Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced she is nominating nine people to the Connecticut Superior Court bench, replacing judges who have retired or been nominated to other judicial vacancies. All of the nominees require confirmation by the Legislature.

“Judges have a critical role in our justice system and we hold them to the highest standards of integrity,” Governor Rell said. “They must be above reproach and they must have the right blend of expertise, experience and temperament to rule fairly on the basis of law in courts across Connecticut .

“We ask a great deal of members of the bench and they possess extraordinary powers over the people and businesses that appear before them,” the Governor said. “Our system of jurisprudence requires that judges possess a delicate balance of knowledge, compassion and humanity. Each of these individuals meets the very high bar we have set for Connecticut jurists.”

Governor Rell has nominated:

Gerard I. Adelman, 62, of Meriden (Democrat). Adelman has been an attorney, officer and director in the Weignad, Mahon & Adelman law firm in Meriden since 1982. Adelman graduated from Ohio State University in 1970 and earned a master’s degree from Southern Connecticut State University in 1977. He received his law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1982. Adelman also served for eight years on the Meriden Board of Education.

Mary-Margaret D. Burgdorff, 49, of West Hartford (Republican). Since 1985, she has been an attorney and partner in the law firm of Dodd, Lessack, Dalton & Dodd in Cheshire . Burgdorff received her undergraduate degree from St. Mary’s College in Indiana in 1981 and received her law degree from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1985. She has been a member of the Civitan Club of Waterbury since 1986.

Corinne L. Klatt, 51, of Meriden (Republican). Klatt has served as a Supervisory Assistant State ’s Attorney in the Division of Criminal Justice in Waterbury since 1985. Klatt graduated from St. Joseph ’s College in 1979 and received her law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1982. She is a member of the National District Attorney’s Association.

Vernon D. Oliver, 37, of Portland (Unaffiliated). Oliver has served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Connecticut in Hartford since 2004. Prior to that, he was an attorney in private practice with the law firm of Montstream & May in Glastonbury . He attended the University of Connecticut and received his bachelor’s degree in 1993. He received his law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1997.

Sheila A. Ozalis, 46, of Newtown (Republican). Since 1997, Ozalis has been an attorney and partner in the Smith & Ozalis law firm in Newtown . Prior to that, Ozalis was a member of the law firm of Winthrop, Stimpson, Putnam & Roberts in Manhattan . She attended Drew University and received her bachelor’s degree in 1984. She earned her law degree from the Pace University School of Law in 1987.

Jose A. Suarez, 42, of West Hartford (Republican). Suarez has served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Connecticut in Hartford since 1996. Suarez attended the University of Dayton and earned his bachelor’s degree in 1989. He received his law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1993.

William J. Wenzel, 57, of Fairfield (Democrat). Since 1988, Wenzel has been an attorney in private practice with the law firm of Pullman & Comley in Bridgeport . Wenzel attended Colgate University and graduated in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree. He received his law degree from the University of Tulsa Law School in 1978. He served as the Director of the Connecticut Counseling Centers from 1995 to 2008.

Dawne G. Westbrook, 39, of Glastonbury (Democrat). Since 2003, Westbrook has been in private practice as the owner of Dawn Westbrook, Attorney at Law. Prior to that, she was an attorney with the law firm of Williams & Pattis in New Haven . From 1997 to 2000, she served as Assistant Commission Counsel for the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. Westbrook attended Fisk University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1992. She received her law degree from Vanderbilt University in 1995.

Glenn A. Woods, 56, of Middletown (Democrat). Since 1991, Woods has been an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Connecticut , serving as Department Head of the Workers Compensation Department. Woods attended Trinity College and received his bachelor’s degree in 1975. He received his law degree from the Antioch School of Law in 1979.

HARTFORD – State Senator Kevin Witkos (R-8) announced Thursday that he will hold open office hours in his district. Constituents will have an opportunity to meet with Senator Witkos and discuss any issues or concerns pertaining to state government.
The first session will be for constituents in Norfolk and Colebrook. It will be held Tuesday, Feb. 3, from 6 to 7 p.m. at Norfolk Town Hall.

