Susan L. Talbott to Retire as Director and C.E.O. of Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

Hartford, Connecticut - Susan L. Talbott announced Friday she will retire as Director and C.E.O of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art after completing a $33 million renovation-the keystone of her transformation of one of Connecticut's historic treasures into a welcoming 21st-century art museum.

Talbott, who took over the museum in 2008, told the Board of Trustees that in order to ensure a smooth transition for the institution she will leave after upgraded and expanded galleries reopen Fall 2015.

"I've experienced great professional and personal satisfaction in advancing the nation's oldest art museum and bringing its world-renowned collection to the next level," Talbott said. "Looking ahead, I am eager to explore a different chapter in my life and career, and can do so assuredly, knowing the museum is stronger and poised for continued success in the future. I am proud of all we have accomplished."

Taking charge of a museum that needed repair and modernization, Talbott first tackled deferred maintenance and restoration of the Wadsworth Atheneum's historic buildings. Spurred by Talbott's directorship, the state of Connecticut awarded the Wadsworth Atheneum the remaining funds needed to complete its $33 million renovation, increasing public gallery space by more than 25% without any new construction. Talbott's forward-thinking renovation significantly increased efficiencies via the installation of a proprietary power plant and new HVAC system, as well as a state-of-the-art storage facility. In addition to upgrading the physical, brick and mortar museum, Talbott also built a strong, competent staff of curatorial and administrative professionals, strengthening the core of personnel charged with continuing forward momentum into the future.

"The Wadsworth Atheneum has benefited enormously from Susan's outstanding leadership and

GOV. MALLOY: SIX CONNECTICUT MUNICIPALITIES TO RECEIVE FUNDING FOR LOCAL AND REGIONAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROJECTS

$277 Million in Grants and Loans Approved for Projects in Hartford, Rocky Hill, Norwich, Middletown, New Haven, and Bristol
Hartford, Connecticut - Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced that nearly $277 million to provide grants and loans for local and regional wastewater treatment projects in Hartford, Rocky Hill, Norwich, Middletown, New Haven, and Bristol was approved Friday by state Bond Commission.  It is estimated that the projects will create or retain approximately 5,700 jobs in the manufacturing, engineering and construction industries.

“As a result of the state’s strong financial support for municipal wastewater treatment projects, Connecticut’s rivers and streams and Long Island Sound are cleaner and more appealing than ever,” said Governor Malloy, who serves as chair of the commission.  “We want to build on our historic commitment to clean water with a strong new round of funding for these projects, which will improve our environment and enhance our communities while putting our citizens to work designing and constructing these critical facilities.”

A total of $94 million in General Obligation Bonds and about $183 million in Revenue Bonds were approved to finance wastewater treatment projects through Connecticut’s Clean Water Fund (CWF).  The General Obligation Bonds are used to provide grants for certain portions of these projects, while the Revenue Bonds are used to provide low-interest loans of two percent over 20 years for the remainder of the costs.

Projects to be funded with this new allocation include:

The continued rollout of modernization and upgrades by the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), which provides wastewater treatment services for Hartford and several surrounding towns.
The CWF funds will support work at MDC’s water pollution control facilities (WPCF) in Hartford and Rocky Hill and allow work to proceed on a conveyance and storage tunnel in South Hartford.  A major focus of the MDC project is addressing Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) after major storms that leads to the discharge of sewage into the Connecticut River.

Denitrification improvements at the Norwich treatment plant.

Pump station improvements to support the consolidation of Middletown’s treatment plant into the Mattabassett District.

Continued collection system improvements in the system operated by the Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority to eliminate CSOs in New Haven.

Phosphorous removal improvements at the Bristol treatment plant.

Funds for these projects will be released from the CWF once contracts for construction have been awarded and all statutory and administrative requirements have been met.

“Connecticut’s Clean Water Fund is a model of state and local cooperation that has achieved very real results in protecting our natural resources and improving the quality of life in our state,” said Rob Klee, Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which administers the program.  “Through this program we have made investments that benefit all of us now as well as future generations of residents.”

The CWF was established in 1986 to provide financial assistance to municipalities for planning, design and construction of wastewater collection and treatment projects. Since that time it has provided $2.7 billion in grants and loans for projects in 95 communities.

Hartford Stage Relaunches StagePass for the New Year

Hartford, Connecticut - Hartford Stage relaunches StagePass for Young Professionals, ages 21-29, for the New Year. With StagePass, for just $63, see all four shows this season over and over, and even bring your friends! If purchased by December 20, StagePass members see A Christmas Carol for FREE! (December 26-28 performances only.)

StagePass members will see each show for less than $16, much lower than any of our public prices! StagePass member perks include $1 off any drink at the bar, bring-a-friend deals for only $18 and no fees, and other special offers including talks with artists, social events, free friend nights, drink specials.

For more info or to purchase StagePass, call the Hartford Stage Box Office at 860-527-5151.

Shows included for StagePass members: The Underpants by Steve Martin, January 9-February 9; A Song at Twilight by Noel Coward, February 20-March 16; Somewhere by Matthew Lopez, April 3-27; and Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang, May 22-June 15.

History of Hartford Stage
Now in our 50th Anniversary Season, Hartford Stage is one of the nation’s leading resident theatres, known internationally for producing classics, provocative new plays and musicals, and neglected works from the past, as well as a distinguished education program that reaches 21,000 students annually.  Hartford Stage has earned many of the nation’s most distinguished awards, including a Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, the Margo Jones Award for Development of New Works, OBIE awards, two New York Critics Circle Awards, a Dramatists Guild/CBS Award and an Elliot Norton Award, and has produced nationally renowned titles, including the Broadway productions of Enchanted April and Our Country's Good and the Off-Broadway productions of The Orphans' Home Cycle and The Carpetbaggers Children. On November 17, 2013, the Hartford Stage production of A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder will open at the Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway.

The leading provider of theatre education programs in Connecticut, Hartford Stage’s offerings include student matinees, in-school theatre residencies, teen performance opportunities, theatre classes for students (ages 3-18) and adults, afterschool programs and professional development courses.

