Latest / Connecticut Today / Connecticut Today - October 13, 2026

Transcript

Connecticut Today - October 13, 2026 · Connecticut Today

• 0:05
  P>Good morning. It's Tuesday, October 13th, and this is Connecticut Today, CT
• 0:09
  Insider's Daily Audio Briefing. Catch up on Connecticut. All news, no noise
• 0:13
  in under five minutes. We're starting off with a quick look at
• 0:16
  the weather: a quiet stretch continues, with clouds early and sunshine breaking
• 0:20
  through later. Temperatures will be mild for October. Stay tuned for the
• 0:23
  full forecast at the end of this briefing.
• 0:26
  In today's headlines, Connecticut’s 2026 governor's race is shaping up as a
• 0:30
  contest with former President Donald Trump at the center, even though his
• 0:33
  name is not on the ballot. Governor Ned Lamont and state Democrats
• 0:36
  are tying Republican nominee Ryan Fazio and other GOP candidates to Trump,
• 0:40
  citing Trump's unpopularity in Connecticut. Fazio, a state senator from Greenwich, says
• 0:46
  he is focused on state issues like the high cost of living
• 0:48
  and has tried to keep Trump out of his campaign messaging, though
• 0:51
  he has confirmed voting for Trump in past elections. The Lamont campaign
• 0:55
  argues that Facio's positions align with Trump's, especially on immigration and tax
• 0:59
  policy. Republicans say Democrats are using Trump as a distraction from their
• 1:03
  own record in state government. Both parties are working to define the
• 1:07
  race as either a referendum on Trump or on Connecticut’s affordability.
• 1:11
  p>Early voting for the November 3 general election begins October 19 and
• 1:15
  runs through November 1. Connecticut voters will have 14 days to cast
• 1:19
  ballots in person ahead of Election Day, with most early voting locations
• 1:22
  open from 10 a.m. To 6 p.m. And extended hours on October
• 1:26
  2029. Offices on the ballot include governor, U.S. Representatives, state legislators, and
• 1:31
  several local positions. Voters can find sample ballots and early voting locations
• 1:36
  on the secretary of the State's website. Same day voter registration is
• 1:40
  available during early voting, and ballots will be counted on election day.
• 1:44
  New business registrations in Connecticut are up about 9 through the first
• 1:48
  nine months of 2026 compared to last year, according to the Secretary
• 1:52
  of State's office. Experts say the increase reflects economic uncertainty, with some
• 1:56
  people starting businesses as a precaution in case they lose their jobs.
• 2:00
  Others are seeking opportunities in the gig economy, especially with advances in
• 2:04
  artificial intelligence. One professor described AI as a tool that can handle
• 2:08
  many tasks, allowing entrepreneurs to focus on their strengths, but cautioned that
• 2:12
  users should be aware of its limitations.
• 2:15
  p>Connecticut residents on Social Security will learn Wednesday how much their benefits
• 2:18
  will increase in 2027. Projections from AARP and the Senior Citizens League
• 2:24
  suggest a cost of living adjustment of about 3.5 to 3.6, which
• 2:28
  would be the largest increase since 2023. The adjustment is tied to
• 2:32
  inflation, which has been driven higher by rising gas prices and other
• 2:35
  costs. For the average recipient, a 3.5 increase would mean about 68
• 2:41
  more per month. Advocates say the boost is welcome but may not
• 2:44
  be enough to keep up with the rising cost of living in
• 2:47
  Connecticut, especially for seniors with fixed incomes.
• 2:50
  p>Buyers in Connecticut’s real estate market are seeing more options for condominiums,
• 2:54
  with listings up sharply in Hartford, New Haven, and Fairfield counties compared
• 2:58
  to last year. House inventories have also increased, but by smaller margins.
• 3:02
  Despite more listings, prices remain high, with Connecticut’s median home price at
• 3:07
  450,000 and the median condo price at 404,000 High mortgage rates
• 3:13
  above 7 are keeping some homeowners from selling, and first-time buyers are
• 3:17
  feeling the pinch. Some condo associations have raised fees due to higher
• 3:20
  maintenance costs, and about one in five listings on Zillow have seen
• 3:24
  price cuts as sellers adjust to market realities.
• 3:27
  p>And now for the full weather forecast: Tuesday will bring mostly cloudy
• 3:31
  skies early, with sunshine increasing in the afternoon and highs in the
• 3:34
  upper 60s to around 70 degrees. Inland areas may see patchy morning
• 3:38
  fog, but the day should stay dry and comfortable. Looking ahead, Wednesday
• 3:42
  and Thursday will be warmer and sunnier, with highs in the 60s
• 3:46
  and 70s, before rain arrives late Thursday into Friday and a colder
• 3:49
  weekend follows.
• 3:50
  p>Thanks for listening. For more local news, visit ctinsider.com. This digest was
• 3:55
  partially generated by AI and then reviewed and edited by our newsroom
• 3:58
  staff.