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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Teachers say burnout is driving people out of the field
The state’s largest teachers union says burnout is causing teachers around the state to leave the field. The Connecticut Education Association said its annual survey found burnout is now the top concern for teachers around the state, as 62% said they’re considering retiring early or changing careers. “We love what we do, but we’re getting tired,” Newington teacher Elsa...
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Bridgeport not releasing investigation that led to firing of employee charged with ballot fraud
People in Bridgeport are calling on the city to release the findings of an investigation that led to a city employee losing her job earlier this month. Bridgeport fired Wanda Geter-Pataky, who is at the center of two absentee ballot scandals but cited attorney-client privilege in refusing to release anything from the investigation. Bridgeport hired an outside law firm…
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Dept. of Social Services urges SNAP recipients to protect their benefits
The Department of Social Services is urging SNAP recipients to change their PIN numbers as EBT thefts remain high. “We certainly recommend that you change it often, you never know when a situation could arise, when you could be a victim,” DSS Director of Program Oversight Dan Giacomi said. DSS said thieves stole $132,455.83 in the 2023 budget year –…
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Rowland, other governors fondly remember ‘marvelous' Jodi Rell
Connecticut’s past and current governors remember former governor M. Jodi Rell as a bipartisan politician capable of bringing the state together. They also say Rell, who died Wednesday at the age of 78, was able to bring the state together thanks to those skills during a tumultuous time in Connecticut politics. “I think she was just a very healing person…
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Teachers worried about Education Department under Linda McMahon
Connecticut could continue its connection to the U.S. Education Department, as President-Elect Donald Trump has picked Linda McMahon to run the agency. McMahon, the former wrestling executive who ran the Small Business Administration under Trump’s first term, would replace Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, the former Meriden superintendent and state education commissioner. Republicans see McMahon’s potential nomination as...
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Medicaid deficit has Republicans questioning benefits for undocumented immigrants
Connecticut’s Medicaid expenses are on pace for a $220 million budget shortfall. A policy extending coverage to undocumented children 15 and under is one of the reasons. The Office of Policy and Management, or OPM, doesn’t have any estimate for how much extra the policy is costing, but Democrats are standing by it. “We can be either proactive and humane…
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Immigration advocates vow to fight Trump deportation plans
Immigration advocates say they’ve already been preparing for President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to ramp up deportations once he returns to the White House. “We anticipate that they’re going to be very quick, very rapid, very massive efforts to grab as many people as possible and deport them,” National Immigration Law Center President Kica Matos said during a rally outside...
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Executives, lawmakers talk about how to increase energy supply, bring down cost
Energy prices will likely be a major issue when lawmakers return to the capitol in roughly two months. Some state officials talked with energy industry executives Wednesday about forming a long-term energy strategy for the state. “We have everybody’s attention right now, everybody’s focused on energy,” Rep. Jonathan Steinberg (D-Westport) said before several panels as part of Rebellion Group’s...
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Republican questions UConn student votes, election workers rebuke complaint
After losing one of the closer races in the state, Republican Christopher Reddy wants election regulators to take a closer look at his race. Reddy has filed a complaint with the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC), raising concerns about how Mansfield election workers handle an Election Day registration surge of University of Connecticut students. “Our goal here is to make…
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When will absentee ballots be available to everyone?
A week ago, voters approved removing constitutional limits to absentee ballots and now the focus shifts to the legislature. Lawmakers will come up with a new process and some supporters hope we could see no-fault absentee ballots a year from now. “It will benefit people that are working, people with disabilities and anyone who takes the time out to cast…
