Thumbs up, thumbs down
Thumbs up to what’s expected to be the end of a brutal heat wave in Connecticut. Monday’s storms will lead to somewhat lower temperatures this
week, forecasters say, and any break is welcome. While we’re all used to hot weather in July, what we’ve seen in the past week has been particularly unpleasant, combining near-100-degree temperatures with high humidity in a mix that made stepping outside feel like a chore. It’s toughest, of course, on people who have to work outside for a living, but there’s some reason to think we’ll get a bit of a break this week. August, however, looms.
Thumbs up to continuing job growth in Connecticut. June was the sixth consecutive month of job growth in the state, with the addition of some 1,700 jobs as
the unemployment rate fell to 4 percent. May numbers were also revised upward, and now show a gain of 2,400 jobs. It’s good news for anyone seeking work, but with one of the highest labor participation rates in the nation, it means employers are often left scrambling. Business groups say members are having a hard time filling open positions, and have put a priority on adding to the state population to fill so many of the vacancies.
Thumbs up to two of the best of all time in one final matchup on the court. Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, both University of Connecticut alums,
holders of multiple national championships and Olympic gold medals, No. 1 WNBA draft choices and innumerable individual accolades, played on Friday night as the Seattle Storm met the Phoenix Mercury, and that’s likely it for their careers. Bird is retiring at the end of the year, and Taurasi is surely nearing the end of her legendary run. The line of great UConn players is seemingly endless, and continues to grow, but Bird and Taurasi are in a class of their own. We may never see their equals again.
Thumbs down to yet another wrong-way crash on a state highway. One person died and two others were injured as two cars collided on Interstate 95 in
Bridgeport early Saturday morning, and it’s part of a tragic trend this summer. Another happened around 8:30 p.m. Sunday on Route 8 near Exit 2. That crash involved four vehicles. Through the first five months of the year, the state recorded seven fatal wrong-way crashes in Connecticut, resulting in 17 deaths. There are various causes, but driver impairment remains the No. 1 danger.
Thumbs down to the looming deadline for the state child tax credit. Families have until July 31 to apply for a one-time rebate offering eligible low- and
middle-income households $250 per child for up to three children. As of Friday, the state reported that just more than half of Connecticut households expected to be eligible for the rebate had applied. That gap is expected to narrow throughout the week, but there will undoubtedly be thousands of people who the tax credit was aimed to help who will nonetheless miss out on the program. The state Department of Revenue Services’ website enables households to apply online, or applicants can call the DRS at 860-297-5962.