HSO RINGS IN THE HOLIDAYS AT HOLIDAY CIRQUE SPECTACULAR DECEMBER 21

Program to Feature Aerial Feats and Acrobatics Choreographed to Seasonal Favorites

Audience Encouraged to Bring Non-Perishable Food Items for Food Drive Benefiting South Park Inn

Hartford, Connecticut – This holiday season, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra Pops! will combine acrobatics and holiday music at the Holiday Cirque Spectacular on Saturday, December 21, 2013 at 3:00 and 7:30 p.m. in Mortensen Hall at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts. Conducted by HSO Music Director Carolyn Kuan, the concert will include such holiday favorites as Deck the Halls, Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, selections from The Nutcracker, Sleigh Ride, selections from The Polar Express, and Chanukah Suite, plus an audience sing-along. The Asylum Hill Congregational Church Bell Choir will join the HSO for “Carol of the Bells” and there will be a special opportunity for audience members to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus in the lobby.

The performers of Cirque de la Symphonie are some of the most accomplished veterans of exceptional cirque programs from across the globe. They include world record holders, gold-medal winners of international competitions, Olympians and some of the most original talent ever seen, including Sagiv Ben Binyamin, Aloysia Gavre, Sasha Harrington, Kerren McKeeman, Nate Nordine, Andrew Pirozzi, Alina Sergeeva, Oleksiy Snarsky, and Vladimir Tsarkov.

The Hartford Symphony Orchestra is teaming up with the South Park Inn for a food drive at the time of year when this community needs it most. Holiday Cirque Spectacular audience members are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to both performances. The most needed items are beans, canned chicken, canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned tuna, cereal, coffee, granola bars, jarred baby food, laundry detergent, lentils, pasta, peanut butter, rice, and toiletries. There will be drop off tables throughout The Bushnell lobby for patrons to leave their donations.

Calendar Listing:
HSO POPS! SERIES: HOLIDAY CIRQUE SPECTACULAR
Featuring Hartford Symphony Orchestra; Carolyn Kuan, conductor; Cirque de la Symphonie, guest performers; Asylum Hill Congregational Church Bell Choir
Saturday, December 21, 2013 │ 3:00 & 7:30 p.m.
Mortensen Hall │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Ticket Information: Tickets to this concert range in price from $20-$67.50. Student tickets are $10. A limited number of $25 tickets are available for patrons age 40 and under. To purchase tickets or for more information, please contact HSO ticket services at (860) 244-2999 or visit www.hartfordsymphony.org.

The concert benefactor for Holiday Cirque Spectacular is Hartford Hospital. The HSO 2013-2014 Pops! Series is presented by United Technologies Corporation, with additional concert support from Prudential Retirement and The Richard P. Garmany Fund at Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. Generous support for the Hartford Symphony Orchestra is provided by the Greater Hartford Arts Council, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and with support from the Department of Economic and Community Development, Connecticut Office of the Arts which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

IMAGE attached of the 2012 Hartford Symphony Orchestra Pops! Holiday Cirque Spectacular.

Come Enjoy The High-Spirited Life on the Mississippi: The Musical! Direct from New York!

Hartford, Connecticut - The Mark Twain House & Museum and the Workshop Theater Company present the exciting new musical play Life on the Mississippi for two performances only--on Friday, December 13 at 7:00 p.m., and Saturday, December 14 at 2:00 p.m. in the Mark Twain House Museum Center.

Currently running Off-Broadway at Workshop Theater Company, this new production comes direct to Hartford!  It's a musical version of Mark Twain's classic memoir Life on the Mississippi.  Hair-raising, hilarious, life-changing and violent are just some of the currents that steamboat pilot Sam Clemens has to navigate in this musical journey.  Young Sam Clemens and his brother Henry step onto a Mississippi steamboat and aboard the chance of a lifetime.  As a cub apprentice, his burning ambition propels him to become a steamboat pilot, but he soon discovers that learning the great, relentless river will be harder than he ever imagined.  Now Sam must plot a course through the dangerous currents, as mysterious as the Mississippi itself.  Book, Music & Lyrics by Philip W. Hall.  Directed by Susanna Frazer. Presented by the Workshop Theater Company.

Seating is first-come/first-served.  Free-will offering accepted.  This special presentation is a benefit for The Mark Twain House & Museum.

"Ninety-five minutes I wished would NEVER end!" - Bloomberg Radio

"Four stars!  A humble piece of theater that somehow summons the wide picture of life on the Mississippi river." - Examiner.com

Sponsored by First Niagara Foundation.

The Mark Twain House & Museum (www.marktwainhouse.org ) has restored the author's Hartford, Connecticut, home, where the author and his family lived from 1874 to 1891. Twain wrote his most important works during the years he lived there, including Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.

In addition to providing tours of Twain's restored home, a National Historic Landmark, the institution offers activities and educational programs that illuminate Twain's literary legacy and provide information about his life and times.

The house and museum at 351 Farmington Ave. are open Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and Sunday, noon-5:30 p.m.  For more information, call 860-247-0998 or visit www.marktwainhouse.org.

Programs at The Mark Twain House & Museum are made possible in part by support from the Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development, Office of the Arts, and the Greater Hartford Arts Council's United Arts Campaign.

Learn about the mystery of Empty Mansions with author Bill Dedman

Hartford, Connecticut - The Mark Twain House & Museum presents an exciting evening with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Bill Dedman who will discuss his New York Times bestseller Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune, coauthored by Paul Clark Newell, Jr.  This event takes place on Tuesday, December 17, at 7:00 p.m. in the Mark Twain House Museum Center.

In 2009, when Bill Dedman noticed a grand home in New Caanan, Connecticut for sale, unoccupied for nearly sixty years, he stumbled through a surprising portal into American history. Empty Mansions is a rich mystery of wealth and loss, connecting the Gilded Age opulence of the nineteenth century with a twenty-first-century battle over a $300 million inheritance.  At its heart is a reclusive heiress named Huguette Clark, a woman so secretive that, at the time of her death at age 104, no new photograph of her had been seen in decades.  Though she owned palatial homes in California, New York, and Connecticut, why had she lived for twenty years in a simple hospital room, despite being in excellent health?  Why were her valuables being sold off?  Was she in control of her fortune, or controlled by those managing her money?  Come learn more about these mysteries and meet the author for a book signing after his talk.

