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CT Ranked Among Best States For Raising Families In New Study: Find Out Why CT Ranked Among Best States For Raising Families In New Study: Find Out Why
CT Ranked Among Best States For Raising Families In New Study: Find Out Why Massachusetts leads the U.S. as a place for raising families and two other Northeast states are among the nation's best, according to a new study. WalletHub released its 2025 list of best and worst states to raise a family on Monday, Jan. 13. The personal finance website ranked each state on family-friendliness, evaluating factors like housing affordability, healthcare quality, job security, and education. Massachusetts claimed the top spot, excelling in education and healthcare. The state boasts the nation’s best public schools, the highest rate of children with health insurance, and …

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
CT Schools Dismissing Early Due To Extreme Weather Conditions CT Schools Dismissing Early Due To Extreme Weather Conditions
CT Schools Dismissing Early Due To Extreme Weather Conditions Schools across Connecticut have announced early dismissals on Wednesday, Dec. 11 due to a storm that is expected to bring up to 60 mph winds and coastal flooding to parts of the state. The following districts are dismissing early: Bolton Public Schools Colchester Public Schools East Hampton Public Schools Groton Public Schools Marianapolis Prep. School (Thompson, CT) Montville Public Schools Preston Public Schools Stonington Public Schools Did we miss one? Email clevine@dailyvoice.com The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning for southeast Connecticut, with south winds r…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Firefighter Killed In ATV Crash ID'd: 'Words Cannot Express The Magnitude Of This Loss' Firefighter Killed In ATV Crash ID'd: 'Words Cannot Express The Magnitude Of This Loss'
Firefighter Killed In ATV Crash ID'd: 'Words Cannot Express The Magnitude Of This Loss' A Connecticut firefighter who was killed when the ATV he was on rolled over while battling a blaze has been identified as a grandfather and former member of the Hartford Fire Department.  Robert "Sharky" Sharkevich Sr., age 66, was working as a member of the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department on Tuesday, Oct. 22, fighting a brush fire that had spread to more than 90 acres on Lamentation Mountain in Berlin, Meriden Police said.  Sharkevich and three other firefighters were in Meriden on the southern edge of the blaze, riding a firefighting ATV that flipped around 5:30 p.m.…

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
'Vision Of Excellence': 3 CT Schools Earn Prestigious Blue Ribbon Award 'Vision Of Excellence': 3 CT Schools Earn Prestigious Blue Ribbon Award
'Vision Of Excellence': 3 CT Schools Earn Prestigious Blue Ribbon Award A Connecticut high school and two elementary schools have been named some of the nation's most dedicated.  The US Department of Education released its 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools this week, with 356 earning the prestigious distinction. The annual awards recognize high-performing public and non-public schools and those making strides in closing achievement gaps among the student body.  In Connecticut, the three deemed to have reached those goals are: Daniel Hand High School in Madison Israel Putnam Elementary School in Meriden Sunnyside Elementary School in Shelton Dan…

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by Josh Lanier
News
CT High School Mourns Sudden Death Of Senior CT High School Mourns Sudden Death Of Senior
CT High School Mourns Sudden Death Of Senior A community in Fairfield County is mourning the sudden death of a high school student-athlete. Elliott Kropf, a senior who attended New Canaan High School, died on Saturday night, Sept. 14. Update: New Details Released On Death Of Elliot Kropf "Elliott was a strong student, an excellent athlete, a kind young man, and a wonderful friend, and he will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved him," New Canaan Public Schools Superintendent Bryan Luizzi said in a statement on Sunday, Sept. 15. New Canaan High School will operate on a two-hour delay on Monday, Sept. 16. "All buses …

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by Joe Lombardi
Obituaries
'We Will Remember': Loved Ones Honor 4 CT Residents Killed In Plane Crash 'We Will Remember': Loved Ones Honor 4 CT Residents Killed In Plane Crash
'We Will Remember': Loved Ones Honor 4 CT Residents Killed In Plane Crash Communities across Connecticut are reeling following the death of four residents in a small airplane crash on Sunday, Sept. 8, as they returned home from a luncheon in Rhode Island.  The victims were:  Paul Pelletier, age 55, of Columbia, in Tolland County Frank Rodriquez, age 88, of Lebanon, in New London County Susan Van Ness, age 51, of Middletown, in Middlesex County Delilah Van Ness, age 15, of Middletown, in Middlesex County Pelletier was an aviation teacher at Middletown High School and Delilah Van Ness was his student. Susan Van Ness was Delilah's mother.  Ori…

