Middletown

Contrary to previous rumors that Middletown schools are experiencing paper shortages due to budget cuts, Superintendent Michael Frechette said that Lawrence and Farm Hill Elementary Schools are not out of paper. The schools do encourage donations, however, and may or may not have sent out a letter explaining that homework was affected by the paper shortage.

Middletown Eye

A cause for excitement: the Connecticut Mission of Mercy dental clinic is providing free cleanings, fillings, extractions, and root canals to anyone who shows up. Dental Care will be provided on a first come first serve basis. No appointments will be made. The clinic will open at 8 a.m. on March 12 and 13. Mission of Mercy will be held at the Aetna building on Industrial Park Road in Middletown. Now there’s no good reason not to go to the dentist, right?

WSFB Hartford

Stay tuned: all the drama of Judge Judy will soon be coming to Connecticut. A new initiative aimed at promoting transparency and openness in the court system will allow members of the public to attend previously closed juvenile trials. The initiative is a result of the Public Act 09-194, which perpetuates the “it takes a village to raise a child” relationship by increasing public access to trials where it is alleged that a child has not received adequate care, has been abused, or has been the subject of a petition of termination of parental rights.

The Middletown Press

Hartford

For the tenth consecutive year, Hartford Hospital received the Consumer Choice Award for providing the highest level of quality care for the area. The award followed a nationwide survey of health care consumers, conducted by National Research Corporation. Hartford Hospital received the highest ratings in quality and reputation within its geographical area. The only Level I trauma center in central Connecticut and home to the state’s two air-ambulance helicopters, Hartford Hospital is one of the largest in New England.

The Hartford Courant

The ingredients in the salt spread used by the Connecticut Department of Transportation to prevent vehicles from spinning or sliding on Hartford roads may come as a surprise to some. The spread is a combination of rock salt and calcium chloride combined with more exotic and unconventional materials added to enhance the salt’s effect. One of the additives is, in fact, urine. Several towns also use a mixture that contains a byproduct created when vodka is distilled. This mixture, called Magic Salt, is the only ice-melting product to have received recognition from the Environmental Protection Agency.

WFSB Hartford

New Haven

Most of the roughly 50 Iraqi refugees who arrive in New Haven each year have never heard of Connecticut before their arrival. Provided with a $900 one-time stipend from the U.S. government and support from the local nonprofit Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS), the refugees must navigate an unfamiliar culture; many cannot speak English. Because their job references are often impossible to track down, it is not uncommon for an Iraqi doctor to be limited low-income entry-level jobs in America. These limitations are augmented by the requirement that the refugees must eventually reimburse the U.S. government for the cost of the plane trip to America. At “The Art of Survival: Refugees from the Iraq War,” Chris George, IRIS executive director, will show a film and lead a discussion on the immigration issues on March 11.

The New Haven Register