About The Author: Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Bill Dedman's series of stories about the Clarks became the most popular feature in the history of NBC's news web site, topping 105 million page views. Bill is an investigative reporter for NBC. He received the 1989 Pulitzer Prize in investigative reporting for his work for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He got his start in journalism at age 16 as a copy boy at The Chattanooga Times, and has written for The Boston Globe, The Washington Post and The New York Times.

This is a free event.  A book signing with the author will follow.

Sponsored by The Hartford.

The Mark Twain House & Museum (www.marktwainhouse.org ) has restored the author's Hartford, Connecticut, home, where the author and his family lived from 1874 to 1891. Twain wrote his most important works during the years he lived there, including Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.

In addition to providing tours of Twain's restored home, a National Historic Landmark, the institution offers activities and educational programs that illuminate Twain's literary legacy and provide information about his life and times.

The house and museum at 351 Farmington Ave. are open Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and Sunday, noon-5:30 p.m.  For more information, call 860-247-0998 or visit www.marktwainhouse.org.

Programs at The Mark Twain House & Museum are made possible in part by support from the Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development, Office of the Arts, and the Greater Hartford Arts Council's United Arts Campaign.

CONNECTICUT’S OWN VIOLIN SENSATION SIRENA HUANG TO PERFORM WITH HSO DECEMBER 12-15

Guest Conductor Joel Smirnoff to Lead Program of Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, and Vaughan Williams
Hartford, Connecticut - The Hartford Symphony Orchestra will perform a wintry program highlighting the string section of the orchestra at Greensleeves & Sirena on Thursday, December 12 – Sunday, December 15, 2013 at The Bushnell Center for Performing Arts.  Led by guest conductor and renowned violinist Joel Smirnoff, the program will feature Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3, “Polish” and Sibelius’ Concerto for Violin in D minor, as well as Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Greensleeves. Renowned violinist, Sirena Huang, will be joining HSO once again, performing Sibelius’ Concerto for Violin.  

The program will open with Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Greensleeves. First written as an entr’acte for Shakespeare’s Merry Wives, this piece relies heavily on the graceful and flowing string lines placed throughout.  The first half of the program will continue with violin virtuoso Sirena Huang performing Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D minor.  This beautifully difficult work will feature HSO’s talented string section and will highlight the blended sound of their instruments.

After intermission, HSO will perform Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3 in D Major, “Polish.”  This piece’s nickname, “Polish”, references the recurring Polish (polonaise) dance rhythms prominent in the symphony’s final movement.  Many western critics and audiences viewed this symphony as a symbol of Polish independence, with the final scene as an expression of liberation from Russian domination and the reinstatement of their freedom.                

This concert will mark Sirena Huang’s ninth engagement with the HSO.  Hailing from Windsor, CT, Huang made her HSO debut in 2009, when the scheduled guest artist was stranded in Europe due to the Icelandic volcano eruption and she served as a last minute replacement.  Ms. Huang began playing violin at age four and made her orchestral debut with the National Taiwan Symphony at age nine.  Since then, Ms. Huang has performed with many orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Russian Symphony Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra.  Ms. Haung was awarded the First Prize Gold Medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in 2009, received First Prize at the Thomas & Evon Cooper International Competition in 2011, and was given the Bernard and Mania Hahnloser Prize for Violin at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland in the summer of 2011.

Joel Smirnoff, is a Lifetime Grammy Award recipient, and recently joined the Cleveland Institute of Music as President in 2008.  He is the former chair of the violin department at The Juilliard School and has been a long time member of the Juilliard String Quartet, joining them in 1986.  Formally the group’s second violinist, Mr. Smirnoff was also a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for six years.  Mr. Smirnoff has conducted the San Francisco Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Phoenix Symphony, Louisiana Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic, New World Symphony, Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, and Basel Sinfonietta, among others.

USA Gymnastics recognizes restaurants participating in Taste of the Championships

Hartford, Connecticut - Six downtown Hartford, Conn., restaurants participated in the "Capital City's Taste of the Championships," held during the 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships staged at the XL Center this week. Each of the six restaurants created a special, healthy entrée that was featured on the menu during P&G Gymnastics Championships week.

A panel of judges visited the restaurants during a three-day span. The panel of judges varied each day and included legendary coach Bela Karolyi, 1984 Olympic speedskating gold-medalist Johann Olav Koss, Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra, 2004 Olympic all-around champion Carly Patterson, 1984 Olympic gold-medalist and USA Gymnastics Board Chairman Peter Vidmar, and USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny.

The votes are in, and below are the awards, which were announced during the final day of competition of men's gymnastics by 1984 Olympic gold-medalist Peter Vidmar, Penny and Segarra. The awards bearing an individual's name represent his/her favorite dish.

Nutrition Award: Max Downtown
Most Creative Dish: Agave Grill
Carly Patterson Award: City Steam Brewery Café
Bela Karolyi Award: Feng Asian Bistro
Best Comfort Food: Salute Restaurant
Mayor's Award: DISH Bar & Grill

The "Capital City's Taste of the Championships" was a joint effort between the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau, USA Gymnastics, and St. Vincent Sports Performance, a national sponsor of USA Gymnastics, to promote healthy eating.

BREAKING SPORTS NEWS: Biles wins women's all-around at 2013 P&G Championships

Hartford, Connecticut - 2013 AT&T American Cup silver medalist Simone BIles of Spring, Texas/Bannon's Gymnastix, won the senior women's all-around title at the P&G Gymnastics Championships at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. Biles posted an all-around total of 120.450 points, followed closely by 2012 Olympic gold-medalist Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max, at 120.250 points, and Brenna Dowell of Odessa, Mo./Great American Gymnastics Express, with 116.550 points.

Biles, who earned silver medals on all four individual events, began her competition on balance beam with a solid routine that included a flip flop, flip flop, full-twisting double back dismount for 15.000 points. On floor, she smiled and soared through a double-twisting double back, a double layout and a full-twisting double tuck for 14.950 points. In the third rotation, Biles landed a clean Amanar, scoring 15.800 points. Biles finished the meet on uneven bars, scoring 14.200 points for a routine that included a Weiler-half to Maloney combination, a piked Tkatchev and a full twisting double tuck dismount.

