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About the Center > Description|Participants|Staff|Alumni|Awards
Erin Kutz
Erin Kutz is a junior print journalism major and sociology minor at Boston University. She is interning this semester at USA Today's Money section and is corresponding for two Connecticut newspapers, the Norwalk Hour and the New London Day. In Boston, Erin worked for BU student newspaper The Daily Free Press, as a staff reporter, assignment editor and fact checker for the city section. Last semester, she served as the editor of the newspaper's weekly business feature section. Last summer Erin interned at a daily newspaper, theNorwich Bulletin, not far from her hometown of Clinton, Conn. Her career goal is to report at a major metropolitan newspaper, either as an investigative, education or religion beat reporter.
STORIES WRITTEN:
Support for families of deployed soldiers needed, some say
WASHINGTON, May 1 – When Elizabeth Lilly Rivera’s daughter returned in October from her 15-month deployment in Iraq, she would often wake up in the middle of the night with nightmares and drive off in her car, never saying where she was going or what she was doing. Rivera would wait anxiously by the window until her daughter returned.
Connecticut expands support for military families
WASHINGTON, April 18 – More than half of the military personnel deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan have spouses or children and when they return from deployment, the transition can be hard not only on the soldiers but on their families, who often share the mental, emotional and social pressures of the war.
Courtney inspired by pope’s message of compassion
WASHINGTON, April 17 – Pope Benedict XVI’s mass at the Washington Nationals stadium Thursday was an opportunity for Republicans, Democrats, civilians and military to come together, said U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District.
Pioneer North Pole crossing by USS Nautilus celebrated
WASHINGTON, April 11 – Late on Aug. 3, 1958, the USS Nautilus became the first vessel to cross the North Pole, an event that was celebrated Thursday night in Washington with presentations by members of the original crew and some of the officers who participated in later Arctic sub explorations.
Jackie Clegg Dodd urges increased efforts against child abuse
WASHINGTON, April 9 – Four children die each day in the United States because of abuse and neglect, a challenge to policymakers as well as a tragedy that could balloon in the current economic climate, Jackie Clegg Dodd said Wednesday. The wife of U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., spoke at a legislative luncheon for Childhelp, an organization founded in 1959 that attempts to fight child abuse through programs such as a 24-hour abuse hotline, foster care services, an initiative that trains teachers in recognizing the signs of abuse and residential treatment facilities for abused children.
College Students Should explore loan options early, Courtney says
WASHINGTON, April 4 – The sub-prime mortgage epidemic has required Americans to stay on guard in all areas of financing—even student loans, says U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.). “The liquidity challenge to the financial markets really is still an issue for all kinds of lending,” he said in a telephone interview this week. “People are kind of sleeping with one eye open.”
New Sub Group 2 commander returns to submarine life
WASHINGTON, April 3 – When family and friends are asked to describe Navy Rear Adm. Bruce Grooms, one of the first words out of their mouths is “leader.”
”Humble” or one of its synonyms quickly follows.
Senators examine Bear Stearns intervention as reason for reform
WASHINGTON, April 3--The federal intervention in fronting $30 billion to save nearly bankrupt investment bank Bear Stearns was defended on Capitol Hill Thursday by administration officials, but senators wanted to know how things went so wrong and what they indicate for reforms in financial oversight and regulation.
Pig Book pork spending list includes money for second submarine
WASHINGTON, April 2 – Wasteful government spending grew 30 percent in the budget for fiscal year 2008, said government watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste when it released its Pig Book Wednesday. Its listing of such spending includes money designated for spending in Connecticut to accelerate construction of a second Virginia-Class submarine.
Pig Book puts pork spending at $17.2 billion
WASHINGTON, April 2 – Wasteful government spending grew 30 percent in the budget for fiscal year 2008, said government watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste when it released its Pig Book Wednesday. The 2008 Pig Book listed $17.2 billion in what it dubbed pork-barrel spending on 11,610 projects—the second-highest number of such projects since the organization first compiled the Pig Book in 1991.
UConn joins homeland security effort
WASHINGTON, March 21 – The University of Connecticut is taking a leadership role in developing national transportation solutions for everything from bridge collapses to evacuations during natural disasters or terrorist attacks.
