Malloy Tells Democrats They Should Fight For Values

Governor Dannel P. Malloy says the fiscal approach of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and running mate Paul Ryan would "shred the safety net that protects the middle class and those striving to be in the middle class."  Malloy spoke Wednesday at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. He said Democrats "need to fight for Barack Obama" to make sure the national budget reflects their values. Malloy said Romney and Ryan support cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and education to give tax cuts to the wealthy and continue billions of dollars in subsidies for oil companies. He said Democrats "have nothing against people who've earned their wealth," but it's "ridiculous" and "wrong" to slash spending on schools, roads, research, clean energy and "the things that protect our most vulnerable."

Rep. Larson Urges Democrats To Protect Senior Benefits

Connecticut Rep. John Larson says health care reforms passed by Democrats have guaranteed access to affordable health care, while Republican proposals threaten it.  Larson, chairman of the House Democratic caucus, urged Democratic National Convention delegates Wednesday to fight to protect hard-earned access to health care and support for the elderly. The East Hartford congressman said his father was a fireman at the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft plant who took pride in working for a better future. He said his mother has faced several illnesses with courage and now has round-the-clock care for dementia, provided by private and federal benefits his father earned. He said GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney and running mate Paul Ryan's proposals would weaken those benefits, while President Barack Obama introduced savings to protect the programs that keep many seniors out of poverty.

McMahon, Murphy Clash Over US Defense Spending

The rivals for Connecticut's open U.S. Senate seat are clashing over spending on U.S. defense, an industry that accounts for roughly a tenth of the state's economy. Former wrestling executive Linda McMahon, the Republican nominee, says that she would try to shield the Pentagon from any budget cuts. On a visit Wednesday to greet workers at Electric Boat in Groton, she challenged the defense record of her opponent, U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy. The Democratic congressman supports some defense cuts as part of a larger strategy to rein in the federal deficit. Murphy touts longstanding support for military contractors, particularly Electric Boat, and his campaign said McMahon's plan would jeopardize defense funding for Connecticut by swelling the deficit.

Man Charged In 2006 Slaying In Milford

Police say a 40-year-old prison inmate has been charged with murder in the 2006 slaying of an aspiring singer who was found beaten to death in her Milford home. Former Hamden resident Matthew Pugh was arrested Wednesday in the death of 26-year-old Alexandra Ducsay. Pugh had been in custody at the Garner Correctional Facility in Newtown on unrelated charges and authorities say he will remain there under an additional $2 million bond. Police spokesman Lt. Vaughan Dumas said the arrest followed a lengthy investigation conducted by state and local officials.

Special Naturalization Event For Connecticut Immigrants

The only active commissioned sailing vessel in the U.S. military service is set to host a special naturalization ceremony for a group of immigrants living in Connecticut. Sixteen immigrants will become U.S. citizens at the ceremony scheduled to be held Friday afternoon aboard the U.S. Coast Guard's Barque Eagle in New London.The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says candidates for citizenship come from 10 countries, including Colombia, Dominican Republic, India, Mexico, Jamaica and the United Arab Emirates. Senior U.S. District Judge Warren Eginton will administer the Oath of Allegiance on the deck of the Eagle, a 295-foot sailing vessel which also the largest tall ship flying the U.S. flag.  The three-masted barque has more than 22,000 square feet of sail and five miles of rigging.

First Lady Michelle Obama Does Letterman’s Top 10

First lady  Michelle Obama was going for the laughs last night. She did David Letterman's Top 10 list on the "Late Show." Her bit was the "Top 10 Reasons to Watch the Democratic National Convention." Number six: "As a healthy alternative, we're using low-fat confetti." And the number one reason to Watch the Democratic National Convention? Mrs. Obama says she'll finally reveal who she will be voting for in November. Mrs. Obama did Letterman's show last week. The bit was taped then.

Top TV Shows

"America's Got Talent" was the most popular show on TV for the past week. The performance episode ranks number one in the latest Nielsens, while the results show ranks third. "NCIS" is second. The Michigan-Alabama college football game is number four, followed by "NCIS: Los Angeles." The rest of the top ten looks like this: "60 Minutes," "Hell's Kitchen," "2 Broke Girls," "Master Chef" and "The Big Bang Theory."