With four cleanly executed routines, Ross won the all-around silver medal. On floor, Ross earned a score of 14.500 points for a routine that included a high Arabian double front to stag jump for her first pass and a double tuck dismount. In the second rotation, Ross' double-twisting Yurchenko earned 15.300 points. Ross won the national title on uneven bars with a smoothly swung routine featuring precise handstand positions for a two-day total of 30.950 points, two points ahead of her closest competitor. On balance beam, Ross closed the meet with an impressive routine that included a switch ring leap and a double tuck dismount, winning her second national title with a combined score of 29.950 points.

Dowell vaulted an Amanar for 15.500 points and tumbled both tucked and piked double fronts on floor for 14.400 points. She finished the meet on uneven bars, where she caught a toe-on piked Tkatchev, a toe-on Tkatchev to mixed grip, and dismounted with a full-twisting double layout for 14.250 points.

2012 Olympic team gold medalist McKayla Maroney of Long Beach, Calif./All Olympia, competed on floor and vault, winning event titles on both. On floor, she tumbled a double layout, a two-and-a-half twist to punch front full and Arabian double front for a two-day total of 30.100 points. Maroney vaulted her trademark Amanar and followed with a Yurchenko half on, front layout full off, for her second vault, giving her the highest two-vault average of the competition at 31.200 points.

The competition schedule is: Aug. 18 – men's gymnastics, seniors at 11:30 a.m. and juniors at 6:30 p.m. Times listed are Eastern.

This year, it will be easier than ever to follow the competition and fan events. Schedules, the official program and general information for both fan and competition activities, including start lists, live scoring and more, are available at PGChamps.com. USA Gymnastics is also providing enhanced event coverage on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Fans can connect with gymnastics enthusiasts around the world by using the event's official hashtag, #PGChamps.

Tickets are still available. Single-session tickets range in price from $20 to $99. Multi-session packages are also available: men's package – all men's sessions (junior and senior), Aug. 16 and 18, $85-135; women's first day of competition package – junior and senior women's sessions, Aug. 15, $70-125; women's final day of competition package — junior and senior women's sessions, Aug. 17, $85-135; and men's and women's package – senior women on Aug. 17 and senior men on Aug. 18, $85-135. All-session tickets, which range in price from $125-$395, are also on sale, and the top-priced ticket is for the best seat location and includes an autographed commemorative poster. Prices include facility fees and vary according to ticket location. Tickets are available through several different avenues:Ticketmaster.com; calling 1-800-745-3000; or the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center. For group tickets, please call 860-548-2000.

Fan Activities

From morning fitness at the Old State House to the 50th Anniversary Museum and the Capital City's Taste of the Championships, fans will have plenty of opportunities for fun while they enjoy the exciting week of competition in Hartford.

The following is a quick overview of the fan activities available during the P&G Championships. For the most up-to-date and complete information on all event and fan activities, go to PGChamps.com.

• Morning fitness. Downtown workers and fans can start the day off right by joining gymnastics coaches and celebrities for a free morning workout, led by local Hartford fitness fanatics and Olympian John Macready, at the Old State House. On Thursday, Aug. 15, and Friday, Aug. 16, USA Gymnastics is hosting "Get up, get fit!", a morning fitness session from 6:30-7:30 a.m. Thursday's session features a boot camp and Pilates, with Friday's session including a boot camp and yoga. Companies making the sessions possible are P&G, Under Armour, Hartford Healthcare, Civic Mind, Downtown Yoga and Whole Foods.
• Capital City's Taste of the Championships. Six restaurants are creating special menu items as part of the Capital City's Taste of the Championships. From Aug. 15-17, Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra and legendary gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi will review and taste the signature dishes, which are also being reviewed by a nutritionist with USA Gymnastics' partner St. Vincent Sports Performance to determine the healthiest dish. The six restaurants are: Agave, 100 Allyn St.; City Steam Brewery Café, 942 Main St.; DISH Bar & Grill, 900 Main St.; Feng Asian Bistro, 93 Asylum St.; Max Downtown, 185 Asylum St.; and Salute, 100 Trumbull St., #2.
• "Let's Eat." "Let's Eat" is a network of 10 Hartford restaurants that are offering a 20-percent discount to P&G Championships ticket and credential holders, as well as those with a USA Gymnastics Congress credential. The participating restaurants are: Black Bear Saloon at 187 Allyn St.; Burger Baby at 283 Asylum St.; Carbone's Ristorante at 588 Franklin Ave.; DISH Bar & Grill at 900 Main St.; Front Street Bistro at 39 Front St.; Hot Tomato's at One Union Place; Peppercorn's Grill at 357 Main St.; Salute Restaurant at 100 Trumbull St.; The Russian Lady at 100 Ann Uccello St.; and The Tavern Downtown at 201 Ann Uccello St.
• USA Gymnastics 50th anniversary museum, celebrating 50 years of champions. Open to the general public, the museum will feature a combination of pictures, historical items, mementoes and videos that tell the story of USA Gymnastics and its first 50 years of accomplishments and champions. It will also include historical leotards from GK Elite and equipment from AAI. Admission is free.
  The museum officially opens at 10 a.m. on Aug. 15, and several well-known gymnasts are expected to be on hand for the opening. The museum is open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 15, to Saturday, Aug. 17, and from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 18. Two autograph sessions will be held each day, and the celebrity gymnasts signing autographs are expected to include Olympic gold medalists Shannon Miller, Carly Patterson and Paul Hamm; members of Team Hilton HHonors, including Olympic silver-medalist Jonathan Horton, Leyva and Orozco; and members of both the 2007 Women's World Championships Team (team champions) and the 2012 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team. Check PGChamps.com daily for the updated autograph schedule.
• USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame. Also at the XL Center, the 2007 Women's World Championships Team and women's gymnastics members of the Hall of Fame were recognized for their achievements on Thursday, Aug. 15, with the men's Hall of Famers introduced on Friday, Aug. 16. The Fierce Five and the 2007 Women's World Championships Team are members of the 2013 class of the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame. The members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Team, aka the Fierce Five, are Gabrielle Douglas of Virginia Beach, Va./Chow's Gymnastics and Dance, McKayla Maroney of Long Beach, Calif./All-Olympia Gymnastics, Aly Raisman of Needham, Mass./Brestyan's American Gymnastics, Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max, and Jordyn Wieber of DeWitt, Mich./Gedderts' Twistars USA. The 2007 World Championships Team includes Ivana Hong of Laguna Hills, Calif., Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa, Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas, Samantha Peszek of Indianapolis, Ind., Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass., and Shayla Worley of Orlando, along with alternate Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, Ind.
  
