Driver Distraction Continues Almost 30 Seconds After Text is Sent, Research Reveals

Groundbreaking research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reveals that the distraction drivers experience using voice activated technology - or their smartphones - to make a call, change music or send a text can linger for almost 30 seconds after the task is complete. “This should be a wakeup call to anyone who feels safe texting while sitting at a red light”, says AAA spokesperson Amy Parmenter. “Just because you can hit the gas when the light turns green, doesn’t mean you’re good to go.”

Researchers studying various push-to-talk technologies found that potentially unsafe levels of mental distraction lasted for as long as 27 seconds after completing a task in the worst-performing systems. And, at the 25 MPH speed limit in the study, drivers traveled the length of nearly three football fields during this time. Using the least distracting systems, drivers still remained impaired for more than 15 seconds.

The researchers discovered the residual effects of mental distraction while comparing the voice activated technology in ten 2015 vehicles and three types of smart phones. The analysis found that all systems studied increased mental distraction to potentially unsafe levels.

“Automakers often promote everything their connected cars can do, but this research paints a frightening picture of what drivers can’t do if they use the popular features” Parmenter says. “Hands free does not mean risk free. It’s that simple”.

Last month, CT by the Numbers reported that in-car electronics that allow drivers to listen to, read and send text messages while at the wheel may be skirting the spirit, if not the letter, of Connecticut law.  In Connecticut, Public Act 10-109, enacted in 2010, states that “no person shall operate a motor vehicle … while using a hand-held mobile telephone to engage in a call or while using a mobile electronic device while such vehicle is in motion. An operator of a motor vehicle who types, sends or reads a text message with a hand-held mobile telephone or mobile electronic device while such vehicle is in motion shall be in violation of this section.”

In the AAA study, researchers rated driver distraction on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being relatively safe, about equal to listening to the radio, and 5 being highly challenging in such a way as to overload the driver’s attention. The best performing system was the Chevy Equinox with a cognitive distraction rating of 2.4, while the worst performing system was the Mazda 6 with a cognitive distraction rating of 4.6.

The systems that performed best generally had fewer errors, required less time on task and were relatively easy to use.  The researchers also studied voice activated smartphone technology and found that Google Now outperformed Apple Siri and Microsoft Cortana but, they say, all were dangerously distracting with ratings of 3.1, 3.4 and 3.8 respectively.

Dr. David Strayer and Dr. Joel Cooper of the University of Utah conducted the research. A total of 257 drivers ages 21-70 participated in the study of 2015 model-year vehicles, while 65 additional drivers ages 21-68 tested the three phone systems. Over the last two weeks, AAA has shared its findings with policymakers, safety advocates and manufacturers in hopes of improving the safety of future technology.

Fledgling "Businesses with Impact" Recognized, Receive Funds to Propel Start-Up

When reSET, the Social Enterprise Trust, whose mission is advancing the social enterprise sector, revealed the winners of its annual Impact Challenge last week, the top award recipient was FRESH Farm Aquaponics, with Movia Robotics, Planet Fuel Beverage Company, Hartford Prints! and Parrot MD rounding out the top five. While the businesses may not be household names, they do represent an increasing number of start-up businesses that are not only seeking a foothold in their respective industries, but are looking to contribute to their community – locally or globally – along the way.

Based in Hartford, FRESH Farm Aquaponics is devoted to providing “the best quality aquaponic food to our community sustainably, teaching a new generation with aquaponics, and engaging the community to develop a local food ecosystem.” The company proclaims “expect from us the best produce available locally, year round in the Hartford County area. You will also see us engaging local schools in pioneering aquaponic experiments from elementary schools to universities.” (see video below)

Planet Fuel is a sustainable lifestyle beverate brand for teens and tweens.  The company's goal is to inspire young people to realize the power of consumer choices to effect social and environmental change.

MOVIA Robotics provides an innovative approach in educating children with autism to "form connections inside the world we live in today." The company uses robots and develops "our own software based on interactions with therapists and children."

Now in its fifth year, the reSET Impact Challenge recognizes the most innovative and impactful early stage ventures and start-ups from all industries throughout New England.  The event, held at The Society Room of Hartford, saw a record, sellout crowd of 300 in attendance.

