Ginny Monk

Intern With Us | CT Mirror CT Mirror offers paid journalism internships in reporting and audience engagement. Details on the programs can be found here.

CT journalism students! Applications are open for a fall audience engagement internship @ctmirror.org Come work with me and @gabbydeben.bsky.social !

ctmirror.org/internships/

Report: Zoning boards in CT don't reflect community demographics A survey in New London and Fairfield Counties found that land-use boards were mostly comprised of white, male homeowners.

"Once seated on a land-use board, the job — which is unpaid — can be a significant commitment...That can make it harder for people who have kids, more than one job, or those who attend night school to join the boards." - @ginnymonk.bsky.social @ctmirror.org ctmirror.org/2025/07/08/l...

CT towing reforms will help some but not all, drivers say Connecticut lawmakers passed reforms on a century-old towing law. But they don’t solve all the problems that vehicle owners have raised.

Our latest on towing with @propublica.org was an exercise in community-engaged reporting. The sources for this story came to us mostly through a call-out that's been included in our stories. Contact info for me and Dave is included in this one.

ctmirror.org/2025/06/30/c...

Children went missing from DCF care about 3,700 times from fiscal years 2021 to 2023, and the number of incidents increased by 42%.

ctmirror.org/2025/06/26/c...

Good thread on today's press conference during which CT's governor announced he'd veto a housing bill he previously supported, the most significant piece of housing legislation to cross his desk during his time in office.

This is how I find out they're making a movie version of Whalefall!

CT lawmaker cites sexually explicit language during budget debate A book-banning provision within the CT budget prompted a lawmaker to read sexually explicit material on the House floor during debate.

My first story with an editor's content warning at the top came out of the Connecticut House of Representatives.

Reporting w/ Laura Tillman and Angela Eichhorst:

ctmirror.org/2025/06/03/c...

Ask children’s issues and housing reporter @ginnymonk.bsky.social any questions you have about housing bill HB 5002, her reporting, or what to expect on the last day of this year’s legislative session! She will be answering them starting at 4 P.M. tomorrow on Reddit!

www.reddit.com/r/Connecticu...

Connecticut Legislature Passes Bill Overhauling Century-Old Towing Laws The reforms, which were proposed in response to an investigation by CT Mirror and ProPublica, make it harder to tow vehicles from private property and easier for drivers to retrieve them after a tow.

The reforms, which were proposed in response to an investigation by @ctmirror.org‬ and ProPublica, make it harder to tow vehicles from private property and easier for drivers to retrieve them after a tow.

By @ginnymonk.bsky.social & Dave Altimari

Connecticut Legislature Passes Bill Overhauling Century-Old Towing Laws The reforms, which were proposed in response to an investigation by CT Mirror and ProPublica, make it harder to tow vehicles from private property and easier for drivers to retrieve them after a tow.

ICYMI, investigative journalism prompts good news: Connecticut Legislature Approves Towing Law Reforms

Connecticut Legislature Approves Towing Law Reforms The reforms, which came in response to an investigation by CT Mirror and ProPublica, make it harder to tow vehicles from private property.

This soon-to-be-law is due to the hard work of @ctmirror.org journalists, primarily Dave Altimari, @ginnymonk.bsky.social, @shahrzadrasekh.bsky.social and editor Beth Hamilton. It's good when journalism makes a real difference. ctmirror.org/2025/05/30/c...

Connecticut Legislature Passes Bill Overhauling Century-Old Towing Laws The reforms, which were proposed in response to an investigation by CT Mirror and ProPublica, make it harder to tow vehicles from private property and easier for drivers to retrieve them after a tow.

Tremendous impact. 🎉🎉 Prompted by @ctmirror.org @propublica.org Investigation, Connecticut Legislature Approves Towing Law Reforms, by @ginnymonk.bsky.social and Dave Altimari

Medical workers care for CT’s homeless — from an old ambulance Homelessness is increasing in Connecticut, and groups that want to help are asking the state for more money as cases grow more complex.

“In recent months, as more people, particularly seniors, have lost their housing, health workers are finding that the cases they handle are more complicated.”

Via: @ctmirror.org's @ginnymonk.bsky.social

ctmirror.org/2025/05...

#housing+ #urbanism #urbanism+

Medical workers care for CT’s homeless — from an old ambulance Homelessness is increasing in Connecticut, and groups that want to help are asking the state for more money as cases grow more complex.

