Regional News

Connecticut’s two Democratic senators broke with President Joe Biden on Tuesday over his refusal to extend the Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan while U.S. citizens and allies are in jeopardy.

Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy said troops must remain as long as it takes to extract Americans and Afghan allies from a nation in chaos since its fall to the Taliban.

“We make a commitment as a country to leave no one behind in a war zone,” Murphy said. “We need to make good on that commitment here.”

As Tropical Storm Henri batters much of New England this weekend with damaging winds, heavy rainfall, storm surges and a large possibility of inland flooding, it may feel like one more item to add to the list of abnormal weather events we’ve seen this year.

For months now, Maine's coastal towns have been packed with visitors — a welcome bounce-back for a hospitality industry that was reeling last year. But the return of tourists hasn't been all good for restaurant workers, who say they've had to deal with contentious customers, some challenging health protocols such as mask and vaccine mandates.

The pressures of the pandemic have stressed many workers, and has others thinking about leaving the industry altogether.

With just over two weeks left in the legislative session this year, Democrats who had been pushing a bill to create a public option health plan conceded that the effort would fail again. Opposition from the insurance industry and Gov. Ned Lamont had sunk the bill — the third consecutive year it died unceremoniously.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the track of Tropical Storm Henri has shifted towards the Catskills and the capital region. Those areas should expect several inches of rain that can cause floods.

Connecticut’s transportation infrastructure would be significantly improved by the federal infrastructure bill negotiated by the Biden Administration.

Late on Monday night, two cars filled with luggage and seven tired travelers pulled up in front of the New Haven headquarters of Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, or IRIS.

The University of Connecticut is joining colleges that are making it mandatory for staff and faculty to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of the fall semester.

The public university on Tuesday notified 9,800 full- and part-time employees, including those who work at UConn Health, that they have until Oct. 15 to show proof of vaccination or get approved for a medical, religious or personal belief exemption.

With infections increasing, Gov. Ned Lamont said Tuesday he will continue a requirement that K-12 students wear masks in school to combat the spread of COVID-19 to a population that includes many children still ineligible for vaccinations.

“At this point, I don’t see that changing,” Lamont said at a morning event in New Haven. Hours later, he made it official, saying he wants no “ambiguity.”

The district attorney’s office charged him and seven others in May 2014 with drug offenses, but later dismissed them against Jones-Bernier and all but one person. Despite that, law enforcement officials held onto his money and phone.

A federal judge on Monday sided with the University of Connecticut in a legal challenge against its coronavirus vaccine policy, upholding a requirement for students to get the shot or request an exemption before returning to campus.

Two students and the parent of an incoming freshman sued university trustees last month, arguing they failed to provide clear guidance around UConn’s coronavirus vaccination policy and applied it arbitrarily by excluding faculty and staff.