Weston News: Porta-John On Fire
11:40am--#Weston CT-- Report of a porta-john on fire at Devil's Den Nature Preserve on Morehouse Farm Park. Fire marshal has nothing to go on.... This news report is made possible by:
State Farm To Sponsor DOT Truck
HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced a new sponsorship agreement between the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) and State Farm™ that will allow the department to continue the Connecticut Highway Assistance Motorist Patrol (CHAMP). The program, which will be renamed the “CTDOT State Farm Safety Patrol,” has been in operation for more than 20 years and enhances highway safety by proactively patrolling and assisting stranded motorists, and provides better traffic control at incident scenes to alleviate congestion and prevent secondary crashes. “Keeping our highways safe requires proactive management of daily traffic incidents in order to ensure that anyone involved remains protected and these occurrences do not become exacerbated by secondary accidents,” Governor Malloy said. “Our transportation…
Governor Says Homeless Has Dropped
#HARTFORD, CT– Governor Dannel P. Malloy today is applauding the results of an annual census of homelessness in the state, saying that the point-in-time count confirms that the state’s recent efforts to reduce homelessness and increase access to housing are working. Conducted by the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, this year’s census found that homelessness in Connecticut has decreased for a fourth consecutive year and is at its lowest level to date. Among the statistics found in the census, the nonprofit organization’s report found that: The overall homeless population has decreased 13 percent during the last year and 24 percent since 2007. A total of 415 people were unsheltered – a 38 percent decrease from last year. Few…
Growing Connecticut’s Bioscience Economy
This week, State Senator Bob Duff joined scientists, doctors and legislators at the Yale Center for Genome Analysis to cut the ribbon on two gene-sequencing machines that can map an individual's genes, revealing the cause of a genetic illness. This investment highlights Yale's and Connecticut's commitment to the advancement of health and innovation in medicine and will have far-reaching and positive impacts on our healthcare, our economy and overall well-being for years to come. Investments like this are changing the way we do medicine. We are entering into a revolution where medicine is a science of prediction, prevention, and strategic intervention. Connecticut can be at the cutting edge of that revolution. We know that innovation and the management of big…
Hartford – Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) and Deputy Senate Republican President Pro Tempore Kevin Witkos (R-Canton) are applauding the state Senate’s passage of a bill that removes barriers to employment by reforming the state’s occupational license laws. Senate Bill 191 phases out occupational licenses for jobs that don’t have educational or professional prerequisites. Currently, Connecticut has many occupational licenses workers are required to pay a fee to obtain even for certain occupations that have no educational or certification requirement. In these cases, such licenses amount to a fee on an occupation. This bill removes barriers to employment while still maintaining health and safety protections for consumers. “Here in Connecticut, we need to create more pathways to…
UNANIMOUS PASSAGE OF BILL TO IMPROVE EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA
#Bridgeport CT--Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) celebrated the unanimous, bipartisan passage of a bill on Wednesday that will ensure special education teachers are trained to identify and address dyslexia. House Bill 7254 aims to improve the quality of education received by students with dyslexia by requiring special education teachers to complete a course of study and have supervised practicum hours in the detection and recognition of students who have dyslexia. “Children with dyslexia deserve a proper education, but that can’t happen unless they are first properly diagnosed. There are too many cases where children in our school systems aren’t receiving the help they deserve because of misdiagnosis. It’s frustrating for the teacher, for the parent, and most importantly it’s…
City Of Bridgeport Hosts The Mobile Vietnam Veterans Memorial
BRIDGEPORT, CT –The City of Bridgeport and The Association of Naval Veterans Port 5 is hosting the world traveled Vietnam Veterans Memorial ‘The Wall that Heals’. ‘The Wall that Heals’ is a mobile half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial located in Washington, D.C. built by The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. through Sunday at Seaside Park. The wall was opened to the public on Friday with a ceremony that opened with a Huey Helicopter Eagle One from the Stratford Police Department. State Senator Tony Hwang reminded the audience that freedom is never free. City Council Member Tom McCarthy delivered remarks on behalf of Mayor Joe Ganim who is currently out of the country. McCarthy said that when the…
Governor Reappoints Katz To Consumer Counsel
#Hartford CT--Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that he is re-appointing Elin Swanson Katz of West Hartford to serve another five-year term as Consumer Counsel for the State of Connecticut. The Consumer Counsel is responsible for advocating on behalf of Connecticut consumers on issues relating to electricity, natural gas, telecommunications, and water. “Throughout her tenure in the position, Elin has been a strong advocate on behalf of the Connecticut’s utility customers to serve as their voice in state government on a wide variety of complex issues,” Governor Malloy said. “I thank her for her willingness to continue in this role for another term.” “Representing Connecticut’s consumers as Consumer Counsel has been the highest honor of my career, and…
Governor- Seagull To Oversee Consumer Protection
HARTFORD, CT – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that he is appointing Michelle Seagull of Glastonbury to serve as Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP). Seagull has served as Deputy Commissioner of the agency since 2011, and has filled the position of Acting Commissioner since Jonathan A. Harris stepped down from the position last month. Previously, she was a partner at Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP, where her practice focused on issues related to unfair competition laws. “Since joining the Department of Consumer Protection in 2011, Seagull has served as a strong advocate to protect Connecticut citizens from unfair business practices and unsafe products, while enforcing the federal and state laws that ensure a…
Governor’s Statement On The Budget
#HARTFORD, CT – Governor Dannel P. Malloy released the following statement regarding the inability of the state legislature’s fiscal committees to adopt a budget today: “I am profoundly disappointed that neither Democrats nor Republicans could produce a budget that makes responsible progress toward addressing our fiscal challenges. I stand ready to work with leaders of both parties as they come to terms with the real and growing challenges facing Connecticut. “For now, the only balanced budget proposal is the one I put on the table in February. I will continue to share and discuss that plan publicly, listen to new ideas, and work toward a substantial cost-saving agreement with our state employees. What I will not do is…