I had the chance today to drive some beautiful back roads through Avon, Simsbury, Bloomfield and West Hartford. I saw corn fields, small neighborhoods and a few farm stands. Soon many large trucks will also be on these roads.

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Before you know it, it will be October leaves will be turning,there's nothing like fall in New England. For your driving pleasure the state has set up some nifty little day trips for you with little landmark stops along the way as you are leaf peeping.
Check out the tourism web site, pack up the kids or the Grandparents and you're all set.
If you're not into checking out the color there are 52 other getaway ideas on this site as well.
http://www.tourism.state.ct.us/driving_loops/fall_loops_main.asp

This week I did a tough interview. Some may even call it controversial, but it was a story that needed to be told.

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Sure, there all "all girls" and "all boys" schools... but at public schools here in Connecticut, the classes are typically co-ed. Sixth graders in New London, however, have a choice this year.

For the first time, they were given the option of choosing single sex classes. In some areas of the country, the single-gender classes are a growing trend.

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What are your fondest memories of elementary school? Was it the chocolate milk that would stain your upper lip? Do you smile when you think of your teacher taking a break from fractions and opening the pages of a treasured novel to read to the class? Or perhaps it was recess, a chance for you and your friends to twirl on the monkey bars or play a lively game of football.

For fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade students in Bozrah, recess is a thing of the past. Dr. Maureen McLaughlin Scott, superintendent and principal of Bozrah, has eliminated recess at Fields Memorial School so as to meet minimum state requirements for classroom instructional hours and improve scores on the Connecticut Mastery Test.

At Monday’s Board of Education meeting, she also said there has been a disturbing trend of Bozrah students who are failing to meet academic goals at Norwich Free Academy, and the reason could be a lack of preparation at the lower level. She is also adding new reading and math curriculums, and believes getting rid of recess is one way to get students to “reach their potential.”

Dr. McLaughlin Scott added that, by law, fifth grade students are required to get some sort of physical exercise, and will continue to do so in a structured environment.

But the majority of parents at the meeting Monday say their kids need a break…a chance for a little play time…a chance for some socialization. Many parents brought up the point that getting rid of a 20 minute recess is not going to boost test scores or create the next Albert Einstein.

Would you be angry if this happened at your child’s school? Or do you worry your child’s school isn’t doing enough to get him/her ready for the next step?

On the first day of stepped up truck inspections on Avon Mountain, the state uncovered 80 violations, and pulled nine vehicles off the road.

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The controversy over the missing laptop at the state tax department got notched up today. In case you missed it; a CT Department of Revenue Services employee took a laptop on vacation to Long Island. It was stolen, along with approximately 100-thousand names of state taxpayers...along with THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS!!!

Letters to potential identity fraud victims started going out in the regular mail about ten days ago. The state is offering a one year subscription to an identity/credit protection service, free of charge.

Today, the Attorney General said the one year isn't nearly enough, the $5-thousand dollar protection isn't nearly enough...and the fraud alert protection isn't nearly enough.

Several investigations are underway. The Tax Department won't reveal who is responsible. The Governor is ordering new safeguards to be inplace by the end of the week.

What do you think? Did you get a letter from DRS? Has the state been offering too little, too slow, to protect you?

Not sure what to think about this one. For some time now, Milford has been struggling with a rash of graffiti. Now, to try to stamp it out, the city is pondering forcing the VICTIMS of graffiti pay the bill to get rid of it.

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