New CT laws in effect Oct. 1 increase protection of domestic violence victims, exploited children, seniors and whistleblowers

Senate Bill 153 takes effect Oct. 1, 2010 - It protects 16- and 17-year-olds forced into prostitution from prosecution and toughens penalties against those who exploit them. Previously, prostitution had been a crime regardless of the alleged offender’s age.

About a dozen new state laws go into effect on Friday, Oct. 1, including laws that offer greater protection for children, senior citizens and that impose tougher penalties for “distracted driving.”

Among these new laws are:

Senate Bill 153, An Act Providing Safe Harbor for Exploited Children: Protects 16- and 17-year-olds forced into prostitution from prosecution and toughens penalties against those who exploit them. Previously, prostitution had been a crime regardless of the alleged offender’s age.

The bill increases the penalty for promoting prostitution of someone younger than 18 years old, and makes this a Class B felony rather than a Class C felony and boosts sanctions to as much as 20 years in prison and fines of $15,000.

The new law also imposes a mandatory, minimum nine months in prison for promoting prostitution of someone younger than 18.

• House Bill 5278, An Act Concerning Senior Centers and the Freedom of Information Act: Excludes the disclosure of name, address, telephone number or e-mail address of anyone who is a member of, or enrolled in a program at a senior center that a public agency administers or sponsors.

“It is everyone’s right to hold public officials accountable for how taxpayer money is spent. What is not appropriate and potentially dangerous is making certain information available to the wrong people,” Gov. M. Jodi Rell said in a press release Sept. 29 that outlines these new laws. “There are unscrupulous individuals who will stop at nothing to get that information, even if it means hiding behind our FOI laws.”

• Senate Bill 427, An Act Concerning The Use Of Hand-Held Mobile Telephones And Mobile Electric Devices By Motor Vehicle Operators: Significantly strengthens Connecticut’s 5-year-old ban on the use of cell phones and other electronic devices by motorists while driving.

The new law eliminates the one-time exemption from a fine, for purchasing a hands-free device, and specifies that the ban on using electronic devices while driving applies to texting as well as cell phone conversations.

“There can be no more ‘grace period’ for a motorist caught using a hand-held phone in the car [while driving] and if you get caught texting – you pay. There is nothing that urgent that is worth a life,” Rell said.

The new law also increases the penalties for repeat offenders.

First-time violators face a fine of $100. Second offenses carry a fine of $150 and subsequent violations are fined $200 each.

In addition, the law specifies that 25 percent of fines collected will go to the municipality where the summons was issued.

• House Bills 5497, An Act Concerning the Recommendations of the Speaker of the House of Representatives’ Task Force on Domestic Violence, and House Bill 5246, An Act Concerning the Protection of and Services for Victims of Domestic Violence.

The new laws establish broader protections for victims of domestic violence, electronic monitoring of violent offenders and greater awareness of teen dating violence and other reforms that make it easier for tenants who are victims of family violence to terminate their rental agreement without penalty.

Other new laws include:

• Senate Bill 5435, An Act Concerning the Recommendations of the Majority Leaders’ Jobs Growth Roundtable (Jobs Bill). Several provisions of the sweeping, bipartisan Jobs Bill, which offers incentives for employers and small businesses, are already in effect.

On October 1, the law calls for the creation of a comprehensive marketing campaign that promotes Connecticut as a place of innovation.

It also requires the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development to regionally promote the biomedical device industry in the Connecticut River Valley, also known as the “New England Knowledge Corridor,” between Hartford and Springfield, Mass.

• Senate Bill 248, An Act Concerning Adverse Events at Hospitals and Outpatient Surgical Facilities, expands disclosure of medical errors at hospitals and surgical clinics and gives patients access to information regarding their complaints.

The new law also adds protections for whistleblowers who report the medical errors, known as “adverse events” and requires the state Department of Public Health (DPH) to report annually to the Legislature on medical errors for each hospital.

• Senate Bill 501, An Act Concerning the Real Estate Conveyance Tax, exempts homeowners facing foreclosure from paying this tax when the property transfer is made through foreclosure or a short sale.

