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Connecticut Sun are struggling at start of rebuild with losses in six of first seven games

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Connecticut Sun are struggling at start of rebuild with losses in six of first seven games


Associated Press

Tina Charles returned to the Connecticut Sun knowing the franchise was rebuilding. The WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder didn’t care because it was a chance to come full circle with the team that drafted her No. 1 in 2010.

So far on the court it’s been a rough start to the season for the Sun, who have lost six of their first seven games, including suffering the worst defeat in franchise history in their last outing — a 48-point loss to New York.

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“I thought worse off this would happen,” Charles said. “You have whole new players, a new coach, a new system. I knew there was going to be growing pains as a team and as coaches, but I think we’ve been able to have good conversations in the sense of what needs to be our approach.”

It’s not a real surprise that the Sun are struggling. Connecticut lost all five starters from last season’s team that made it to at least the playoff semifinals for the sixth consecutive season. No team in WNBA history has had as much changeover from one year to the next as the Sun have had.

Charles and Marina Mabrey are two of the veteran players on the squad that’s still searching for its identity.

“This is a new cycle for us and we are not a finished product so we had to understand sometimes we have some bad days,” first-year Connecticut coach Rachid Meziane said after the loss to New York. “Try to fix and reduce our mistakes.”

Connecticut has lost its six games by an average of 21.7 points — the worst in the league.

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Even with the struggles, Charles is hoping to be a mentor for some of the younger players such as Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Aneesah Morrow. Morrow was the No. 7 pick in the draft this season.

“I get to do what I love. I get to do it back with the organization that believed in me first,” Charles said. “Get to impact them. Just to see the growth within my players, not just as basketball players, but as a woman off the court. That’s really what the goal is. I’m just more so happy that I’m able to impact these guys, especially Olivia and just what her future is going to look like.”

Off the court the team’s future is unclear. The Mohegan Tribe, which owns the franchise, is exploring a potential sale of the team. It hired an investment bank to explore the possibility, which may lead to a relocation of the franchise. If the Sun do end up moving, one potential destination could be Boston. The Sun played a regular-season game there last year that sold out. The team will face Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever in Boston in July.

The group in Boston that includes former NBA player Michael Carter-Williams, which is interested in getting a franchise in Massachusetts’ capital, declined to comment to The Associated Press at this time when asked if it was interested in buying the Sun.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball




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Justice Department sues Connecticut over sanctuary policies

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Justice Department sues Connecticut over sanctuary policies


NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WFSB) – The U.S. Department of Justice is suing the state of Connecticut and the city of New Haven, arguing their “sanctuary” policies illegally interfere with federal immigration enforcement.

The lawsuit, filed Monday, targets Connecticut’s “Trust Act” and local rules that limit cooperation with federal authorities.

Named in the suit are Gov. Ned Lamont, Attorney General William Tong, and New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker.

Federal officials claim these policies violate the U.S. Constitution and allow “dangerous criminals” to be released into the community instead of being handed over to federal agents.

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“This lawsuit seeks to end such open defiance of federal law,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate.

The move is part of a broader federal crackdown on sanctuary cities, with similar legal actions recently filed against Los Angeles, New York City, and Boston.



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Connecticut lawmakers go head-to-head in Fifth Annual CGA Kickball Classic

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Connecticut lawmakers go head-to-head in Fifth Annual CGA Kickball Classic


HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Lawmakers put aside politics on Monday for a good cause, going head-to-head on the field.

Democrats took on Republicans in the Fifth Annual CGA Kickball Classic at Dunkin’ Park in Hartford. All ticket sales go towards charity, with this year’s recipient being United Way of Connecticut.

The Democrats won for the second year in a row, the Republicans had a three-year win streak previously.

“It’s great, especially because we’re coming into the real heat of the legislative session, so it’s a lot of fun to be out here,” State Rep. Jason Doucette (D) said. “We have a fun time with our friends across the aisle.”

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“United Way is a great organization, a statewide organization, and all of our local United Ways,” Former House Minority Leader Themis Klarides (R) said. “Especially in this day and age, people need so much help just for their everyday activities and keeping their families going, so we’re just really proud to have them be our charity this year.”

Lawmakers on both sides encouraged Connecticut residents to support their local United Way organization however they can.



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This CT city is one of the ‘Top 100 Best Places to Live in the US,’ according to Livability

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This CT city is one of the ‘Top 100 Best Places to Live in the US,’ according to Livability


Livability released its annual list of small to mid-sized cities throughout the nation where residents can “truly thrive,” according to its website. Livability analyzed more than 100 data points in eight essential categories to measure a city’s overall health and “fun factor.”

The Fairfield County city was named to the list for being “home to a charming downtown, excellent schools, an arts community” and its proximity to New York City.

Danbury ranked high for its health, safety and amenities such as dining variety and access to parks and museums. Livability highlighted places in the city such as Danbury Museum, Railway Museum, Danbury Music Centre, Ives Concert Park, The Palace Danbury, Aldrich Museum, Danbury Ice Arena, Thrillz Park, Tarrywile Park and the Danbury Fair Mall.

Some of Livability’s top reasons to move to Danbury include the city being a “commuter’s dream,” as it is 50 miles from New York City and an hour from Hartford. The website also stated that Danbury is “affordable” compared to other Connecticut cities, with a median home value of $417,303, an average household income of $91,100 and median monthly rent of $1,679.

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Livability also described Danbury as a “regional powerhouse for retail and health care” and stated that it was “one of the most diverse cities in the country” for its culinary and cultural scenes.

Danbury previously was named to Livability’s “Top 100 Best Places to Live in the U.S.” list in 2024 and 2025.



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