  
• USA Gymnastics Fitness Zone. Kids can have fun and gain knowledge about the importance of fitness through the interactive USA Gymnastics Fitness Zone. The zone features activities in building strength, flexibility, cardiovascular exercise and nutrition. The Fitness Zone will be featured on the concourse at the XL Center.
  
  
• WGYM. WGYM, the in-house radio broadcast for men's and women's gymnastics, provides running commentary on the competition, as well as fun facts about the sport and the competitors. Olympic gold medalists Amanda Borden, Paul Hamm and Shannon Miller will serve as hosts for the broadcasts. Radios will be available at the XL Center.
  
  
• Merchandise. Fans can purchase everything gymnastics from event-specific tees to 50th anniversary merchandise at the XL Center.

Television, webcast and YouTube coverage

• Live competition coverage.
  
  • NBC Sports Network and NBC will air all four senior competition sessions live. The remaining schedule is listed below.
    • Aug. 18 – Men – 1 p.m. ET – NBC
  • Hosted by 1996 Olympic team gold-medalist Amanda Borden, USA Gymnastics will provide live webcast coverage of all four junior competitive sessions. Two-time Olympic gold-medalist Shannon Miller, 2004 Olympic all-around champion Paul Hamm, and 2008 Olympic silver-medalists Jonathan Horton and Samantha Peszek will join Borden to provide commentary and analysis. NBC and NBC Sports Network will provide live webcasts of senior competition. Below is the remaining schedule.
    • Senior Men Day 2 - Aug. 18 - 1-2:30 p.m. ET - NBC
    • Junior Men Day 2 - Aug. 18 - 6:30-9 p.m. ET


• USA Gymnastics on YouTube. USA Gymnastics will post coverage of the P&G Championships, including nearly every competition routine, after the conclusion of the event, interviews from media day and post-competition, and clips from podium training.

Background Information

• Connecticut Convention Center. The Connecticut Convention Center, which has a total of 540,000 sq. ft. space, is the site for the USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show. The facility offers an outdoor esplanade overlooking the Connecticut River and is connected to both the Marriott Hartford Downtown and the Connecticut Science Center.
  
  
• XL Center. The XL Center, managed by Global Spectrum (a division of Comcast Spectacor), will host two days of competition for both men's and women's gymnastics. The XL Center is home to the University of Connecticut Men's & Women's Basketball teams along with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Rangers. In addition to resident teams, the XL Center entertains millions of visitors annually with a variety of concerts, family shows, sporting events, consumer & trade shows. The XL Center is Connecticut's home for premier sports & entertainment.
  
  

Sports News: Key wins junior women's all-around title at 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships

Hartford, Connecticut - Bailie Key of Montgomery, Texas/Texas Dreams, won the junior women's all-around with a score of 118.550 points after the second of two days of competition at the P&G Gymnastics Championships at Hartford's (Conn.) XL Center. Lauren Hernandez of Old Bridge, N.J./MG Elite, won the silver medal with 116.650 points, and Amelia Hundley of Hamilton, Ohio/Cincinnati, finished third with 113.750 points. Women's competition continues tonight with the final day of the senior women's division, which includes 2012 Olympic team gold-medalists McKayla Maroney of Long Beach, Calif./All-Olympia, and Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max.

Key began her competition on the floor exercise, posting a combined score of 29.750 points that earned her the event title. Key tumbled four clean passes: an Arabian double front to stag jump; one-and-a-half twist through to a triple twist; front double full punch front; and a double pike dismount. She also showed perfect positions in her leaps. In the second rotation, Key vaulted a double-twisting Yurchenko for 14.750 points. On bars, Key improved her performance from the first day of competition with a Stalder-full to full-twisting double tuck dismount for 14.100 points and fourth place in the event rankings at 28.050. Key finished her competition on the balance beam, hitting a flip flop, flip flop layout series and a triple full dismount for a two-day total of 30.900 points and the beam title.

Hernandez, who was 21st at the 2012 U.S. Championships, soared to second in the all-around with eight solid routines. In the first rotation, Hernandez commanded the crowd's attention on floor exercise, committing to her choreography and cleanly landing her tumbling passes for a two-day total of 29.100 points

and the silver floor medal. Hernandez earned the silver medal on bars, scoring 28.450 points for a routine that included a high Ricna and stuck her full-twisting double tuck dismount. Hernandez finished her competition by tying for the bronze on balance beam with 29.400 points.

Hundley, third in the all-around, won the title on uneven bars. She competed a clean routine with a Ricna release, a van Leeuwen transition and a Stalder to immediate full-twisting double tuck dismount for a combined score of 28.550 points. Hundley earned the bronze medal on floor with her upbeat routine featuring a double layout mount and a high double tuck dismount, scoring 29.000 points.

Ariana Agrapides of Bayville, N.J./MG Elite, easily won the vault title with a combined score of 30.750 points. Agrapides hit two beautiful double-twisting Yurchenkos with excellent landings, receiving an execution score of 9.600 points for her vault during the final day of competition.

Junior National Team
Polina Shchennikova, Veronica Hults, Nia Dennis, Lauren Hernandez, Bailie Key, Amelia Hundley, Norah Flatley, Alyssa Baumann

The competition schedule is: Aug. 17 – women's gymnastics, juniors at 2 p.m. and seniors at 7:30 p.m.; and Aug. 18 – men's gymnastics, seniors at 11:30 a.m. and juniors at 6:30 p.m. Times listed are Eastern.