Posted Sept. 30, 2010

Related links:

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=4120

A global view – Awaken

http://web.me.com/jessicajorr/Awaken_Worldwide,_Inc./Awaken.html

Judy J. Hall, Nov. 4, 1947 – Sept. 20, 2010

Judy J. Hall

Judy (Torbett) Hall, 62, of Mansfield Center, CT, beloved wife of Edward Hall, passed away peacefully Monday, Sept. 20, 2010 at Windham Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer.

She was born Nov. 4, 1947 in Colchester, VT, daughter of Hilda Torbett and the late Andrew A. Torbett Sr.

She was a graduate of Norwich Fee Academy.

Judy was a long time member of the Christian Life Assembly of God where she organized dinners and special occasions. She was a dedicated Sunday School teacher for over 35 years and a faithful leader to the girl’s group for over 30 years.

Besides her loving husband Edward, she is survived by her beloved son Eric of Mansfield Center; three adored grandchildren, Arin Hall, Julia Hall, Scott Hall; two brothers Rev. Andrew A. Torbett Jr. and (sister-in-law) Rev. Sharon Torbett of Moose River, ME, Elvin Torbett and (sister-in-law) Jeanne Torbett of Jacksonville, FL; a sister Carolyn (Torbett) Johnson and (brother-in-law) Rev. Gilbert Johnson of Waterford, CT; two aunts Alice Langdon of Fairfield, CT and Joyce Cooper of Rochester, NY; an uncle Guy Richards of North Andover, MA; ten nieces and nephews and twenty-one great nieces and nephews; her dearest friend Dolly Oliver and an innumerable host of friends.

She was predeceased by a sister, Joann L. Torbett.

Donations may be made in Judy’s honor to the Christian Life Assembly of God Church, 143 Windham Rd., Willimantic, CT. 06226.

Arrangements were handled by Potter Funeral Home 456 Jackson St. (Rte. 195) Willimantic. Interment was at Mansfield Center Cemetery.

Posted Sept. 30, 2010

E.O. Smith High School $2.17 million sports facilities project passes at the polls

Don and Barbara Protheroe arrived at the Ashford polling place early Tuesday morning to cast their votes in the Sept. 28 referendum on athletic facilities for E.O. Smith High School. Here they are chatting with poll worker Joe Peters, who checks their IDs before they receive their ballots. Al Malpa photo

Despite being rejected in two of three towns, voters in Regional School District 19 approved a new track and other outdoor athletic facilities at E.O. Smith High School at Tuesday’s referendum [Sept. 28].

Residents in both Ashford and Willington rejected the $2.17 million project with a combined vote of 506 “yes” votes and 752 “no” votes.

Mansfield voters approved the plan with 947 “yes” votes and 312 “no” votes, a wide-enough margin to push the total “yes” votes ahead.

The total tally for all three towns in the district was 1,453 in favor and 1,064 against.

The voter turnout in Mansfield was 12.1 percent, while in Ashford it was 16.1 percent and in Willington it was 23.5 percent.

District 19 Board of Education Chair Francis Archambault said he was “very pleased” the project passed and reiterated previous statements about the need for new facilities at E.O. Smith High School, which is located in Mansfield.

The project will include a new track, to replace one that has not been in use for years due to safety concerns, according to school officials.

Superintendent Bruce Silva has said the school has been forced to use other facilities for its track teams, including those at Tolland High School, Windham Middle School and Eastern Connecticut State University.

The project will also include a new synthetic-turf field to replace the existing natural grass field, which school officials have said is also in poor shape.

Project architect Vincent McDermott said the field does not have proper irrigation and added, even with sufficient water and $20,000 in maintenance, a natural grass field can support 15 hours of usage per week.

Silva said the new synthetic surface will allow for constant use by all physical education classes, as well as athletic teams such as football and soccer.

To accommodate a full-size high school soccer field, the new track will be a modified 400-meter track.

The school will also resurface outdoor tennis and basketball courts as part of the project.

Silva said he expects the new facilities to be ready for use by fall 2011.

The building committee will meet in the next few weeks. Silva said the committee will need to select a consultant to design the project before sending it out to bid.

Construction could begin as early as March, which might force the tennis teams to find a new location, and the expected timeline calls for four months of construction, he also said.

The project has been debated, in its most recent form, for several months.

At a public hearing in August, Willington Selectman John Blessington and Board of Finance member Peter Latincsics both said they think it is too expensive given the current economic conditions in the country.