Diamond Level - $20,000 + Professional Services Package (1 Winner)

FRESH Farm Aquaponics (http://www.freshfarmct.org)

Gold Level - $10,000 + Professional Services Package (2 Winners)

Movia Robotics (www.moviarobotics.com)

Planet Fuel Beverage Company (http://www.planetfuel.com)

Silver - $5,000 + Professional Services Package (2 Winners)

Hartford Prints! (hartfordprints.com)

Parrot MD (parrotmd.org)

People’s Choice - $1,500 + Professional Services Package (1 Winner)

BookBugs (www.bookbugs.net) 

Investor’s Choice - $1,500 (1 Winner)

Send Help Back Home (www.sendhelptoday.com)

Bronze - $500 (7 Winners)

Asarasi, Inc. (www.asarasi.com)

Beautiful Day / Providence Granola Project (www.providencegranola.com)

BookBugs (www.bookbugs.net)

Daily General Counsel (www.dailygeneralcounsel.com)

Dream See Do (https://www.dreamseedo.org)

Hugo & Hoby (www.hugoandhoby.com)

LOTUS Alliance LLC (www.lotusalliance.org)

The five awards judges - Sherrell Dorsey of Uber and Triple Pundit, Adam Dotson of Ironwood Capital, Claire Leonardi, an advisor to reSET's Social Enterprise Investment Fund and former CEO of Connnecticut Innovations, Anthony Price of LootScout and Paul Witinski of Ironwood Capital - narrowed down more than 100 applicants to 12 honorees.  The People’s Choice winner was selected via more than 1,800 online votes.

Since its inception, reSET’s Impact Challenge has awarded more than $180,000 to scaling entrepreneurs. reSET is a nonprofit organization whose mission is advancing the social enterprise sector. Its strategic goals are threefold: to be the “go-to” place for impact entrepreneurs, to make Hartford known as Impact City, and Connecticut the Social Enterprise state.  In addition to providing co-working space, accelerator and mentoring programs, reSET aims to inspire innovation and community collaboration, and to support entrepreneurs in creating market-based solutions to community challenges. reSET’s goal is to meet entrepreneurs wherever they are in their trajectory and to help them take their businesses to the next level.

reSET’s Impact Accelerator recently was a winner of the U.S. Small Business Administration Growth Accelerator Competition, the only Connecticut growth accelerator to receive the award this year.

https://youtu.be/A03RH_htQ88

Community Plates Rescues Food to Help Hungry; Norwalk-Based Nonprofit Has Appetite for Growth

Hunger in the United States makes no sense. That, in a nutshell, is what drives Norwalk-based nonprofit organization Community Plates. Now in six regions of the country (including it’s home county) and seeking to take root elsewhere, Community Plates is committed to ending American food insecurity by directly transferring fresh, usable food that would have otherwise been thrown away from restaurants, markets and other food industry sources to food-insecure families throughout the U.S.

Community Plates is up and running in Fairfield and New Haven in Connecticut as well as in Columbus, OH, Albuquerque, New Mexico and New Orleans, Louisiana. As the company website explains, “Food insecurity is a real problem in parts of the U.S. Many families don't have a good idea where their next meal is coming from. Some people go to work every day and by the time they pay for the roof over their head, their heat and electricity, there isn't always enough money left for food that week. So we definitely have people in need of that resource.”

Jeff Schacher founded the company in 2011, and it has delivered 4.5 million meals to people in need in Fairfield County alone.  Yet, as the organization’s website points out, one “would never imagine that in one of the wealthiest counties in America, there are over 100,000 people (38,000 children) that are classified as food insecure.”

The process is dependent upon volunteers, at each step:

1. Surplus fresh food is donated by restaurants and markets.
2. Local volunteers donate their time, vehicles, and fuel to rescue the fresh food.
3. Receiving agencies deliver rescued food to food-insecure people in their area.

The organization is driven by volunteers – food donors, food runners and partner agencies.  One such agency in Connecticut is the Manchester Area Conference of Churches, which indicates there are 8,000 food-insecure people in the greater Manchester area.

Community Plates New Haven is working to provide meals to the 123,000 food insecure residents of New Haven County - a stunning 14.4 percent of the county’s population. The organization’s website notes that “Sadly, over 19.2% of New Haven County’s children fall within the guidelines of being food insecure, and the number continues to increase.”

