Mike Savino is the political reporter for NBC Connecticut, making sure Connecticut’s government officials work on behalf of the voters.
Mike is a lifelong Connecticut resident who loves telling the stories of his home state. He’s an alumnus of the University of Connecticut and a graduate of E.O. Smith High School.
Prior to joining NBC Connecticut, Mike worked for several newsrooms around Connecticut. He started his career as a staff writer for the Chronicle in Willimantic, then moved on to the Journal Inquirer in Manchester and the Meriden Record-Journal. He then made the switch to TV, joining a local Connecticut station. He also was head of multimedia for National Mortgage Professional, a business-to-business news outlet covering the mortgage industry.
Mike is a fierce advocate for transparency and open government. He’s been president of the Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information, a nonprofit organization that protects the state’s Freedom of Information Act, since 2018. He also won CCFOI’s Stephen A. Collins Award for reporting on FOIA issues in 2016.
When Mike’s not on air, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two dogs checking out all the great food Connecticut has to offer. He also loves going to sporting events, especially the UConn Huskies and Hartford Yard Goats.
The Latest
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Overdose deaths down, but advocates say help still needed
Overdose deaths around have fallen significantly from last year, a positive sign in the effort to battle opioid addiction. According to the CDC, overdose deaths are down by roughly 10% from 2023. And the dip is even better in Connecticut: 546 people died from overdoses through June, a drop of 152 from the same time last year. …
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Oil vendors, state tussle over energy assistance reimbursements
Oil vendors are increasingly frustrated with the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program. In fact, they say some are leaving the program altogether because reimbursements aren’t covering the cost of oil. “We contemplate being in the program or not being in the program and make that tough decision because we’re losing money,” Quinoco Energy Services General Manager Jim Hickey said. But...
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State not joining regional wind power purchase amid price concerns
Last October, Connecticut announced a historic partnership to purchase wind power with Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Nearly a year later, the two neighboring states announced plans to move forward without Connecticut. “Let’s see that the price looks like going forward and maybe it’s this deal or the next deal,” Gov. Ned Lamont said Wednesday about whether Connecticut will…
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Documentary honors life of Sen. Joe Lieberman
An upcoming documentary will highlight the life and career of U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman. “Centered: Joe Lieberman” is set for a public release in mid-November, nearly eight months after his death in March. The executive producer and director hope the film will encourage more bipartisanship in politics. “It’s not just a movie about his life,” Executive Producer Rob Schwartz...
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Blumenthal: People will be ‘shocked', ‘appalled' by report on first Trump assassination attempt
Sen. Richard Blumenthal warned Monday that an upcoming report will give a damning review of shortcomings that led to an assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump. While reacting to a second assassination attempt Sunday, he said a report is coming “very soon” summarizing the findings of an investigation by Congress and the U.S. Senate into the first attempt....
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Experts say Project 2025 is a ‘radical transformation of American political life'
Vice President Kamala Harris has raised the issue and former President Donald Trump has distanced himself from it. But what is Project 2025? It’s a 900-plus page plan from the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation that lays out a plan “for conservative victory through policy, personnel and training.” It’s normal for think tanks across the political spectrum to...
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Connecticut upgrades voting tabulators
Connecticut is upgrading its voting equipment for the first time in nearly 20 years. The new machines will arrive in time for nine towns to test them during this fall’s presidential election. “These machines will absolutely help bring out election infrastructure into the 21st century,” Registrars of Voters Association of Connecticut President Chris Prue said during a press conference in…
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Rally calls for end to public benefits charge on electricity bills
Dozens of frustrated electricity customers gathered at the Capitol Thursday, pleading with lawmakers to return for a special session to address a recent rate hike. The rally-goers want lawmakers to remove the public benefits portion from electricity bills, saying a July 1 hike to the public benefits rate is forcing people to make difficult decisions. “I don’t think the people…
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Connecticut voters react to Harris-Trump debate
Bert Baez was considering not voting for a president when his choices were President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump. He remained undecided when Biden stepped out and Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee. That was until Tuesday’s presidential debate. “Trump just kind of seemed to be going on tangents and she seemed more…
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Survey shows students feel they aren't prepared for life after graduation
Carli Ellis felt her school in rural Maine wasn’t setting herself up for success. Most of the people in her community went on to work in retail or construction, but she didn’t find either interesting. “I was very like, kind of in a depression spiral,” she said. She dropped out of school and eventually moved to Connecticut last year....