Latincsics could not be reached for comment this morning, but Blessington said he was disappointed in the result, especially since Ashford and Willington were both “pretty solidly against it.”

“We feel that Mansfield is kind of the bully in all of this,” he said. Mansfield voters don’t consider Willington and Ashford residents’ ability to pay taxes for such initiatives, he said.

He also said the school board would have had much more support if it simply proposed to reconstruct the track – which likely would have cost between $500,000 and $750,000.

Blessington said many residents saw the total plan as “gold plated.”

Archambault said he can understand why some people wouldn’t have supported the project as presented at Tuesday’s referendum, but also noted that the project did get sufficient “yes” votes in all three towns, and not just Mansfield, or it wouldn’t have passed.

He also said the school board does not intend to bring any other projects to voters in the near future.

This was the school board’s second try at such a project. Voters rejected a $3.95 million plan in February 2009. The project approved Tuesday was scaled back from that plan and did not include work to the Farrell Fields Complex, bleachers or lights, although it does include work that will make it possible to install lights in the future.

Posted Sept. 29, 2010

UConn to aid with clean water for Ethiopia

A team of UConn researchers has been chosen to support development of clean water resources in Ethiopia.

The UConn researchers will partner with collaborators from five Ethiopian universities and Alabama A&M University.

Despite abundant water reserves fed by nine river basins across Ethiopia – including the Nile River in the northwest:

• half of the nation’s estimated 80 million residents walk up to 2.5 miles daily to collect water;

• more than 70 percent  lack access to safe drinking water;

• agriculture is primarily rain-fed, contributing to hunger in the country

• less than 5 percent of the nation’s potential irrigable land is under irrigation;

• only 2 percent of the nation’s potential hydropower is utilized;

• and water-related diseases such as malaria are major public health problems.

Ethiopia’s water problems cannot be solved merely by drilling wells, building dams or other structures.

The USAID project is aimed at “building capacity” – helping the nation nurture its own problem solvers who can address water distribution problems.

The UConn team is one of just 11 chosen for the project.

USAID is providing up to $1.1 million to each of the 11 projects during the initial two years, in support of activities that address issues including food security and agriculture, energy, health care, education and water resources in Africa.

A centerpiece of the project is the establishment of an Ethiopian Institute of Water Resources.

The funding comes through Higher Education for Development (HED) which currently manages grants for the Africa-US Higher Education Initiative, led by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).

UConn Engineering professors Michael Accorsi and Mekonnen Gebremichael are leading the project with their co-lead institution in Ethiopia, Addis Abba University.

The team also includes civil and environmental engineering faculty members Dr. Guiling Wang, Emmanouil Anagnostou and Amvrossios Bagtzoglou; Farhed Shah of agricultural and resource economics; and geography professors Jeffrey Osleeb and Carol Atkinson-Palombo.

Dr. Guiling Wang, an associate professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering and director of the Environmental Engineering Program, reflected “The need for water is so great and pervasive in Ethiopia that we can have an immediate impact in helping the country address this problem.”

“The focus of our work is on capacity building. We won’t actually be solving the water problem directly,” she said.

“We will be helping our Ethiopian partners develop a more relevant engineering curriculum and a vibrant applied research program. At the same time, UConn faculty will benefit from increased competency in addressing global water issues and new partnering opportunities for research,” she said.

“My experience is in hydrology, biosphere-atmosphere interactions, climatology and hydrological forecasting, so I am interested in helping the universities develop a context-relevant curriculum,” Dr. Guiling Wang said.

Besides UConn, the project includes partners from Alabama A&M University along with five Ethiopian universities: co-lead Addis Ababa University, Arba Minch University, Bahir Dar University, Hawassa University and Mekelle University.

It is expected the partnerships will continue well beyond the initial funding period and enhance the resources of U.S. universities while enabling African universities to capitalize on their on-the-ground knowledge, proximity to the challenges, and internal capacity to better address these challenges.

Read more about the project at http://www.engr.uconn.edu/ethiopiawaterhelp.php

Posted Sept. 29, 2010, with material added by HTNP.com Editor Brenda Sullivan

Cleaning out the garage? Donate to this Saturday's Tag Sale for the Cure

Pillowcase design by bunniesandbows.com

Shirley Ernst, a Willington resident and 14-year breast cancer survivor, will host a Tag Sale for the Cure from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2 at the Willington Town Office Building, 40 Old Farms Road.

