Northeast
Connecticut considers banning legacy admission preferences at public and private universities
Connecticut lawmakers are considering banning the use of legacy and donor preferences in admissions to all colleges and universities across the state, including private ones like Yale University.
A bill was advanced to the Senate floor on Thursday, days after Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed legislation barring consideration of a student’s familial ties to a public college or university when being considered for admission. The first such law was signed in Colorado in 2021.
There has been pushback to Connecticut’s bill from some private institutions in the state, including Yale, which have argued the state should not be dictating how they make admissions decisions, just like it shouldn’t dictate decisions on curriculum and faculty hiring. But proponents note how these schools, which receive substantial tax benefits for their non-profit status, have the power to provide all kinds of students with a ticket to an elite world.
CONNECTICUT UNIVERSITY DORM FIRE FORCES DOZENS OF STUDENTS INTO TEMPORARY HOUSING
“If you look at leaders of Fortune 500 companies, you look at members of Congress, United States Supreme Court justices, this really matters to how our society operates,” said Democratic state Sen. Derek Slap, co-chair of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee.
An Associated Press survey of the nation’s most selective colleges in 2022 found that legacy students in the freshman class ranged from 4% to 23%, though many schools declined to provide basic data in response to AP’s request. The AP found that at four schools — Notre Dame, USC, Cornell and Dartmouth — legacy students outnumbered Black students.
Slap noted how the U.S. Supreme Court last summer struck down affirmative action in college admissions, proving they don’t have institutional freedom to make preferences based on race.
A woman walks by a Yale sign reflected in the rainwater on the Yale University campus on Aug. 22, 2021, in New Haven, Connecticut. Connecticut lawmakers are considering banning the use of legacy and donor preferences in admissions to all colleges and universities across the state. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)
“I think it’s egregious, though, that this preference, the one for wealthy folks, remains,” he said.
Republican Sen. Kevin Kelly said he has heard from private schools in his district, especially faith-based colleges, that are concerned about how they would be impacted by the legislation. He said the ability of institutions of higher education to “exercise their freedom to teach how they are and what they are” has helped to create “American exceptionalism.”
“I think when the state government starts to interfere in that process, we’re not only interfering in private relations of institutions, but we’re also interfering in that American excellence,” he said.
Jeremiah Quinlan, dean of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid at Yale University, recently told state lawmakers that the school agrees with the “central aim” of the bill, which is to enroll more low-income and first-generation students. But in addition to the state overstepping its bounds, he said the bill doesn’t address the key challenge of providing less advantaged students with the resources needed to prepare for college and graduate on time.
He also said Yale’s undergraduate admissions office strives to “assemble a group of the most promising students from the most diverse collection of backgrounds.” He said undergraduates from families that can’t afford the full cost of attending Yale receive a need-based scholarship that covers tuition, housing, meals, travel, books and personal expenses.
Last year, Wesleyan University, another private school in Connecticut, announced it was ending its policy of giving preferential treatment in admissions to those whose families have historical ties to the school.
The bill, which cleared the committee on a vote of 18-4, moves to the Senate for further action.
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New Hampshire
Hiker who set out in warm spring weather found dead after snowstorm in New Hampshire mountains
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A Massachusetts hiker who set out in warm spring weather was found dead deep in New Hampshire’s White Mountains after a snowstorm dumped several inches of snow in the area, authorities said.
Kent Wood, 61, of West Roxbury, was discovered Tuesday evening on a remote section of the Kinsman Pond Trail in Franconia Notch, about 5.5 miles from his vehicle, according to New Hampshire Fish and Game.
Wood had driven to Franconia Notch on April 17 for a weekend camping and hiking trip, and set out on a hike the next morning in warm, clear weather, officials said. Family and friends last heard from him Saturday afternoon.
When he failed to return or make contact for two days, officials said relatives reported him missing Tuesday morning, prompting a large-scale search.
HIKER IDENTIFIED, POPULAR TRAIL CLOSED AFTER DEADLY FALL A UTAH’S ZION NATIONAL PARK
An aerial view of Franconia Notch State Park in New Hampshire, where a hiker was found dead on Tuesday. (Joseph Sohm/Universal Images Group, File)
Rescuers quickly learned Wood had packed for mild conditions, not the three to five inches of snow that fell in the area between Sunday and Monday.
Fog hovers over a narrow road through Franconia Notch in the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire on Dec. 27, 2021. (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis)
Search teams from Fish and Game, PEMI Valley Search and Rescue, and the Army National Guard launched a coordinated effort, focusing on the Lonesome Lake and Kinsman Pond areas.
FAMILY’S SPRING BREAK HIKE TURNS INTO LIFE-OR-DEATH RESCUE AFTER PARENT FALLS 70 FEET OFF UTAH CLIFF
Conservation officers located Wood’s body around 7:41 p.m. Tuesday. Crews carried him out overnight, reaching the trailhead shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday.
Franconia Notch and the Appalachian Trail are seen in New Hampshire on Sept. 21. (Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images)
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Since Friday, six hikers from Massachusetts have been rescued in the White Mountains, Fish and Game said.
Officials are reminding hikers that winter conditions still grip the mountains, with snow, freezing temperatures and rapidly changing weather.
