Thumbs up, thumbs down
Thumbs up
to a proposal to ban the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits from facilities established for the breeding of dogs in conditions that are regarded as inhumane, otherwise known as puppy mills, outside Connecticut. While there are some unanswered questions and some advocates would like to see the proposal go further, it’s a welcome step. And for people looking for a pet, there has never been a shortage of cats and dogs — or whatever animal someone is looking for — in need of a home of their own.
Thumbs up
to Tracey Elementary School in Norwalk for its distinction as the only school in Connecticut named a School of Character by the nonprofit Character.org. The national honors are based on 11 principles related to a social-emotional educational model, including creating a caring community and provide students with opportunities for moral action. Credit goes to Principal Theresa Rangel, faculty and students.
Thumbs down
to another month of disappointing job gains in Connecticut. The state gained 300 jobs in April as its unemployment rate dropped by a one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.8 percent, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday. That drop in unemployment, though, is likely because more people are dropping out of the workforce, analysts say. Connecticut has been in a jobs drought for so long it’s getting hard to remember what a bustling economy with robust job growth looked like here.
Thumbs up
to a bill to allow public businesses or places to stock epinephrine auto injectors — EpiPens — in case of an allergic reaction. State Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, has been pushing the bill since his own reaction to food that contained peanuts last year in Hartford. It was so severe he had to be taken to the hospital, and it could have been avoided with medication quickly available. With the incidence of allergies on the rise and more people in need, having help on hand in public places makes good sense.
Thumbs down
to new confusion over plans to build a casino in Bridgeport. The long-standing proposal by MGM Resorts to build a waterfront casino, with a job-training center slated for New Haven, has faced many obstacles, not least being the compact between the state and Indian tribes that prevent other casino operators. It was pushed into further confusion with news that Gov. Ned Lamont may want to see the tribes themselves build in Bridgeport. Whatever the merits of the project, there are so many moving parts that it is difficult for observers to know where the idea stands, and little indication the picture will be cleared up any time soon.
Thumbs up
to graduates across the region, high school, college and beyond, getting ready to start the next chapters of their lives. While many universities have recently held commencement ceremonies and others are soon to come, grade schools around the region are entering their final weeks. Congratulations to all the new graduates, and to those soon to be.
Thumbs up
to the youth Stand Against Racism essay contest winners. In the middle school level, Jacob Gonzales, a seventh-grader at Nathan Hale Middle School in Norwalk, and Avi Samal, a seventh-grader at Middlesex Middle School in Darien won; at the high school level winners were Julia Curtins, a senior at Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk, and Osaru Uwa-Omede, a freshman at Darien High School. The contest was sponsored by the YWCA Darien/Norwalk, as part of a national campaign to raise awareness about the negative impact of racism in our communities.