Despite the prospect of reduced state aid, area town officials said Gov. M. Jodi Rell's proposed budget was actually a positive for local municipalities when considering the economy.
For nine long days and even longer nights, Ethel Pocius waited for a call from her daughter Jeanne Pocius, who was staying in Haiti at the time of the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake.

George Blaney walked into the interview area following Saturday night’s Big East Conference men’s basketball game between his University of Connecticut Huskies and visiting DePaul at Gampel Pavilion and presented a little nugget from his past.
“My father was a judge,” said Blaney, the associate head coach of the Huskies who was subbing for the sixth [...]

On a day of Super Bowl party gastrointestinal overindulgence, Holy Trinity Orthodox Church members helped others Sunday at their own “Super Bowl of Caring.”
Haiti was the main beneficiary of the church’s annual event on Super Bowl Sunday, when hygiene kits were created for those in need in the earthquake-devastated country.
“This is for those people who [...]

EastConn’s Capitol Theater Arts Academy presents the family musical “Once On This Island, Junior” at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Capitol Theater, 896 Main St., Willimantic. Regular tickets are $10, while tickets for children under 12 and seniors are $8. Call the Capitol Theater Box Office at (860) 465-5636 to reserve tickets. The box office [...]

The Windham Theatre Guild will perform “Steel Magnolias” at 8 p.m. at the Burton Leavitt Theatre, 779 Main St., Willimantic, Sunday, for a 2 p.m. matinee. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students and seniors (60 plus), $10 for Eastern Connecticut State University, University of Connecticut and Quinebaug Valley Community College students and $8 [...]

The Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE) at Eastern Connecticut State University has been selected to provide counsel to three major energy projects that fall under energy grants from the U.S. Department of Labor.
The ISE was granted $200,000 over two years to serve as educational program design consultant to “Pathways from Poverty.”
Pathways for Poverty is a [...]

Selectmen Tuesday expressed reservations about a request from two residents to identify voters at town meetings.
They suggested the two men take their issue to the next town meeting themselves.
Residents Ron Cowles and Bill Jesterby met with selectmen for the third straight month requesting the town create a procedure to identify eligible voters at town meetings.
Jesterby [...]