Community Plates began in Fairfield County, and over 80 percent of the 1.5 million pounds of food rescued since the organization’s inception has been “rescued right here,” the website explains.

Community Plates is “built on a foundation of social entrepreneurship, and we so strongly believe in the power of community, we built it right into our name,” officials point out.  The organization highlights six Connecticut farms and farmers for their support of the effort in the Nutmeg State:

• Ambler Farm
• City Center Danbury Farmers’ Market
• Feeny Farms
• Millstone Farm
• Rowayton Farmers’ Market
• Sport Hill Farm

https://youtu.be/DagcKtlJi64

Latino, African-American Arts Organizations Face Steeper Climb to Sustain Success

Latino and African-American museums and performing arts organizations struggle to draw philanthropic support compared to other cultural institutions, creating "chronic financial difficulties" that sharply limit what they are able produce, according to a comprehensive new report, Diversity in the Arts. The study by the University of Maryland's DeVos Institute of Arts Management suggests that donors focus their giving on bigger grants for "a smaller cohort [of minority organizations] that can manage themselves effectively, make the best art, and have the biggest impact on their communities." The 51-page report was cited by the Los Angeles Times and reported in The Chronicle of Philanthropy.  The report said that minority-focused arts organizations’ most debilitating weakness has been difficulty in attracting private, individual donors, a demographic whose charitable giving far exceeds the grantmaking of foundations, corporations and government.

“In 2015 a large number of arts organizations of color are struggling, in some cases desperately,” says the report, overseen by Michael Kaiser, the veteran arts administrator and former Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts president who heads the DeVos Institute.  The report also recommended that “serious arts funders must address the need to develop pipelines to bring talented college graduates of color into the arts management field.”

Using 2013 tax returns, DeVos found that the 30 largest black and 30 largest Latino nonprofit arts groups had a median budget of $3.8 million, versus $61.1 million for 20 major general arts institutions. Minority entities reported getting 5 percent of their funding from individual donations, compared to a norm of 60 percent for other groups, the Times reported.

“There is an urgent need for philanthropic leaders to revise funding policies to account for changing demographics and the distinctive characteristics of organizations of color,” the report said.  Funders may need to support “a limited number of organizations,” the report stated, noting that “it might allow the sector to thrive by creating a group of strong, effective organizations of color that can serve as role models and training grounds for others.”

“The small staffs at many organizations of color are already stretched to the limit delivering their services and oftentimes struggle with reporting requirements set by institutional donors…A shift toward general operating support allows organizations to direct resources to where they are most needed while promoting sustainable capacity growth.”

The “Diversity in the Arts” report contains another potentially controversial finding: When large, mainstream arts organizations put on black- or Latino-themed performances or exhibitions, they siphon away artistic talent, donations and attendance from black and Latino companies, the Los Angeles Times reported. Kaiser called the study "a wake-up call" for arts funders.

A survey to which 29 of the 60 black and Latino arts groups in the study replied showed that the median percentage of donations coming from individuals was 5%. The norm is about 60% for big mainstream arts organizations.  “This is the most important single statistic in the study,” the report says.  Minority arts organizations also trailed when it came to box office receipts and other earned revenue. Earned money accounted for 40% of their revenue, compared with 59% for the big mainstream groups.

To develop its financial profile, the DeVos Institute used tax returns for what it ranked as the 30 largest African American and 30 largest Latino nonprofit arts groups nationwide, by budget, in the fields of theater, dance and museums. The institute compared them with 20 of the biggest general companies in those fields.

The study concludes by suggesting that “people look at the challenges of arts organizations of color in a new way.  And we hope that leaders of every community will feel moved to work together to ensure that the arts of every segment of our varied society are allowed to thrive.”

The DeVos Institute of Arts Management provides training, consultation and implementation support for arts managers and their boards.  It has been associated with the University of Maryland since 2014 but has its origins in the early 1960’s, and has served more than 1,000 organizations in 80 countries.

