News

WorkinCT #CTConfident: ‘Skill Up for Manufacturing’ looks to quickly train people for jobs in manufacturing

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

For Elyse Maldonado, her goal is a career in manufacturing. After seeing her dad and other family members work in the business, she wanted a job that was hands-on. “I just wanted to pursue my career and find something that I really wanted to do,” said Maldonado. Dacien Jones spent several years in carpentry, but found himself in jobs that weren’t stable. “This is a fresh start. It’s nothing to do with carpentry for the most part, so it’s refreshing,” said Jones. Both Maldonado and Jones are now part of Skill Up for Manufacturing. It’s a free five-week program managed by the Workforce Alliance of...

Pop Up Bicycle Route to the Gold Star Bridge

Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Groton Tactical Engagement (Way Finding)– May 11-24th! Signs for biking and walking can do a lot more than point you in the right direction; a signage system can also provide distance to destination, time to destination, and even “brand” a bikeway or bike/walk network. We are piloting such a system on a route in Groton connecting the US Navy submarine base and the Gold Star Bridge between May 11 and 24, and we hope you’ll come to check it out! We want to know what you think of the route, the information on the signs, and the aesthetics of the signs...

Starting a New Business [Online Course]

Tuesday, April 16, 2019

This course provides the advice and strategies of some leading entrepreneurs concerning what it really takes to start a new venture. This course will show you how to protect your ideas, how to hire employees and how to find out what licenses and regulations may apply. It also provides more than 50 free information resources that are available to you in making your new business a reality. 192 Animated Slides – Approximately 3.0 Hours (You can stop a course and restart from that point by bookmarking it.) Cost: Free Location: Online Date and Time: At your convenience Learn more and register here.

E-commerce is changing the way CT does business

Monday, April 15, 2019

It’s all about the e-commerce. While much of the public’s focus when it comes to commercial real estate is on who is getting or losing corporate headquarters, the state is quietly becoming a very attractive location for warehouses and distribution centers. The warehouses and distribution centers are popping up all over the state, driven by the growth in e-commerce. Among examples are major projects in North Haven, Middletown and Cromwell, and state and local political leaders are realizing the warehousing and distribution economy has a key advantage over landing a headquarters. Headquarters may come and go, but in the warehousing and distribution sector,...

Lisa Tepper Bates to head state’s housing-transit initiative

Monday, April 15, 2019

Gov. Ned Lamont has named borough resident Lisa Tepper Bates to a new position in which she will work on creating new housing that has easy access to transportation options. The effort is expected to not only provide a range of new housing options for areas that need them but lure new workers to the state and spur the economy. Tepper Bates has extensive experience in the housing world as she was the executive director of Mystic Area Shelter and Hospitality and then the chief executive director of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness. She also serves on the board of the...

CT Airport Authority sees growth potential beyond Bradley International

Monday, April 08, 2019

Development discussions have been happening at the Connecticut Airport Authority for their regional airports. That development ranges from new airplane hangars at three or more CAA airports to the possibility of bringing commercial fights and developing a hotel at Groton-New London Airport. That's in addition to preliminary talks about CAA possibly taking some operational role at Tweed-New Haven Airport. CAA and AvPORTS have agreed that 16 full-time unionized employees would, under any deal, remain in place. That had been a sticking point in the negotiations. Meantime, one of the airports that AvPORTS would manage under that deal, Groton-New London, could once again start...

Submarine surge: Why the Navy plans 32 new attack subs by 2034

Friday, March 29, 2019

Destroying enemy surface ships and submarines, “spying” close to enemy shores, bringing massive firepower to strategic areas and launching deadly undersea drones are all missions the Navy hopes to see more of in the future -- as the service plans to add as many as 32 attack submarines in just the next 15 years. Overall, the addition of attack submarines represents the largest overall platform increase within the Navy’s ambitious plan to grow the fleet to 355 ships. Click here for the full article

With airy new salon in Groton, two sisters-in-law want you to treat yourself

Monday, March 25, 2019

As cars drive passed on busy Fort Hill Road, sunlight streams through the floor-to-ceiling windows and into a sitting area with four chairs, a rug and plants. It's one of three sitting areas in Wildflower Salon, a setup meant to emphasize that the owners want you to stay and relax for a little while. Shannon Cloutier doesn't want customers to be thinking about what they must do next, whether it's cooking or putting laundry away or going to the gym. Click here for the full article

ThayerMahan Growing in Groton

Friday, March 22, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, contact: Paige Bronk ThayerMahan Growing in Groton Groton has selected ThayerMahan as the “preferred developer” for the former Groton Heights School located on Monument Street adjacent to Fort Griswold and the Bill Memorial Library. After an extensive marketing effort, RFP issuance, and review of qualified proposals, ThayerMahan was chosen. The company will expand its Groton business by developing a second location at this property. This ThayerMahan partnership helps further solidify Groton and the region as a hub for undersea innovation, marine robotics and high-tech maritime solutions. ThayerMahan, located on Leonard Drive in Groton, is a world leader in autonomous...

