Newsroom 2009

December 24, 2009
MIRACLE IN DWIGHT-KENSINGTON
Three weeks ago Glendalis Gonzalez returned home to find her building surrounded by fire trucks. She lost everything in the flames. READ MORE

    Allan Appel Photos

October 26, 2009
REP. DILLON ANNOUNCES $182 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR GATEWAY
State Representative Patricia Dillon announced the State Bond Commission is expected to approve funding for Gateway Community College. READ MORE

October 22, 2009
SMILOW RIBBON CUT
The festive ribbon-cutting at the new $467 million Smilow Cancer Hospital took place late Wednesday afternoon on York Street. READ MORE

September 2, 2009
POST OFFICE BRANCHES MAKE THE CUT
Neither rain nor sleet — nor a pending U.S. Postal Service budget-cutting decision — ended up stopping the mail in the Hill and Westville. READ MORE

Paul Bass Photo

August 28, 2009
HOME RESTORER HAS MESSAGE FOR HARTFORD
A state tax credit program not only helped John Fitzpatrick rescue a historic home. It convinced him to help fix up the West River neighborhood — and to lobby state legislators to save the tax credits. READ MORE

Allan Appel Photo

August 19, 2009
2 LEGISLATORS JOIN POST OFFICE BATTLE
Two state legislators announced their support Tuesday for the fight being launched by two city alderwomen to keep the Westville and Kilby Station post offices open. READ MORE

August 18, 2009
STATEMENT FROM REP. PATRICIA DILLON AND SEN. TONI HARP RE: PROPOSED CLOSING OF NEW HAVEN POST OFFICES
State Representative Patricia Dillon and State Senator Toni Harp (D-New Haven) urged the New Haven Board of Aldermen to support a resolution opposing the closing of the Westville and Kilby Station Post Offices. READ MORE

July 23, 2009
POST OFFICE CLOSINGS ARE INEVITABLE
U.S. mail service in deep financial trouble as e-mail use rises.
The U.S. Postal Service may close up to 300 branches nationally, including five in the New Haven area. Seniors, politicians, local residents are turning out to save them. READ MORE

July 3, 2009
AREA CRIES FOUL OVER POST OFFICE CLOSINGS
News that the U.S. Postal Service is studying five New Haven area post office branches for possible closure and consolidation was met Thursday with opposition from community leaders and residents. READ MORE

July 2, 2009
POSTAL SERVICE MAY CLOSE 5 BRANCHES
Five post offices in the New Haven area have been identified by the U.S. Postal Service for possible closure and consolidation as the cash-strapped postal service looks for ways to save money. READ MORE

June 30, 2009
RELL SIGNS 'MADOFF BILL' INTO LAW
Gov. M. Jodi Rell gave a copy of a new state law that protects investors from fraud to a nonprofit agency Monday, the same day the inspiration for the legislation, Bernard Madoff, was handed a 150-year prison term. READ MORE

June 29, 2009
GOVERNOR SIGNS 'MADOFF' BILL
While financier Bernard Madoff was being sentenced to 150 years in prison for swindling investors Monday, Connecticut's Gov. M. Jodi Rell was signing a bill, which will allow the state to go after white collar criminals and recoup at least a portion of a victim's losses. READ MORE

June 22, 2009
KEY EDUCATION BILL PASSES IN SPECIAL SESSION
A broad bill addressing numerous education issues — including some that will affect New Haven — passed the state House of Representatives and Senate in a special session last week. READ MORE

June 19, 2009
LEGISLATION WILL OPEN DOORS OF AMISTAD ACADEMY TO DWIGHT NEIGHBORHOOD
Representative Pat Dillon applauded House passage today of legislation that establishes a program to allow students who live within a half-mile radius of the former Timothy Dwight Elementary School in New Haven attend to the Amistad Academy charter school that will be housed there. READ MORE

June 3, 2009
SENATE PASSES "MADOFF" BILL
Representative Pat Dillon hailed Senate passage of legislation she authored to target fraudulent money managers like Bernard Madoff, the New York money manager who confessed to running a $50 billion Ponzi scheme. READ MORE

May 29, 2009
LEGISLATION TARGETING FRAUDULENT MONEY MANAGERS GETS UNANIMOUS SUPPORT IN HOUSE
Representative Pat Dillon led House debate on legislation that would allow the state to seize the assets of anyone arrested for securities fraud. The bill (HB 6339) was unanimously approved Wednesday night by the House of Representatives. READ MORE

May 7, 2009
HIV/AIDS ACTIVISTS RALLY FOR FUNDING
About 450 HIV/ AIDS activists from throughout Connecticut rallied outside the Capitol Wednesday, then went in to ask lawmakers for funding commitments at a time when the virus is spreading in the heterosexual community. READ MORE

January 17, 2009
MENTAL HEALTH CENTER WING DEDICATED
State Rep. Patricia Dillon Friday not only was thanked for her contribution to the expansion of the Connecticut Mental Health Center, but was "canonized" as well. READ MORE

January 14, 2009
LEGISLATOR ADDRESSES 'BLATANT CLASS BIAS'
Someone arrested for soliciting a prostitute in a vehicle can lose their car. Someone selling drugs out of their home can face having the house seized. READ MORE

January 13, 2009
DILLON TARGETS MADOFF AND OTHER FRAUDULENT MONEY MANAGERS
Representative Pat Dillon has filed legislation that would allow the state to immediately seize the assets of anyone arrested for securities fraud. READ MORE