U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz was in Hartford today for a review of New England’s energy issues. The federal review was ordered by President Barack Obama to develop a strategy for public works needed to transport, store and deliver energy to consumers. Officials said that during the severe winter natural gas prices soared to more than $120 per million British thermal units.
Governor Malloy challenged Metro-North Railroad on Friday to set higher goals for on-time performance and service quality in a new schedule planned for May. In a letter to Metro-North President Joseph Giulietti, the governor said the railroad had not adequately explained why it was setting on-time performance goals under 95 percent.
Ending Homelessness Among the State's Veterans
A push to end homelessness among Connecticut veterans by 2015 is generating renewed interest in the state's Veterans Home at Rocky Hill. Governor Malloy’s administration is creating a working group that will determine the best way forward for the 90-acre complex that serves military veterans. Advocates for the homeless estimate Connecticut has more than 500 homeless veterans.
Graduate Assistants Union
University of Connecticut graduate students who work as teaching or research assistants have won union recognition. They are the first group of graduate assistants recognized in the state. Union officials say the state Board of Labor Relations verified that more than half of the workers had signed cards authorizing the Graduate Employee Union/United Auto Workers to represent them.
Waterbury Astronaut
Astronaut Rick Mastracchio is scheduled to make his ninth spacewalk. The Waterbury native will repair a failed computer outside the International Space Station. Mastracchio has been on the ISS since last year. In December, he made a series of spacewalks to repair a water pump on the exterior of the space station. He should be making his return trip to Earth on May 13. Matracchio is a graduate of Crosby High School and UConn.