EB president predicts ‘pretty stable’ employment over next few years

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Groton — While the outlook for Electric Boat continues to be positive, it will be a challenge over the next couple of years to sustain the workforce, now at 17,050 employees, until construction starts on a new class of ballistic missile submarines, the president of the company said. Jeff Geiger, in giving his annual company update to a room full of local and state officials at the Mystic Marriott, said employment at EB will be "pretty stable" over the next three to four years, then hiring will ramp up again with the workforce likely exceeding 20,000 employees in the mid-2020s. Geiger...

Gov. Lamont Announces New Construct for State’s Aggressive Economic Development Strategy

Monday, March 18, 2019

New Public-Private Partnership will Recruit and Retain Businesses; Names New Commissioner of DECD and Senior Economic Advisor (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont unveiled key components of his vision to transform the state’s economic development strategy: aggressive business recruitment; collaborative work across agencies to better support existing businesses and onboard new ones; as well as a strategic and long-term economic policy focus, including in the important area of opportunity zones. To execute on this vision, Governor Lamont is nominating David Lehman, a partner with Goldman Sachs, to serve in dual roles as the Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development...

Connecticut Residents More Optimistic About State’s Economy and Business Prospects, But Concerns About Jobs, Health Insurance Persist

Thursday, March 14, 2019

Eighty percent of state residents believe that overall business conditions in Connecticut will get better or stay the same during the next few months, and 77 percent say conditions are the same or better now than a few months ago, according to the latest InformCT Consumer Confidence Survey. That compares favorably with a year ago, when the numbers were 72 percent and 65 percent, respectively. And for the second consecutive quarter, 30 percent or more believe that business conditions will be better a few months from now, the first time that has occurred in four years of polling. Read full article.

Report: Connecticut is one of the most educated states

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

People in Connecticut go to school. And not just that, they are some of the most educated people in the United States––this, according to a study by WalletHub. The site ranked all 50 states by how educated each one is. Connecticut comes in at number four on the list. The two main criteria in the study were: Educational Attainment (percentage of population with some sort of degree) and Quality of Education (quality of schools, graduation rates, test scores etc.). Read full article.

Courtney: Navy picks EB for USS John Warner maintenance

Thursday, March 07, 2019

The Navy has chosen to award the maintenance contract for the Virginia-class attack submarine USS John Warner to Electric Boat, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney announced Wednesday night. Courtney, D-2nd District, lauded the move. “Today’s announcement by the Navy is another endorsement of the value that private shipyards contribute to the readiness of our submarine force,” he said in a news release on the decision. Click here for the full article

20 Best Places To Go In 2019

Monday, March 04, 2019

Money.com released their 20 Best places to go in 2019 and Mystic has made the list. Click here to see the full listing

Gov. Lamont Announces New Construct for State’s Aggressive Economic Development Strategy

Monday, March 04, 2019

A peek into Lamont's economic-development playbook

Friday, February 15, 2019

For those interested in learning about Gov. Ned Lamont's economic-development vision, he offered a sneak peek Feb. 1, airing plans to restructure — to some degree — the Department of Economic and Community Development and appoint a Goldman Sachs executive to be the state's first unofficial commerce secretary. But his overall strategy and the details of it may have been hiding in plain sight for weeks, or longer. Read full article.

Business leaders say these 5 things will affect Connecticut’s economy in 2019

Monday, February 11, 2019

Connecticut business owners and executives gathered in Hartford at an annual economic outlook meeting, buoyed by good economic news last year, but wary about slower growth in the state than in the U.S. and whether it it will extend into 2019. Following are five factors that will have an impact on economic growth in Connecticut, according to presentations before the audience of more than 450. Read full article.

Economic Development is Collaborative Beyond All Else

Friday, February 08, 2019

Read full article.

