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Parents, Teachers Coalition Demand Cell Phones Out Of CT Schools: They're Eroding 'Civility' Parents, Teachers Coalition Demand Cell Phones Out Of CT Schools: They're Eroding 'Civility' Parents, Teachers Coalition Demand Cell Phones Out Of CT Schools: They're Eroding 'Civility'
Parents, Teachers Coalition Demand Cell Phones Out Of CT Schools: They're Eroding 'Civility' Connecticut educators and parents are teaming up to push for statewide phone-free school policies. The group, called Phone-Free CT, wants lawmakers to pass a “bell-to-bell” policy that keeps phones put away for the full school day. The push comes as the new legislative session gets ready to start on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Phone-Free CT includes the Connecticut Education Association, AFT Connecticut, The Anxious Generation Movement, the Distraction Free Schools Policy Project, and the Becca Schmill Foundation. Detractors of the proposal say students need phones in case of emergencies or to call…

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by Josh Lanier
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Fairfield Co. School Cancels Secretary Linda McMahon's Visit After Parents Voice Concerns Fairfield Co. School Cancels Secretary Linda McMahon's Visit After Parents Voice Concerns Fairfield Co. School Cancels Secretary Linda McMahon's Visit After Parents Voice Concerns
Fairfield Co. School Cancels Secretary Linda McMahon's Visit After Parents Voice Concerns A Connecticut school has canceled a visit from the Secretary of Education later this week after parents raised concerns and considered keeping their children at home that day, officials said. Fairfield Public Schools Superintendent Michael Testani said Linda McMahon was planning to visit McKinley Elementary School on Friday, Jan. 31, as part of the US Department of Education's "History Rocks!" national tour. Several parents were upset at the idea.  “Following this evening's announcement about the Secretary of Education's planned visit to McKinley on Friday, we heard from many families …

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by Josh Lanier
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Wilton Opens Warming Centers Through Jan. 27 As Cold Sticks Around Wilton Opens Warming Centers Through Jan. 27 As Cold Sticks Around Wilton Opens Warming Centers Through Jan. 27 As Cold Sticks Around
Wilton Opens Warming Centers Through Jan. 27 As Cold Sticks Around Wilton is making three warming centers available as a stretch of frigid weather is expected to continue into next week. The town of Wilton said on Facebook that the locations will remain open through at least Tuesday, Jan. 27, and that most days will be below freezing for much of the day, with Thursday, Jan. 22, noted as the exception. Warming centers and listed hours: Comstock Community Center, 180 School Road: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wilton YMCA, 404 Danbury Road: Monday to Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 7 a.…

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by Daily Voice
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James Beard Semifinalists: 4 CT Chefs, 2 Restaurants Earn Spots On Coveted List James Beard Semifinalists: 4 CT Chefs, 2 Restaurants Earn Spots On Coveted List James Beard Semifinalists: 4 CT Chefs, 2 Restaurants Earn Spots On Coveted List
James Beard Semifinalists: 4 CT Chefs, 2 Restaurants Earn Spots On Coveted List Connecticut’s food scene is getting national attention. Four Connecticut chefs and two restaurants were named semifinalists for the 2026 James Beard Awards, among the top honors in American dining. The list was announced on Wednesday morning, Jan. 21.  The honorees span four Connecticut communities: Mystic, New Haven, Bantam, and New Preston. David Standridge was named a semifinalist in the Outstanding Chef category, which honors chefs nationwide. He is the chef at The Shipwright’s Daughter. The Mysic restaurant has drawn acclaim and several awards.  Standridge is no stranger to…

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by Josh Lanier
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Trump Commutes Sentence Of Developer Convicted in $50M CT Mortgage Fraud Trump Commutes Sentence Of Developer Convicted in $50M CT Mortgage Fraud Trump Commutes Sentence Of Developer Convicted in $50M CT Mortgage Fraud
Trump Commutes Sentence Of Developer Convicted in $50M CT Mortgage Fraud President Donald Trump has commuted the five-year prison sentence of a New York real estate manager who pleaded guilty of fraudulently obtaining nearly $50 million in mortgage loans by overstating the value of apartment buildings in Hartford, his administration announced.  Jacob Deutsch, a Brooklyn man who was sentenced in early 2022 to 62 months in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud in what prosecutors described as a wide-ranging mortgage fraud scheme, was granted clemency last week.  The White House did not provide a reason for the commutation. (Click here to read Trump'…

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by Josh Lanier
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$9.8M Darien Waterfront Estate Tied To Hedge Fund Pioneer Hits Market After 50 Years $9.8M Darien Waterfront Estate Tied To Hedge Fund Pioneer Hits Market After 50 Years $9.8M Darien Waterfront Estate Tied To Hedge Fund Pioneer Hits Market After 50 Years
$9.8M Darien Waterfront Estate Tied To Hedge Fund Pioneer Hits Market After 50 Years A storied waterfront home in Fairfield County, once owned by a pioneer of the hedge fund industry, is back on the market for the first time in more than half a century. The property at 17 Contentment Island Road in Darien first went on the market in September, but recently had its price cut to $9,895,000. That marks a $1 million drop from its original asking price. Zillow Edward Goodnow owned the home. He co-founded Goodnow, Gray & Co. in 1969 and later helped start the Goodnow Investment Group. The Yale University graduate is considered one of the fathers of the hedge fund industry.…

