Today, Paul Szantyr is thankful that he can still dream.
He is thankful for the love from his wife, his dogs and to be around for another day.
When you lie motionless in Room 310 at the Subacute Center of Bristol, your body stricken with ALS, [...]
Really, really bored at the office this morning? You can plan the route to your in-laws! Click here to play around with the state's new interactive travel map.
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While the Democrats dither over Chris Dodd's chances at re-election and Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont thinks long and hard about whether he wants to run for governor, the Republicans are all of a sudden getting their chess pieces in place.
With the departure of Sam Caligiuri from the Senate race today and' [...]
In Hartford, student test scores are up. More children are learning to read. New schools and innovative programs have opened across the city.
Why is Hartford's cranky superintendent of schools fighting with so many people?
Steve Adamowski hit the trifecta the other day, sticking a finger in' [...]
The Yankee Institute, which loves to stick it to government for wasteful spending, is out with a new report that takes a close look at the tax implications of dog ownership. The Yankee folks, who apparently have some time on their hands, conclude that "a dog's life in Connecticut'" [...]
The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government reports that "further revenue shortfalls and more spending cuts are most likely on the way for many states."
PIT = personal income tax, CIT = corporate income tax
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I can't decide. I know I'm glad I was at the Conard-Hall game Saturday instead of standing along a roadside in Litchfield screaming about fascism. About 100 hardy Dodd opponents showed up to jeer as Sen. Chris Dodd and his supporters gathered at a Litchfield [...]
Politicians, pay attention. The people are telling you that it's education that matters.
College enrollment had its largest increase in two decades. The number of students at two year schools, public and private, is up sharply.
"It shows what people are doing with their money,'' said Higher Education Commissioner Michael Meotti. "When they [...]
Like the rest of you, I'm an expert on I-84 in Hartford.
I drive on top of it, beneath it and around it. I've contemplated my existence while locked in bumper-to-bumper traffic. I monitor it closely from my office cubicle.
Most of the time, I curse this [...]
Does anybody really think that the millionaire duo from Greenwich, Tom Foley and Linda McMahon, didn't have something to do with Sam Caligiuri's likely departure from the senate race? Caliguiri -- who now says he's also thinking about the governor's race --was urged (via press release!) by party central to run for the' [...]
Gov. Rell reports a major breakthrough in highway junkfood:
For over two decades, the major food provider on the Connecticut Turnpike has been McDonald's. Under the new agreement, all 23 service plazas will include a Subway, a Dunkin' Donuts and [...]
Ed McKeon, reluctant Courant reader, has a great post this morning about a band that plays in downtown Hartford every Monday night but that's really about the potential of what Hartford could be. Take a minute and stop by Caterwauled. All of this' [...] 
Please read Chris Keating's excellent tale today of wrestling nutjob Superstar Billy Graham, who was happy to make piles of money for years off Vince and Linda McMahon but who is now bitter and out to take down the former WWE CEO in her campaign [...]
With an abundance of candidates and signs of a national mood shift, Connecticut Republicans are ushering one of their senate candidates off to the Fifth District, where there are hopes of a high-profile race against U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, the Democratic incumbent.
The problem with waiting until the trial is over is the proceedings will drag on for years when these guys get the death penalty. Monday night, the Cheshire Library Board made the right move supporting local librarian Ramona Harten. Hopefully the town manager will back them up and support [...]
Not long ago I got into it with the YouTube investment wizard and U.S. Senate candidate Peter Schiff over college loans and the ever-increasing price of tuition.
The impish Schiff -- who predicted the current economic collapse -- hit me with a simple explanation to a [...]
World Wrestling Entertainment won millions of dollars in tax credits from the state in return for doing business here. This is a problem? Isn't this what we want -- and what we're hoping to see more of if Hollywood makes more investment in Connecticut?
It's an issue if [...]
I cannot think of a larger collective waste of time than this idea of ripping down the elevated I-84 highway through Hartford. OK, maybe bringing an NHL team back is more extreme than this one. It's not that it isn't a good idea. I just see a million other priorities' [...]
A few friends told me about the hours-long wait at the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority's electronics recycling collection day on Saturday in West Hartford. Kyle Bergquist at Greater Hartford Real Estate Blog has an account of the lengthy ordeal. Apparently the event was jammed, even in the rain. [...]
