New authority offers region new hope

More inclusive, comprehensive agency will guide Hartford area’s development

Hartford’s push for more housing and state employees got a boost last week when lawmakers passed legislation creating a new regional authority to revitalize the Capital City.

Avon investment firm targets apartments

Put Dan Joseph, left, and Hagan Brown in the pool of investors who are bullish on the apartment housing market.

Rise of venture debt puts ray of sunshine on Horizon

Venture capital firms like Farmington's Horizon Technology Finance Corp. are increasingly tapping venture debt as a part of their financing toolbox for later-stage start-ups.

Minimum wage, CI-CDA merger fall by wayside

The 2012 legislative session was dominated by the education reform debate, but business owners held their breath as several measures surfaced.

CT firm taking organization charts public

Wiki-style venture holds promise for some, dangers for others

Company organizational charts showing names, titles and reporting structures are often closely-held secrets, but a fledgling Norwalk business is trying to change that.

Sketching ways to build time, vision

“Just Run It!” by Dick Cross (Bibliomotion, $24.95.)

Defibtech’s business is poised to soar

Armed with a new battery designed especially for aviation, Defibtech is ready to cash in on a potentially lucrative market as the world’s airlines consider replacing their defibrillators.

2011 a difficult tax year; 2012 could be even harder

Glad this grueling tax season's over? Blum Shapiro CPA partner Andrew Lattimer has some reasons why next year's could be even tougher.

Retailers’ marketing ploys more varied

Americans are getting more old-fashioned in their shopping habits. That’s the claim of the 2012 Shopper Engagement Study, which found that more shoppers than ever are making their final shopping decisions inside the store.

New fee-disclosure rule burdens plan sponsors

A new federal rule that requires mutual-fund companies and other plan administrators to clearly disclose their fees for employer retirement plans could spur more competition and ultimately lower costs for employers offering worker retirement plans, experts say.

Plotting a solution to the engineering shortage

Q&A talks about the engineering job outlook with Brad Waldron, Engineering Product Manager, Kelly Services

Movers & Shakers

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Miracle League field ready for first pitch

Come Father’s Day, a year-long dream will come true for organizers of West Hartford’s Miracle League of Connecticut Inc. June 17 is the day the nonprofit’s organizers have chosen to debut their Field of Dreams — a $700,000 handicapped accessible baseball field and playground.

Legislature leaves too much undone

In this year’s short legislative session, several major — even historic — matters were decided. The death penalty is out; medicinal marijuana is in; the hold of the liquor lobby was loosened.

Death penalty decision points to other reality

Every few years in Massachusetts, the boys and girls flex their muscles and launch a referendum grenade at the powers-that-be. Eliminate the income tax, slash the sales tax — of course, such stuff never actually passes, but it gets enough votes to at least cause the tax-and-spend folks to perspire for a few hours.

Forcing industry to lead recycling is paying off

DEEP's Diane Duva puts her best foot forward to size up the benefit to state taxpayers and businesses of recycling old TVs, PCs and mattresses.

Look around and stop being so negative

I’ve been talking to corporate groups a lot lately about the idea that the future is going to be better than many of us think — that we will live in a world of abundance made possible by new technology. Repeatedly, I’m thanked by the audiences for giving them a positive outlook.