Connecticut

Connecticut Public lays off 4% of its staff, citing expenses growing faster than revenues

Published

2 years ago

June 28, 2024

Connecticut Public lays off 4% of its staff, citing expenses growing faster than revenues

Connecticut Public announced on Friday the nonprofit broadcaster is laying off four full-time and several temporary employees. That’s a 4% reduction in staff, according to the Hartford-based organization.

In a statement, Connecticut Public said expenses “have grown at rates that have exceeded revenues for the last few years” and that some expenses were because of “deliberate investments” and also inflation.

President and CEO Mark Contreras declined to be interviewed and a Connecticut Public spokesperson declined to answer questions beyond the statement.

“These decisions are never easy and only come after taking many other steps to stabilize finances,” Contreras said in the statement.

Connecticut Public did not release the names of affected employees.

In a separate letter to staff, Contreras said, in addition to the layoffs, there will be no across-the-board salary increases for the next year. In addition, tuition and student loan reimbursement would not be offered and there will be limits on “training, conferences, overtime and discretionary travel.”

But Connecticut Public will offer its employees an increase in paid time off around the holidays.

The nonprofit reported to the IRS total revenues of nearly $23 million for fiscal year 2023 — a decrease of about $2.5 million from the year before, when reported revenues were nearly $25.5 million.

The announcement Friday follows layoffs at other public media stations around the country and in New England.

In May, GBH in Boston announced it was laying off 4% of its workforce — 32 employees — citing an increase in the cost of business coupled with flat revenues.

In April, WBUR, also in Boston, announced it was cutting as much as 14% of its staff through buyouts and layoffs, due to a big drop in underwriting.

NEPM in Springfield, Massachusetts, laid off 20% of its staff in March of 2023.

In the letter to employees, Contreras wrote, “Those affected by these changes have made lasting and impactful contributions to our organization, for which we are all grateful.”

“We believe that the changes discussed above—while difficult—will allow us to deliver on our mission sustainably into the future,” he wrote.

NEPM reported and edited this story independently, at the request of the Connecticut Public newsroom. No Connecticut Public staff or leadership had oversight or reviewed the story before it was published.

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Connecticut

Early morning forecast for March 12

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1 hour ago

March 12, 2026

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Connecticut

Hundreds of people flood public hearing on Connecticut vaccine bills

Published

13 hours ago

March 11, 2026

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Hundreds of people flood public hearing on Connecticut vaccine bills

Hundreds of people signed up to speak out about two controversial bills dealing with vaccines in Connecticut.

Opponents are concerned that the bills will lead to government overreach, while supporters say the bills simply ensure that people who want to get vaccinated still have access.

“I don’t want to be told what to do. It’s my body, my choice,” said Joe Murphy of Meriden.

From people gathered outside the state Legislative Office Building in Hartford to those inside, many voiced their opposition to proposals related to vaccines.

“We just want transparency in government. We want them to listen to what we’re here to say,” said Katerina Bouzakis of Wolcott.

Hundreds of people signed up to speak about the vaccine legislation. Democrats say the plans help make sure people can get the vaccines they want.

“It was very clear from the conversation that we’re having a lot of people who are here have misinformation about what the bill does,” said Sen. Saud Anwar (D–South Windsor).

Under these two bills, state recommendations for immunization would be based on a broader group of experts, not just a CDC advisory group that was overhauled by the Trump Administration and has recently been making changes to vaccines.

Lawmakers say the state proposals would help with insurance coverage, and any updates would still have to go through a regulatory process.

“Passing this law will allow us to maintain our current access and purchasing power,” said Dr. Manisha Juthani, Public Health Commissioner. “I want to be very clear that this bill in no way institutes any new vaccine mandates for children or adults.”

Opponents also worry about how the bills might impact a fight to restore religious exemptions for school vaccinations. And they also pushed back on the decision to cut off the hearing.

“Democracy does not end at 12:15 a.m. this morning. It continues on,” said Sen. Heather Somers (R – Groton). “I think that this is an absolute gross overreach of the majority party that doesn’t want your voices to be heard.”

Republicans say they will continue to listen to comments even after the official hearing ends.

Democrats argue that, compared to other places in the country, 14 hours is a long time for a public hearing on this issue, and that previously, when it came up here, about 40% of the speakers were from out of state.

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Connecticut

Study: Late-Night Gamers in Connecticut Are Dragging Down Productivity

Published

1 day ago

March 11, 2026

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Study: Late-Night Gamers in Connecticut Are Dragging Down Productivity

According to a study published by Win.gg, all those late-night gaming sessions aren’t just wrecking your sleep—they’re wrecking Connecticut’s bottom line. Yeah, apparently your midnight raid or Fortnite grind comes with a side of lost productivity, and it adds up fast.

Win.gg surveyed 2,000 working gamers across the U.S., then crunched the numbers with data from the U.S. Census and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The results? Roughly 47% of employed gamers in Connecticut admit they’re dragging the next day after a late-night session. On average, that translates to about 2.6 hours of work that… well, never really happens. If you put a dollar figure on it, that’s about $104 lost per worker in a single day. Multiply that by the state, and we’re looking at a staggering $74 million in lost productivity. Yup, you read that right—$74 million just because people stayed up too late chasing loot or finishing that last level.

Read More: Three Arrested for Burglary in New Fairfield

It’s not just your career that’s taking a hit, either. Gamers in the state report cutting their sleep by an average of 1.8 hours to fit in those extra hours of gaming. And we all know what happens when you skimp on sleep: coffee consumption goes up, focus goes down, and suddenly responding to emails feels like decoding hieroglyphics.

So, what does this mean for Connecticut? Employers are essentially paying for productivity that doesn’t happen, and the state as a whole is bleeding money. But let’s be real—nobody’s about to stop gaming. If anything, this is a reminder that maybe those late-night raids are best saved for the weekend, or at least capped so the Monday grind doesn’t feel like a marathon through molasses.

If you want to dive into all the numbers and methodology, Win.gg has the full breakdown here. But the takeaway is clear: your gaming habit might be costing more than you think—both in sleep and in dollars.

Exploring Beyond the Rusty Gates of Danbury’s Oldest Cemetery on Wooster Street

I live just down the block from the Wooster Street Cemetery and whenever I pass, I am always struck at how odd it is. You have this quiet, beautiful place that is dedicated to the people who were buried there, in the middle of a busy city and almost no one ever goes there. I decided to go take a deeper look around and see what was beyond the iron gates and stone walls.

Gallery Credit: Lou Milano

7 of the Most Beautiful Towns in the State of Connecticut

Connecticut is overflowing with both manmade and natural beauty. In some places, the two intersect to create a magical, almost fictional feel. Here are 7 Connecticut Towns that look like they came straight from a storybook.

Gallery Credit: Lou Milano

Top 10 Chain Restaurants with the Most Locations in Connecticut

The other day the boys and I were talking about KFC’s new “gravy flights,” and it got me wondering—do you know which fast-food chain has the most locations in Connecticut? None of us did, so I looked it up.

The top of the list is mostly what you’d expect, but there are a few surprises. Here’s a look at the Top 10 Chain Restaurants with the Most Locations in Connecticut according to Stacker

Gallery Credit: Lou Milano

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