Minister Tells Newtown: MLK's Words 'Needed Now'

A former leader of one of the country's most prominent liberal Protestant churches has told residents of Newtown, Conn., weeks after the deadly school shooting there the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s words "are needed now more than ever before." The Rev. James A. Forbes Jr. was the first black minister to lead New York's historic Riverside Church. He spoke Sunday night at the Newtown Congregational Church in a service honoring King and the school shooting victims. About 300 people attended. Forbes says the saddest face he ever saw on King was at the funeral of the four girls slain in Birmingham, Ala. He says he asks now as King did then, "Lord, what can come out of this that will honor those lost in this tragedy?"

Legislature Again Mulls Tolls On Connecticut Highways

 The issue of highway tolls in Connecticut is back on the legislature's agenda. The Hearst Connecticut Media Group reports that lawmakers are again considering tolls to raise money as a special transportation fund established decades ago to fix roads and bridges is depleted by officials looking for money. State Rep. Pat Dillon, a New Haven Democrat who introduced legislation for tolls on state highways, says officials need to consider how to finance road work. Connecticut's $1.2 billion Special Transportation Fund is solvent, but is projected to run a $52 million deficit in 2015 and post a $98 million deficit in 2016. Highway tolls ended in 1985, two years after a tractor-trailer crash at a Stratford toll booth killed seven people and injured others.

Flu Season Fuels Debate Over Paid Sick Time Laws

An unusually early and vigorous flu season is drawing attention to a cause that has scored victories but also hit roadblocks in recent years: mandatory paid sick leave. Supporters and opponents are particularly watching a debate over a paid sick time proposal in New York City. Dozens of doctors, nurses, lawmakers and activists pointed to the flu outbreak as they rallied Friday on the City Hall steps for passage of the measure. It's awaited a City Council vote for nearly three years. San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Connecticut have such laws. Advocates see paid sick time as a workforce issue and a public health priority. But some business owners say it's an impractical and unfair burden for small businesses. Critics also say the timing is bad, given the shaky economy and the damage done to businesses by Superstorm Sandy.

Norwich Diocese In Federal Court Over Food Pantry

Norwich and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich are in court arguing over the future of a soup kitchen and food pantry. The Bulletin reports that the Commission on the City Plan has ruled that St. Vincent de Paul Place, Norwich's only full-time soup kitchen and food pantry, did not fit into the neighborhood and rejected a permit. The Diocese has appealed in District Court in Bridgeport. The diocese says numerous other services in Norwich provide meals and food for the needy and that the soup kitchen is being unfairly targeted. Last week, a federal judge ruled that St. Vincent can remain at its site through Feb. 26 when an injunction hearing is scheduled. The diocese says St. Vincent de Paul averages 7,104 visits to its pantry every year, and serves nearly 80,000 meals.

Sandy Hook Advisory Panel To Meet

The panel charged by Governor  Malloy to recommend possible changes to state laws and policies in the wake of the deadly elementary school shooting in Newtown is meeting for the first time. The Sandy Hook Advisory Commission will convene Thursday at the Legislative Office Building. Hamden Mayor Scott Jackson is heading the 16-member group, which includes mental health and public safety experts. Commission members have until March 15 to submit their initial report to Malloy. Meanwhile, the school safety subcommittee of the General Assembly's Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety is holding a public hearing on Friday at the Legislative Office Building. A hearing on gun safety is planned for Jan. 28. Another hearing on mental health issues is scheduled Jan. 29.

Vermont Fish Hatchery Damaged By Irene Almost Fixed

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says repairs to its fish hatchery in Bethel that closed after Tropical Storm Irene are almost completed and the facility could begin raising fish again by March or April. The tanks that hold fish both inside and out have been cleaned and disinfected and repairs to the water and electrical systems are almost done. Irene inundated the hatchery when the White River overflowed its banks, destroying equipment and contaminating the tanks. Thousands of fish were swept into the river. The hatchery had been used primarily to raise Atlantic salmon, but that program has ended. Biologists are now trying to determine what the Bethel hatchery will be used for. A decision is expected soon.