Below is the schedule for the other communities in the district:

Avon & Canton
Feb. 17 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Avon Library, Community Room 281 Country Club Road, Avon.

Granby & Hartland
March 3 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Granby Senior Center, Activity Room 1 15 N Granby Road, Granby.

Torrington
March 17 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Northwest Chamber of Commerce, Small Conference Room, Kennedy Drive.

Simsbury
March 31 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Simsbury Library, Wagner Room, 725 Hopmeadow St.

New Hartford & Barkhamsted
April 7 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the New Hartford Senior Center, 3rd Floor, 580 W. Hill Road.

Harwinton
April 21 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Harwinton Town Hall, Selectmen’s Conference Room, 100 Bentley Drive.

The schedule is also available at Senator Witkos’ website: www.senaterepublicans.ct.gov

HARTFORD — State Representative Maryanne "Annie" Hornish (D-Granby), who represents the towns of Barkhamsted, East Granby, Granby and New Hartford in the Connecticut General Assembly, is sponsoring legislation that would impose a five cent fee on plastic shopping bags provided by retail stores.
Hornish, a member of the Legislature’s Environment Committee, believes the fee would help reduce non-biodegradable plastic waste in landfills by encouraging consumers to use reusable bags when shopping.
"In addition to the important environmental benefits, fees collected could also help with the budget problems facing the state and municipalities," said Hornish, who also serves on the Commerce and Education Committees. "Our landfills can’t continue to handle non-biodegradable waste such as plastic. We all have to change our habits and a small fee can work as an incentive."
Hornish’s proposal (HB5215) is now under consideration by the Environment Committee, which has jurisdiction over issues such as conservation, pollution control, state parks and forests, water resources and agriculture.
"Plastic products are made from a petroleum base, so this is also good from an energy perspective by reducing the use of oil," she said.
Plastic bag use is on the rise—in 1982, only 5 percent of shoppers used plastic bags compared to about 80 percent today. Some major cities like San Francisco and Oakland have banned the use of plastic grocery bags. Grocer Whole Foods stopped using plastic bags this past April.
Massachusetts, California and Michigan are among other states considering plastic bag fees.

CLICK HERE for a story about the Republican Congressional Committee's apparent plans not to target 5th District Congressman Chris Murphy in 2010 as a race it will pour resources into and thinks it can win.

That's a big change in a formerly solid Republican district that has been a fierce battleground between the two national parties over the last three or four elections.

Was Murphy's re-election to a second term that strong over Republican Sen. David Cappiello?

And one wonders, due to the historic Republican strength in the 5th District, whether this strategy will change if an unusually strong 5th District challenger emerges.

(Such as, let's say, our own Sen. Andrew Roraback?)

State Senator Andrew Roraback (R-30) today returned $42,789.82 in unused campaign funds back to the Citizens’ Election Program. The total represents more than half of the $85,000 state grant he was awarded earlier this year. The money will help reduce the taxpayer obligation to fund future grants under the Citizens’ Election Program.
“While conventional wisdom dictates that the way to win political campaigns in the 21st Century is to outspend your opponent by as large a margin as possible, I was not comfortable in these difficult economic times being wasteful with taxpayer dollars. It has always been my philosophy to try to be as careful with public dollars as I am with my family’s personal finances,” said Senator Roraback. “I hope this contribution will enable the state to continue critical funding to our homeless shelters, food banks and other agencies which are facing such enormous challenges.”
The Citizens’ Election Program was established last year in an effort to level the financial playing field for candidates seeking state office. The program provides funding for such candidates once specific requirements are met. Candidates seeking the office of State Senator or State Representative in any election or special election in or after 2007 are eligible. The Program is funded by the sales of abandoned property in the state.
Major party candidates for State Senate in the general election are eligible for up to $85,000 in state funding only if they raise $15,000 in private donations. These donations must come from individual donors who live in their district. The donations may be as little as $5.00 but cannot exceed $100.00.
In addition, candidates must file an affidavit with the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) stating their status as a major, minor or petitioning candidate. In exchange for accepting this money, candidates agree to raise no additional money and use the funding only for campaign expenses. If a candidate does not use the entire grant, the money is to be returned to the fund and is used to finance future grants.
Senator Roraback was recently re-elected to his 4th term representing the 30th District communities of Brookfield, Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, New Milford, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon, Torrington, Warren, Washington, and Winchester.

