News

Acting Navy Secretary tours Sikorsky, Electric Boat in Connecticut swing

Thursday, April 08, 2021

The Acting Secretary of U.S. Navy Thomas Harker visited Sikorsky in Stratford on Wednesday to see the production of CH-53K King Stallion helicopters, which the aircraft company is manufacturing for Navy use. The tour followed a visit by Harker to General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and Naval Submarine Base in New London on Tuesday. Click here for the full article

Electric bike center arrives in Groton

Tuesday, April 06, 2021

The owner of a new electric bike shop in Groton envisions it as not only a place to purchase e-bikes, but as a community center with opportunities for people to take historic, scenic and cultural tours of the area. Paul Ward, the principal of Pedego Electric Bikes Groton, which recently opened on a portion of the Groton Family Farm property on Fort Hill Road, said he is incorporating the historic nature of the property and the Burrows family, as well as the local area, into the new e-bike center with exhibits and tours. Click here for the full article

‘My artwork is bigger than me’: Local submariner leaving artistic mark on Groton community

Monday, April 05, 2021

Groton is known as the “Submarine Capital of the World.” But for one submariner, it’s not just his work on submarines that is putting his name on the map. Rather, it’s his works of art. Meet Petty Officer 1st Class Jamie Pearson, a submariner and a talented artists receiving recognition in the Groton community for his art work. Register

Pfizer begins human testing on new COVID pill

Thursday, April 01, 2021

fizer Inc. is looking to follow up on its successful COVID-19 vaccine with a pill that people could take when they’re first infected to prevent a severe case of the disease. The drug giant, which has a large Connecticut presence, announced this week that it has begun human testing on the pill, which can prevent the virus from making copies of itself within a cell. Click here for the full article

Biden administration pushes to expand offshore wind power

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

The White House on Monday detailed a plan to expand wind farms along the East Coast and jump-start the country's nascent offshore wind industry, saying it hoped to trigger a massive clean-energy effort in the fight against climate change. The plan would generate 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by the end of the decade - enough to power more than 10 million American homes and cut 78 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. To accomplish that, the Biden administration said it would speed permitting for projects off the East Coast, invest in research and development, provide low-interest loans t...

A New Plan for Economic Growth Is Catching On

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Governor Ned Lamont delivered his biennial budget address to state legislators on February 10th, six days before speaking with yours truly, a Connecticut native, via a Zoom call. In both instances he made it clear that it’s a new era in the Constitution State. For one thing, the governor was candid, if not blunt, about the state’s reputation as a high-cost location for business. But he understands that you can’t fix a problem until you admit it exists. Click here for the full article

Courtney-led effort to restore Virginia-class submarine contract culminates in Navy announcement

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

The Navy on Friday officially awarded a contract for construction of a second Virginia-class submarine in 2021, a sign that things will keep humming at Electric Boat in Groton and at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia. The awarding of a contract for a 10th submarine as part of a historic five-year shipbuilding contract known as Block V marks the culmination of a bipartisan effort led by U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, to restore a ship the Trump administration had sought to eliminate. Click here for the full article

Kindness in Real Life: Outer Light IPA supports local veterans’ nonprofit

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Mystic nonprofit Work Vessels for Vets has received a check for $1,907 to use toward a tractor for an injured veteran in Canterbury. The unique formula Workin’ Vets IPA Ale was brewed for a limited time by Outer Light Brewing Company of Groton and sold to restaurants and package stores in the region. Click here for the full article

Mystic Education Center proposal draws opposition and support

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

While the developer has not yet submitted a formal application, a proposal to redevelop the Mystic Education Center property into a mixed-use village already is drawing both criticism and support, with the Town Council recently strongly endorsing the project. Neighbors in opposition say the project is too large for the area and raised concerns over traffic, lighting and noise from the proposed development, while the Town Council and supporters say the proposal would get long-idle property back on the tax rolls, encourage people working in Groton to live here and create recreational space for Groton residents. Click here for the full article

New London is gateway to Connecticut’s next great maritime industry

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

With the recent signing of a deal between the City of New London and Ørsted and Eversource to redevelop State Pier, Connecticut is now poised to launch its next great maritime industry and transform the state’s and New London’s economy for decades to come. The deal paves the way for the redevelopment of State Pier, with construction starting as soon as this summer. It provides $5.25 million, or $750,000 annually, to the city for seven years, including during the construction of Connecticut’s first offshore wind farm, Revolution Wind. Click here for the full article

