8. How should the state and its school districts deal with COVID-19 going forward?

From our Election 2022 Voter Guide – click to read the latest responses from the candidates for State Representative!

More about Public Health

Opinion

OP-ED | Collaboration Is Vital To Protect Healthcare Access, Advance Affordability

Guest opinion columnist Paul Kidwell of the Connecticut Hospital Association calls for collaboration to adopt policies to improve healthcare affordability and sustain world-class healthcare deliver…

by Paul Kidwell for the Connecticut Hospital Association December 6, 2023, 4:45 amDecember 6, 2023, 1:56 am

Opinion

Analysis | Healthcare Defies Softening Labor Market

Healthcare analyst Ellen Andrews says pent-up demand for healthcare services from COVID, violent working conditions, retiring baby boomers, rising threats from COVID, flu and other…

by Ellen Andrews, Ph.D. December 1, 2023, 4:45 amDecember 1, 2023, 2:10 am

Opinion

OP-ED | Traffic Violence Can Be Prevented With The Right Policies And Political Will

Guest opinion columnist Dimitris Koutoumbas says that with pedestrian deaths at a 41-year high in Connecticut, common sense measures are long overdue toward making our…

by Dimitris Koutoumbas November 14, 2023, 4:45 amNovember 14, 2023, 3:09 am

Public Health

Connecticut Avoids National Increase in Childhood Vaccine Exemptions

Connecticut was among a small number of states that defied a national trend of declining kindergarten vaccination rates, according to a report by the Centers…

by Hugh McQuaid November 10, 2023, 12:05 pmNovember 10, 2023, 12:05 pm

Public Health

Connecticut Officials Urge Residents to Receive Seasonal Vaccines Amid First Flu, RSV Deaths

Public health officials in Connecticut reminded residents to stay current with their seasonal vaccines Thursday as the state reported its first deaths of the viral…

by Hugh McQuaid November 9, 2023, 1:47 pmNovember 9, 2023, 1:47 pm

Nonprofits

Roca Celebrates Two Years In Operation With Progress Report, Panel Discussion

To mark its two-year anniversary, Roca, a Hartford nonprofit dedicated to helping women escape and avoid violence, issued a report summarizing its work and the…

by Mike Savino November 2, 2023, 9:00 amNovember 2, 2023, 4:31 am

Courts

Connecticut Supreme Court Enters Fray on 2021 Repeal of Religious Vaccine Exemption

The Connecticut Supreme Court last week inserted itself into the debate over whether Connecticut made the right decision in eliminating the religious exemption for childhood…

by Christine Stuart October 30, 2023, 12:00 pmOctober 30, 2023, 9:11 am

Utilities

Water Customers File Class Actions Against Aquarion, Connecticut Water Company Over PFAS Levels

Two groups of water customers in Connecticut are seeking class action certification in lawsuits against both Aquarion Water Company and the Connecticut Water Company over…

by Hugh McQuaid October 23, 2023, 5:00 amOctober 22, 2023, 4:08 pm

Education

Connecticut School Districts Near $1 Billion in Federal Pandemic Relief Spending

Connecticut school districts have spent $981 million of a total $1.7 billion in federal pandemic relief funds meant to offset the costs of educational expenses…

by Hugh McQuaid October 20, 2023, 1:00 pmOctober 19, 2023, 6:47 pm

Health Care

CDC Director Boosts New Covid Booster

The nation’s top public health official swung by Fair Haven Thursday morning with a vaccine-promoting message: Covid is still with us, and so now is the…

by Thomas Breen October 6, 2023, 10:30 amOctober 6, 2023, 4:05 pm

More about Election 2022

Opinion

OP-ED | Trumpism Keeps Bearing Bitter Fruit

Opinion writer Susan Bigelow says last week was a stark reminder that even out of office, Donald Trump continues to warp and twist the country…

