U.S. Rep Joe Courtney (D-2nd District) is looking for a 10th term in office this November, but he’ll have to win a rematch to accomplish that.

That’s because former state lawmaker Mike France, who ran in 2022, is once again looking to regain the seat for Republicans.

Courtney beat France by 18 percentage points two years ago and he’s hopeful he can get the same level of support from voters this time.

“I think I have a record that I can present to the voters that they can trust me,” said Courtney, who won his first election in 2006 by beating incumbent Republican Rob Simmons.

That includes continuing to support Electric Boat, as the submarine manufacturer based in New London is a major employer for the region.

Courtney has earned the nickname “Two Sub Joe” because of his continued push for Congress to fund the construction of two submarines.

Courtney also touted federal funding for programs teaching people how to work at EB, which hired more than 5,000 more employees last year.

“It does show this is a long game, you know, this is going to be going on for a while,” he said.

But France, an engineer with a defense contractor after serving 20 years in the Navy, believes he can do a better job ensuring the funding continues.

In recent years, some in Congress have looked to scale back submarine construction to use that money elsewhere in the military budget.

“I understand the challenges their facing and know how to figure out how to help EB be successful,” France said.

France, who spent four terms in the Connecticut House of Representatives, said his biggest issue, in his view that the Democrats, including Courtney, have pushed policies that hurt the U.S. economy.

He wants to reduce government spending. He also wants to increase energy production, saying those costs are a big driver of inflation.

“The biggest challenge people are feeling is the cost of inflation,” he said, adding he thinks that reducing inflation would bring down interest rates for things like mortgages.

Courtney said the federal government can find other ways to help families with the cost of living, including programs that bring down the cost to care for children and for seniors.

He also wants tax credits and incentives to encourage the construction of more affordable housing.

“We need more supply, I mean that’s the bottom line,” Courtney said.

The two candidates also disagree on foreign policy, notably their stance on Israel.

Courtney said the U.S. needs to remain a strong ally to Israel, but he also thinks Israel should agree to a ceasefire that avoids a “forever war.”

France said he wants peace, but the U.S. needs to stand by its ally because “Hamas doesn’t want that and that’s the challenge we’ve had.”

The two candidates also have different views on reproductive healthcare.

Courtney supports a federal law that codifies the abortion access provided under Roe V. Wade, but France said the issue should be decided by each state.

A Utah company has agreed to shut down after the attorney general of Connecticut accused the business of selling parts for privately made “ghost guns” — which lack serial numbers, are harder for authorities to trace and are illegal in the southern New England state.

AR Industries LLC, based in Orem, will cease operations after the settlement that Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced last week.

The company will dissolve, surrender its internet domain and deactivate its social media accounts, Tong announced in a news release. The company’s owner must report to Tong’s office annually whether they or “any agents of AR” have formed any business to start selling “ghost gun” parts again — and, if they do, the owner must attest that the business is obeying Connecticut law.

If any associates are found to be selling such parts illegally, or otherwise violating the terms of the settlement, the state of Connecticut would enforce a $205,000 penalty, the release said.

AR Industries holds a business license issued by the city of Orem, categorized as selling “dry goods and general merchandise.” The company’s address, according to the city, is a house in a residential area. A message left Monday to the company’s phone, as listed on its business license, was not immediately returned.

What appeared to be the company’s URL was not functioning as of last weekend, and there was no trace of the company on major social media platforms.

“Ghost guns” are often made from kits available online, and “typically sold and assembled without traceable serial numbers,” according to a report from the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a nonprofit that advocates for gun safety. They are often purchased without a background check.

Tong in a statement said the guns “exist to evade law enforcement and registration.”

“AR Industries shipped these crime guns into Connecticut in violation of our laws and we are shutting them down,” Tong’s statement continued. “Our message to ghost gun dealers is clear — if you ship to Connecticut, we will find you and hold you accountable.”

AR Industries is the third company with whom the Connecticut attorney general’s office has reached a settlement, the news release said. A Florida “ghost gun” dealer also dissolved, while a North Carolina company reached a $425,000 settlement, which includes strong disclaimers and controls to prevent sales in Connecticut. A legal case against a fourth company remains pending.

Connecticut is one of 14 states that has passed laws to regulate the sale and manufacturing of “ghost gun” components, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Utah is not among those states.

The settlement between Connecticut and the Utah company came just days before the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear a case involving federal regulation of “ghost guns.”

The New York Times reported that the high court on Tuesday is scheduled to consider a challenge to a 2022 rule change by the Biden administration that would require vendors who sell partially finished frames of Glock-style handguns — the pistol grip and the firing mechanism — to treat them like complete firearms, subject to federal regulations.

