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Lamont names new leader to Connecticut State Colleges and Universities board

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Lamont names new leader to Connecticut State Colleges and Universities board


Gov. Ned Lamont named a new chair Wednesday to lead the Connecticut Board of Regents, the governing body for the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system. Martin Guay, who has served on the board since September 2023, will assume the chair.

Guay succeeds JoAnn Ryan, who will not seek reappointment to the board. Her term as a member expires on June 30.

The board’s 15 voting members, all of whom are volunteers, are appointed: nine by Lamont, four by legislative leaders and two are student members appointed by their peers. The governor selects one member as chair and the board elects a vice chair and officers from among the members.

Guay, who was appointed by Lamont to a term ending in 2029, is vice president of business development at Stanley Black & Decker in New Britain. In this role, he “creates business value opportunities by working with startups, academia, venture capital, philanthropy, and global corporations,” according to the release. “He has worked with innovation communities, universities, incubators, and accelerators across the world. Concurrently, he is working on workforce development, economic development, and advanced manufacturing and growing the trades strategies in Connecticut and in the United States.”

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Guay holds a bachelor’s degree and M.B.A. from the George Washington University, and has completed the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School.

Lamont said Guay’s experience in business enables him to lead CSCU to prepare its students for careers.

“Marty has spent his career in the manufacturing sector and understands the needs of businesses to have access to a workforce that is already trained with the skills needed for in-demand, good-paying jobs that are driving innovation and building economic opportunities,” Lamont said. “This aligns with CSCU’s overarching goals and efforts to partner with the business community so that when students graduate they can get started on the right track for successful, long-lasing careers. His leadership is a good fit at CSCU and I am excited that he has agreed to take on this position. I also want to thank JoAnn Ryan for her many years of dedicated and generous service to Connecticut’s higher education system. I am particularly appreciative of her work to strengthen these schools during a period of transition, and I applaud her commitment to our students, their success, and the success of our state.”

Guay affirmed the role of CSCU as a driver of Connecticut’s economy.

“It is a tremendous honor to be appointed to serve as the next chair of the Connecticut Board of Regents,” Guay said. “Our colleges and universities are an integral part of Connecticut’s growth strategy, making an $11 billion annual impact on the state’s economy. I am excited to partner further with Governor Lamont, Chancellor Cheng, the Board of Regents, institution leaders, and community partners on spearheading and implementing initiatives that enable CSCU to continue to offer new innovative courses and programs that meet both students’ aspirations and the needs of our workforce. Together, we can ensure that our institutions continue to be key economic drivers for our communities and state.”

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CSCU consists of four state universities, Connecticut State Community College, and Charter Oak State College.

For more information about the Board of Regents, visit ct.edu/regents.



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Hibachi Grill Supreme Buffet In South Plainfield Offers Endless Delicious Options

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Hibachi Grill Supreme Buffet In South Plainfield Offers Endless Delicious Options


The Greater Danbury area isn’t exactly known as a buffet hotspot, but if you’re willing to venture beyond your zip code, the state delivers some awe-inspiring all-you-can-eat experiences. A recent “Only In Your State” feature crowned one buffet as the best in Connecticut — and that raised a very local question: Do any buffets near Danbury compare?

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The Top 5 Buffets in Connecticut

Topping the statewide list is the Pacific Buffet & Grill in Wallingford, celebrated by Only In Your State as Connecticut’s best. This place is the gold standard, known for its huge seafood selection, sushi bar, hibachi grill, and sheer variety. Crab legs, shrimp, steak, noodles — it’s all here, and it’s why people happily drive across the state for it.

Other standout buffets earning consistent praise include Osaka Hibachi Buffet in Stratford, loved for its cleanliness and sushi options, and Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet in South Plainfield, which boasts hundreds of rotating items and a popular cook-to-order hibachi station. Rounding out the top five are Imperial China Buffet in Watertown a dependable classic, and Royal Buffet Sushi and Grill in New Milford, which is especially important for Greater Danbury diners.

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So… What About Buffets Near Danbury?

Here’s the honest truth: Danbury doesn’t have a Pacific-level buffet. But there are a couple of respectable local options. Grand Century Buffet at 1 Padanaram Road remains the city’s most familiar buffet, offering a wide selection at reasonable prices. It’s not flashy, but it gets the job done.

Meanwhile, Agogo Asian & Sushi Buffet, 15-19 Backus Ave., has earned strong reviews for quality — especially sushi — even if the buffet itself is smaller than the state’s heavy hitters.