Mixed-use development proposed for Five Corners in Groton City

Thursday, March 18, 2021

A developer is proposing a mixed-use building for the city’s Five Corners area, within walking distance of Electric Boat, in a move the developer’s representatives say will help the city achieve its goal of creating a “sense of place” for the area. The city has identified the area around Poquonnock Road, Mitchell Road, Benham Road and Chicago Avenue as a place to encourage mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly development to serve city residents and Electric Boat workers, according to the city’s Plan of Conservation and Development. Click here for the full article

New London secures host agreement with offshore wind partners

Wednesday, March 03, 2021

A nearly yearlong stalemate ended on Friday with the signing of a host community agreement between the city and Ørsted and Eversource, the joint venture partners planning to use State Pier in New London as a hub for the offshore wind industry. Mayor Michael Passero signed an agreement that would secure at least $750,000 per year to the city over a seven-year period, if the project is developed as planned, with provisions for extensions up to 10 years. Click here for the full article

Lawmakers suggest new train system for eastern Connecticut

Monday, March 01, 2021

The track is already in the ground. That's the best argument I've heard for the idea of an exciting new passenger train system for eastern Connecticut that is part of a study bill now being considered in the General Assembly. The passenger train expansion idea has the potential to be one of the most ambitious, transformative programs for the region I've seen in a very long time, with all kinds of environmental, economic development and strategic planning benefits. Click here for the full article

Mystic River Bluffs is development Groton needs

Monday, March 01, 2021

Groton is sitting at a juncture. Years of planning and hard work by our town leaders are poised to become reality through new economic development across Groton. Thanks to the hard work of our town staff, vacant town-owned and state-owned properties are set to join the tax rolls and become contributing parts of our neighborhoods, rather than wasting away as eyesores. But this council needs your help to support this transition. Click here for the full article

Electric bike center arrives in Groton

Tuesday, April 06, 2021

Biden administration pushes to expand offshore wind power

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Pfizer site leader cites ongoing COVID-19 work

Monday, March 15, 2021

The site leader at the Pfizer Inc. labs here says about 200 colleagues locally have been so focused on developing a vaccine to battle COVID-19, it's only now sinking in that they were part of a historic effort over the past year that likely saved millions of lives. "I think we're only now starting to reflect," said John Burkhardt, a senior vice president at Pfizer who runs the company's largest research and development center in Groton, in a phone interview March 5. "When you're going through this, you get this laser-like focus on delivery." Click here for the full article

New Coffee Shop in Groton Offers Its Own Organic Roasted Coffee, However You Like It

Thursday, February 18, 2021

In the throes of a pandemic might not seem the best time to open a business, but Tom Piacenza said if he ever was going to do it, now was the time, because he didn’t want to have to rely on the seasonal of business at the Seaport and in Stonington. Tom Piacenza needed a change. He was a third-generation barber in Stonington Borough, and had worked with his father for 34 years. He even worked for seven years with his grandfather. He still enjoyed the social aspects of his profession, interacting with customers new and familiar. But, as he put it, “...

ThayerMahan-UConn Team Begins High-Resolution Seabed Surveys of Thames River

Thursday, February 18, 2021

GROTON, Conn., Feb. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ThayerMahan, Inc., a world leader in autonomous maritime security solutions, completed an underwater survey using its SeaScout system to capture high-quality hydrographic imagery of Connecticut's Thames River. The survey is being conducted under a National Institute for Undersea Vehicle Technology (NIUVT) project in conjunction with the University of Connecticut (UConn)'s Department of Marine Sciences. Click here for the full article

Electric Boat facing more work than at any point in company’s history

Tuesday, February 02, 2021

A demand for more advanced and stealthy U.S. submarines, driven by continued investments by China and Russia in their undersea fleets, means Electric Boat is facing more work than at any other point in the submarine builder’s history, president Kevin Graney said. The company has a $39 billion backlog in work, including two new ballistic missile submarines and 19 new attack submarines, 11 of which are under construction, Graney said Monday, delivering the company’s annual business outlook to stakeholders at a virtual briefing. Click here for the full article