Innovative Efforts Receive Spotlight at Inaugural Ceremony Highlighting Energy Efficiency, Conservation

The Stamford 2030 District’s inaugural Change Makers Awards were presented this month, honoring projects and organizations excelling in four distinct areas: innovation in energy, water, transportation and sustainable technology. The awards ceremony captured some of the most innovative local project involving energy efficiency improvements, water retention methods and the promotion of safe multi-modal transportation. The award winners were:

• 400 Atlantic St. (The Landis Group) for Innovation in Energy;
• The Mill River Park and Greenway (Mill River Park Collaborative) for Innovation in Water;
• The Sharrow Network (city of Stamford and People Friendly Stamford) for Innovation in Transportation;
• Living Wall Project (JM Wright Technical School) for Innovation in Sustainability; and an honorable mention to 9 W. Broad St. Property LLC (Forstone) for its work with the C-PACE program.

The Stamford 2030 District is a collaborative, nationally recognized, but local community of high performance buildings in downtown Stamford that aims to dramatically reduce energy and water consumption and reduce emissions from transportation, while increasing competitiveness in the business environment and owners' returns on investment.

”We launched this program in October last year and it’s been amazing to see the commitment from the local community to start implementing changes," said Megan Saunders, Stamford 2030 executive director. "We went from zero to 34 members and have benchmarked six million square feet of their buildings. I’m excited to see what we’re able to collectively accomplish in the next year.”

The awards reception featured a keynote address by Brian Geller, founder of the first 2030 District and currently senior vice president, corporate sustainability, Citibank.  The evening also featured a tribute to the Stamford 2030 District’s first year of accomplishments and a sneak peek at next year’s plans.  Stamford 2030 is a collaboration between Connecticut Fund for the Environment, the Business Council of Fairfield County and a coalition of professional and community organizations.

“I would like to congratulate all of the members of Stamford 2030 for joining together to make vital changes for our community," said Stamford Mayor David Martin. "The partners in Stamford 2030 have really stepped up for the success and sustainability of our city and the surrounding area. And they are not alone. For our part, the city is committed to improving storm resiliency and moving forward with the Energy Improvement District. We believe these efforts are tied to our economic development and ability to attract people to Stamford while conserving important natural resources, all necessary for sustained growth and prosperity.”

The Stamford 2030 District is an interdisciplinary public-private-nonprofit collaborative working to create a groundbreaking high performance building district in downtown Stamford. With the Architecture 2030 Challenge providing property performance targets, the Stamford 2030 District seeks to prove that high performing buildings are the most profitable buildings in Stamford. District Members will do this by developing realistic, measurable, and innovative strategies to assist district property owners, managers, and tenants in meeting aggressive goals that keep properties and businesses competitive while operating buildings more efficiently, reducing costs, and reducing the environmental impacts of facility construction, operation, and maintenance.

2030 Districts are also operating in the cities of Seattle, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Denver, San Antonio, San Francisco, Dallas, Toronto and Albuquerque.

https://youtu.be/mRMr88y8TMI

https://youtu.be/9s9yyI1_zdg

Multi-State Analysis Finds Big Businesses Dominate in Receipt of State Financial Incentives

An analysis of more than 4,200 economic development incentive awards in fourteen states finds that large companies receive dominant shares: 70 percent of the deals and 90 percent of the dollars. The deals, worth more than $3.2 billion, were granted by programs that are facially accessible to both small and large companies. That is the key finding of Shortchanging Small Business, a study released by Good Jobs First and funded by the Kauffman Foundation and the Surdna Foundation.

“State economic development incentive programs—even those that are facially neutral as to company size or have very low qualifying barriers—are profoundly biased against small, local and entrepreneurial businesses,” the report stated.  “States, which legally enable and regulate incentives (even those administered by local governments) are failing to walk the talk when it comes to valuing small business job creators.”

The fourteen states where the awards were analyzed are Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin. “Our findings definitively confirm what many small businesspeople have long believed,” said Greg LeRoy, executive director of Good Jobs First and lead author of the study.

Connecticut, which launched a Small Business Express loan and grant program aimed specifically at companies with less than 100 employees, was not among the states analyzed in the study.

Priority for available funding in the Connecticut program is  given to those eligible applicants who (1) are creating new jobs and (2) are within Connecticut’s economic base industries, including but not limited to: precision manufacturing, business services, green and sustainable technology, bioscience, and information technology sectors.