PERSPECTIVE: Connecticut’s Women-Owned Immigrant Businesses Contribute to the Community

Wednesday, February 06, 2019

Diversity in business helps fuel success. According to a Harvard Business Review article, if diversity is not present within the workplace leadership, women are 20% less likely than Caucasian men to be endorsed for their ideas (Sherbin, 2014). This is why the increase of women in leadership roles is so crucial to growth and development. Read full article.

New Tax Credit of $500 Annually for 5 Years Offered to STEM Graduates Working in CT

Monday, February 04, 2019

Passed by the state legislature over a year ago as part of the 2017 state budget compromise, a new tax credit aimed at keeping college graduates in the technology fields in Connecticut – and attracting young professionals to the state – becomes effective this year. It is a “refundable personal income tax credit for college graduates who are employed in the state; receive, on or after January 1, 2019, a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in a science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) field; and live in Connecticut or move here within two years after graduating.” The credit is $500 and...

Brewing Up the Perfect Beer

Friday, January 18, 2019

Outer Light Brewing Company celebrating 4th anniversary with new custom drink It’s testing and tasting season at the Outer Light Brewing Company! The young business, which is about to celebrate four years in Groton, has celebrated each anniversary by debuting a brand new beverage. Co-founder Tom Drejer describes the process as part science and part art form. “It’s like being a chef. At Outer Light Brewing, we all have an understanding of how certain flavors and ingredients blend together. We use that experience and knowledge to figure out how to brew the best-tasting beer possible. You also have to work within the...

New training programs aim to match Connecticut manufacturers with workers

Friday, January 11, 2019

With thousands of manufacturing jobs to fill in Connecticut now and in the future, and not enough qualified workers to fill them, industry employers, state community colleges and job training agencies are trying to fill the employment pipeline. Gateway Community College and the New Haven-based Workforce Alliance are about to launch a program that would take unemployed and under-employed workers, provide them with an intensive five-week training course and then help them find jobs. The first five-week session of classes is scheduled to start in February and with a Dec. 7 registration deadline, about 35 people have put in applications, said...

General Dynamics Wins $347M Deal for Virginia-Class Submarines

Wednesday, January 09, 2019

General Dynamics Corp. 's GD business unit, Electric Boat, recently secured a modification contract in relation to the Virginia-class submarine program. Per the terms of the deal, the shipbuilder will offer fiscal 2019 lead yard support, development studies and design efforts for the Virginia-class submarines. Details of the Deal Valued at $346.5 million, the contract was awarded by the Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C. Under the agreement, lead yard support will maintain, update and support the Virginia class design as well as related drawings and data for each Virginia class Submarine (including technology insertion) throughout its construction and post-shakedown availability period. Continue to full article

America’s Best States to Live In

Friday, January 04, 2019

Each U.S. state has its advantages and shortcomings. Often, Americans live in the state they grew up in because it is familiar and feels like home. Other personal factors are often behind why people live in a certain state. However, there are several more objective factors that drive people to — or away from — a certain state, and can be used to help assess just how livable a state is. These factors include an area’s economy, job market, crime rate, health care, and more. Sometimes the best way of measuring these factors is to look at an outcome that best...

Connecticut ranked as fifth most charitable state

Wednesday, January 02, 2019

Giving Tuesday was a day when folks dug deep into their hearts and gave money, time, or gently used items to the charitable cause of their choice. And, according to the financial website WalletHub, a lot of Connecticut residents took on that philanthropic task. In its latest survey, the site ranked states from most to least charitable, based on such factors as volunteer rate and share of income donated to share of sheltered homeless. Connecticut scored as the fifth most charitable state, and had the third highest percent of state residents who donated money to charity. It also had the eighth highest number...

CT: Groton Air Traffic Control Tower Named 'Facility of the Year'

Monday, December 31, 2018

GROTON -- At the air traffic control tower at Groton-New London Airport, there's a collective 163 years of experience. The five air traffic controllers come from backgrounds in the Army and the Navy and at air traffic control towers in Boston and at Bradley International Airport, among other posts. "We all have the same level of training, and it's unique that we're working together," Chet Moore, air traffic manager at Groton-New London Airport, said in a recent interview. Continue to full article

With Filipino restaurant, Groton couple seeks to fill void

Friday, December 28, 2018

Groton — Raymond and Prescilla Go knew it was a gamble to open a restaurant that has an unfamiliar format and serves cuisine unfamiliar to many in the area, but a month and a half in they're feeling good. Prescilla said their customer base so far is about 40 percent Filipino, but they've been coaxing the other 60 percent into trying dishes new to them, like pork blood stew. As it turns out, they like it and return for more. "They could be African-American, or white American; it doesn't matter to them," Prescilla said. The couple opened Raymond's Pinoy Kusina at 928 Poquonnock Road,...