New Jersey
2028 New Jersey ATH has ‘great experience’ on visit to Syracuse
In November, 2028 ATH Jaisier Gray received his first Power 4 offer from Syracuse.
The offer added to a list that includes Temple and Delaware State, and the Orange have been in consistent touch since then. Gray got a closer look at Syracuse on April 9 for spring practice, and it was a chance for him to get to know the program better.
“The visit was an all around great experience,” Gray said to The Juice Online. “Not because we were in the college practice facility. But being able to interact with players and coaches and experience meetings first hand.
“Then to be able to see the competition and the love shared between the players pushing each other to be better and strive for greatness, was the best way for recruiting. This allowed for me to get a real feel to how the next level operates and being able to mentally prepare myself for when the time comes.”
Gray gets to know the SU staff better
Among the coaches he got to meet with was defensive line coach John Scott Jr.
“We spoke about how he got to evaluate my film,” Gray said. “We also talked about me coming back up to Syracuse to their big man camp so he could get the chance to teach me in person. Not only that but we also spoke about so factors that helped me gain weight since the last time I visited and what am I doing in the offseason to develop my skills as a player.”
Gray also appreciated seeing the culture of the Orange.
“I found the program really strong minded and influential,” Gray said. “The determination to make their players the best, not only athletes but people they can be. This action invites a very mentoring aura to it. They are very family oriented with a lot of coaches and players sharing great bonds, with common knowledge and experience.”
Gray respects D.A.R.T.
Among the culture at Syracuse includes head coach Fran Brown’s mantra of D.A.R.T. (detailed, accountable, relentless, tough).
“I respect it due to me being an athlete who takes my sport very serious, D.A.R.T. is the type of mindset that coaches love and players who want to be great but into,” Gray said. “Being Determined, staying Accountable, playing Relentless, and showing how you’re Tough is the way to play. This ideal eliminates the “losing mentality” and keeps you locked in and working always.”
As a result, Gray thinks highly of his SU offer.
“I felt extremely honored but worthy at the same time,” Gray said. “I knew that this accomplishment was a blessing but it was earned through hard work and dedication. Not just in the field and making plays as a young star but also studying and making sure my grade are up to par.”
His Indians team went 6-3 in the 2025 season, and he’s looking to show this fall that he’s continued his improvement.
Gray is a two-way, two-sport athlete
“My 2025 football season was a big step for me,” Gray said. “I showed a lot of growth, both physically and mentally, and I feel like my game slowed down in a good way, I was reading plays better and playing more confident. I had some strong moments, but I also saw where I need to improve, especially in consistency and finishing plays. Overall, I’d say it was a solid season, but not my peak yet. It motivated me to lock in even more, because I know I can take it to another level.”
The Newark (NJ) Weequahic athlete is a two-way player who plays both offensive and defensive line, but he is being recruited on the defensive side of the ball. He is also a two-sport athlete, excelling on the basketball court with his 6’7” 250-pound frame.
“I’m the type of player who plays fast, strong and disciplined,” Gray said. “I take pride in every play throughout the game, no matter where I’m positioned on the line. I’m a very physical and high motored kid who can play both inside and outside setting the edge.
“I try to outwork anybody and be the best at all times, but also staying humble and knowing there’s something ti learn and someone’s who’s better than me. Being naturally gifted with length I use these strengths to my advantage and focus on my technique. Overall I’m a versatile lineman who can do the dirty work, be a leader( by example or verbally), be accountable, and still impact the game positively when my number is called.”
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Pennsylvania
David A. Mansel, West Middlesex, PA
WEST MIDDLESEX, Pa. (MyValleyTributes) – David Armond Mansel, aged 89, passed away on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Born and raised in West Middlesex, Pennsylvania, on August 8, 1936, David resided in Transfer, Pennsylvania. He was deeply rooted in his faith in God.
He served in the Army in Germany in the 1960s and worked construction for many years. He was proud of his roots on his family’s farm.
David, who was known to many as Uncle Dave, loved to dance and spend time on his boat cruising the Shenango Reservoir. His friendly, outgoing personality helped him to meet people wherever he went, especially on the dance floor. He loved to teach people how to dance the jitter bug (among other dances) in his favorite zoot suit, hat and black and white dance shoes. He was also often seen on one of his many vehicles, like his Mustang convertible, CanAm, or Segway.
He is survived by his brother, James; his sister and brother-in-law, Denise and Skip Wentz; his sister-in-law, Gloria Mansel; his aunt, Nancy Sabella and his special nieces and nephews who spent a lot of time with him in his later years, Lisa and Jim Blair, Nicole and Brian Serafin, Terry Thompson and Darrell and Jeanie Thompson. He also leaves many more nieces, nephews and cousins and his extended Italian American family.
David was predeceased by his children, Darcy, in 1988 and Wade, 2024. He was also predeceased by his parents, Michael and Clara Mansel; his brother, Leonard and sister, Esther Thompson.
A celebration to remember David will be announced at a later time.
Arrangements handled by John Flynn Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc.
Messages of sympathy, stories and photos can be shared on David’s memorial page, at: www.flynnfuneralhome.com.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of David A. Mansel, please visit our floral store.
A television tribute will air Thursday, April 23 at the following approximate times: 7:10 a.m. on FOX, 12:22 p.m. on WKBN, 5:08 p.m. on MyYTV and 7:27 p.m. on WYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.
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