Fake News More Believable Than Real News; Researchers Cite Familiarity As Reason

New research from Yale University indicates that fake news flourishes in large measure from its repetition – and can be more convincing than real news. The believably of fake news, according to the just-concluded study, is familiarity. Last year’s Presidential election brought considerable attention to the phenomenon of “fake news,” described as entirely fabricated and often highly partisan content that is presented as factual news. Disinformation of this sort poses a major threat to democracy, the researchers point out, after examining the success of fake news, particularly on social media.

Prior work has shown that familiarity increases perceived accuracy of entirely plausible and innocuous (but not necessarily true) statements. The Yale researchers investigated whether this effect extends to highly implausible and partisan statements.  Alarmingly, they found that it does.

Using actual fake news headlines presented as they are seen on Facebook, their 46-page research paper shows that even a single exposure increases perceptions of accuracy.  The researchers found that “increased perceptions of accuracy for familiar fake news headlines occurs even when the stories are labeled as contested by fact checkers, or are inconsistent with the reader’s political ideology. The effect is also evident when there is no conscious awareness of having previously seen the headline.”

“Collectively, our results indicate familiarity is used heuristically to infer accuracy. Thus, the spread of fake news is supported by persistent low-level cognitive processes that make even highly implausible and partisan claims more believable with repetition. Our results suggest that political echo chambers not only isolate one from opposing views, but also help to create incubation chambers for blatantly false (but highly salient and politicized) fake news stories.”

Three Yale University researchers - Gordon Pennycook a postdoctural fellow in the Department of Psychology, Tyrone D. Cannon, Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry and Director of the Clinical Neuroscience Lab, and David G. Rand, Associate Professor of Psychology, Economics & Management in the School of Management – are raising alarms about the effectiveness of so-called “fake news.”  Their paper, "Prior Exposure Increases Perceived Accuracy of Fake News," appears on SSSN, a site "devoted to the rapid worldwide dissemination of research."

“News stories … were fabricated and promoted on social media in order to deceive the public for ideological and/or financial gain. An analysis of the top performing news articles in the months leading up to the election revealed that the top fake news articles actually outperformed the top real news articles on Facebook (in terms of shares, likes, and comments). Although it is unclear to what extent fake news influenced the outcome of the Presidential Election, there is no question that many people were deceived by entirely fabricated (and often quite fanciful) fake news stories,” the researchers explained.

“These findings have important implications for our society, and the functioning of democracy which relies on an informed electorate. For example, the familiarity effect we demonstrate suggests a potential self-reinforcing cycle of online falsehoods: the sharing of fake news on social media leads to increased familiarity, which leads to increased perceptions of accuracy, which presumably leads to more sharing, which necessarily leads to increased familiarity, which leads to further increases in perceptions of accuracy, and so on.”

They further point out that the “feedback cycle is likely to be particular pernicious when coupled with so-called ‘echo chambers’ in which people mostly interact online with others who share the same political opinions.”  Their results suggest that echo chambers not only isolate one from opposing views, but also help to create “incubation chambers for blatantly false (but highly salient and politicized) fake news stories.”

These findings have implications beyond just fake news on social media, according to the researchers. They suggest that "politicians who continuously repeat false statements will be successful, at least to some extent, in convincing people those statements are in fact true.”

PHOTO: David G. Rand, Tyrone Cannon, Gordon Pennycook

PERSPECTIVE: Keeping Up the Clean Energy Momentum in Connecticut

by Claire Coleman Despite President Trump’s best efforts to return to dirty, outdated fuels, clean energy is spreading like a wildfire across the country – in red and blue states alike. From California to Iowa, and Minnesota to Massachusetts, states are building affordable, local wind and solar power because they know the long-term benefits will free them from outdated fuels that pollute our air and water and change our climate.

Connecticut has historically been a leader on clean energy for the same reasons, and as a coastal state, knows the impacts of climate change: intense storms, serious drought, and unusual weather patterns. But despite the rising tides, recently our efforts to combat climate change are lagging behind many of our neighboring states. For example, Connecticut is largely absent from a recently published report by Union of Concerned Scientists, ranking states for leadership on “clean energy momentum,” and was not ranked among the top 15 states.

So what can Connecticut do to keep up clean energy momentum?