From the program launch in January 2012 thru August 2014, published reports indicate that officials at the Department of Economic and Community Development indicated 1,160 businesses have received loans or grants, and have created 4,171 jobs in the state and retained 12,095 existing jobs.  At that time, a total of $234 million had been bonded in the program.  The average loan was approximately $175,000 per company, with a ceiling of $300,000 for any loan.  The total amount of money disbursed was $159.4 million, in three components: $14 million in revolving loans; $83.9 million in job creation loans and $61.4 million in the matching grant program.

In recent years, Connecticut has also provided significant incentives to larger companies that provide assurances of plans to expand operations and jobs.  The First Five program offers select companies approved by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) a package of incentives for creating at least 200 new full-time jobs. In addition to the incentives for the first 200 jobs within five years, participants continue to get tax credits for each net new job created after that.

Participating companies include Cigna, ESPN, NBC Sports, Alexion, CareCentrix, Deloitte, Bridgewater, Charter Communications, Sustainable Building Systems, Navigators, PitneyBowes and Synchrony Financial, according to published reports.

Earlier this year, it was reported that Consumer financial services company Synchrony Financial, headquartered in Stamford, plans to create 200 to 400 new full-time jobs in Connecticut. The state, through the First Five program, is providing financial support for the expansion project, with the company eligible for grants of up to $20 million based on hiring targets, with a $10 million grant for the first 200 new jobs in Connecticut.

In the Good Jobs First study, there is slight variation in the degree of big-business dominance among the states (80 to 96 percent of the dollars) but that is meaningless, the study authors contend, since the programs vary as do the industrial demographics of the states. The key finding, they stress, is how consistently the programs grossly favor big businesses.

The study, based on a close examination of the recipient companies, designates businesses as large or small based on their employment size as well as their total number of establishments and whether they are locally or independently owned.

“As a policy solution, we do not recommend simply reallocating deals and dollars,” said LeRoy. “These tax-break deals often mean little to small businesses. Instead, states should disqualify big businesses and use the savings to better fund public goods that benefit all employers and help small businesses with the persistent credit crunch.”

Short of disqualifying big businesses, the report recommends states spend much less on big businesses by using safeguards such as dollar caps per deal, dollar caps per job, and dollar caps per company.

Among the programs included in the analysis are the Vermont Employment Growth Incentive (VEGI), New York’s Excelsior Jobs Program, and the Wisconsin Economic Development Tax Credit.

Safety of Fields with Crumbs From Rubber Tires Face Renewed Questions; CT Study Proclaims They’re OK

Despite a series of NBC News reports over the past year – the latest last week - on the growing debate about the safety of crumb rubber artificial turf, the federal agencies that regulate the product have remained largely silent of late, the network reported.  The Administrator leading the Environmental Protection Agency, former Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Gina McCarthy, would not answer a direct on-camera question about whether the surface found on playgrounds and athletic fields across the country is safe for kids to play on, NBC News said in a story aired on the network’s flagship news program. Now members of Congress are asking the Environmental Protection Agency to weigh in on whether crumb rubber used in artificial turf fields in thousands of schools, parks and stadiums is safe for young athletes.  A bipartisan panel gave the agency until Nov. 6 to answer 10 questions about what tests have been done to determine whether turf made from recycled tires poses a health risk and what investigators have found, NBC News reported.

NBC News said that after a story about University of Washington women's soccer coach Amy Griffin aired on the network’s Nightly News last fall, many people contacted her, and the list she has developed of soccer players – especially goalies – afflicted with cancer has grown from 34 goalkeepers to at least 63. Griffin began keeping the list after she discovered that several goalies she knew had been diagnosed with the same cancer, the network reported. She and some of those athletes questioned whether crumb rubber could be exposing them to chemicals and carcinogens.

NBC News reviewed dozens of studies, the network’s story pointed out. “Several studies that concluded crumb rubber does not present acute health risks also included the caveat that more research is needed,” according to NBC News.  “No study has examined the effects of regular exposure to shredded or crumb rubber on young children, over an extended period of time — something some experts believe should be done.”  Industry officials have stressed that the products are safe, and cite numerous studies supporting that view.

In Connecticut, like elsewhere around the nation, artificial turf fields have become a popular alternative to natural grass fields in many communities, according to the state Department of Public Health (DPH).  The department’s website points out that “the advantages of these fields include less maintenance costs, ability to withstand intense use and no need for pesticides.”