Newly sworn-in State Representative Maryanne “Annie” Hornish (D-Granby) officially took office January 7 at the State Capitol as a member of the Connecticut General Assembly.

“I am honored that the residents of my community have put their faith in me to represent them in these challenging times,” said Hornish. “It’s now time to get to work on the issues facing our state and our towns.”
Hornish represents the 62nd House District, which includes the towns of Barkhamsted, East Granby, Granby and New Hartford. She was named to the Legislature’s Commerce, Education and Environment Committees by Speaker of the House Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden).
The Commerce Committee’s main mission is to encourage business growth and oversee matters related to the Department of Community and Economic Development. In addition to education issues, the Education Committee’s jurisdiction includes the arts, libraries and museums. The Environment Committee’s focus includes conservation, pollution control, state parks and forests, water resources and agriculture.
“Rep. Hornish brings experience and energy on a variety of issues ranging from business to the environment to the Capitol,” said Speaker Donovan. “As we face the challenging times ahead, I know the towns Rep. Hornish serves will be well represented.”
Hornish has a Bachelor of Science in Pathobiology from the University of Connecticut’s College of Agriculture, a Certification in Cytotechnology from UConn Health Center, and Masters of Business Administration from Western New England College. She currently works as a cytotechnologist at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass., and is involved in a variety of humane education and animal rights advocacy efforts.

Not job creation, not reducing the size of state government. Rather, passing a new state mandate for small businesses is a top priority of the Working Families Party, and has the full support of local state Rep. Roberta Willis.
CLICK HERE for the story.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last night, Congressman Chris Murphy (CT-5) was appointed the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Health Subcommittee. This influential subcommittee will be responsible for crafting landmark health legislation, extending health benefits to millions of America's children, unlocking the promise of stem cell research, and ensuring America's food and drug safety. In December, Murphy was appointed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to serve on the Energy and Commerce Committee, becoming the first Connecticut Member of Congress in over a decade to serve on the prestigious panel. Murphy released the following statement on his appointment:
"This subcommittee will be the epicenter of any health care reform debate in the coming Congress, and I am thrilled to have the chance to be at the table to represent Connecticut in these deliberations.
"I am pleased to have the chance to continue the work I started in Hartford, as the Chair of the Public Health Committee. Now more than ever, as our economy is teetering and we are seeing its ugly cracks, we have to make changes that will pay off in the long run. And an investment in a universal and cost efficient health care system will go a long way toward improving the lives of families and the balance sheets of businesses.
"I am looking forward to working with the members of this influential subcommittee - some of the brightest minds in the nation - to make our vision for equal access to quality, affordable health care a reality."

CLICK HERE for The Register Citizen's article on local freshmen legislators' first day on the job.

CLICK HERE for a SCARY state budget deficit calculator created by Republicans in the Legislature.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Chris Murphy (CT-5) was sworn in for a second term representing Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He released the following statement to mark the beginning of the 111th Congress:
“Today, as I welcomed back my colleagues, and greeted new ones, I couldn’t help but notice the mixture of excitement and trepidation that filled the Capitol.
“I believe we are living in a once-in-a-century political moment. All at once, our nation’s economy faces threats not seen since the Great Depression, our military is engaged in two wars, and new international crises are erupting almost daily while our nation awaits the arrival of a new President with a mandate for transformational change.
“As soon as the pomp and circumstance of the swearing in has passed, we need to get right down to work. This country cannot wait any longer for an aggressive and comprehensive economic stimulus bill that creates jobs, and President-Elect Obama has made it clear he wants to sign a bill shortly after he takes office. I want to make sure the bill gets as much assistance to Connecticut as possible, where news of layoffs is now a daily occurrence.
“I look forward to working with my friends Rosa DeLauro, John Larson, Joe Courtney, and newly-elected Jim Himes in the coming months to tackle the enormous challenges Connecticut and the nation face. I can’t think of a better team to be working together for our state.”