A first critical step is to make Connecticut accountable for the commitment the state made to reduce carbon pollution when it passed the Global Warming Solutions Act in 2008. Despite the robust, science-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 10 percent below 1990 emissions by 2020, and by 80 percent below 2001 emissions by 2050, Connecticut’s  GHG emissions are rising rather than declining. We need to change course and ensure Connecticut stays on track by adding interim targets. Connecticut Fund for the Environment supports a 55 percent reduction by 2030 and 75 percent reduction by 2040. Additionally, state agencies should be required to take climate change impacts into consideration when making planning and policy decisions. These new targets will hold our government accountable to stop further damage to the climate and create healthy and safe communities.

A second crucial step is to strengthen standards that require cleaner energy in the electric sector. Connecticut’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requires electric suppliers to obtain 20 percent of their energy from renewables like wind and solar by 2020. But Connecticut can realize greater returns by establishing longer-term targets. Other states in the region have put more aggressive standards in place: New York has a mandate of achieving 50 percent renewable generation by 2030; Rhode Island’s mandate is 38.5 percent by 2035; and Maine’s is 40 percent by 2017. Extending and strengthening our Renewable Portfolio Standard as our neighbors have done will make the air we breathe safer and drive investment in solar and wind development in Connecticut.

Ramping up local clean energy efforts will also create high-wage work in Connecticut—rather than buying our clean energy from neighboring states and Canada, fueling their economy instead of our own. Establishing a full-scale shared solar program, like so many other states already benefit from, would promote equal access to clean energy and spur local, private investment. Likewise, developing off-shore wind resources would create jobs at our ports and generate low-cost, reliable wind power for Connecticut residents.

This legislative session, the Connecticut legislature can put us back on the map of clean energy leaders. They can take action to create stronger standards that will halt further damage to our climate and reduce unhealthy air pollution. Connecticut’s residents deserve robust metrics to hold our government accountable, to prevent climate damage, and to ensure Connecticut is prepared to take advantage of clean energy innovations that will bring jobs to the state.

Delays in renewing our commitment to clean energy will harm our families, our children, and future generations. The time is now to go all-in on a solid clean energy future for Connecticut.

_______________________________

Connecticut Fund for the Environment climate and energy attorney Claire Coleman previously served as Counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee, where she worked on issues including energy policy and regulation, and in private practice.  

Connecticut Fund for the Environment and its bi-state program Save the Sound protect the land, air, and water of Connecticut and Long Island Sound. CFE uses legal and scientific expertise to benefit our environment for current and future generations, and in 2008 helped lead a grassroots coalition to pass the groundbreaking Global Warming Solutions Act.

CT Ranked #4 in US in Education, Economic, Civic Opportunity

Including Connecticut, ranked #4 nationally, the New England states grabbed five of the top 10 slots in the Opportunity Index, an analysis of “how opportunities measure up” in communities across the country.  The Opportunity Index is an annual composite measure at the state and county levels of economic, educational and civic factors that expand opportunity. Leading the opportunity rankings are Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, North Dakota, Nebraska, Maine and Minnesota.  Connecticut exceeded the national average in all three components – Jobs and Local Economy, Education, and Community Health and Civic Life.

In the Education component of the Opportunity Index, Connecticut ranked second.  The state ranked sixth in the Community aspect of the index, but 20^th in the Economy scorecard.  The Economy rankings included data on jobs, wages, poverty, inequality, access to banking, affordable housing and internet access.

Connecticut’s overall score was 62.8, compared with the national average of 54.0.  Among Connecticut’s eight counties, the best overall opportunities are in Middlesex County, which earned a 63.1 score.  Next were Tolland County, 62.3; Fairfield County,62.1; Litchfield County, 60.6; Hartford County 59.5; New Haven County, 56.8; New London County, 54.3; and Windham County 51.2.

The index was jointly developed by Measure of America and Opportunity Nation.

Nationally, overall opportunity has increased by 8.9 percent since 2011, as unemployment has dropped and violent crime has been reduced, the data indicated.  In addition, the rate of young adults from age 16 to 24 who are neither working nor in school has fallen 9.1% since 2011, but remains above pre-recession levels. This number has decreased slightly since 2015.

