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Connecticut Today - October 29, 2026 · Connecticut Today

• 0:05
  P>Good morning. It's Thursday, October 29th, and this is Connecticut Today, CT
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  Insider's daily audio briefing. Catch up on Connecticut. All news, no noise
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  in under 5 minutes. We're starting off with a quick look at
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  the weather. Connecticut is enjoying a stretch of mild, sunny days, with
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  temperatures rising into the 60s and even approaching 70 in some spots.
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  We'll have the full weather update at the end of the briefing.
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  In today's headlines, One of the most influential political donors in the
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  country lives in Connecticut, though many residents may not know his name.
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  Greenwich hedge fund manager Stephen Mandel, along with his wife Susan, has
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  contributed more than 35 million to Democratic candidates and political action committees
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  nationwide this election cycle, according to the Washington Post. In Connecticut, the
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  Mandels have given over 11 million to state-level candidates and organizations, including
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  5.5 million to Impact CT, an independent expenditure committee that accounts for
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  most outside spending in state elections this cycle. Impact CT has supported
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  several Democratic candidates, including spending over 400,000 on behalf of Luke Bronin
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  in his successful congressional primary. The Mandels also fund the Connecticut Project,
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  an advocacy group focused on liberal causes, which has reported nearly 2
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  million in media spending over the past two years. While some praise
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  the Mandels for supporting working class issues, others question the influence of
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  unelected billionaires in state politics. Connecticut's income divide remains stark, with towns
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  like Darienne and Hartford showing opposite ends of the spectrum. In Darienne,
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  67 of households reported earnings of 200,000 or more, far above the
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  statewide average of 19 Meanwhile, in Hartford, 53 of households reported incomes
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  below 50,000 according to Census Bureau estimates from 2020 to 2024. The
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  gap between high and low income households is especially wide in certain
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  towns, and even neighboring communities can have dramatically different income profiles. For
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  example, Burlington's share of high earning households is nearly 30 percentage points
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  higher than nearby towns like Plymouth and Bristol. Economic diversity varies widely
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  across Connecticut, and income levels do not always follow predictable geographic patterns.
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  Young families searching for homes in Connecticut are often forced to choose
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  between affordability and family-friendly neighborhoods. A CT insider analysis found that no
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  zip code in the state offers both top value and high marks
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  For family friendliness. For example, Waterbury's 06704 zip code is among
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  the best for affordability, with home sale prices about three times the
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  state's median income, but its school district ranks near the bottom statewide.
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  In contrast, Fairfield 06890 zip code is highly rated for families and
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  schools, but the median home price is 1.8 million, more than 18
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  times the median income. The analysis shows that the state's wealthiest zip
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  codes tend to have the highest performing schools. While more affordable areas
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  often lag in education metrics, home districts outside Fairfield County have shown
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  improvement in school quality, but rising home values often follow those gains.
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  Turning to sports, the Yukon men's basketball team is showing impressive depth
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  as it heads into the season. In three exhibition wins, the Huskies
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  had three different leading scorers, none of whom were last year's top
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  two scorers. Braylon Mullins or Silas Demerie Jr. Players like Nudjaye Hines,
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  Nick Human Yu, and Colbin Landru have all led the team in
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  scoring during exhibitions. Head coach Dan Hurley said The team essentially has
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  six starters, and that balancing playing time will be a challenge. The
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  team's death is seen as a strength, with several players capable of
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  leading and scoring on any given night. On the women's side, Yukon
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  coach Gino Oriema reflected on last season's Final Four loss and the
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  high expectations that come with the program's history. The Huskies finished 38-1
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  and made their 17th Final Four in 18 years, but fell short
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  of another national title. Ariema said the team had some deficiencies that
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  were exposed in the semifinal loss, but he emphasized the importance of
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  perspective and appreciating the team's accomplishments. He remains under contract through 2029
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  and says he is motivated by developing players and building new teams,
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  even as the landscape of college athletics continues to change. And now
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  for the full weather forecast, Thursday will bring clearing skies and mild
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  temperatures, with highs in the upper sixties inland and mid-sixties along the
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  shoreline. A southwest breeze may pick up in the afternoon, but conditions
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  should stay dry and pleasant. Looking ahead, Friday is expected to be
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  the warmest day of the week, with sunshine and highs reaching the
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  upper sixties to lower seventies before cooler air arrives for the weekend.
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  Thanks for listening. For more local news, visit ctinsider.com. This digest was
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  partially generated by AI and then reviewed and edited by our newsroom
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  staff.