Congressional Delegation Announces $51m in for CT Disaster Relief
(Hartford, CT) – Today, the Connecticut Congressional Delegation announced over $51 million dollars in disaster relief funds for the Connecticut Department of Transportation in the wake of both Hurricane Irene and the October snowstorm. Two separate grants were awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Emergency Relief Program and will go toward repair and reconstruction of roads that were damaged as a result of the storms.
“These resources will go a long way to restore and rebuild Connecticut after two devastating storms in a row,” said the delegation. “The funding will provide the resources needed to repair our damaged roads, highways, and infrastructure so Connecticut residents can travel safely.”
Kodak Teeters on Bankruptcy
The 131-year-old company is still making last-ditch efforts to sell off some of its patent portfolio and could avoid Chapter 11 if it succeeds, one of the people said. But the company has started making preparations for a filing in case those efforts fail, including talking to banks about some $1 billion in financing to keep it afloat during bankruptcy proceedings, the people said.
William Petit Engaged To Photographer
With two trials of his family’s killers now behind him, Dr. William Petit Jr., the lone survivor of the 2007 deadly Cheshire home invasion, plans to marry again.
In an email Wednesday, Petit, 55, said no date has been set for his marriage to Christine Paluf. Petit’s mother, Barbara Petit, said the couple became engaged after Christmas.
BOGO? 1 in 30 U.S. newborns is a twin
ATLANTA —More U.S. women are having twins these days. The reason? Older moms and fertility treatments.
One in every 30 babies born in the U.S. is a twin — an astounding increase over the last three decades, according to a government report issued Wednesday. In 1980, only 1 in every 53 babies was a twin.
Fire on Worth Street in Bridgeport
Congressional redistricting: Supreme Court appoints ‘special master’
With politicians stuck on a partisan tug of war over Bridgeport and New Britain, the redrawing of Connecticut’s congressional districts — constitutionally mandated to follow each federal census — has fallen to the Connecticut Supreme Court to resolve.
On Friday, Dec. 30, 2011, the court appointed Professor Nathaniel Persily as the “special master” who will assist the court in resolving the redistricting issue. He is the Charles Keller Beekman Professor of Law and Political Science at Columbia University Law School.
Flatto quits state job to take Jewish Home post
FAIRFIELD — After eight months on the job as the state’s executive director of special revenue and gaming, former First Selectman Kenneth Flatto has resigned to take a position with the Jewish Home for the Elderly. Read full story…
2 Families Homeless After Bridgeport Fire
Two families at 33 Orange Street in Bridgeport are left out in the cold as a fire swept through the two family home around 10pm Tuesday night. Occupants told me they thought a tenant on the 2nd floor put a cigarette into the trash that may not have been fully extinguished. Assistant Fire Chief Dominick Carfi could not verify this being so early in the investigation but said there was a trash can in the back and that it was in fact fully involved. Fire fighters did rescue a dog and reunited him with his owner. It was not determined how many were left homeless from the fire. No firefighters were injured. Icing conditions were a concern, I noticed it was 17 degrees when I returned to my car.
Viral Video Leads To Hyundai Commerial
Although this is not a local to Connecticut story this commercial has been playing almost non stop on Connecticut air waves during the holidays….it was bugging me…..I’ve seen this pretty face before. I sometimes meet hundreds of people a week so I had to investigate. Turns out I was right I’ve seen her on the the video that went viral this year called the People of Walmart. The video pokes fun of photos taken of customers of Walmart in all sorts of interesting outfits. There is an actual website called the People of Walmart. If you haven’t been here before you will be stunned at how people will leave their home to go shopping! You will probably spend a lot of time with wide eyes!
Her name is Jessica Frech and she has had over 12 million views on her YouTube account last year. All though she has that “girl next door” look, put a little makeup and a wig and she looks totally different. Look closely at the Walmart video and Hyundai commercial. Jessica is currently a college student trying to gather enough funds to produce an album of her songs. See here website here. The Hyundai commercial was her first professional video, all the other video she produced herself with the help of her family. Her Youtube channel is worth a look at her talent. She parodies not only Walmart but airport security, Harry Potter even to a deep desire to use the restroom on the freeway! As a professional video producer I find her creativity well above average.
Magazine/Website Adweek was not so kind in their opinion with the ad: “It’s basically an old-school FreeCreditReport.com-style jingle, but without the addictive hook. You can’t really blame the agency, Innocean, because Frech says she was in charge creatively from beginning to end. ” I’m sure the bottom line will be how many people went to a Hyundai dealership as a result of the commercial. I’m certain this won’t be the last time we see Jessica online or on TV.