Opportunity Nation is a bipartisan, national coalition of more than 350 businesses, nonprofits, educational institutions and community leaders working to expand economic opportunity. Opportunity Nation seeks to close the opportunity gap by amplifying the work of its coalition members, advocating policy and private sector actions and releasing the annual Opportunity Index.  Measure of America provides easy-to-use yet methodologically sound tools for understanding well-being and opportunity in America.

The data, according to survey sponsors, comes from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the Federal Communications Commission, the National Center for Education Statistics, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Justice.

Waterbury, Hartford, Simsbury Receive National Recognition for Main Street Initiatives; Eight Local Efforts to Receive Awards

Three Connecticut communities in the Connecticut Main Street network have achieved accreditation for meeting the commercial district revitalization performance standards set by Main Street America, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Connecticut Main Street programs that earned accreditation for their 2016 performance are Simsbury Main Street Partnership, Upper Albany Main Street (Hartford), and Main Street Waterbury.

The accreditation was announced at the 2017 Main Street Now Conference in Pittsburgh. Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of accredited Main Street programs, which have demonstrated exemplary commitment to historic preservation and community revitalization through the Main Street Four Point Approach.

"Connecticut's Main Street America Accredited programs, Simsbury Main Street Partnership, Upper Albany Main Street (Hartford), and Main Street Waterbury, are well-established Main Street management organizations with histories of strong and dynamic leadership. Each has developed and maintained outstanding programs that increase the economic value of their districts while improving the quality of life for area residents," said Kimberley Parsons-Whitaker, Associate Director of Connecticut Main Street Center.

"Main Street revitalization is sustainable when the professional management organization is committed to engaging local stakeholders (business and property owners, anchor institutions, local government, and local residents) in envisioning a vibrant Main Street, and developing strong partnerships that result in action-oriented steps that bring the Main Street neighborhood back to life."

Working in partnership with Main Street America, Connecticut Main Street Center evaluates each of the state's Designated Main Street Programs annually to identify those programs that meet ten performance standards. Evaluation criteria determine the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking programmatic progress and actively preserving historic buildings.

The recognition doesn’t stop there.  Connecticut Main Street Center will be presenting its annual Awards of Excellence on Thursday, May 18 at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

Among the recipients: a downtown management organization engaging the community in envisioning two underutilized parks as places that downtown residents, visitors, workers and families can mingle with artists and creatives, and a regional planning organization that created a program focused on supporting local businesses, creating jobs and filling vacant spaces in eight village.

In total, eight recipients have been selected to receive the prestigious awards, including organizations and initiatives from Bridgeport, Unionville Village in Farmington, Hartford, Meriden, New Britain, New Haven, and the Northwest Corner.

Among the winning entries: a 14-acre flood control project that created a public park and mixed-use economic development in downtown Meriden; a comprehensive and complete overhaul of the City of Hartford’s zoning language and process; an interpretive wayfinding/signage program that connects Walnut Hill Park, Little Poland and Downtown New Britain; the restoration of a historic ball bearing mill on the banks of the Farmington River into a mixed-use campus in the heart of Unionville Village; a Twilight Bike Race & Street Festival that celebrates biking, food, culture and entertainment in Downtown New Haven; and the redevelopment of a 1903 factory building into 72 units of market rate housing within easy walking distance of jobs and transit in downtown Hartford.

Created in 2003 to recognize outstanding projects, individuals and community efforts to bring traditional downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts back to life, socially and economically, the Awards of Excellence are presented annually. CMSC’s mission is to be the catalyst that ignites Connecticut’s Main Streets as the cornerstone of thriving communities. CMSC is dedicated to community and economic development within the context of historic preservation, and is committed to bringing Connecticut’s commercial districts back to life socially and economically. CMSC is supported by its Founding Sponsors, the CT Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD) and Eversource Energy. CMSC is also supported by its Growth Sponsors, UIL Holdings Corp. and the State Historic Preservation Office.

In New England, Most Believe At Least Half of High School Grads Not Ready for College, Career

New Englanders overwhelmingly believe that at least half of high school students across the region graduate unprepared for college and a career, and that student-centered learning environments are part of the solution to this readiness problem. That’s according to the results of a poll that reflects growing concerns that children are not fully equipped for life after high school.  It is seen by some as a tipping point in public opinion that positions student-centered learning—which tailors education to the interests and needs of each student—as an answer to providing young people with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed upon entering post-secondary education and the workforce.

