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Opinion: Pride is more than a month. In CT, it’s a mandate

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Opinion: Pride is more than a month. In CT, it’s a mandate


When I first ran for office, I was one of only two openly gay members of the Connecticut General Assembly. Today, I’m proud to serve as co-chair of a growing LGBTQ+ Caucus, one that’s not only increasing in number but in impact.

That growth matters. Because while we gather this June to mark Pride Month, we do so at a time when LGBTQ+ rights, especially the rights of trans people, are under coordinated attack across the country. Under the current federal administration, we’ve seen efforts to erase LGBTQ+ history from classrooms, target trans youth in healthcare and sports, and target our identities to distract from real issues.

State Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan

Connecticut has chosen a different path. We’re showing what it looks like when a state leads with dignity and action, not division.

This year, we passed bipartisan legislation that prohibits discrimination against LGBTQ+ residents in long-term care facilities, ensuring our elders can live openly and receive the care they deserve without hiding who they are. No one should be forced back into the closet just to access basic services.

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We also protected funding for the LGBTQ+ Justice and Opportunity Network, which provides grants to LGBTQ+ nonprofit, healthcare, and advocacy organizations across the state. The network collaborates with local affinity groups and advocates to inform the legislature on the evolving needs of our community. I’m especially proud of this program, because it was the first bill I introduced and took to the House floor back in 2019.

But we didn’t stop there. In a year when states are criminalizing gender-affirming care and restricting access to abortion, we passed legislation to shield providers in Connecticut who offer this care. This sends a clear message: if you’re under attack in your home state, Connecticut will stand with you.

And while other states are banning books and threatening librarians, we’re doing the opposite. We advanced legislation to protect public libraries, librarians, and the freedom to access information without intimidation or censorship. We did this because defending free expression and the right to learn is foundational to a healthy democracy and to a truly inclusive society.

For me, Pride is deeply personal. I spent 18 years in the closet, raised by an immigrant father and an Irish Catholic mother. That combination came with its own set of challenges, but today, after many difficult conversations and a lot of growth, they’re two of my biggest supporters. I’m grateful for that, and I know not everyone is so fortunate.

And even within our own community, we don’t always get it right. I’m a gay man, I don’t know what it’s like to be trans or nonbinary, and sometimes I get it wrong. We all do. But we’ve got to give each other the space and grace to keep learning, and to keep showing up.

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That’s true for allies, too. Allyship isn’t seasonal. It doesn’t stop at a pin, a post, or a parade. It’s about using your voice when it matters, especially when it’s uncomfortable. It’s about backing up your values with real action, not just words.

To every LGBTQ+ person across Connecticut and beyond, especially those feeling exhausted, afraid, or unseen right now, I want you to know: you’re not alone. We’re here. We’re fighting for you. And we’re not going anywhere.

We’ve come too far, and the stakes are too high, to go quiet now.

State Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan is the Democratic Chief Majority Whip. He represents the 2nd District (Danbury) in the Connecticut House of Representatives.

 

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Watch New Canaan vs. Cheshire in Connecticut Class L football championship: Live stream

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Watch New Canaan vs. Cheshire in Connecticut Class L football championship: Live stream


New Canaan faces Cheshire in the 2025 Connecticut high school Class L football state championship on Saturday afternoon.

The game begins at 4 p.m. EST on Saturday, Dec. 13, at Veterans Stadium in New Britain, Connecticut.

The game will stream live on the NFHS Network.