This year, it will be easier than ever to follow the competition and fan events. Schedules, the official program and general information for both fan and competition activities, including start lists, live scoring and more, are available at PGChamps.com. USA Gymnastics is also providing enhanced event coverage on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Fans can connect with gymnastics enthusiasts around the world by using the event's official hashtag, #PGChamps.

Tickets are still available. Single-session tickets range in price from $20 to $99. Multi-session packages are also available: men's package – all men's sessions (junior and senior), Aug. 16 and 18, $85-135; women's first day of competition package – junior and senior women's sessions, Aug. 15, $70-125; women's final day of competition package — junior and senior women's sessions, Aug. 17, $85-135; and men's and women's package – senior women on Aug. 17 and senior men on Aug. 18, $85-135. All-session tickets, which range in price from $125-$395, are also on sale, and the top-priced ticket is for the best seat location and includes an autographed commemorative poster. Prices include facility fees and vary according to ticket location. Tickets are available through several different avenues:Ticketmaster.com; calling 1-800-745-3000; or the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center. For group tickets, please call 860-548-2000.

Fan Activities

From morning fitness at the Old State House to the 50th Anniversary Museum and the Capital City's Taste of the Championships, fans will have plenty of opportunities for fun while they enjoy the exciting week of competition in Hartford.

The following is a quick overview of the fan activities available during the P&G Championships. For the most up-to-date and complete information on all event and fan activities, go to PGChamps.com.

• Morning fitness. Downtown workers and fans can start the day off right by joining gymnastics coaches and celebrities for a free morning workout, led by local Hartford fitness fanatics and Olympian John Macready, at the Old State House. On Thursday, Aug. 15, and Friday, Aug. 16, USA Gymnastics is hosting "Get up, get fit!", a morning fitness session from 6:30-7:30 a.m. Thursday's session features a boot camp and Pilates, with Friday's session including a boot camp and yoga. Companies making the sessions possible are P&G, Under Armour, Hartford Healthcare, Civic Mind, Downtown Yoga and Whole Foods.
  
  
• Capital City's Taste of the Championships. Six restaurants are creating special menu items as part of the Capital City's Taste of the Championships. From Aug. 15-17, Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra and legendary gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi will review and taste the signature dishes, which are also being reviewed by a nutritionist with USA Gymnastics' partner St. Vincent Sports Performance to determine the healthiest dish. The six restaurants are: Agave, 100 Allyn St.; City Steam Brewery Café, 942 Main St.; DISH Bar & Grill, 900 Main St.; Feng Asian Bistro, 93 Asylum St.; Max Downtown, 185 Asylum St.; and Salute, 100 Trumbull St., #2.
  
  
• "Let's Eat." "Let's Eat" is a network of 10 Hartford restaurants that are offering a 20-percent discount to P&G Championships ticket and credential holders, as well as those with a USA Gymnastics Congress credential. The participating restaurants are: Black Bear Saloon at 187 Allyn St.; Burger Baby at 283 Asylum St.; Carbone's Ristorante at 588 Franklin Ave.; DISH Bar & Grill at 900 Main St.; Front Street Bistro at 39 Front St.; Hot Tomato's at One Union Place; Peppercorn's Grill at 357 Main St.; Salute Restaurant at 100 Trumbull St.; The Russian Lady at 100 Ann Uccello St.; and The Tavern Downtown at 201 Ann Uccello St.
  
  
• USA Gymnastics 50th anniversary museum, celebrating 50 years of champions. Open to the general public, the museum will feature a combination of pictures, historical items, mementoes and videos that tell the story of USA Gymnastics and its first 50 years of accomplishments and champions. It will also include historical leotards from GK Elite and equipment from AAI. Admission is free.
  The museum officially opens at 10 a.m. on Aug. 15, and several well-known gymnasts are expected to be on hand for the opening. The museum is open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 15, to Saturday, Aug. 17, and from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 18. Two autograph sessions will be held each day, and the celebrity gymnasts signing autographs are expected to include Olympic gold medalists Shannon Miller, Carly Patterson and Paul Hamm; members of Team Hilton HHonors, including Olympic silver-medalist Jonathan Horton, Leyva and Orozco; and members of both the 2007 Women's World Championships Team (team champions) and the 2012 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team. Check PGChamps.com daily for the updated autograph schedule.
  
  
• USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame. Also at the XL Center, the 2007 Women's World Championships Team and women's gymnastics members of the Hall of Fame will be recognized for their achievements on Thursday, Aug. 15, with the men's Hall of Famers introduced on Friday, Aug. 16. The Fierce Five and the 2007 Women's World Championships Team are members of the 2013 class of the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame. The members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Team, aka the Fierce Five, are Gabrielle Douglas of Virginia Beach, Va./Chow's Gymnastics and Dance, McKayla Maroney of Long Beach, Calif./All-Olympia Gymnastics, Aly Raisman of Needham, Mass./Brestyan's American Gymnastics, Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max, and Jordyn Wieber of DeWitt, Mich./Gedderts' Twistars USA. The 2007 World Championships Team includes Ivana Hong of Laguna Hills, Calif., Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa, Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas, Samantha Peszek of Indianapolis, Ind., Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass., and Shayla Worley of Orlando, along with alternate Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, Ind.
  
• USA Gymnastics Fitness Zone. Kids can have fun and gain knowledge about the importance of fitness through the interactive USA Gymnastics Fitness Zone. The zone features activities in building strength, flexibility, cardiovascular exercise and nutrition. The Fitness Zone will be featured on the concourse at the XL Center.
  
  
• WGYM. WGYM, the in-house radio broadcast for men's and women's gymnastics, provides running commentary on the competition, as well as fun facts about the sport and the competitors. Olympic gold medalists Amanda Borden, Paul Hamm and Shannon Miller will serve as hosts for the broadcasts. Radios will be available at the XL Center.
  
  
• Merchandise. Fans can purchase everything gymnastics from event-specific tees to 50th anniversary merchandise at the XL Center.

Television, webcast and YouTube coverage

• Live competition coverage.
  
