Middletown

Over the first two years of the Middlesex County Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness in Middlesex County, the number of homeless single adults has dropped 30 percent and the number of homeless families has gone down by 36 percent. The plan outlines steps to move from managing long-term homelessness to eliminating it, from increasing the county’s affordable housing stock to providing emergency funds to help residents pay their rent. Ron Krom, Executive Director of St. Vincent DePaul Place in Middletown, said that along with state funding, his organization-which is part of the coalition-was able to add 15 units of supportive housing apartments, giving shelter and helping find jobs, budgeting, and mediating with landlords to chronically homeless people that had lived on the street from six to up to 16 years.
The Middletown Press
Some people read books in their free time. Others like to read palms, or even minds. This past Tuesday, 20 people attended “Developing Your Psychic Abilities,” a beginner’s level workshop on the art of palm reading and other intuitive skills led by instructor Paul Rice at the Buttonwood Tree, a performing arts and cultural center on Main Street. Participants learned that you can feel what others are experiencing in their lives, what they have experienced, and what they will experience. If you’re interested in getting your psychic on, the next class is on March 2 at 7 p.m. and all classes will continue to be held on the first Tuesday of the month, through June. Happy foreseeing!
The Middletown Eye
Early Wednesday morning, a two-alarm fire was reported in an apartment complex on Town Colony Drive. When firefighters arrived residents were fleeing the burning building, which displaced 20 residents; however, no one was injured. In response to the fire, six towns are giving mutual aid and the American Red Cross helped residents find temporary housing.
The Hartford Courant

Hartford

I’ve got a feelin’ that an epic hip-hop battle is about to get dropped like it’s hot: Snoop Dogg and the Black Eyed Peas are both coming to Connecticut. Snoop Dogg will play at the Webster Theatre in Hartford on Friday, Feb. 26 and the Black Eyed Peas follow them on Saturday at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville.
The Hartford Courant
Is anthrax making a comeback? A series of hazardous materials scares in and around Hartford has been keeping police busy. On Monday, a woman was found dead in a car that reportedly smelled of chemicals. On Thursday, the fourth floor of 260 Constitution Plaza was evacuated when several employees became sick after opening a strange envelope. The police have not identified the hazardous materials in either of the cases.
WFSB Channel 3
On Wednesday, Governor Jodi Rell delivered her final State of the State Address, calling for political civility as she offered an $18.91 billion, no-tax-increase budget that includes the legalization of keno electronic gambling and provides loan guarantees to spur small businesses to create jobs in a sluggish economy. Rell wants to avoid a recurrence of the nearly yearlong clash last year that caused the longest budget battle in state history, ending with Rell permitting the budget to become law without her signature.
The Hartford Courant

New Haven

You may hate going to the dentist, but have you ever had your gum cut open and front tooth pulled out just because it was growing in too slow? Well, that’s just what happened to 15-year-old Batsy, an illegal immigrant, who has limited access to dental care. Fortunately for Batsy, the Levy Dental Group provided a free dental clinic for uninsured children, including many illegal immigrants, on Jan. 28. The event, staffed by volunteer dentists, hygienists, translators, and outreach workers, has been held every four years at the Levy Dental Group office on State Street. The Group sees between 150 to 200 children each year, allowing many low-income families to save thousands of dollars without risking their children’s front teeth.
New Haven Register
If you’re still under 21 and don’t have an older sibling whose ID photo looks exactly like you, you may want to steer clear of New Haven. A New Haven councilman has proposed a stricter policy for the city’s nightclubs that would ban anyone under 21 from entering at all. The proposal could affect many popular clubs, which currently admit people who are 18 and over. No date has been set for a hearing on the proposal, so get your concerts and parties in now before it’s too late.
wtnh.com