That’s according to the Nellie Mae Education Foundation (Nellie Mae) which released the poll that was conducted by the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy, which surveyed 2,400 individuals across the region from August 5-31, 2016.

“Although graduation rates are at an all-time high, New Englanders are well aware that a diploma alone is no longer sufficient to ensure success for our students after high school,” said Nick Donohue, president & CEO of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation.

Among Connecticut residents, 33% said most graduates are prepared for college and a career, 48% said about half of graduates are ready, and 18% believe that “few graduates” are prepared for college and career.  Connecticut and New Hampshire had the highest percentage indicating that “most graduates” are prepared, with one-third of respondents (33%) expressing that view.

“Too frequently students arrive at college requiring developmental or remedial classes to strengthen basic skills just to move on to college-level material, or they begin careers without the tools and skills necessary to help them early on in their professional lives. The situation is more severe for people in traditionally marginalized communities – places that we need to prosper so our society can advance. The good news is that student-centered approaches to learning represent a path forward in which all students can succeed.”

There were some differences among the states.  In Connecticut, 48 percent said “some changes are needed, but basically schools should be kept the same.”  Only 14 percent said “public schools work well as they are now,” while 30 percent said “major changes are needed” and 8 percent said “a complete overhaul is needed” (the smallest percentage among the New England states).

A significantly greater proportion in Rhode Island believe “a complete overhaul is needed” than in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.   A significantly greater proportion in Maine believe “a complete overhaul is needed” than in Connecticut.

Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed in Connecticut (64%) called for “using technology to enhance the way students learn in the classroom” – the highest percentage among the six New England states.  A majority called for “more significant efforts to close achievement gaps” (59%), more effective teachers (62%) and changes to the ways schools are funded (57%).  The state legislature in Connecticut is currently considering changes in the school funding formula proposed by Gov. Malloy in the wake of a state court decision.

According to Nellie Mae, across New England, only 50 percent of high school students are graduating with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed after high school. These poll results show that New Englanders not only agree this is unacceptable, but that 90 percent believe that student-centered learning environments are part of the solution toward ensuring high school graduates are college and career ready.

Nellie Mae defines student-centered learning as personalized and happening anywhere, anytime. In student-centered environments, students move ahead based on mastery of content rather than class-seat time and they exert ownership over their own learning.

New Englanders found teachers to be among the most trusted group when it comes to educational decision-making and showed confidence in their ability to improve public education. Respondents also reported having confidence in parents and school and district leaders for improving education.

The poll comes amidst efforts by Nellie Mae to reshape public education in New England to reach an aggressive benchmark of 80 percent college and career readiness among our high school graduates by 2030. The Foundation is investing $200 million in grantmaking efforts toward advancing student-centered learning in schools and districts across the region in order to achieve this goal.

The Nellie Mae Education Foundation is the largest philanthropic organization in New England that focuses exclusively on education.

To read the poll report in its entirety, please visit http://bit.ly/2k4Dvv5

Carolina Attendance Plummets; Proposal for Hartford Region to Buy Back Whalers, Bring 'Em Home

In a press conference on May 6, 1997, team owner Peter Karmanos Jr. said he was moving his hockey team, the Hartford Whalers, to Raleigh and renaming it the Carolina Hurricanes. It has been 20 years, and now there is an effort – voiced by Hartford City Councilman John Gale – to go back to the future, and bring the franchise to Hartford's XL Center.  It is a long-shot, wistful effort that has yet to capture the public imagination in Connecticut, or any apparent interest from Karmanos, despite near constant rumors, and some intimation, that the franchise could be bought, for the right price.  There has been consistent resistance from the NHL to moving the franchise from Raleigh, but no new comment since the latest idea became public.

“This is a market where the people have a good feeling about themselves, have a good feeling about the future,” Karmanos said two decades ago of the Carolina market to which he was redirecting the soon-to-be former Whalers. “I think they want a sports team here as a quality-of-life issue, something they can identify with.”

Now, Gale suggests in an op-ed published by the Hartford Courant, the team ought to return for much the same reason. “What if we could provide the region with an identity, a rallying point; what if there were a way to bring back the Whale and give it a built-in metro area base of support; and we did it all by regionally cooperating,” Gale wrote.

It has been two decades of highs and lows as the Carolina Hurricanes – two Stanley Cup appearances, and one win of the Cup in the early years, and the worst attendance in the National Hockey League, or near the bottom, more recently.  In Hartford, the Whalers remain very much a part of the city's consciousness.

