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T.N. govt. inks pact with Connecticut to strengthen economic ties

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T.N. govt. inks pact with Connecticut to strengthen economic ties


(From left) T.R.B. Rajaa, Minister for Industries, Government of Tamil Nadu; Darez Ahamed, managing director, Guidance Tamil Nadu; Daniel O’Keefe, Economic and Community Development Commissioner, Connecticut; and Ned Lamont, Governor of Connecticut, during an exchanging of MoU in Chennai on Tuesday 
| Photo Credit: S.R. Raghunathan

Apart from being the two largest democracies in the world, India and the United States (U.S.) have so much in common, including a spiritual connection and shared strategic interests, said Ned Lamont, Governor of Connecticut, U.S., on Tuesday (February 25, 2025).

Mr. Lamont was in Chennai heading a delegation of officials and business leaders from Connecticut on an economic mission in India. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Government of Connecticut and the Tamil Nadu government to strengthen economic ties between the two States.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Lamont said, “Connecticut and Tamil Nadu in many aspects have so much in common. Connecticut is one of the most innovative States in the U.S., just like your State [Tamil Nadu].” He said measures were being taken to create an ecosystem that would make Connecticut a welcoming place for companies to start businesses.

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Highlighting the presence of a strong and vibrant Indian diaspora in Connecticut, Mr. Lamont invited Tamil Nadu Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa and business leaders to visit the State. “We have a fair number of companies very interested in expanding in Tamil Nadu as well,” he added.

Speaking to The Hindu, Daniel O’Keefe, Economic and Community Development Commissioner, Connecticut, said: “The goal of the MoU is to strengthen economic ties between Connecticut and Tamil Nadu. It focuses on two important sectors such as manufacturing and biosciences. The MoU is just the beginning of our partnership. We have an action plan for the next 90 days. A working group will be constituted to coordinate further.”

‘Shared interests’

Mr. Rajaa said Connecticut and Tamil Nadu shared amazing manufacturing prowess. “India is extremely capable of doing things. With the right kind of help from the United States and the developed world, we could add more value to each and every corner of the world.”

The Minister also highlighted that 43% of all working women in the organised sector in India are from Tamil Nadu. “We have 25 of the top 100 universities in India. The State has the highest number of PhDs in India and produces 1.5 lakh engineers annually. Enabling them is the key for us. When we go out to the world looking for investments, we are not looking for numbers, but for high-end jobs for the hugely talented workforce that we have in Tamil Nadu.”

Mr. Rajaa also highlighted several key indicators in which Tamil Nadu was a frontrunner in India. He said the State was the knowledge capital of the country and filed the highest number of patents last year. Tamil Nadu is also leading in electronics, healthcare, and tourism. Nearly 38% of all the electronic output out of India comes from Tamil Nadu,” he added.

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Darez Ahamed, managing director, Guidance Tamil Nadu; Indra Nooyi, former CEO, Pepsico; delegates from Connecticut; and entrepreneurs were among other participants.



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Connecticut

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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