After more than a year of delay, Gov. Ned Lamont's office has released several hundred pages of texts between him and chief of staff Matt Brokman to CT Insider. The messages from Lamont's personal phone span a stretch when he was weighing controversial bills and a third term.

A plan to replace the Carriage House Apartments in Storrs with 192 units, up from the current complex, was rejected 8-1 by the Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 5. The commission found it was not consistent with the town's 2015 Plan of Conservation and Development.

Developer John Ranciato Jr. met with about 30 neighbors to discuss "Paradise Woods," his proposed 150-unit affordable housing complex off Old Coach Highway in Hamden, filed under the state's 8-30g statute. Not everyone agreed, but the conversation stayed civil.

Heating an average 1,800-square-foot Connecticut home this October is expected to cost anywhere from $293 with an electric heat pump to $878 with electric baseboard heating. Oil heat is estimated at $584 and natural gas at $308, based on typical October weather in Hartford.

Cheshire's former Chapman and Darcey elementary schools hit the market this week, and developers have already made "dozens" of inquiries. Both sit in R-20 single-family zones, so any new use will take time and town input. The broker called it "a long journey."

Connecticut’s Laptop ConneCT program is bringing nearly 6K laptops to 135 libraries across 138 towns. Eligible residents can borrow a Dell laptop for education, work, healthcare or other essential online needs. Laptops are rolling out now, with all libraries expected to have them by year’s end.

A proposed data center project on Old Amston Road in Colchester could bring 2 buildings, 10 MW of power & significant clearing to a wooded area known for trails/nature. Residents are raising concerns about traffic, noise, water use, lighting & property values. Planning & Zoning meets Wednesday @ 7pm

The grants are being released through the Connecticut Recreational Trails Grant Program following a competitive review process conducted by DEEP in partnership with the Connecticut Greenways Council. The funding for the program was previously allocated by the State Bond Commission.

Sen. Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) announced $10.5M in state trail grants for 50 projects, including $470K for Hebron, Marlborough and Montville. “I'm proud that Connecticut has the process and the funding mechanisms in place to maintain our outdoor spaces," she said.

Four Connecticut hotels landed on Condé Nast Traveler's 2026 list of the top 20 hotels in the Northeast. The Mayflower Inn & Spa in Washington ranked No. 2, and Belden House & Mews, Delamar Westport and Delamar Mystic also made the list.

Gov. Lamont, AG Tong and Commissioner Trueworthy are urging HHS to withdraw a proposed rule that would strip most Head Start performance standards. The program serves about 5,600 Connecticut children up to age 5 and their families.

Electric costs are a top issue in Connecticut's governor's race. Gov. Ned Lamont's new TV ad claims he cut household bills by $400 a year, while Republican Ryan Fazio says rates are up 38% since Lamont took office. Connecticut's 2025 residential rate was nearly 70% above the national average.

Connecticut builders filed permits for just over 9,800 new homes in 2025, the most in two decades, according to the state Department of Economic & Community Development. That is nearly 3,350 more than in 2024, and Stamford accounted for almost half of the gain.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has secured an SBA disaster declaration for Fairfield County and neighboring New Haven and Litchfield counties following the Sept. 13 flash floods. Homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofits may now qualify for low-interest SBA disaster loans to help with recovery.

Connecticut is awarding $275,000 in LEAP grants to help improve student attendance in Norwich. Chronic absenteeism in Norwich Public Schools has fallen from nearly 30% in 2022 to under 20% last year. Statewide, it has dropped from 23.7% in 2021-22 to 16.4% in 2025-26.

3pm!