The Hurricanes have had the NHL’s worst home attendance in each of the past two years, and attendance at home games has dropped for five consecutive years, averaging 11,776 this season for 41 home games.

In January, NBC Sports reported that team President Don Waddell said Karmanos was not actively looking to sell the team, but that “If someone came along and wanted to buy it, I’m sure we’d talk about it but we’re not actively out there trying to find investors. If someone calls and says, ‘Hey, I want to buy the team,’ we’re taking that call.”  A year ago, there were rumors of a sale and move to Quebec City.

Today, the Hurricanes Executive Vice President and General Manager is Hall of Famer Ron Francis.  The former standout – in Hartford and Carolina – was the first player to have his number retired by the Hurricanes, on Jan. 28, 2006. Francis, captain dubbed “Ronnie Franchise,” saw his No. 10 – the jersey number in Connecticut and Carolina – raised high above the arena.

Earlier this year, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman was quoted by USA Today as saying "Peter may sell, he may not sell.  He may sell all of it. He may sell some of it. He may sell none of it. There's no formal sale process going on. There's no imperative for the franchise to be sold on any immediate basis, and the franchise is not moving.”

Within weeks of those comments, Gov. Malloy and Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin made a play for the Brooklyn-based New York Islanders, rumored to be seeking a new home due to spotty attendance at the home they share with the Brooklyn Nets.  Those hopes were dashed last month when the team announced they planned to stay in New York, and are considering plans for a new hockey arena on Long Island or in Queens near Shea Stadium.

That effort caught the interest of data-guru Nate Silver, founder and editor of FiveThirtyEight.com, who revived his 2013 study that noted the Hartford-New Haven media market is the largest in the U.S. without a “big four” sports franchise.  He estimated that about 175,000 avid NHL fans live in the Hartford-New Haven metro area. “That sounds bad, though it’s comparable to or slightly better than some of the lower-tier American NHL markets, including Columbus, Raleigh-Durham, Miami and Nashville (and better than Las Vegas, where the NHL is expanding). Furthermore, there’s potentially room for growth. According to our estimates, 7 percent of adults in the Hartford metro area were avid NHL fans in 2013. But the percentage is 13 percent in the New York metro area and 17 percent in the Boston metro area.”  Sliver added that “If the Islanders or another team were to relocate to Hartford, the numbers would probably improve.”

Gale’s proposal: “What if all 38 towns in the Capitol Region Council of Governments banded together to buy the franchise and brought it back to Hartford? Grand lists are representative of the respective wealth of each town. So, the 38 towns would each pay a portion of the purchase price of the Whalers hockey team based on their percentage of the total grand list of all 38 towns. The average per capita cost for all 38 towns is $274 per person.”

In the Whalers’ final season in Hartford, 1996-97, attendance at the Hartford Civic Center had grown to 87 percent of capacity, with an average attendance of 13,680 per game.  Published reports suggest that the average attendance was, in reality, higher than 14,000 per game by 1996-97, but Whalers ownership did not count the skyboxes and coliseum club seating because the revenue streams went to the state, rather than the team.  Attendance increased for four consecutive years before management moved the team from Hartford. (To 10,407 in 1993-94, 11,835 in 1994-95, 11,983 in 1995-96 and 13,680 in 1996-97.)

Carolina’s average home attendance during the just-concluded 2016-17 season was 11,776– the worst in the 30 team league. That was a drop from the 2015-16 average of 12,203, which was lowest in the NHL that year as well.

ESPN reported last year that the Whalers Booster Club remains visible, and Whalers gear continues to sell briskly, in and beyond the Hartford region.

"We always march in Hartford's St. Patrick's Day parade," said Joanne Cortesa, the club's president.  "And every time we hear people chanting, 'Bring 'em back, bring 'em back!' Every place we go, it's 'Bring 'em back!'"

"It's probably not going to happen next week or next month," Bronin told ESPN. "But we'd certainly welcome having the NHL return to Hartford."

PERSPECTIVE - Suicide Prevention: Beyond the “13 Reasons Why”

by Rachel Papke The Netflix series ‘13 Reasons Why’ has sparked a national conversation about suicide. We see this happen a lot when there’s a big story to tell that strikes a controversial cord. But here’s my opinion: These conversations need to extend beyond the short lifespan of a big story or a popular movie or series.