Meiser among those to be honored by Mystic Chamber

Thursday, December 27, 2018

Restaurateur Dan Meiser will receive the Joyce O. Resnikoff Excellence in Tourism Award at the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce 2018 Annual Gala, Jingle and Mingle, Celebration of Giving on Dec. 6 at the Mystic Marriott. Meiser first opened Oyster Club, called the Best Upscale Restaurant in Connecticut by the Connecticut Restaurant Association, and one of the Best Oyster Bars in America by Travel & Leisure Magazine. Along with his executive chef partner, James Wayman, he opened the Engine Room and, in 2017, Grass & Bone, a butcher shop and restaurant. Finally, Meiser and his wife, Jane, are developing the 250-year-old Stone Acres Farm into a 63-acre destination, with its...

Report: state climbs a notch in economic performance

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

The state’s economy edged up slightly from 40th to 39th place during 2017, but it remains one of the last states still coming out of the great recession, according to the state Department of Labor. The DOL report, issued last week, found that Colorado had the best overall economy in 2017, the most recently available data, while Alaska scored at the bottom. Connecticut’s rating of 128.7 was its best score in seven years, but still below the U.S. value of 139.1, according to the report. The report examined each state and Washington, D.C. using quarterly census employment and wages program, annual average unemployment rates from local statisticts. The...

The Influences, Impacts, and Implications for the CT Energy Market

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

As a follow-up to her recent presentation to the Connecticut Power & Energy Society’s 2018 Conference, Alissa DeJonge, CERC’s Vice President of Research, shares findings and considerations for the Connecticut energy sector in this episode of CERCONOMY. Reviewing the influences, impacts, and implications of the state’s population, demographics, and other major state industries on the Connecticut energy sector, Alissa’s perspectives on the energy industry consider the new energy choices that both businesses and residents have, and the affect they are having on the energy market. Continue to full article

Connecticut program to assess growth potential for shellfish industry

Monday, December 24, 2018

Work on a project to maximize commercial shellfish harvesting levels is getting underway at the University of Connecticut Avery Point campus in Groton. A $75,000 grant from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service will enable Connecticut Sea Grant to use geographic information system technology to show what parts of Long Island Sound can best support the growth of shellfish. Geopgraphic information system technology takes layers of information and data and converts them into maps and three dimensional scenes. Work on the project is just getting underway. A report that identifies the best areas for shellfish bed restoration will be released in two years. Continue to full article

At first-ever U.S.-Australia defense summit, contractors share need for skilled workers

Friday, December 14, 2018

Despite activity not seen in decades due to increased military spending at the federal level, finding and retaining a skilled workforce remains a huge challenge, executives from Connecticut's big defense contractors said Tuesday morning. They were speaking at the first-ever U.S.–Australia defense summit, a two-day event hosted at the Mystic Hilton by U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, and Anne Evans, director of the U.S. Department of Commerce Trade Office in Connecticut. This year marks the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Australia. Courtney referred to Australia as a “key ally and partner” for the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific...

Housing as a Component of Economic Development

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

In this episode of CERCONOMY, VP of Municipal Services, Courtney Hendricson, and President & CEO Bob Santy, discuss the topic of housing as a critical component of local economic development - a follow-up to their presentation at the Connecticut Housing Coalition Conference. With populations changing, municipalities need to consider the importance of housing to local economic development. Housing makes up approximately 70% of a town's assets, and town services are supported by property taxes, so it is critical that municipalities take a more inclusive approach and make investments where the demands are. Continue to full article

Preparing Our Communities to Be Competitive in the Business Recruitment Process

Monday, December 10, 2018

The months of September and October always represent periods of transition and change on the calendar. September marking the unofficial end of summer, as people prepare to return to school and work. October, often times, represents an upcoming change in elected officials and preparation for changes in policy. In these months, we also tend to enjoy nature at its best, and bare witness to its worst; as leaves begin to showcase a myriad of colors in the north, while our coastal counterparts in the south prepare for the environmental threats posed by tropical storms and hurricanes. But what remains a constant,...