The Bottom Line

If you’re chasing Connecticut’s best buffet, it’s worth the drive. But if you’re staying local, New Milford and Danbury still offer solid options that satisfy the all-you-can-eat craving without a road trip.

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Here Are The Most Popular CTNewsJunkie Stories Of 2025 | CT News Junkie

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Here Are The Most Popular CTNewsJunkie Stories Of 2025 | CT News Junkie


The Connecticut Capitol Building around sunset on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Credit: Doug Hardy / CTNewsJunkie

As 2026 begins, Connecticut is gearing up another busy news year. The legislature is in session beginning next month, with numerous items up for consideration that could have an impact on residents. Also, Gov. Ned Lamont is seeking a third term and the entire General Assembly is up for election, which could alter the balance of power in Connecticut.

Also in 2026, new laws on housing, cancer screening, absentee ballots and more went into effect January 1.

But before we get too far into 2026, let’s take a look back at CTNewsJunkie’s biggest stories of 2025, as determined by our readers. In scanning the list of top 10 most-read stories, transportation, elections, new laws, a new state holiday and clean energy emerged as popular reads.

Speed camera
Fixed radar checking vehicles’ speed.
Credit: Olga Maksimava / Shutterstock

Transportation

It is easy to see what weighs most on readers’ minds, as transportation-related stories made up fully half of the 10 most popular stories list.

Four of the top 10 stories (#s 2, 3, 8 and 10 on the list) dealt with traffic cameras. What towns have been approved for them? What towns are applying? What are the rules for using them to enforce speed? How much revenue do they generate? These were all questions on the minds of readers.

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The fifth transit-related story, and sixth-most popular overall, dealt with the construction of the new Naugatuck Metro-North train station and overhaul of the surrounding area into a mixed-use community.

State governor signing bill
Gov. Ned Lamont hands a pen to David Pucino at a ceremonial bill signing of House Bill 7042 on August 7, 2025 at the State Capitol in Hartford, CT. Credit: Donald Eng

New laws

Two of CTNewsJunkie’s top 10 stories of 2025 dealt with new state laws. Our Dec. 19 story about new laws taking effect January 1 came in at #7, and a similar story in June about new laws taking effect July 1 ranked #9 for the year.

Offshore wind turbine
The first turbine of the Revolution Wind farm, completed Sept. 3, 2024 off the coast of Rhode Island. The turbine was manufactured by Siemens Gamesa of Zamudio, Spain. Credit: Contributed photo / Kate Ciembronowicz for Ørsted

Offshore wind

CTNewsJunkie’s coverage of the Revolution Wind project proved popular with readers, but only one story on that topic cracked the annual top 10. Published on Dec. 26, traditionally a slow news day, the story about four northeastern governors demanding a briefing on the alleged national security concerns of offshore wind generation drew enough interest to rank #5 on the annual list.

A diwali celebration scene
Connecticut has become the second state to recognize Diwali. Credit: Toa55 / Shutterstock.com

Light overcomes darkness

Connecticut gained a new state holiday in 2025, and readers made the story about the announcement the fourth-most popular story of the year.

Public Act 25-59 established Diwali as a state holiday. Connecticut is only the second state to recognize the Southeast Asian holiday celebrating the victory of light over darkness. The state holiday officially is the 15th day of the month Kartik in the Hindu lunar calendar. In the Gregorian calendar the holiday typically falls in September or October.

An election results map of Connecticut showing towns in blue, red, gray and orange
A map of Connecticut showing wins and losses by party in the 2025 elections based on unofficial results from the Secretary of the State’s office. EDITOR’S NOTE: This map was updated Nov. 13 and Andover and Bolton were updated with newly available information. Credit: Viktoria Sundqvist / CTNewsjunkie

Democrats roll in municipal elections

CTNewsJunkie’s most-read story of 2025, by far, was the Nov. 5 story detailing the results of the Nov. 4 municipal elections. Connecticut’s political landscape changed dramatically in one day, with 27 towns flipping from Republican to Democratic leadership. In contrast, one town — Easton — flipped the other way, with a Republican replacing an incumbent Democrat who did not seek reelection.

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At just over 36%, voter turnout was about 10% higher than average for an odd-numbered year.







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Ten people displaced after Bridgeport fire

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Ten people displaced after Bridgeport fire


Ten people are displaced after a fire broke out at the 400 block of Washington Avenue in Bridgeport.

At around 5:30 p.m., the Bridgeport Fire Department responded to a fire alarm.

Upon arrival, firefighters located heavy smoke conditions after the fire was extinguished in one unit by the sprinkler system.

Nine units were affected, displacing ten people.

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There were no reported injuries.

The American Red Cross is working to help those who were displaced.



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