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Senate Democrats employ clerk with criminal past
A legislative clerk employed by Senate Democrats has a lengthy criminal history that hasn’t stopped him from working at the Capitol and on Democratic campaigns. Angel Morales is the clerk for the general law committee. A spokesman for Senate Democrats confirmed that...
Carla’s Pasta founder gets return on political donations
Carla Squatrito, founder of Carla’s Pasta in South Windsor, gave $1,000 to the Connecticut Democratic Party last month, following up on another $1,000 donation in November. Squatrito is a regular contributor to Democratic candidates and political action...
Gilbane grows state business, execs give back to Dems
Executives with the construction firm and state contractor Gilbane Building Co. donated $3,750 to the Connecticut Democratic Party’s federal account last month. A party’s federal account can accept donations from any U.S. citizen including banned state...
Connecticut insurance exchange hired marketing company for ‘legislative communications strategy’
Access Health CT, the health-insurance exchange implementing Obamacare in Connecticut, paid a marketing firm millions in part to “engage key legislators” but contends the agreement does not violate a ban on lobbying by quasi-public state agencies. The original $7.2...
Connecticut pays out $13.8 million in longevity payments
Connecticut will pay out $13.8 million in longevity payments to 27,602 unionized state workers this week, up slightly from October’s payment, according to the Comptroller’s Office. The average eligible employee received $500, a slight increase. The number...
56,000 Pounds of Why?
Watertown, Connecticut is a town of approximately 22,000 people. In 2012 its violent crime rate was less than half of the national average. Despite being a safe place to live, Watertown has recently acquired a 56,000 pound Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle from...
Jackson Labs avoids local approvals as a ‘state project’
Construction on the Jackson Laboratory facility in Farmington is well on its way to completion thanks in part to unique treatment of the project: the lab didn’t need any local approvals. The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine will receive a $297 million...
Connecticut gets top rank in ‘zombie index’
The Institute for Truth in Accounting finds Connecticut has the highest “zombie index,” meaning the state “may be more likely than others to be taking on higher risk to address their debt problems.” The index relies on a weighted average of...
Access Health CT CEO Recognized for Valiant Efforts
Last Saturday a group of local college students known as the Wesleyan Young Advocates teamed up with the Middletown Community Health Center to honor the CEO of Access Health CT, the state’s Affordable Care Act portal, Kevin Counihan. Flyers distributed by the student...
Candidate treasurer pleads guilty to stealing from state-funded campaign
The 2010 campaign manager and treasurer for Rep. Douglas McCrory, D-Hartford, pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree larceny for stealing $3,854.07 from the campaign. Tanzania Cooper, 43, of Bloomfield, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge under the Alford doctrine....