Keep reading

by Susan Bigelow April 11, 2023, 4:45 amApril 10, 2023, 8:02 pm

Editorial Cartoons

George Santos

Editorial cartoonist Bob Englehart chimes in on the George Santos story, which is notable in that as a soon-to-be-sworn-in member of U.S. Congress, Santos (R-3rd… Keep reading

by Bob Englehart, Editorial Cartoonist December 30, 2022, 4:30 amSeptember 30, 2023, 4:07 pm

Editorial Cartoons

Christmas Wish

by Rivers, Editorial Cartoonist December 8, 2022, 4:30 amSeptember 30, 2023, 4:07 pm

Elections

What Voter Turnout Shows, And Hides, About Elections

The voter turnout in 2020 was a stunning 67%, according to one source. Another had it at 94%. A third fixed 2020 voter turnout at…

Keep reading

by Aaron Mendelson, Center for Public Integrity November 18, 2022, 5:51 pmNovember 21, 2022, 12:32 am

Opinion

OP-ED | It Could Have Been A Higher Percentage, But Young Voters Did Show Up to Vote This Year

November’s elections demonstrated some interest in younger voters engaging in the midterm races. But as a national 27% average, shouldn’t those under age 30 have… Keep reading

by Jonathan L. Wharton November 18, 2022, 4:45 amNovember 18, 2022, 9:02 am

Election 2022

Progressive Party Flexes ’Fusion’ Muscles

Sarah Ganong — whose third party helped labor-friendly Democrats win elections all over the state last week — doesn’t buy the theory that voters delivered a Republican-lite strategy on taxes. Read… Keep reading

by Paul Bass November 16, 2022, 12:28 pmNovember 16, 2022, 10:44 pm

Election 2022

OP-ED | Will the 2022 Election Bring Common Sense Back to the GOP?

Not too long after the Republican party fell under the influence of Donald Trump, I’ve been hearing a voice in my head. It sounds a…

Keep reading

by Barth Keck November 14, 2022, 4:45 amApril 10, 2023, 8:00 pm

Election 2022

In His Second Term, Lamont Plans To Avoid Tax Hikes

Following a 12-point victory at the polls this week, Gov. Ned Lamont reassured Connecticut residents that his second term would focus on encouraging economic growth… Keep reading

by Hugh McQuaid November 11, 2022, 5:00 amDecember 7, 2022, 3:36 pm

Opinion

OP-ED | The 2022 Wipeout: What Will Connecticut’s GOP Learn From It?

As it became clear in the wee hours of Wednesday morning that another Democratic sweep of Connecticut’s statewide and congressional offices was inevitable, I asked… Keep reading

by Terry Cowgill November 10, 2022, 4:45 amDecember 16, 2022, 11:55 pm

Election 2022

Democrats Maintain Their Majorities In The General Assembly

When the dust cleared Wednesday morning it looked like Democrats in the Connecticut House and Senate would maintain their majorities by almost the exact same… Keep reading

by Christine Stuart November 9, 2022, 1:17 pmNovember 9, 2022, 3:36 pm

More COVID-19 Coverage

Public Health

COVID Infections on the Rise in Connecticut Prisons

The number of incarcerated people housed in the Department of Correction’s COVID Recovery Unit has increased during the month of September, according to the agency,… Keep reading

by Hugh McQuaid September 14, 2023, 5:00 amSeptember 13, 2023, 7:10 pm

Public Health

Health Officials Report Rising COVID Cases as School Resumes

The new school year is starting next week and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking an increasing number of new COVID cases… Keep reading

by Christine Stuart August 25, 2023, 5:00 amAugust 25, 2023, 1:20 am

Legal / Civil Courts

State Supreme Court Grapples With Scope of Pandemic-Era Legal Immunity for Providers

