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Today’s Edition

A forest of fungi grows in Prospect as medicinal value of mushrooms increases

Fruits and vegetables are commonly touted for their various health benefits, but rising to that same status are mushrooms, or fungi. There’s growing evidence that edible mushrooms can have beneficial medicinal properties. Patrick Blanchette is a believer – and a grower. Owner and cultivator of Union City Farm in Prospect, Blanchette worked in insurance sales […]

How do we get the government out of pockets? Vote them out

From 1775 to 1783 our founders fought to live, act, speak and believe as they chose. No king or government, they believed, had the right to tell them what tax they must pay or the words they used or what cart they must pull. When a people work hard daily to survive, they take a […]

Addressing environmental tradeoffs

Connecticut has plenty of treeless tracts that are suitable for solar-energy development – from industrial roofs to vacant parking lots to unused agricultural sites to former industrial sites and landfills that are too polluted for retail or residential use. For reasons that never have been made clear, however, developers are repeatedly finding their way to […]

Watertown, Waterbury target of school shooting threats

WATERBURY – Two area teens were arrested in separate incidents Wednesday for allegedly making threats against Watertown students and Waterbury public schools, respectively. The threats came at the start of the school year and with the country on high alert following the most recent school mass shooting in Georgia. Gregory Collins, 18, of Watertown, was […]

NOTEWORTHY IN NORTH COUNTY: New Hartford Night is back Sept. 21

NEW HARTFORD New Hartford Night returns to Brodie Field on Sept. 21 from 3 to 9 p.m. with all the entertainment that has made it such a popular community event. It begins at 3 p.m. with an opening ceremony and music by the Northwestern Regional High School band. From 3:30 to 5:30, West Hill Groove […]

Judge rules against Prospect condo group

PROSPECT – A judge has ruled in favor of the Inland Wetlands Commission in a lawsuit against Regency at Prospect for the storage and use of salt to de-ice roads in the condominium community. The commission initially served Regency at Prospect Condominium Association a cease-and-desist order for the use and storage of salt on the […]

Torrington mulls cost of moving into new high school

TORRINGTON – With the move to the new high school mere months away, the Board of Education is trying to figure out how to pay to bring items from the old classrooms to the new. Students are scheduled to move into the new building in mid January 2025. One question budget committee members asked at […]

Advocates push for no-excuse absentee voting

WATERBURY – A campaign to build support for no-excuse absentee voting in Connecticut kicked off Thursday with events in Waterbury, Hartford, West Hartford and New Britain. A proposed constitutional amendment on the Nov. 5 ballot would authorize the General Assembly to enact a state law to permit voters to cast absentee ballots without being required […]

GOP rallies against soaring energy costs

HARTFORD – While temperatures are dropping from blistering summer highs, Republicans continued Thursday to try to turn up the political heat on Democrats regarding electricity costs. GOP legislators and a small gathering of roughly two dozen supporters rallied Thursday at the state Capitol to demand Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont and Democratic majority leaders agree to […]

Schaghticoke Tribe renews bid for federal recognition

NAUGATUCK – Schaghticoke Tribal Nation wants to be federally recognized once again after that recognition was stripped two decades ago. Chief Richard Velky, tribal members, state and local officials, including Mayor N. Warren “Pete” Hess, held a news conference Thursday in front of the Station Restaurant to correct what they said is an injustice and […]

Waterbury Police Blotter

WATERBURY Waterbury police recently filed the following charges: PAUL DECARVAHLO, 37, of 37 Chambers St., three counts second-degree failure to appear, second-degree criminal mischief, violation of protective order. ZUONIMYR CEPEDA, 24, of 221 Alder St., second-degree failure to appear. MARK BOUTOT, 56, of no certain address, second-degree failure to appear. LUIS CRESPO-HERNANDEZ, 42, of 26 […]

David Dispoto Sr.

WATERTOWN – David Dispoto Sr., 84, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, surrounded by love and comfort. David was the loving husband of Diana (Zibello) Dispoto for 62 years. David was born on July 22, 1940, in Waterbury, to Joseph and Antoinette (Barbieri) Dispoto. He grew up on Morro Street in Oakville, where […]

Waterbury pharmacy fuses with care clinic, community center for elderly

Pharmacy giant CVS Health has opened a combined primary care and pharmacy designed to serve Waterbury patients on Medicare, government insurance for the elderly. The new center, which features a CVS Pharmacy and Oak Street Health primary care clinic, opened Aug. 30 at 2000 N. Main St. in Waterbury. CVS Health says the facility is […]

Welcome to the Year of Our Zoom, chapter 4

It’s now been over four years since the COVID-19 pandemic caused cataclysmic changes to our world. Future historians will mark the year 2020 as the beginning of a new era, with all other years being labeled as either B.Z. or A.Z. (“Before Zoom” or “After Zoom.”) There is no doubt that video conference calls, commonly […]