Election Commission Computer Error Results in Wrong Figures
WASHINGTON, March 19 — The Federal Election Commission early this month reported on its Web site incorrect campaign contribution numbers for all Senate candidates after making an error when transferring the candidates’ paper filings to an electronic version. The numbers have now been corrected.
Adm. Allen urges Congress to approve Coast Guard budget request
WASHINGTON, March 6 — Adm. Thad Allen, the Coast Guard commandant, touted his branch’s successes in the past year Thursday while urging Congress to approve the full amount sought in President Bush’s fiscal year 2009 budget request.
Adm. Allen urges Congress to approve Coast Guard budget request
WASHINGTON, March 6 — Adm. Thad Allen, the Coast Guard commandant, touted his branch’s successes in the past year Thursday while urging Congress to approve the full amount sought in President Bush’s fiscal year 2009 budget request.
Dodd pushes for energy assistance program to be fully funded
WASHINGTON, March 5 – When Hartford resident Robin Hussain left her job to care for her grandchildren full-time, she quickly learned that federal energy assistance, not savvy shopping, would help her make ends meet.
Mr. Himes goes to Washington for crash course for candidates
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 –Democrats welcomed Jim Himes and other congressional hopefuls to Washington this week for a two-day crash course in policy formation, networking and responding to third party attack ads that plague the later days of elections.
Senators challenge probe of sleeping guards at nuclear plant
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 – Senators challenged Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials and industry executives Thursday over security concerns at nuclear plants. “Public confidence in the industry is only as good as its weakest link,” said Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio).
Funds for additional submarine leave suppliers optimistic
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 — The Submarine Industrial Base Council had its 17th annual congressional breakfast Thursday with a distinct note of cheer in the air. It was the first such meeting since Congress in November 2007 approved $588 million for construction of two Virginia-class submarines per year starting in 2011 instead of 2012, which was the Navy's initial suggestion.
Bill proposed to curtail campaign automated phone calls
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27-- Nearly two-thirds of voters—90 million people—received automated phone messages during the 2006 election year, according to a 2006 Pew Research Center study. Now members of Congress are moving to restrict the practice.
Bill proposed to curtail campaign automated phone calls
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27-- Nearly two-thirds of voters—90 million people—received automated phone messages during the 2006 election year, according to a 2006 Pew Research Center study. Now members of Congress are moving to restrict the practice.
Courtney looking to slice school energy expenditures
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 – U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-2nd District) is trying to bring federal help to Connecticut's failing schools. They're not failing academically but environmentally. Connecticut school buildings scored an average of 26 out of 100 in energy efficiency based on the Energy Star rating developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to a 2006 study conducted by the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Some say money isn’t everything in the District 4 race
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22-- Democratic challenger Jim Himes has raised nearly 80 percent as much as U.S. Rep. Chris Shays, R-4, has for the 2008 election, but through 11 elections extraordinary sums of money have yet to knock Shays from his congressional seat.
Shays sponsors plan to make health insurance affordable for all
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 – Presidential campaigns are not the only front in the debate over expanding health care coverage across the nation. As presidential candidates have laced their stump speeches and debates with talk of overhauling health care, U.S. Reps. Christopher Shays, R-4, and James Langevin, D-R.I. have made a bipartisan effort of their own to bring about affordable insurance for all.
Dodd urges protection of benefits under family leave act
WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 –U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) Wednesday marked the 15th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act’s passage by accusing the Department of Labor of restricting employee access to the law’s benefits and advocated for paid work leave.
Some claim effective programs left out of economic stimulus plan
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 — Two programs left out of the Senate economic stimulus plan Thursday—extended jobless aid and more money for food stamps—would have provided bigger boosts to the economy than those included in the bill, according to economic analysts and Connecticut agencies.
Catholic groups observe Ash Wednesday with White House protest
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 — Members of Washington-area Catholic groups began the Lenten season Wednesday by smearing ashes over walkways in front of the White House as a symbol of what they called repentance for the country’s involvement in the war in Iraq and torture of Guantanamo detainees.
Dodd seeks solutions to housing foreclosures
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 – Citing the housing crisis as a driving force behind the economic downturn, U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., stressed the urgency Thursday of steps to remedy the effects of sub-prime mortgages and prevent similar future crises.
Senators defend importance of LIHEAP funds to stimulus package
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 — U.S. senators pushing to add Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds to the economic stimulus plan now before the Senate have rebuffed warnings that their proposal would hinder passage of the plan.
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