Connecticut News & Current Events

As part of Connecticut's Plan on Aging, more funding has been allocated to bolster senior center programs. This is to help provide services for the state's growing older population, which is set to increase by 57% by 2040. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

'We Welcome Everyone': CT Senior Centers Rebound Post-Pandemic

As Connecticut and the rest of the U.S. leave the COVID-19 pandemic behind, senior centers are welcoming back participants they have not seen in a …

Almost all departments in Connecticut schools saw shortages in 2022, following a long-standing national trend. A 2022 American Federation of Teachers report found before the COVID-19 pandemic, almost 300,000 teachers were leaving the profession each year. (Adobe Stock)

CT Teacher Shortage Worsens As School Year Ends

As the school year ends, Connecticut's teacher shortage seems to have only worsened. In March, school districts across the state reported having 2,60…

A 2023 AARP report finds Connecticut's 420,000 unpaid family caregivers in Connecticut provided care valued at $7.2 billion in 2021. Nationally, these caregivers provided over $600 billion in care during the same period. (Adobe Stock)

CT Unpaid Family Caregivers Working In Strained Conditions

The ongoing healthcare workforce shortage in Connecticut and across the U.S. is straining unpaid family caregivers. A 2023 AARP report finds they …

In 2022, the EPA found three widely used neonicotinoid insecticides harm roughly three-fourths of all endangered plants and animals, along with all 39 species of amphibian protected by the Endangered Species Act. (Adobe Stock)

CT General Assembly Bills Address Pesticide Use

Connecticut's General Assembly is considering legislation which would end the use of certain types of pesticides in the state. Senate Bill 962 and …

Connecticut voters will be asked to add an amendment about no-excuse absentee voting in November 2024. This is when any voter can request a mail-in ballot, rather than have to submit an application to receive a ballot. (Adobe Stock)

CT House Passes Early Voting Plan, Senate Takes Up Bill

Connecticut's House of Representatives has passed a bill implementing an early-voting plan. Elements of the plan include requiring the Secretary of …

According to the National Cancer Institute, some documented cancer health disparities include higher incidence of an aggressive strain of breast cancer in African American women, higher rates of kidney cancer among American Indian or Alaska Natives, and higher rates of liver cancer among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. (Adobe Stock)

CT Needs to Address Health, Cancer Care Inequities

As Connecticut addresses health equity, additional work needs to be done, experts warn. From 2016 to 2022, one third of the state's residents did not …

To implement the changes caregivers are seeking, the State of Connecticut will need an additional $390 million in Medicaid funding for this budget to cover care for the elderly and people with disabilities in long-term care settings and their homes. Currently, federal funding covers 56% of Connecticut's Medicaid expenditures. (Adobe Stock)

CT Caregivers Call on State Leaders for Better Working Conditions

Caregivers in Connecticut are calling on state officials for better conditions and higher pay. They're seeking a $25 an hour minimum wage, paid …

A 2023 Gallup-Lumina Foundation Poll found 36% of Black bachelor-degree students have other responsibilities, such as being a caregiver or working at a full-time job, compared with 18% of other students. (Adobe Stock)

Report Shows Decline in Black Students Enrolling in CT

Black student enrollment in college is declining, according to a recent report. The Lumina Foundation's Level Up report found more than 300,000 Black …

A Connecticut Hospital Association report finds hospitals incurred $1.6 billion in losses during the three years of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

CT, US Hospitals Face Significant Financial Losses

Hospitals in Connecticut and across the nation faced significant financial losses in 2022. A Connecticut Hospital Association report found that …

Across the United States, child populations have declined from 74.2 million to 73.1 million between 2010 and 2020, according to a report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. This contrasts with the child population between 2000 and 2010, which increased by 1.9 million. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT Child Population Continues to Decline

A recent report finds Connecticut's child population declined over the last decade. According to a report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 25% of lawfully present immigrants and almost half (46%) of undocumented immigrants were uninsured in 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Affordable Care Act Access Expanded to DACA Recipients

The Biden administration is expanding access to health coverage under the Affordable Care Act to include young people in the Deferred Action for Child…

Among Black Connecticut residents, 46% get too little sleep, compared with 35% of Hispanic residents and 29% of white residents. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Connecticut Residents Not Getting Enough Sleep

Along with the rest of the U.S., Connecticut residents are not getting enough sleep. Connecticut ranked 24th in insufficient sleep, according to the …

A new report finds the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative has created a 50% increase in economic growth per capita for the 12 states in it. However, experts worry it isn't as effective in helping communities living with the effects of power plant emissions. (Adobe Stock)

