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Telework at DCF under fire following Child Advocate letter

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Telework at DCF under fire following Child Advocate letter


A strongly worded memo raised new questions about how much work Department of Children and Families (DCF) staff were doing from home, and whether that level of teleworking was hurting child protection. 

Telework expanded during the pandemic and later became part of the state’s labor agreement, allowing some DCF employees to work remotely up to 80% of the week.

While social workers continued to handle court appearances, home visits, and foster placements in person, they were allowed to start and end most workdays at home. Staff must reapply for telework permission every six months and face losing that privilege if performance slips. 

Concerns over the workflow quickly followed. The state’s Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) warned that extensive teleworking could be undermining case practice and supervision inside an agency already struggling with high turnover and many inexperienced workers.

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In a critical letter sent Thursday, the Child Advocate suggested that telework should be limited unless workers met specific, data‑driven performance standards, citing the loss of in‑office collaboration, supervision, and real‑time support. 

NBC Connecticut Investigates also spoke exclusively with a longtime former DCF employee who remained in the child welfare field. That former worker said telework simply did not function on multiple levels at DCF, describing widespread belief among current staff and those in the judicial system that bringing people back into the office was a necessary step toward restoring the agency. 

Lawmakers from both parties echoed those concerns. House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora (R) said staff working remotely were missing daily interaction, training, and support, instead operating in silos. House Speaker Matt Ritter(D) said the newly formed oversight committee was expected to examine the policy. 

Those warnings were backed up by troubling findings. According to the OCA’s report, a review of in‑home cases in 2024 and 2025 found face‑to‑face interactions did not happen in about 40% of cases—something the OCA called alarming and in need of urgent attention. 

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As scrutiny over DCF intensified, teleworking became the latest flashpoint in a broader debate over accountability, supervision, and whether the systems meant to protect vulnerable children were being stretched too thin.



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Where to watch Los Angeles Sparks vs Connecticut Sun on May 30: TV channel, start time and streaming

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The WNBA has returned with a brand new collective bargaining agreement and a league full of loaded rosters as the 2026 season tips off.

A rookie class headlined by Dallas Wings top pick Azzi Fudd, Minnesota’s Olivia Miles and Washington’s Lauren Betts is ready to make a mark in the pros while the defending champion Las Vegas Aces look to keep their dynasty alive with a fourth title in five years.

As the the season gets going under a new media rights deal, it can be tough to figure out which channel each team is playing on every night. Here’s everything you need to know to tune in when the Connecticut Sun host the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday.

What time is Los Angeles Sparks vs Connecticut Sun?

Tip off between the Connecticut Sun and Los Angeles Sparks is scheduled for 6 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, May 30.

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How to watch Los Angeles Sparks vs Connecticut Sun on Saturday

All times Eastern and accurate as of Saturday, May 30, 2026, at 6:09 a.m.

Watch the WNBA all season on Fubo

WNBA scores and results

See scores, results for all of today’s games .

See WNBA scores, results from May 29

Odds for WNBA games today

The latest WNBA odds can be found below from the best sports betting apps . Some odds may include games scheduled on future dates.

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Are high gas prices fueling rise in Connecticut deadly motorcycle crashes?

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Are high gas prices fueling rise in Connecticut deadly motorcycle crashes?




Are high gas prices fueling rise in Connecticut deadly motorcycle crashes? – NBC Connecticut



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A look at Kathie Lee Gifford’s $100 million Connecticut home

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A look at Kathie Lee Gifford’s 0 million Connecticut home


Luxury Homes

Kathie Lee Gifford and her late husband, football legend Frank Gifford, purchased the house in 1994.

Kathie Lee Gifford’s house at 108 Cedar Cliff in Riverside, Conn., is listed for $100,000,000. Modern Media

Former “Today” show host Kathie Lee Gifford is selling her sprawling 13,163-square-foot Connecticut home. The asking price? $100,000,000.

Dubbed “Cedar Cliff,” the Greenwich estate at 108 Cedar Cliff in the Riverside section of town, was once owned by railroad tycoon Henry F. Shoemaker. Kathie Lee Gifford and her late husband, football legend Frank Gifford, purchased the house in 1994 for $7.8 million . The 13,163-square-foot, 29-room estate has eight bedrooms and 14 bathrooms (nine full, five half).

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The rear of the house at 108 Cedar Cliff in the Riverside section of Greenwich. – Modern Media
The pool overlooks Greenwich Cove. – Modern Media

“They added a substantial addition to the house to make it work for their lifestyle,” listing agent Leslie McElwreath of Sotheby’s International Realty said. That addition is the east wing of the house, constructed in the early 2000s, which includes a private theater and wine cellar.

The eight bedrooms are similarly sized and have views of Greenwich Cove. The primary bedroom and two guest bedrooms have a balcony as well. The estate has a greenhouse, a screened porch, a sun room, a tennis court, and a billiards room currently containing Frank Gifford memorabilia. There are 10 fireplaces throughout the house.

The tennis court. – Modern Media
The billiards room currently contains Frank Gifford memorabilia. – Daniel Milstein
The screened-in porch. – Daniel Milstein

Within the 2.91-acre gated peninsula is a spa, pool, and pool house.

McElwreath said “empty nester” Gifford is selling the property because “her children are grown and are married with their own children. Kathie Lee spends most of her time in Tennessee and is no longer using the house full-time.”

The house has a recently installed Ludowici terra cotta roof, sun decks that have been rebuilt, and there is access to a full-property generator as well as a private beach.

The spa pool. – Modern Media

McElwreath said there are additional aspects that make this property worth the monstrous price tag.

“The setting is extraordinary. Elevated high above the water with over 1,250 feet of frontage, the property offers the rare combination of commanding panoramic views and direct waterfront access via a private pier and deep water dock,” she said.

McElwreath said the kind of buyer looking at this property is attracted to Greenwich for its high quality of life and proximity to Midtown Manhattan.

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The primary bedroom at Kathie Lee Gifford’s Connecticut house. – Daniel Milstein
A guest balcony. – Modern Media

”High net-worth buyers do not compromise. They seek exceptional properties in prime locations. Cedar Cliff is a one-of-a-kind opportunity and will attract buyers looking for privacy and resort-like amenities,” McElwreath said.

The task of selling the estate was entrusted to McElwreath by Gifford after McElwreath represented the seller of Copper Beech Farm in Greenwich, which sold for just under $139,000,000 in 2023.

The property has a private dock. – Modern Media

“[Copper Beach] is still the highest sale ever in Greenwich and the state of Connecticut. I plan to use the full resources of Sotheby’s International Realty to find the buyer for Cedar Cliff,” McElwreath said. “I also represented the seller of 100 Field Point Circle, the second highest sale in Greenwich at $50 million. My proven track record, combined with the marketing expertise of Sotheby’s, will prove to be a winning combination.”






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