Jonathan Kantrowitz

Congress Street Bridge and Stamford Urban Transitway receive appropriations

Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4), Stamford Mayor Mike Pavia, and Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch announced today that the U.S. House Appropriations Committee has approved $1 million for completion of the Stamford Urban Transitway and $450,000 for the construction of Bridgeport’s Congress Street Bridge.

“Even in tough economic times, investing in our local infrastructure is absolutely critical,” said Himes. “Both of these projects improve access to the cities’ downtowns, which will help local businesses thrive and create jobs.”

The Stamford Urban Transitway is the centerpiece of Stamford’s effort to connect the Stamford Transportation Center with its Amtrak, regional rail, and commuter bus facilities. Himes and Pavia recently announced a $16 million grant for the second phase of the Stamford Urban Transitway. Along with local funding, this $1 million is likely to provide the necessary funds to complete the project.

“Congressman Himes’ critical leadership in securing what we see as the final dollars to complete the Stamford Urban Transitway strengthens the future of Stamford’s economic growth,” said Pavia. “The Transitway is a key component of Stamford’s expanding transit-oriented development.”

Once completed, the Transitway will increase access to public transportation, improve deteriorated air quality, and open the south waterfront to a $4 billion brownfields revitalization and mixed-use redevelopment now underway. The Transitway will connect several regional transportation facilities with bus, high occupancy vehicle, vehicle, and bicycle and pedestrian lanes. Improvements will also be made to sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and surrounding roads.

The Congress Street Bridge once connected Bridgeport’s east side with downtown, but over a decade ago, the drawbridge became unsafe to operate and was left in the upward position. During his first year in Congress, Himes secured funding to demolish the bridge, the first step toward reconnecting the east side with the rest of the city. This appropriation is the first federal funding secured to rebuild the bridge.

“I applaud Congressman Himes’ continued efforts to secure funds for the rebuilding of the Congress Street Bridge,” said Finch. “There is still much to be done, but thanks to the Congressman we are closer to achieving this goal than ever before.”

Maybe it was my post. I’ve noticed fewer trailers on the Parkway lately. On the other hand, for some reason, I’ve seen lots of trailers in the left lane on the turnpike in the last week or so.:

Sec. 14-230a. Restricted use of left-hand lane on divided limited access highways. On any divided limited access highway which provides more than two lanes for traffic proceeding in the same direction, no operator of any motor vehicle with a commercial registration or motor bus or vehicle with trailer shall drive in the extreme left lane where the State Traffic Commission so designates, except on the direction of a police officer or except when access to or egress from such highway is provided on the left, in which latter case he shall drive in such left lane only for such period as is reasonably necessary to enter or leave such highway safely. Any person who violates any provision of this section shall have committed an infraction and shall be fined eighty-eight dollars.

What’s the world coming to?

While I have made no secret of my preference for Ned Lamont, I have tried to give Dan Malloy equal coverage on this blog. I have reported on Malloy’s numerous endorsements, and on his well-thought out policy proposals. And, I would strongly prefer either of them over Tom Foley.

I have criticized both campaigns for going negative in a way that will hurt the election of a Democrat in the general election. But there is a difference in tone between the Lamont campaign’s negativity: “career politician,” “misleading job claims,” accusations, which are, in fact, true, and the barrage of negative attacks on Ned Lamont by the Malloy campaign, which are, in fact, false.

Moreover, the Lamont campaign has limited any of its minor league negativity to press releases, while the Malloy campaign’s negative attacks are featured in a new ad. Dan Malloy launched the ad after stating just last week that he has no intention of running a negative campaign.

Here are the falsehoods contained in the ad:

Claim: “This year’s race for governor is a critical choice but my opponent refuses to debate.”

Fact: Ned and Dan have appeared together at more than 30 debates and forums, including two statewide televised debates, and they will be appearing together next week in Windham.

Claim: “So here are the facts: I have a proven record of creating jobs, lowering crime, cleaning up government.”

Facts:
1.Stamford lost thousands of jobs during Malloy’s tenure as Mayor and the unemployment rate went up.