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by Josh Lanier
Lifestyle
These CT Towns Among Best Places To Live In US, According To New Rankings These CT Towns Among Best Places To Live In US, According To New Rankings
These CT Towns Among Best Places To Live In US, According To New Rankings A brand-new ranking has listed the best locales in Connecticut to live in, including one town that is reportedly among the best 200 places to reside in America.  According to Niche's 2024 Best Places To Live in America, the town of West Hartford is the best locale to call home in the state and ranks No. 159 in the entire nation.  Factors used by the organization to determine its rankings include Public Schools, Crime and Safety, Housing, Nightlife, Good for Families, and Diversity.  West Hartford's high ranking was attributed to the town offering "a lot of bars, restaur…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Gov. Lamont Signs Legislation Establishing Juneteenth As State Holiday Gov. Lamont Signs Legislation Establishing Juneteenth As State Holiday
Gov. Lamont Signs Legislation Establishing Juneteenth As State Holiday Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has signed into law legislation recognizing Juneteenth as an official state holiday. He said that June 19 will be recognized as a legal state holiday known as "Juneteenth Independence Day" effective October of this year. This means Juneteenth Independence Day will be legally recognized as a state holiday in Connecticut for the first time on Tuesday, June 19, 2023. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, the announcement reads.  “Juneteenth marks an important day in our nation that for far too lo…

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by Nicole Valinote
Schools
COVID-19: School District In Fairfield County Sets Date To End Mask Mandate COVID-19: School District In Fairfield County Sets Date To End Mask Mandate
Covid-19: School District In Fairfield County Sets Date To End Mask Mandate A Fairfield County school district is set to become the latest in the state to ditch masks for students and staff members as Connecticut continues its recovery of the winter COVID-19 surge of fresh infections. Bridgeport Schools Superintendent Michael Testani announced that following the latest meeting of the Board of Education, they voted to drop the mask mandate in all public schools beginning as of Thursday, March 31. According to Testani, the decision to make masks optional in school settings was “not made without important guidance from our local health officials,” and was in response …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: Social Distance Rules For Students Far Shorter Than For Adults COVID-19: Social Distance Rules For Students Far Shorter Than For Adults
Covid-19: Social Distance Rules For Students Far Shorter Than For Adults The guidelines for social distancing at public schools recommend far less space between people than the 6 feet standard encouraged throughout much of the pandemic. On Tuesday, Feb. 23, Massachusetts announced a plan to return all elementary school students to the classroom by April. When asked about COVID-19 safeguards for the schools, Commission of the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Jeffrey Riley said that 3 feet of distance between students, staff, and faculty is the goal for public schools, though if they are able to distance further - up to 6 feet - all the better. …

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by Kristin Palpini
News
COVID-19: College Students To Sub For Teachers In Quarantine COVID-19: College Students To Sub For Teachers In Quarantine
Covid-19: College Students To Sub For Teachers In Quarantine Connecticut is seeking to use college and university students to fill staffing gaps at public schools reeling from COVID-19 infections. On Tuesday, Dec. 1, Gov. Ned Lamont expounded on a plan to recruit college students to work as substitute teachers, either on a volunteer or paid basis, in the state's public schools. The state has had to get creative due to a lack of available teachers during the pandemic. The requirement that people exposed to COVID-19 quarantine for 14 days has left many schools in Connecticut and neighboring Massachusetts short-staffed. With not enough faculty and st…

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by Kristin Palpini
News
Website Lists Every CT School That Reported Positive COVID-19 Cases - Link Updated Website Lists Every CT School That Reported Positive COVID-19 Cases - Link Updated
Website Lists Every CT School That Reported Positive Covid-19 Cases - Link Updated In Connecticut, about 175 confirmed incidents of COVID-19 infections among elementary and secondary school students, faculty, and staff have been reported since the start of the pandemic. So far, Waterbury has had the most wide-reaching outbreak with 29 reported infections. About 90 Connecticut school districts have had to contend with infections and the aftermath, which can include sterilization and quarantine. Some districts have had to contend with multiple outbreaks.  The numbers come from the National Education Association, which is tracking reports of school-related COVID-19 inc…

