Lamont awards Waterbury $4 million grant for downtown infrastructure improvements
The improvements are slated to support the streetscape along West Main Street, which includes upgrades to sidewalks, lighting, roadways, sewers and storm drainage, the press release said.
Thousands attend 'Little Poland Festival' in New Britain
This will address the concerns of infrastructure more than 100 years old, according to a written release.
The grant will be released through the state's Community Investment Fund.
Lamont will hold a press conference alongside Waterbury Mayor Paul Pernerewski and other state officials at 10:30 on Monday at the Connecticut Department of Children and Families lot.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Newsweek
3 days ago
- Newsweek
Student Loan Update: Hundreds May Be Eligible for Up to $20K Reimbursement
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Student loan borrowers in Connecticut could be eligible for up to $20,000 in credits through the state Student Loan Reimbursement Program, with the new application process launching on Friday. Newsweek reached out to the Connecticut Office of Higher Education for comment via email on Thursday. Why It Matters Connecticut's expanded Student Loan Reimbursement Program targets residents with outstanding student debt while aiming to retain and support the state's workforce by paying a portion of borrowers' loans directly, a move state officials described as an investment in local communities and talent retention. Nationwide, more than 40 million Americans have student loans. According to a report by credit bureau TransUnion, some 1 million borrowers were projected to enter default in August—meaning they will become subject to federal collections, as well as dented credit scores. Student loan borrowers gather near the White House to urge the cancellation of student debt on May 12, 2020, in Washington. Student loan borrowers gather near the White House to urge the cancellation of student debt on May 12, 2020, in We, The 45 Million What To Know The Student Loan Reimbursement Program provides up to $5,000 per year for up to four years, for a maximum of $20,000 per eligible borrower, and the Office of Higher Education administered the program. Applications can be submitted starting Friday, after the 2025 General Assembly amended the program and signed the changes into law. Key Eligibility Requirements for Connecticut's Program Applicants must be Connecticut residents for at least five consecutive years. Applicants should have an outstanding student loan balance and have made a qualifying payment in 2024. Applicants need to have graduated from a Connecticut college or university, or attended an accredited program to earn a professional license or certificate; a hardship waiver for degree non-completion could be requested in certain cases. Income limits apply: $125,000 for individuals and $175,000 for married applicants. Applicants must have completed 50 hours of verified volunteer service since January 1, 2024, at qualifying nonprofits, municipal agencies or through military service. The application opens through the CT SCHOLARS portal beginning August 15. What People Are Saying Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, a Democrat, in a statement reported local station News 8 WTNH: "We're proud to reopen the doors to this impactful program. This is not just a reimbursement plan—it's a strategic investment in our workforce, in our communities, and in the future of Connecticut. The adjustments made this year reflect our ongoing commitment to supporting those who choose to build their lives and careers right here in our state." Noele Kidney, director of communications, Office of Higher Education, told CT Mirror: "It's an investment in people who want to stay in Connecticut, who go to college here, who attend school here and who stay here and work here." Timothy Larson, commissioner of the Connecticut Office of Higher Education, in a statement reported by the Norwich Bulletin: "This expansion ensures that we are reaching more of the hardworking Connecticut residents who need relief. The enhancements, combined with a streamlined application process, reflect our commitment to making education more affordable and accessible." What Happens Next Officials said the Office of Higher Education would process applications through the CT SCHOLARS portal on a first-come, first-serve basis until funds are exhausted or through the December review window announced by state officials.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Erin Stewart takes early fundraising lead in GOP battle for CT governor
With only nine months left before a nominating convention, Connecticut Republicans are gearing up for a political battle to face Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont. New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart has gained an early advantage by raising more than $300,000 in small contributions on her way toward qualifying for public financing against Lamont, a wealthy Greenwich entrepreneur who has spent millions to self-fund his statewide campaigns. Stewart has been campaigning for months in the race against state Sen. Ryan Fazio, a fiscal conservative who recently formed an exploratory committee and whose supporters say will catch up in the fundraising battle. Without explicitly saying that both Lamont and Fazio live in wealthy Greenwich, Stewart says her campaign contributors are trying to make ends meet in hardscrabble towns across the state. 