2. As reported yesterday by the Hartford Courant, three of Malloy’s city employees were charged with stealing nearly $400,000 from the city of Stamford. Malloy named two of the employees “Employee of the Month.”

Claim: My opponent doesn’t have that experience, in fact he reduced his employees by more than 70% while paying himself a huge salary. Don’t you think CEO’s behaving that way is what messed up our economy in the first place? I’m Dan Malloy and I approve this message.

Fact: The decline in Lamont Digital’s work force resulted mostly from the company’s decision to sell off some pieces of the company in the early 2000′s. Lamont personally worked to ensure that every employee affected was taken care of. Many employees kept their jobs, joining the new owners of the cable system they worked for, some took compensation packages, and others started their own businesses with Lamont’s help.

Joe Lieberman made exactly the same false claim in 2006, and the Hartford Courant debunked his attack, saying Lieberman played “loose with the facts in a commercial attacking Lamont’s business ethics.”

That’s it for me – I will no longer try to be even-handed in my coverage on this blog – Dan Malloy has crossed the line.

Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3) announced today that Griffin Hospital in Derby, CT will receive a $1.4 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services to fund its Preventive Medicine Residency Program.

Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the grant will enable Griffin Hospital to continue to train physicians in preventive medicine, a critical element in improving the nation’s health and a large component of the new health care reform law, the Affordable Care Act. Under new regulations recently issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, health insurance companies will be required to provide preventive care measures, such as mammograms, immunizations, and colonoscopies, with no out-of-pocket costs.

Chronic and often preventable diseases cause 7 out of 10 deaths in our country, and account for 75 percent of our health care spending. Preventive care is essential to helping Americans avoid these life-threatening ailments, or catch them before it is too late. An estimated 88 million Americans will benefit over the next three years from the recent Department of Health & Human Services regulation ensuring that these life-saving preventive measures are free for at-risk individuals.

The Griffin Hospital Preventive Medicine Residency Program, which is one of two accredited graduate medical education programs offered by the hospital, exposes physician trainees to a broad curriculum focused on population and individual based health promotion and disease prevention with particular emphasis on the prevention of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Through community based and clinical research, Griffin Hospital’s preventive medicine residents learn to understand the healthcare needs of the community and how best to meet them. These funds will enable the program’s two-track partnership with the Yale School of Epidemiology and Public Health focus on chronic disease and cancer prevention.

Congresswoman DeLauro:

“I am enormously pleased that Griffin Hospital will be receiving this grant to support their preventive care program. With an astounding 70 percent of the deaths in our country attributed to diseases that are chronic and potentially preventable, it is essential that we do all we can do ensure our doctors know how to keep their patients healthy. As a cancer survivor myself, I was very lucky to have excellent doctors who detected the disease early and have been cancer-free ever since. Had my doctors not caught my cancer at its earliest stage – had I not been able to afford preventive care and only seen a doctor when I felt sick – the final outcome might have been very different. These funds will help to train the next generation of doctors in preventive medicine and to ensure that our citizens lead healthier, longer, and more productive lives.”

Patrick Charmel, Griffin Hospital President and CEO:

“

This grant demonstrates the growing appreciation of the importance of establishing a strong base of highly trained preventive specialists to assess the health status and health care needs of our communities and to lead the effort at both the local and national level to improve the health of the population. Increasing the number of practicing preventive medicine specialists is critical to enhancing the effectiveness of the country’s health care delivery system in that Preventive Medicine practitioners develop and employ strategies to encourage the adoption of healthy habits and practices and to detect and treat disease early which, over the long term, will reduce the burden of chronic disease with its associated cost to society in terms of both economic resources and human suffering. Griffin Hospital has been a pioneer in community oriented primary care and preventive medicine training. Griffin developed the first combined preventive medicine –internal medicine training program in the country which has become a national model. Program graduates are eligible for board certification in both preventive and internal medicine and have gone on to distinguished careers as public health professionals, educators, researchers, and clinicians. I am very proud of our Preventive Medicine Program faculty, interns and residents for their commitment to excellence which has been recognized by the US Department of Health and Human Services with this important grant award.”