Oktoberfest brews should be hoisted year-round

Oktoberfest beers would be available and celebrated all year long, if it were up to me. They’re the best of everything: smooth-drinking and refreshing with just a hint of malty sweetness. Unlike Shamrock Shakes and Champagne, Oktoberfest beers year-round would not be too much of a good holiday drink. But, alas, tradition dictates that the […]

The Mormon church’s oldest-ever president has turned 100

SALT LAKE CITY Leaders of worldwide religions commonly stay at the helm well past retirement age, but it’s not often you find centenarians overseeing major faiths. That’s what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has as of Monday when church president Russell M. Nelson turned 100. He had already become the oldest president […]

Today in History: September 13

Today in History: September 13, Rabin and Arafat sign Oslo Accord By The Associated Press undefined Today in History Today is Friday, Sept. 13, the 257th day of 2024. There are 109 days left in the year. Today in history: On Sept. 13, 1993, at the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO […]

Driver found guilty in 2020 fatal crash

TORRINGTON – Alec Cleveland showed no emotion Thursday after six jurors who deliberated for two hours found him guilty of second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle and driving under the influence in connection with the death of 21-year-old Tyler Brazil of Norfolk in 2020. Torrington Superior Court Judge Eliot D. Prescott increased Cleveland’s bond from […]

That’s my dad! Sami Anderson excitedly races against Bill at Waterford Speedbowl

WOLCOTT – As Wolcott’s Sami Anderson drove her black, pink and white No. 21 SK Light race car around the -mile track at Waterford Speedbowl, she looked out her window on a restart and smiled at what she saw: an identical No. 21 car driven by her dad, Bill. “It was weird, because I literally […]

From Beauty Pageant winner to winning race car driver

WOLCOTT – Six years ago after attending the funeral of her great uncle John Anderson and being regaled with stories about his auto racing success and escapades, Sami Anderson felt inspired to stop making excuses for feeling a bit lost in life. Although she was attending college and working, she was used to a more […]

Hallmark launches streaming service

Sylvester Stallone’s second season of “Tulsa King” is among this week’s new streaming entertainment releases. Hallmark launches a streaming service called Hallmark+ with two new original series, the scripted drama “The Chicken Sisters” and the unscripted series “Celebrations with Lacey Chabert.” Also, Shailene Woodley, DeWanda Wise and Betty Gilpin star in the new drama for […]

‘Speak No Evil’ an effective iteration of Danish horror film

There tends to be a sense of wariness around an American remake of an international film: a worry that the American version will squander the inherent qualities of the original; that the filmmakers and studio might take something singular and turn it into a bigger, shinier blockbuster. Ironically, that is exactly the case with writer/director […]

Sweetness finally wins the day in ‘My Old Ass’

They say tripping on psychedelic mushrooms triggers hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia and nervousness. In the case of Elliott, an 18-year-old restless Canadian, they prompt a visitor. “Dude, I’m you,” says the guest, as she nonchalantly burns a ‘smores on a campfire next to a very high and stunned Elliott. “Well, I’m a 39-year-old you. What’s up?” […]

Winsted school subject of “disturbing note”

WINSTED – The interim superintendent of the public elementary school district says there was “no threat to the safety of any student or staff member at any time” when staff discovered that one or more students at the Pearson School were involved in writing a “disturbing note” last week. The incident occurred last Thursday, the […]

State pension funds exceed expected returns

HARTFORD – State pension funds and trusts had a 11.5% rate of return for the 2023-24 fiscal year that ended June 30, Treasurer Erick Russell reported Wednesday. Russell said this was the second year in a row the funds have outpaced the assumed 6.9% rate of return. The treasurer’s office reported returns of 8.5% for […]

Detective says suspect was driver in Winsted fatal crash

TORRINGTON – Pressed on the witness stand Wednesday at Torrington Superior Court to consider the possibility that measurements and findings of a crash that killed 21-year-old Tyler Brazil of Norfolk four years ago could have been wrong, state police Detective Albert Gorski replied, “I don’t think so.” Tyler’s father, John Brazil, was just as emphatic […]

Holy Cross priest remembered at 9/11 memorial

WATERBURY – More than 100 people gathered Wednesday evening at Holy Cross High School for what many said was the city’s most well-attended 9/11 memorial in many years. The service honored all those who died 23 years ago, including a beloved priest and former teacher at Holy Cross. The Rev. Francis E. Grogan was a […]

Abbott Terrace loses funding, future bleak

WATERBURY – The federal agency that oversees long-term care facilities has informed Athena Health Care that it will no longer be getting federal Medicare funding for nearly 200 residents living at the Abbott Terrace Health Center on Phoenix Avenue downtown. The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services notified state officials as well as Athena on […]

Aquarion Water Co. sale would hurt Torrington

TORRINGTON – The city stands to lose about $1.3 million a year if Aquarion Water Co. is sold and transitions to a nonprofit. South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority’s regional policy board Sept. 5 approved an application to submit a bid to purchase Aquarion. If the bid is accepted, the water authority plans to convert […]