris declined to wage a primary against the winner, Denise Merrill. […]

STAMFORD–Gov. Dannel P. Malloy scanned the auditorium Tuesday night, looking for familiar faces. His budget director, a former official in his mayoral administration, sat up in the balcony, as did at least one of the governor’s six brothers. Malloy saw them and grinned. The ninth in the governor’s series of town hall meetings on the […]

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy‘s proposal to give local school districts control of the state’s vocational-technical schools starting this fall will be delayed for study, a co-chair of the legislature’s Education Committee said Monday. “It’s hard for me to see how you can implement a plan before you even have a plan,” said Rep. Andrew Fleischmann, […]

The state Department of Children and Families has for years relied on congregate facilities to house abused and neglected children — but the new commissioner is backing an initiative that would place restrictions on putting its youngest children at such facilities. “It really is the best thing to do,” said Commissioner Joette Katz. On any […]

A group of cardiologists and cardiac care associates has pulled its support for the proposed state-run SustiNet health plan because lawmakers removed a malpractice liability protection provision from the bill. Four other medical groups previously expressed concern about the move and warned that they could reconsider their positions on the proposal. But the Connecticut Chapter […]

Mark Ojakian threw back his head and laughed when asked how he became point man for Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s efforts to wring $1 billion from state employees. “I don’t know,” Ojakian said. “I kept saying to the governor, ‘I thought you liked me.’ “ Most people do, in fact, seem to like Ojakian, a […]