High school football championships on NFHS Network

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What: Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) Class L football championship

Who: New Canaan vs. Cheshire

When: Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025

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Where: Veterans Stadium in New Britain, Connecticut

Time: 4 p.m. EST

Stream: NFHS Network

Tickets: $11,50

Record, MaxPrep state rankings: New Canaan 12-0, No. 1; Cheshire 9-3, No. 11

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Here’s more information about the game from the Hartford Courant, via the Tribune News Service:

New Canaan is going for its 16th state title and fourth straight under veteran coach Lou Marinelli and New Canaan outscored its playoff opponents, 85-13. Cheshire’s last finals appearance was 2009, when coach Don Drust was an assistant for the Rams’ team, which beat Staples in overtime to win a Class LL title. Cheshire rallied from a 19-point deficit against Fairfield Ludlowe to win the Class L quarterfinal game and beat Ridgefield 21-0 in the semifinals. QB Aiden Gregorich’s pass to Liam Suomala proved to be the game-winning touchdown with 10 seconds left in the quarterfinal.

What is the NFHS Network?

The NFHS Network covers more than 30 sports across the country. NFHS Network costs $13.99 per month or $79.99 per year.



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Could mini-liquor bottles be banned in Connecticut?

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Could mini-liquor bottles be banned in Connecticut?


Have you still seen a lot of mini-liquor bottles, littering the streets in Connecticut?

Members of one environmental group said they still see them, and believe a ban is the best way to solve a multi-tiered problem.

State data shows in the past 12 months, ending September 30, there were more than 93 million mini-liquor bottles sold in our state.

The group supporting local bans says it’s not just the litter, but also the fact mini-liquor bottles are easy to conceal and consume on the job, in the car, or at school.

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The group “Connecticut Towns Nixing the Nip” met this week, working on strategies to get a legislative hearing on the issue in the upcoming 2026 session.

Right now, stores collect a 5-cent surcharge for every mini-liquor bottle sold, resulting in about $5 million annually for town and city environmental cleanup efforts.

Town funding from nip sales

Average revenue per year 2021 to 2025.

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“Having talked to a number of towns, well a few towns, they like the money, said Tom Metzner, a member of the group. “It’s fairly broad in how it can be used. It’s environmental. It doesn’t have to be used for cleaning up nips. And so the towns have become somewhat silent on the issue of banning nips.”

The group cited Chelsea, Massachusetts, where minis are banned, both litter and alcohol related EMS calls decreased.

The Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Connecticut, which devised the “nickel per nip” program, said banning the mini-liquor bottles would be unprecedented.

Instead, it said the environmental group should be challenging municipalities to prove they actually use the money for cleanup.

Legislative leaders suggested several years ago the way to really do this is to have a redemption program for mini liquor bottles, and now, that could be possible.

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At least one state with the Clynk bottle collection program has redeemed mini-liquor bottles for cash.

The company just announced a major expansion in our state, but it told us it is not aware of a redemption program for mini-liquor bottles here any time soon.



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National trust in the federal government is low. CT residents agree

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National trust in the federal government is low. CT residents agree


National trust in the federal government is at some of its lowest levels in nearly seven decades, and many Connecticut residents fall in line with that belief, a survey found.

New data from the Pew Research Center found only 17% of Americans believe that what the government does is right either “just about always” or “most of the time,” hitting one of the lowest points Pew has seen since first asking this question in 1958. And according to a DataHaven survey, Connecticut residents trust the federal government less than state or local institutions.

While these are some of the lowest polling numbers seen in American history, national trust in the federal government has been on the decline for decades. Public trust initially dropped in the 1960s and ’70s during the Vietnam War from a near 80% but began rising again in the 1980s into the early ’90s. Trust peaked again after 9/11 before falling.

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The DataHaven survey found that of all Connecticut residents surveyed, only 9% trust the federal government “a great deal” to look out for the best interests of them and their family. About 28% trust the federal government “a fair amount.”

Federal government trust among Connecticut residents was at its highest in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the federal stimulus programs and child tax credit were active.

The DataHaven survey also asked about trust in local and state government. Connecticut residents generally trust these institutions more than they trust the federal government, the survey found.

Trust in the local governments was higher than trust in both state and federal, with 67% of residents surveyed trusting their local government “a great deal” or “a fair amount.”

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And when it came to state government, 61% of residents trust the state “a great deal” or “a fair amount.”



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