  • NBC Sports Network and NBC will air all four senior competition sessions live. The remaining schedule is listed below.
    • Aug. 17 – Women – 8 p.m. ET – NBC
    • Aug. 18 – Men – 1 p.m. ET – NBC
  • Hosted by 1996 Olympic team gold-medalist Amanda Borden, USA Gymnastics will provide live webcast coverage of all four junior competitive sessions. Two-time Olympic gold-medalist Shannon Miller, 2004 Olympic all-around champion Paul Hamm, and 2008 Olympic silver-medalists Jonathan Horton and Samantha Peszek will join Borden to provide commentary and analysis. NBC and NBC Sports Network will provide live webcasts of senior competition. Below is the remaining schedule.
    • Senior Women Day 2 - Aug. 17 - 8-10 p.m. ET - NBC
    • Senior Men Day 2 - Aug. 18 - 1-2:30 p.m. ET - NBC
    • Junior Men Day 2 - Aug. 18 - 6:30-9 p.m. ET


• USA Gymnastics on YouTube. USA Gymnastics will post coverage of the P&G Championships, including nearly every competition routine, after the conclusion of the event, interviews from media day and post-competition, and clips from podium training.

Background Information

• Connecticut Convention Center. The Connecticut Convention Center, which has a total of 540,000 sq. ft. space, is the site for the USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show. The facility offers an outdoor esplanade overlooking the Connecticut River and is connected to both the Marriott Hartford Downtown and the Connecticut Science Center.
  
  

XL Center. The XL Center, managed by Global Spectrum (a division of Comcast Spectacor), will host two days of competition for both men's and women's gymnastics. The XL Center is home to the University of Connecticut Men's & Women's Basketball teams along with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Rangers. In addition to resident teams, the XL Center entertains millions of visitors annually with a variety of concerts, family shows, sporting events, consumer & trade shows. The XL Center is Connecticut's home for premier sports & entertainment.

BREAKING SPORTS NEWS: Bailie Key 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships Junior Aomen's All-Around Champion

Hartford, Connecticut - Fourteen year old Bailie Key is your 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships
junior women's all-around champion. Keys scored a final score of 118.550 with Hernandez 116.650 2nd place and 3rd place going to Hundley 113.750.

Bailie Key born on March 16th, 1999 is an American artistic gymnast. She was a member of the gold medal winning team at the 2012 City of Jesolo Trophy.

Congratulations Bailie Key!!

National Geographic Names the Mark Twain House One of the Ten Best Historic Homes in the World

Hartford, Connecticut - The Mark Twain House in Hartford, Connecticut has been named one of the ten best historic houses in the world in a publication of the National Geographic Society.

The third edition of National Geographic Books' The Ten Best of Everything, edited by Nathaniel Lande and Andrew Lande, lists the house that Samuel L. Clemens and Olivia Langdon Clemens built, and where the family lived from 1874 to 1891, among such buildings as Leo Tolstoy's house in Russia, The Churchills' Blenheim Palace in England, and artist Claude Monet's home, Giverny, in France.

The only other American buildings on the list are Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and George Washington's Mount Vernon.

 "We are very glad to have been named to this list of buildings of international importance," said Patti Philippon, Interim Executive Director of The Mark Twain House & Museum. "It's a recognition not only of Twain as an author of world stature, as our international guests remind us daily, but also of the iconic nature of 'The House that Mark Built' in the history of architecture and design."

The Ten Best of Everything notes "the soaring dramatic grand hall" and "the book-filled library, glass conservatory, and billiard room"; lists the important works by Twain written while the Clemenses lived in the house (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,  and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, among many others); and describes the "classic Victorian interiors designed by Louis C. Tiffany, Candace Wheeler, Lockwood DeForest and Samuel Coleman." It quotes Twain himself: "It is a

The Book That Named an Era: Mark Twain's and Charles Dudley Warner's The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today is March's Nook Farm Book Club Selection

Drama of Washington Politics and Corruption, with Resonance in Today's World, is Featured in Monthly Book Discussion Highlighting Upcoming Exhibition on 'The Gilded Age of Hartford'
Hartford, Connecticut - The book named an era, and it is often cited for its startling application to our contemporary world: The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today, by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner, published in 1873, is chillingly relevant.

And the stuff of punditry. Shortly before the 2008 crash of the financial system, economist, New York Times columnist and Nobel winner Paul Krugman pointed out that "income inequality -- which began rising at the same time that modern conservatism began gaining political power -- is now fully back to Gilded Age levels."

The Gilded Age is a tale of Washington lobbying, love and corruption, get-rich-quick schemes, exploitation of recently freed slaves and crooked land deals in the West. It features memorable Twain characters: the eternally speculating, eternally failing Colonel Beriah Sellers, whom Twain later turned into a successful stage act; and the beautiful, brilliant but flawed lobbyist Laura Hawkins.

On Wednesday, March 6, this classic will be the subject of discussion at The Mark Twain House & Museum in a session of the Nook Farm Book Club, the collaboration of The Mark Twain House & Museum and the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center. Since 2010 the book club has introduced books by and about Twain and Stowe; examples of the literature of their time; and modern works exploring the issues that concerned these two opinionated, deeply influential authors.

The Gilded Age is readily available and for sale at The Mark Twain Museum Store (860-280-3136 or http://shop.marktwainhouse.org.) Having read the book is not necessary to enjoyment of the conversation, which is always wide-ranging. The discussion will be led by Steve Courtney, Publicist and Publications Editor at The Mark Twain House & Museum. He is the author of a study of Twain's contemporary and friend, the Rev. Joseph Hopkins Twichell, and his life in Gilded Age Hartford.

The Nook Farm Book Club discussion of The Gilded Age is in conjunction with an important new exhibition at The Mark Twain House & Museum, The Gilded Age of Hartford, opening March 15. The exhibition will explore the major cultural, social and economic trends of the era, and Hartford's pivotal role in those trends. Artwork and artifacts will include  historic paintings of Hartford of that era, examples of the city's industrial strength such as a bicycle built by Hartford's Pope Manufacturing Co., and even a section of trolley car track that ran in front of the Mark Twain House, recently excavated in an MDC project.

The Nook Farm Book Club will meet at The Mark Twain House & Museum, 351 Farmington Ave., Hartford, Conn., on Wednesday, March 6. A 5:00 p.m. reception will be followed by the 5:30 p.m. discussion. The event is free, but registration is encouraged at 860-522-9258, Ext. 317.  

