There are many advantages of using drones on farms, said Connecticut Agriculture Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt.

The Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) issued the report last week along with affiliates CONNSTEP, a business management consultant for manufacturers, and ReadyCT, which provides workforce development for students.

Columnist Barth Keck reminds us that this week marks Banned Books Week 2025, and if any list represents the potentially insidious nature of lists, it’s a list of banned books. Sadly, book banning has become commonplace in America now, led by our own government.

Editorial cartoons by Michael de Adder & John Cole

President Donald Trump and pharmaceutical manufacturing giant Pfizer announced a deal this week to cut the cost of the company's prescription drugs covered by Medicaid, the joint federal and state medical program for people with limited income and resources.

In Connecticut, 12 projects were terminated, representing $52.3 million in direct federal support and about $64.8 million in total investment once required matching contributions are included.

As of the end of September, about 92.4% of Connecticut was in the abnormally dry category, with moderate drought in 7.6% of the state.

About 30 protests have been scheduled so far in Connecticut for Saturday, Oct. 18, including in Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford, and Waterbury. 

Editorial cartoons by R.J. Matson & John Darkow

The case, Nastri v. Dykes, was dismissed earlier this week by U.S. District Court Judge Victor Bolden.

State-owned motor vehicles and those used for official state business by state employees are governed by a Department of Administrative Services policy that requires agencies to maintain mileage logs that include daily operator assignments for pool vehicles and verification by operators that mileage logs are true and correct. 

The trail, which consists of more than 100 pizzerias out of about 900 submissions, builds on a February report from the state comptroller that measured pizza’s economic footprint in Connecticut.

Editorial cartoons by Bill Day, Pat Byrnes & Dave Whamond

HARTFORD, CT — A diverse coalition of unions, advocates, and legislators called on Gov. Ned Lamont and the General Assembly to go into special session in order to blunt the impact of federal funding cuts on social safety net programs.

In the short term, Lamont said the Connecticut WIC (women, infants, children) program, which provides food for an estimated 50,000 mothers, infants and young children at a cost of about $200,000 each day, was the most immediate concern.

Threats of a federal government shutdown have shifted from being an October surprise to a recurring issue. This time, however, the stakes are even higher. Federal funding ran out at midnight on Oct. 1, after Congress failed to pass even a stopgap budget while negotiations continued.

On Tuesday, Gov. Ned Lamont proclaimed Military Suicide and Remembrance Day in Connecticut.

Editorial cartoons by Dave Whamond & Rick McKee

Lamont has not yet announced whether is planning to seek another term. He was first elected governor in 2018.

The policy would have slashed reimbursements for staffing and administrative costs and threatened millions of dollars for essential energy programs.