'People are investing because they're looking for a leader that fundamentally understands their concerns and worries — someone who, like them, understands the financial difficulties of raising a family in Connecticut, someone who comes from a community like theirs,' Stewart said. State Republican Chairman Ben Proto is remaining neutral in the race that also includes Westport First Selectman Jennifer Tooker and perennial candidate Peter Lumaj of Fairfield, who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2012, secretary of the state in 2014, and governor in 2018. Proto said he is not even thinking about a primary in August 2026 and instead says the next step is for the candidates to make their case to the 1,200 delegates leading up to the state convention next May. 'It's a long way between now and May,' Proto said Tuesday. 'Erin, with her announcement, if she's not there, she will have reached qualifying dollar amounts for [public financing], I suspect some time in September. So, I think that gives her a huge advantage over everybody else. There's a lot of money that has to be raised by Ryan, Jen Tooker, and anyone else who gets in the race. I think that gives Erin a leg up on the money side.' But Fazio and his supporters say he has a solid base of support across the state and has the ability to raise money to catch up to Stewart. Fazio notes that he won an expensive and difficult race for state Senate in 2024 by about 2,000 votes in a fast-changing district where Democrat Kamala Harris defeated Republican Donald J. Trump by 17 percentage points. Fazio has won three straight elections after losing in 2020 to Democrat Alex Kasser. 'It's been better across the state than I could have expected or asked,' Fazio said of his recent support. 'It's time for a change. It's time for common sense, and it's time for balance in the state government. … I feel a great deal of confidence in our ability to win the convention, win the primary, and win the general election.' Fazio's name recognition has increased statewide as one of the primary voices against rising electric prices and the successful decision by the state legislature to move some of the 'public benefits' charges off the bills of electric ratepayers, a key issue for Republicans. Former state Democratic Chairman John F. Droney said that Republicans are battling among themselves but will not defeat a well-funded, two-term Democratic governor who has had high poll ratings since leading the state during the coronavirus pandemic. 'I think Stewart wins the primary hands down if there is one,' Droney told The Courant in an interview. 'I think she's the most formidable candidate the Republicans have for governor, but she can't beat Lamont.' As a strong supporter of then-U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, Droney worked hard against Lamont in 2006 during the Democratic and the general election. But he has now come around to be a solid supporter of Lamont. 'I think he's been a damn good governor,' Droney said. 'I voted for him, and I intend to vote for him again. I'm proud that he is our governor of Connecticut.' Lamont, Droney said, does not face much of a challenge from state Rep. Josh Elliott of Hamden, a liberal Democrat who is running against Lamont from the left in a race that Droney calls 'a waste of time' for Democrats. 'The guy can't win,' Droney said of Elliott. 'He'd be better off running for mayor of New York City. … The Democratic party in Connecticut is not a socialist party. It's a party that leans left, like most Democrats do now, but people who are firebrands and AOC types are not going anywhere in Connecticut.' He was referring to U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, a nationally known liberal who represents portions of the Bronx and Queens in New York City. The Democratic party, he said, has shifted left in Connecticut. 'I was there in the Bill O'Neill days,' Droney said, referring to the former governor from the 1980s. 'I was a John Kennedy Democrat. I was a Scoop Jackson Democrat. I was a Bill O'Neill Democrat. That's when we were the party of the working man and the party of rational behavior. And we were very successful in Connecticut at every level. That party doesn't exist anymore nationally. It's a bunch of left-wing psychos from the various universities and a bunch of socialists and people who are troublemakers, and they're going nowhere. They couldn't make the sale at the national level, and they're not going to make the sale in Connecticut.' On the Republican side, Fazio's supporters believe that he can defeat Stewart in a primary. He is expected to raise money for public financing, but he could also benefit from third-party political action committees that are not officially connected to his campaign but can be funded by wealthy Greenwich and New Canaan residents who have supported him in previous campaigns. Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@
Yahoo
29-07-2025
- Yahoo
Survey suggests employees 'upset' about return to office, prefer flexible work
