A new restraint and seclusion policy is being considered by the Brookfield School District, where they say it would clarify staff training and protocols and would emphasize the limited use of what are now considered controversial classroom practices. The discussion in Brookfield comes at the same time as similar discussions are taking place at the state level. According to district administrators, restraint and seclusion of students is not something they want to do but sometimes it is warranted, and therefore, proper training and preparation is crucial. The board’s revised policy would replace the one adopted in 2013.

With a high demand for skilled utility workers across the state, Eversource is partnering with Housatonic Community College and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Unions 420 and 457 to prepare the next generation of electrical lineworkers in Connecticut. The Lineworker Certificate Program provides students valuable training in the electric utility industry and the opportunity to progress into Eversource’s paid apprenticeship program. Nearly 150 students applied for 15 open spots in the rigorous 13-week certification program. Visit Eversource.com for more information on the certification program and the next available class.

A Connecticut based company says more people are taking steps to make their homes safer from fire. The Hartford’s 2023 Home Fire Index is based on an analysis of the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Incident Reporting System and a national survey conducted by The Hartford on fire safety and prevention behaviors among the general population. The survey, which polled adults ages 18 , revealed that behaviors known to cause home fires have markedly declined. They say while they are encouraged by the improvements, they know there is still work to be done.

The online moving marketplace HireAHelper has announced the findings of its fifth annual U.S. migration study. It examined over 107,000 moving jobs booked in the United States in 2022, identifying where the biggest shifts in population have occurred in what they are calling the busiest moving year of the last decade, with more people relocating and moving longer distances. For the second consecutive year, The Villages in Sumter County, Florida, saw the largest net gain among U.S. cities; it had three times more people move in than out. State-wise, Vermont had 138% more people move in than out — the highest net gain of residents in all 50 states. New Jersey lost the most residents last year, and Connecticut came in 5th nationwide in that category.

According to newly released information, the president of a company that owned a plane that crashed near the Connecticut border back in January, killing two people, has ties to at least 12 other plane crashes that resulted in 5 other deaths since 1991. That company is owned by 79 year old Laurence Rohl of Ohio. New information now points to planes that were owned or operated by Rohl and his companies, having been involved in at least four other crashes. One of them sent Rohl himself to the hospital.

Thrown Stone Theatre Company in Ridgefield has announced the lineup for its 2023 season. This year, Thrown Stone will feature the world premiere of Seven Cousins for a Horse by Tammy Ryan. The play tells the story of Ammi Phillips, the most prolific folk artist in American history, who was born Colebrook, Connecticut back in 1788. Phillips traveled throughout the Northeastern United States, painting portraits of everyday people, including farmers, businessmen, and their families. The play opens on Phillips’s return to his hometown in the wake of a personal tragedy. The cast and creative team will be announced soon.

Governor Ned Lamont and the members of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation on Tuesday, announced that the Connecticut Department of Transportation is receiving a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to develop a unified, statewide public transit information system for mobile devices. The grant is being awarded through the competitive Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation discretionary grant program, which was created as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The project includes the development of a system for mobile devices that will integrate public transit information across Connecticut, while also allowing users to pay fares directly from their smartphones.

A previously convicted felon from Danbury was sentenced on Monday in Vermont, to more than two years in prison for illegal possession of a gun. 43 year old Tan Prazeres was caught with a gun in Bennington, Vermont back in February 2022. He used a fake name when confronted by police, who say he also appeared to be under the influence of drugs. A pistol was found in a man’s jacket in his vehicle. Last December, Prazeres pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm. In addition to 27 months in prison, he was sentenced on Monday to three years of supervised release.

If a bill under consideration in Hartford becomes law, it would mean the presidential primary election here in Connecticut would be moved up to the first Tuesday in April…. and it apparently has wide support among members of both political parties. If it happens, it would mean that Connecticut’s primary election day would move up a bit higher in the overall order, and it would take place on the same day as the primary in Wisconsin next time around… April 2nd. But the bill would not have any impact on other primaries for other state and federal offices, which are normally held in August. An early April primary would move Connecticut ahead of other so-called early states, such as Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

New owners could mean new life for an old and historic downtown Danbury building. The first floor of the former Meeker’s Hardware store on White Street could be transformed into a dancehall if a businessman who bought the building gets his wish. The building dates back to 1897, and it’s currently the only former hardware store that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If the plans come together, it would then become the only dance hall located in a former hardware store on the national register. Initial plans have already been approved by the city’s Planning and Zoning Department, but a permit to sell alcohol is still needed. The zoning Commission has scheduled a public hearing on April 11th to address that issue.