U.S. Environmental Protection has recognized Edgewell, a multinational consumer products company headquartered in Connecticut, as an industry leader in freight and supply chain environmental performance.

Zeyna Malik

10:56 pm, Oct 07, 2024

Contributing Reporter

Daniel Zhao, Senior Photographer

Edgewell Personal Care Company, or Edgewell, a Shelton-based consumer products company, was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their efforts in running their company sustainably. 

Edgewell received The SmartWay Excellence Award, which highlights the top environmental performers out of over 4,000 shipping companies, on Sept. 24. The company was one of 18 of SmartWay’s Partners recognized with this distinction.

“Our company’s purpose — make useful things joyful — and our sustainability vision go hand in hand,” Paul Hibbert, the chief supply chain officer, said. “We believe in innovating solutions, embracing opportunities and embedding practices throughout our operations and supply chain that move us forward on our sustainability journey.”

At Edgewell, sustainability is not just a department — it’s the heartbeat of the entire operation. From the boardroom to the packaging facilities, the retailer is dedicated to integrating sustainable practices into every aspect of their production and transportation processes.

Edgewell’s “people-first” approach significantly shapes its company culture. Each of their teams collaborates with the sustainability department to meet global consumer needs for personal wellness and hygiene products. This approach ensures sustainability is a key consideration while responding to consumer demand.

Before receiving the SmartWay Excellence Award, Edgewell had already made significant strides in sustainability across various aspects of their operations, products and packaging.

One notable achievement was the company’s success in reducing water usage by 5.2 percent by FY23, surpassing its goal of a five percent reduction compared to the FY19 baseline. 

Innovation in manufacturing has also been a key focus for the company. At their Ormond Beach facility, a breakthrough cold processing technique for ingredient batching was introduced during the production of certain sunscreen formulations. This innovation removed the need for traditional heating, reducing energy consumption by 90 percent per batch and saving approximately 75,500,000 kilojoules annually. The new method not only increased production capacity but also significantly contributed to the company’s energy efficiency goals.

Packaging sustainability has been another focal point for the company. Edgewell introduced a reusable sprayer for its BANANA BOAT sunscreen, paired with refill bottles made from recycled plastic. This move was part of the company’s larger effort to reduce waste and support more sustainable product life cycles. Additionally, the CREMO brand redesigned its packaging to include higher percentages of recycled materials.

Amy Knight, the vice president of global sustainability, noted the progress in packaging sustainability, particularly in reducing “virgin petroleum-based plastic.” Edgewell achieved a 55.8 percent reduction in virgin plastic in their razors and blades segment, surpassing their original reduction goal ahead of schedule. According to Knight, this effort underscores the company’s broader commitment to embracing circular economy principles and minimizing packaging waste.

Initially, Edgewell’s sustainability efforts were concentrated on internal operations, such as reducing waste and energy consumption, as well as enhancing workplace conditions within its manufacturing sites. However, the company soon realized that broadening its focus to include product sustainability and actively engaging with consumers would have a more significant impact. This shift allowed them to drive their sustainability initiatives forward and communicate their importance to both customers and consumers.

With time, Edgewell expanded its focus beyond the environmental footprint of its manufacturing facilities to address its overall carbon impact. This required the implementation of comprehensive systems to collect and analyze large amounts of data. Using this data, the company is now assessing greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain to uncover reduction opportunities and create strategies for decarbonizing the business as much as possible.

“Some of the biggest challenges we face in integrating sustainability into our operations are the resource availability and the inconsistent standards of facilities across the globe,” Caroline Mallet, the vice president of innovation transformation, said. “The transition to sustainability is a complex but necessary process to ensure social responsibility and long-term relevance.”

Although implementing sustainable solutions is necessary, they often come with increased expenses that most consumers are reluctant to bear. As a result, the company must continually find a way to advance while ensuring that consumers are open to adopting these changes. 

For example, when it comes to product packaging, most of it ends up as waste, making any innovation aimed at minimizing or eliminating this waste a positive development. However, packaging often serves as the main point of interaction with the customer, adding complexity to the issue.

Thinking ahead to emerging technologies and trends, Edgewell’s sustainability department is intrigued by the future intersection of AI and sustainability, according to Knight. While AI presents increasing environmental challenges, it also offers opportunities to track, enhance and expand the company’s efforts.

“We strive to embed sustainability deeper across our organization and at every stage of our product development,” Knight said. “And we entrust and empower our teammates to help bring our vision to life. It’s because of their passion and persistence that we are able to make progress across our global organization — whether through evolving products that inspire moments of consumer joy or embracing opportunities to reduce waste, emissions, energy use and water consumption.” 

Edgewell Personal Care Company is headquartered in Shelton, Conn.