Politics

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is one of about 30 governors facing budget shortfalls, a cold comfort as he approaches a re-election campaign with the task of explaining why a record $1.5 billion tax increase in 2011 failed to keep Connecticut in the black.

The Democratic governor is confronted with a double-barreled political challenge: Still facing Republican criticism over last year's tax increases, Malloy now has to persuade Democrats to accept deep spending cuts.

New Haven -- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy gave a high-profile roll out Tuesday to an anti-gun violence strategy that targets hundreds of young minority men deemed most likely to kill or be killed in Bridgeport, Hartford and New Haven.

In an era of tight resources and a political unwillingness to squeeze the supply of guns, "Project Longevity" is an ambitious, if politically easy new take on an old strategy: Focus existing social-services and law-enforcement resources on those most at risk.

The director of the state forensic laboratory in Massachusetts was tapped Monday to became the new director of the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's office announced.

Malloy and Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection Commissioner Reuben Bradford selected Dr. Guy Vallaro of Sutton, Mass., to lead the state office responsible for most forensic testing related to criminal investigations.