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by Josh Lanier
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Wilton CERT Sets Free Disaster Preparedness Training Jan. 27 Wilton CERT Sets Free Disaster Preparedness Training Jan. 27 Wilton CERT Sets Free Disaster Preparedness Training Jan. 27
Wilton CERT Sets Free Disaster Preparedness Training Jan. 27 Wilton CERT will begin its free annual disaster preparedness training on Jan. 27, 2026, and registration is open to anyone 18 or older, with Wilton residency not required. The 2026 class is scheduled to run through Feb. 28, per the registration page. Register for the training here. First aid, medical training. Pixabay/AndrzejRembowski As a Community Emergency Response Team, Wilton CERT volunteers support the Wilton Police Department’s public safety mission and are trained to assist police, fire, and EMS, per a Facebook post by the Wilton Police Department. The department noted in …

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by Daily Voice
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Republican Betsy McCaughey Enters CT Governor’s Race Republican Betsy McCaughey Enters CT Governor’s Race Republican Betsy McCaughey Enters CT Governor’s Race
Republican Betsy McCaughey Enters CT Governor’s Race A new Republican challenger has joined the race to take on Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont this fall. Betsy McCaughey, 77, who once served as New York lieutenant governor, hosts a weekend show on conservative news network Newsmax and writes a column for The New York Post, filed paperwork to run on Thursday, Jan. 15.  In a video posted to her X account, McCaughey said she would focus on curbing property tax increases, exempting most seniors from property taxes, lowering energy costs, and repealing “Lefty Lamont’s” housing law. The law overrides local zoning rules to allow apartments and mult…

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by Josh Lanier
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Student Concerto Competition In Danbury; $500 Prize, Deadline Feb. 1 Student Concerto Competition In Danbury; $500 Prize, Deadline Feb. 1 Student Concerto Competition In Danbury; $500 Prize, Deadline Feb. 1
Student Concerto Competition In Danbury; $500 Prize, Deadline Feb. 1 The Danbury Music Centre is accepting applications and video submissions for its 2026 Annual Student Concerto Competition through midnight Feb. 1, 2026. According to the Danbury Music Centre’s event listing, the winner will receive a $500 prize to support music studies and must be available to appear as a soloist at the Danbury Symphony Orchestra’s Young People’s Concert. Finalists will perform in a recital on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, starting at 3 p.m. at Marian Anderson Recital Hall at the Danbury Music Centre, 256 Main Street in Danbury. The winner will be revealed after the recital,&…

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by Daily Voice
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This CT City Just Became The Hottest Housing Market In The Nation This CT City Just Became The Hottest Housing Market In The Nation This CT City Just Became The Hottest Housing Market In The Nation
This CT City Just Became The Hottest Housing Market In The Nation Trying to buy a home in one of Connecticut's busiest cities this year may require deep pockets, quick reflexes, and a little luck. Hartford is the hottest housing market in the country, according to Zillow’s new forecast for 2026. The report pushes the Connecticut capital past Buffalo, which led the list for the past two years. The ranking matters for local buyers and sellers. It points to stiff competition, fast sales, and rising prices across the region this year. Zillow says the main problem is simple: There are not enough homes. That shortage drove quick sales and sharp price gains in…

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by Josh Lanier
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NRVT Seeks Matching Donations To Grow Trail In 2026 NRVT Seeks Matching Donations To Grow Trail In 2026 NRVT Seeks Matching Donations To Grow Trail In 2026
Nrvt Seeks Matching Donations To Grow Trail In 2026 Norwalk River Valley Trail is asking supporters to donate in 2026 to help add new miles and care for the trail. Norwalk River Valley Trail said in a Facebook post that it sees the trail as a thread connecting local towns, creating places for calm, connection, and joy. Donations can be made here. Norwalk River Valley Trail's logo.  Norwalk River Valley Trail The donations will help support additional miles of trail, maintain greenways and wildlife habitats, and build welcoming areas designed to encourage movement, wellness, and shared use. Matching gifts are available that wou…

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by Daily Voice
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Wilton Plushie Project Drive Seeks Stuffed Animals Jan. 10-17 Wilton Plushie Project Drive Seeks Stuffed Animals Jan. 10-17 Wilton Plushie Project Drive Seeks Stuffed Animals Jan. 10-17
Wilton Plushie Project Drive Seeks Stuffed Animals Jan. 10-17 A Circle of Care Plushie Project stuffed animal drive is running from Jan. 10 to Jan. 17, the Town of Wilton Parks and Recreation Department announced on Facebook. Donations, the department said in a Facebook post, can be dropped at two locations: the Comstock Community Center or the Wilton YMCA. The drive is asking for new or gently used plush toys intended to support children in the community.

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