If anyone has items they would like to donate to the sale, they can drop them off at the Town Office Building from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept 30 or Friday, Oct 1.

Shirley has walked two Susan G. Komen 3-day For the Cure walks (20 miles a day for 3 days = 60 miles) – one last November and one this past July in Boston – and  is walking in San Diego in November.

She has registered for two walks in 2011 and the tag sale proceeds will go toward those walks as she must raise $2,300 for each walk.

Call Shirley at 860-684-3156 for more information.

Posted Sept. 28, 2010

Have an event, news item, press release, photo or other information you’d like to share with readers of Mansfield Today? Simply send your information to mansfieldeditor@htnp.com and be sure to include Mansfield Today in your subject line, and include a phone number where you can be reached if there are questions. – Brenda Sullivan, HTNP.com Editor

CT State university system under pressure from Gov. Rell freezes salaries, tuition

File photo Sophomores Tierra Downie of Springfield, Mass., and Shelby Draughn of Hamden walk through campus at Eastern Connecticut State University in August. The Connecticut State University Board of Trustees on Thursday approved a tuition freeze and a one-year salary freeze for management and non-union staff.

The board of trustees for the Connecticut State University System on Sept. 23 declared its intention  to freeze tuition and fees for the 2011-12 school year.

Also, trustees approved a salary freeze for management and non-union personnel for the 2012 fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2011, and ends June 30, 2012  — the second yearlong freeze in the past three years.

The vote was unanimous.

Trustees also acknowledged they may have to revisit the matter depending on funding from the state.

CSUS oversees Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic, Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven and Western Connecticut State University in Danbury.

With more than 36,000 students and 180,000 alumni, CSUS is the largest public university system in Connecticut.

“This is a bold move,” said CSUS Board of Trustees Chair Karl Krapek, especially when it comes in the wake of the state pulling back $15 million to help balance the state budget and combat a $3.5 billion budget deficit.

“We may have to revisit this,” he said. “But for now, I think it’s the right thing to do.”

Trustee Angelo Messina, who chairs the trustees’ Administration and Finance Committee, said the state continues to feel the effects of the recession, which include the state budget deficit and unemployment at 9 percent.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen with state funding,” Messina said.

Messina said the salary freeze would save an estimated $1.5 million and help the system avoid significant staff cuts.

With the freeze, in the current academic year tuition and mandatory fees for in-state, commuting undergraduate students average $8,043 for all four universities.

For in-state CSUS students living on campus, tuition and mandatory fees average $17,997.

The tuition and fees freeze would affect more than 36,000 students attending the four universities.

Eastern Connecticut State University President Elsa Nuñez said 50 percent of those attending Eastern are the first generation to go to college and so, niversity presidents wanted to see tuition and fees frozen.

“It’s a very good thing right now,” Nuñez said.

According to salary figures released from CSUS, Nuñez’s salary will be frozen at $299,460.

Other trustees supported the intention.

“I think it’s a very important statement to make,” said trustee Peter Rosa.

“I fully support it,” said trustee Ronald Pugliese.

Trustee L. David Panciera said, “We are here for the students and only the students.”

In a statement released Thursday, Gov. M. Jodi Rell urged the University of Connecticut to follow CSUS”s example, “to hold the line on unaffordable raises and to look for cost-cutting measures and savings before opting for yet another increase in tuition,” Gov. Rell said.

“College costs for all Connecticut students have grown increasingly unaffordable,” she said. “I have repeatedly cautioned that a college education — the key that unlocks the economic future of our children — will soon be out of reach for many families unless these costs are reduced. I am pleased that the trustees have opted to take steps to rein in some of these costs.”

UConn spokesman Michael Kirk said UConn Trustees will vote to set tuition and fees in February — which will be applied to the 2011-12 school year — and that those discussions are just beginning.

Kirk added trustees have already approved a freeze for non-union salaries for fiscal year 2012 — which runs from July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012.

He said tuition, mandatory fees, room and board for an in-state student is $20,968 while out-of-state students pay $37,432.