As more and more employers order their workers back to the office, employees say they like the flexibility to work from home — and some returning to corporate workplaces aren't so happy about being forced to return. According tonew data from the Angus Reid Institute, three in five Canadians would prefer to spend the majority of their time working from home, while 79 per cent say they'd want a schedule that allows for some remote work. The numbers also show that 51 per cent of employees who said they'd been ordered back to the office more days a week were either upset or very upset. Ope Akanbi, a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University who has studied remote work, says the worker sentiment makes sense. "They've learned to bring work into their lives as opposed to trying to fit their lives into a work schedule," Akanbi said. Workers passing through Toronto's Union Station Monday morning agreed — they support work from home when possible. "I think that if the job can be done at home, they should be allowed to stay at home," said semi-retired teacher Cherie Lamont. "Since COVID, we've learned just how effective we can be if we are working at home." WATCH | Workers want flexibility with return-to-office plans: She says that while working in the office still has some merit, a hybrid model that allows for in-person and remote work is usually best. Devi Rajkumar says in a perfect world, she'd also like to have the option to work from home. While many people in her office work remotely some of the week, she has to commute to Toronto from her home in Alliston, Ont., every day because her job requires working with paper documents that can't be taken home. "I would like a balance, for sure," Rajkumar said. "You get to work with people, you kind of build your own social circle, [but] being at home, you are at your comfort." Banks lead return to office push The new numbers come as Canada's big banks have led the charge on returning to a mostly in-person model of work — TD,Scotiabank,BMO andRBC have all asked staff to be in office four days a week starting this fall. Rogers and Starbucks have also made similar demands that go into effect in coming months. The companies have justified the choice by saying workers are more productive and benefit from collaboration and mentorship when they work in office. TD told CBC News in an email that they're recalling people because in-person work "builds energy and alignment, offers ongoing development and apprenticeship, and strengthens our culture." In a recent story in the Globe and Mail, BMOcited "collaboration, problem solving, mentorship, innovation, and career development" as reasons to be in-office. Starbucks said in a statement "we do our best work when we're together." But Akanbi says employees don't necessarily believe claims that they're more productive in the office, given how easily folks transitioned to working from home during the pandemic. "Companies posted profits, everything seemed to go on just fine," Akanbi said. "So it's not a very compelling argument" to workers, she says. Akanbi says employers are also better able to control workers when they're in the office more often. "For the executives, they want to maintain the traditional definition of work because it allows them to control what work looks like and how the worker performs their role." And despite the half of survey respondents who say they're unhappy with return-to-office mandates, Akanbi says that in a tough job market, employers hold more of the power. "Leverage really is the name of the game here," Akanbi said. "Times have changed … I think there is more opportunity for employers to sort of compel workers to do what the organizations want." Sunira Chaudhri, founder and principal lawyer at Workly Law, also points out that the ability to work from home benefited certain employees, particularly women who've been able to balance child care and their careers because of work-from-home allowances. And as work from home shrinks, she says those benefits will, too. "I wouldn't be surprised if we saw some discriminatory-type conduct or claims because different groups are going to be impacted by these mandates," Chaudhri said. Workers have some power to push back: lawyers Mackenzie Irwin, an employment lawyer based in Toronto, says employee contracts are key to determining where the work is done. If hybrid or remote work permissions are written into a contract, then that's set in stone, Irwin says. In that case, a change in the remote work policy would count as a "constructive dismissal," Irwin says, and would require the employer to pay severance. WATCH | Alberta woman forced to carve new working path during pandemic: But if it's not written into the contract, Irwin says it's more complicated. The longer employees have been working from home with no mention of coming back, the more embedded that policy becomes in the worker's agreement. That means employers who allowed people to work from home during COVID-19 and haven't recalled them in the five years since might have "missed the boat" on being able to mandate their workers back to the office, Irwin says. Changes to health and family status — like a new health condition or having children — could also give employees reason to work from home, according to Chaudhri. Because health and family status are protected grounds, employers might have to make reasonable accommodations. However, Chaudhri cautions that accommodations still need to be reasonable. If a child needs to be picked up from daycare at 3:30 p.m. every day, for example, that might mean an employee would be allowed to leave work early some nights, but likely wouldn't exempt them from coming into the office entirely, she said. Chaudhri says employees who've been ordered to go back to work in person who have medical or family concerns should talk to their employers about finding a workaround. Sign in to access your portfolio