May 25, 2020

Unemployment Filings High in Southeast Connecticut, Industry Impact Varies

May 25, 2020/ Bernard Kavaler

As Connecticut and the nation grapple with unprecedented unemployment numbers, an analysis of town-by-town data shows that on a per-capita basis, some of Connecticut’s smaller communities and those in southeast Connecticut are being hit as hard as the state’s largest cities… 12 of the 20 municipalities with the highest level unemployment claims, per capita, during the peak of the pandemic were in southeast Connecticut.

May 12, 2020

The Cities Project, Sara Bronin to be Honored by CT Main Street Center

May 12, 2020/ Bernard Kavaler

Connecticut Main Street Center (CMSC) has announced plans to honor a first-time collaborative journalism initiative in Connecticut, along with the efforts of a local educator, attorney, and architect who has worked at the local, state, and national levels on policy reforms to improve and enhance main streets and revitalize communities.

May 11, 2020

Small Business Development Center Among Key Responders to Propel Business Recovery

May 11, 2020/ Bernard Kavaler

In normal times, Connecticut and the nation would have observed the convergence of national Small Business Week and international Economic Development Week to begin the month of May. This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the official observance highlighting small businesses across the country did not take place, even as the focus on economic development and the fate of small businesses sharpened in Connecticut and nationwide.

May 09, 2020

CT Launches Small Business Implementation Task Force to Advance Reopening

May 09, 2020/ Bernard Kavaler

Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) launched an “ad hoc task force” developed to provide support to small businesses on how to implement the newly announced regulations impacting a range of industries. Members include representatives of Chambers of Commerce and business organizations throughout the state.

May 06, 2020

Five CT Communities, Led by Shelton, to Receive Federal Funds for Brownfield Remediation

May 06, 2020/ Bernard Kavaler

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected five grantees in the state of Connecticut to receive $2.3 million for six projects to assess and clean up contaminated properties under the agency's Brownfields Program.

May 05, 2020

Residents in CT, Nationwide, Say Don’t Reopen Too Soon, National Survey Reveals

May 05, 2020/ Bernard Kavaler

A majority of people in the U.S. want to continue physical distancing measures, even as the federal government and numerous states begin moving toward re-opening the economy, according to a national survey. In Connecticut, 81% of respondents believe that state government is “reacting about right” to the coronavirus.

April 29, 2020

State Looks to Local Expertise, Nonprofits, Philanthropy to Advance Economic Recovery

April 29, 2020/ Bernard Kavaler

Reopening Connecticut and getting the state back on its economic feed is taking a village of local volunteers. The newest initiative, to include municipal officials, community-based organizations, nonprofit providers, and philanthropic partners – establishes local long-term recovery committees that will help meet urgent needs, accelerate recovery, and expedite coordination with the state’s emergency management structure,

April 24, 2020

Businesses Began Work-at-Home Lacking Workforce Readiness and Risk Assessments

April 24, 2020/ Bernard Kavaler

A new report by a Connecticut-headquartered company with expertise in employee assessment reveals that many employees lack the skills and culture to maintain productivity remotely and raises red flags that businesses ought to consider as a result of the sudden, massive shift to employees working from home.

April 20, 2020

Multiple CT Connections on New Panel Focused on Restarting Regional Economy

April 20, 2020/ Bernard Kavaler

Connecticut may have three representatives on the newly appointed 21-member multi-state panel charged by Governors in the region with plotting a course forward to re-start the economy, but the state may receive an extra boost from members representing other states who have more than a cursory awareness of Connecticut.

April 15, 2020

Stanley Black & Decker Devotes $10 Million to Coronavirus Response; Implications for Future Philanthropy By Leading Corporations Uncertain

April 15, 2020/ Bernard Kavaler

The reverberations of the current coronavirus pandemic may prove to be more widespread than is currently apparent, as much of the focus remains on limiting the spread of the virus, providing for the immediate needs of health care workers and first responders, and limiting the damage to business and the people they employ.