Whether you know it or not, there are people and organizations working tirelessly year-round to bring suicide prevention into the light. When will those efforts take the spotlight? It’s their work that should be our focus, that we should support and reference throughout the year to have meaningful conversations about mental health and suicide prevention. Suicide prevention efforts exist, persist, and extend far beyond the ‘13 Reasons Why.’

What can you do?

Engage in conversations with each other, your children, your communities, and beyond.

Why do we need to talk about suicide with high school students?

• 6% of Connecticut high school students said they felt sad or hopeless for 2 or more weeks in a row over the past 12 months*

• 4% of Connecticut high school students seriously contemplated suicide in the past year*

• 9% of Connecticut high school students attempted suicide in the past year*

• 4% of Connecticut high school students said they got the kind of help they needed when they felt sad, angry, hopeless, or anxious*

• Nationally, almost 1 in 4 high school females seriously considered suicide and 1 in 5 made a plan for how they would attempt suicide*

Suicide is a major public health concern, and we need to always have conversations using safe messaging,supporting help-seeking behavior.

Understand that suicide contagion is a real concern with decades of research to back up its existence. Because of the graphic and triggering content in this series the producers have a tremendous responsibility to adhere to safe messaging recommendations to prevent suicides.

Recently, Netflix responded to the myriad concerns from individuals and organizations regarding this and they are working to add more trigger warnings and place the www.13reasonswhy.info website at the start of the series so that it is visible and viewers know where to go if they need immediate help.

Talking about Suicide

If you’re not sure where to start, I’ve included links to help you start that conversation. Please take the time to educate yourself. Then, start the conversation utilizing these resources to help you. Please share these resources with your network to help keep the conversation going in a safe way that promotes mental health and prevents suicide.

Ask your child, “How are you feeling?”

Maybe they’re embarrassed to share their thoughts with others. Or, they’ve tried talking about it, but don’t feel anyone listened or understood. Help them understand that there are friends, family members, counselors, and therapists available that want to help and are ready to listen.

If you, a friend or family member is struggling emotionally, you, are not alone. The number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-8255.

___________________________

Rachel Papke is the Communications Manager at the Jordan Porco Foundation charity. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Media Studies at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

Resources

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

• CT Suicide Advisory Board

• JED Foundation 13 Reasons Why Talking Points

• Parental Perspective

• Safe Messaging

• Teachable Moments from “13 Reasons Why”

• Resources for Suicide Prevention

Note: The opinions expressed in this perspective piece are personal, and not those of the Jordan Porco Foundation. This content is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as mental health advice from the individual author or the Jordan Porco Foundation. You should consult a mental health professional for advice regarding your individual situation.If you need support now, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or, text HOME to 741741 to get help 24/7 from the Crisis Text Line. If you or someone you know needs help, you can visit the Jordan Porco Foundation’s resources page.

*2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data from the Connecticut DPH and the CDC

CT Communities Among Safest Places to Live; Weston and Madison Lead the Way

Two Connecticut communities – Weston and Madison – are among the top 15 safest cities in America, according to a newly released analysis. SafeWise has compiled their 4th annual 100 Safest Cities in America Report, which also ranked three other Connecticut towns in the top 100 - Wilton, Ridgefield, and Canton.

To compile this report, SafeWise analysts considered the most recent complete FBI crime data from 2015 to rank these communities, which all have a minimum population of 10,000 people. SafeWise is a home security and safety brand committed to increasing safety education, awareness, and preparedness in American communities.

Weston was ranked at #6, Madison at #14, Wilton at #49, Ridgefield at #57, and Canton at #85.

“There is a lot that the nation can learn about community policing, the walkability of safe streets and collaboration between police and neighborhood watch programs to help improve the safety of our cities,” SafeWise Security Analyst Olga Papadimitriou said.

Last year, the top five in Connecticut were Ridgefield, Wilton, Weston, Easton and Redding. 

Based on the most recent FBI Crime Report, according to SafeWise, the violent crime rate in Connecticut is nearly 40 percent lower than the national average and the property crime rate is over 25 percent lower. Among the state’s 20 safest cities, however, only about three crimes were reported for every 1,000 citizens.