The novel was a collaboration of Twain and his neighbor Warner, the editor of the Hartford Courant, essayist, travel writer and novelist. Twain said the book was written as the result of a fireside challenge from the mens' wives when they denigrated contemporary fiction. It was both authors' first novel. "This provocative tale about Americans' obsession with getting rich -- greed and speculation in the financial markets and the influence of money and lobbyists in Congress-- remains a Tale of Today," says Donald Tiffany Bliss, Author of Mark Twain's Tale of Today, a major recent study of Twain's politics.

The Nook Farm Book Club is a collaboration between The Mark Twain House & Museum and the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, and is supported in part by the Connecticut Humanities Council.

The Gilded Age of Hartford exhibition is sponsored by Tauck, The Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Foundation and Hartford Steam Boiler. Additional support is provided by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts; and the Greater Hartford Arts Council.

About the Museums
The Mark Twain House & Museum has restored the author's Hartford, Connecticut, home, where the author and his family lived from 1874 to 1891. The museum's mission is to foster appreciation of the legacy of Mark Twain. Programs at The Mark Twain House & Museum are made possible in part by support from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development and the Greater Hartford Arts Council. For more information, call 860-247-0998 or visit www.marktwainhouse.org.    

The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center preserves and interprets Stowe's Hartford home and the Center's historic collections, promotes vibrant discussion of her life and work, and inspires commitment to social justice and positive change. For more information, call 860-522-9258, Ext. 317, or visit www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org.

HARTFORD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ANNOUNCES PROGRAMS FOR 2013 TALCOTT MOUNTAIN MUSIC FESTIVAL

Hartford, Connecticut - Hartford Symphony Orchestra Music Director Carolyn Kuan and President & CEO Carrie Hammond are pleased to announce the programming for the 2013 Talcott Mountain Music Festival, scheduled for June 28 through July 26 at the Performing Arts Center at Simsbury Meadows in Simsbury, Connecticut.

The summer line-up will open on June 28 with “Mozart in the Moonlight,” the HSO's classical program of the summer season featuring guest conductor and Music Director of the Boston Classical Orchestra, Steven Lipsitt. On July 3, the HSO, led by Music Director Carolyn Kuan, will perform Connecticut's annual red, white and blue tradition – “Celebrate America,” with fireworks after the concert. The festival continues on July 12 with “Sinatra under the Stars,” a tribute to the greatest hits of Frank Sinatra, featuring the HSO and Rob Zappulla and his big band. On July 19, the Symphony will perform John Williams’ biggest movie music hits, including music from Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, and more. The festival closes July 26 with a tribute to The Rolling Stones, celebrating the band's 50th year of hits including “Satisfaction,” “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” “Ruby Tuesday,” and more.

HSO President & CEO (and Farmington, CT resident) Carrie Hammond says, “From Mozart, movie music and Fourth of July marches…to Sinatra and The Rolling Stones…this season has something that everyone will enjoy!”

2013 TALCOTT MOUNTAIN MUSIC FESTIVAL

GOV. MALLOY NAMES GARVIN AMBROSE TO SERVE AS STATE VICTIM ADVOCATE

Hartford, Connecticut - Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that he has named Garvin G. Ambrose of Chicago, Illinois and Vernon, Connecticut to serve as the state’s Victim Advocate.

Ambrose currently is Executive Assistant State’s Attorney and Legislative Liaison in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Chicago, where he serves as an advocate on issues of civil, criminal, juvenile and family law, and assists in the development, research and drafting of legislative initiatives and policy.  In this position, he has been responsible for working with government agencies, nonprofits, and victim advocacy groups to promote passage of a number of new state laws that aid in the protection of victims, including in the areas of child abuse, domestic violence, financial crimes, gun crimes, and human trafficking.

He was the unanimous first choice by the Victim Advocate Advisory Committee, a panel statutorily required to consider and interview candidates for the position and provide recommendation to the Governor.

“Garvin comes to us with a notable background, working on behalf of victims and advocating for the policy changes that are necessary to preserve their rights and serve their needs,” Governor Malloy said.  “The Victim Advocate is responsible for public education and advocacy.  He will work directly with criminal justice professionals at every level to protect victims’ rights as guaranteed under the Connecticut Constitution

GOV. MALLOY: CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN TURNAROUND SCHOOLS WILL HELP OUR CHILDREN COMPETE

Hartford, Connecticut - Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that his upcoming biennial budget proposal will include an expansion of the program created in the 2012 education reform package – the Commissioner’s Network – that aims to turnaround some of the lowest performing schools in the state in order to help thousands of students receive a quality education and close the achievement gap.  It was also announced that six schools will be invited to advance to the next phase of a planning process for inclusion in the Network in the 2013-14 school year.

The Commissioner’s Network is a vehicle for innovative and transformative initiatives that reach beyond surface reforms.  Governor Malloy’s upcoming biennial budget proposal will include an additional $14.1 million over the biennium to allow more low performing schools to participate in the program, bringing the total funding available for the Commissioner’s Network to $27.5 million, enough to at least double the current amount of districts participating.

“For too long, we failed to bring about meaningful reform in our state’s lowest performing schools.  The Commissioner’s Network is changing that by directing more resources to our students and making other meaningful changes to ensure that students have every available opportunity to succeed,” Governor Malloy said.  “Working together with our state’s dedicated teachers, we will close the achievement gap.”

“I am grateful to the Governor and Lt. Governor for their continued commitment to the education reforms passed last year.  We remain dedicated to closing Connecticut’s largest-in-the nation achievement gap through increased involvement and innovation in our state’s lowest performing schools,” Connecticut Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor said.  “We’re pleased that the Governor’s budget will enable the expansion of the Commissioner’s Network, providing more schools with the flexibility and resources they need to undertake successful turnarounds.”

Six schools from five districts were invited today by Commissioner Pryor to convene turnaround committees and develop turnaround plans for participation in the Commissioner’s Network for the 2013-2014 school year.  The six schools that have been initially selected are Richard C. Briggs High School (Norwalk), Crosby