Salary freeze
The freeze on CSUS management and “confidential” staff salaries — which include university presidents — will be for the 2012 fiscal year.

Those who will be affected include employees at all four universities and the system office, as well as the chancellor, university presidents and vice presidents, deans of students, police chiefs, human resources administrators, “confidential” administrative assistants and system-level management and “confidential” staff.

“In no way is this an easy decision for us,” said trustee Gail Williams, who expressed her appreciation for those who will forego increases.

According to a news release, a series of fiscal actions by CSUS — including a 10 percent reduction in management staff and other staff reductions (including a 32 percent reduction in staffing at the system office), an initial yearlong salary freeze and unpaid furlough days — has resulted in “cost avoidance” and cost savings totaling more than $43 million over the past three years.

In addition, CSUS absorbed a reduction of $15 million — money pulled back by the state to help balance the state budget, the release said.

Posted Sept. 28, 2010

Area schools score well on SAT college entrance test

With many of the area high school producing SAT scores above the state averages, local school board members said they hope to get a better understanding of the results in the coming weeks.

Statewide, the average reading score of 505 and math score of 510 were both two points higher than last year’s results.

The average score in writing, a subject that has only been offered since 2006, was 510 across the state in the most current year.

Under the SAT’s current format, test takers can have scores that range from 600 to 2400 points, with a total of 800 points available for each subject.

The test is administered by the College Board and is one of two standardized tests used by most colleges to judge college readiness.

The other is the ACT College Entrance Exam, which is used primarily in the Southern and Western parts of the country.

Locally, Coventry, E.O. Smith, Lyman Memorial and RHAM high schools all surpassed the state averages in each of the three subjects.

Parish Hill High School beat the averages in both reading and writing, but missed the mark in math. The average overall score for Parish Hill’s test takers was just seven points short of the state average.

Windham and Windham Technical high schools missed the state averages in all three subjects, although those from Windham High School taking the test missed the average in math by only two points.

Many school board leaders said Friday they did not yet have the chance to review the results for their schools, which were released Friday afternoon [Sept. 24].

Donna Lafontaine, of Lebanon, and Larry Pietrantonio, of Coventry – who chair their respective school boards – said school officials will review the results and make presentations at their next board meeting.

Regional School Distric 19 [E.O. Smith High School] school board Chair Francis Archambault and Windham school board Chair Ken Folan said their boards will do the same thing.

But they also said the results, positive or negative, should not be the only measure when determining whether their high schools are preparing students for college.

Folan said the scores provide only a “snap shot” of students’ abilities, and comparing the results to other schools or previous classes may not be the best way to analyze the situation.

“Every year is a different set of students with a different set of challenges,” he said.

Archambualt, meanwhile, said his board will need to “look behind those numbers,” including if there was an increase in the number of test takers, to get a better understanding.

He also noted some have long questioned whether the SAT is the best measure of a student’s ability, and noted colleges and universities look at all aspects of an application, not just the test scores.

“Taking the SAT scores (to measure success) alone is an unwise thing to do,” he said.

Some colleges in recent years – including Fairfield University – have made the SAT optional, and the ACT has become more popular in Connecticut in recent years.

Still, the College Board announced Monday that more students than ever are taking the SAT. Nearly 1.6 million students from the Class of 2010 took the SAT – 41.5 percent, compared to 40 percent in 2009 and 28.6 percent in 2000.

In Connecticut, the participation rate was 73 percent of graduating public high school seniors, making Connecticut fourth in terms of participation nationwide.

Posted Sept. 28, 2010

Information from the Connecticut Post appears in this story, reprinted in Windham Today through an agreement with The Chronicle.

Seasonal flu shot/nasal vaccine clinic on Sept 28

Administering the nasal vaccine - an alternative to a flu shot.

There will be a seasonal flu shot/FluMist®  clinic for students in the Mansfield school system and their families today [Sept. 28] from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Mansfield Middle School cafeteria.

The clinic is being administered by the VNA East.

Insurances that will be accepted include Husky, Anthem and Connecticare. There is no charge for students with other insurance or who are uninsured.

For adults with other carriers or without insurance the flu shot will cost $30, or the FluMist® will cost $35.

For more information, call VNA East at 860-456-7288 before 3 p.m.

Posted Sept. 28, 2010