I spent a few hours with health care workers visiting homeless encampments last week. They say the medical needs of the unhoused population are growing more complicated, that they’re starting to have end-of-life care conversations with people.

ctmirror.org/2025/05/25/c...

CT House approves bill overhauling state's towing laws The bill would make it harder to tow vehicles from private property in CT and easier for drivers to retrieve their vehicles after a tow.

CT's House of Representatives passed a bill this evening that would overhaul Connecticut's towing statutes.

ctmirror.org/2025/05/22/c...

CT no-fault evictions ban expansion dies in legislature Although lawmakers said many of their colleagues privately supported the idea, not enough of them were willing to vote in favor of the bill.

“The bill would have banned no-fault evictions, which typically occur at the end of a lease, in buildings with five or more units, after the tenant had been there for at least a year.”

By @ctmirror.org's @ginnymonk.bsky.social

ctmirror.org/2025/05...

#housing+ #urbanism #urbanism+

Journalists Attest to Experiences of Sexual Misconduct with Wesley Lowery Lowery rose to prominence as a reporter and media thinker. Women in the industry say he engaged in sexual harassment and assault.

Wesley Lowery rose to prominence as a reporter and media thinker. Women in journalism say he engaged in sexual harassment and assault. www.cjr.org/feature-2/we...

Homelessness surges in wealthy CT: 'I'm surrounded by millionaires, and next door this is happening' Homelessness is an issue throughout Connecticut but is particularly striking in Fairfield County, where great wealth and great struggle exist only miles apart.

Connecticut is one of the nation's richest states, yet has seen homelessness surge in recent years.

That includes Fairfield County, where one packed shelter sits only a couple miles from the state's wealthiest zip codes.

Part 2 of our series on inequality in CT.
www.ctinsider.com/news/article...

CT towing companies use items left in cars as leverage, drivers say Though the CT DMV allows owners access to towed cars to retrieve 'essential' items, people have lost important documents, car seats and more.

“No matter how many people you talk to, you lose things, and it’s nobody’s fault, nobody cares.”

The latest in our series on towing in CT, on what happens when a car is towed with possessions inside. Reporting w/ Dave Altimari for @ctmirror.org + @propublica.org:

ctmirror.org/2025/05/15/c...

Thanks, Tom!

CT MDA aims for housing, shops near transit: 'We want vibrancy' The Municipal Development Authority, which started work last year, helps towns build up their downtowns and areas near public transit.

New @ginnymonk.bsky.social just dropped!

“We want vibrancy,” said Mayor Pete Hess, on a recent walking tour of the site. “We want people walking, eating, drinking, shopping using the train.”

“[projects are expensive, then] out of nowhere, an angel came from above, and it was CMDA.”

Political deal to seat John Fonfara on PURA may prove unworkable Converting PURA to a quasi-public agency solely to give Sen. John Fonfara a promised seat is off the table for the 2025 legislative session.

Converting PURA to a quasi-public agency solely to give Sen. John Fonfara a promised seat is off the table for the 2025 legislative session.

Nearly 1 in 5 CT lawmakers are landlords. Could that affect policy? Several lawmakers said they can’t help but be shaped by their experiences, and that those experiences help color policy debate.

I have wondered this for forever, so naturally @ginnymonk.bsky.social found out and wrote it. Essential reading, as always.

20% of legislators are landlords—OF COURSE that impacts policy like just cause.

Next up: how many legislators are home owners versus renters?

ctmirror.org/2025/04/27/c...

Connecticut DMV Never Set Up System to Enforce a Century-Old Towing Law Towing companies can sell vehicles if owners don’t reclaim them or can’t afford the fees. To protect drivers, they’re supposed to turn over unclaimed profits, but the state says that’s never happened.

This year, the head of Connecticut’s DMV made a startling public admission, telling lawmakers that the agency, which regulates the towing industry, has never enforced a century-old law meant to protect drivers whose cars are towed.

By Dave Altimari & @ginnymonk.bsky.social, @ctmirror.org

I mean it matters a good deal to the people who had their cars towed and sold.

crochet!

The latest addition to the walls of the CT Capitol press room via @ctmirror.org intern Kat Struhar:

Our latest on towing in Connecticut:

CT DMV never set up system to enforce a century-old towing law Towing companies can sell vehicles if owners don’t reclaim them. They’re supposed to turn over unclaimed profits, but that’s never happened.

A century-old law says that CT drivers whose cars are towed and sold are entitled to claim the profits from the process. But the DMV has never set up a system for this to happen.

ctmirror.org/2025/04/07/c...

Time for a classical music break, it has been a long day.