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by Kristin Palpini
News
Schools Lockdown Lifted, Gun Recovered, Two In Custody Schools Lockdown Lifted, Gun Recovered, Two In Custody
Schools Lockdown Lifted, Gun Recovered, Two In Custody A lockdown at two schools has been lifted and a gun has been recovered following an emergency, Thursday, Sept. 24. At around 12:30 p.m., Hartford Police said the lockdown at Kinsella and Sport & Medical Sciences Academy had been lifted. Two people are in custody, police said, and one gun was recovered as well as dozens of rounds of ammunition. The arrests were not made on the school property, police said. “Incident appears not to have anything to do with the schools other than general area,” Hartford Police said. Kinsella School is on Van Block Avenue. Sport & Medical Science …

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by Kristin Palpini
News
Nearly 4,000 Students In Two Large CT Cities Have Not Declared Back-To-School Plans Nearly 4,000 Students In Two Large CT Cities Have Not Declared Back-To-School Plans
Nearly 4,000 Students In Two Large CT Cities Have Not Declared Back-To-School Plans Thousands of surprises are anticipated for the first day of school in Hartford and Waterbury where 10 percent of families are yet to inform districts of their students’ education plans. Public schools in these cities are reopening on Tuesday, Sept. 8. Without knowing the number of students physically attending classes, administrators are having a hard time determining how to socially distance students, and much equipment is needed. Waterbury Superintendent Verna Ruffin said the district is missing information on 2,000 students’ back-to-school plans, according to NBC Connecticut. Due to …

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by Kristin Palpini
News
These Litchfield County Communities Among Best Places To Live, Brand-New Rankings Reveal These Litchfield County Communities Among Best Places To Live, Brand-New Rankings Reveal
These Litchfield County Communities Among Best Places To Live, Brand-New Rankings Reveal Litchfield County is well-represented in Niche’s brand-new 2020 Best Places to Live list. Crime, quality of schools, things to do, and cost of living were among the factors used in determining the rankings. Other factors are listed here. Roxbury, cited for its "rural feel" and "top-rated public schools," is the No. 1-rated municipality in the county. You can read the Niche entry here. Southport is followed by No. 2 Barkhamsted, No. 3 Washington, No. 4 New Hartford, No. 5 Harwinton, No. 6 Bridgewater, No. 7 Litchfield, No. 8 New Milford, No. 9 Woodbury and No. 10 Watertown to make…

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by Joe Lombardi
Lifestyle
These Litchfield County Communities Among Best Places To Live, Brand-New Rankings Reveal These Litchfield County Communities Among Best Places To Live, Brand-New Rankings Reveal
These Litchfield County Communities Among Best Places To Live, Brand-New Rankings Reveal Litchfield County is well-represented in Niche’s brand-new 2020 Best Places to Live list. Crime, quality of schools, things to do, and cost of living were among the factors used in determining the rankings. Other factors are listed here. Roxbury, cited for its "rural feel" and "top-rated public schools," is the No. 1-rated municipality in the county. You can read the Niche entry here. Southport is followed by No. 2 Barkhamsted, No. 3 Washington, No. 4 New Hartford, No. 5 Harwinton, No. 6 Bridgewater, No. 7 Litchfield, No. 8 New Milford, No. 9 Woodbury and No. 10 Watertown to make…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
COVID-19: CT Public Schools Will Be Allowed To Cut Days From Academic Calendar COVID-19: CT Public Schools Will Be Allowed To Cut Days From Academic Calendar
Covid-19: CT Public Schools Will Be Allowed To Cut Days From Academic Calendar Connecticut is still finalizing what schools will look like in the fall as the state recovers from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, but districts will have the option to be more flexible with their schedules. The state Board of Education voted unanimously on Tuesday, July 14 to permit public schools to shorten the academic year by as many as three days, from 180 down to 177, without punishment to permit additional training as schools adjust to the "new normal." The waiver would allow districts extra time to train staff once plans are finalized for reopening schools in the next month…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: State Negotiating With School Districts For Closure Through End Of Academic Year COVID-19: State Negotiating With School Districts For Closure Through End Of Academic Year
Covid-19: State Negotiating With School Districts For Closure Through End Of Academic Year Children in Connecticut are unlikely to head back to school this spring as the state works with school districts about closing through the end of the 2019-20 academic year amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont’s office is reportedly in negotiations with public schools statewide to determine the best strategy to keep students at home to help curb the spread of COVID-19. As of Monday, April 6, there were 6,906 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Connecticut, including 3,719 in Fairfield County. There were 1,231 new cases reported overnight. This is a developing …

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by Zak Failla