Weston, with a population of 10,150 residents, according to the town’s website, features “two acre zoning, a lack of commercial development, a focus on open space, and an outstanding educational system.”  Twenty percent of town residents commute to jobs in Manhattan daily. 

Last month, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®) awarded the Madison Police Department their second Advanced Law Enforcement Accreditation. This award was presented to the Madison Police Department at the organization’s annual conference.

Fun in CT? Ranked 37th in the US, But Among Leaders in Marinas, Fitness Centers, Money Spent on Recreation

While Connecticut ranked 37^th overall among the nation’s 50 states analyzed for their “fun” quotient, the state did have some standout rankings in specific categories – including the amount of money individual residents spend on recreation.  Despite ranking 35^th overall in “entertainment & recreation” categories and 40^th in “nightlife,” the state reached the top five in three sub-categories. In the analysis by the financial website WalletHub, Connecticut ranked third in the number of fitness centers per capita, at 15.7. New England neighbor Massachusetts ranked #1 with 17, and New Hampshire, New Jersey and Montana rounded out the top five in that category.

Connecticut ranked #1 in number of marinas per capita, tied with Maine and Rhode Island. Connecticut has 3.48 marinas per 100,000 residents, the data indicated. Maryland and Vermont ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.

In another top five finish, Connecticut ranked fourth in Personal Expenditures on Recreation per capita, at just over $1,900. Minnesota ranked first at $2,058. The Top 5 states, in order, were Minnesota, Massachusetts, Colorado, Connecticut and New Hampshire.

Overall, the “most fun states” were Nevada, South Dakota, Colorado, North Dakota, New York, Wyoming, Oregon, Louisiana, Montana, Hawaii, Maine, Minnesota, Florida, Vermont and California.  At the bottom of the list were Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama, West Virginia and Mississippi.

The overall rankings were weighted 80-20 between Entertainment & Recreation and Nightlife.  The Entertainment & Recreation categories included restaurants, beaches, movie theaters,  national parks, arts venues, and state spending on parks and recreation. The nightlife category included average beer & wine prices, movie costs, music festivals and access to bars.

Data used to create the ranking, which included 22 separate sub-categories, were collected from U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis, National Park Service, Council for Community and Economic Research, TripAdvisor, Beachapedia, Stadium and Arena Visits, Graphiq, American Gaming Association and WalletHub research.

16 CT School Districts Named Among Nation's Best Communities for Music Education

Sixteen Connecticut school districts are among 527 districts across the being recognized as being among the Best Communities for Music Education (BCME). The annual listing of outstanding music education programs, now in its 18^th year, is developed by The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation in cooperation with researchers at The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

The awards program recognizes outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made music education part of the curriculum. Designations are made to districts that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment and access to music education. These districts "set the bar in offering students access to comprehensive music education," according to officials at the NAMM Foundation.

The Connecticut school districts earning a slot on the Best Communities list:  Avon Public Schools, Bethel Public Schools, Bristol Public Schools, Canton Public Schools, Cheshire Public Schools, Fairfield Public Schools, Glastonbury Public Schools, Newington Public Schools, Newtown Public Schools, Plainville Community Schools, Regional School District No. 8, Simsbury Public School District, Southington Public Schools, Torrington Public Schools, West Hartford Public Schools, and Westport Public Schools.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, local school districts answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

Last year, 13 Connecticut school districts were named, among 476 districts nationwide.  New to the list this year are Avon, Fairfield, Plainville, and Regional School District No. 8.  Falling from the list is Wilton.   

The designation takes on added significance this year, officials point out, with new research showing strong ties between K-12 school students who actively participate in school music education programs and overall student success. A recent study of students in the Chicago Public Schools by brain researchers at Northwestern University, detailed in Neuroscientist and Education Week, builds on previous findings that participation in music education programs helps improves brain function, discipline and language development, according to officials.

“Studying music has intrinsic benefits and, on its own, is core to learning.  Also, the links between student success and music education have now been demonstrated by brain researchers in multiple studies,” said Mary Luehrsen, Executive Director of The NAMM Foundation. “The schools and districts our foundation recognizes are building on that connection between music and academics. These schools and districts are models for other educators who see music as a key ingredient in a well-rounded curriculum that makes music available to all children, regardless of zip code.”

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by The National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,300 members around the world. Its mission is to advance active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving, and public service programs.