The state site notes, however, that “concerns have been raised about potential chemical exposures coming from the crumb rubber infill and the plastic grass blades commonly used in these fields.  The crumb rubber usually comes from recycled tires that contain man made compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).”

To address public safety concerns, four Connecticut state agencies collaborated in 2010 to evaluate the potential exposures and risks from athletic use of artificial turf fields, the DPH website explains. A two year, comprehensive investigation of releases from five fields during active play was conducted by the Connecticut departments of Public Health, Energy and Environmental Protection, University of Connecticut Health Center, and The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. The study was peer-reviewed by the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering.

The overall conclusion of the report, according to the DPH website, is that “use of outdoor artificial turf fields does not represent a significant health risk.” The CT study did not find a large amount of vapor or particle released from the fields - findings that confirm prior reports from Europe and the US, according to the state public health agency.  “CT DPH put these exposures into a public health context by performing a risk assessment analysis. This analysis did not find elevated cancer risk,” the site emphasized.

An agency news release noted, however, that “higher contaminant levels at one indoor field indicate that ventilation of indoor fields should be considered.  Storm water run-off findings indicate that proper management of this run off is prudent to address possible environmental effects.”

The New England Center for Investigative Reporting indicated in an article earlier this year that David Brown, director of public health toxicology for the North Haven, Connecticut-based nonprofit Environment and Human Health, Inc., warned that as more is invested in artificial fields, it will be harder for state and local officials to change their position even if new information shows harm.

“A natural experiment is being conducted in which thousands of children are being exposed on playing fields to rubber,’’ said Brown, a former chief of Environmental Epidemiology and Occupational Health at Connecticut's Department of Public Health. “Given the high stakes, it is prudent to take action to protect children from this known hazard rather than wait for definitive evidence of harm.”

Brown’s organization reports that “there are now 153 cancer cases reported, and of those, 124 are soccer players with 85 being soccer goalies. Many of them are student athletes.” Gaboury Benoit, Ph.D., Yale Professor of Environmental Chemistry and Engineering and lead investigator of a study conducted by Yale in 2007, said, "Not surprisingly, the shredded tires contain a veritable witches' brew of toxic substances. It seems irresponsible to market a hazardous waste as a consumer product."

Of the state’s study released in 2010, then-DPH Commission Dr. J. Robert Galvin said: “This study presents good news regarding the safety of outdoor artificial turf fields.  While the findings indoors were below the health risk targets, the elevated contaminant levels suggest a need to ventilate these fields so they can be brought to the level of safety outdoors.  What we’ve learned from this study in Connecticut will provide valuable guidance to municipalities, schools and others who operate or are considering installing artificial playing fields.”

In this month’s NBC News report, Paul Anastas, former head chemist for the EPA, is said to disagree that studies have proven crumb rubber to be safe.  "Tires were not designed to be playgrounds," Anastas, who is now Director of the Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering at Yale, told NBC News. "They were designed to be tires."

Connecticut Businesses Encourage Voluntary Community Service on Company Time

Nearly two-thirds of Connecticut companies surveyed by the Connecticut Business & Industry Association report that they pay their employees for one or two days of volunteerism, another 17 percent offer three or four paid days, and 10 percent offer five or more paid days for employees to engage in community service activities. That data was included in the newly released 2015 Connecticut Corporate Giving Survey.  The survey includes nearly 200 businesses and has a margin of error of plus or minus 7.2 percent.

Among survey respondents, 57 percent say they are more likely to hire candidates who are active in their communities, and one-third say customers do business with them based in part on their reputation for good corporate citizenship.  Just over half, 53 percent, say they encourage or allow employees to volunteer on company time.

Community volunteering is very important for employees who seek a higher purpose in life and look for meaning, says Khadija Al Arkoubi, an assistant professor of management at the University of New Haven: "Companies that allow it improve their employees' engagement and well-being," Arkoubi told Fast Company magazine. "They also develop their soft skills including their leadership capabilities."

The Society for Human Resource Management surveys employers about the benefits they offer. In 2013, about 20 percent said they give their workers a bank of paid time off specifically for volunteering, up from 15 percent in 2009.

A UnitedHealth Group study in 2013 found that 87 percent of people who volunteered in the previous year said that volunteering had developed teamwork and people skills, and 81 percent agreed that volunteering together strengthens relationships among colleagues, Fast Company reported. In addition, four out of five employed people who volunteered in the past year said that they “feel better about their employer” because of the employer’s involvement in volunteer activities, according to the publication.

