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Connecticut
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.
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.
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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Luxury Homes
Kathie Lee Gifford and her late husband, football legend Frank Gifford, purchased the house in 1994.
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).
“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.
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.
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.
”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.
“[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.”
Connecticut
Hailey Van Lith waived by Connecticut Sun after just nine games, marking second cut in under a month
Hailey Van Lith’s rocky WNBA start took another unexpected turn Thursday.
The Connecticut Sun waived Van Lith after just nine games with the team, including three starts.
CHICAGO, IL – AUGUST 25: Hailey Van Lith #2 of the Chicago Sky high five during the game against the Las Vegas Aces on August 25, 2025 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) ((Photo by Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images))
TCU’s Hailey Van Lith poses before the WNBA basketball draft in New York on April 14, 2025. (Pamela Smith/AP)
Van Lith was once one of college basketball’s brightest stars at Louisville, but her path has become increasingly turbulent in recent years. After a disappointing stint at LSU stalled her momentum, Van Lith revived her draft stock with a standout final season at TCU.
CHICAGO SKY WAIVE HAILEY VAN LITH ONE YEAR AFTER SELECTING HER WITH THE 11TH OVERALL PICK
The former NIL standout was selected 11th overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2024 WNBA Draft. She struggled to establish herself as a rookie, averaging 3.5 points and 1.6 assists in 12.4 minutes per game across 29 appearances before Chicago waived her on May 4.
Hailey Van Lith’s brief stint with the Connecticut Sun ended Thursday after the franchise waived the former first-round pick. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images) ((Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images))
Hailey van Lith drives past opponents during the women’s 3×3 basketball bronze medal game between the United States and Canada at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
TCU’s Hailey Van Lith jogs onto the court during introductions before the first half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament game against Louisville in Fort Worth, Texas, on March 23, 2025. (Tony Gutierrez/AP)
Van Lith also helped Team USA win a bronze medal in 3×3 basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Connecticut quickly gave Van Lith a second chance, but the reunion lasted just over two weeks.
“The Connecticut Sun has activated Leïla Lacan,” the team announced on X. “In a corresponding move, Hailey Van Lith has been waived.”
EX-WNBA STAR CRITICAL OF SKY ROOKIE HAILEY VAN LITH, BELIEVES POPULARITY PLAYED ROLE IN DRAFT SELECTION
The move comes as Lacan — the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 draft — returns after averaging 10.4 points and 3.7 assists with Connecticut last season.
Van Lith appeared in Wednesday’s 71-61 loss to Portland, finishing with seven points, no assists and two turnovers in 13 minutes.
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Van Lith averaged 8.1 points and 2.2 assists in nine appearances with Connecticut before Thursday’s move, marking her second waiver in less than a month.
The Connecticut Sun waived Hailey Van Lith on Thursday, ending the former college star’s nine-game stint with the franchise. ((Photo by Mollie Handkins/NBAE via Getty Images))
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
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