Report: RGGI Could Do More than Reduce Emissions

A new report aims to make the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative more effective. The Acadia Center's report finds since the RGGI's creation in 2009…

In 2022, Connecticut became the 47th state to allow early voting when the Early Voting Amendment. But, voter rights advocates feel more needs to be done to guarantee people's rights to vote. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Calling for Passage of CT Voting Rights Act

Connecticut advocates are calling on the General Assembly to pass the state's Voting Rights Act. The bill would enshrine the protections of the …

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, 68% of extremely low-income renter households in Connecticut are severely cost burdened, meaning they spend more than half their monthly income on housing. (Adobe Stock)

CT Councilwoman Redoubles Focus on Housing, Public Safety

One Connecticut elected official is eager to begin addressing issues in focus at the National League of Cities' Congressional City Conference…

According to a report from Connecticut Voices for Children, Connecticut households are more likely to face housing-cost burdens than households across the United States as a whole. Data on evictions shows the high cost of rent relative to income is directly linked to the eviction filing rate in Connecticut towns. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Policy Options to Alleviate CT’s Eviction Crisis

A recent report examines Connecticut's eviction crisis and addresses some solutions to it. The report from Connecticut Voices for Children finds 39% …

A report from the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation found children and young adults will be disproportionately affected by the loss of pandemic-era Medicaid coverage protections. About 4.6 million of those who could lose coverage are Latino. (Adobe Stock)

CT Hispanic Population Faces Risk of Medicaid Coverage Loss

When the pandemic ends this spring, Medicaid's "continuous coverage" requirement will end with it. In Connecticut, the state will start checking …

As part of a new bill up for consideration by the Connecticut General Assembly, landlords would have to provide tenants with 90 days' notice before implementing a rent increase. (Adobe Stock)

CT General Assembly Considers Legislation to Aid Renters

Connecticut's General Assembly is considering legislation to establish fair and equitable housing opportunities. Senate Bill 4 aims to establish a …

According to a report from the Better Business Bureau of Connecticut, a total of 53 reports of employment scams from companies claiming to have headquarters in Connecticut came through on the BBB Scam Tracker. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT Consumers Lost $234K to Scams in 2022

A new report finds Connecticut consumers lost over 230-thousand dollars to scams in 2022. According to the Better Business Bureau of Connecticut…

According to data from the Connecticut Department of Transportation, ridership on CT transit took a sharp dive at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and remained low for some time, but as of summer 2022, ridership levels are returning to pre-pandemic levels. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Calling for CT Transit to Remain Fare Free

Transit advocates are calling on Connecticut's General Assembly to keep the state's public transit system free. In April 2022, Gov. Ned Lamont …

According to 2019 data from the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, of the 11 million people incarcerated yearly, about 15% have been homeless. Conversely, around 48,000 people going into homeless shelters each year come, nearly directly, from prisons or jails. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Public-Housing Policies Exclude People with Criminal Records

A new report calls for public housing authorities to change certain policies to prevent excluding people with criminal records. The Prison Policy …

According to analysis by the American Health Care Association, job growth for nursing-home employees slowed in 2022. It says if that pace remains, nursing homes won't return to pre-pandemic staffing levels until 2027. (Adobe Stock)

CT General Assembly Considers Nursing-Home Reforms

Connecticut's General Assembly is considering legislation to establish sweeping nursing-home reforms. Senate Bill 989 would establish minimum …

Connecticut's Education Cost Sharing Formula estimates it costs $11,525 to educate one public-school students. The goal of the ECS is to spread more than $2 billion across the state to fund education programs. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed Bill Would Speed CT Education Funding Plan

A bill in the Connecticut General Assembly could change how the state funds public education. The bill is designed to speed up fully funding the …

In Scotland, proposed legislation would seek to pardon the more than 3,800 people accused of witchcraft, with around 2,500 executed between 1563 and 1736. (Adobe Stock)

Legislation Seeks to Exonerate CT Witch Trial Victims

Proposed legislation would exonerate all people tried and convicted during the Connecticut Witch Trials more than 300 years ago. Between 1647 and 1697…

A bill in the Connecticut General Assembly calls for a $50 million investment into homeless and housing programs in the state, with more than $37 million to help chronically underfunded homeless response nonprofits. (Adobe Stock)

CT Legislation Would Fund Programs Addressing Homelessness

Proposed legislation aims to fund numerous programs helping Connecticut's homeless population. The bill would invest $50 million in the state's …

According to the U.S. Environmental Information Administration, Connecticut's 13 hydroelectric facilities generate around 120 megawatts of electricity. (Adobe Stock)

