Capitol Report

HARTFORD — Several pieces of landmark legislation have been passed in the Connecticut General Assembly this month, underscoring the common ground being enjoyed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the Democrat-controlled Legislature, allowing for swift changes.Among the major changes passed in June are this week’s decriminalization of posession of small amounts of marijuana, a new law requiring employers to offer paid sick leave, a new energy bill, anti-discrimination measures and legislation aiming to eliminate instances of prison rape. The fiscal impact of the new laws, along with a completely reworked budget, is still a question mark for many legislators.Earning the most attention nationwide this week were the pot decriminalization and paid sick leave bills — the former because of its relevance to an ever-changing sea of marijuana-related laws across the country and the latter because it made Connecticut the first state in the nation to adopt a paid sick leave requirement.State Rep. John Rigby (R-63) said he was conflicted about marijuana decriminalization at first, but came around, and was strongly against the paid sick leave bill. Both measures passed the House and Senate, and Republican legislators are now looking ahead to see how a vastly reconfigured budget will actually save the state money over the next two years.“I was on the fence about the marijuana legislation during the debate, but I felt it ended up being a real improvement,” Rigby said, noting that the legislation will keep many young people out of prison and lessen the burden on the state’s criminal justice system. “I think it’s a good move in trying to reduce the cost and burden on our courts.”In press releases and public appearances during the past month, Gov. Malloy has shown support for the marijuana decriminalization law. On June 7 he applauded passage of the legislation. “Final approval of this legislation accepts the reality that the current law does more harm than good, both in the impact it has on people’s lives and the burden it places on police, prosecutors and probation officers of the criminal justice system,” Malloy said. “Let me make it clear — we are not legalizing the use of marijuana. In modifying this law, we are recognizing that the punishment should fit the crime, and acknowledging the effects of its application.”Malloy also hailed passage of the paid sick leave bill for service workers, which he called “a reasonable compromise” that would be good for public health. “Without paid sick leave, frontline service workers — people who serve us food, who care for our children and who work in hospitals, for example — are forced to go to work sick to keep their jobs,” the governor said. “That’s not a choice I’m comfortable having people make under my tenure, and I’m proud to sign this bill when it comes to my desk.”Rigby disagreed with the proposal throughout the debate, saying it would be bad for business in Connecticut. “I’m strongly opposed to the paid sick leave mandate,” he said. “Businesses lobbied so hard against it and we heard jobs were going to be lost. It’s bad policy at the worst possible time.” Fiscal conservatives have also criticized the governor for raising taxes and increasing spending, claiming any tax increases will translate into a loss of business for the state.Many of the governor’s proposed budget savings for the next two fiscal years rely on consolidation of departments, and Rigby said he is not convinced that the savings will come through.“A lot of it is consolidation simply for the point of consolidation,” he said. “If you look at some of these proposals, there is no significant savings. People have to move around and things have to be organized and regrouped.” After the fiscal year begins July 1, the General Assembly will receive quarterly reports on how much money is being spent and if the governor’s budget projections are being realized. “If revenue figures drop, we’re going to have more work to do,” Rigby said. “Everyone’s going to be watching to see if the savings materialize.”

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Father Joseph Kurnath

LAKEVILLE — Father Joseph G. M. Kurnath, retired priest of the Archdiocese of Hartford, passed away peacefully, at the age of 71, on Sunday, June 29, 2025.

Father Joe was born on May 21, 1954, in Waterbury, Connecticut. He attended kindergarten through high school in Bristol.

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Club baseball at Fuessenich Park

Travel league baseball came to Torrington Thursday, June 26, when the Berkshire Bears Select Team played the Connecticut Moose 18U squad. The Moose won 6-4 in a back-and-forth game. Two players on the Bears play varsity ball at Housatonic Valley Regional High School: shortstop Anthony Foley and first baseman Wes Allyn. Foley went 1-for-3 at bat with an RBI in the game at Fuessenich Park.

 

  Anthony Foley, rising senior at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, went 1-for-3 at bat for the Bears June 26.Photo by Riley Klein 

 
Siglio Press: Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature

Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.

Richard Kraft

Siglio Press is a small, independent publishing house based in Egremont, Massachusetts, known for producing “uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.” Founded and run by editor and publisher Lisa Pearson, Siglio has, since 2008, designed books that challenge conventions of both form and content.

A visit to Pearson’s airy studio suggests uncommon work, to be sure. Each of four very large tables were covered with what looked to be thousands of miniature squares of inkjet-printed, kaleidoscopically colored pieces of paper. Another table was covered with dozens of book/illustration-size, abstracted images of deer, made up of colored dots. For the enchanted and the mystified, Pearson kindly explained that these pieces were to be collaged together as artworks by the artist Richard Kraft (a frequent contributor to the Siglio Press and Pearson’s husband). The works would be accompanied by writings by two poets, Elizabeth Zuba and Monica Torre, in an as-yet-to-be-named book, inspired by a found copy of a worn French children’s book from the 1930s called “Robin de Bois” (Robin Hood).

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Cycling season: A roundup of our region’s rentals and where to ride them

Cyclists head south on the rail trail from Copake Falls.

Alec Linden

After a shaky start, summer has well and truly descended upon the Litchfield, Berkshire and Taconic hills, and there is no better way to get out and enjoy long-awaited good weather than on two wheels. Below, find a brief guide for those who feel the pull of the rail trail, but have yet to purchase their own ten-speed. Temporary rides are available in the tri-corner region, and their purveyors are eager to get residents of all ages, abilities and inclinations out into the open road (or bike path).

For those lucky enough to already possess their own bike, perhaps the routes described will inspire a new way to spend a Sunday afternoon. For more, visit lakevillejournal.com/tag/bike-route to check out two ride-guides from local cyclists that will appeal to enthusiasts of many levels looking for a varied trip through the region’s stunning summer scenery.

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