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Connecticut Weighs Pros and Cons of Hydropower While Connecticut elected officials want to import hydroelectric power from Canada, one group said the option would not be as environmentally conscious as it might seem. Hydropower turbines are known for injuring or killing the migrating fish passing through them. Environmental advocates feel other considerations must be made, especially as the U.S. ...(Read More)

CT Groups, Unions Call for Public-Health Reforms Health-care professionals and advocates in Connecticut have said it will take sweeping reforms to bolster the state's flailing public health system. At the labor union 1199 SEIU's Health-Care Policy Symposium, experts spoke of the system's long-time underfunding and staffing shortages. A union-related group, called Expand Services to Save Lives, wants to see part of the state's multi-billion-dollar surplus used to address the issues - including $30 million to recruit and retain public-health workers. ...(Read More)

CT Educators Want Prompt Action to End Teacher Shortage Connecticut, along with most of the United States, faces a teacher shortage. The shortage has caused class sizes to increase and teachers to experience burnout more quickly. In a 2022 Gallup poll, 44% of K-through-12 teachers said "burnt out" is how they feel. ...(Read More)

Grant Funding Aims to Uncover CT Health Disparities Several hospital systems and community health centers in Connecticut have been awarded grants to help fight health inequity. The Connecticut Health Foundation awarded 24 grants, totaling just over $1 million, for health centers and medical systems across the state. The largest number of grants are focused on getting more and better data about race, ethnicity and language preferences. ...(Read More)

Advocates Seek Expansion of CT Public Health for Immigrants Connecticut lawmakers are being asked to expand HUSKY - the state's Medicaid program - to include immigrants, regardless of their status. Two years ago, legislation was passed to provide HUSKY Medicaid for undocumented children from birth to age eight, and for pre- and postnatal care for pregnancies of undocumented people beginning this year. Last year, kids were added up to age 12. ...(Read More)

Critics: CT State of State Address Not Bold Enough Governor Ned Lamont's State of the State speech addressed numerous issues affecting the state, but some felt it did not go far enough. Lamont spoke about growing the state's workforce to fill vacant jobs, a middle-class tax cut, and rising housing and health-care costs. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, 66% of Connecticut's extremely low-income renters are severely cost burdened. ...(Read More)

AARP Connecticut esboza objetivos legislativos para 2023 A medida que comienza la sesión legislativa de 2023 de la Asamblea General de Connecticut, AARP Connecticut está impaciente por sumergirse en ciertos temas. Algunos temas en los que quiere centrarse este año incluyen los ingresos de jubilación, hogares de ancianos, cuidados a largo plazo, y hacer que los servicios públicos sean más accesibles. Los precios de los medicamentos recetados será un punto central para el grupo también. ...(Read More)

AARP Connecticut Outlines 2023 Legislative Goals As the Connecticut General Assembly's 2023 legislative session begins, AARP Connecticut is eager to dive into key issues for seniors and consumers, including retirement income, nursing homes, long-term care, and making utilities more affordable. Prescription drug prices will be a particular focal point. According to a 2022 report from the U.S. ...(Read More)

CT Facing Rise in Evictions Connecticut is seeing a record high number of evictions. During 2022, the state recorded more than 21,000 evictions filed, despite a decline from 2017 to 2020, according to the Connecticut Fair Housing Center. One of the driving factors for this increase is rising rent and a higher cost of living due to inflation. ...(Read More)

EPA Provides Grants for Long Island Sound Conservation Efforts The Environmental Protection Agency is awarding more than $10 million in grant funding to aid conservation efforts in Long Island Sound. The 2022 grants from the Long Island Sound Futures Fund will reach more than 300,000 people through environmental-education programs. Mark Tedesco, director of the EPA's Long Island Sound office, said the fund is multi-purpose, with numerous goals to accomplish. ...(Read More)

Labor Advocates Want Congress to Approve NLRB Funding Boost Labor advocates are asking Congress to better fund the National Labor Relations Board in its upcoming budget. The NLRB budget has declined 25% since 2014. However, as support for unions has risen, the agency needs more funding to handle these cases. ...(Read More)

A Decade after Sandy Hook, Assault-Weapons Ban Demands Continue On the ten-year anniversary of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, a local organization is still working to see a national assault-weapons ban. Newtown Action Alliance, founded briefly after the Sandy Hook shooting, has been active in getting Connecticut's assault weapons ban passed. The group has also spoken with congressional officials about a national ban. ...(Read More)

CT Sierra Club Looks Back on 2022, Ahead to 2023 As the year comes to a close, the Sierra Club of Connecticut is looking back on some of its accomplishments and challenges. The group focuses on battling climate change and supporting environmentally friendly policies. Its members have worked in 2022 for phasing out fossil fuel incentives at the state's Energy Efficiency Board, and to establish an electricity rate for lower-income households. ...(Read More)

New CT Audubon Society Report Showcases Conservation As its 125th anniversary nears, the Connecticut Audubon Society has released a report detailing the effectiveness of conservation efforts in the state. The 2022 "State of the Birds" report found bald eagles making a strong comeback and nesting in numerous towns across the state. It also detailed how ospreys are nesting, thanks to nesting boxes placed throughout the state. ...(Read More)

BBB of Connecticut Warns of Holiday Shopping Scams As holiday shopping begins, there are concerns about consumers running into online shopping scams. According to a 2021 report from the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, nondelivery and nonpayment scams at the holidays cost people more than $337 million. The report also found credit card fraud amounted to another $173 million in losses. ...(Read More)

CT United Way Working on Family Child-Care Network Hub United Way of Connecticut is launching a network hub for family child care providers. The new hub, created in partnership with the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, connects family child care services into regional networks to help families looking for child care. Recent deficiencies in child care have been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. ...(Read More)

CT Voters Adopt Early Voting Amendment A majority of Connecticut voters have elected to allow early voting in the state. Though a similar ballot initiative failed in 2014, this time 60% of Connecticut voters approved the amendment. The goal is to provide people with greater ability to vote. ...(Read More)

CT Residents Against Proposed Water Rate Hikes Some Connecticut residents may be looking at higher water utility prices over the next three years. The state's Public Utilities Regulatory Authority is considering a rate increase over three years from water company Aquarion. The first-year price hike, of 13.9%, is the highest. ...(Read More)

Residentes se oponen a aumentos de tarifas de agua en CT Es posible que algunos residentes de Connecticut experimentarán precios más altos en los servicios públicos de agua durante los próximos tres años. La Autoridad Reguladora de Servicios Públicos del estado o PURA, por sus siglas en inglés, está considerando un aumento de tarifas en un plazo de tres años por parte de la compañía de agua Aquarion. El aumento de precios del primer año, de 13,9 %, es el más alto. ...(Read More)

CT Group Hosts Day of the Dead Celebration Although the official holiday passed earlier this week, a "Day of the Dead" celebration is being held this Saturday in New Haven. The 12th annual event, hosted by Unidad Latina en Accion, includes a parade, traditional foods such as "pan de muertos," and face painting. The Day of the Dead celebrates the lives and spirits of loved ones who have passed away. ...(Read More)