“It is encouraging to see that not only do many businesses provide incentives for employees to volunteer for area charities, but many voluntarily pay them for their efforts,” said Brian J. Flaherty, Senior Vice President of CBIA.  In the CBIA survey, nearly one-third of businesses (31%) said they recognize or reward employees for volunteer service.

CBIA is Connecticut’s leading business organization, with public policy staff working with state government to help shape specific laws and regulations to support job creation and make Connecticut’s business climate competitive.

Connecticut Not Alone; Six States Have Held Special Sessions on Budget

Connecticut, with a special legislative session a distinct possibility in the coming weeks, would not be alone in needing legislators to return to work on a state budget after their regular session had adjourned.  The states of Alabama, Alaska, Minnesota, Washington and Wisconsin all have conducted special sessions on budget issues this year, and New Mexico had a special session to discuss capital budget and supplemental appropriations, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Alabama’s special session – the first in five years - was held over the summer, convening on July 13 and ending in disarray in mid-August, with a second special session on the state budget convened and concluded in mid-September.  Among the budget cuts, according to published reports: the Alabama Department of Environmental Management saw its appropriation drop from $1.2 million to $200,000, and the state’s hospitals, nursing homes, smokers and students took a hit.

Alaska’s two special sessions to deal with that state’s budget, as well as other issues, ran for just under a month, adjourning on June 11, costing the state nearly $900,000, according to published reports.  That state’s deficit was driven by lower-than-expected oil revenue.

Minnesota had a two day session in June to work on the state budget, capital investments, and other issues and Washington State had a series of special sessions in April, May and June.  Wisconsin’s special session on budget and other issues convened in July.  Some in that state are urging another special session be convened this fall.

A number of states have had special session on other issues, including Congressional redistricting, Medicaid expansion, prison construction and the state’s child support system.

Democratic legislative leaders and Republican legislative leaders are scheduled to meet with Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy on Monday, Oct. 26, for their first budget discussion, in the run-up to an anticipated special legislative session to close the state’s projected budget deficit.

There are two main types of legislative sessions in states across the country, according to NCSL —regular and special (sometimes known as extraordinary). A regular session is the annual or biennial gathering of legislators, the starting date (and often, the length) of which is set by constitution or statute. Unlike regular sessions, there is no specific timing for special (or extraordinary) sessions. They occur intermittently to deal with the specific issues or topics.  Usually, the scope of a special session—that is, the topics that may be taken up—is limited to the issues specified in the notice calling for the special session, the NCSL website explains.

In 34 states, including Connecticut, a special session of the legislature can be called by either the Governor or the legislature.  In 16 states, only the Governor has that authority.  Connecticut’s regular legislative session, according to the state constitution, runs from early January to early June in odd numbered years and early February to early May in even numbered years.

12 Reach Connecticut Broadcasters Hall of Fame

The 60th annual convention of the Connecticut Broadcasters Association (CBA) this week featured more than an array of informative seminars for radio/tv sales, news, programming, production, engineering, and technology professionals.  The attention-grabber was the first-ever induction ceremony for the newly launched CBA Hall of Fame. The honorees were a who’s who of broadcasting history in the state, including some very familiar names, and some less so.  Earning their place in the Hall of Fame were NBC Connecticut anchor Gerry Brooks, WFSB anchor Denise D’Ascenzo, WDRC talk show host Brad Davis, FOX 61's Al Terzi, WWUH general manager John Ramsey, WMRD sportscaster Bill Glynn, Radio Cumbre Broadcasting president/CEO Pablo de Jesus Colon Jr., NBC CT engineer Joe DiMaggio, Cox Radio's Rick Ferguson. Recognized posthumously were WTIC sportscaster Arnold Dean, WCCC and WHCN veteran Boyd Arnold, and WMRD’s Ed Henry.

“The Connecticut Broadcasters Association has served the common interests of radio and television broadcasters in our state since 1955 and, ultimately, the Connecticut community statewide,” Klarn DePalma, chair of the Connecticut Broadcasters Association, said in announcing the group of inductees earlier this year. “We have created this ‘Connecticut Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame’ to honor remarkable individuals for their long and particularly distinguished service to the broadcasting industry and to the people of Connecticut.”

