Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele came into Wednesday night's debate badly needing to make up ground in the race for the Republican nomination for governor.

The bitter primary fight between Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele and Tom Foley for the Republican nomination for governor was on full display Wednesday in a televised debate where they traded barbs on jobs, public campaign financing and accuracy in campaign ads.

The Democratic leaders in the state House and Senate will take a head count today to determine if they can override a potential veto by Gov. M. Jodi Rell to increasing the basic grant to the gubernatorial candidates who qualified for public campaign financing.

As a manager for the state of Connecticut, I was shocked to read that the Connecticut State University System approved a cost-of-living increase of 5 percent for its chancellor and university presidents [Page 1, July 27, "Trustees Reduce Pay Raises"]. Meanwhile, other managers in the state have had their salaries completely frozen and are earning less than in previous years because of mandatory furlough days.

Connecticut's swimming water quality ranks in the top 25 percent in the country, but the state's saltwater beaches still close more than 100 times a year, mostly due to polluted storm water.

As one voracious non-native fish bears down on the Great Lakes, notorious mussels are spreading across the West. Frustrated state officials say it’s time for the federal government to play a bigger role in stopping the spread of invasive species.

Utah is not the only state where lawmakers are attempting to address illegal immigration — which is traditionally a federal issue handled by Congress.