Where We Live holds another in a series of meditations on the Coming Rebirth of Hartford this Wednesday at 5:30 at Real Art Ways at 56 Arbor Street in Hartford. Dankosky tells me this one is about bringing the "creative economy" to Hartford. The show [...]
A Hartford school administrator responds today in a letter to the editor to my blog entry last week where I was critical of the decision to eliminate a slew of high school sports. Curiously, Joan Massey chooses to lash out at suburban districts instead, writing:
What's' [...]
In his online column today, WFSB steady-hand Dennis House explores the question I've been talking about for months, whether Sen. Chris Dodd should give-up his re-election bid:
The thing is, Dodd is far more engaged these days than just a few months ago, so it's [...]
Our own Sen. Joseph Lieberman, the Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-Independent, apparently had some critical advice for vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, according to the Alaska governor's new book.
The Wall Street Journal just bought a copy of "Going Rogue: An American Life" and wouldn't you know it, our favorite turncoat [...]
I stopped by a fascinating journalism and new media conference at Yale Law School this morning. I still can't get over this little nugget, presented by Lee Rainie, who is director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project.
One in five don't bother with any news at [...]
A visit with the Immigrant and Refugee Artists Cooperative in my newspaper column tomorrow. Here are some pictures:
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Right now, it's all about Republican support. Rob Simmons' numbers aren't headed in the right direction. Take a look at this from the Q-poll:
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Despite what you hear on those radio ads and from the extremist talk radio personalities, Connecticut residents do support a public option under the proposed healthcare reform, by a 56-to-37 margin.
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OK, it is a year away. But ...
A Q-poll released this morning shows continuing Republican strength for Dodd challengers, with Rob Simmons increasing his lead and Linda McMahon gaining fast.
Simmons, McMahon and Greenwich unknown Tom Foley all beat Dodd in a head-to-head matchup. Foley's numbers are particularly interesting, since he's [...]
This is education reform that makes no sense: eliminating high school sports for city kids.Could there be a more intriguing outsiders' matchup for the gubernatorial race than Kevin O'Connor v. Ned Lamont?
We can only hope. Democrat Lamont is in and Republican O'Connor told me today he's giving serious thought to trading the big payday law job for a shot at the governor's mansion.
The new Q-poll out this morning shows Susan (calling all WW 2 vets!) Bysiewicz would trail Gov. Rell by just 6 points in a head-to-head match. Rell, who bowed out of the race yesterday, shows improving numbers, interestingly. But with [...]
At the "eggs and issues" breakfast Monday with the business men and women of Bristol, they couldn't serve enough coffee to help me wash down the lingering gall of Joe Lieberman.
Read today's column.
' [...]The interesting thing about Gov. Rell's eloquent, heartfelt farewell announcement Monday was what she chose to highlight.
Gov. Rell first choked up Monday when she recalled "the gay couple who hugged me at Stafford Motor Speedway after I signed the first in the nation voluntarily passed civil union bill. And'" [...]
In a gracious and emotional press conference shortly after 5 p.m., Gov. M. Jodi Rell said she would not run for re-election.
Her brief remarks will stand as perhaps the most heartfelt speech she has made as governor, who lately has seen much of life consumed by rising red ink, bickering [...]
John Larson:
"It is a tantamount to Franklin Roosevelt sitting waiting for the Senate to pass Social Security or Lyndon Johnson sitting there waiting to pass Medicare,'' said Larson in comments at the Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce's "Eggs and Issues" breakfast Monday morning in" [...]
GOPster Chris Healy has an interesting take on Tuesday's election. He thinks it means Americans don't want healthcare reform. Check the polling, Connecticut's delegation voted the way the majority of state residents feel. Also, where is the data that providing more health insurance will "create more misery" and "hurt'" [...]
Don't miss the NYT Michael Winerip's heart-stopping column about the luck of a subway ride and a second chance.
Then check out the Courant's Lori Riley with a tale from Hartford Public that will just make you mad. It's not always all about test scores, is it? They need $20,000 to' [...]
Merrick Alpert, the Democrat looking for some traction in his lonely challenge to Sen. Chris Dodd, is hitting the highway, promising to walk from Stonington to Greenwich along Route 1. That's 117 miles. He's looking for votes but he's also doing to protest our involvement in the war in Afghanistan. [...]