Connecticut, New York Get Top Marks On Energy Efficiency Scorecard

Monday, December 03, 2018

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy has released its annual State Energy Efficiency Scorecard. The scorecard ranks states in a variety of categories including utility savings, combined heat and power, and building energy codes. Connecticut placed fifth in the country, a spot higher than last year. New York ranked sixth. ACEEE Executive Director Steve Nadel says there are many benefits to adopting energy-saving policies like “...reducing energy bills for consumers and businesses, there are the emission reductions whether its greenhouses gases or other emissions such as fine particulates, there are economic development benefits…” Continue to full article

The Oyster Club

Saturday, December 01, 2018

Mystic Staple Wins Connecticut Restaurant of the Year Award Mystic’s Oyster Club is still a young company. The business opened its doors just seven years ago, which makes its rise to prominence in the restaurant world even more impressive. CEO Dan Meiser was named Restaurateur of the Year in 2016. And in December 2018, the Oyster Club earned the title of Restaurant of the Year for the East Region by the Connecticut Restaurant Association. “It’s an incredible honor to be nominated again,” Meiser reflected. “For us, it’s humbling because there’s so many amazing restaurants and chefs in this state. We’re proud to...

Defense, aerospace continue to be keys to state’s economy

Friday, November 30, 2018

The defense and aerospace industries may be the key to leading Connecticut out of its job-growth doldrums, according to a Fitch Ratings review of the 2019 Defense Authorization Act. The 2019 defense budget includes several billion dollars for projects that will impact Connecticut, including $10.6 billion to purchase 77 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. Connecticut-based Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of United Technologies, is part of the partnership that makes the fighters. Continue to full article

Kayaking in Groton

Monday, March 25, 2019

Friends, from left, Roger Stohlberg, Cody Lamprey and Evert McKee, all of Woodstock, kayak Thursday at Bluff Point State Park in Groton. "On a day like today, it's worth the drive," said Stohlberg, who said it's one of his favorite areas to kayak. Click here to view photos

Preferred developer selected for Groton Heights School

Monday, March 25, 2019

In a collaboration between town and city, officials this week announced local tech startup ThayerMahan as the preferred developer for the former Groton Heights School property. The school, which closed in 2007, is located in the City of Groton at 244 Monument St. The town received a $150,000 grant in December from the state Department of Economic and Community Development for remediation work on the building, including lead and asbestos removal. According to a news release from the town, ThayerMahan will adapt the existing 27,185 square feet into office and floor space for corporate offices, engineering and assembly, and research and development. Click here for...

Mystic Irish Parade

Sunday, March 24, 2019

It was a beautiful day for a parade on Sunday, March 24, 2019 in downtown Mystic. Click here to view photos

Thames River Innovation Place seeking proposals for third-year projects

Friday, March 22, 2019

Thames River Innovation Place, the CTNext-funded initiative aimed at boosting entrepreneurship in the region, is seeking proposals for projects in its third year, which begins in July. Interim Executive Director Emma Palzere-Rae said she hopes to get the final request for proposals out by the weekend, and TRIP will be accepting proposals the first half of April, then will review and submit them to CTNext by April 30. Click here for the full article

Ready for some gouda news? Mystic Cheese Company cafe/shop opens in Groton

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Tucked away in the business park across from the airport, you can sit down on a Saturday afternoon to eat a cheese board — with cherry jam, Marcona almonds and more — while peering into the cheese cave where the Bowhead Blue is aging. In a glass-walled room that is 52 degrees with 90 percent humidity, 1,500 pounds of blue cheese are ripening. The process started with 315 gallons of milk from River Plain Dairy in Lebanon and followed with pasteurization, salting and piercing 70 holes into each wheel. Click here for the full article

The USS Providence returns home

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

The Los Angeles class, fast-attack submarine U.S.S. Providence (SSN-719) returns to U.S. Naval Submarine Base New London after an eight month deployment in the European Command Areas of Responsibility. Click here to view the video

Connecticut’s Great Depression May Be Over

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Big news! Going by third-quarter state gross domestic product data that were just released, Connecticut’s economy is on track to grow more than 2 percent in 2018! That’s … not much. But it’s better growth than the state has seen in more than a decade. Click here for the full article

Where To Go In 2019 (and where to avoid)

Tuesday, January 08, 2019

In Reykjavik they’re dealing with a 25 percent year-over-year increase in tourists. Venice plans to charge day-trippers a tax to enter the city in an effort to curb the hordes of tourists. The daily number of visitors to Machu Picchu is double the number that UNESCO recommends. Barcelona residents were all but telling tourists “wish you weren’t here” in demonstrations targeting overtourism. Click here for the full article

News

Play On!

Farmer's Friend

FORE!

Silent Service

Movie star

Semper Paratus

The Groton Monument

RUSH HOUR

Major Employer

Outdoor Hockey