Connecticut’s Supreme Court sought to define the scope of emergency pandemic legal immunity for healthcare providers in a pair of rulings last week, which skirted… Keep reading

by Hugh McQuaid August 14, 2023, 12:57 pmAugust 14, 2023, 6:26 pm

Public Health

Blumenthal Pushes for $791M in COVID-19 Testing Funds Amid Rising Cases

With COVID-19 cases on the rise once again, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal is making a push to secure funding for testing in Congress’ budget. Keep reading

by Mike Savino August 8, 2023, 5:00 amAugust 8, 2023, 1:09 am

Pandemic Fallout

Performance Measures Were Written Into The State’s Telework Policy, But Lamont Administration Maintains Status Quo

When the state of Connecticut wrote its policy on teleworking state employees, it included a provision for establishing performance measures to evaluate remote workers. Afterall,… Keep reading

by Gary Kleeblatt August 2, 2023, 5:00 amDecember 9, 2023, 12:12 am

Pandemic Fallout

OPM Chief: Consolidation of State Offices – Made Possible By Teleworking – Should Begin Next Year

A consolidation and reduction of state office space should be underway next year – made possible because about 13,000 of the executive branch’s 31,000 state… Keep reading

by Gary Kleeblatt July 27, 2023, 7:30 pmJuly 27, 2023, 8:58 pm

Public Health

Senate Masking Requirements Return Amid New COVID Cases

Senate leaders have reinstituted masking and COVID testing requirements this week in response to a number of cases among members of the chamber in the… Keep reading

by Hugh McQuaid May 30, 2023, 11:46 amMay 30, 2023, 12:08 pm

Public Health

It’s Official: COVID-19 Emergency Ends

Gov. Ned Lamont joined hospital officials in New Haven to declare an official end to the COVID-19 public health emergency — and reflect on lessons for the… Keep reading

by Thomas Breen May 11, 2023, 12:00 pmMay 11, 2023, 11:43 am

State Budget

Connecticut Completes Hero Pay Program for Essential Workers

State Comptroller Sean Scanlon announced that the Premium Pay program, also known as Hero Pay, has concluded after providing one-time payments of up to $1,000… Keep reading

by Staff Report April 26, 2023, 12:09 pmApril 26, 2023, 4:36 pm

Bonding and Debt

Money For Public School HVAC Improvements Tops Bond Commission’s Agenda Thursday

With public school districts across Connecticut realizing they need to upgrade their heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems following the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Ned… Keep reading

by Kevin Flood April 5, 2023, 3:34 pmApril 5, 2023, 4:14 pm

Transportation

Community Leaders Worry Reinstatement Of Bus Fares Will Be A Hardship For Many

Advocates say the impending return of fares for all buses and ADA para-transit on April 1 will mean people will have a difficult time getting… Keep reading

by Julie Martin Banks March 21, 2023, 5:00 amMarch 20, 2023, 10:45 pm

Education

Chronic Absenteeism Improved With Home Visits

A Connecticut Education Department report released in December 2020 showed a sharp rise in absenteeism among students at the start of the pandemic so it… Keep reading

by Christine Stuart January 20, 2023, 12:00 pmMarch 24, 2023, 4:39 pm

Housing

Attorneys Report Successful First Year for ‘Right to Counsel’ Program

The state’s Right To Counsel program was not only successful in helping many tenants with avoiding eviction in 2022, but it also saved nearly $6… Keep reading

by Julie Martin Banks January 6, 2023, 10:00 amJanuary 9, 2023, 10:56 am

State Capitol

Capitol Reopens Completely, Masks Optional

While Wednesday’s opening day of the legislative session and inaugural events will be mask optional, Gov. Ned Lamont is asking people who are not feeling… Keep reading

by Christine Stuart January 3, 2023, 7:00 pmJanuary 4, 2023, 2:46 am

Public Health

Lamont Continues Public Health Emergency For Federal Funds

Connecticut will remain in a COVID-based public health emergency in order to continue receiving federal funds to offset the costs of supplemental food benefits and… Keep reading

by Hugh McQuaid December 20, 2022, 2:08 pmDecember 20, 2022, 2:08 pm