Boyd Arnold was one of the founders of the Hartford Radio Association and a longtime board member. He was a partner and VP/GM of Beck-Ross Communications’ WHCN(FM), and later, for Marlin Broadcasting’s WCCC(FM). A mentor for numerous radio professionals, Boyd was involved with the Connecticut Broadcasters Association for as a board member, treasurer and president.

In addition to his TV work at WFSB and NBC Connecticut, Gerry Brooks began his career as news director for WAVZ(AM) radio in New Haven, and as a reporter for WMAS radio in Springfield, Mass. He then worked as sports director at WPOP news radio in Hartford while also serving as weekend sports Anchor for WVIT and provided color for University of Connecticut basketball games on the Connecticut Radio Network.

Pablo de Jesus Colon Jr. pioneered Hispanic radio in Connecticut. He spent two decades at WLVH in the roles of radio announcer, PD, sales manager and executive vice president. In 1989, he co-founded Radio Cumbre Broadcasting, WCUM in Bridgeport, and today is its president and CEO.

Denise D’Ascenzo is a nine-time Emmy Award and seven-time Associated Press-winning journalist who also has earned distinction as the longest serving news anchor at a single TV station. She came to Channel 3 in 1986 and is host of “Advancing Medicine.”

Brad Davis began working at a radio station in Chicopee, Mass., in 1956. He was hired by Channel 3 (then WTIC) to host “The Brad Davis Show” for 11 years. Prior to joining WDRC, he also did radio work at WTIC-AM. And, since 1977, he has continuously hosted his own early morning talk show on WDRC that now also is heard on WMMW Meriden, WWCO Waterbury and WSNG Torrington, on the Talk of Connecticut network.

Arnold Dean, joined WTIC-AM in 1965, was its sports director and the originator of the station’s nightly sports talk program, and did play-by-play for a range of live sports broadcasts. He also hosted music shows on the station.

Joe Dimaggio began his engineering career at WVIT in 1968. When he started in the industry he worked on 16mm and black & white film as a camera operator. He has done everything from lighting shows to operating master control, and then to his long career in engineering management.

Richard Ferguson retired in May 2006 after more than 40 years in radio. He served as chief operating officer and later as EVP of Cox Radio starting when Cox acquired NewCity Communications, a radio group he co-founded and led as president/CEO. He was a member of the Cox Radio Board from 1997 through 2006, and continues to consult. He has also served multiple terms as chairman of the NAB. Prior to founding NewCity Communications, he was president of Katz Broadcasting Co.

Bill Glynn of Wethersfield is the “voice” of high school sports and minor league baseball in Connecticut. He began his broadcasting career with WMRD in Middletown (originally WCNX).

Ed Henry hosts “Polish Melodies Show,” which airs every Sunday on WMRD and WLIS(AM), Old Saybrook, for 65 consecutive years.

John Ramsey, of West Hartford, entered the industry as a part-time announcer at the University of Hartford’s WWUH(FM) in 1970, and became a broadcast engineer in 1978. He currently is general manager of WWUH and is secretary of Chapter 14 of the Society of Broadcast Engineers, president of the Torrington Community Radio Foundation (licensee of WAPJ-FM in Torrington), and is the webmaster for HartfordRadioHistory.com.

Al Terzi has news anchored at three of Connecticut’s TV network affiliates over the past 47 years. He began his career at WTIC as a staff announcer in 1968. He stepped down as a daily anchor last year, but still co-hosts the station’s weekly political show “The Real Story.”

Established in 1955, the Connecticut Broadcasters Association is celebrating its 60th year as a respected industry leader in legal, governmental, education and community issues on both the State and National levels. Members include broadcast TV stations, radio stations, vendors and companies with a business interest in broadcasting, educational facilities, and individuals with involvement in the broadcasting industry.

Member radio and TV stations also participate in Connecticut Broadcasters Association public service campaigns supporting the work of the Connecticut Department of Public Safety’s Office of Statewide Emergency Telecommunications – Emergency Alert System (EAS) and AMBER Alert programs, among other efforts.

Highlight videos for the 12 inductees:

https://youtu.be/ffPKNJPtwek?list=PLJyWxh-cfxLshUszNWljlpPGNA4f0hbAu