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 …

According to research from the American Federation of Teachers, there were 55,000 fewer registered nurses employed in the U.S. in 2021 than in 2020. This was the first decrease in five years. (Adobe Stock)

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…

The American Teachers Act of 2022, filed in the U.S. House of Representatives in December, would make $60,000 the minimum salary for public school teachers. But it's sitting in a House committee. (Adobe Stock)

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 …

According to the 2022 America's Health Rankings Report, one of the challenges with health equity in Connecticut is the state's high level of income inequality. (Adobe Stock)

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 …

According to a report from the Rand Corporation, almost 60% of Connecticut's 113,000 undocumented immigrants lack access to health insurance. (Adobe Stock)

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 …

In his 2023 State of the State Address, Gov. Ned Lamont wants to take Connecticut energy into a more climate-friendly direction. He called for the expansion of the state's wind power, extending nuclear power, and continuing the push to get access to Canadian hydro power. (Adobe Stock)

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 …

According to financial website Bankrate, Connecticut is one of the <a href=

worst states in which to retire, with the biggest reason being its lack of affordability. (Adobe Stock)">

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…

According to the Connecticut Fair Housing Center, evictions reached their <a href=

lowest points during the pandemic because of rent protections. During 2020 and 2021, evictions reached 6,429 and 9,356, respectively. (Adobe Stock)">

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…

Of 53 bay segments monitored, 57% received grades of C, D or F because of high pollution levels, according to the 2022 Save the Sound Report Card. (Adobe Stock)

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 …

Numerous members of Congress have sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, urging them to add $368 Million to the National Labor Relations Board's funding. (Adobe Stock)

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% …

According to the Giffords Law Center, guns are the leading cause of death for Americans under age 18. (Adobe Stock)

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 …

Connecticut has made progress in getting more climate-friendly policies in the states. One such policy, approved by Gov. Ned Lamont, expands the use of electric vehicles for public and private use. (Adobe Stock)

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 …

According to the Connecticut Audubon Society, American oystercatchers are making a strong comeback in the state. In the 2022 breeding season, they produced 61 fledglings, the highest number recorded since 2012. (Adobe Stock)

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 …

Experts say the best way to prevent losing money in an online shopping scam is by using a credit card instead of a peer-to-peer app, and using reliable trusted sellers this holiday season. (Adobe Stock)

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 …

Since February 2020, more than 88,000 child-care jobs have been lost nationally. (Adobe Stock)

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 …

According to the U.S. Elections Project, about 45 million people voted early in the 2022 Midterm elections. (Adobe Stock)

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 …

It's been nine years since Aquarion last brought a rate increase case forward. The company says it is needed

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 …

Despite its name, the Day of the Dead or 'Dia De Los Muertos,' is a celebration of life, not death. (Unidad Latina en Accion)

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 …

Earlier this year, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed Senate Bill 4, giving the state's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection the authority to expand public and private use of electric vehicles. (Adobe Stock)

New Federal Funding Helps CT Get Electric School Buses

Connecticut school districts and bus companies will be receiving more than $8 million in federal funding for electric school buses. The grant is …

According to a National Wildlife Federation report, the Clean Water Act was aimed at cleaning up urban waterways that were disproportionately impacting low-income communities and communities of color. Even after 50 years, these same demographics are overburdened by water pollution. (Adobe Stock)

Clean Water Act Subject of SCOTUS Case

As the Clean Water Act turns 50 this month, parts of it are the subject of a U-S Supreme Court case. Sackett versus E-P-A might let factories…

According to UCLA's 2022 Hollywood Diversity report, white actors made up the majority of film leads, 61.1%, in 2021. In that same year, Black actors were at 15.5% of all leads, Latino actors were 7.1% of leads, and Asian actors were 5.6% of all film leads. Multiracial actors made up 10.3% of leads, meaning they had the most proportional representation in film. (Adobe Stock)

Accent Bias Remains Prevalent in Pop Culture

As television and film have become diverse, there are still some areas people feel are not being addressed. Accent bias is one of them. Saadia Khan…

According to a 2022 report, the pre-tax income for median Black and Latino households in Connecticut is $49,000. Meanwhile, their white counterparts have pre-tax incomes of about $86,000. (Adobe Stock)

Weigh In at Online Forum: Make CT Tax System More Fair

A group that advocates for low- and middle-income families in Connecticut says there must be ways to make the state tax system more fair. A …

The recently passed CHIPS and Science Act is expected to provide major investments for infrastructure to build the semiconductors necessary for electric vehicles. (Adobe Stock)

CT Begins Transition to Electric Vehicles

The United States is seeing a national push from the federal government and car companies to pivot toward electric vehicles, and Connecticut is …

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